The Free Marches

The Free Marches is a large stretch of land located on the eastern side of the Sea of Fallen Stars. It is a land that consists mainly of open plains, but there is the occasional forested areas and the southern territory has a variety of hills and valleys.
The Free Marches was created in 568 DR when the various city states of the land negotiated a peace treaty amongst themselves. This treaty, called the Concord of the Marches, stated that is was a land for those who seek freedom and independence and following this there were a set of universal laws created. Those laws are as follows.

1. No nation shall try and encroach their beliefs on those of their neighbors.
2. Slavery is outlawed in any area within the Free Marches.
3. There shall be no fighting of a political nature within the Free Marches
4. Armies have no sway outside of their respective territory.
5. No city shall declare war on an outside nation.

Slavery in particular was a founding idea of the peace treaty signed between the nations. Due to the Free Marches close proximity to Thay, there was an influx of slaves who escaped to the south and joined the Free Marches. This led to the idea of freedom being one of their primary tenets.
As of the current age there are currently six major cities within the Free Marches. Those cities are Cennuroth, Streishund, Glochester, Stowall, Aerilon, and Edmore. Each city has a unique culture and they all maintain their own militaries with most interactions between them being trade based.
Outside of the major cities there are numerous independent villages scattered throughout the lands. These villages live primarily peaceful and uneventful lives and typically maintain trade with the closest largest city.

In the year 568 DR the various city states sent representatives to a summit meeting to negotiate a treaty to instill peace and maintain the sense of independence throughout the lands. This is where they signed the Concordant of the Marches.

Each city still maintains the position of representative in case of breach of the treaty. Due to this having never occurred, the position is seen as more of a formality.