Nestur

The nation of Nestur is one of the three succesors of the Valmith empire, and is named after the legendary hero Nestur Black Eyes. It is a nation that enjoys great personal freedom and one where there is a firm belief that merit is more important than wealth or one's bloodline. Although this ideal may not allways be upheld in practice, this outlook is reflected in its remarkably open stance towards races and cultures that would find little acceptance elsewhere. As long as Nestur's people abide by the nation's laws and contribute to the whole in a positive manner, all are welcome to settle within its borders. This policy has allowed small amounts of Orcs, Goblinoids, Duergar and other shunned races, or refugees from other areas to find a home within Nestur. The most remarkable case, however, came from a large group of Drow refugees that had turned away from Lolth and fled the Underdark. These Drow travelled throughout Ussath Riel in search of a new place to settle, only to be met with distrust and hostility wherever they went, untill they were welcomed with open arms in Nestur. Allthough still looked upon with mistrust or hatred by some within Nestur, and most outside the nation, they have since become an integral part of Nestur society. Like all other culture groups within Nestur, the Drow are allowed to maintain most of their rites and traditions as long as they do not conflict with the Nation's laws or customs, or are harmfull in any way. This has caused most Drow to settle together in an area of the capitol city Gilmond that is commonly known as "little Menzoberranzan" to allow them to maintain a way of life that is similar to what they were used to in the Underdark.   The threat of the other two sucessor states along its borders, and the continuous skirmishes within The Endless Marches have caused Nestur to develop into a militaristic nation that emphasizes watchfulness. All are expected to contribute to the protection of Nestur, either by paying taxes or through military service. The nation maintains a relatively large standing army and reserves, requiring all cultural groups that settled within Nestur to serve within the military, which allows Nestur to maintain several specialised units that utilise the skills and training of its various people. Besides the large military presence, Nestur also utilises a form of secret police to make sure the nation's personal freedoms and its welcoming stance to those shunned elsewhere does not spill over into dissidence or other harmful behaviour. Little is known about this secret police but according to rumours it utilises the skills of Drow assassins and tends to strike deals with the society of whispers, a mysterious organisation of information brokers.