The Hordelands, also known as The Endless Wastes[1] and as Taan by the natives[2], was once part of the territory of the mighty empire of Imaskar and was populated by horsemen tribes, most notably the Tuigans.[4][1]
People[]
The Endless Wastes were occupied by many tribes who controlled loosely defined geographical locations throughout the region. Common belief stated that all of the people of the Endless Wastes were the same, but this was not true. Each tribe had their own cultural differences, separating them from the others with vivid clarity to one who cared to look closely enough. Listed below are the tribes of the Endless Wastes:[4]
- Commani
- Dalat
- Fankiang
- Gur
- Guychiang
- Igidugin
- Kashghun
- Khassidi
- Naican
- Oigur
- Pazruki
- T'aghur
- Tuigan
- Tsu-tsu
- Zamogedi
Geography[]
It was bordered on the north by Yal Tengri, on the west by Narfell, Rashemen and Thay, on the south by Murghôm, Semphar and the massive Yehimal mountains and on the east by the empire of Shou Lung.[5]
The Endless Wastes was largely a steppe landscape, too variable in temperature, and too infertile for farming, to make cities viable outside the small lakes and oases that dotted the landscape.[5]
While mostly consisting of steppes, the landscape also had a diverse geography consisting of mountains, sub-arctic forests, cold deserts, glaciers, tundra, and seas, some pleasant and livable, others worse than the steppe itself. Most of this diverse landscape was overlooked by outsiders, who only saw the emptiness of the region.[5]
Trade[]
The Golden Way passed through the Hordelands. In this region the Golden Way was not a road but merely a series of marker stones, each visible from the last. The Golden Way led from water hole to water hole and was extremely valuable in this region, for it was often the only marked route to water.[6]
Notable locations[]
Settlements[]
- Almorel
- One of the major trading cities of the Hordelands located on the Lake of Mists and was founded fifteen hundred years ago by Raumathar.[7]
- Quaraband
- Yamun Khahan's capital from the time of his rise to Khahan until the Crusade.[8]
- Winterkeep
- A city of Raumathar located on the south shore of Yal Tengri. Originally a nobleman's estate, it later became the winter palace of the royal family and fell into ruins after the collapse of the empire. By 1357 DR, it was only rubble.[9]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Novels
- Horselords • Sentinelspire • Frostfell
- Referenced only
- The Ring of Winter
Further Reading[]
2nd Edition AD&D
- David Cook (August 1990). The Horde. Edited by Steve Winter. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
3rd Edition D&D
- Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 145–146. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
3.5 Edition D&D
- Edward Bonny, Brian Cortijo, Laszlo Koller (November 2006). “The Horde: Barbarians of the Endless Waste”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #349 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 46–64.
4th Edition D&D
- Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 David Cook (August 1990). The Horde. Edited by Steve Winter. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 9. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), pp. 15–17, 126. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 24. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ David Cook (August 1990). “Volume II”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 96. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
- ↑ David Cook (August 1990). “Volume II”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 108. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
Official material[]
- Brief description. by Ed Greenwood
- The Horde Barbarian Campaign Setting is available at Wizards of the Coast for free download here.
