Doegan

Doegan (pronounced durgan) was a realm in the Utter East of southeast Faerûn. It was one of the Five Kingdoms of the Utter East.

Geography
It lay south of the Free Cities of Parsanic and west of the country of Edenvale. The coastal area of Doegan was known as the Doegan Shores. The land around the Capital was open and clear, with pleasant green fields and palm trees, but harsh times saw it become dry and rocky, or as rippled brown earth like dried mud with patches of broken, rougher land. Marshes lay in the northwest.

The climate was hot and muggy, and even a horse would grow weary here.

Howl of Vengeance
During the time of the Bloodforge Wars (648–657 DR), invaders led by Rathgar the Raider overran Doegan and laid siege to the capital. To pacify his own poor clansmen, Rathgar plundered the realm of its bounty. Finally, he came for the crown itself, and confronted the king and princess in their own throne room. However, with his dying breath, the defiant king cursed him, declaring "For so long as you rule, a curse upon you. The dead will arise, to ensure your demise."

Escaping the invaders, the princess looked for a way to make her father's prophecy come true. She went to Old Stone Keep and there met Aelric, a mage of Doegan who was heir to a great magical legacy. Uninterested in wealth or fame, he vowed to aid her and, furthermore, fulfill her father's curse to take vengeance on those who'd occupied his homeland.

Meanwhile, months passed and Rathgar paid no heed to the curse, until a captured criminal, a graverobber called Grubkern, whispered of a gathering army of undead coming to rid Doegan of the invaders. As fear spread in the capital, Rathgar determined to investigate, threatening to kill Grubkern if he'd spoken falsely.

The Howl of Vengeance conflict was fought between the two factions using bloodforges.


 * Rathgar the Raider:
 * Rathgar investigated just in time, finding an undead horde almost at his doorstep. Fighting in and around the capital, they repelled the invaders and burned their crypts. Rathgar pardoned Grubkern, and Grubkern revealed the name of the leader of the undead: Aelric the Avenger.


 * Rathgar and his army pursued Aelric to the Serpent Valley, where he rallied his undead forces. Rathgar overcame them in bloodforge battle, forcing them to retreat once more.


 * Aelric's army holed up in Old Stone Keep. Resolute, both rulers prepared for a final battle. Ultimately, Rathgar defeated Aelric, putting an end to the old king's curse. He returned victorious to the capital and the throne, settling his clansmen in Doegan, where they prospered and lived without fear of reprisal.


 * Aelric the Avenger:
 * When Rathgar's forces pursued the princess to Old Stone Keep, Aelric protected her and struck back against them in a bloodforge battle, favoring crypt-born creatures. Victorious, Aelric scattered Rathgar's own bloodforged forces.


 * In disarray and dread, Rathgar and his army retreated into the Serpent Valley. Aelric pursued, exploiting the chaos to once again strike at his foe.


 * Ultimately, Rathgar's army fled to Doegan's capital with Aelric's horde hot on his heels. They crashed through the city gates and walls and fought the invaders in the streets, with steel and fire and magic. Thus did Aelric the Avenger fulfil the old king's curse and liberate Doegan. The princess became queen, with Aelric at her side, and brought peace to Doegan.

During the Legendary Campaign
Formerly a powerful nation, Doegan fell into decline under the rule of Patric Fulgirth, an idle ruler who cared not for the needs of the people. The leader of the Legendary Campaign sought to depose Fulgirth, and thought this would be an easy task.

Later, the cunning mage Gim Blacktongue used treachery to usurp the throne of Doegan. Although the kingdom prospered, it did so under an air of suspicion, and Doegan folk called for a new and trustworthy rule. The leader of the Legendary Campaign came to Doegan and attempted to remove Blacktongue from power.

Eventually, Doegan fell into the safe hands of Hariah Highkin. The capital prospered, the borders held firm, and people were happy. Nevertheless, on a quest to unify the wartorn Utter East through conquest, the leader of the Legendary Campaign returned and tried to conquer Doegan, no matter the cost to the realm.

Modern history
In the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, Queen Rosalind of Edenvale ordered Atreus Eleint and Yago expelled from her kingdom, with an honor guard to escort them to the Doegan Shores and put on the first ship to the Sword Coast. However, they escaped before that could occur.

Government
In the 7th century DR, Doegan was ruled by a succession of monarchs.

Notable Locations
The capital of Doegan was Eldrinpar, formerly known simply as the Doegan Capital.

In the northeast, upriver from the Doegan Capital, lay Serpent Valley. In the mountains to the west stood Old Stone Keep.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * Errand of Mercy &bull; An Opportunity for Profit &bull; Realms of Mystery: "Darkly, Through a Glass of Ale"
 * The Mercenaries
 * Games:
 * Blood & Magic
 * Blood & Magic