Khalrag Dominion

The Khalrag Dominion is a kingdom to the east of The Aleanza located in the wastelands known as The Plains of Ioclude. The kingdom was founded by orc chieftan Delger Ironjaw after the warbands were driven out of the Aleanza in The First Beast War. The dominion is a conglomerate of various tribes that made up the Plains of Ioclude who united under the Ironjaw banner in order to protect themselves against the aggressive expansion of The Aleanza. The dominion's capital is known as Shattertown located alongside a massive mountain ridge the city is both inside and otuside the rock. The dominion currently consists of 11 tribes with the most recent one being the former Aleanzan house of Kaplan who decided to secede in order to protect their mostly monstrous population. Their military is large and diverse with each race within the dominion bringing their own specialty making them unpredictable in battle. The dominion is infamous for having the largest concentration of monstrous races on the planet and is a place where many flee in order to find freedom as no religion, culture, nor race finds any sort of persecution within the dominion's borders.

Structure

The government is ruled totally by the Khalrag whose title is passed down by successor of his choosing or by someone challenging the Khalrag to something called Sogolt’Chuk which is a combative trial that can be declared by any member, though most Khalrog’s are so fierce that nobody dares to try. The Khalrag acts at the head of both the military and stately matters and has absolute authority and command over every citizen. The current Khalrag is an orc named Xorag One Eye. He recently won a Sogult’Chuk against the previous Khalrag Zhurga.
The Khalrag then appoints his own personal council known as the Zovlol which consists of the following roles:

• First is the Khargal’s Shield who acts as the personal bodyguard and military advisor to the Khargal. He has the authority to command any armed forces instead of the Khargal.
• Second is the Khargal’s Eyes who acts as the information gatherer and eyes and ears of the dominion. He holds a network of spies that all hold absolute loyalty and he feeds all this information to the Khargal.
• Third is the Brain of the Khargal who is the chief advisor and most of the time magic user acting as the Khargals personal doctor, and protector against magical threats. They also manage the other magic users in time of war and organize them.
• Finally is the Heart of the Khargal or the wife/husband they act as the Khargal when they are away in wartime and when not in wartime manage civil aspects and public relations.

The lands of the dominion are vast and thus require management from trusted individuals and warlords known as the Dargas who have accrued enough notoriety and reputation in combat that the Khalrag has deemed them ready to be a Dargas. Once made a Dargas you now have the authority to command your own army and oversee the recruitment for that army and the Khalrog grants you a sect of land. They're nine Dargas total and when one dies the Khalarag selects another. Dargas are the ones leading the armies, managing their own regions of land and are basically entirely separate states, but all answer to the Khalrag. Dargas are responsible for regional lawmaking and set policies for the lower rank in government to follow and generally may have 1 large city and many villages under their jurisdiction and are responsible for handling the distribution of guards and large projects.
Within the Dargas regions towns and villages are overseen by Shamans, the leaders of villages and hamlets and the ones who judge those who have committed a crime. Shamans are also the religious figureheads in each town and must make sure that everyone has the opportunity to pray to their respective god. Shamans are appointed by the Dalrag of that region when the town is founded and a new shaman is selected by the people when the old one dies. Under these Shamans are the Khalruuls who are responsible for managing local guard networks and security and when wartime calls some are sent out to manage troops acting as the equivalent of captains and officers in the army. They hold a lot of authority in the local government, but cannot make any laws, only enforce them and take their orders directly from the shamans. Kharuuls are appointed directly by the Dargas of the region and are replaced when the Dargas see fit.

Culture

Since the Khalrag Dominion is made up of many different races mashed up together the culture heavily varies from region to region, but they all share the following cultural traits. People from the Khalrag Dominion are all trained to fight including the women and as such have a very warrior based culture as well as a very honorable personality. Since the harshness of the land demands you be hardy and requires teamwork, people from the dominion have a culture heavily based on family life and sticking close to your kin, children are heavily protected so that they can grow up to be warriors and scholars. Despite the heavy bias towards military endeavors scholars and magic schools are still common and encouraged, but the only place to attend such schools is in Shattertown and not many have the intelligence required so it's mainly hobgoblins. Blood sports are very common and loved to the point where most bars and inns have them and despite being more civilized than people think, fights to the death are still common. The Khalrag Dominion people are all about freedom and rather than be captured would rather die than be enslaved again.

Demography and Population

The Khargal dominion is made up of the widest array of races and religions on Vitanova as it has taken up the role of a place of freedom of both religion and racial prejudices. The Khargal Dominion hosts the largest civilized population of the monstrous races in the world, but they are also home to the humans of Knife’s Edge, a once Aleanzan city that has turned sides in favor of the Khalrag Dominion in order to pursue religious freedom. 60% Monstrous races including Orcs, Goblinoids, Kenku, Wasteland Lizardfolk, Ogres, Kobolds, Trolls, Lycanthropes, Shifters, Changelings, Minotaurs, Half Ogres, Onis, 20% Human 20% everything else

Territories

The Khargal Dominion has 9 major regions under their control all inside the Plains of Ioclude. Each has their own distinct culture and races who live there.
Shargazar: The Shargazar is the region bordering Hochland to the north of Shatter Town. The region is a lush plains with a heavily mountainous region to the west and forest to the east. The region is a major producer of agricultural goods and a large trading hub in the region with Knife's Edge. The land is also host to defensive fortifications on the northern border. The current Dargal is a Hobgoblin warlord named Ulvrar the Grim who has the reputation for being a very effective defensive bulwark, by using war of attrition and guerilla tactics. People from this region are very grim and battle hardened having to defend their home constantly and families are sacred and meant to be guarded with your very lives. However the people within Knife's Edge do not have this same grim demeanor.
Gargazar: The Gargazar is the region located in the northern valley bordering Hochland. The region is in the Wasteland and as such is low on food production, but it does have the mountains for mining and large forests for lumber. Gargazar is also expected to be a defensive bulwark with its large mountain surrounding the region acting as a natural fortress. The Dargal is a Minotaur named Taurox the Stonewall who is famed for his military strategy. People from this region are incredibly resourceful and hardy, having lower food production and being forced to tend for themselves as well as constantly defend against outsiders.
Strukgazar: The Strukgazar is the region located east of Shargazar which runs along the eastern Green Coast. This region is full of forests and a small mountain range which houses the mountain keep of Marduzgul. The Dargal is a bugbear named Barruk Silentwatch who is a master of espionage and is the current Eyes of the Khargal as well as a Dargal. When wartime calls his legions are incredibly effective. People from this region are natural born hunters using longbows and shortbows basically since birth and produce some of the finest ranged soldiers in the world.
Yarzgazar: The Yarsgazar is in the direct center of the Wasteland of Ioclude and as such faces the worst conditions. People here rely entirely on the few oasis locations and the plentiful monsters. This is the location where most beasts are tamed due to the high concentration of beasts like Wargs, Purple Worms. Udaaks, as well as high concentrations of Gnoll mercenaries. The region is overseen by the Dargal known as Chopper the Worm King Red Sand Butcher, a goblin who has a reputation for his out of the box thinking and masterful use of monstrous creatures. People from this region are a bit crazier and cooky, but also very business savvy and incredibly brave in battle, they also have a natural affinity for beasts and can easily train them.
Grummshgazar is the region in the middle of the Kuzash mountains and takes up the capital and surrounding region to the sea. The region is a lush green plains and beautiful coastline. It produces a lot of food and houses the Khargal himself and as such is the most protected. The region is overseen by the Heart of the Khargal. People from this region are usually more intelligent and expressive about the general culture given the fact that they don't have to worry as much about being raided.
Drakgazar: The Drakgazar is the island region off the coast. Its filled with massive lush forests and small pockets of farmable land. This region is home to small tribes of Lizardfolk and within the forests there are high concentrations of dangerous creatures. Its within this region that periodic blood games are held for entertainment and as a method to train new recruits. The Dargal is an orc named Mugarod Wildhunt, a brutal and effective leader of troops and well known for his methods in training new recruits.
Fusgazar: The Fuzgazar is the region to the east of Yargazar on a Penninsula that sticks out from the plains. The region is rich in fishing villages and producer of a large amount of warships.The Dargal is a hobgoblin sea captain named Rhazarz the Serpent who is known for his skills on the sea. The culture here is that of the sea people here are born on the sea and are natural born fishermen and sailors.
Hushgazar: The Hushgazar is the region to the south of the Fusgazar which lies along the Green Coast. It is a large supplier of fish and unique to its region, drakes and wyverns who the regions goblins take pride in taming. The dargal of this region is a goblin named Shank Poison Claw and he is famed for his lethal poison making abilities using wyverns poison and riding said wyverns. The people of this land are hardy and absolutely love to fly and people of higher birth each have their own wyvern.
Vexgazar: Lastly is the Vexgazar a barren coastline filled with hardy seaborn orcs who carry out occasional raids off the coasts of The Aleanza. This region also manufacture their own ships and steals them birthing some of the most famous pirates in the world. The culture of this region is that of taking what is yours by force and generally people from here are cunning and charismatic. The Dargal is the only non monstrous dargal he is a human named Eravor Seaborn and he is a well known raider and pirate although the dominion doesn't officially condone his actions.

Military

Though the Khargal Dominions only major war ended in defeat they don't plan on letting it happen again and since then have completely reformed their structure and added new races to their army further bolstering their ranks. Overall the Khargal Dominion has a versatile force and although they lack technology they make up for it with muscle, numbers and strategies that are formed around those advantages. The Khargal military mainly consists of an infantry line consisting of orcs, goblinoids, lizardfolk, shifters, and half ogres. These are backed up by large monstrous units made up of ogres, hired giants, minotaurs, trolls and various tamed monsters like worms, chimeras and manticores. There are also specialty units like Bugbear rangers, hired gnoll hunting packs, and shock troops made up of larger races.
Armies are most often commanded by a Dargal and move in one big horde. The smaller units are then organized through various Kharuuls and the entire structure is incredibly organized making the army one cohesive fighting force.

Religion

The dominion boasts freedom of religion with temples dedicated to most gods being found in every major city within the country. However there is one religion that is the most popular within the country. The Kellua. After The Scourge many of the monstrous races of a different mind than their natural self saw fit to abandon their gods and pursue different ideals and values. Though they had changed, the people of the newly formed Aleanza didn't see it this way and pushed them north into the harsh wasteland of Ioclude and there they thought they would meet their demise. However under the jagged rocks and unfertile dirt they found ruins of a long forgotten and unheard of deity, the one they referred to as Kellua Mother of the Unwanted. The people uncovered scriptures from long dead races and began raising her up and repairing her temples and with that discovered their purpose. Kellua preaches acceptance, freedom, forgiveness, acquisition of knowledge, but also a stern hand to those who have wronged you and your kin. Her form is that of a lady of an unknown race possessing both fur on her body along her arms and legs, tusks in her mouth, pointed ears, a bandage over her eyes, and long hair. She is usually depicted wearing robes and carrying a Warhammer in the left hand and a small mirror in the right. The warhammer is known as the Beastmaker and the hilt is built out of a long bone with the head being two boar heads wrapped in leather and adorned in various feathers. The mirror is crudely made with a large piece of cracked glass and a rim of hide and bone, as of now the mirror has been split and the 5 shards scattered across the world with 2 in the Aleanza’s possession 2 in the Dominions and one with Arban. The mirror when fully assembled or with a shard can be gazed into to see the future if you are pure of heart.

Founding Date

130ATB

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Shattertown

Demonym

Khalragian

Leader

Xorag One Eye

Leader Title

Khalrag

Founders

• Delger Ironjaw

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Market economy

Currency

Gold Silver Copper

Location

Plains of Ioclude

Controlled Territories

• Knife's Edge

Neighboring Nations

• The Aleanza