Clans of the Campacha Plains
When the Conroi Expedition first crossed the Wizard’s Wall past Durgam’s Folly in 3439 I.R., they did not know what they would find. Though some rumors from Castorhage and Gtsang suggested that remnants of ancient peoples still lived there, most in Reme believed that The Haunted Steppes would prove to be nothing more than a vast charnel house, its inhabitants slain and lying silent beneath the eternal skies.
The rumors proved true, for The Plains were not empty. Quite the contrary, the descendants of the Invincible Horde lived on and had spent the intervening centuries rebuilding. Fortunately for Conroi and her expedition, the first group they encountered were the united clans of the Campacha, powerful, but not unwilling to host and deal with these visitors from the south.
The Campacha Plains are still wild, and roving bands of humanoids can make the region hazardous. The old magic of the Shadow Horde still lingers even after centuries, sometimes opening doorways to other realms or compelling the ancient dead to rise and trouble the living. Just the same, The Plains are a rich and relatively peaceful place where the Grand Duchy of Reme has tentatively begun to establish trade and learn about the history of The Haunted Steppes since the days of Cale’s downfall.
History and People
The remaining Shattered Folk after the raising of the Wizard’s Wall and the banishment of the Shadow by the Asran were few and scattered, but survivors there were. Those in the southern steppes had suffered such losses that they no longer needed to fight one another for territory. However, though the barriers in the north had been restored, many tribes of orcs and goblins remained on The Plains to threaten the survivors. To avoid destruction, the Shattered Folk of the region were forced to band together.
The leading clan of the area was called the Campacha, and within a few generations the alliance transformed into a true confederacy named for its founding group. The humanoid threat was largely eliminated by coordinated defense, and the creation of the confederacy taught the Campacha the benefits of diplomacy. They also discovered that trade with the nearby Caleen colonies was to their advantage and enhanced their own security and prosperity. As a result, the fear and distrust of outsiders was far less among the Campacha than many of their more-isolated kinfolk. When the Conroi Expedition arrived, they found a well-established nation in the Campacha, one secure and willing to trade and even befriend those from the south. They tolerate the Reman missionaries, incorporating the foreign gods into their pantheon, and some among the Campacha have even considered forming settlements, farming, and tending herds rather than wandering The Plains. Conservative Campacha are disdainful of this suggestion, but the idea is gaining popularity, and the Campacha may join the Elitan-i-pan Confederacy in founding permanent villages and farms.
Some time ago, a Gtsang scholar by the name of Tiblu Ottika arrived with the seemingly mad notion of establishing a major college in the midst of the Campacha Plains. Somewhat puzzled, the Campacha agreed, and the college was built near the town of Petyan. After initial success, the grand experiment collapsed as a horde of chaos-creatures emerged from the college, forcing a desperate defense by the Campacha wizard Tunicamna. Though the battle against the creatures was won, repercussions from the disaster have continued over the years, and the college remains abandoned and shunned.
Religion
Most Campacha practice the Ethtuwate faith of their ancestors. Since adherents of this faith can incorporate other deities, even imported gods such as Thyr and Muir, into their religion, missionaries from Reme, Foere, and elsewhere ventured onto The Plains seeking converts.
Initial reports from these missionaries told of success and the conversion of entire communities, leading to the mistaken belief that the Campacha are somehow spiritually deprived and seeking new enlightenment. In reality, the easygoing Campacha listened to the stories of Thyr, Freya, Jamboor, and others, and simply added these “new” gods to their existing faith, even while continuing to remain faithful to Thaka and the other Ethtuwate deities. As this has become more apparent, the priesthoods of the other gods have come to find the Campacha maddening, for their demands that they abandon all other faiths to pursue a single pantheon are invariably met with mocking laughter and bafflement.
Trade and Commerce
For many years the Campacha were content to trade among themselves or with the Caleen. Occasionally, Campacha would venture into the Stonehearts to contact the dwarves and return with iron weapons, works of art, or tools. For the most part, however, trade and commerce played little role in the Campachas’ life.
The arrival of the Remans, the Foerdewaith, and the Castorhagi changed that somewhat, as merchants from all three groups made contact with the Campacha and brought gold and finished goods in exchange for horses, grains, and other foodstuffs. Trade is a small but growing concern at this point, for though the Campacha have little to offer now, many foreigners see vast opportunities in the wide-open steppes.
Loyalties and Diplomacy
Once an alliance of fiercely independent nomad clans who wished to be left alone and to see to their own security, the Campacha have been made aware of the outside world, and many seek to expand their contacts with Foere, Reme, and Castorhage. So far, the relationship consists of minimal diplomatic presence and trade, but this seems likely to expand.
Government
Like the Elitan-i-pan, the other major assembly of the Shattered Folk, the Campacha are a confederacy of several clans — the Ikres, Tarkut and Campacha — and after decades have come to be known by the name of the most prominent of these. The independent nature of the old Hundaei society has led to a fairly loose state with minimal organization. Each of the three federated clans is led by its own khan and elder council, and these three khans meet each month in the Tae’kon Encampment to administer and oversee the Campacha region, settling disputes, making laws and overseeing relations with the Caleen and other outsiders. Most decisions are made by consensus, but the presence of three khans makes tie votes unlikely.
Military
The old warrior traditions are still practiced by the Campacha, and every clan member is trained from birth in the arts of riding, shooting, and combat with lance and tulwar. All members of the federation, even many young and elderly, are highly capable warriors and in times of conflict can be called upon to defend their folk. The warriors of each clan are under the command of their respective khan, but should an outside power threaten the region, the khans would almost certainly select one of their number to be supreme leader.
Major Threats
Orcs, ogres, and hill giants of the region are a constant threat and raid Campacha lands in the spring and summer. These incursions are opposed by the nearest clan, which sends mounted warriors to intercept incoming raiders or pursue those attempting to escape. Battles between the Campacha and wolf-mounted goblins or orcish worg riders are also a frequent event in this portion of the steppes.
Region
Campacha Plains, Clans of the
Controlled Territories
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