Halniir, Eastern Province of the Empire
Halniir is the largest, yet most empty of the remaining provinces of the Kaelic Empire. It takes its name from the Gnomish language, roughly translated it means "drylands". For though there are many human tribes wandering the wastes, and though the Orc Strongholds are closer to the cities of Imperial Erbain, most trade initially with this province before its conquest came from the Gnomes of Perdur traveling to their kin in the East.
Halniir is bordered the north and north-west by Nevrast, to the west by Erbain, and to the south-west by Peredur. To the south is ocean, and in the furthest east are just the Wastes, desolate and empty.
For about a hundred miles or so along the westernmost edge Halniir looks much like Erbain, tended and fruitful. But as one goes further east, the land rapidly gives way to endless sand, brutal winds, and lifetaking heat. Most of Halniir consists therefore of small oasis communities connected by caravan trails.
In the northern portion of Halniir one can find the Orcish strongholds of Rhengor, and Harbaradgor. Though the Imperial Highway from Erbain ends at Rhengor, one can take a caravan trail further into the Great Eastern Waste. Don't attempt this trail alone, for it is many days travel to get to the human town of Dalath, where it bakes on the edge of the Lesser Oasis. To travel this road without enough rations, especially of water, is fatal.
Traveling south from Rhengor, one will pass through the Human town of Teren. Here, one must choose: Do you continue south-east, and go to the town of Alzar, and hence to Anvil on the coast? Or do you continue south-west, heading to Caloril and then back into the gardens of Erbain?
Caloril, and Kemil further south are lie on the borders of the Great Eastern Waste. In ancient times, there were Orcish strongholds called Hardagor and Varengor, but the communities both failed long ago, and were deserted, to the desert sands blowing out of the East. Now only the most ancient of Orc Chantsong speaks of them. At the peak of Imperial power, Humans colonizing out of Anvil rebuilt them as part of the connections back into Erbain.
South of Alzar, on the coast of the Great Bay of Halniir is Anvil, capital (and the only truly Imperial city) of Halniir. It's ruler is the Vizier Jhek an'Thiel, whose people once were known as the desert barbarian tribes of Halniir before it was incorporated into the Empire. Many tribesmen still hew to old ways, wandering the Wastes as nomads, travellers and traders of no fixed home. They are fearsome fighters, but their pride binds them to the desert sands, and they offer little trouble to those outside the province.
No roads lead from Halniir back into The Shan of Province Peredur. Of old, the Gnomes of the Shan and the Orcs of Verengor were more inclined to fight than seek fair gain in trade. Even when Imperial might was at its peak, more goods sailed east and west via the Southern Ocean than ever travelled from The Shan into southern Halniir.
For south of the Human imperial city of Anvil lies the Isle of Meriwood, where the Forest Gnomes dwell. Meriwood is a large island of mighty forests, where the Forest Gnomes dwell in peace. They hold the Rock Gnomes of the Shan to be kindred, for their old stories say The Shan was originally colonized from the Meriwood when they were inspired by their gods to seek Green Lands of Endless Sky. It is only fair to mention, the Gnomes of The Shan hold it was the Meriwood that was colonized out of the Shan, by Gnomes seeking more timber to work with. For they claim Viraven and Sianna were both mighty forests in the old days, but both being heavily populated by Big Folk, the Gnomes sailed East to find their fortune. To this day, both kindred of Gnomes hold themselves akin, though theirs is a friendly rivalry, in the manner of cousins once removed. Meriwood has two towns the Forest Gnomes maintain for the purpose of trade with the Empire: Kirth, and Nedane. It is believed there are other smaller communities within the great forests of Meriwood, but the Gnomes do not generally encourage travellers to leave the towns. If one wishes to meet more Gnome communities, the smaller isles of Perone and Lyr contain other small Forest Gnome towns to visit.
Far, far to the East, past where any known track leads, one could find The Greater Oasis, where the mighty Orc Stronghold of Gor-Gorin lies. But there are no roads through the endless, trackless blowing sands of the Wastes, and only the most accomplished of Navigators dares to strike a path to that city. And this is unfortunate, for though the Gor-Gorin Orcs are truly isolated, cut off from the lights of Imperial culture, yet they are not savages. Dwelling as they long have on the waters they name Kargorbador, here the Orcs have refine their minds with meditation and deep study, even as they harden their bodies in the endless wastes of The East. The Orcs of the West hold the Orcs of Gor-Gorin to be living embodiments of the Orcish ideal warrior, but few can afford to travel there to see them, and fewer indeed of the Gor-Gorin Orc leave their desert citadels.
History
It was Kylen II, Scion of the line of Kael the Great, who came East of our Erbain seeking new lands to add to the empire. Orcish raids on his border had been troubling the eastern baronies of his realm, and it is written that he thought it would be a simple campaign to break the Orcs to his whim.
Suffice it to say, Kylen II was wrong. It took 30 years of brutal fighting to bring northern Halniir into the Empire. Even then, it is written that the Orcs only submitted when an outbreak of the plague in the Stronghold of Harbaradgor sapped the Orc hordes of the material necessary to carry the fight. But afterwards the Orcs of Halniir became important, prosperous citizens of the Empire. And indeed, as their numbers grew anew some Orcs were allowed to travel into Erbain proper, to establish new Strongholds on the western side of the mountains.
It is said that the human tribes of Halniir were happy to become Imperial citizens. On the other hand, it is also said that the human tribes of Halniir to this day still don't really believe in the Empire. Not merely they don't believe in the greatness of the Empire, or it's glory, or anything like that. The Tribes literally don't believe the Empire exists. It's just a nice story the Westfolk tell themselves, to help them get over the fact that they aren't wise enough to know the Wastes. A good tribesman never leaves the desert. If he does, he clearly isn't a good tribesman, and is no longer trusted should he ever return to the "real world".
During the Dwarf Wars this region was completely untouched. No Dwarven Cities lie in Halniir. And indeed, the Orcs of Northern Halniir were just as inclined to fight on the Dwarves side as they were to fight on behalf of Elves and Men. Orcs love a good fight, and love the coin that comes of mercenary work.
As the Dwarf general Flint Frostbeard later described in his memoirs, "Fightin' in Halniir? Wha'd ever be bloody point!? Ye cannae reach the Gnomes without boats, the Tribesmen dinna have anything worth fightin' o'er. An' if I wanna fight an Orc I dinna hae to drag me own arse halfway across the Gods Own Sandbox to do it. They're always just as happy to come to wherever ye are when the time comes fer fightin'. 'Tis a kindness of 'em that way, they be glad t' save ye all that walkin'."
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