The Wonderful World of Mystara
A Manuscript about the Natural Magical World of Mystara
Chapter 3
Delving into the history of the Hills of Inlashar
As penned down by Separim or copied from the book.
Darokin Province of Calair 1014 AC, 28th Flaurmont
It was morning. Early morning. Esmerelda opened the window shutters of front side of the Silver Stag. A pale sun breached the dark grey sky. several drops of rain had created a linear pattern on the outside of the glass.
A broom in hand, she opened the front door and swept the dried muck of evening brawl from the floor, The evening latch was shifted to the side, so someone must have left the tavern already. She was not afraid of non-paying customers, or those leaving before filling the final bill, as the tavern was well inside the enclosed walls of fort Nell, yet qurious she was who and why. "I'll see later" she mumbled while cleaning the porch.
Gaston, had awakened early, and after some meditation, he decided to go in town. On the market place he had seen a scribe was residing in town. The small room had ample place for the rack with inks, dried vellum, parchment press and rolls of other fabric. On the ceiling flowers and herbs hung down to dry, and on the tables stood jars with creature components within..."Scribe ink components" he thought. He glanced upon a stack of scrolls and bundled parchments. One was labelled "Inlashar, Land of Fortresses", written and compiled by sages Andrew Theissen, Geoff Gander and Aaron Nowack. .He removed the cloth binder and read the first page, and the next, and...
The Inlashar arose when a displaced Ethengari clan migrated into what is now northern Darokin in 780 BC, swiftly conquering the indigenous Neathar tribes. Within a century the two groups had merged, producing a somewhat stocky people with cream-coloured skin, and dark hair and eyes (with a slight epicanthic fold). For centuries, the Inlashar struck fear into orcish hearts in the north, and at their height (c. 500 BC) they controlled all the land between what is now Ardelphia and the gap between Alfheim and the Broken Lands. During that time, other human cultures flourished on the Streel Plain; although they occasionally suffered raids from the Inlashar. Their power ebbed and flowed over the following centuries, but they never regained their early prominence as other realms rose to prominence, and the orcs grew more organised. By 100 BC, successive orcish invasions had all but broken the might of the Inlashar, and only a scattering of them remained in the hills east of Corunglain – the remainder having fled south to Eraedan lands.
The Inlashar staged a bit of a revival in AC 672, following the collapse of the monarchy. A northern duke, claiming descent from one of the Inlashar houses and taking advantage of the chaos, declared his Duchy of Callair independent. The realm was short-lived, as the neighbouring humanoids of the Orclands also took advantage of the power vacuum. By AC 702 the realm had been laid to waste, with the capital of Tolann falling the following year. Most of the survivors trickled to Corunglain, where they remain to this day; although a handful of hill-folk still cling to their ancestral lands.
780 BC: To the north of Darokin, in the area that will later become the Ethengar/Glantri border, an Ethengarian tribe conquers several Neathar tribes. Over the next century, the two populations merge, becoming one people. Whatever names they might have called themselves are lost to history - for convenience they are referred to by the name later given to their descendants, the Inlashar.
650 BC: The Inlashar, migrating southward after several harsh winters in their homelands, settle in northern Darokin near modern Corunglain and Fort Nell, with some tribes ranging into the Broken Lands. Their excellent cavalry proves too much for the area's orcish tribes, and the orcs are driven deep into the Amsorak region and the modern Orclands.
586 BC: One of the Inlashar chieftains, Urudkhal, asserts himself over his rivals, initiating a series of bloody wars along the fringe of the Broken Lands. Taking advantage of the humans' distraction, many humanoid raiders manage to enter the Streel Valley. It is around this time that the Ethengar/Neathar tribes gain the name by which they are known today - after his victory, Urudkhal orders the construction of strong fortifications in every clanhold, and the land becomes known as Inlashar ('Land of Fortresses'). Urudkhal grants the various tribes a great deal of autonomy, keeping control by marrying his sons to the daughters of rebellious chieftains - a thinly veiled form of hostage-taking.
543 BC: By this time Inlashar stretches from what is now the ruins of Ardelphia to the gap between Alfheim and what is now the Broken Lands. Urudkhal's son, Urudtai, orders the expansion of his land's network of fortresses, as well as the construction of a great road to link them.
505 BC: The Great Road of Inlashar is completed. At each end is a grand fortress built of stone, bearing the stern visage of Urudmu, the great-grandson of Urudkhal.
450 BC: Dwarves, lead by Feric Squinteye, arrive along the eastern Savage Coast and build small colonies.
300 BC: The ore from the meteorite is forged into a sword, Molharran's Hope, for King Kareth, in the hope that its auspicious origins will aid in the creation of a mighty weapon against the encroaching orcs. The Hierophant of Molharran, a man named Yalgar, decrees that the sword's forging is an ill omen, and that the blade is cursed. Around this time, the Inlashar, who have never reunited under a single ruler since Urudmu's death, are no longer able to hold off the orcs. As the Inlashar retreat into their fortified clanholds, orcish raids step up in Eraeda and Molharran. For the first time in centuries large orcish tribes begin to settle on the east side of the Streel.
273 BC: The orcs again form a mighty horde and invade Eraeda. King Korweth leads an effort to repulse an orcish horde during the Second Battle of Favaro. Again, the Eraeda rally to the Molharraner force, and this time more than a few Inlashar tribes join the battle. Although the orcs are again defeated and the horde scattered, Korweth soon dies of his injuries. Molharran's Hope is passed to Kareth II. This battle marks the beginning of what was known at the time as the 'Golden Peace'.
With the orcish defeat at Favaro, the great western horde is broken for a time, allowing Molharran, the Eraeda, and the Inlashar to drive them back with vengeance - almost to the very foothills of what are now the Silver Sierras. Until its end, the Streel Plains are largely free of orcs, and are lightly settled by people of all three realms.
267 BC: Kareth II forges an agreement with the clans of Eraeda and the most prominent Inlashar tribes as to the division of the Streel Plain between the three peoples. A great stone obelisk is erected at the point where the three lands meet, and the Inlashar join the Pact of Comaelle. It still stands in modern times, though only a handful of scholars know what it signifies. Kareth II begins to try to reassert Molharran's authority over the Lordship of Meruvar over the next few years. The orcs are now restricted to the lands west of the Streel Valley and to the northern Broken Lands.
220 BC: Around this year, Calor or his forces destroy many settlements in Meruvar and Inlashar, until both lands submit to the dragon. Both are more loosely ruled than Eraeda, but still the orcish tribes move in and flourish under Calor's protection. Over the next few years, the City-State of Dolos rapidly declines and is eventually destroyed by Marwen, who claims the ruins as her own domain. Athenos begins to send tribute to the wyrm shortly afterwards. A survivor of one of Calor's rampages, a warrior named Balthac, dedicates himself to the dragon's destruction. (Accounts differ as to precisely what nation or clan Balthac originated from
200 BC: Without Calor's presence, the orcs begin to slowly be driven back. However, none of the human nations fully recover from his reign of terror. The Inlashar decline continues, and they never quite regain the power of their greater days, when they shielded the entire Streel Valley from orcish invasion. The hero Aurum is again offered the crown of Molharran; he again refuses.
185 BC: In the north, the orcish tribes of the Amsorak region deliver a crushing defeat to the Inlashar in a great battle north of Favaro, razing several settlements in the area. The Inlashar tribal lands are now separated by orcish-held territory from the clans of Eraeda.
164 BC: With the bulk of the orcish might in the south, the Inlashar stage a revival, pushing the orcs back as far as the borders of Eraeda.
Several of the most prominent tribes of the day forge an alliance with the Eastwind Clan of Favaro against the orcs
150 BC: By this point, the Inlashar revival reaches its height. For the first time in centuries, the entirety of the ancient Great Road of Inlashar is in Inlashar hands. Orcish strength is lower than at any time since the razing of Comaelle. A few documents from around this time refer to these years as the "Silver Peace", but the term never really takes hold.
128 BC: A new orcish horde forms in the west and advances into the Streel Valley, skirting the southern borders of Inlashar. They raze all save a handful of the remaining Molharraner villages north of Elstarath and raid the lands of the Ansimont Clan. The orcs then cross the Streel north of Favaro, where they succeed in destroying the few Inlashar strongholds in the region and again cut off Inlashar from the Eraedan clans.
122 BC: After years of skirmishing, the orcs overwhelm Inlashar defences near modern Corunglain, razing many strongholds and dividing Inlashar in two. The western half slowly falls to the orcs over the next ten years; the eastern section manages to put up more resistance.
120 BC: Attel Eastwind is born. By the time he is fourteen, he is known as one of the greatest warriors of the Eastwind Clan - if not all the Clans of Eraeda.
100 BC: Around this time, the orcs launch a major assault on the remaining Inlashar tribes. Attel Eastwind gathers a great host of men from the northern Eraedan Clans and marches to aid the Inlashar. The Clans do not hear of him or his followers again, and assume them lost.
3 BC: The last of the Inlashar clan-holds is destroyed by the orcs early this year. Toward the end of the year, a host of refugees reaches the city of Favaro. They are lead by a man named Mithras Attleson, who claims to be Attel Eastwind's son by an Inlashar chieftain's daughter and therefore the rightful ruler of the Eastwind. After much debate, Ansel the Elder grants the refugees a stretch of land along the fringes of the Canolbarth to settle in and rule - if Mithras abandons his claim to rule the Eastwind. He accepts.
70 BC: Continued close ties between the Eastwind and the Ansimont bring a new unity to the Eraedan clans. Inter-clan wars become rare over the next decade, and many new towns and villages are founded. However, amidst the ruins of Inlashar and Molharran, the orcs also grow in number and strength.
About current Inlashar; The region is dotted with village and Town ruins from the era were the Inlashar ruled (780 BC-702 AC). The other ruins were fortresses, hence the name Inlashar; This is Ethengarian for Land of Fortresses. The legendary road of Urudtai (543-550 BC) is eroded away mostly but where parts are still existing it has become part of today trails (Corunglain-Fort Nell and the main Road Corunglain-Darokin are being the best known). Several today structures are either still used Inlashar structures, or build upon them. It is not uncommon for today villages to have an ancient Inlashar tower, or other remnant (mostly fortification) within its limits. (fort Nell itself being the most known). The City ruins of Tolann last to fall in 702 AC are rumoured to harbour disgruntled noncorporeal undead, making the whole hills area very unwelcome.
A cough... Gaston arose from his devout reading. "Good morning Customer, found something interesting I see?" "Yes, ...sowwy...indeed. Pawdon my bluntness. It was pwecisly what I needed....eh...how much would you need to let it change ownewship?" "Fifty gold" the old man responded,; "it is an incomplete compilation of studies from different sagious writers about the region here, but not many here in Fort Nell are interested within it"
"Only fifty?...that's a bawgain. Would you accept Thyatian empewows, they awe platinum?"
"No sorry, only Daros or Tentrids please, gold or silver thus" while grabbing the stack from Gaston's hands."Platinum is hard to get exchanged here". He folded the leaflets back to a nice stack and knotted the cloth tightly. "Allwight, then hewe you go, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 45, 47, 49, ...50. tha'll do" The eyes of the scribe opened, clearly not expecting such a rapid sale. He handed the bundle to the mage while with the oher hand shoving the coins into an open drawer. "Something else. Of your service...?" He responded with a sudden yellowed smile."Yes, dear siw, that quillfeathew in that glass containew thewe please...I pwesume 400 gold will do fine..."
"Yes ..yes" responded the man, climbed upon a chair to reach the rectangular box, wit a glass lid. "You have a clear eye for the rare sir. This is a Quill of copying and writing, made by the elves who lived nearby some years ago. But I must inform you it can't copy magic spells, or write down magic words, only...lets say...normal speach". "I know, I knew befowehand that it was hewe, and the pwice".
Gaston accepted the casket and together with the book of leaflets, he left the shop.
In the Tavern the others had already awakened, washed, taken breafast, brushed the horses, walked through the walled town, smoked some pipeweed, brushed their shoes, polished and sharpened their weapons and even flirted with some locals.
"Finally" Separim responded irritated, "Our group leader took his time to continue the journey. Magic research I presume? Couldn't you've informed us beforehand? It is almost noon."
Earlier chapters;
Prelude, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3,
Interlude;
Geomorphological History of the Broken Lands 1
Geomorphological History of the Broken Lands 2
Following Chapters;
Chapter 4, Chapter 5
The timeline is only an excerpt of the Darokin Time line concentrated upon Inlashar. The complete timeline can be found here Darokin Time Line. written and compiled by Andrew Theissen, Geoff Gander and Aaron Nowack. Some information is drawn from my article on the 1 mile Alfheim map on Pandius. The area "the Barrowfields" is an creation of Geoff Gander.
A broom in hand, she opened the front door and swept the dried muck of evening brawl from the floor, The evening latch was shifted to the side, so someone must have left the tavern already. She was not afraid of non-paying customers, or those leaving before filling the final bill, as the tavern was well inside the enclosed walls of fort Nell, yet qurious she was who and why. "I'll see later" she mumbled while cleaning the porch.
 |
Fort Nell, with a small temple on the marketplaceand next door the Silver Stag Tavern. The Official and military buildings in the middle around the market, and some residential buildings around it. some acres and orcards within the fort walls making it comlete. Outside the many fields of produce; Apples, grapes, nuts and olive.
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Gaston, had awakened early, and after some meditation, he decided to go in town. On the market place he had seen a scribe was residing in town. The small room had ample place for the rack with inks, dried vellum, parchment press and rolls of other fabric. On the ceiling flowers and herbs hung down to dry, and on the tables stood jars with creature components within..."Scribe ink components" he thought. He glanced upon a stack of scrolls and bundled parchments. One was labelled "Inlashar, Land of Fortresses", written and compiled by sages Andrew Theissen, Geoff Gander and Aaron Nowack. .He removed the cloth binder and read the first page, and the next, and...
 |
| Inlashar as seen from Bird View. |
780 BC: To the north of Darokin, in the area that will later become the Ethengar/Glantri border, an Ethengarian tribe conquers several Neathar tribes. Over the next century, the two populations merge, becoming one people. Whatever names they might have called themselves are lost to history - for convenience they are referred to by the name later given to their descendants, the Inlashar.
650 BC: The Inlashar, migrating southward after several harsh winters in their homelands, settle in northern Darokin near modern Corunglain and Fort Nell, with some tribes ranging into the Broken Lands. Their excellent cavalry proves too much for the area's orcish tribes, and the orcs are driven deep into the Amsorak region and the modern Orclands.
 |
With its clear flat topped hills (Called Amon Sûl=Elvish), and steep sides (10-30 feet at most), Inlashar is an interesting defenseable area. The strategically placed fortresses, and the view of these flat-topped hills as if fortresses themselves, are the main reason the area is called Inlashar--Land of Fortresses.
|
 |
| Urudkhal's road |
543 BC: By this time Inlashar stretches from what is now the ruins of Ardelphia to the gap between Alfheim and what is now the Broken Lands. Urudkhal's son, Urudtai, orders the expansion of his land's network of fortresses, as well as the construction of a great road to link them.
505 BC: The Great Road of Inlashar is completed. At each end is a grand fortress built of stone, bearing the stern visage of Urudmu, the great-grandson of Urudkhal.
450 BC: Dwarves, lead by Feric Squinteye, arrive along the eastern Savage Coast and build small colonies.
 |
| 1=Ruin of some olde temple or shrine |
273 BC: The orcs again form a mighty horde and invade Eraeda. King Korweth leads an effort to repulse an orcish horde during the Second Battle of Favaro. Again, the Eraeda rally to the Molharraner force, and this time more than a few Inlashar tribes join the battle. Although the orcs are again defeated and the horde scattered, Korweth soon dies of his injuries. Molharran's Hope is passed to Kareth II. This battle marks the beginning of what was known at the time as the 'Golden Peace'.
With the orcish defeat at Favaro, the great western horde is broken for a time, allowing Molharran, the Eraeda, and the Inlashar to drive them back with vengeance - almost to the very foothills of what are now the Silver Sierras. Until its end, the Streel Plains are largely free of orcs, and are lightly settled by people of all three realms.
 |
| 2=Ruin of some trading post |
220 BC: Around this year, Calor or his forces destroy many settlements in Meruvar and Inlashar, until both lands submit to the dragon. Both are more loosely ruled than Eraeda, but still the orcish tribes move in and flourish under Calor's protection. Over the next few years, the City-State of Dolos rapidly declines and is eventually destroyed by Marwen, who claims the ruins as her own domain. Athenos begins to send tribute to the wyrm shortly afterwards. A survivor of one of Calor's rampages, a warrior named Balthac, dedicates himself to the dragon's destruction. (Accounts differ as to precisely what nation or clan Balthac originated from
 |
| 3= Ruin of some larger unknown structure |
185 BC: In the north, the orcish tribes of the Amsorak region deliver a crushing defeat to the Inlashar in a great battle north of Favaro, razing several settlements in the area. The Inlashar tribal lands are now separated by orcish-held territory from the clans of Eraeda.
164 BC: With the bulk of the orcish might in the south, the Inlashar stage a revival, pushing the orcs back as far as the borders of Eraeda.
Several of the most prominent tribes of the day forge an alliance with the Eastwind Clan of Favaro against the orcs
150 BC: By this point, the Inlashar revival reaches its height. For the first time in centuries, the entirety of the ancient Great Road of Inlashar is in Inlashar hands. Orcish strength is lower than at any time since the razing of Comaelle. A few documents from around this time refer to these years as the "Silver Peace", but the term never really takes hold.
 |
| 4= Ruin of the one Urudtai bridge existin |
122 BC: After years of skirmishing, the orcs overwhelm Inlashar defences near modern Corunglain, razing many strongholds and dividing Inlashar in two. The western half slowly falls to the orcs over the next ten years; the eastern section manages to put up more resistance.
120 BC: Attel Eastwind is born. By the time he is fourteen, he is known as one of the greatest warriors of the Eastwind Clan - if not all the Clans of Eraeda.
100 BC: Around this time, the orcs launch a major assault on the remaining Inlashar tribes. Attel Eastwind gathers a great host of men from the northern Eraedan Clans and marches to aid the Inlashar. The Clans do not hear of him or his followers again, and assume them lost.
 |
| 5= Ruined valley fortress blocking traffick |
70 BC: Continued close ties between the Eastwind and the Ansimont bring a new unity to the Eraedan clans. Inter-clan wars become rare over the next decade, and many new towns and villages are founded. However, amidst the ruins of Inlashar and Molharran, the orcs also grow in number and strength.
 |
| 6= Ruins of the Village of Tolann by day.Haunted by night not a welcome place. |
About current Inlashar; The region is dotted with village and Town ruins from the era were the Inlashar ruled (780 BC-702 AC). The other ruins were fortresses, hence the name Inlashar; This is Ethengarian for Land of Fortresses. The legendary road of Urudtai (543-550 BC) is eroded away mostly but where parts are still existing it has become part of today trails (Corunglain-Fort Nell and the main Road Corunglain-Darokin are being the best known). Several today structures are either still used Inlashar structures, or build upon them. It is not uncommon for today villages to have an ancient Inlashar tower, or other remnant (mostly fortification) within its limits. (fort Nell itself being the most known). The City ruins of Tolann last to fall in 702 AC are rumoured to harbour disgruntled noncorporeal undead, making the whole hills area very unwelcome.
A cough... Gaston arose from his devout reading. "Good morning Customer, found something interesting I see?" "Yes, ...sowwy...indeed. Pawdon my bluntness. It was pwecisly what I needed....eh...how much would you need to let it change ownewship?" "Fifty gold" the old man responded,; "it is an incomplete compilation of studies from different sagious writers about the region here, but not many here in Fort Nell are interested within it"
"Only fifty?...that's a bawgain. Would you accept Thyatian empewows, they awe platinum?"
"No sorry, only Daros or Tentrids please, gold or silver thus" while grabbing the stack from Gaston's hands."Platinum is hard to get exchanged here". He folded the leaflets back to a nice stack and knotted the cloth tightly. "Allwight, then hewe you go, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 45, 47, 49, ...50. tha'll do" The eyes of the scribe opened, clearly not expecting such a rapid sale. He handed the bundle to the mage while with the oher hand shoving the coins into an open drawer. "Something else. Of your service...?" He responded with a sudden yellowed smile."Yes, dear siw, that quillfeathew in that glass containew thewe please...I pwesume 400 gold will do fine..."
"Yes ..yes" responded the man, climbed upon a chair to reach the rectangular box, wit a glass lid. "You have a clear eye for the rare sir. This is a Quill of copying and writing, made by the elves who lived nearby some years ago. But I must inform you it can't copy magic spells, or write down magic words, only...lets say...normal speach". "I know, I knew befowehand that it was hewe, and the pwice".
Gaston accepted the casket and together with the book of leaflets, he left the shop.
 |
Quill of Copying and Writing. Stroke the quil over any nonmagical written text, book, scrolls, pen or pencil art, and it will be copied onto a same stack of loose papers given. 1 jar of ink needed for 50 pages of text or 10 drawings. The speed of this will be twice that of a normal writer. It does NOT translate. The copies will be of the same size as the supplied "paper", thus may be different size than the original. When the ink stops it will keep memory of the incomplete text for 20+1d4 hours at most. The quill will alter color when the source has altered color. It makes copies in the same order as the writer/artist of the original did.
Size; 7
inches.Cost; 1500 GP,4 cn rarity; very rare although libraries.universities have several. Spells needed to create; Copy, Color, caster
level 15+.Warning, possession of such item may be illegal and seen as espionage in/near military/official buildings.
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"Finally" Separim responded irritated, "Our group leader took his time to continue the journey. Magic research I presume? Couldn't you've informed us beforehand? It is almost noon."
Earlier chapters;
Prelude, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3,
Interlude;
Geomorphological History of the Broken Lands 1
Geomorphological History of the Broken Lands 2
Following Chapters;
Chapter 4, Chapter 5
The timeline is only an excerpt of the Darokin Time line concentrated upon Inlashar. The complete timeline can be found here Darokin Time Line. written and compiled by Andrew Theissen, Geoff Gander and Aaron Nowack. Some information is drawn from my article on the 1 mile Alfheim map on Pandius. The area "the Barrowfields" is an creation of Geoff Gander.
Updated the Inlashar map. It holds now the Barrowfields created by Geoff Gander.
ReplyDeleteVery fine renderings!
ReplyDeletethank you
Deleteworking on the next chapter so keep in touch