Bakharus Tribes (BAKH) - Province #199 - Non Player Kingdom

Bakalah (BAKA) - Province #198 - Non Player Kingdom

Azweri (AZWE) - Province #197 - Non Player Kingdom

Atlaia (ATLA) - Province #196 - Non Player Kingdom

Afghulistan (AFGH) - Province #195 - Non Player Kingdom

Zingara (ZING) - Provinces #189 through #194 Player Kingdom

ZINGARA (Medium Kingdom) -- The most powerful sea raiders next to their Argossean rivals, the Zingarans are active supporters of the Zingaran buccaneers (pirates by any other name). Zingara is a proud and rich land, though often torn by civil strife and bitter feuds between powerful members of its nobility. A strong succession of kings and carefully calculated expansion could easily see Zingara as master of the western world -- land and sea.

NATIONAL HISTORY

Know, O young Lord of the blood, of the history and heritage of thy kingdom. Our lineage is ancient and noble, extending back to the earliest of our sires, Shemish adventurers who had trekked half the length of the world before they discovered the Zingg Vallery and called it home. These first settlers planted crops and vines while raising cattle and building their first rude cities. The most remarkable occurrence in our history arose when a tribe of migrating Picts swept into the Zingg Valley, not to slay and burn as is their usual want, but to settle and rule.

Today most of the Zingaran nobility still retain the fiery wash of Pictish blood in their veins. Under the new Pictish lords, the land thrived and life was simple, but good for a period of one thousand years. To our east, the might empire of Acheron rose and fell, but her evil Wizards and great armies seldom dared to enter our well-forested lands. Acheron was borne down in flames by Hyborian tribes migrating from out of the north, and from its ashes arose the kingdoms of Aquilonia, Nemedia, Argos, and in time all of the great Hyborian kingdoms.

Much blood of the original Hybori has also found its way into Zingara, for we had Hyborian forebearers who advanced through the already settled regions of Aquilonia to rage into the Zingg Valley. How great was the battle when the two sides of our ancient heritage fought! Although the Hyborians were victorious in time over the original Zingg Valley settlers, they had come to respect the people of the valley and they, in turn, chose to rule rather than destroy what they had found.

Zingara prospered unto the present day. Now we are a great kingdom both upon the land and upon the sea. We are a proud people and with good reason. Argos is our rival upon the seas, but on tland they are of little concern to us. The Picts we have always understood at least as well as, if not better than, the Hyborian kingdoms, and they tend to plague us less often than they do their hated foes in Aquilonia. Aquilonia we mistrust. It has grown too fast and too strong. Poitain is more Zingaran by heritage and culture and we like not this joining of Poitain with Aquilonia! Heed well now my words, my Lord, and I will report to thee of the present state of thy new kingdom.

Zembebwei (ZEMB) - Provinces #184 through #188 - Player Kingdom

ZEMBABWEI (Medium Kingdom) -- A growing power in the Southlands, vital Zembabwei is well led and armed. The Zembabwei command great flying reptiles found only in Zembabwei heartland. These soaring winged mounts strike terror into the hearts of all who behold them. The Zembabwei age of power has just dawned in the days of Conan.

NATIONAL HISTORY

Know, O Lord, of the history and glory of thy people. Long ago our people were of the Kohaka tribes. Pressed by many warriors, we fled our original homeland to settle in the jungle land of what is now called Ancient Zembabwei. There we found a ruined and crumbling city, made by the hands of a race which had come before us. Of our mysterious predecessors, nothing else remained.

This city we carefully rebuilt for our home, and it was there that we first found and tamed the mighty Wyverns which carry us about on the winds like the very gods themselves! With the aid of these huge flying reptiles we swiftly expanded our empire until now fully three million souls look to the king of Zembabwei for their rule.

We are indeed the most powerful of the kingdoms of the southern world. Our wealth is also great, based upon trade which flows from our capitol in the north by caravan, across the burning sands, to Turan and the Hyborian kingdoms. Our heritage and our dream lie to the south and west among our own kind, whom we are destined to rule over. Heed well now my words, Great One, as I report to thee of the present state of thy new kingdom.

Zamora (ZAMO) - Provinces #179 through #183 - Player Kingdom

ZAMORA (Medium Kingdom) -- Zamora is a land of spider haunted towers and master thieves. The Zamoran army is adequate (Conan called them poltroons), but it is their spies and long lived wizards upon which Zamora relies. What King not departed from his sanity will risk the intrigues of Zamora or worse yet her assassins? Zamora may indeed follow a shadowy path to world mastery with the aid of spells long forgotten and knives which strike swiftly in the dark!

NATIONAL HISTORY

Know, O Lord of the Spider Realm, of the heritage and history of thy people. We, the Zhemri, are an ancient race. Our forefathers drew breath in those same days when the Valusian Empire was great and Kull the Conqueror walked the earth. Seven thousand years ago the world was rocked by a Great Cataclysm which changed the face of the earth and threw down the cities of our fathers into ruins. Unlike the Valusians, we survived the Cataclysm; we survived the earth's torment as a united people, and together we began the slow climb back to civilization.

Two thousand years passed after the Cataclysm until, from out of the east, there came a kindred to the Stygians to raise up the ancient and evil empire of Acheron. Our people, like so many others of that day, were enslaved to the might of Acheron as a vassal state in her far-flung borders. Like all other things, we survived this with cunning, and when, another two thousand years later, Acheron was naught but ruins, as flames danced upon her purple towers and Hyborian tribesmen from the north put the empire to the sword, we began to rebuild our culture and civilization.

In another thousand years the western world had been forged into the Hyborian kingdoms of the present. Aquilonia, Nemedia, Argos, and Koth had risen from the conquest of Acheron, as had Brythunia (where the nobles of Acheron had fled), and Corinthia. During the centuries we had learned that cunning was superior to strength of arms. Ever had we survived with intrigue what soldiers could not contest. So when the long-awaited invasions first came from out of Brythunia and Corinthia, we turned them back easily with the combined efforts of sword, magic, and guile.

A thousand years ago, the Turanians swept into our lives, their wild horsemen crashing into the very gates of Arenjun. That time they were driven off, but since their establishment of the Turanian empire, they have made no secret of their desire for our ancient land.

The Kezankian mountains are at once a source of protection and a cause for dismay. The wild Kezankian tribesmen have never been easily dislodged from their mountain crags, either by Turan, or by our people. My Liege, thy people are small in stature, but wise and quick! We are rightfully proud that our thieves and spies are the best in the world. Our diplomats are among the finest, and our great wizards search the entire breadth of the world for new and greater magics with which to add glory unto themselves and the name of Zamora! Heed well now my words, Great One, and I will report in full on the present state of thy new kingdom.

Vendhya (VEND) - Provinces #165 through #178 - Player Kingdom

VENDHYA (Large Kingdom) -- Vendhya is an ancient and proud Kingdom, ruled by the Kashatriyan warrior caste and has wizards adept with their own peculiar range of magics. Vendhya is pent up in the north by the savage and virtually unconquerable Ghulistan tribesmen. To the west lies Kosala, made unassailable by the well forged intermarriages between the two Kingdoms. To the east broods Uttara Kuru whose silver tongued diplomats and arrogant wizards have long held the weight of Vendhya at bay. As the huge Vendhyan host continues to swell in size, like a bubble it must burst forth into empire and the day of Vendhyan glory.

NATIONAL HISTORY

Know, O Lord, of the heritage and history of thy people. The Vendhyan sub-continent is an ancient land, and there have been great races and civilizations in the land to the south of the Himelians for over ten thousand years! Our people, the Vendhya, began their rise to power in the south, in the Ancient Lands, some three thousand years ago. We swept aside all foes before us and came to control all of the south. In another one thousand years we established Ayodhya and then pushed on to Peskhauri, under the very lip of the Himelians. We have never been a prolific race but we are now the greatest empire in the entire world! Our people are content, there is land and comfort for all, they are well ruled by the Nobles, and the Hyrkanians who desire our lands have no power against our Kshatryian armies.

But of the future our prophets tell us that an age of empire will rock the earth and that we the Vendhya must also be swept up in the rage of war. Else our fast-growing population will first starve, and then later be crushed under the heels of foreign armies who will slaughter all before them.

To our west lies Kosala, who has ever been our ally, both because of similar culture and because of the many intermarriages which exist between their royal houses and ours. Northwards, the Ghulistan mountain tribes have no reason to love us. Our fathers have deceived them too often and and now their hatred of our race is implacable. To the east, mysterious Uttara Kuru is neither friend nor foe. Her diplomats have skirted conflict with our Vendhyan armies for centuries. Heed well now my words, Great One, and I will report to thee of the present state of thy kingdom.

Vanaheim (VANA) - Provinces #162 through #164 - Player Kingdom

VANAHEIM (Medium Kingdom) -- The red haired Vanir are isolated in the northwest and their mailed swordsmen perforce must vent their warlike natures on their Asgardian kin to the east, the savage Picts to the south, or less often upon grim Cimmeria to the southeast. Many a hero of the Hyborian Age was of the Vanir and warriors of Vanaheim are known to be utterly fearless in combat.

NATIONAL HISTORY

Listen, young warrior, son of countless kings. Listen to thy heritage, to the story of thy people, of Vanaheim!

Once, long, long ago, thy people inhabited a land far to the north. It was the land of the gods, where days were counted in weeks and nights would last a month or more. Our people had no name for themselves then, and lived in peace, hunting and fishing for their livelihood. Then the great Snow Apes came upon us from the north, mad, hungry, raging animals. Great was the battle, and when it was done the snow lay red for a year! Greatness grew from such an event, and we were never to be the same.

Within a generation we were invaded yet again, this time by Hyborian warrior tribes from the south. Great men of war, they seemed as gods in battle! We fought them too, and in time overcame them. And from their survivors we heard tales. They were tales of strange lands to the south, of war and glory; they stirred our blood. We could not stay!

Our people began the long trek south, where they met more Hyborians. At first their bright swords and axes drove us back in great slaughter, but in time we too learned to wield sword and axe. They came to call us the Nordheim, and having none for ourselves we accepted the name. For a thousand years we warred with the Hybori, and we honor their heroes among our own. At last they were betrayed by their own kin, the Hyperboreans, who fell upon them even as we struck from the north yet again. The  northern Hyborians were driven south, in time driving their southern neighbors even farther, thus beginning the great southern migrations of the proud Hyborian people.

But we are not Hybori. We are the Vanir. And thou must know of thy cousins, for it was at this time that the Nordheim split, and became the Aesir and the Vanir. The blond-haired Aesir ruled in Asgard, while we Vanir of the red manes fought our way westward, slaying all before us, to stop only when we reached the western ocean.

It is a hardy land which fortune has granted us, worthy of our people. We hunt the cold reaches and fish the icy western ocean. And of course, we war. We war to the south, on the bear Picts, and farther still we war beyond the Eiglophian Mountains on the Cimmerian northern clans. Such battle, fit to lift the heart of any man of war! But most of all we war with the Aesir, our cousins. Where else can we better test our steel and cleanse our souls in battle than with our own blond-haired kinfolk?

Know, great warrior, that our prophets tell us a great age comes to this world, an age of empire and red raging war! Further know it is said that we will one day rule a great nation and be kings of a foreign people, or we will die, amid the rending of glaciers and the cold silence of the northern world. Our fate, as always, rests with the strongest arm in the tribe. Rule well, young warrior and father of kings! Now listen well to the unfolding of thy new kingdom.