Ban-Talamh

Ban-Talamh. In the native tongue it loosely translates to 'Throne Land'. In bygone centuries it was less a nation and more a cluster of petty kingdoms, built up around the various hills and valleys in the land; some six hundred years ago it was unified into a single nation, a unified monarchy with four distinct Grand Dukes sitting below the crowned head.   It was around this time that the borders were shut. Ban-Talamh ceased to have any formal interactions with the outside world; the neighbouring nations of Ansteil and Gallaibhair were cut off from trade and diplomacy, whilst the barbarian tribes of Verland were denied settlement or entry to the kingdom, much as had been the case for the northern, frigid peoples of Brighbhair.   During the six centuries since, internal strife, for an outside observer, has been limited: a great stone wall was erected in the south at about this time, separating the untamed south-east from the more 'civilized' north. The new residents of this seperate state, dubbing themselves the Cairne Enclave, engaged in limited trade with their neighbours to the East and South.

Borders cannot remain shut forever. Around thirty years ago, Ban-Talamh's borders reopened, permitting entry to all those wishing to trade, visit or (in some cases) dwell within the kingdom. The magnanimous King Clairich IV extended open invitations to any willing to settle the more savage parts of the nation, as well as those wishing to help defend its northern extremity from the continued depredations of Brighbhair.   This was, perhaps, an error. Within the last months the Republic of Ansteil has declared a Holy War, seeking to take some more of the Kingdom's lush, fertile eastern lands for themselves, their legions spilling towards the land bridge like so many locusts. Emboldened by this, the barbarians of Verland have set sail in their grotesque flotillas, headed for the southern settlement of Blackhearth in an effort to acquire more land and steel. It has been speculated that these events are far from coincidental.

Ban-Talamh is a nation beset on three sides by enemy forces. Though they have considerable martial strength, the knightly orders within the Kingdom boasting some of the finest horsemen and swordsmen in the known world, their eternal distrust and repression of magic has brought them no great joy when dealing with the more arcanely liberal forces of Ansteil.   To combat the growing threat, King Clairich has issued orders that levies be raised from within the kingdom, that sea and land defences be bolstered and that all bonded mages (those who have received training, scrutiny and careful management by the Kingdom) be turned to the war effort. When faced with such a threat, the nation has been given over, in large part, to the philosophy of Total War.