Introdution:
Kuddo is the farthest east region in the Orc Domain. It shares a border with the Unclaimed Lands. Kuddo has generated vast wealth from trade. The port in the capitol of Galla and the grand market in the border town of Riverside both serve as hubs for products entering Utican from the lands across the ocean and for those leaving Utican. Kuddo is currently ruled by the Orc Lord Vesk Gallas, a shrewd businessman who prioritizes increasing the wealth of the Kuddo region beyond all else. Kuddo's distance from the Celestial Mountain and preoccupation with material wealth has resulted in the Orc Nobles of Kuddo being generally uninterested in the Heavenly Throne. However, many Lords and Ladies of House Gallas have filled the coffers by loaning funds to other Orc Nobles pursuing the Heavenly Throne.
History:
Kuddo was founded by a quartermaster named Orja Gallas in 794 HE (5,240th year in recorded history). As the Hellenistic forces withdrew from Utican, Orja organized their lines and aided in the withdrawal using the skills she had learned as a quartermaster in the Hellena Legions. She handled all logistics and when the Hellenans reached the eastern shore of Utican, Orja was rewarded with a small fortune for her exceptional work. With this fortune Orja approached a struggling regional lord and bought his lands between the Upper and Lower Shugod Rivers. Orja named the region Kuddo after her maternal grandfather who had raised her and encouraged her to enter the Hellena Legion.
The lands were heavily forested and made travel and agriculture difficult. This did not deter Orja and she set to building roads that would make her lands the easiest and safest means to reach the ocean. This plan paid off and soon the town of Galla had become a trade hub for products flowing to and from the Orc Domain.
As Orja's personal wealth grew so did the wealth of Kuddo region. Orja dreamed of expanding her region all the way to the east coast. Unfortunately Orja would never see this dream realized as she became enbroiled in the trials associated with building a city and securing a region. Orja primarily had to contend with displaced and abandoned legionairres that had every incentive to turn to a life of banditry. Orja countered this impulse with policies that rewarded legionairres with pay for hunting monsters and bandits in the Kuddo region.
In 100 RoH (The 13275th year in recorded history) Orja's ancestor, Lady Morn Galla set out on an eastward expedition hoping to purchase more lands from struggling landholders. This decision proved fatal when Morn and her guards were ambushed by highway men in the lands that would come to be known as the Unclaimed Lands. When Morn's son Lord Breg Gallas heard the news he fell into a deep grief. Many tried to comfort Lord Breg but none could break him from his sorrow. In 102 RoH (The 13277th year in recorded history) a mercenary group called the Steel Company promised to find Lady Morn's murderers and bring them to justice. Lord Breg was skeptical but said if the company could find the brigands and bring them back alive he would grant them a great reward.
The Steel Company set out and after a year of investigations, battles, and dead ends they found the highway men who had killed Lady Morn. These bringands called themselves the Keepers and prided themselves on robbing and killing anyone who attempted to cross through the Unclaimed Lands. The Keepers were led by a Dwarf exile named Irk Warmgrog. Irk brazenly wore a gold necklace that belonged to Lady Morn and she would often brag about the money stolen from some Orc woman. When the Steel Company learned abut the Keeper's hideout, they set the entire place ablaze and let the smoke drive out the bandits. One by one the Keepers came out and were cut down by the Steel Company. When Irk came running out the mercenaries grabbed her and put her in chains. They dragged her back to Lord Breg. Lord Breg ordered her execution and took his mother's necklace.
To show his apprecitiation to the Steel Company Lord Breg granted the mercenaries lands near lower Shugod River and agreed to pay the mercenaries a yearly fee in perpetuity. Lord Breg also enahnced policies favoring mercenary compamnies. These policies are collectively known as the coin acts. Their primary feature was setting a minimum price for hiring sellswords and creating recourse for sellswords that were sent negligently sent into situations more dangerous than the employer represented. To this day Lord Breg Gallas is known as "The Patron" by mercenary companies in the Orc Domain.
The Steel Company founded the town of Riverside and made good money by escorting merchants through the Unclaimed Lands. Over time the Steel Company disbanded and the yearly fee promised to them was turned into a subsidy given to all mercenary companies that made Kuddo their home. In modern times there are many mercenary companies in Kuddo. Most are headquartered in Riverside as their proximity to the Unclaimed Lands provides them with ample work opportunities.
During the Endless Strife the Lords and Ladies of Kuddo have continued with business as usual. Kuddo still serves as a trade hub and boasts impressive markets in Galla and Riverside. The Orc Nobles of Kuddo have little interest in pursuing the Heavenly Throne because they see it as a losing proposal that will cost more money than it could ever generate. Moreover House Gallas has profited greatly by loaning money to the other Orc Nobles who fight for the Heavenly Throne. In recent years Lord Vesk Gallas has established a strong relationship with traders from the Capsan port of Aqualiea. As a result almost all trade from the Heartland Empire flows through Kuddo and Galla.
Open Worship:
Open worship of any god is permitted within the park known as the Hallowed Grounds in Galla. This includes the worship of evil gods, arch devils, demon princes, and any other wicked god. So long as the worship does not infringe upon the worship of another or otherwise break the law it is permitted. For example, worshippers of Bhaal can venerate the Lord of Murder but are not permitted to do ritualistic murder as part of that worship. The practice of open worship has created a unique field where shrines from every religion can be found, with some being better maintained than others.
Mercenary Sensibilities and Might:
Kuddo does not maintain a standing army in the same way that the other regions of the Orc Domain do. Instead Kuddo subsidizes and incentivizes mercenary companies to establish their headquarters within the borders of Kuddo. In exchange the mercenary companies are required to answer a call to arms by House Gallas. Such a call to arms is incredibly rare and thus the agreement between House Gallas and the mercenary companies is quite favorable for mercenaries.
Many companies call Kuddo home. Some notable mercenary companies include Painted Ring, Forever Bound by Iron, The Pack, and the Brotherhood of Beasts. It is common for new comers to Kuddo to be bombarded by recruiters from the various mercenary companies promising a life of adventure, glory, and wealth.
