Confederation of Clock and Caste

     In the First Age, the land now known as the Varang Confederation was ruled by powerful Dragon Kings and was dominated by the city Hlass, a peerless center of learning and astrology.  Today the influence of the Dragon Kings is still felt in the Varang City-States by the strong belief in astrology for determining people's fate and the caste system which reflects that of the Dragon Kings of old.

     For centuries, Varang has managed to stay an isolationist country, content to live bound by clock and caste while the people perfected their craftsmanship.  Indeed, their precision mechanics became such that even the Realm insisted on buying their superior navigational devices.  However, the Age of Sorrows is a difficult time and change is inevitable.  In RY 771 the Realm Great House Cathak claimed dominion over the confederation via their scion Cathak Zuriel and now it is home to a strong Realm garrison and strategically positioned in a major trade route.  In a time of tumult, the confederation of Varangia has become a powerful Realm Satrapy.

From Compass of Terrestrial Directions IV: The South (Page 95):

     Varangia consists of seven closely allied city-states and their shared capital of Yane, located in a narrow strip between Harborhead and the Great Southern Desert. The country extends from the shore of the Inland Sea to the far reaches of the South, so all the overland trade between the East and South must pass through Varangia. Each of the eight Varang City-States has a population ranging from 70,000 to 400,000. Individually, each city-state is much smaller and less powerful than great metropolises such as Chiaroscuro or Gem. The Varang confederacy as a whole, though, is as rich and populous as any nation in the South. 

     Varang culture is based on the principles of Dragon King society which involve astrology and castes.  On the whole people fall into three categories casted, outcastes and foreigners.  Casted are native Varang who have been put into a caste using astrology and are content with living out their lives doing what they were fated to do.  Outcastes are malcontents who, through some misfortune, do not fit into their caste and openly rebel against it.  About 1 in 1000 Varang become outcastes and are usually sold into slavery.  Foreigners are usually viewed with suspicion, except for Realmites who have slowly been viewed better thanks in part to efforts by House Cathak.  For a foreigner, Varangian life is odd at best and sometimes just plain nonsensical.  However, the culture is designed to maximize public contentment and minimize rebellion.  Unlike other parts of the world, Varang places a strict emphasis on time and due to their precision mechanics every city has clock towers to signal when the workday starts and when it ends.

Locations in Varang

• Rivers of Varang
  • Falucan River
  • Jighast River
  • Hokaj River
  • Fakal River
• The City-States
  • Yane
    • Imperial Garrison: Houses the legions, a shipyard and a skydock
  • Talt
  • Kriss
  • Volat
  • Tarcha
  • Has-Kan
  • Jishal
  • Uslan

Important People in Varang

• Government
  • Ruling Council: 35 delegates, 5 from each city decide the basic laws that rule Varang and each city-state implements them how they see fit.
  • Imperial Satrap: Cathak Zuriel
• Military
  • The Imperial Foreign Legions: Numbering in 30,000 the legions are charged with the protection of Varang and policing the city-states and trade routes and are under the control of the Satrap
• Religion
  • Cult of the Stars
    • The Varang worship the Loom of Fate, the Five Maidens and the other gods of the Bureau of Destiny, it is tolerated by the Order
  • Immaculate Order
    • There is very little presence of the Order other than a few missionaries