Yikarian Empire The Yikarian Empire was an ancient empire in the northern corner of Zakhara that was home to the malicious yak - folk . The terrain covered by the Yikarian Empire was known as the Land of the Yak - Men . Geography . Most of the Empire ' s terrain was dominated by the World Pillar Mountains of northeast Zakhara . The rest of the Empire extended into the terrain surrounding the mountains , including the fringes of the Jungle of Monsters in the east , the desert wastelands of the northeastern portion of the Haunted Lands , and the hill country and plains bordering Konigheim and the Utter East in the north . The River Ruin was used to transport goods and slaves , both by boat during the rainy season and with caravans on the dry riverbed at other times , from the Great Sea to the various provinces of the Empire . From east to west the Yikarian Empire stretched from the jungles of Sempadan all the way to the cool waters of Bahr al - Kibar . Description . Each of the eight provinces of the Yikarian Empire were classified as either Strongholds — areas without a temple to the Faceless God — or Safeholds — areas that possessed a temple to the Faceless God . Within a Sanctuary , the temple was usually located at the highest elevation . Yikarian cities differed from every other city on Toril . Where most cities appeared to be a collection of buildings located close to each other , a yikarian city consisted of a single massive building with countless hallways and rooms for the inhabitants . Though a yikarian city was completely connected , certain areas were off limits to common yak - folk . These were usually rooms reserved for religious purposes or for the rulers . Culture . One of the aspects that made the Yikarian Empire so venerable was the singular devotion of the yak - folk to their Faceless God . Yak - men honored their elders and they worked together as a society to expand the Empire and the desires of their god . Treachery and deceit against members of their species was almost unheard of among the yak - folk , giving them a distinct advantage compared to nearly any other race inhabiting the planet . This was counter - balanced by their relatively small population given the arid land in which they lived . The Yikarian Empire was ruled by the Lotus Emperor — a younger yikarian who was ritually sacrificed to the Faceless God every 20 years . The Lotus Emperor acted as the High Priest for his people and as a direct spokesman for the Faceless God . Trade . Slaves were by far the largest imported item of the Empire . They were also the most vital considering slaves performed a list of countless tasks to maintain order , not to mention their use as ritual sacrifices . Exports included rich yak - butter , superb incense , bells , and bronze . Additionally , dwarven and human slaves crafted a variety of weapons and armor . These items were traded with Kara - Tur , the Free Cities of Zakhara , and various desert tribes . Some Zakharans believed that the nomadic Al - Badia provided slaves to the yak - folk in exchange for trade items , but this was not proven . Activities . One of the biggest factors driving the expansion of the Empire was the need for slaves to sacrifice to the Faceless God . Conflicts with neighbors kept them from expanding with urgency , but the yikarians had agents hidden throughout the continent of Zakhara , all of whom masqueraded as the individuals whom they possessed through the use of their special " magic jar " ability . History . The Yikarian Empire was founded approximately 900 years before 1367 DR , in the 5th century DR , outlasting all of the other great empires of the Land of Fate . Defenses . Aside from the military forces of the yikarians , the mountainous terrain of the Empire provided an ample degree of security for any invading force to overcome . The sheer walls of the towering World Pillar Mountains encircled most of the Empire with stout natural bulwarks . Despite their bitter differences with Zakhara , the Yikarian Empire would be the first line of defense for the Land of Fate should any invading force decide to attack the continent from the north . Rumors & Legends . Barber s and merchants in Zakhara whispered that the yak - folk established a trading outpost at the mouth of a river within the eastern jungle . The existence of the outpost was not confirmed , but such a location would give them access to a host of new potential slaves within the jungle and on the Foreigners ' Sea . The secretive nature of the yak - folk made determining their alliances rather difficult . Rumored allies included the Brotherhood of the True Flame and the Everlasting . The Everlasting were connected with the Empire because they both made use of the marrash . The sha ' ir Badiat bint Malin worked directly with the Empire to help corrupt the Ruined Kingdoms .