Charr Grot

Charr Grot (Charred Home) is the closest nation to claim lands near the Blasted Lands. The orcs of Charr Grot make several heavily armed expeditions into the Blasted Lands to recover the unique minerals and detritus found scattered along the land. It is far too dangerous to set up any semi-permanent settlement; although the Charron have tried numerous times. The things found in this dangerous land has drawn traders to their ports, which has made the nation wealthy and their neighbors jealous. Several attempts at conquest by various Theodovan cities have each failed; although the port of Horr has been burned twice.

• Name: Charr Grot
• Location: Northern Aquanius
• Founded: 253 AH
• Largest City: Parrix (12,500)
• Languages: Orkun, Theodovan
• Ruler: Lord Durroc of Horr
• Land Area: 9000 km² (3,500 mi²)

  • Water: 7% (630 km² = 153,200 acres)
  • Total Land:
• Population: 40,000

  • Charron (85%)
  • Mirk-eye (10%)
  • Barrowton (5%)
  • Other (5%)
• Religion:

  • Sleeping One (75%)
  • Five Gods (13%)
  • Ancestral Worship (10%)
  • Other (2%)
• **Holdings

  • Horr
  • Yuqqes
  • Zurick Keep

Charr Grot can be divided into two major periods. The Charric Period (253 Ah - 392 AH) stretches from the founding of Horr until the capitol was moved to Parrix. The War Period (392 AH - 480 AH) begins with the burning of Horr until the border is secured by treaty with the Theodova.

The Charric were a semi-nomadic tribe of orcs that moved steadily west in Northern Aquanius region as they were pushed along by Theodovan expansion. The further west they moved, the more the Theodovan supply lines stretched and the less aggressive their attacks. Praxx was the highly respected leader of the largest family so when he settled his people on the eastern banks of the Big Dancing River in 251 AH and claimed he would not move from this spot - they would not retreat. For two years the Theodovans tried to push his family back by land and sea, but they held their ground. Their losses were terrible, but the Theodovans were finally stopped.

To secure their new lands Praxx sent his oldest daughter north along the river to found a new settlement. She encamped on the western shore where the Big Dancing River emptied into the Serpente Sea. She named the place Horr in honor of the great silver serpent who lives in the depths of the sea.

For the next century the Charric prospered and drew other tribes to their lands. By 390 AH the lands grew to over fifteen thousand orcs and about half as many goblins. It was then when the Theodovan's attacked again.

In the Summer of 392 AH a large multi-city Theodovan fleet blockaded Horr while additional ships landed warriors east of the river. The warriors marched down to the eastern shore and prepared to cross. Large fire-ships were sailed into the harbor and set ablaze. Under the cover of dense smoke the Theodovan army crossed the river and gained a foothold south of the city. Their losses exceeded thirty percent (30%), but it was enough to push into the city. The fleet then landed additional armored men west of the city to support the breach.

The Theodovans wished to capture the city, but the defenders fired the city rather than allow it to be captured. It was a hard battle as the fighting was street by street, but within a month the Theodovans held the rubble that remained. The next day they landed laborers and engineers and began construction of a new harbor and palisade.

Before winter hit the survivors of Horr mounted several raids, but other than that there was no concentrated effort by Charr Grot to push out the Theodovans. Grella was named as a Warleader and given the money and supplies necessary to raise an army. She contacted several Zents and Talarakian captains and paid for additional raids against Theodovan shipping. This limited the number of supplies reaching the invaders.

For twenty years the war see-sawed back and forth. Grella did not have a fleet to cut off supplies and did not have sufficient warriors to force a breach. 397 and 408 saw their fiercest fighting with the loss of two towns to the invaders, but the second Theodovan raiding party was caught unawares and annihilated. The Theodovans would spend until 415 rebuilding their supplies and warriors.

After a few years of skirmishes both sides had settled down into static positions. The Charric constructed two keeps along the major routes south, one overlooking the river. This allowed Grella to release more of his warriors from guarding smaller towns in the south and form a Western Army on the other side of the river. What may have happened because of this realignment is unknown as the Theodovans brought the full strength of their magicians into the fight. During the night they conjured a storm that killed Grella and his command staff. The Theodovans would have exploited the chaos, but the storm grew out of control and rain fell for twenty more days.

In 423 events changed that would have the Theodovans leaving their holdings. One, Ethoc was named General of the North and given command of all war efforts and second, two large tribes of goblins offered their support in exchange for land on the western shore of the river.

Unlike Grella, Ethoc was relatively young; although he distinguished himself on the battlefield leading several night raids behind the walls of the Theodovan encampment. Grella was a good general who understood was a solid strategic planner, but was concerned more about not losing a battle than winning one. Several times he could have pushed but instead he consolidated his gains or stood fast instead of retreating for another day. Ethoc was young enough to believe himself invincible, but self-aware enough to see that trap.

With the addition of the goblins he achieved numerical superiority for the first time. Ethoc concentrating his raiding forces to strike any outposts, but pulling back rather than engaging in fights to hold the land. He marched the bulk of his forces straight up the river, using it to secure his left flank. This army was a ruse as he picked his top commanders to lead a daring raid from the sea. A few months prior Ethoc purchased two prize ships from the Zents - Theodovan traders. He packed them with his warriors and hired a human crew to man it.

The main Charric army surrounded the Theodovan city and prepared for a siege. Several times during the night they staged light raids, always pulling back before suffering loses. On the evening of the ninth day of the siege the Theodovan supply ships arrived. When they unloaded a large raiding party of blackbloods the city shifted their defense to the harbor. In this confusion Ethoc attacked with his men.

It took another two weeks to finally clear the city of any resistance. Rather than allow the Theodovan blasphemy to stand on Charric lands, he ordered the city razed.

From 426 until a formal declaration of peace in 480 AH various Theodovan city-states staged raids and excursions, both land and sea, on the lands of Charr Grot. Not all of them ended in failure, but none of them achieved any lasting success. The longest lasted from 459-461 when the Theodovans built a fort along the Little Rat River only to have it fall to traitors inside its walls. The Charric took offered no quarter.

The most valuable export is also the most difficult to obtain. Many Charric merchants fund expeditions into the Blasted Lands in search of wealth. Elven artifacts, gold, silver, and gemstones found nowhere else in the world have been found. Also something beyond death. The kind of existence where death is seen as a mercy. There are things that live in the Blasted Lands that can be found nowhere else - and they are deadly beyond measure.

In their settled lands can be found clay well suited to fine pottery and rich agricultural lands. The port city of Horr has been rebuilt and serves as the safest neutral harbor along the southeastern shore of the Serpente Sea.

Those who can trace their lineage back to the original settlers on this land call themselves Charron. They bled the most during their wars with the Theodovans and thus reaped the largest reward in terms of land and economic gains. They worship the Great Silver Serpent who lives along the shore and migrates up the Dancing River. They consider themselves warriors and pioneers who set out to carve out their own land. As a whole they are both industrialists and materialistic.

The Mirk-eye are a smaller orc tribe that arrived on these lands in 387 AH. They settled in the most southern lands claimed by Charr Grot. Vir vunGraal was the chief of the closest village to the lands settled by the Mirk-eye. He negotiated a peace treaty which turned over enough land for the Mirk-Eye to live in exchange for their loyalty Charr Grot. Over the years the Mirk-eye have settled further north, but usually in small communities set aside for the others.

Barrowton is the name of the lands west of the Big Dancing River controlled by the goblins. They are under the protection of Charr Grot, but pay a tribute in both warriors and food to maintain semi-independence. Their chieftains control their lands as they wish, as long as they allow for the free passage of anyone subject to the Charr Grot crown.

The three largest goblin tribes are the Blackfish, Redfoot and Warhorn.

From their founding until 417 AH Charr Grot was ruled by a Lord Praxx or one of his offspring. The chieftain of each of the smaller sects within the main tribe sword allegiance to the crown. They could run their lands as it suited them as long as they paid tribute to the crown.

In 417 the last of the direct lineage of Praxx was killed during the war with the Theodovans. Each of the chieftains began to maneuver for control of the crown. This was disastrous to the effort to dislodge the Theodovans. In 422 Chief Ferrun claimed the crown and defeated the few challengers who could have unseated him. By 431 he solidified the crown enough control finishing the war. Chief Ferrun declared himself King Ferrun and his most loyal chiefs nobles of the realm.

Unlike many human feudal socities, the Charron have not suffered from the dark deals and back-fighting that goes on in court. The history of the tribes is such that loyalty to those stronger than you is a part of their society. They are also fiercely independent, which can make governing them challenging. Should a Baron decided that he must challenge a person to a duel to the death - that is what happens.

Each village and city is expected to keep true to the laws laid down by Praxx.

Charr Grot has friendly relations with their neighbors. They are not likely to be harboring grudges for past wrongs. Instead Sooner forgiven is sooner forgotten.

The nation of Charr Grot has two warships as well as the right to lay claim to any ship for its “war-price.” At least one ship is on patrol in nearby waters as they are close to both Zentirovan and Talarak.

Its military is divided into two branches. The Ugshwop is drawn from the knights each household that holds more than one taking of land (~1 sq. mile). Each of these Landshome must maintain a knight in good standing with arms and armor. In addition the government maintains a standard Irillian Legion to maintain the borders. In times of war each non-Landshome must provide one member for the militia.

The second branch is comprised of magicians and priests. These are led by someone appointed by the head of the Temple of the Sleeping One. The leaders have learned the dangerous lesson of mixing magic on a chaotic battlefield so the magicians are held as auxiliaries deployed only for special tasks or in desperate times.

Parrix is the capitol of Charr Grot and its largest city. It is located along the banks of the Big Dancing River where the water is still navigable. The orcs have built several towers in the middle of the river ensuring that any enemy ship coming up the river would face near continuous attack. The land where the city is built is not naturally navigable, but several dwarven engineering teams have built three solid walls for defense.