Isan-Kun

Category	Empires
World	Bal-Kriav
Region	Badmaer
Government
Capital	Pynkefall
Population	9,200,000+
Races	Svirfneblin 90% other 10%
Alignment	non-evil
Deities	Arcana
Enemies
Founder
Established	23 Witchrite 76 HE
Map	Gullvar

Isan-Kun was established on 23 Witchrite 76 HE by city-states spanning across three subterranean tiers. The earliest of these city-states are situated in eastern Gullvar, the uppermost of the tiers. Each of these settlements originated as refugee camps for those fleeing the horrors of the Demon Spawn War (89 GE - 269 GE).

We fled into the Krephus Sink, abandoning those who wished to remain and defend their homeland. It was a futile endeavor, for the higher-ups had already deemed the region, the continent, expendable. The Covenant's grand strategists, especially Asmodeus, persuasively argued that they could not save everything, and that it was best to concentrate our forces, directing them towards eliminating key power players.

Retreating from the pursuing demons, multitudes of us ventured into a cavern burrowed long ago by the primordial worm Krephus, progenitor of all purple worms. We rendered the arduous tolls demanded by the earth elementals at Baruk-Agan, then boarded their Nalu Skree for the journey along the Earth Seam.

We were transported far northward to a resettlement region, a distance of 6500 miles to what the Covenant designated as Sector Gullvar.

from the memoirs of High Arcanist Velindra Shalethorn

In the year 120 of the God Era, the Svirfneblin establish a settlement in the caverns of Vogelak.

Isan-Kun arose from a war seeking to unite the resources of the holds and city-states against their enemies. The fringe holds had long endured the costs and casualties of conflict with frost giants, Goliath, ice trolls, and the Azwyr Amoruk. Meanwhile, the bastions and city-states behind these forward lines had grown prosperous from war trade. The holds doing the fighting and suffering felt that those in the rear did not contribute enough gold or soldiers to the war effort, content to let the conflict drag on while war merchants amassed wealth. Deciding to put an end to this imbalance, General Isan-Kun turned his battle-hardened forces against the nearest friendly, at-peace city-state. In a single night, Isan-Kun's troops stormed and crushed the city's resistance. Surveying the easy living there, in contrast to the long-suffering frontier holds, Isan-Kun allowed his forces to plunder the place. Over the next five years, all of Vogelak's deep gnome holds and city-states fell under his control. The collective resources and green soldiers of these lands were sufficient to conclude the Vogelak War of Unification. General Isan-Kun founded a kingdom bearing his name in 76 HE, with his general staff and their families becoming the first royalty. Even after many generations, these families maintain a tradition of military service to the kingdom, with princes earning high-ranking officer positions on merit rather than social status.

Isan-Kun continued to be plagued by malicious adversaries in their vicinity. Their defenses are bolstered by bands of arcane energy scattered throughout the area. These arcane conduits can be tapped, restoring an arcanist's capacity to cast spells. Implements such as wands, staffs, and rods can also be recharged. The arcane energy from all this emanates from the marvel COA 411. After numerous magical mishaps, including the creation of dead magic zones and the disappearance of an entire city to a Cascade, Isan-Kun has recently restricted the utilization of the area's arcane conduits.

Many of Isan-Kun's populace reverentially worship Arcana. One celebrated legend regarding this is that clerics of Arcana traveled to Vogelak during the Lith-Crillion Era, instructing the Svirfneblin in the techniques of channeling the Cube's unseen arcane currents.