The Girian Protectorate

The Girian Protectorate is located in the windswept prairies of the central Scavenger Lands plains. The favored place in times past for great wars and the tombs of heroes, these plains now serve as the nation of the Girian Protectorate, a nation of mercenaries. Many mercenary companies base their primary operations out of one of the cities of the Protectorate.

The Girian Protectorate is ruled by a governing Council of Armsmen, a council made up of a single representative from each of the mercenary companies that make up the Girian Protectorate. Those companies that are accepted onto the Council of Armsmen are bound under the Armsmen Truce, a bond that says that companies that find themselves on rival sides shall be merciful towards one another, limiting losses as much as possible, and aid one another where they can. They are also bound to keep any such assignments against one another from impacting their peaceful co-existence as part of the Protectorate.

The townships are guarded by the individual mercenary companies that dwell there. Additionally, each season, every company is required to dedicate 10% of its forces to the Armsman Force, the standing army that defends the Girian Protectorate. The core of the army, however, is made up of the former forces of the Giria's Company, the mercenary company that first proposed the Armsmen Truce.

The Protectorate is home to more mercenary companies than occupy the Council, for not every mercenary company that occupies land within the Protectorate is granted a place on the Council. Though these companies are not required to contribute to the Armsman Force, they do pay higher taxes than those companies who are on the Council proper (one of the reasons many of the companies strive to be accepted on the council). All of the mercenaries have a say in the governing of the city or township that they are based out of, however, as they belong to smaller councils led by the companies that are actually part of the Armsmen Council.

Toroshi Citadel

Capital of the Girian Protectorate
The central citadel and location of the Chambers of the Council, Toroshi Citadel is ruled utterly by the remnants of Giria's Company. Though their founder, Giria, is fairly elderly now, Giria's sons capably manage both the military for the nation and its bureaucracy (which is really mercenary bureaucracy applied to running a nation).

Delbreth

The second-largest settlement in the Protectorate, Delbreth is home to no less than four of the companies that sit on the Council: The Fierce, Chanerlin's Troop, the Omen Dogs and the Silver Company. Delbreth is known for its nearby iron mines and the smithies that supply most of the equipment in the protectorate.

Wolfkeep

Located near a fair-sized wood, Wolfkeep is run by the Black Wolf Brotherhood, the only company in the keep to sit on the Council. Wolfkeep supplies much of the lumber for the Protectorate, and is a favored place for members of the Council to go hunting. The Rose Towers: An impressively towered keep, the Rose Towers are named that for the company that founded them, the Ebon Rose Elite, known for their archers and skirmishers. The towers themselves are impressively carved with climbing vines intermixed with actual vines that grow wild up the sides of the towers, blooming with wild black roses.

The company is run by the Ebon Rose Dowager, a small god of black roses who has undertaken a military endeavor. The towers are shared by the Ebon Rose Elite, plus two other companies: Karvin's Dragoons and the Thousand Blades.

Martial Arts

• Palace of the Heavenly Lance: In Kalishar, the temple to Ko-Fuso, the God of Spears trains those priests who manage to enlighten their Essences in the techniques of the Crimson Pentacle Blade Style. The discipline and just nature of the Heavenly Lance Priests have made them welcome, leading to the establishment of smaller temples in The Keldin Cliff-Cities, The Girian Protectorate and other cities in the eastern Hundred Kingdoms, as well.
• Mercenary Companies: More than a few mercenary companies are able to field small units of martial artists skilled in a given style. Among the best known include:
  • Chanerlin's Troop: The Girian Protectorate; Five Dragon Style.
  • The Omen Dogs: The Girian Protectorate; Crimson Pentacle Blade Style.
  • Black Wolf Brotherhood: The Girian Protectorate; Five Gods of War Style.