Tnz'qran Raiders

With the Death of the Khan more interplay between the Khanate and Ordes will likely happen. Both civilizations after all even if Ethnically far apart are culturally very close. The Ordes are afterall nomadic horserides which have begun to settle down.

The most dominant of the Ordes has for a long time been the K'elle'orda thanks to it's marital ties to the Celectial Empire. It has dominated most other Ordes with the Nhi'orde and Hte'orde being direct vassals to it. The Qssl'orde on the other hand is used as a buffer state by the Treant Empire and might soon become just another vassal. That's how low the once mighty Tnz'qran have fallen. Only Qwwl'orde remains as an old Independant Horse as Swe'yus has gone back under Suoxi Controll.

There is a new player among the Tnz'qran though. The Eta'Orde a new Orde. The Minor horselord Hun Eta has married his daughter to off to one of the Great Khans son's allowing them to rebell against the K'elle Orde and carving out their own land. They seek to unite The Orde's once more and trough marital ties to create a joint grand Empire of Horseriders as well as retake Tzn'qran Land in the Northern half of Suoxi-Dan Dio.

The Tnz'qran Raiders, previously known as the Magna Orda are a mix of the Huns and Tatars. The Great Han, Aettl once united all the Tnz'qran tribes and lead to their rapid expansion, even nearly accomplishing a conquest of the Celstial Empire. Since then the Orde's have splintered and lost a lot of land.

#### **History**

The various Ordes have existed in some loose fashion since The Collapse, but it wasn't until early Antiquity with the First Great Orde did they start to become prominent on the world stage.

##### **The First Great Orde**

The First Great Orde was formed in the Era of Antiquity around 1350 by the Semi Mythical Qral Lionson. "Qral" is said to be the origin of the terms Khan and Han. His twelve wives and thirteen husbands are said to be the origin of the 24 major clans of the Tnz'qran people.

Qral Lionson ...

To this day there is debate among the various Orde houses over just how much of the First Orde was fact and how much was fiction. What most people do agree on is that the Tnz'qran Valley of the Great Plains was the origin of the first chariots and the domestication of the Giant Lions. This military culture became a major aspect of their society.

##### **The First Collapse**

The First Orde continued to exist for another 500 years, fighting along side allies from the Celestia Subcontinent and the Ram's Head against the Treant Empire. The First Orde spread its cultural and military innovations all over the southeastern continent, and some pockets of Tnz'qran people in the Ram's Head claim to descend from Orde soldiers from this time period. The First Orde came to an end circa 1850, when they turned against their allies and rampaged over much of the region. The Han was poisoned by a scorpion, and for unknown reasons chose to split his Empire up between his sons. This led to a collapse of the First Orde, the so called Successor Ordes were gradually dissolved by intermixing with indigenous people, and the Orde culture only remained relatively intact in the Central Plains.

##### **The Second Great Orde**

After the collapse of the First Great Orde, the Tnz-qran people would not be reunited under one Khan until nearly 2600 years later in 4450. The Second Great Orde which was known at the time as the Magna Orda was created when Aettl the Han united the other Ordes into a massive nomadic empire that was able to lay waste to all that stood in their way. The Magna Orda became the dominant political power of the mid sixth era until continuous raids by Kara Khan, Pelar Khan, and Bezel Khan and various other western forces caused the Magna Orde to collapse.

Aettl the Han ...

##### **The Second Collapse**

The "Great Mixing of Cultures" (derogatorily referred to as "The Great Impregnation" by some Tnz) lead to a broader Uruzatarization of Tnz culture, as words, strategies and cultural forces from western groups broke into the region. To this day, the main written language of the entire Plains region is in Uruz script. This era also saw the importation of goblin foodstuffs such as Bezel Beetle and Red fungus which became staples of the Tnz diet as well as the creation of the first magic wands based on imported Treant Mysticism.

##### **Religion**

The Tnz’qran worship the giant lions that migrate through their borders as sacred beasts. Due to the lions traveling in packs and their size they are quite deadly and cannot be killed easily without dooming the hunter. A warrior who could manage to kill one of these beasts alone without dying and bring it back is regarded as a holy being that is one with nature.

##### **Government**

They used to be one united nomadic Empire, but splintered into multiple Ordes at the death of the Khan. Each Orde is ruled by a clan house which governs their land.

#### **Nhi'Orde**

##### The Seni Pass and Nhigei Steppe

The Seni pass is named after the great Tnz'qran explorer Khuwwl Qran Seni. He discovered the passage by following the Black Sevalut into the North. This lead to the discovery of the Nhigei Steppe and it's conquest by the 4th Nhi'Han Khran Nhigei. It was the conquest of the Nhigei Steppe which allowed the Nhi'Orde to become one of the major Orde's.

##### The Hena Pass

The Hena pass was discovered only about 60 years ago by Bartolomew Hena a Westerasi Explorer in the service of the K'elle'Han. The discovery of another major entrance into the Nhigei Steppe is what allowed the forces of the K'elle'Orde to defeat the Nhi'Orde, seze land and subjugate them.

##### The Nhi'Han and Goatman Mountain Tribes

After suffering a great defeat at the battle of Peak Kreht the then Prince of the Nhi'Orde went into self exile to travel the world and learn of the world and bring greatness to the Nhi Orde once more. He returned on the day of the death of his father as if by divine prophecy with 5000 Dwarven War Goats. Within a few months he trained his riders to use these mounts as mounts of war for the mountains. For the first time the People's of the steppe managed to take control of the Goatman Wall, subjugating the local Technobarbarian tribes.

##### The World Spine

Very tall mountains where the technobarbarians live, it is a bad omen to go there.

#### **K'elle'Orde**

The K'elle'Orda is the most powerful of all Orde's thanks to an alliance with the Celestial Empire. The Hte' and Nhi'Orda are it's Vassals. The Han of the K'elle'orde is trough matrianial ties one of the candidates for the next Emperor of the Celestial Empire and the two countries share a deep alliance.

##### Sewalut River

The Sewalut River is the largest river along which the Tnz'qran civilization resides. It's the only major landmark which cuts the endless steppe. It is there where villages and settlements exist. The riversides are full of farms and trading huts and the river is very important for transporting Timber from the Goatman Mountains to Swe'yus.

##### Ketl Swamp

A Small Area at the border of the K'elle and Hte'Orde which is mostly inhabited by people's related to the Natives of the Treantian Vassal tribes. The Swamps are relatively inaccessible as such little is known about the natives of the Swamp.

#### **Hte'Orde**

Population: 35% Suoxi Human, 30% Unclear/Other, 20% Tnz'qran Human, 5% Westerasi Human, 5% Vishga Human, 5% Imuuga Human (approximate percentages, much of the population is mixed race)

Capital: Engret

##### Government

Clan House Hte (Vassal to the Han of the K'elle'orde)

##### Culture

Often referred to as the "Sewage Gutter of the Central Plains" as well as many even less flattering titles, this often overlooked region consists mostly of poor rice farms supporting a handful of river towns, and three sprawling slum cities. Those of relatively pure Tnz'qran origin rule over the others, though their proud martial traditions have withered a bit, and they are sometimes considered the dregs of their race. The merchant class dominates the cities and towns, only partially held in check by the ruling Tnz'qran. All sorts of goods (more than a few illegal at their destinations) travel up and down the River. The common folk possess little of value, and are generally ignored by the other classes as long as they don't try to steal anything.

The Tnz'qran people in this region tend to treat the other races with disdain, since both the merchants and the commoners are seen as lazy, decadent, corrupt, jaded, cynical, and overly fond of narcotics imported from the Ivory Kingdom.

##### Religion

Tnz'qran Faith - Those who consider themselves of Tnz'qran origin still predominately worship the Giant Lions.

The River Goddess - A local faith of unclear origins, though some believe there are hints of the Naga Faith in this loosely organized "religion", the River Goddess is a trickster Goddess popular with criminals, outcasts, resentful servants, struggling farmers, and other riffraff that make up a large chunk of the local population. The "religion" mostly revolves around trading stories about the religion's "saints" (famous petty criminals and pranksters), exchanging cynical maxims, experimenting with intoxicating substances, and occasionally frolicking about in the River during the many holy days.

The Frog God - Even the "High Priests" of this religion don't really seem to understand what is going on.  Key tenets of this religion seem to involve drinking vast qualities of cheap liquor, painting oneself with mud, and hunting small wildlife along the swamps of the River.  Believed to be a fusion of the totem religions of certain Treant Vassal tribes, mixed with some aspects of Suht Duriannia, and hints of ancient Oni worship.

The Celestian Pantheon - Although disliked by those who have lived in the region for generations, the Celestian Pantheon is probably the most popular religion with relative newcomers who aren't Tnz'qran.

##### Organization

The Han rules from a crumbling, yet massive fortress in the middle of the city of Engret, just north of Kanna's Knot. His kin and other vassals (all Tnz'qran) rule over the other two cities, and other communities of sufficient size. Small Tnz'qran armies are stationed at the cities of Engret, Vallum, and Tristabool to watch the borders with Swe'yus, Qwwl'Orde, and Qssl'Orde respectively.

##### Origin

Despite strong beginnings, the Hte'Orde has long been regarded as cursed. A series of failed attempts to conquer the Kanna Knot caused many Tnz'qran warriors to lose faith in their leadership and join other nations. The remains of the Hte'Orde eventually became sedentary, ruling over the thin inhabited stretch of the Sewalut River they conquered on the way to the Kanna Knot. Aside from the Tnz'qran, the people here mostly come from a largely forgotten minor branch of the southeast Suoxi migration, with a scattering of refugees and fugitives from all over Celestia, the Central Plains, and the Ram's Head.

##### Diplomacy

Hte'Orde is a vassal of the Han of the K'elle'Orde. Not that the K'elle'Orde benefits much from ruling this stretch of river. Hte'Orde pays tithes and occasionally supplies soldiers, but it has little to offer in terms of men or wealth.

Qssl'Orde is a cause for concern for the Han of the Hte'Orde. At the time, few though the Treants would bother conquering such a dry, treeless area, but the motives of the Treants are poorly understood by others.

Qwwl'Orde is largely ignored by Hte'Orde, and vis versa, since neither nation is in position to try to bully the other.

Official relations with the Kingdom of Ivory, Swe'yus, and Nulamore are poor since the Hte'Orde views all three of these nations as rivals in their half-forgotten quest to conquer the Kanna Knot. However, the Hte'Orde will not act without permission from the K'elle'Orde. Despite this tension, merchants and smugglers from Hte'Orde do lively business with these regions.

The Celestial Empire views the Hte'Orde as impoverished mongrels beneath their notice, though indirect relations are maintained via the K'elle'Orde and the Dandio'Orde.

##### Geography

The desert region that makes up much of this nation is regarded as one of the most inhospitable places on the continent. Almost no one lives here except for a few fortified wells along the road from Nian Do to Qwwl'Orde.

Most of the population lives along the western bank of the Sewalut River, which forms the eastern edge of the province. The salty marshes of this region can support some rice farms, but otherwise this region offers little of value.

The City of Engrit is an old, crumbling city that has changed hands countless times over the centuries. It sits across the Sewalut River from Swe'yus held City of Kanna Knot, and just north of the Ivory Kingdom town of Hoi Nai. In a more stable political situation, all three communities would be part of the same city (they are even connected by massive bridges), but instead, Kanna Knot has switched loyalties between Swe'yus, Ivory Kingdom, and Qwwl'Orde several times in the past century, while Engrit and Hoi Nai have remained loyal to Hte'Orde and the Ivory Kingdom respectively. Compared to the wealthy, clean(ish) streets of Kanna Knot, and the vibrant but sleazy clubs and drug dens of Hoi Nai, Engrit is definitely the slum of these three interconnected communities. Home to struggling craftsmen, dirt cheap warehouses, low cost bunk houses for laborers working in the other communities, and underused docks, Engrit manages to feel both crowded yet partially abandoned. The current Hte'Han rules from a poorly maintained keep known as the "Eternal Palace". He maintains a needlessly large, but poorly equipped and poorly paid army to discourage invasion and maintain order in the city, but most of the soldiers merely loiter around since open crime is rare, and the threat of invasion is low.

The City of Vallum is built along the western side of a mighty bridge, where the Nian Do-Qwwl'Orde road crosses the Sewalut River. It is an ancient, dreary, small city barely worthy of the name. A small army is maintained here in case Qwwl'Orde tries to invade, and there is decent money to be made selling goods to caravans heading east and west, however, there is little else of interest here.

The City of Tristabool sits on the border of Hte'Orde and K'elle'Orde. An ancient, decaying city that is now partially submerged within the Ketl Swamp thanks to Treant magic, it is the focal point of many wars between the Tnz'qran and the Treant Empire. Things are quiet for now aside from the odd skirmish, though many soldiers from Hte'Orde and K'elle'Orde still garrison the dry part of the city. The submerged portion has been abandoned to river mermaids and scattered followers of the Frog God and the River Goddess.

##### Economy

The Hte'Orde is generally considered the poorest region of the Tnz'qran Lands. It is barely self sufficient in terms of food production, and most legitimate wealth comes from taxing and supporting the trade route between Swe'yus and the northern Tnz'qran Lands. Of course, less than legal goods also change hands often here, particularly in Engret.

##### Recent Events:

4989 - A new Hte'Han ascends the throne after the old one is assassinated. A surly, bitter man in his late fifties, it seems unlikely he will be able to pull Hte'Orde out of its decades of stagnation.

4992 - The fourth son of the Han causes a major scandal by renouncing his position to join a Naga Brood-Pit.

4994 - An outbreak in unusual behavior is attributed to someone dumping large amounts of narcotics into several public wells. Followers of the River Goddess are blamed.

4996 - A brief war with Qssl'Orde is inconclusive despite aid from K'elle Orde, and use of mercenaries from the Kingdom of Ivory, Qwwl'Orde, and the Broken-Chain.

4998 - Foreign adventurers rob one of the largest and best defended warehouses in Engrit of several crates of valuable artifacts, and a dozen bags of high grade narcotics. The adventurers are never caught, sparking several diplomatic disputes.

#### **Qssl'Orde**

The Qssl'Orda is a Treantian Subject. Not fully vassalised. The Qssl'Orda is probably the most powerful, yet least integrated of the Treantian subject states thus is often receive special treatment from the Tree-people their other subjects don't appreciate. The biggest example of that was the marriage of the current Qssl'Han to a lower Treantian Royal.

#### **Eta'Orda**

The Minor horselord Eta Han, recently declared independence with the help of the Ukzi Knan one of the Generals of the Great Khan, whom he married off his only daughter to. They seek to unite The Orde's once more and trough marital ties to create a joint grand Empire of Horseriders as well as retake Tzn'qran Land in the Northern half of Suoxi-Dan Dio.

#### **Qwwl'Orde**

The Qwwl'Orde is is the last remaining fully independent Orde. This independence came at a great cost . It's lands have been slowly chipped away at by it's neighbors and technological stagnation has plagued this Orde. The Qwwl'orde has developed pride in standing alone. They have adopted an isolationist attitude extending it to their culture where they emphasize individual greatness in combat, which means they are great mercenaries. Qwwl Mercenarries can be found in every corner of the world.

#### **Swe'yus**

By Suoxi control I meant the ethnic group. Swe'yus was a minor ethnically Suoxi state the Orde once took over as it gained it's independance it became a mix of both cultures, but the citydwelling Suoxi became the biurocratic Caste while the Tnz'qran became somewhat of a Warrior caste.

Formerly known as the Swe'Orda the nation has adopted the name "yus" which used to be a derogatory name for the settled people's the Orde's encountered. Swe'yus is a land where most of the horselord tribes have settled and adopted a feudal and mercantile style of trade centered around the ancient city of Kua'lang which was a citystate conquered by the Greathan centuries ago.

They have devolped a creole language.

##### The Kanna Knot

At the Kanna know two major rivers meet making it a major trading port which is constantly fought over. In fact it's contested location is the only reason why the Kanna knot did not grow into a major metropolis yet.