The Xitsches of Forlark

[Introduction with general information about what a xitsch is and how Forlark functions]

also write about the numbering system

probably should put banners/xistch flags here

## The Founding Nine (1-9)

**1 - Tarklar**

Tarklar is a small-sized city on the Skjorg peninsula on the northern part of the western coast of Forlark. It is the de facto capital of Forlark. Officially Forlark has no capital, but the first national council had its first meeting and signed the first constitution in Tarklar. After that it was just easier to choose the same place then agree on something new, then after some time government buildings were built. Moving to a better city was moved down the priority list until it was completely forgotten.

Tarklar was not a practical place for the first national council. It was one of the smallest xitsches in the region and it is way too north to be practical for the original southern xitsches. It was chosen because of its lack of geopolitical power. It was feared that if the national council was set up in a more powerful xitsch, it would have an unfair sway over the council. It was also chosen over other weak southern xitsches because Ghorm Oav Braomrasch feared that it would lose its influence to the combined power of the southern xitches of Vratha and Urgam Vegul.

Besides having the national council, Tarklar is known for its expertise on the ocean and its ineptness on land. Tarklarian fishermen are often sought after, while Tarklarian soldiers are often mocked for their cowardice in their many lost wars against Yavarghek.

**2 -** **Ghorm Oav Braomrasch**

Ghorm Oav Braomrasch is a large-sized city on the western part of the northern coast of Forlark. They are known for their stubborn nature and never saying no to a challenge. Ghorm Oav Braomrasch is one of the most influential xitsches in the confederation. In likeness to their main political opponent and arch rival, Urgram Vegul, they also have a love for seafaring and trade.

They originally spear-headed the opposition to the confederation, but after defeat on the battlefield they conceded and joined the project. If you can not beat them, join them. Ghorm Oav Braomrasch has always been a big supporter of including more xitsches in confederation, to counteract the influence from Vratha and Urgram Vegul.

**3 - Yavarghek**

Yavarghek is a medium-sized city on the west coast of Forlark. They are known for their bravery, short-temper, and passion. It is said that a relationship with someone from Yavarghek is indistinguishable from a rivalry with them. Yavarghekis will always try to include everyone, but will not hesitate to throw people out. Their skill in battle is only rivaled by the inland xitsches and Morgasch, who they have a tense rivalry with.

**4 - Morgasch**

Morgasch is a medium- sized city on the west coast of Forlark. They are known for their strategic thinking, self-control, and organization expertise. Morgaschians are often seen as picky, especially when choosing friends. It is said that they “test” potential friends and only actually become friends with those that pass, but if one first becomes friends with a Morgaschian they will usually be friends for life.

On the battlefield they are only rivaled by the inland xitsches and Yavarghek, who they have a tense rivalry with. Morgasch and Yavarghek are often portrayed as the mirror opposite of each other. The two xitsches have had many wars between them, with most of them ending in long drawn out stalemates where neither side wants to quit first. Morgasch has also stood toe to toe with its richer southern neighbour, Vratha.

**5 - Vratha**

Vratha is a large-sized city on the west coast of Forlark. They are one of the most powerful xitsches in the whole confederation, and have through history shown their expertise in land combat, shipfaring, and trade. It is said that there are two types of Vrathis: those that talk too much and those who work too much. Vrathis are known as great leaders and visionaries, but also for being insufferable and arrogant assholes. They are the first to take risks and either become wildly successful or die trying.

One thing Vrathis will never shut up about is that Forlark`s main founder, Kaghed Sogo Vratha Gham'er, was from Vratha. In his early life he would experience the diversity of Forlark through both trade and war. Forlark would probably have a president or a monarch if it were not for Kaghed's vision of a confederation of equals. He could also very likely have been that president or monarch, because of his immense popularity as a general.

**6 - Ganiterian**

Ganiterian is a small-sized city on the west coast of Forlark. Ganiterian is one of the coastal xitsches with the biggest non-Xiteri population. A sizable amount of the population is either dwarfs or orcs. Because of this the xitsch known for its strong dwarf guilds and orc mercenaries. It also has a more diverse elite than other xitsches, and some of the first dwarven sailors came from this city. Its non-dwarven guilds are also stronger than similar guilds in other xitsches.

**7 - Vurzesch**

Vurzesch is a small-sized city on the west coast of Forlark. It is often used as the metaphorical punching bag of the confederation, but also within the founding nine xitsches. It was one of the xitsches that did not want to join the confederation, but unlike the other it surrendered without a fight. Their leaders wanted to avert a costly siege, but their attempt at a middle position left them with no influence over the building of the confederation. Now they are usually seen just as a puppet of Urgram Vegul. It is also one of the coastal xitsches with a bigger orc population.

**8 - Urgram Vegul**

Urgram Vegul is a large-sized city on the southern part of the western coast of Forlark. It is the richest or one the richest xitsches in the confederation, and is known for its merchants and wealth. The xitsch has immense influence over western Forklark, and it`s power can be felt over the whole confederation. It was the elites of Urgram Vegul that pushed Kaghed Sogo Vratha Gham'er and the Forlark Group and their idea of a confederation onto the national scene.

Although some of them probably believed in Kaghed`s vision, most saw this as an opportunity to get greater control over the trade networks on the western coast. They would be the final straw to destroy their arch rival Ghorm Oav Braomrasch. While the elites of both xitsches absolutely hate each other, the people of Urgram Vegul and Ghorm Oav Braomrasch get along quite well. They find kinship in sharing seafaring stories.

**9 - Oshk**

Oshk is a large-sized city in the north-western part of Forlark. It is the largest and most powerful inland city in Forlark, and it is the only inland xitsch of the founding nine. They are known for their mastery against the monsters in combat. Oshkis often say that in combat they are worth three times as much as a normal Forlarki. They will often point out that they are the reason why other xitsches can make art, do science, and have an advanced trade network, instead of putting more resources into defending against the monster attacks.

They have one of the biggest minorities of dwarfs in the confederation. Dwarven engineering, smithing, and fighting tactics have been a big boon for Oshk generally, but also especially in the defense against the monsters. Because of this presence Oshk also has some of the most powerful dwarven guilds in Forlark.

Oshkis are stubborn and defiant. Just as one should be careful not to insult a dwarf right in front of them, one should not doubt the skill of an Oshki if one does not want to be proven wrong right on the spot. They will defend their own or others' honour without hesitation, and they do not take liars lightly.

Oshk is the leader of the decentralization faction of xitsches, which fear the power of the big coastal xitches. They want a more equal confederation, not controlled by a few seafaring merchants. Oshk is still angry at Ghorm Oav Braomrasch for fleeing in the last battle of the confederation war and then suing for peace. Oshk knew they stood no chance alone, so they too surrendered and joined the confederation, but Ghormers will always be cowards to them.

## First Expansion (16-20)

**16 - Virharz**

Virharz is a small-sized city on the western part of the northern coast of Forlark. It is known for its expertise in magic and its general safety. Virharz is considered one of the safest xitsches, and monster attacks in the summer and spring are nearly unheard of. They still face monster attacks in the winter, but these are also drastically weaker than what other xitsch face.

This freeing of resources that would have gone to defense can be sent elsewhere. Virharz is one of the only places that practice agriculture on a bigger scale. With the help of magic Virharz has made the cold tundra actually useful. Magic is generally an elite pursuit in Forlark, but the need for farmers and food has brought magic education to the common folk in Virharz.

Virharzis are generally seen as weird plant obsessed pacifists that have not seen real war. Although they are mocked for their lack of military experience, Virharzis usually respond by saying they would rather live and farm than go to war and die. Still Virharzis have deep respect for the sacrifice other xitsches make.

But this safety has been made by sacrificing some power. Ghorm Oav Braomrasch, Oshk, and Trivarzil all officially support and advise much of the Virharz military. Unofficially they three have a lot of influence over Virharz`s internal and outwards politics. Although the relationship is not just schemes and geopolitics. Oshk and Virharz have a close relationship with trade and cultural exchange. Virharz brings magic and food and Oshk brings military experience.

**17 - Trivarzil**

**18 - Zvarjarg**

**19 - Yrmin**

**20 - Karvoock**

## Second Expansion (10-15, 21-29)

**10 - Ovra**
Ovra is a medium-sized city on the southern part of the western coast of Forlark. It is known for its expertise in fishing and trade. They wanted to be in the confederation when it first came into existence, and fought in the confederation war on the pro-confederation side, but Urgram Vegul blocked them from joining. Urgram Vegul wanted to be the southern capital of the confederation and did not want to compete with Ovra.
Although Urgram Vegul became the southern economic capital of the confederation, it gave away a lot of political power in southern Forlark. Ovra saw this vacuum and filled it, and is now the economic and political capital of southern Forlark. Still Urgram Vegul tries to influence the region. This conflict has developed a professional rivalry between the xitsches.
Besides Urgram Vegul being an economic rival to Ovra, Ovra also has Hazrook as a political rival in the region. Although the relationship is a bit more complicated. Most of the time they actually work together or at least they both work towards the same goal. They are both against centralization and northern supremacy, but they disagree on how much decentralization should happen. Hazrook usually takes the more extreme position and sometimes wants to end the confederation. Hazrook also accuses Ovra of only caring about southern coastal xitsches and not enough of the inland xitsches. Which is mostly true, but Ovra still denies that it leaves some southern xitsches behind.

They will often work separately instead of pooling their resources together. The times they work more closely are rare, but when they do they become quite effective. Alas these alliances only last for a short time, before they start bickering and undermining each other.

**11 - Havrommyrk**

Havrommyrk is a small-sized city on the southern part of the western coast of Forlark. The people of Havrommyrk are known for their expertise in land combat, but they are mostly known through the confederation as religious hardliners. The followers of Jornnil in Havrommyrk are Ghurmak. Meaning they do not believe the Fvykjornn gives its wielder power to dictate the followers of the religion.

Havros will often go out of their way to criticize others for not following the faith closely enough. They will also argue with Fvykjornnists for hours. Some say that their combat prowess comes from religious need to follow the faith and improve, but historians think it comes just from practical reality. Havrommyrk needed to train and keep a good army to not be conquered by either their northern or southern neighbour. They gained their skill on the battlefield through countless conflicts with Ovra and Mirdrav Josch.

**12 - Mirdrav Josch**

Mirdrav Josch is a small-sized city on the southern part of the western coast of Forlark. It is said that one needs eyes on their back when dealing with a Mirdisch. They are known for being grifters, swindlers, and hustlers. This stereotype probably comes from the fact that Mirdrav Josch is one of the poorest xitsches in the confederation.
The elite of the Mirdrav Josch is much more open to new families than other xitsches. Instead of marrying or destroying new families like other xitsches, they are welcomed as fellow elites. This has made the Mirdrav Josch elite one of the biggest, despite having a quite small population relative to other xitsches. This has also made the elite demographically much more orc than other xitsches.
Mirdischians are also generally more religious than other xitsches, but they are not as confrontational as people from Havrommyrk. Mirdischians believe quite strongly in improvement and change, and that one can get out of poverty through hard work and with a strong will. This belief is also one of the factors to why the elite of Mirdrav Josch is so open to new elites.

**13 - Girgvarblk**

**14 - Forbyrkgignabur**

Forbyrkgignabur is a small-sized city on the southern part of the western coast of Forlark. It is the most southern xitsch and city in Forlark, and therefore faces the longest and most brutal monster attacks in the winter. The city regularly gets attacked by monsters long into the spring months. Although their soldiers are not the best in the confederation, the average citizen has much more combat experience compared to other xitsches.

Besides being known for always being armed, Forbyrkians are often stereotyped as insane and so self-reliant to border on idiocy. Living in a city that is never safe from attacks does something to one's mind. In art and stories Forbyrkians are often the comic relief, either seeing monsters in every corner or being too armed or prepared for every situation.
**15 - Hazrook**
cold and no jokes, dwarfs

**21 - Kharzoth**

**22 - Zharsck**

**23 -**

**24 -**

**25 - Virgnagnirth**

**26 -**

**27 - Palharl**

**28 -**

**29 -**

## Third Expansion (30-41)

**30 -**

**31 -**

**32 -**

**33 -**

**34 -**

**35 -**

**36 -**

**37 -**

**38 -**

**39 -**

**40 -**

**41 - Dyrkin Polsch**

the black market capital