Thursday, January 28, 2010

Delzar - A Land Divided


In Old Calendar years 3021-3089, thousands of war refugees emigrated south from the high northern plains of Telengard to settle in the area they called Delzar -- which is Old Noffellian for “central plains.”  

The kingdom of Delzar has flourished in the intervening generations into a region of abundance, though its social and economic stability is constantly threatened by escalating border disputes between Delzar and its southern neighbor, Mizar.  Delzar thus finds itself a land divided: divided between the peaceful, bohemian northeasterners and the harried warriors of the militaristic south.

Delzar is ruled by an oligarchal triumvirate or ruling council, made up of one hereditary landowner often called the "king" or "queen" (by southern Delzarians) or "lord high councilor" (by northerners); one Delzarian Army general appointed by the military; and an elected member called the "approved councilor."

The ruling triumvirate of Delzar meets in the capitol city of Bilnhof, a cultural and arts mecca found in the foothills at the eastern end of this lush grassland country.  Bilnhof is in fact a cultural and artistic center for all of Ara: even non-Delzarian artists, musicians, and sculptors flock to Bilnhof to soak in the natural beauty, the temperate weather, and inspiration of other creative types.  Northeastern Delzar is an culturally diverse region where dwarves, rodians, and even some civilized ogres (!) are found living amongst humans in positions of authority and respect.  Many northern Delzarians see the country and its bohemian capitol city as leaders in modeling a non-violent way of life to the rest of Ara, and are embarrassed, saddened, and/or outright enraged about the country's ongoing territorial disputes with Mizar.

Delzar's southern border disputes with the aggressive and honor-bound Mizarian people are an ever-present threat to Delzarian peace and prosperity.  Many southern Delzarians choose to enlist in the King’s Army, joining in the defense of the southern frontier against the unified clans of Mizar. Note that despite its name, the Delzarian Army ultimately takes it orders from the entire ruling triumvirate of Delzar.  Like their Telengardian forebears, southern Delzarians -- especially those in the Army -- tend to be stolid, bitter and strong-willed.

I have rarely taken adventure parties to Delzar; while I did begin one campaign in Bilnhof, the main action in that campaign quickly drew the party away from that city within the first session or two.  Interestingly, I think I am the only person ever to play a Delzarian PC, or at least a character from the Delzarian Army.  In one of Scott Peoples' campaigns, I played Edwin Pimmelfinnick, a Delzarian Army officer sent to investigate stuff with a group of non-military adventurers.  Edwin was a fun character and it was a great campaign, but despite his Delzarian origins we spent most of our time underground, so despite Edwin's intervention I still haven't spent much time in Delzar.

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