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Post by The Bloody Nine on Sept 10, 2021 19:42:11 GMT -5
Nations of the Hyborian AgeCountry Tech Level Main Religion Description
Aquilonia Dark Ages Mitra, Asura, Ibis Symbol of might in the Hyborian Age, Aquilonia with her legendary armies of
Bossonian archers, Gunderland pikemen and Poitanian knights, wields indisputably
the supreme military power of the Western world. More than any other kingdom,
however, Aquilonia lies surrounded by grim and unrelenting enemies.
Argos Roman Mitra, Bel The major sea power of the Hyborian Age, proud Argos sweeps the western sea
from Vanaheim to the Black Kingdoms. Wealthy beyond its size, Argos seldom
lacks for funds either to war or to weave far reaching webs of intrigue as
the situation dictates. Natural enemy of Zingara.
Asgard Dark Ages Ymir Blonde reavers of the icy north, the mailed warriors of the Aesir are held in
check only by their equally ferocious kin the Vanir to the west, the grim
Cimmerians southward, and by arcane Hyperborea to the east. Loosely organized,
the clans await their forging to a cause, or a great captain of men, to spur
them over the ice towards bright and bloody conquest!
Border Kingdom Dark Ages Various gods Serving as a buffer state between Nemedia and Brythunia and the more savage
people of the north, the Border Kingdom was probably the last Hyborian nation
to be founded. The country also served as a trade route for merchants trying
to avoid the strict taxes of Nemedia. A sad wilderness with deserted,
disconsolate marshlands.
Brythunia Dark Ages Mitra, Wiccana The land of plains and horse, the Brythunians have become a culture of hunters
and farmers, ranging their wide, flat lands ahorse and unfettered. The
Brythunian army carries forward this heritage with a large contingent of
disciplined cavalry regiments. Still, Bruthunia is split and scattered into
small, widely dispersed fiefdoms.
Cimmeria Dark Ages Crom Grim. Moody. Grey skied. The land of Crom amid hills and mountains. A warrior race, the
Cimmerians are descendants of ancient Atlantis and only slowly coming again into the ways
of civilization after contact with the Hyborian kingdoms. In battle the Cimmerians are
unmatched in the darkly wooded hills of their homeland and few are the invading Aquilonian,
Pictish, or Nordheim warriors who return from that grey land. A legacy of hatred runs
strong amongst Cimmerians for their long time enemies, the Picts.
Corinthia Roman Ishtar, Pteor, Bel Secure behind high mountain passes lie the city states of Corinthia. Notable for their
highly disciplined battle phalanxes and fearsome weaponry, including halberd and pike.
However, the fractured city-states all pay tribute to mighty Koth.
Darfar Savage Yog The sharply filed teeth of the Darfar savages haunt the dreams of even the boldest
warriors who have faced them in screaming battle. Actually composed of a mix of various
tribes, the Ghanata slave lords and the masked Tibu tribes foremost amongst them.
Darfar gains its name from the scattered cannibalistic grassland tribes which most often
provide the drive and leadership for empire.
Hyperborea Dark Ages Louhi, Bori Cold and heartless, Hyperborea is ruled by grim, gaunt, albino nobles and by the sorcerously
powerful witch-women. Safe within their high stone keeps on the snowy Hyperborean plain,
the Hyperboreans wield power far beyond their meager resources and small army. Fortress of
arcane power in the north, Hyperborea is a spiteful foe to Aquilonia and quite possibly the
most dangerous kingdom of the Hyborian Age.
Hyrkania Oriental Erlik, Tarim, Savage horse tribes of the interior steppes, uncivilized in all but the arts of war at which
ancestor worship they excel, the Hyrkanians move upon a shifting sea of unrest as turbulent as the fiery ponies
upon which they ride. The Hyrkanian tribes war constantly amongst themselves, but when united
under a great chief, they destroy armies as swiftly as their horse-archers can race across
the endless flatlands which encompass them. Trained from childhood in horse and bow, the
Hyrkanian cavalry has been called with good reason the finest horse-archers in the world.
Iranistan Middle Eastern Various gods The golden land south of the Ilbars mountains is widely, albeit sparsely inhabited. Ancient
and rich, Iranistan uses the Afghuli and the Ilbars hillmen as border defenses to turn back
the swift horse-archers of their long standing foes in Turan and Hyrkania.
Kambuja Oriental Ganesha Ruled by the god-king of the Scarlet Circle, deep in the jungle-girdled city of Angkhor
crouches the hungry kingdom of Kambuja. The Kambujans are forever locked in war with
neighbouring Khitai, whose great wizards, the dragon-sons, also contest on an arcane level.
The Kambujan host fields huge war elephants, relied upon to smash the formations of Khitai
in battle.
Keshan Savage Gwahlur, Dagon, A kingdom of barbaric splendor, the Keshans are well led by nobles and religious leaders who
Derketa claim descent from the great people of Alkmeenon. Keshan also has a well drilled army patterned
after the Stygian military organization. While Stygian troops often raid into northern Keshan,
Punt is Keshan’s long standing and hereditary enemy.
Khauran Roman Shemitish Pantheon Rich in fertile meadowlands and at the center of trade in the Hyborian world, Khauran is a petty
kingdom of abundant wealth. Khauran is well ruled by nobles of Kothic descent. The Khauranian
nobles disdain the use of horse but hire mercenary cavalry troops as needed. Khauran is vassal
to Koth.
Khitai Oriental Yun An ancient empire, stronghold of the world’s greatest wizards and masters of the eastern world,
Khitai has a powerful army and a sound leadership based in Paikang, Shu-Chen and Ruo-Chen. Khitai
is forever at war with Kambuja to the south, whose god-kings vie with them for supremacy in the
arcane mysteries of the Scarlet Circle.
Khoraja Roman Mitra, Ishtar Blessed with excellent leadership, a highly diverse and well trained army, a fertile land, and
a location central to the rich southern and eastern trade routes, Khoraja is powerful beyond
its tiny size. Khoraja is vassal to Koth.
Kosala Oriental Yajur The Kosalans are an ancient race, decadent but not grown soft. They are devoted to the worship
of the god Yajur and their armies are an arm of their religious organization. The Kosalans
are aided by ancient magics and a fanatical if untrained populace ever willing to fight and
die in battle. Kosala from of old is tied with Vendhya through intermarriage and treaty and
can expect no invasions from that quarter.
Koth Roman Ishtar, Bel, Set Once the mainland of the forgotten empire of Acheron, Koth is now ruled by the mad Emperor Strabonus.
While Khauran and Khoraja are historical vassals of Koth, Strabonus has also forced Ophir and
Corinthia to pay tribute. It is whispered that the Emperor dabbles in forbidden magicks to fulfill
his ambition: to restore the fallen empire of Acheron.
Kusan Oriental Gods of Khitai The westernmost Khitan kingdom, culturally advanced Kusan relies upon her excellent ambassadors
and diplomats (easily the most adept politicians of the age) at least as much as upon her armies.
Kush Bronze Age Set, Jullah The semi-civilized Black Kingdom of most common knowledge among people of the Hyborian nations
is Kush. Proud Kush is seldom raided, the Stygians usually preferring to take their slaves from
weaker Darfar or Keshan.
Meru Oriental Yama Meru is an isolated land in the heart of the Himelian Mountains, its origins known only through
legend. The people is ruled by red-robed, slant-eyed priests of the demon-king Yama.
Nemedia Dark Ages Mitra, Ibis Nemedia, the central pillar of Hyborian culture and civilization, stands ever in defiance to
their habitual foes, mighty Aquilonia. The gleaming Nemedian knights are rightly proud for their
army which is as diverse as it is deadly.
Ophir Roman Anu, Ishtar, Bel A Kingdom of great beauty with gilded knights and high towered cities, Ophir is protected by
natural boundaries of mountain and river on all sides but to the south, which the Ophirians
have well fortified. But the kingdom lacks the will to fight dominant Koth and has been forced
to pay tribute to its mad Emperor.
Pictland Savage Jhebbal Sag, Gullah Savage, warlike, brutish, persistently resistant to civilizing influences, the Picts inhabit
the primal forest of the Pictish Wilderness. The tribes are constantly warring amongst themselves.
Punt Bronze Age Nebethet The barbaric splendor of the kingdom which is Punt is based upon the bright yellow gold washed
down off the central hills. Hereditary enemies of Keshan, Punt also mistrusts the growing power
of Zembabwei. If these two foes can be kept at bay, and if a trade route can be established to
the gold-hungry markets of the Hyborian world, then Punt may well emerge as supreme among the
Black Kingdoms.
Shem Bronze Age Ishtar, Pteor, Bel, The city states of Shem lie between the mad ambitions of Koth and the malignant arcane power of
Nergal, Set, Ashtoreth Stygia. The western Shemish states form a loose knit nation with Asgalun dominating its politics.
The eastern Shemish states stand in alliance with each other and also with western Shem, creating
a friendly eastern border. The Shemish Asshuri and the famous Shemish archers make Shem’s armies
very strong. Through mercenary service in over a dozen kingdoms of the western world, the Shemish
generals have learned well the art of war.
Stygia Bronze Age Set, Derketo, Slumbering in her desert retreats, protected behind the mighty and brooding Styx river, lies
Hawk-God of Harakht Stygia. The ancient culture of Stygia is in decline, revolving in malignance about itself, but it
is also the source of a great and evil sorcerous knowledge which may yet gain mastery over the
Western world.
Turan Middle Eastern Erlik Gleaming mailed and silken-clad riders, masters of the Vilayet Sea, Turan revels in sweeping the
barely contested wastelands to the west and south. Turan, however, must bear the plague of a
thousand frustrations arising from the seemingly indomitable and ever resurgent Kossaks, Zuagirs,
and Vilayet pirates. Perpetually battling raiders and quelling revolts from a hundred pinpricking
sources, the rulers of Turan pass their reign in unceasing watchfulness. Turan is a natural enemy
to Iranistan and Vendhya, but stands in loose alliance with Hyrkania.
Uttara Kuru Oriental Asura Dismissed as a myth in most regions of the world, Uttara Kuru is a land of ancient magics, misty
mountains, dense coastal forest, and the strange, haunting architecture of the city of Uttara Kuru.
The people of this kingdom are fanatically loyal in defense of their homeland. Ancient enemy of
great Vendhya.
Vanaheim Dark Ages Ymir The red-haired Vanir are isolated in the northwest and their mailed swordsmen therefore 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.
Vendhya Oriental Asura, Kali Vendhya is an ancient and proud kingdom, ruled by the Kashatriyan warrior caste and has mystics
adept with their own peculiar range of magicks. 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.
Zamora Middle Eastern Bel, Zath Zamora is a land of spider-haunted towers and master thieves. The Zamoran army is adequate, 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.
Zembabwei Bronze Age Damballah 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.
Zingara Dark Ages Mitra, Ishtar, Bel 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.
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