Blind Bastard's Domain

The **Blind Bastard's Domain** is an pirate kingdom to the south of the Great Ra'ga and north of Nosso Lar. The nation is mostly inhabited by nomadic orcs and mostly humans trade cities. Several years ago a tiefling with one eye named **Renne** conquered the struggling city states by organizing militias to combat foreign raiders and guarantee the protection of a handful of Orcish tribes. Renne claims the bastard daughter of the Azan emperor, with long-term goals to raise an army suitable of revolting against the empire. These claims, often believed within the domain, have superfluous evidence at best and all connections with the Azan Empire are denied by the Empire. The domain is centered in the trade city of Mordian, a debouched hive of piracy and unregulated trade patrolled by easily corrupt and brutal pirates. The domain is largely controversial as Renne's relaxed laws on piracy makes her ports safe havens for pirates. On one hand this guarantees some level of protection and generates money as many crews end up as privateers, but this also makes the domain a particularly debouched place and leads to pirate raids against its neighbors. The primary languages are Azan, Common, Orcish, and the state conducts much of its business in Thieves' Cant.

## History

The Aruanda region has long been a crossroads for trade, to the misfortune of its indigenous inhabitants. Foreign outposts were set up at various times by Gilgemash, the early Gokmavi, and the Khenomeric Empire, all of which raided the locals for slaves in addition to moving various trade goods.

The most powerful of these foreigners though was the Azan Empire, who first started exploring the area over 2000 years ago during the late 7th dynasty, and for much of the 8th dynasty possessed a network of trading colonies and vassals across the south, centered upon the city of Moridan, which in time grew to be one of the largest and wealthiest cities on the planet.

Following the Azan Civil War and the departure of Changrila, Moridan became increasingly isolated from the core regions of the Azan Empire. Always an extremely multicultural city to begin with, waves of refugees from the crumbling Khenomeric Empire and Gilgemash diluted the influence of the ruling Azanese minority and encouraged a lax, decadent lifestyle among the elite.

As the more pacifist philosophy of the New Azan Faith spread among the governing class, a number of lesser colonies were abandoned, leaving Moridan as a small rump state far from the rest of the Azan Empire. However, it continued to be a source of much prestige, and some of the trade goods from this region made key people back in the Azanese Heartlands extremely wealthy. Furthermore, Moridan remained a key cultural center for the Azan Empire, with an unusually high number of famous artists, philosophers, magical theorists, and historians dwelling there. Through Moridan, the Azan Empire was able to absorb many of the best ideas from the Khenomeric Empire, Gilgemash, and many others.

The loss of Moridan to the rebel Renne and her shady allies was thus a major blow to the Azan Empire. The self-proclaimed exiled bastard daughter of the previous Azanese Emperor, she was able to marry into a small Gokmavi tribe, which she got exiled to Moridan. Here she convinced a range of rebel, criminal, heretic, and libertarian groups that she would be the ideal figurehead for a more decentralized state, with far less laws or moral restrictions, while simultaneously convincing the common folk she was their best chance against the ongoing gnoll raids at the time.

Once in power though, she managed to convince her backers that by working together they could pillage the region for their mutual benefit. The so-called Blind Bastard’s Domain has thus become a relatively expansionist and authoritarian government which has conquered a broad swath of territory previously held by Aruandans and orcs, regularly conducts raids on a dozen nearby nations, and has even made a few failed colonization attempts.

## Government

Renne is the leader of the Domain, holding the title of Empress-In-Exile as well as Patriarch of the Faith. However, she relies on an unstable alliance of merchant clans, pirate admirals, mercenaries, slavers, magical organizations, and religious cults to stay in power. In addition, the rulers of the lesser cities in the Domain still retain a lot of power.

Despite this loose structure, the Domain has an expansionist reputation, and any sort of sedition is dealt with quickly. As long as campaigns and raids remain largely successful, the various power groups of the Domain will see the benefit of working together, or at least not sabotaging each other.

## Military

The domain's military is humble and mostly trained in naval and coastal combat. The domain's piracy laws give certain degrees of loyalty to some pirate crews, making naval invasion risky. The core of Renne's militias use light armor and spears, with commanding officers given curved swords. The southern part of the domain is protected by orcish nomads, during the Blind Orc Wars the domain expended its territory into the savannahs by signing strong alliances with three clans. These clans protect the southern border and due to their policy of keeping all other clans at bay they swore not to attack certain settlements.

Unofficially the shadowy alliances of slavers, merchant houses, mages, and religious cults make up nearly as much of Renne’s strength as the official army and the officially recognized privateer fleet. Many of these factions have been creating trouble in the region for centuries before the Domain was even created, but have been drawn together by the threat of the gnolls and the opportunity to keep the Azan Empire out of their affairs.

## Economy

The economy is trade based, with many weapon smiths and a coal mine. The orcish clans provide leather to much of the domain, as they don't have to contend with other clans in regards to herding. The slave trade is both a mass import and export, with the domain exporting many Orcish slaves from defeated tribes and importing slaves from nearby pirates and lesser-civilized tribes. Laws on slavery are nearly non-existent and it's estimated that a quarter of the population lives in a state of slavery.

Aside from slavery, the Domain is a very wealthy realm with many different ways of generating income for the elites. It dominates the most dangerous section of the main south coast trade route, targets rival ships with piracy, engages in drug manufacturing, and is also home to many merchant clans that specialize in acquiring rare resources/items from the more dangerous parts of the south, as well as guilds specializing in alchemy and magical experimentation.

Common folk in the cities are typically fishermen, sailors, pirates, laborers, craftsmen, servants, etc., while those in rural areas are farmers, plantation workers, herders, woodcutters, etc. Many of the poorer common folk have seen their wages drop due to the massive influx of slaves filling many jobs previously filled by unskilled laborers.

## Demographics

Humans – Make up the majority of the population, but many different races are represented including Aruandan, Azanese, Gilgemashi, Changrilese, Khenomerian, Gokmavi, and Drunig. Many folk are an admixture of two or more races. The various styles of light robes favored by the more civilized northern coastal Aruandan clans tend to be the most common style of dress, but Khenomeric styles remain popular as well, and some folk of other cultures refuse to entirely give up their style of dress, creating a wide range of potential fashions. Slavery has become quite common since Renne’s coup, most of them Aruandans who resisted the creation of the Domain.

Orcs – Most orcs live in the southern parts of the Domain, in the savannas, but even before the Domain was formed, orcs were not uncommon in the coastal cities. Since the Blind Orc Wars, orcs are common among the slave population.

Hogmen – Not uncommon, but almost always as slaves. Due to their semi-feral nature they are often used as arena fighters, military fodder, or laborers in the most dangerous areas.

Nchuandar – These drow-moon elf-human hybrids from Gilgemash are few in number, but are politically significant due to their powerful grasp of magic and technology.

Frog-men, Zebra-Centaurs, Gnolls, Ta’lunasir (moon elves), etc. – Many other non-humans from neighbouring lands can be found in the Domain as slaves, merchants, exiles, long-term communities, etc.

Miscellaneous Local Races – The wilder parts of the Domain are home to primitive races like coastal goblins, half-crocodiles, desert hags, animal kin, and harpies. Some are southern fey, while others are monster races from the southern jungles, generally believed to be part demon in nature.

Ogres and Trolls – Are popular in the Domain as fighters and laborers. Some are imported from abroad, others beyond to little known local subspecies.

## Religion

As one would expect from such a multicultural region, there are countless different religions, many of which have mixed together, making new syncretic branches.

The Azan Faith is technically still the state religion. However, the legalization of slavery and Renne’s decision to declare herself head of the faith in the region has led followers of the Azan Faith to be among the least loyal to Renne. To help prop up support, Renne relies heavily on factions that favor a syncretic version of the faith that mix Old Azan Faith beliefs with local traditions.

The Khenomeric Pantheon is also fairly popular, with Kagal being the most popular among magic users, and also Mg’umba and Uruc unofficially being quite popular in some quarters.

Local Aruandans often follow their own Pantheon, made up of a mix of animal spirits and demons, mixed with bits and pieces taken from other cultures.

The Gilgemash Pantheon is also quite popular, though many components of it are downplayed in the Domain as in Gilgemash, gods and demon lords are worshipped almost equally.

## Climate

The north of the domain is dominated by small rainforests, it's said the city of Mordian is lifted above the ground to keep the city safe during flood season. The southern coastal regions are savannahs mostly populated by orcs and a handful of dark skinned humans.

## The Blind Orc Wars

Shortly after Renne unified the northern city states she traveled south and encountered seven waring Orcish clans struggling for control of the valued grass lands. Renne sent diplomats to each clan to get their side of the story; after which she picked three clans to side with. The Murzul, the Shagol, and the Fozhug tribes were sent militias to help in their cause in exchange for permanent protectorate status. After many hard fought battles the tribes were victorious and integrated into the domain.

## Foreign Relations

The Azan Empire is in particular at odds with the domain, being in a permanent state of war. With the domain meant to overthrow the emperor, and the empire determined to end Renne's claims to the throne. The Azans send spies, weapons, and propaganda to incite revolts among the nearby populations. In return the blind bastard's manifesto has been distributed to many Azan rebel groups, and nations at odds with Azan often recogize Renne as the true empress. Although gaining her “rightful throne” is theoretically Renne’s end goal, no one in Azan takes her claim seriously. There is some dispute over whether Renne herself believes she has a chance, or whether this lofty goal simply provides motivation for her less educated followers. Either way, Azan features heavily in Renne’s speeches and propaganda. Azan meanwhile has taken Moridan’s loss poorly and hopes to reclaim it somehow, though this will be difficult as most Azanese loyalists were slain, enslaved, or fled during Renne’s rise to power.

The Gnoll Empire is also at a state of permanent war with the domain, as the gnolls believe in realistic conspiracies of the domain sending pirates to intercept trade, as well as Renne's promise to keep the cities safe from Gnoll raiders. Nations in states of conflict with the gnolls often hire domain pirates as privateers. Although so far there has been few large scale interactions, Moridan was shaping up to be a major rival of the Gnolls even before Renne’s coup. Few realize just how many powerful magic users have taken up residence in Moridan, including exiles from the Khenomeric Empire, Gilgemash, Okhost, and even some from Changrila, Chakobsa, and the Moonlight Shores States. Together they may just come up with a solution to the gnoll problem, or at least stunt the growth of their numbers.

Attempts have been made to set up relations with the Misty Isle but no ambassador has returned.

### Nosso Lar, Mumak Mahudom, Meteoritemen

These three regions are popular targets for Domain rains and as a result have formed an unlikely alliance of sorts, though interactions with the Meteoritemen remain rare. Azan provides support to these nations against the Domain when it can. Nosso Lar has often been a sore spot for the domain, as it often acts as a base for Azan spies and troops to station and was founded as a slave rebellion state. They maintain a weak and fragile peace purely as to not extend their weak military.

### Moonlight Shores States, Jeraxih Tribes, Bakir Sultanate, Terrania Free Holds, Land of the Changing Waters, Zulutaur Steppes, Isle of the Hogmen

Slavers and pirates from the Domain raid these lands on a regular basis.

### Mona Ki Ngi Xica

The Domain has inherited the network of old Azanese/Moridanese trading posts that cross through these lands, which combined form one of the main land routes connecting the southern oceans. The Domain guards its assets here zealously.

### War-Wel and Eldritch Jungles

The Domain has made failed attempts to colonize these regions in order to further loot their old ruins and jungles rich in rare alchemy and narcotic ingredients.

### Changrila, Gilgemash, Gokmavi, Drunzigar, Asvaran, Leng, Anchovia

The Domain trades with just about everyone, but these are their main trading partners.

### Okhost, Great Ra’ga, Leng, Gilgemash

The elite magic users of the Domain (and Moridan before it) have long maintained secretive connections with these nations. The common folk of the Domain are largely unaware of them, though such is the power of the shadowy Moridan magic using elite that Renne has forbidden her pirates from raiding these nations.

The Isles of the Hogmen is one of the domain's main sources of slaves, and many abolitionists directly blame the domain's slave trade on the constant state of warfare and instability in the isles.

## About Renne

She lived peacefully in her rural village working in a brewery with her mother, when one day the emperor sent assassins to kill her family. Renne escaped, though massively disfigured and losing an eye and was exiled for twelve years. She briefly lived with the Blue Hoard and married a low-ranked warrior. In seek of refuge, he lead her to the trade port of Moridan. There she was disgusted by the instability she saw and decided she'd try, as the hopeful empress of the Azan, to protect her people at all cost. She raised militias and declared war on the Gnolls who caused her new home such suffering. After defeating a large naval invasion the her renown spread and she was sent across the city-states of the region to be their protector thus founding the basis of the Blind Bastard's Domain. Recognizing her limits, she had the plan of setting aside one city as a pirate safe haven earning their trust, as the experiment worked she spread such policies across the domain. This lead to an influx of pirates, but also a cheap source of protection from nearby raiders. While trying to expand her influence further south to obtain farmland she learned of a seven-war brutal war between the local orcish chiefs. She reasoned to herself that if she just gets three of them on her side the entire southern border can be annexed by the domain, starting the Blind Orc Wars where she sided with three orcish clans and dominated the peninsula. Around this time a slave revolt in Moridan had her husband killed, in a blind rage she ordered their immediate caputure and execution. This martial law, showing Renne's potential tyranny, lead to many slaves and a few non-slaves to escape the city to avoid torture founding the state of Nosso Lar. Renne has recognized the state, but threatens war if they escalate. Conspiracies are abound of her disguising invasions in nearly all nearby territories as simple pirate raids.