Tharbrians are the barbarian nomads of the central Wilderlands,
having migrated in the earliest times from the far West, driven out of their lands by Giants
according to their legends. They are mentioned in the
records of the Empire of Kelnore
and are indeed the reason why the Empire stopped its westward expansion. Tharbrians
are short and slight of build but make formidable warriors particularly when mounted.
They made up the
indigenous population of the area that became the Empire of Viridistan and although some
seem to have been assimilated by that Empire many more fled to the margins of the region
and continued their traditional lifestyle based of the herding of horses.
Among themselves they have
a strict warrior code that forbids the slaughter of
innocents or the murder of those that have fought valiantly. This code does not seem to
extend to city-dwellers, however, who they see as depraved and treat with disdain.
The conquered are kept as slaves to
tend to the herds and perform other labor that is beneath the dignity of
the warriors. Women are equal to men in
Tharbrian society and sometimes choose to be warriors rather than their more traditional role
of food-gatherers and the raisers of children. Tharbrian smiths are renowned for their
sword making skills, and the Tharbrian saber is infamous in
battle, more so when wielded by a Tharbrian warrior.
History records at least four major incursions by the Tharbrians into the lands of the
Empire, Roglaros, and even as far as the Pazidan Peninsular. The first three of these
were ended by major battles with Imperial troops and a great slaughter of the barbarians but
on the fourth occasion in 2817 the Tharbrians had the victory and plundered far and wide.
This was a blow to the Empire from which many deem it has never recovered.
Despite their reputation as the ultimate nomads some Tharbrians from time to time settle
down and both city-dwellers and peasant stock of the Empire and Quitak have a large amount
of Tharbrian blood.