User:Terrorblades/Sandbox/Luiren

" Luiren: a realm of lush, bucolic farmlands, with pipesmoking, contented and well-fed halflings as the masters of all."

- Volo

Luiren was known as the land of the halflings since its population was almost completely comprised of their race. In 1372 it was a small kingdom with a population of about 839,000 and its unofficial leader being the head of the chirch of Yondalla. Travelers to Luiren were often surprised to find the locals adventurous and bold as opposed to the fat and quiet halflings one could find elsewhere. The capital city of Luiren was considered Beluir, a coastal city with a population of 27,210 in 1373 DR as the biggest city, the largest temple to Yondalla and a gathering point for foreign dignitary's.

As of 1479 DR, as a result of the Spellplague, the entirety of Luiren was submerged in the Great Sea and was thereafter called the Gulf of Luiren.

Halflings of Luiren spoke Luiric.

Society
Halfings have no real class system or official leadership, it has a reasonably sized middle class of artisans, bakers and merchants. The once that others might deem upper class would be the wealthy merchant families.

Legacy
Before the fall of Myth Drannor the land of Luiren and Estagund was was covered in a mighty forest called Lluirwood. It was ruled by ogres that terrorized the Hin of Luirenstrand whom prayed for salvation. Deliverance came with Kaldir Swiftfoot, he encountered the mighty avatar of Vaprak, first provoking the ogre until he chased him for ten days and ten nights. The ogre collapsed from fatigue and Kaldir challenged him to a test of strength, angred Vaprak agreed to the test and a deal. The test was to lift a tree from the earth and not damage the roots but if the ogre won the Hin would leave and the ogres would have the woods. If Kaldir won the ogre's would leave to the mountains and the Hin would have the forests. Vaprak agreed and after many failures, Swiftfoot got his turn. He took a small sapling and carefully removed it to spare the lone tap root. The avatar now beaten, shaking and howling with anger got to know Kaldirs true identity - he was Brandobaris. The ogre torn with rage, left with the ogres for Toadsquat Mountains. And that is how legends say that Brandobaris won the Halfling land for the Hin.

History
In around -6000 DR human Scouts reported a discovery of 3 different tribes of Halflings living in approximately the Luiren areas these tribes where The Lightfoot, The Strongheart and the Ghostwise. The tribes defended there areas passionately for hundreds of years against intruders like Gnolls or Dambrathan barbarian raids, but between the tribes there was peace, but ever so often bad blood would arise. in -102 DR a cleric of Malar named Desva gained power with the Ghostwise and began corrupting them, worshipping the Beastlord and revelling in violence and bloodshed. The Ghostwise became feral and stalked Lluirwood hunting for Hin prey, in time they gained more powers of Malar and the greatest among them became Werewolfs. For a generation the forest was a place of death, but in -64 DR the Strongheart and the Lightfoot united under the Strongheart Chand to fight the evil of the Ghostwise this started the Hin Ghostwar. After three years of fighting and Desva dead the war was over, few of the original number Ghostwise had survived and they were exiled. The Ghostwise that left Desva and Malar was allow to stay, moving to Chondalwood vowing not to speak until they had atoned for very long they took care of ever speaking. The vicious and horrendous slaughter of war and acts of the Strongheart left many Lightfoot to leave the land to become nomads. This left Luiren for a majority of Stronghearts whom unbound by the other tribes moved from nomadism to deforesting and agriculture over the generations turning to semi-permanent settlements. After this time came times of city founding, population and merchant growth even fending off Merrow in 148 DR and Ogres that pillaged the north for 3 years after being defeated by an army at the battle of Three stumps in 450 DR. in 546 DR the Arkaiun barbarians invaded and enslaved a majority of the country, this occupation lasted till 554 DR when the King Reinhar I of Dambrath was slain in Halruaa and Luiren regained freedom. Becourse of the invasion and to insure the safety of the country "The Marchwardens" where founded in 572 DR, a first line of defence force. There aid was needful to repel invaders like the Crinti barbarian invasion in 922 DR that was repelled after three days of fighting. There aid and that of the Ghostwise was also instrumental in defeating the evil druid Voolad Espiral in 1264 DR.

Defence
Luirens land defence forces are built upon Marchwardens and militia, the Marchwardens guide the militia and together they defend the land viciously. The defenders usually employ gorilla tactics enabling them to crush what ever invading army or monster that tries them, especially in the forested area. The coasts are largly defended by friendly Corsairs whom get a cut from the country's trade, the lesser part by a Halfling independent "navy" .On other occasions other defences where used or appeared, at some point a Doppelganger infestation was repelled with mercenaries and friendly mages. Unexpectedly Halruaa mages have appeared out of no where to obliterate 2 invasions outright (Shaar Nomads and a pirate fleet) and then only disappear again.

Geography
Luiren was a coastal country with coastline on the Great Sea. Most of the coastal area was made up of plains, but heavy forests took up the northern, north eastern and western areas. To the north the country was covered with the Toadsquat Mountains that lead to the Endless Wastes, other then that the country was filled with thick forests, bumbling plains of good soil and coats, and the Swamp to the south. Becourse of the mountains Luiren got a lot more rain than is eastern and western neighbours, especially around winter when it slowed trade but feed the plains.

Notable locations

 * Lluirwood: A dense forest that encompassed the northern border of Luiren.
 * Mortick Swamp: The only swamp in the region that was inhabited by merrow and scrags.

Notable settlements

 * Beluir: The unofficial capital of Luiren.
 * Chethel: One of Luiren's most prolific mercantile cities.
 * Thruldar: A ruined city that was inhabited by ghostwise halflings.