Republic of Hnng'yar
Sometimes called the "Free City of
Hnng'yar", this could be deceptive as it gives visitors the image of one great city standing alone. This is deceptive because this is nothing short of a nation, and one of the most powerful in all the Twin Worlds.
Structure
As a republic, Hnng'yar is ruled by elected representatives. This is the Senate, and each senator is elected by popular vote. As it is technically a city-state, all candidates traditionally come from Hnng'yar, although votes from other communities are counted.
Many other communities do exist in Hnng'yar's territory. These towns are fiercely independent, and indeed don't even consider themselves Hnng'yari. Paradoxically, they do follow the Senate's laws and pay its taxes.
There is one more office of note: that of Magus Laureate. The one in that role is recognized as the most powerful wizard in the land and serves as an advisor to the Senate. For over two thousand years, the only one to fill the role has been Ratagar of Rall. He has so much influence that some would suggest he is the true ruler of Hnng'yar. He laughs at this notion.
History
It is not known by scholars exactly why the gnolls originally settled here or where they came from. The prevailing theory is that they originally came from Amaun, as renegades that turned away from the bloodthirsty worship of Yeenoghu. An opposing theory states that these demon worshippers were the renegades. Either theory states that the travel was facilitated by the Well of the Twin Worlds.
Either way, the early gnolls lived in semi-nomadic packs. All of that changed with the First Rising. The invading mind flayers drove the gnolls south into caves in the cliffs on the southernmost tip of the continent. There, they fought for their lives until the invasion was finally ended.
They did not leave their shelter, however. They found that the sheltered bay where they had fled to was the perfect location for a more permanent settlement. So they built their homes there, in addition to a port. This was then named "Hnng'yar".
The town grew quickly into a prosperous city and eventually exerted its influence over the surrounding communities. Before long, all who lived in the area owed allegiance to the recently-formed Senate. They obeyed the same laws, paid the same taxes, and benefited from the same protection. A nation had truly formed.
While this new nation had a few wars with its neighbors, such conflicts are always dwarfed the all-encompassing terror of a Rising. Eventually, the Second Rising swept through the land like a plague. Only no plague quite has the coordination of the mind flayers.
The city of Hnng'yar was besieged, cutting them off from the lands depending on it. The other communities were then systematically attacked. Hnng'yar survived the siege, but the surrounding towns weren't nearly that lucky. The end to the invasion couldn't come soon enough.
By the time the mind flayers retreated back underground, the countryside was a mess and refugees were teeming into Hnng'yar. Still, the other nations fared no better, and while the quality of life and order in the city went down dramatically, the rebuilding went well. The republic was soon relatively strong once again in impressively short order.
This strength proved a boon in their next war, but was also the cause of it. The ursil under the command of a warlord named Cand Romerrac were searching for a new home, and had found it in Hnng'yar. The fighting never reached the city, itself but many other communities were utterly ruined. This led to many more refugees flooding into the city.
One such refugee was driven out of the city under unfortunate circumstances, and even became an adventurer in distant Amaun. By the time he returned, he became a powerful archmage, and soon defeated the Magus Laureate in a duel. This was the famous Ratagar of Rall.
Under Ratagar's guidance, the city prospered like it never had before. Even the Third Rising wasn't enough to end this, as it was easily fought off. The metropolis then became a haven for those displaced by the invasion, and has remained a center of civilization on Kirris ever since.
Demography and Population
A majority of the republic's population consists of gnolls, although the cosmopolitan nature of the area makes this majority slight. Tamblin, tabaxi, ursil, and minotaurs also have significant populations. Giff, tortles, and loxodons are also encountered in Hnng'yar, itself, but not in large numbers.
There is also a surprisingly large population of humans in the area. These people are primitive tribes that are invariably hostile to the beastlike peoples that live here. This leads to a slight, but noticeable distrust of humanlike people.
Territories
The republic holds the lands on the southernmost point of Hr'ask'r. This territory is surprisingly large for a nation that is ostensibly a city-state. There are many smaller logging, farming, or mining communities that dot the region.
This area is mostly covered by dense jungle occasionally broken by a mountain range so old and weathered that it hardly exists anymore. This is home to many dangerous creatures such as dinosaurs. For better and worse, the bird-like dragons of Kirris are also found here.
The climate is both very hot and extremely wet. The residents of the area generally weather the heat very well, and the frequent rainfall makes the growing of certain crops, such as rice and sugarcane very easy. Visitors often find the place thoroughly unpleasant, however.
Military
The republic has a very large military for a nation of this size. This is in part due to the high population of the city of Hnng'yar and in part due to the patriotism of the city's residents. As there are no shortage of volunteers, they make up the entirety of the forces.
Their training gives them moderate talents, but their armed forces are rare in that divine and arcane spellcasters are integrated into their ranks. Only the most promising and intelligent recruits become mages while only the most pious learn to be clerics.
Hnng'yar also has a very extensive navy to protect the all-important sea trade. The purpose of these vessels is to enforce the nation's laws. In particular, they mostly combat pirates and capture smugglers. They do also serve as effective deterrent to invasion.
Religion
As with most of Kirris, the Hnng'yari engage in the monotheistic worship of the Great Divine. In fact, the city of Hnng'yar is something of a center of that faith, as it is the site of the Cathedral of the Unbroken Circle.
The cathedral is a pilgrimage site for many, but it is not, in and of itself, a holy site. It is simply one of the grander centers of worship in all of Kirris. The temple hierarch serves as an important figure to the faithful, but he is not a supreme leader of a unified faith.
Foreign Relations
The people of Hnng'yar are generally peaceful traders. As such, they have very few enemies as a nation. In fact, they have very strong alliances with the other nations of Hr'ask'r, such as Voror and the Kingdom-in-the-Boughs. They often serve as mediators of the disputes between these nations.
There is one exception to this, however. This is the Yuan-ti Empire. These snake-like people are effectively at war with all not like themselves. As such yuan-ti are some of the few that are truly unwelcome in Hnng'yar. Even this is sometimes overlooked in the case of a few renegades, such as Ssassari.
Agriculture & Industry
The lands surrounding Hnng'yar are very fertile, but the density of the jungle makes cultivation a difficult prospect. Still, with some clearing of the land, this is possible. Rice is the primary staple crop while sugarcane is also quite common. As many of the people living here are especially carnivorous, the raising of livestock and poultry is common as well.
The old mountains dotting the region are especially rich in silver and iron. Such minerals are mined, and often cast in the nearby mining towns. This has led to many communities prospering despite the dangers inherent in delving beneath the earth.
Trade & Transport
If there is one industry that is more important than any other for Hnng'yar, it is trade. The port city thrives on the sea trade from across Kirris, primarily using this method to reach out even to those places on the very same contininent due to the risks of overland travel.
The sheer size of Hnng'yar makes it a capital of industry, making it a producer of all sorts of goods. Cloth, metalworks, glassware, and other such things are produced here and exported along with some enchanted items. The imports consist primarily of the raw materials and magical reagents that make such industries possible.
Founding Date
Mid 1st Age
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Economic System
Traditional
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments