Zurdrard

## History

Zurdrard began as an underground settlement in the Forsaken Caves, formed from a loose confederation of Orcish and Goblin tribes.It grew steadily across the centuries, and today it has the most diverse population of all the major settlements on the mainland of Forlunhein. Although often colloquially referred to as a kingdom, Zurdrard is still, in fact, a Confederation, governed by a ruling treaty that currently encompasses over 325 distinct tribal entities that range in size from 30 to 30,000 members. Each signatory tribe has at least one representative that sits on the Treaty Council, the governing body of Zurdrard, and additional representatives are granted proportionate to the size of each tribe. All major decisions, such as collectively going to war or adding a new tribe to the treaty, requires a 2/3rd majority vote from the entire Treaty Council.

## Politics and Government

New tribes are evaluated and given signatory power based not on any racial or demographic requirements, but based on the possession of territory, and conflicts between tribes have on occasion resulted in the absorption of one tribe into another, and the removal of the defeated tribe as a treaty signatory due to their loss of land. After the destruction of Daimaini, many of the tieflings who survived fled to Zurdrard and settled new territory on its outskirts in order to claim tribal status, and there are currently five different Tiefling tribes that are signatory to the Treaty.

Each tribe has complete autonomy within its own territory and are free to enforce their own laws and practice their own religious customs. There are, however, two exceptions to this autonomy. The first exception are Jubilee periods, which occur during the first month of each quarter of the year. During this time the Treaty Council is in session to conduct all necessary business such as trade, alliances between tribes, intertribal marriages, dispute negotiation, and the approval or removal of tribes from the Treaty. As a result, all violence is forbidden during Jubilee periods, and all tribes are required to abide by a cessation of any ongoing hostilities between tribes, and must give safe passage and hospitality to members of other tribes. Failure to abide by these rules will result in the tribe's removal from the treaty, and the confiscation of its territory by the Treaty Council, as enforced by all the other signatory tribes. That territory is then off limits for ten years, after which, any tribe or group wishing to become a tribe may lay claim to it.

The second exception to this autonomy is on the five protected highways, and within the city limits of Zurdrard's capital, Rigaron. Rigaron is a sanctuary city, and therefore all violence is prohibited on the five public roads that lead into the city, and within the city limits itself. It is where the Treaty Council meets and discusses affairs of state, and is also home to all of Zurdrard's tribeless - those individuals who do not have a tribe, or who no longer have a tribe due to intertribal conflict. Those who live in Rigaron do not get a voice at the Treaty Council, are not allowed to practice magic, and cannot perform any religious practices or engage in any religious worship. These rules are strictly enforced by the Watchers, a group of tribeless elected by those within the city, who are dedicated to protecting and upholding the Treaty's laws regarding Rigaron, and failure to abide by such laws will result in a swift banishment from the city limits. Trying to return into the city after banishment will be met with a swift death outside the city walls at the hands of the Watchers.Other crimes, such as theft or fraud, are also dealt with harshly if caught by the Watchers. There are no prisons in Rigaron, so once convicted of a crime by Rigaron's courts, you may find yourself marched outside the city limits and banished, or in lieu of banishment, you can plead for a lesser sentence, such as the loss of a limb, or the payment of a significant fine, which may be allowed based on mitigating circumstances.

Zurdrard has a strong, surprisingly organized army when all the tribes come together for war, but they do so rarely, since a 2/3rd majority can be difficult to obtain within the Treaty Council. Traditionally, the largest tribe will be responsible for leadership of the war effort, and all other tribes will be required to meet a conscript quota to fill out the ranks.

## Culture and People

With 325 distinct tribal entities, customs vary widely, as do the kinds of people that can be found within Zurdrard. However, the city of Rigaron is widely known for the high value that is placed on polite manners, decorum, and following the correct societal etiquette, whether at meals, in trade, or in the manner of one's dress. Perhaps the most iconic of these is the Rigaron Tea Ceremony, which can last for hours at a time depending on the protocols required based on those who are in attendance. These manners and customs are highly complex, and can take years to master fully, but it is considered a mark of prestige and high society to acquire them, and it is not uncommon for tribal leaders to send their children to Rigaron for education in the academies and schooling in Rigaronian etiquette.

Rigaron is also a center of heavy industry and production, and the city is often covered in thick smog from the smoke and pollution of the furnaces and factories. The city specializes in building siege machinery and war ships, both of which have a considerable market on the continent of Erechcolth due to the constant war between the five kingdoms. However, Zurdrard has long refused to provide any such equipment to Telathiron. They refused to cooperate with Telathiron's attack against the Damaini, with whom Zurdrard had a strong alliance, and they continue to resist trading with Telathiron, under the belief that providing them with such war machinery would certainly not be in Zurdrard's best security interests. There is also little love lost between Zurdrard and Elysenas due to long standing hostilities, but they do have trading relationships with several other cities and kingdoms in Forlunhein, such as Fairnock, Cair Duin, and the southern Lizardfolk and Tabaxi Tribes, as well as with cities and entities in the Free Isles, and on Erechcolth.