Abstract: History of Nalamoor and Mesk

Nalamoor is both the region as well as the most powerful nation within the region of that name.

As a Region, Nalamoor is smaller than average by about 15%, but most of the region is land instead of the normal mix of land and water, which allows a much larger population than would be normal for a region of Nalamoor’s size.  The center of its single massive continent is a large sea named the Sea of Oltar, though it actually is a landlocked salt ocean.  The position of such a large central body of water creates some rather extreme climates in the surrounding area.  Otherwise, Nalamoor is only noteworthy in the relative peace in the lands.  Fighting between human nations is relatively rare and most often settled through trade instead of open warfare.

As a Nation, Nalamoor was founded two times, or else, may be thought of as the second nation with said name.  Founded first by refugees fleeing conflicts early after the collapse of the Unified Empire, who settled in Mesk, it was at that time named the Nalamoor Nation of Mesk, as the region already bore the name of Nalamoor.  Later the name was shortened to Nalamoor upon the inclusion of more distant cities including Chozmal and Hildon.

The Guild Wars eventually brought down the alliance between cities, though Mesk never gave up its claim of regional nationhood.  When the Clans moved into central Nalamoor as the Wars declined, they found Mesk a suitable place to settle exactly as the refugees of earlier wars had almost 1,000 years earlier.  With the strength of such a population increase, and the warfare knowledge which the clans brought with them, the city felt strong enough to prohibit banditry within a rather large area around itself.  Only 10 years after the arrival of the clans, the governors offered protection to Holat and Yolfu (as these were relatively safe anyway, being near Kethiltre,) as well as Ches.  Ches declined, but the other two accepted, and Nalamoor was reborn as more than a simple city-state around Mesk.

Mesk itself was founded by nomads moving inland from the coast south of Yolfu.  The canyons offered easy protection from the windstorms coming off the Sea of Oltar.  Game was available as was water in the wetlands at the bottom of the canyon that later would be called The King.  Such a central location made Mesk an obvious trading hub, and indeed traders had been sheltering in the canyons for a very long time before the nomads settled there.  The rough terrain and harsh climate outside the canyons made it easily defensible.

Mesk grew larger when various displaced groups moved into more of the nearby canyons, and was easily large and rich enough to be first among cities in a nation.  Still, the features which made it so easy to defend also limited its growth as few people moved to Mesk other than eager merchants or refugees.  Much of its early wealth came from farming and ranching, as the very fertile river lands were tilled and made into farms.  It was not until the Gurrog War that Mesk became anything like its current state.  Millions of refugees fled their overrun cities and resettled in western Nalamoor.  Few made it south to Ches, who really did not want the outsiders to enter its borders anyway.  Though both Chozmal and Holat maintained an open acceptance of those fleeing the wars, it was only Mesk which had enough food to feed the massive number of humans.  Even when The King was “full” without much of the significant development we see today, the other canyons offered shelter and water, while the farmers there willingly gave food to those who needed it.  After the war, many chose to remain in their new home, some having then lived in Mesk for almost 15 years.  Efficient administration and far sighted businesses put the influx population to work building the foundations for many of the grand works of modern Mesk. 

The Guild Wars took their toll on all of Nalamoor, but Mesk was spared much of the destruction seen elsewhere.  The exact reason(s) for this are a matter of much debate among conspiracy theorists as well as historians.  After the wars, Mesk began to arrange trade again, but found that many “bandits” plagued the trade routes.  (Note: many of the groups which the governors of Mesk labeled bandits were in fact the legitimate armies of very small city-states that had been founded during the Guild conflicts.  Most were likely trying to collect taxes on goods crossing lands their nations claimed.)  The escalating conflicts between armed forces threatened the very existence of the growing economy by crippling entire trade routes.

During these border conflicts, for reasons not entirely clear, 13 major Clans moved out of the wastes, accompanied by over 100 subservient minor clans, and migrated south.  They sacked Jofth’kyi and Holat, taking both goods and prisoners.  While still over 1000 km from Mesk, diplomats from Mesk reached the clan forces with the purpose of negotiating a peace.  Three weeks of negotiating led to the establishment of the Council of Elders.  Much of the military might within the clans was put to work stabilizing trade routes, while those not of armed forces were arranged to live in various places.  Most of the population settled in Mesk and Chozmal as Holat was rather hostile to the clansmen who had so recently attacked their city.  To this day, most of the population in the steppes between Mesk and Chozmal is almost entirely of clan descent.

Three of the major clans, disillusioned by conflict in Nalamoor, feeling betrayed by their leaders, and apparently feeling they were being led to abandon whatever purpose the clans had migrated south for, refused to agree to the peace.  They left the campaign though as they could not fight the rest of the clans on their own, and moved further south, passing Hildon, where the clans had stopped during the negotiations, finally coming into what is now Teloam.  The remaining ten clans agreed to split up between the major cities of Nalamoor, with the three most powerful in Mesk itself, where the council would be housed.