Toemanshire (TOE man shier)

the River Lands of Lhakamed

The wide river valley of the Redhand River cuts through the Areian Peaks from west to east. These mountains are part of the Lhakamed region of Tinjir, which sits along the northern edge of the Desert of Anbar. Old Magic still runs deep through the land, and ancient stones from the lost civilizations of Zalpula can still occasionally be found throughout. The land, known today as Toemanshire, has struggled to maintain stability in the past few centuries. Native Lhakamen try to live the simple life of farming the rich soil of the valleys while continually having to deal with outsiders pushing in to gain control of the resources in the land.

Throughout the valley of the Redhand, the farmlands now stand essentially wild and overgrown under a forest. Most people settle within the safety of towns across the kingdom. Once a land famous for its sheepherders of the foothills, few shepherds remain. This has left flocks of wild sheep living high in the mountains, avoiding the lowland predators. The kingdom's heart is the city of Tomaton at the mouth of the Redhand River, which flows into Tobia's Gulf. The city is the center of nearly all travel to and from Toemanshire and controls much of the nearby river lands. While sparsely populated, the east is primarily tame and civilized, patrolled and protected by King Carab and his knights out of Tomaton. Toemanshire’s west is lonely and wild. Those that dwell here settle into the few towns available, rarely venturing far. The land may be dangerous, but to the local Lhakamen, it’s their home and far less deadly than the court intrigues of the east.

Among the realms of the Tinjir, Toemanshire stands as one of the few traditional feudal societies that still follow time-honored foundations from Novyum and the East. A king sits on the throne, ruling through his dukes and counts, who, in turn, govern over the farmers and laborers through their barons. Men and dynasties come and go, but a king must always rule. Here, the king and the land are one. Toemanshire must have a king on the throne for the kingdom to thrive. While dynasties have grown up in the kingdom (three to date, the Soter, the Syra, and most recently, the Whilhelm), a king is chosen by election of the nobility and serves for life. This election is often a formality during a thriving dynastic rule but can be vital when a royal family dies out or needs to be replaced.

With the Whilhelm dynasty ending, a new king has risen to power and was elected as of the year 6880sc. So begins the Carab dynasty.