Nÿgamär

Nÿgamär

Overview

Nÿgamär has long been the bane of the northern nations, constantly warring with them and their privateers a constant threat to the merchant vessels traversing the northern waters. At war with The Northern Territories as well as their neighbors Hjothdal, Nÿgamesse incursions into The Endless Forest have also seen sporadic fighting with the elves there. Add to this an internal war with the dwarves of the North Slav Peaks and another with the unified Goblin tribes, who have rallied to the call of the charismatic leader Hakkabam Hammerfist, and the chaotic nature of Nÿgamär quickly becomes apparent. If this is not enough, Nÿgamär is also rumored to be on the verge of war with their northern rivals, Norvsond.

With the king concentrating his efforts on the wars with The Northern Territories and Hjothdal, he is content to let the regional warlords alone as long as they provide him with the troops and gold required to maintain the war effort. The warlords are happy to oblige, extracting a heavy tax burden upon the people of Nÿgamär. Much of this is siphoned off before it reaches the King's coffers and the warlords have grown fat while the people live in abject poverty.

Once, Nÿgamär was one of the few exporters of mithral, which brought in substantial wealth to the nation. The dwarves of the North Slav Peaks, however, grew tired of seeing the local warlords grow rich, while stocks diminished and further explorations deep into the mountains were required. An open rebellion soon led to war and ever since the supply of mithral has all but dried up. With the warlords determined to reopen this wealthy supply line, the dwarven kingdoms have ever since found themselves under siege.

Fortunately, Nÿgamär is also rich in gold and iron, as well as copper, and this provides a vital source of income that helps maintain the war effort, as well filling the pockets of the regional warlords. Azdorimar, the capital of Nÿgamär reflects the makeup of the nation itself, with the streets a cobweb of chaos, deceit and corruption. Located right on the border with Hjothdal, Azdorimar constantly finds itself under siege from the Hjothdal armies and the city is full of suspicion and fear.

The war with Hjothdal has become an attritional affair, with indecisive pitched battles common and neither side able to make substantial gains or hold those that are made. The war with The Northern Territories is almost entirely a naval affair. The powerful Nÿgamär navy has twice secured major victories against the Territories' navy, but the vast distance between the two nations means that engagements are rare and the Norther Terrortories' navy can easily rebuild before the likelihood of having to re-engage the enemy.

It is rumored in some quarters that a massive fleet is being constructed to lead an invasion force to the shores of The Northern Territories, though many regard this as fanciful nonsense, with the distance between the two countries a major obstacle to any such invasion plans.

The South Slav Peaks have seen a dramatic rise in Goblin activity, with the banner of Hakkabam Hammerfist now a common sight in those regions. Under his charismatic leadership the goblin armies have laid siege to both Vaxlayden and Wynelm. Both have been forced to ferry their supplies in by sea, but without any sign of the King's troops to alleviate their suffering, both are likely to fall to the goblin hordes in time.

The alluvial deposits of jade that are found in the north of Nÿgamär are essential sources for the people's love affair with this precious stone, which is carved into exquisite decorative objects that adorn the homes and person of the wealthiest members. Such is the demand for jade within Nÿgamär that very little of it leaves the borders.

Although relations with Amman remain remote, both nations sense a common bond in their struggles against their neighbors, especially Hjothdal and The Endless Forest, borders shared by both. With allies hard to come by, it has rumored by some that an unlikely alliance between the two nations is on the cards.

Significant Trade Export

Copper and Iron Ore: Nÿgamär iron and copper finds its way around the coastal settlements of the northern shores, but especially the young and barely established ones that have grown up around The Savage Coast and the Gulf of Many Tears, where life is hard and mining hazardous in the extreme.

Gold: Nÿgamär is a major exporter of gold and as they are no longer suppliers of mithral, it has become the major source of their income. Without the gold that flows from the North and South Slav Peaks, the coffers would soon dry up and force an end to the wars.

Jade: Large quantities of alluvial jade are found throughout Nÿgamär but especially in the north. The Nÿgamesse adore jade and sculpt exquisite ornaments and jewelry. Indeed, such is their love affair with jade, that very little of it is exported.

Brief History

Populated by the early Norv explorers, Nÿgamär soon found itself under constant threat from the humanoids that had made their homes in the North Slav and South Slav Peaks. Many of the early settlements were wiped out and life was a constant struggle for survival. The endless conflict between the warlords also hampered their development.

After a long succession of bitter struggles, the major warlords had established regional control of sorts, though conflict between the tribes was constant and the regional borders shifting from one day to the next. The early Hjoth invasions into what is now southern Nÿgamär were initially overwhelmingly successful and the Hjoth armies pushed well passed the South Slav Peaks before they met any serious resistance, with the warlord of the Nÿgamär region, Gent Hawthard, unifying the remaining tribes and leading a great host against the invading Hjoth forces.

The Battle of the Red Fields saw an overwhelming victory for Gent Hawthard over the Hjoth forces, which were driven south. Gent soon turned his attention back to the regional conflicts and declared himself King and that all the lands would be unified under the banner of Nÿgamär. Many backed him, but many refused and a bloody civil war consumed Nÿgamär even before it had been born. Gent never saw the total unification of his country, for the War of Nÿgamär lasted some one hundred and fifty years before all of the northern regions had declared their loyalty to Nÿgamär and the king.

This period of internal strife also saw the Hjoth tribes of Hjothdal repeatedly invade the southern regions of Nÿgamär and it was not until the establishment of Azdorimar that the southern borders were firmly established and the Hjoth incursions halted. Although the King now ruled over the entire nation, it was through the powerful regional warlords that the will of the king was exercised and the warlords grew wealthy through the pillaging of their own people, who were essentially enslaved and forced to work the land for the regional warlord and the king. A second war with Hjothdal saw many of the people of Nÿgamär forced into military service and butchered upon the battlefields.

The Amman invasions of Nÿgamär were dramatic and much of the south of the country, including Azdorimar, was soon overrun. However, the resistance, although long in coming, was fierce as the warlords rallied their people against the even harsher regime of the Amman empire. Amman found themselves bogged down in the northern regions of Nÿgamär and, with losses high, constructed a series of walls located on the southern side of the River Ax and which ran from Axgon to the sea, helping to stem the tide of the Nÿgamär warlords. The Nÿgamesse incursions against their invaders were constant until the fall of the Amman empire.

The vacuum that followed the fall of Amman was soon filled and Nÿgamär was soon reunified. However, with Hjothdal still weak, Nÿgamesse troops marched south and took control of much of northern Hjothdal. Only a series of major defeats at the hands of the remaining Amman forces stopped their southern progress. The Hjoth forces soon re-established themselves and the fighting with the Nÿgamesse forces has continued on and off to this day, with Hjothdal having long since reclaimed their land. Now the forces of Hjothdal are once again encroaching into Nÿgamär and Azdorimar is constantly under threat from their troops.

The emergence of Karnish and the opening up of their trading markets throughout Arrasia saw much wealth initially pour into Nÿgamär with their abundance of gold and the mining of the precious mithral, but also through the privateers who sailed the seas robbing the cargoes of their neighbor's merchant vessels and returning with the goods to Nÿgamär. This led to a declaration of war from The Northern Territories and has led to constant tensions with Norvsond and Karnish. Several naval conflicts between the navies of The Northern territories and Nÿgamär have underlined the naval power of Nÿgamär and while Karnish is reluctant to become embroiled in a war so far from its own borders, Norvsond has become increasingly hostile.

With rumors of vast wealth to be found in The Endless Forest, warlord incursions are not uncommon and battles with the elves there are not infrequent and with the dwarves rebelling and refusing to hand over their mithral and the emergence of goblin armies running amok in the southern regions, Nÿgamär finds itself confronted on all borders, as well as from within.

The Major Towns and Cities

Azdorimar: (pop: 18,500) A filthy, ramshackle city, Azdorimar is a maze of wooden buildings and filth covered streets. The wealthier members of the city live in wooden longhouses located in small plots of land, while the majority live in the slums which surround the docks and have grown as shantytowns outside of the main city walls. These slums are filled with vermin and disease and fires regularly tear through them. A large stone keep sits atop a hill that overlooks all of Azdorimar, which is the King's residence when he is in the city.

Important Personages

King Harald the Scourge: Ascending the throne after the untimely death of his brother, King Enrik the Bastard, many hoped for an end to the fear and persecution brought about during his brother's reign. However, King Harald soon gained the moniker "The Scourge" as he continued in his brother's vein, introducing even higher taxation as well an aggressive press gang policy to fill his ships with sailors. He also purged several of his most powerful enemies, including Lord Fairhair of Tothe, a known critic of both he and his brother. The Battle of Axhill saw Lord Faurhair's army routed and Fairhair himself killed.

Queen Gundhide: Married to King Hararld soon after his inauguration, Queen Gundhide is hated almost as much as her husband. She is young and beautiful and enjoys nothing more than to spend the ever dwindling coffers on lavish parties, luxurious clothing, and luscious gems and jewellery. She cares nothing for the people except the taxes they raise.

Lady Hilda Fairhair: The wife of the murdered Lord Fairhair, cut down by the forces of King Harald in the Battle of Axhill, she escaped with her children and made the perilous journey to DaKarn in Hjothdale with her two daughters. She has vowed revenge and is using what little of her wealth and influence remain to raise a new army. However, many claim that in her blindness for revenge, she has turned to the evil powers of Herophet to aid her.


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