Populace: Humans, Desert Nomads; 165,100 people
Capital: Tel Hadar (pop. 12,350)
Government: anarchy
(In name only) His Omnipotence, Sultan Turrosh Sarlin
National Alignment: chaotic evil
Languages: High and Eastern Ullysian (*=minor)

Once the roaming grounds of scattered Kalemi desert nomads, Ishbaar was "civilized" under Ullysian rule. The new way of life was too foreign for the desert residents and Ishbaar's government crumbled into civil war after the destruction of much of Tel Hadar in 1178 and the mental breakdown of Sultan Sarlin at the hands of his Grand Vizier.

Geography: Ishbaar is almost entirely arid, being the western-most country on the Illerian Desert. In fact, there would be no structured government here at all, if the Ullysians had not seen fit to install one, as the geography makes governance almost impossible.

Climate: The temperature rarely falls below 70 degrees, even at night. Since Ishbaar is so close to the equator, it does not have a winter season and is hot all year-round. The highlands of the Lunderhart Mountains, in the south of the country, can get cooler in Neukalt and Tiefkalt.

History:

• 1177 Fd - Abdur Harez (Uhlmanite) gains the favor of the sultan and convinces him to do unpopular things and makes him go insane
• 1178 Fd - Temple of Shoded destroyed in Tel Hadar along with half of the city
• 1179 Fd - The civil government overthrown and war breaks out

• Sultan of Ishbaar (Turrosh Sarlin)
Grand Vizier (Abdur Harez), the Sultan's main advisor.
• Emir of Mansurah (Hatiq Pashen), one of the seven regional rulers of the country, each trying to gain control of the throne, his son is Khamsin Pashen.
• Pasha of Kidal Kesir
• Dey of Jubbah
• Bey of Annaba
• Padishah of Al Fashir, a man renown for his cruelty
• Caliph of Khandakhar, a southern region located partly in the mountains
• Sheikh of Basrah

• Jubbah - on the coast west of Tel Hadar
• Kidal Kesir - town in the south of Ishbaar; pop. 2,130.
• Tel Hadar - Once a winter nomadic encampment on the Marvent Sea, Tel Hadar was transformed into the provincial capital under Ullysian occupation. It has not grown far beyond its roots, with half the city only temporary desert tents. The chief temple of Shoded was located here until it was destroyed in 1178 by the forces of good.

• Harez, Abdur - Uhlmanite agent who was sent in to topple the government so it could be taken over easily; very ruthless; the Grand Vizier of Ishbaar.
• Pashen, Khamsin - son of a powerful desert emir; senses that the Sultan is insane and the Grand Vizier is evil; on a mission to restore the government with his family on the throne.

The Kingdom of Zakhar

Populace: Humans, Desert Nomads; 296,980 people
Capital: Kur-Telon (pop. 31,570)
Government: monarchy
His Worshipful Mercy, Arunah, King of the Sun
National Alignment: lawful good
Languages: Eastern and High Ullysian

Known for the most powerful Navy on the Marvent Sea, Zakhar has had only limited relations with the outside world. Founded by a minor noble from the Issachar Empire shortly after the Great Dragon Wars, Zakhar's self-imposed isolation is an attempt to keep the chaotic politics of the north from disturbing it's ordered way of life. It has transformed into an interesting mix of Issacharite, dwarven, and native cultures that, nowadays, is very different from Imperial Issachar and like nothing in the Northlands. While trade across the northern coast and through Kur-Telon is encouraged, any travel into the interior is strictly controlled and discouraged. Since the Giant Troubles engulfed Zakhar's ally Sancerre, the country has retreated further into isolation and there are few in that troubled region who can reestablish contact.

Geography: Zakhar is mostly desert, ringed by the Lunderhart Mountains on its southern and eastern borders. Zakhar lays claim to significant portions of the highlands there, all the way to Laurania Gap.

Climate: The arid portions of the country suffer through excruciating heat throughout most of the year, while the temperature drops as one approaches the mountains, or Sancerre.

History:

• 6 Pd - Mins Commdor, a distant cousin of the High Emperor, flees Taer Lindon with his family over Lauriana Gap and hides in Zakhar.
• 10 Fd - Sinna Commdor, Mins' wife, founds the Kingdom of Zakhar, keeping many of the customs and traditions of the old Empire.
• 200-558 Fd - As chaos and national rivalries grip the rest of the Northlands, Zakhar becomes more isolated to preserve its ordered way of life.
• 734 Fd - The Tenth Marquis of Sancerre makes overtures through his dwarven trading partners in Haakon and Lunderholm to the Sun King to begin the normalization of relations between their respective countries.
• 1181 Fd - In a fierce battle with giants in Sancerre, many units of the Zakharian Army are wiped coming to the aid of ther Sancerran allies. The desert-trained units prove poorly suited for Sancerre's lush forests.
• 1182 Fd - The northern port of Hysanthas is beseiged by giants from Sancerre for a month until a combined force of Zakharian Army units and Shennendam mages relieve the city. During the seige, the city was provisioned by the Zakharian navy, which was unable to mount an amphibious assault.

• Caranja - trading outpost town on the western side of the Lunderhart Mountains that straddles a rough trail through the mountains to Haakon.
• Hysanthas - large northeastern port city near the Sancerre boundary; pop. 10,080 people; besieged during the Giant Troubles and resupplied by the Navy until a force of Zakharian Army units and Shennendam mages rescued it.
• Kur-Telon - "City of Splendors"; capital of Zakhar; to the south of Kur-San via the Road of the Kings; very isolated from the rest of the Northlands.
• Kur-San - "City of the Sun"; called so because it is so close to the scorching hot Illerian Desert; connected to the capital by the Road of the Kings, which is a major trade route through the Great Southern Desert; important Marvent Sea port; head port of the Zakharian Navy, best and biggest on the Marvent; on Dyre Bay; pop. 16,070;
• Timbor Citadel - a major post literally rising from the sands of the Illerian Desert.

• Raskan the Wise - court magician to Arunah