Barbarians

They are rude, crude, smelly, and obnoxious, and they must be brought the benefits of civilization with alacrity, preferably through immediate conquest.

-- statement attributed to Chun-Yi, Supreme General of His Celestial Majesty's Forces

Ruler's Title:various
Military Units: Barbarian Berserker, Barbarian Swordsmen, Barbarian Spearmen

History: During the Third Age, the relatively low power of magic made transport difficult. In many places in the world, particularly inacessible ones and ones where the land is poor, there has been no effective government, or some form of crude feudalism. The civilized nations call the inhabitants of these places barbarians. In fact, they differ widely in culture and species, but in the game they are treated as essentially identical -- not an unreasonable presumption, as their military effectiveness is limited.

Ultimately, of course, they will all be brought under the rule of the World Emperor, but until then, they will fight to preserve their own lands against the encroaching nations.

Two groups of barbarians deserve special attention. The principality of Lah-Song exists high in the central mountains of the northern continent, on a cold, elevated plain. Its inhabitants cultivate a bizarre form of spirituality that, among other things, causes them to cohabitate with monsters, with whom they have established some kind of rapport. The Free City of Urf Durfal, belying the idea that all barbarian lands are crude, is among the largest and most prosperous cities of Adav; it, like Coventry, tries to pursue a policy of neutrality and independence but, given its strategic position linking the Arethan continent to the north, is unlikely to be able to retain its independence.