LHAZAAR PRINCIPALITIES: Pages from the Khorvaire Almanac

Lhazaar Principalities
Country	None
Capital	Regalport
Ruler	Multiple Princes
Government	Confederation
Population	500,000

Race Percentage Humans	42%
Gnomes	16%
Half-Elf	14%
Changelings	12%
Dwarf	5%
Halfling	4%
Other	3%
Eladrin	2%
Elf	2%

Religion	Sovereign Host (Kol Korran, Olladra) & The Devourer
Imports	Whatever they can get
Exports	Ships, Mercenaries, Trade Goods

[FROM PAGES FOUND IN AN ABANDONED TOWER IN THE FOREST SOUTH OF SKAIRN]

Location

A narrow strip of land to the east of the Hoarfrost Mountains are the principalities only connection to mainland Khorvaire. A band of more than two dozen islands lies scattered off the coast of this narrow band of landscape and extends further north than any point on Khorvaire's shores piercing into the Bitter Sea and extends south to islands off the coast of Q'barra.

Society

Lhazaar society exists more on the open sea than on any land establishment. Those that call the few land establishments home exist to service the sea industries and every major settlement exists on the coastline while much of the interior of the islands remain unexplored and uninhabited. Although the oldest settlements of Khorvaire exist in the Principalities they retain their feeling of frontier towns embraced by the beautiful and brutal environment around them. The sea princes rule over their own islands and every inhabitant pledges fealty to these sea princes. The princes themselves are as varied as the many rulers of the other nations of Khorvaire. Whereas one may be a tyrannical despot another might be a kind hearted ambassador of goodwill.

The Lhazaar Principalities take their name from the explorer Lhazaar, the woman responsible for first bringing human settlers from Sarlona to the shores of Khorvaire 3,000 years ago. Lhazaar established a functional society in the Lhazaar Principalities. She gave the captains in her fleet the title Prince and created the few laws that is held thought out the land. The law that she is best known for is that the title prince is not hereditary but earned. Lhazaar noble hold their title through the power of their armies. Here, might makes right, but with so many different people and cultures this is expressed in different ways. The gnomes of Lorghalen who challenge a prince play a game of wit. The Elves of Farlnen want a show of Arcane skill in addition to naval power. The Sea Princes are very independent; none of the islands have ever been truly united under a single prince. But there has always been one prince that claims the title of High Prince. For the last 15 years this has been High Prince Rygar ir'Wynarn who commands a fleet of 20 ships and the respect of many of the other princes.

There are few laws that the people of the Lhazaar Principalities follow completely. The main one states that the princes of have the right to administer justice in his own land and he can appoint officers as he sees fit. The princes often fight each other but they will join arms if a prince is being attacked by an outsider. Highly loyal to other Lhazaarites, the people of the Lhazaar Principalities will help each other if attacked by outsiders.

Customs

The water is a way of life for the people of the Principalities. Lhazaar children learn to fish and harvest the bounty of the sea as soon as they are old enough to handle a net, and most are equally at home on the deck of a ship or swimming through the waves. Most Lhazaarites prefer to stay close to the water: the ocean is freedom, and a Lhazaarite deep inland feels isolated and trapped. Lhazaarites prefer fish and salty foods to red meat, and Lhazaar captains traditionally drink salasta, a strong, clear alcoholic beverage made using salas seaweed.

The ancestors of the Lhazaarites came from many different races and nations. There is a wide range of skin and hair color among the humans; the original settlers came from across Sarlona, from desert, jungle, and plains. As a result, Lhazaarites tend to be comfortable with all races, and their culture and language incorporates traces of many others; while a dwarf born in the Lhazaar Principalities may not be able to speak Elven, he may use Elven swear words or interjections in his speech.

Lhazaar dress varies from principality to principality, but it often shows traces of the polyglot heritage of the region. Clothing tends to be tough and functional since it's made to resist the rough weather of the seas and the bitter cold of the northern winter. Lhazaarites take great pride in their hair, and complex braids and decorative accessories are common among both men and women.