he Kingdom of Tarislan, also known as the ‘Coin Kingdom’, was once far from the corrupted gathering of greedy monarchs that it is today. A vision for the future, Tarislan was founded by a Cathardisian charged with expanding the empire. Rather than claiming the new land for his emperor, he secretly worked to take the land for himself and build a new kingdom. After working with many disenchanted imperial soldiers and lords, he got his wish, and Tarislan was born from Tr’Islan, the Fertile Lands.

It did not take long for Tarislan to descend into greed, however. It’s decadence was aided by opportunists who saw the new kingdom as a place to quickly gain high stature and with it respect and more importantly, gold. Truly the Fertile Lands, Tarislan gave birth to three industries: fishing off the coast, farming from the many open grasslands and hillsides, and mining from its mountains and subterranean caves. Profit became king in Tarislan after such prosperity through trade. The kingdom grew large and grew fast, its navy dominating the Dragon Coast and its farmers producing nearly impossible amounts of grain.

The people became slaves to their work. Signs of justice and law were destroyed or disbanded, including any guilds of honorable knights left in the realm. After so much exploitation, however, its people rose up in a rebellion marked as the Great Civil War. The battle was unsuccessful in the end, though it did mark a time that the hands of the kingdom kept a stranglehold upon itself. Tarislan has also dealt with ravaging clans of orcs, plagues, and sentriss looking to feed upon their civilians.

Tarislan Today
Today, the Kingdom of Tarislan is in severe trouble. Its proper king, Julian Colehart, is at war with his own son, Sirus Colehart, over who will rule the kingdom. More ruthless than his father ever was, Sirus has taken the northern half of Tarislan, including the capital, as his own. His father has claimed the south and has tentatively renamed it to ‘Kingsland’, keeping his faithful soldiers and barons with him. In between the two titans are the people of Tarislan – unable to flee and unwilling to fight, though small resistance movements are working to change that.

Julian Colehart is perhaps best known for his campaign into Csegre, claiming its northern areas for Tarislan after battling with Gra’dulm during the Csegrean War. He is a miserable, aging man with care for only one thing: his comfort. To that end, he strives to maintain a vice grip on the country that keeps him in position and his treasury well stocked.

Sirus Colehart is his father’s son, and then some. Imagine all of Julian Colehart’s spite and greed without the hindrance of a failing body and mind to limit its possibilities. This is Sirus Colehart – a young man bent on securing an empire for himself in both gold and blood. Once his father is dealt with, he will set his eyes on the Northlands above him and Csagrada to the south.

Tarislan borders the Blighted Plains to the south, along the Upper Revival Line, just below the Jerem-Tavran River. This is here where dry, dead soil gradually becomes fertile land once again. To the west, there are the waters of the Infinite Blue. North, Targo’s Border, the Uvi River and the Uvian Fields – farmlands of the Northmen – mark the border with Asyrjari. Finally, to Tarislan’s east, a number of landmarks, including the Bloodwater Shallows, designate the line between itself and the Cathardis Empire. Many of the areas along this border are in dispute, including the Valley of Two Kings.

The Capital
Tarislan’s capital is the fortress Arx Vallis – the largest city in the entire kingdom. Its thick, towering walls and towers are capped with golden accents, all of dwarven make. The rest of the fortress however, including the Royal Palace, is of human design. Sirus Colehart holds Arx Vallis, while his father has laid claim to the city of Arun-Farun and has designated it the capital of Kingsland, his half of Tarislan.

Allies & Trade
Tarislan has alliances through trade alone, though Sirus has been pushing a possible link between his kingdom and the Empire of Shinsu. Tarislan exports primarily to Tharia across the Infinite Blue, but also occasionally ships goods to Valania and even Torm-Ymen. Internally, Tarislan sells goods to Asyrjari and the islands of Rya and Hammer.

The Army
Tarislan’s army is comprised mostly of drafted young-adult men. Training is specifically rough, aimed at breaking the spirit of the recruit and crafting him into what much of Tarislan’s population has become: cold, crafty, and cruel.

Footsoldier - A common man in service to the crown. Typically a footsoldier is outfitted with a leather vest of rings, called ringmail, and a large, spiked mace. If necessary, they may also use a small buckler to block attacks, but otherwise remain with this loadout for ease of use and travel. Mounted cavalry will trade their maces for more precise war-hammers.

Axeman - A veteran Tarislan soldier who is trained in the use of throwing axes and the ever-popular battle-axe. These soldiers are titanic, bear-like men who have honed themselves to be lethal with their weapon of choice. The Axemen were the one terror that the orc clans truly feared during their war with Tarislan.

Toller - Not specifically a soldier, the Tollers are Tarislan’s police force. Their name comes from their primary duty: collecting tolls on such roads as the King’s Highway. Lightly armed and armored, they make up for any shortcomings with deadly accuracy with a bow or crossbow.

Red Guard - The Red Guard is Tarislan’s security force for its nobles and visiting royalty from other lands. The Red Guard was given their name by the red cloaks they wear. A majority of their members are mounted soldiers, serving as escorts for carriages, though there are also highly skilled personal guards. The Red Guard also employs their own armored carriages for transporting Tarislan’s own royalty.

Adrakyl’s Shield - This group specializes in responding to riots and rebellions, acting with intense, brutal force sometimes resulting in the decimation of entire villages. The Shield was founded after Tarislan’s Great Civil war, and works closely with the Tollers to maximize their reach.