Canonfire! - See Ull…and Die! Part 1

It would behoove you, most Worthy Elders (May Mouqol bring you prosperity) to read my finished survey of the family divisions and militant groups of the heathen land of Ull. It has taken me five long years and several near fatal caravan expeditions to compile this information so as to aid our Consortium in its mercantile efforts in this lawless frontier. A word of warning though, such a volatile land is prone to change and only Istus knows for sure the veracity of my research at present.

Your humble servant –Farid Ibn Bayazid, Appraiser of Merit.

By mortellan (with apologies to Joseph Bloch)

Note: Ull is composed of about twenty minor khanates, most of which are made up of nomadic families. The territory of these khanates is always in dispute with the exception of settled towns and villages. The size of each khanate varies due to deaths, births and defections to other families. In general a Large khanate is 20,000 to 10,000 people, a Medium khanate is 10,000 to 5000 people and a Small khanate is 5000 to 1000 people. Among the khanates, violent bands of Slavers and Warlords also operate, sometimes crossing family boundaries in loose alliances. A large band is 5000+ to 3000 warriors, a Medium band is 3000 to 1000 warriors and a Small band is 1000 to 250 warriors.

1) Uli Khanate of Ulakand (Large semi-nomadic)
The royal family of the Orakhan traditionally holds sway over an area 20 leagues in all directions from the caravan city. Ulakand’s population is semi-nomadic; going from 12,000 residents in the summer to 6000 in the winter, with double those numbers roaming the plains daily. The town is the rallying point of all Uli nomads who seek shelter and safety in numbers. Merchants and slaver bands frequent the town to trade or replenish supplies on their way further south. Such trips don’t always occur however, since foreign caravans are often randomly seized or turned back in the name of the Orakhan. Upon Ulakand’s mesa the Khanate Council regularly meets with Bruzharag Orakhan the Misbegotten (F16), to settle disputes and sometimes start new ones entirely.

-The Misbegotten Horde (Large warband): 5000 (Uli), 100 (Ogre); Raiment: Blood-stained ochre, no headwear; Armament: Mixed (Lt Warhorse, Heavy mace, Great Club). Originally they raided from the central Ulsprues along the caravan routes headed south until Bruzharag, a former pit-fighter rallied them into a warband to aid in his coup of Ulakand. Now that Bruzharag is Orakhan, the Misbegotten Horde comes and goes at their leisure between Ulakand and their highland homes to the west.

-Protectors of Ulakand (Medium warband): 2400 (Uli); Raiment: Pointed helm, ochre shields; Armament: Mixed (L Warhorse, Lance, Composite Longbow, Mace, Polearms). These fiercely loyal Uli swear their lives to defend Ulakand against all comers and will always defer to the councils of the sitting Orakhan. They claim to be the law of the caravan town despite a growing rivalry with the Misbegotten Horde’s ogre-kin guard.

2) Jadrun Khanate (Large nomadic)
-Drashan’s Legion (Large warband): 4500 (Uli); Raiment: Helm with black turban wrap, ochre shields; Armament: Lt. Cavalry (Lt Warhorse, Composite Longbow, Lance, Light Mace). The oldest warband in Ull, they serve their own interests and also serve as the personal guard of Jadrun Khan (F10), whose ancestor was Drashan Khan the Elder, who defeated the larger Brazen Horde at the Battle of Ulakand.

3) Ulghur Khanate (Large nomadic)
-Far Hunters (Medium warband): 1500 (Uli); Raiment: Helm, ochre shields with horse device; Armament: Lt. Cavalry (Lt Warhorse, Composite Longbow, Lance). The Far Hunters are a warband of young restless horsemen who are among the worst enemies of the Plains of the Paynims. They are legendarily known for penetrating north into the Plains of Antal until they were eventually wiped out by an avenging undead army from the Zeifan Uruzary fortress of Dar-Zaribad.

4) Khugari Khanate (Medium nomadic)
-Nimtai’s Drivers (Small slaver band): 300 (Uli); Raiment: Masks, helms and ochre shields; Armament: Lt. Cavalry (Great Bows, Lasso, Lance, Nets). Feared by Paynim and foreigner alike for their speed and skill at capturing slaves, Nimtai’s Drivers are generally thought to be of the family of Khugari Khan (Ftr5). Their unconventional use of masks seems to not be for anonymity however but rather for intimidation. Few sights in Ull are grimmer than a slave train winding south led by the Drivers in their leering demonic masks.

5) Inchak Khanate (Medium nomadic)
-The Taskmasters (Medium slaver band): 1000 (Uli); Raiment: Horsetail helms and Whip shield standard; Armament: Mixed (Lt Warhorse, Longbow, Lasso, Lance, Whip, Net). The Taskmasters are the premier slaving operation in the north of Ull. With the direct alliance of Inchak Khan (Rng13), the renowned Leader of a Thousand Horses, this slaver band notoriously preys on neighboring Paynim tribes for fresh slave labor. Most of these slaves are put to work immediately for the Taskmasters manage Ull’s bronzewood lumber trade with Zeif. This comparatively hard servitude is maintained for troublesome slaves are soon sent away to Kester’s fighting pits.

6) Ulzai Khanate (Small nomadic)

7) Kirghai Khanate (Medium nomadic)
-Black Talons (Medium warband): 2000 (Uli); Raiment: Helm with black tassel; Armament: Lt. Cavalry (Lt Warhorse, Composite Longbow, Light Mace). This group is composed of the most skilled mounted archers in Ull, drawn from many neighboring khanates. Kirghai Khan (Ftr4) an avid archer himself, allows them to roam his territory much to the chagrin of the Black Talon’s rivals the Farhunters.

8) Zhunis Khanate (Medium nomadic)

9) Umighak Khanate (Small nomadic)

10) Ohkir Khanate (Small nomadic)
-The Wildmen (Small warband): 500 (Uli); Raiment: Faded-red checker design, piecemeal armor; Armament: Mixed (Lt Warhorse, Polearm, Lance, Heavy mace, Scimitar, more). A vocally loud band of raiders that once was ten times its size during years of the Yorodhi Uprising. Now the current Wildmen wander the plains looking for petty trouble, mainly resting in the Ohkir Khanate because the Broken Scimitars crossover into their territory.

11) Lurzid Khanate (Medium nomadic)
-Broken Scimitars (Small warband): 800 (Uli), 100 (Half-orc); Raiment: Ochre shield with broken scimitar device; Armament: Footmen (Heavy mace and other bludgeoning weapons). The Broken Scimitars are purely anarchic raiders with no allegiances and many enemies notably the Wildmen. They wander across the Lurzid, Ulzai and Ohkir Khanates at their own peril, recruiting fervent new blood as members are killed off.

12) Khurut Khanate (Large nomadic)

13) Najul Khanate (Large nomadic)
-Bloody Maimers (Small warband): 900 (Uli); Raiment: Helm and blood stained cloaks; Armament: Mixed (Lt Warhorse, Polearm, Scimitar, Longbow). This vicious band is largely concerned with protecting highland cultivation of poppy fields so that it reaches the hands of the Yellow Cartel. Those unfortunate enough to tend their fields are apt to be missing body parts for all sorts of transgressions.

14) Geshtun Khanate (Medium nomadic)

Sources:
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
A Guide to the World of Greyhawk
Living Greyhawk Journal #5
Greyhawk Adventures
Map of the World of Greyhawk by Darlene