The Western Khanate is a failed state, a vast sprawling land now largely overrun by the
Gnoll Horde. In origin it was created as a province of the
Great Khan's empire in -286 with a capital at Maadrin on Lake Thrim. In the year 50, with the Great Khan distracted by a war with Kadia, a rebellion started in the province which saw independence finally gained in 59. In the 400's the province has risen to be the most successful of the
successor kingdoms of the Great Khan's empire and actually conquered and held Sankhar in the period 442-483. Its
attempts to conquer the Eastern Khanate were less successful though and the last great general to be Western Khan,
Tulun, died in 476.
After Tulun's death the Khanate experienced a gradual decline in the quality of government as hedonistic rulers fawned over by a wealthy elite concentrated in the southern cities sought to look after
their own personal interests. By 615 the defence of the realm was left to individual militias that were raised by
the cities and these proved no match for the Gnoll Horde that had arisen in the North. In 618 the last Khan, Tamir,
was defeated by the Horde and by 622 the last cities of the Khanate had fallen.
There are, however, many areas of resistance to the Gnolls in the former lands of the Khanate.
The Ironfoot clan of dwarves had many mines in the Dobok Vas in the North and not only drove back the
Gnolls from their lands but also protected many refugees who fled to the hills. Under the overlordship
of the Dwarves these largely mannish settlers have flourished and created a new kingdom a hundred miles in
length.
In the hills of
Galwinion there were many Elvish settlements and also a rumoured hidden Elvish city. Whatever the truth of the
rumour the Elves there proved strong enough to resist the
Gnolls.
This in turn helped secure the southern border of the Loeg Firn marshmen who, safe in the knowledge that the Gnolls
have little interest in hunting in their watery environment, have continued their traditional way of life
largely undisturbed.
Further south the Sagath have settled in eastern Uglith and are used by the Eastern Khanate as a bulwark against the Gnolls.
In the east of the former province the Gnolls have come to fear to tread in the lands about the mountain of Haldraka whether or not the legendary
Dragon lives there or not.
The local Logath tribesman have thus been happy add these lands to
the normal range of their herding activities.
Further to the south the Urgath city of Kelepar on the eastern shore of the
Tangara Naji was protected by the Sankhats in the Gnoll Wars and is now
for all practical purposes part of Sankhar.
Fifty miles to the east the military presence of the Sankhats in the ruins of Tanaku has enabled the Gnolls settling further south to throw off the yoke of their Yeenoghu priests without fear of retaliation by the other
tribes.
The five main Gnoll tribes are in any case in a constant state of conflict and no general since Arratagar three hundred years ago has managed to unite them.
In addition there are rumoured to be a few areas where a wizard's tower was enough to act as a centre for
resistance to
the Gnolls. Most mages need food and other supplies. however fixed they are upon their own research, and
keeping the local population safe by letting loose a few fireballs is a recognised professional overhead. The
Wizard of the Black Mountain is the prime example of this practice in the former province.
It remains the dream of many in Sankhar that one day travel on the Silk Road may be possible again and many are hoping that the coming decades may see a strenuous
effort from both Sankhat and the Eastern Khanate to open up the ancient roads to the East.