The Midlands
by James MishlerThe Kingdom of Galannor, the Seven Duchies and the various Barbarian Tribes of the Great Midlands Forest are pretty much my own creation. There has been some influence from the Red Steel materials (specifically the Kingdoms of Eusdria and Robrenn, whose peoples are distantly related to the peoples of the Midlands). All this material is, of course, woven within the historical and cultural system that is Mystara, so it does touch on a number of other areas and has been influenced in general by published material. One strong artistic influence of note has been the works of Larry Elmore, specifically his Barbarians and Knights materials ("The Warband" immediately comes to mind). Also, I provide you with the usual warnings as to the Non-Canonical nature of these posts and all the information they contain.
The Geography of the Midlands
The Midlands consists of the Great Midlands Forest; all of the lands northwest of the Known World, northeast of the Savage Coast, southeast of Hyborea and southwest of Norwold. The great lake known as The Cradle is considered to be within the Midlands region, as is the upper (southern) third of the Borean River. While it is known as the "Great Midlands Forest", not all the region is forested; the forest is interspersed with large swaths of plains and swamps, and there are even a few barren regions. Most of the land is hilly, with a few large hills that can almost be termed mountains. The territory occupied by the Lands of Law (the Kingdom of Galannor, the Seven Duchies and the Tribes of Law) are interspersed with farmland and grazing prairie, and connected to each other and the Five Tribes by roads through the forests that are maintained by the Council of Order.
Notable geographic landmarks include the barrens found between the Lands of Law and Great Hule, which are known as the Plain of Skulls, where battles have been fought between Law and Chaos for over two millennia. The ruins of the Kingdom of Law are spread throughout the Midlands, mostly in the hands of the Beastmen Tribes. The Great Pit, a great sinkhole in the earth some 8 miles across which reaches to an unknown depth into Mystara, lies in the midwestern section of the Midlands. The Citadel of Law, which vanished in the final battle with the Great Horde of Vaprak the Destroyer, once stood where the Great Pit now lies. Today it is the home of one of the largest and most powerful of the Beastmen tribes.
The Peoples of the Midlands
The inhabitants of the Midlands are primitive Beastmen, savage Elves and barbaric Humans, similar in culture to the same peoples found in the lands of Hyborea and Norwold. The Kingdom of Galannor and the Seven Duchies represent the only "Civilised" nations in the Midlands, with a few minor exceptions. These exceptions include the Alphatian Kingdoms of the West, which are little more than the pocket principalities of exiled Alphatian Wizards; the Druidic Union of Three, a marginally civilised society of three Druidic tribes; and the Thanedom of Radrast, also known as Iron Mountain, the lone settlement of Rockhome Dwarves in the Midlands.
As regards the barbaric peoples of the Midlands, there are the Five Tribes of Law allied with the Galannor and the Duchies, which are the most powerful of the allied groups. There are an even dozen other major Human barbarian tribes in the Midlands, seven Tribes of Balance and five Tribes of Chaos; there are also a score or more minor tribes, each allied with one or more of the bigger tribes. The other Humans of note are the clans of Darine Gypsy Folk who pass through the Midlands on an irregular basis; some pass through from Hule to Wendar, while others traverse the other direction.
The Demihuman population is quite varied. There are several Dwarven settlements, though only the aforementioned Radrast is independent. There are a number of settlements of Norse Dwarves in Galannor (allies from the east), and a few settlements of Khurishi Dwarves among the Duchies (the Khurishi are not allies, merely merchants). There are three major Elven Clans and about a dozen other minor Elven Clans; all are quite savage, usually xenophobic, and generally aligned with Balance, though some of the minor tribes lean toward Chaos (Eiryndul being their Patron of Choice). There are a fair number of Halflings found in Galannor, concentrated in the Hinshire, though few will be found in the Duchies (which the Hin believe to be a bit too oppressive). Gnomes are extremely rare, and are found only in the urban areas of Galannor. Of all the unusual races found on the Savage Coast, only the Lupins are found in any numbers in the Midlands, and then usually in Galannor (though there are a good number who appreciate the rigidity of Ducal Society, and have settled there).
There are five major Beastmen Tribes, with untold scores of minor hordes; there is in general no organisation or unity involved among the humanoids. The sole exception to this is in The Great Pit, which many regard as a Beastmen City. The Upper Pit is little more than a chaotic series of minor Hordes all scavenging the cast-off goods of those in the Lower Pit. The Lower Pit (also called "The Dive" by the inhabitants) is home to a "civilisation" of Beastmen, much like the city of Oenkmar far to the east [Remember the underground city in the old Wormy comic? Imagine that, only not quite so clean, and not quite so nice].
The Lands of Law and the Council of Order
Galandar, the capital city of Galannor, is the home of the Council of Order, the union of the remaining descendants of the Kingdom of Law, which consist of the peoples of the Kingdom of Galannor, the Seven Duchies, and the five Tribes of Law. Together the Council of Order controls most of the eastern region of the Midlands. Their domains run from the Borean River in the north, along the edge of the Adri Varma Plateau north-west of Glantri to the Black Mountains, along the Plain of Skulls north of Hule to the Billeot Hills, and north-east again at a line parallel to the eastern border. The Duchies and the Tribes of Law hold the western and southern portions, while the Kingdom holds the north and the east. Altogether, the Lands of Law cover about 1/4 of the land area of the Midlands, widely interspersed among other Tribes and a few other Kingdoms. The Lands of Law are, however, much more powerful than their size might indicate, as their cultural and historical unity allow them to maintain a parity with the other forces of the region, though not to the extent that they can challenge the existence of the status quo. The "Secret" of the power of the Lands of Law is in the Council of Order, which is an outgrowth of the ancient Lawful Brotherhood, and is in fact an adjunct organisation to that group, with it's venue being the entirety of the Midlands.
The Council of Order is actually divided into two councils. The Council of Twelve consists of a representative from each of the Duchies and the Tribes of Law. The Council of Twelve meets on a quarterly basis, chaired by the Grand Marshall of the Lawful Brotherhood, who is appointed to the Council of Twelve by the Masters of the Lawful Brotherhood. The Council of Twelve tends to the common business of the Council of Order. Each member of the Council of Twelve has one vote though the Grand Master can veto any vote, unless it is a unanimous decision (all of The Twelve must vote in favour or against). Even then, if the issue concerns anything outside the jurisdiction of the Council (ie, actual action), the Grand Council of Law must approve it, or the veto of the Grand Master will stand. The Grand Council of Law consists of the Council of Twelve (excluding the Grand Marshall), the Prince of Galannor, the Patriarch of the Temple of Law, the Three Counts of Galannor and the Sheriff of the Hinshire and the three Grand Masters of the Lawful Brotherhood. The Grand Council meets once per year to make policies and develop strategies for the Grand Plan. The Grand Council tends to be extremely conservative (some might say "ossified") as is befitting an organisation that has lasted over two millennia (the High Magist of the Radiant Order still is not a member after over 200 years).
The Kingdom of Galannor
The Kingdom of Galannor is centred on the city of Galandar near the headwaters of the Borean River, where once stood the Beastmen Homeland of Urzud. Galannor has a history going back over 2000 years, and has been a powerful force for Law throughout its history. The Kingdom of Galannor is a hereditary monarchy. The King is assisted by his three Counts (North, South and West) and one Sheriff; the Kingdom is highly centralised and run by bureaucracy. The Kingdom is divided into the Royal Domains (directly ruled by the Prince) and the Four Quarters, three of which are ruled by Reeves that report directly to their respective Counts. The Fourth Quarter is the Hinshire, which is the home to the majority of the Hin in Galannor. The Hinshire is led by an elected Sheriff who serves for life; the Sheriff is often called the "Little Count" by the Galanese, or as the Hinshire lies on the eastern border of the Kingdom, the "Count of the East". The Hinshire is essentially independent, though the old alliance between Kingdom and Shire makes it seem as though the Shire were part of the Kingdom.
The City of Galandar is situated on the banks of the Upper Borean River, and in fact is split by the river. The West Bank is the home of the Grand Domain, which consists of the citadel and spiritual centre of the Lawful Brotherhood. The expansive lands of the Grand Domain are essentially independent of the Kingdom [much like the Vatican and Rome in the RW]. The Royal Palace and the various bureaucratic complexes, trading centres, inns, taverns and other businesses are mostly on the East Bank. The Isle of Light sits in the centre of the river, and upon it is the Grand Sanctuary of Law, centre of the Temple of Law. It's political position is somewhat precarious, as both the Lawful Brotherhood and the King claim to hold domain over the Patriarch and the Hierarchy, while the Patriarch claims independence from both (the status quo, which has lasted some 1000 years). The Tower of the Order of Radiant Light is also found on the Isle of Light, and is the centre of the Radiant Order, the Wizard's Guild of Galannor (a moderately new development, only having formed in the last 200 years).
There are three traditional military forces in the Kingdom. The best, though smallest force is the Galanese Royal Guard, directed by the Prince. The largest force is the Militia of the Quarters; each Quarter has a Militia, consisting mostly of pikemen, directed by each Reeve, and can call up Reserves as needed. Then there is the Army of Galannor, which is comprised of the Knights and Squires of the Noble class and the Serjeants of the Gentle classes; knights and squires are mounted troops while the serjeants are dragoons. In addition to these forces, there are the members of the various sub-orders of the Lawful Brotherhood, ostensibly at the call of the King should Galannor ever be invaded. These include the Order of the Golden Dragon, the Fists of Law (AKA the Marshallate), the Shire Thorns and the Holy Guard of the Grand Sanctuary; each of these and others is detailed in it's own section, below.
The people of Galannor are descended from both the original Oltec and Neathar tribes that were converted by the Lawful Brotherhood thousands of years ago and were once the citizens of the Kingdom of Law, and the Allied Barbarian Tribes of the Kingdom of Law (Oltecs, Neathar and Oltec/Neathar). The "typical" Galanite is therefore slightly above median in height (5'9" for males, 5'7" for females) and average in build. Skin is dusky to fair; hair is black, brown or rarely blond or red. Eyes tend to be hazel, green or blue.
The language of Galannor is Galanese, based on a Neathar dialect with strong admixtures of Oltec, and a dash or two of Gold Dragon and Sollux. There are two major divisions of Galanese (from the Galanese point of view). There is Royal Galanese and Ducal Galanese (which the folk of the Duchies insist on calling Kargan). Royal Galanese is divided into High Galanese, Middle Galanese and Low Galanese; the Nobility of Galannor speaks High Galanese, while the Gentry, Guildsmen and urban Commoners speak Middle Galanese and Low Galanese is spoken by the rural Commoners. Most modern written works are in Middle Galanese. There is also Outer Galanese, which is a patois of Galanese and the languages of the Five Tribes. Used by merchants, tribesmen and the "underside" of the Kingdom, Outer Galanese has no written form, however it is noteworthy that hand signals are nearly as important in Outer Galanese as the verbal portions of the language.
Galanese script is actually a derivative of the Sollux Script, and is called Sollan. There is also a calligraphic script called High Sollan. High Sollan is reserved for Holy Writings and High Galanese, while common Sollan is used in High, Middle and Low writings.
Galanese names are simple and straightforward: Galan, Gandar, Kardun, Marek, etc. The names of the Nobility and the Gentility tend to follow the "Old Forms"; either a dual pairing of c-v-c + c-v-c or five letters, c-v-c-v-c; commoners and Guildsmen are less careful about following these forms, and often experiment, though the Temple of Law will not allow truly unusual names. There are several common suffixes and prefixes in the Galanese language: these include -nor ("Land of"); -dar ("City of"); and Ard- ("Fortress"). Thus, Galannor is "Land of Galan", Galandar is "City of Galan" and Ardgalan, "Fortress of Galan".
The Seven Duchies
The Seven Duchies are, in order of relative power: Harlun, Mardun, Berendar, Darham, Ardwyn, Markel and Ardakar. There are also a number of minor Baronies throughout the region, most of which are associated with and in fief to the various Duchies. These Baronies were mostly founded within the last 500 years, and are in general little more than colonies of the larger Duchies. The peoples of the Seven Duchies and the Baronies are descended from the nobility and the urban peoples of the Kingdom of Law, and are all related more closely to each other than they are to the Galanese or the peoples of the Tribes of Law. Thus they identify with each other more than they do with the folk of either Kingdom or Tribe. There is a definite feeling of superiority among the Ducal peoples due to the nature of their ancestors. The Clan and the Lineage is very important in the Duchies, and form the basis of all other relationships.
There are three major classes in the Duchies: The Nobility, the Peasantry and the Serfs. These classes are almost castes, as there are very few ways to move up in class. The Clergy fits somewhere in between, yet outside the Peasantry and the Nobility, and is the best way for an individual member of the Peasantry to "move up" in the world without joining the Ducal Guard. Most serfs and peasants are resigned to their fates, but some rebel. Peasants may move on to the Kingdom of Galannor if they wish (leaving everything behind), but the serfs are regarded as "property", and will rarely find refuge save among the Tribes of Law (which abhor the concept of serfdom). A fourth "class" in the Duchies is the Clanless, which are sometimes disparagingly referred to as the Freemen of the Duchies; they exist outside the normal social structure, and without the support of Clan or Manor.
The Noble Clans are the rulers of the Duchies and the Baronies. They all claim descent from the nobility of the Kingdom of Law through one line or another. Some Clans intermarry, while others "preserve" their line by marrying only within the Clan (this has led to some very unusual bloodlines over the centuries). Each Duchy will be home to 5 or more Noble Clans; each Clan will hold a certain Charge or Duty within the Duchy (the Duke's Seneschal might always be from one clan, or the Captain of the Ducal Guard might always come from another, etc). The order of Nobility, highest to lowest, is Duke, Baron, Lord, and Knight. A Marquis is a Baron who is in charge of a strategic Fortress or Castle rather than a town
The members of the Ducal Guard consist of the younger sons of the Nobility in leadership positions and certain members of the Peasantry. Peasants who become members of the Ducal Guard or who are so through heredity are considered to be in the Yeomanry, a class somewhere between Noble and Peasant [longtime families of the Yeomanry are known as Villeins, Woodwards or Haywards, depending on their hereditary duties]. They owe military duty to the Duke or Baron, though they are generally called upon only for full-scale invasions; they are allowed and in fact required to own and maintain weapons, including Long swords, Longbows and Crossbows. Yeomen also manage the various Manors of the Nobility, and the attendant Peasants and Serfs (the Knights are the ostensible rulers of the Manor, but they rarely if ever even deal with their manor, as they are too busy at court). A Vavasor is a Yeoman who has attained a level of power and wealth (though not respect) equal to that of the Knight that "owns" the Manor the Vavasor controls (in this case, the title Vavasor is an inheritable title). Vavasor is the highest rank a Peasant can reach in the Duchies, barring entering the Clergy.
The Peasantry is descended from the gentry of the old Kingdom of Law who were able to hold some autonomy from the power-hungry Nobility during the Dark Age. Peasants hold most of the non-fortified villages, which are run by hereditary Vavasors. The Nobility and Yeomen of the region protect these villages in exchange for food, labour or other products. The Peasantry owns their own lands (through their Clans), and also must work the Manors of the Nobility for a portion of their day. Peasants are not allowed to own any weapon longer than a short sword, or any form of longbow or crossbow. There are, however, several Peasant Clans that have become proficient with the use of the dagger over the years...
The Serfs occupy the lowest rung on the social ladder of the Duchies. They are the "property" of the Noble Manor on which they live. They have few rights, and for the most part those few rights are often ignored. The Serfs are descended from the common city folk of the old Kingdom of Law, who traded their lives and the lives of their descendants for protection. Serfs may not possess any weapon other than a knife, and if they are ever found to hold such in the presence of a Noble without permission the punishment is summary execution. The life of the Serf is "Nasty, Brutish and Short", to use a well-worn phrase.
The Clergy is beholden to the Temple of Law based in Galandar, which is a point of contention for the Dukes and Barons (who may not, in general, choose their own Priests or Bishops, though they may send them packing and request another after a one-year grace period). The Clergy is usually the only way for a member of the Peasantry to move up in the Duchies, and promising lads are usually chosen for service with the gratitude of their parents. The Dukes are talking about forming their own Temple, however, if they can get the approval of the Lawful Brotherhood, which has "taken the issue under advisement" for the last three centuries. There are a few Abbeys in the Duchies with attendant lands that fall outside the jurisdiction of the Dukes and Barons. These are guarded by the Holy Guard of the Grand Sanctuary or members of the Order of the Gold Dragon, who will brook no argument from the Nobility on points of precedence or power.
The Clanless (the "Freeman" class) fall outside the social structure of the Duchies, having a variable status depending on the local Duke or Baron. The Clanless are often Sellswords, adventurers, tinkers, merchants and others who often do not fit into the Ducal society all that well. The Clanless have their own separate section in every town and village in the Duchies. A Sellsword Troop might be considered prospective employees in one Duchy or Enemies of the State in the next. The Sellswords are the exception to the rule concerning weapons and peasantry; all weapons however must be "peace-bonded" while not on campaign, or the Sellsword is at the mercy of the local Nobility. Sellswords are ostensibly organized as a Guild in the Kingdom of Galannor, and thus have their special privileges and rights through the treaties among the Council of Order. Other Clanless have ties with the Guilds in Galannor, while some receive orders from the Temple of Chaos in Hule, and even others are contacts for the Darine Gypsy folk; one can never tell when dealing with the Clanless. Villages of the Clanless lie outside the normal borders of the individual Duchies and Baronies (a "fortified" village consists of little more than a wooden palisade and motte-and-bailey keep, as anything more substantial would raise the ire of the Dukes and Barons. The Dukes often talk about clearing out the "Clanless Vermin", but little effort is made to do so. The Clanless hold some influence in the region, however, as the third largest town in the lands of the Duchies is a Clanless settlement (see the City of Blades, below).
The people of the Duchies are generally shorter than the Galanese (5'7" for men, 5'5" for women), but tend to a bulkier build than their cousins (add 10% to their weight; the opposite is true for serfs, who are frailer than their cousins, subtract 10% from their weight). Skin tends to be fair, ruddy and freckled, and hair is blond or red, sometimes black (often so in the case of the Serfs). Eyes are blue or hazel. Hair is worn long, and beards full. Clothing is rougher than that worn in Galannor, as is fitting for the more frontier-like nature of the Duchies.
The language of the people of the Duchies is called Kargan, after the First King of the Kingdom of Law. Kargan sounds much like a stilted, archaic dialect of High Galanese; Kargan contains the original three inflections of the old language of the Kingdom of Law that today are differentiated by dialect among the Galanese. Kargan has Royal, Noble and Common inflections, which are used depending on whom one is speaking to rather than based upon whom is speaking. High Galanese and Kargan sound nearly identical, but to mistake a Ducal Noble for a member of the Galanese Nobility is to invite a Challenge of Honor at the least. The Nobility, the Yeomanry and the Clergy are the only ones that are allowed to learn how to read in the Duchies. Ducal works are invariably in the Kargan Script, a regional version of High Sollan. There is a strong black market for the written word among the Clanless. Clan names have suffixes in the Duchies, denoting the Social Status of the Clan. -akal is used for Ducal, -akav for Baronial, -akar for Lordship, and -akan for Knighthood. -akoy denotes Yeoman status, while -akul denotes Villein status (Yeoman for five or more generations, and currently a Vavasor). -ikev, -ikoy, and -ikul are the three Peasant suffixes, denoting Lower, Middle and Higher rankings (determined by the local Duke or Baron). -i is used for the Serfs, and is added to their Manor, as Serfs do not have "official" clans. In all cases, if the Clan or Lineage is matrilineal add the suffix -a to the regular suffix (thus, -akala to a matrilineal Ducal Clan). If the Clan name ends in a vowel, use the infix -l- (thus, Clan Kartha of the Baronial class becomes the Karthalakav).
The nobility of the Duchies will invariably identify themselves by their title and given name, perhaps with a flattering epithet, then by the name of their clan or line, and then their Duchy or Barony. For example: "I am Sire Andros the Blue of Clan Varolakada, from the Duchy of Harlun". Dukes and Barons will simply use the name of their land ("I am Harlun"). Yeomen will use the their rank and name in their introductions, their Clan, and their Manor of Station: "Yeoman Sergeant Maral Kartalakul of Manor Mardak". Most peasants will simply use a given name followed by an occupational surname, eg, Kip the Cottar, or Edra the Weaver, or use their Clan name among strangers: Kip of Clan Karailikoya, or Edra of Clan Bolnirikul. Peasants will rarely ever use a location as their surname, as it might be mistaken for a serf surname, though Yeomen will do so, with "...of Manor X" rather than simply "...of X". Serfs generally have only the given name, and will use the name of the location they belong to if required, eg, Vular Mardakev, or Ertha Karmorrokeva. Anything goes with the Clanless...
The Duchies
Ardakar
Ardwyn
Berendar
Darham
Harlun
Mardun
Markel
The Baronies
Abbeys and Church Lands
Clanless Settlements
The City of Blades
The Five Tribes
The Five Tribes are, in order of size and influence, the Uimach (Oltec/Neathar), the Ausdran (Neathar), the Roanna (Oltec), the Andar (Neathar) and the Shonak (Oltec). They are the barbarian descendants of the commoners of the old Kingdom of Law and the Barbarian Tribes that had been their allies.
History of Galannor
The history of Galannor begins long ago and far away from the Midlands. By 2100 BC the destruction of the Taymoran was well underway through the "graces" of Thanatos, and Ixion was able to concentrate on what he regards as the Beastmen "Scourge" at Urzud. Ixion was concerned with maintaining the Balance; he did not eliminate the Beastmen, but he did what the thought he could do to lessen their power. He cast a very subtle Immortal level spell that began to bring Order into the Chaotic nature of the Beastmen; the modern tribes of Beastmen began to form, as their Chaotic genetic nature was slowly leeched from them. Ixion believed that this would cause internecine strife and that the Beastmen would eventually kill each other off, or that it would at least keep them from becoming an overwhelming menace.
Having also seen a distinct imbalance forming in the Great Valley as regards Law and Chaos, Ixion formed the Lawful Brotherhood in order to counter the growing Temple of Chaos. Ixion had his remaining worshippers from the Great Valley migrate to the region to the north of the Great Valley, where they found a great tower, called the Citadel of Law. Here, they came under the guidance of Ostara, an Immortal ally of Ostara, disguised in her Mortal Identity. She introduced herself to the assembled group as the Selan Lightbringer, the Prophet of Law, and she began to introduce Ixion's followers to the Way of Law.
Meanwhile, Ixion brought together a pantheon of Lawful Immortals (being dedicated to Balance, and not being Lawful himself, he did not become a part of the pantheon). He started with Hel's oldest enemy, Odin, and his new protege, Thor. Odin agreed to head up the effort, and added Frey and Freyja to the group. Ixion then went to Ka, his old friend and ally, and asked him to guard the Mortal society that Odin and his Pantheon would watch over. Ka willingly agreed to help, as he could see the threat that the Temple of Chaos would pose to his followers in the future (many of the Oltec tribes of the region were among his followers). Ka then brought in Diamond, in opposition to the membership of Pearl in the pantheon of the Temple of Chaos, and they formed their own alliance within the pantheon, much as had Thanatos and Pearl in the Temple of Chaos. Finally, Terra, who already had numerous worshippers among the local Neathar tribes, asked to join. When all was ready, Ixion revealed the Pantheon he had created to his followers, who then each took one of the members of the Pantheon of Law as their patron Immortal. They then went out and begin preaching the Way of Order to the local tribes of Oltec and Neathar descended peoples.
Under the new union of Immortals, the first Brothers of the Lawful Brotherhood went out into the forests where they converted the local barbarian tribes to the Way of Law. These tribes were descendants of Oltec, Neathar and Antalian tribes. They had little difficulty in bringing the barbarians into the fold as many of them were already followers of Ka or Odin, and their own shamans revealed the truth of the words of the Brotherhood of Law. By 1900 BC they had converted all the tribes within 100 miles of the Citadel of Law, and a new society formed in the deep forests of the north. Led by the Priests and Paladins of the Citadel of Law, the Barbarian Tribes were able to withstand the advances of the growing kingdoms of the Great Valley. The punitive expeditions into the Great Valley by the barbarians and the Lawful Brotherhood only put them even further into the "Barbaric North" scheme that the Temple of Chaos used to help unify the tribes and states of the Great Valley.
At this point in time, the Lawful Brotherhood used bronze weapons and armour (they had some of the first Bronze Plate Mail on Mystara). They traded what bronze they could to the allied tribes, though they had little enough as it was. The tribes were still mostly in the Stone Age, but they used whatever bronze weaponry they could find (whether from the Lawful Brotherhood or found on the field). The Citadel of Law was still the only major structure in the Midlands, though a few primitive castles and forts had been constructed by the Brotherhood.
In 1800 BC the Steel Wars began at Urzud, to the north and east of the Citadel of Law. The pressure the Lawful Brotherhood had been placing on the kingdoms of the Great Valley weakened as they turned to defend themselves from the Beastmen onslaught. The next century was fraught with great battles, slaughter and valour as the Lawful Brotherhood stemmed the tide of the migrating Beastmen. Fortification technology advanced at a rapid rate as a matter of necessity. The initial tribes that joined with the Lawful Brotherhood had by this time merged with them and new tribes flocked to the standard of Law.
The Kingdom of Law: 1700 through 1400 BC
Over time a city had grown around the Citadel of Law. Numerous castles, villages and temples had also been built throughout the land. In 1700 BC Kargan, Grand Master of the Lawful Brotherhood, was crowned as the First King of the Kingdom of Law in a great ceremony. It was an ill-omened event however, for a great black cloud swept in out of the east and obscured the sun, turning day into night (the cloud was the result of the explosion of the Blackmoorian Device that formed the Broken Lands). Kargan "Dragonheart", the First King, went on to lead his warriors and the barbarian auxiliaries in the greatest series of battles the Midlands had ever seen, which decisively ended the Beastmen Wars of the period.
The years from 1700 through 1400 BC were ones of peace, growth and prosperity in the Kingdom of Law. The King and the Lawful Brotherhood consolidated their holdings and began to send missionaries and explorers out into the world. They visited Nithia, Norwold, and the Great Valley, noting where great concentrations of Chaos lay, and where their efforts might have been best put to use. These missionaries brought back news, magic and technology, notably the method for making Iron; thus, the Kingdom of Law joined the Iron Age around 1500 BC, though the local allied Barbarians remained in the Bronze Age, while many other local tribes remain in the Stone Age. The Kingdom had but few skirmishes with the Beastmen during this period, though the nebulous border with Hule burned almost daily with war; by this time that region had become known as the Plain of Skulls. But as the Kingdoms of the Great Valley could not put up a thoroughly united front, the Kingdom of Law was not threatened. The threat to the Kingdom actually came from within.
In the late 15th century BC, the new Entropic Immortal known as Set decided to join the Temple of Chaos, and to prove himself "worthy" (ie, to impress the current members), he decided to single-handedly bring down the Kingdom of Law. He began by sending his agents to the Kingdom to whisper words of power, wealth and greed to the Dukes and to the various junior lines of the Royal Family. His agents then began a campaign of destruction against the outer settlements and the agricultural lands of the Kingdom; he also engineered the migration of several barbaric tribes out of the north, to add danger and mystery to the mess. The Immortals of the Pantheon of Law, being engrossed in the rising Nithian Empire and the evolving Norse, Traldar and Sindhi cultures, were taken by surprise when the Kingdom of Law broke out in rebellion and Chaos! At the height of the chaos, when the forces of the various factions were all fighting with each other and the invading barbarians all across the Kingdom, a Great Horde moved out of Urzud, this time straight into the Kingdom of Law. Vaprak the Destroyer, an Ogre of prodigious size and power, led the Beastmen Great Horde. This is the same Vaprak that later attained Immortality under the name Jammudaru. His hordes didn't simply swarm over the fortifications; they brought them down around the defenders ears. They didn't merely burn villages; they razed them, and then salted the ground. They desired absolute destruction, not simple loot. Vaprak later claimed that he had been Cursed by a Wizard from the Kingdom of Law, and the war was his path of vengeance; only much later did he discover that there were no Wizards in the kingdom at the time (magic-use was frowned upon in the K. of Law). [It is still a secret held by very few that it had been the Immortal Loki in a mortal guise that had Cursed Vaprak, in a minor plot to add more Chaos to the fall of the Kingdom of Law]. The Horde tore though the Kingdom of Law until the final, climactic battle at the Citadel of Law. The Citadel, the city around it and most of the Great Horde disappeared in an incredible display of destruction (which heralded Vaprak's elevation to Immortality). The Kingdom of Law was shattered, as no one trusted anyone else, and no united front was brought to bear against the remaining Beastmen. The Kingdom of Law fell and only a very few citadels and castles remained standing. A long Dark Age settled over the Midlands.
The First Dark Age: 1400 through 1200 BC
After the fall of the Kingdom of Law in 1400 BC, the peoples of the Kingdom of Law and their various Allied Tribes lived in a state of Chaos for several generations, until one of the more powerful Dukes led a campaign against the home of the Beastmen.
The Age of Law: 1200 through 700 BC
His grandson, Galan Dragonheart, led the final battles against the Beastmen and razed their city, Urzud. There he built his new capital, and there it was that the Lawful Brotherhood built their new Citadel of Law. That was in 1190 BC, over 2000 years ago. At that time, Galan was yet a Duke, and did not attempt to claim the status of King. It wasn't until 500 BC that the Duke of Galannor felt strong enough to claim the title of King (this after stunning defeats of the forces of Hule and the recognition of Galannor's supremacy by the Grand Master of the Lawful Brotherhood). Therefore, the Galanese calendar dates from that year, and thus 1000 AC = 1500 YK (Year of the Kingdom of Galannor).
In a notable dark moment in the history of Mystara, the Broken Lands far to the east are declared sacred by the Great Shaman of the Beastmen in 1190 BC; the City of Oenkmar is founded on the ruins of the Lost City of Aengmar, where was found the Blue Knife of Beastman myth and legend (actually, it was a sacrificial knife left by the Shadowelves who formerly lived in the city). Balancing out the dark moment of the founding of the Broken Lands, around the same time the City of Urzud falls to the Lawful Brotherhood, led by the great hero Galan Dragonheart. The city is razed and Galan builds his capital on its ruins; he names the new city Galandar, and his new kingdom comes to be known as Galannor. He and his descendants continue to drive the remaining Beastmen out of the old realm of Urzud; many flee to the Broken Lands over the next 2 centuries.
The Second Dark Age: 700 through 500 BC
500 BC
The Lupins spread throughout the region; many clans settle in the plains to the east of the Rakasta (in the modern Huptai Territories). Several clans make the long trek to the far east, where they come into contact with Dwarves from Rockhome, who are intrigued by their reports of the great range of mountains known as the Black Mountains.
The Kingdom of Galannor: 500 BC through Today
500 AC
The barbarian tribes of the north, united by the Lawful Brotherhood based in Parth Galan, mount a massive campaign against Great Hule. The beginning of the 100 Years War.
500 through 600 AC
Several tribes of northern barbarians, not as fanatical about the cause of Law as the Lawful Brotherhood of Parth Galan, give up the fight and reave their way through Great Hule and the Beastmen Lands to the coast between Bellayne and the Traladaran lands, where they conquer the local Forest Tribes and settle down to form their own kingdoms.