Ruler: His Holy Eminence, Grand Hierarch Justinian IX of Jarandis, Shepard of the Faithful (LN male human [Jendi], Clr 16/Hie 1 of Khorda)
Government: Religious hierarchy with most government positions filled by clergy of the church of Khorda; ranking cleric is elevated as the Grand Hierarch owing fealty to the Emperor of Brynthia
Rule of Law: Lawful Neutral. Strongly ordered and regimented society with many written laws. Traditions and organization are greatly valued often with strict interpretation of the "letter" of the law. The value of order often outweighs morality.
Capital: Geyathrad (pop. 49,700)
Major Towns: Tamyrlin (pop. 21,300)
Population: 240,000- Human 89% (Jhf), halfling 7% (stoutheart 60%, greenthumb 40%), dwarf 2% (barter 80%, brown 20%), other 1%
Major Religions: Khorda, Johvi, Shu, Nauru, Hazalyn, Halfling pantheon
Major Resources: Foodstuffs, timber, wool
Military: 9,000 (includes light and heavy infantry and light and heavy cavalry)
Allies: Brynthia, Kadril
Enemies: Doomguard, Wyngard, Horde Raiders
Coinage: Brynthian standard

Jarandis is a clerical fiefdom of the Empire of Brynthia having been deeded to the Khordan hierarchy many centuries ago as a ploy to game support from the population at large. As the Empire slowly fades into history, the hierarchy has gained more and more influence and independence. The Grand Hierarch still owes allegiance to the emperor and makes several state visits a year but runs his own lands as he sees fit. The region enjoys fairly mild weather with hot summers and cold winters with moderate precipitation throughout the year.

Jarandis has long been a realm devoted to the god Khorda, the Divine Prophet and Master of Fate. During its earliest times, roughly 400 years ago, it was a land of promise and religious freedom. Over the years, however, as the clergy became more conservative garnering more political power, the realm became less tolerant of other beliefs. Now the church of Khorda is the officially recognized state religion. The faiths of Johvi, Shu, Nauru and Hazalyn are mildly tolerated with a few shrines and minor temple complexes scattered throughout the region. The halfling minority have also been converted to the Khordan faith, though a small portion still clings to the old ways in secret. All other faiths are openly shunned or even persecuted. The society is rigidly structured and laws duely obeyed. Folk observe the concept of fate but fate that can be manipulated through works and actions.

The darkest period of Jarandis' history was certainly the years of the Axiomatic Inquisition. During this time, the leaders of the Khordites declared that all chaotic alignments were inherantly sinful and must be purged from the land. Many were driven from their homes, imprisoned, tortured or put to death as the Khordites claimed that chaos was a direct threat to the fabric of fate and destiny. Those days are not in the past, of course, and the church hierarchy is not quite as severe as it once was but many folk still fear the intolerance of these lands. TO this day, much of the population is still lawful or neutral. Most of the chaotic aligned citizens fled to other provinces of the empire or headed east to the city of Scarne or Verathis.

Rumors: What must certainly be an incredible falsehood, whispers in the streets of Geyathrad claim that recently an erinyes has been observed in the towers of the Hierarch's Palace and that some of the highest ranking clerics have fallen under the devil's sway. This of course is just the mutterings of a few homeless street urchins and no one pays these stories much mind. Humble farmers in the southern provinces have claimed that bullywugs from the Gnatmarsh have been growing bolder over the past few months, launching raids on defenseless villages. Attempts to follow the creatures back to their lair in the marsh have failed. A powerful necromancer from the southern Bramblewood has begun disrupting the flow of trade between Tamyrlin and the dwarves of Craghold. Increased sightings of undead horrors have been reported to the capital but no official response has been made.