Sword Lands

The Sword Lands were a confederation of small, independent human counties located in eastern Returned Abeir.

Background
The land was known as the "boast realms" because the counties that composed the Sword Lands were small, and usually poor and lawless. Few counties lasted for more than a few years, and settlements arose and died along with their individual leaders. The largest settlements had survived many years, but had been conquered time and again by the warring swordlander lords.

Those lords feuded constantly with one another, but hadn't enough coin or influence to raise larges armies. Because of that, no realm was able to overwhelm the others. The feuds between families were so old and deep-rooted that usually lasted until a family line was totally extinguished. In the rare instances when a lord invaded the lands of another, the other lords banded together to help the invaded one as a way to stop the invader lord of getting enough power to dominate all the swordlanders lords.

Regardless of the war between the swordlander lords, the Sword Lands were a prosperous land, with plenty trade, farming, hunting and freedom for all its inhabitants. No dragon dared to attack the Sword Lands, and many sages and wizards dedicated all of their lives to learn why. The reality of the situation were the fabled dragonheirs, humans with the ability to control dragons by gaze or touch, who probably still frightened the dragons, despite the fact that these near-mythical figures probably all died out in the past.

Inhabitants
The Sword Lands were inhabited mostly by humans.

Government
Due to the individual nature of the swordlander realms, every settlement ruled itself.

Geography
The Sword Lands were a great valley of rolling hills and verdant lands that lay along the banks of the mighty, but navigable Sword River. Farms dotted the land, interrupted frequently by small wild forests. The lands were also full of the strange mudflows and faerie pools.

Locations

 * Aldreth: The largest of the Sword Lands towns.
 * Fanedown: A town known for its jesters and books.
 * Harimmon: A town located around a crumbling castle.
 * Rorst: A town settled by outlaws.
 * Ulark: A merry place, full of brothels.

History
An older kingdom known as Amra was once located in the Sword Lands, several centuries before the Spellplague. The king of Amra was a dragonheir, and made Gauwervyndhal promise she or any dragon would never attack the Sword Lands. Even after the fall of Amra, no dragon had ever attacked those lands again.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Jada Marlserpent, the last survivor of Clan Marlserpent, and one of the few known dragonheirs.