The Vilhon ReachPart one: Sespech"There are two things to remember in Sespech. The first is the distance to your nearest enemy.
The second is your loyalty to the Baron. Never forget either." -Captain Kanisar Melinwir
Geography: 
Located due west of the ruinous nation of Chondath, Sespech is a nation of rolling grasslands and mighty rivers. To the east, is the river Arran, which forms the nation's border with Chondath, to the west lies the Nagaflow, and north lies the vast Reach itself. Much of the nation is taken up by the aptly named Golden plains, named for the vast tracks of wheat grown throughout the year.
The climate in Sespech, and much of the Vilhon reach in general, is hot and often brutal. Humidity levels are high, and even in the dead of winter frost is nearly unheard of. During the summers, storms are frequent and violent, lightening bolt imagery thus appears frequently in Sespechi art and insignia.
History: 
The region that became Sespech was originally settled in 92DR by Chondathan colonists in search of a source of calvalry horses. Construction on the current capital city of Ormpetarr began shortly thereafter. For the next eight centuries Sespech remained a crucial and lucrative part of the then powerful Chondathan Empire. Numerous attempts had been made during that time to break free from the greater empire, but it was not until the Rotting War in 902DR that the dream of independence was realized.
Independence however did not lead to stability. Since its founding to the present day, the leadership of Sespech is notoriously unstable, and its population notoriously defiant. The Barony has been held by charismatic nobles, military dictators, the odd lucky adventurer, and pliable puppets from Chondath. Few last long, most are deposed by an angry populace. On top of the political uncertainty, an ambitious Chondath remains an ever present threat. At least once a generation the lord of Arrabar launches a campaign to reclaim the former colony.
More recently however, there has been cause for hope. Roughly twenty years ago the current Baron, Aldorn "Foesmasher" Thuragar claimed power following the bloody assassination of the previous government under Baron Ricjolo Tomrase. Chondath responded to the change of hands with the largest "Peace Keeping Force" seen in generations.
The new Baron quickly rallied the Sespechi armies, and at great cost defeated the Chondathans on the field. Gaining Aldorn the title of "Foesmasher" and cementing his hold on the throne, which he holds to this day. His twenty plus year reign making him the longest serving Baron in recent memory.
Politics: 
The modern political atmosphere in Sespech is somewhat paradoxical. At the same time brutal and exceptionally liberal and open. While the head of state retains the autocratic title of "Baron" every town and city within Sespech holds its own council of locally appointed citizens. These councils are open to the public and meet twice monthly, with a representative of the Baron or even the Baron himself attending regularly. The common people of Sespech are extremely suspicious of back room dealings or closed door meetings, and tend to deal violently with officials they dislike. Thus public approval remains extremely important in Sespech. Though there are a few remaining noble houses, mostly in Ormpetarr, The influence of the nobility on politics and governance is slim. Most houses sided with the Chondathans during the war for independence and were accordingly removed. Those that remain exert their influence only so far as their pocketbooks allow it, placing them on equal standing with the many merchant families.
People & Culture: Tall and olive skinned, Sespechi are racially as Chondathan as their hated neighbors. Brown hair and green eyes are the most common by far, though blue eyes can be seen often in northern regions near Mimph, and brown eyes and black hair in the far southeast near Torsch. Sespechi men shave regularly, as beards are seen as a sign of dirtiness or impoverishment. This custom has led outsiders to label Sespech a nation of boy-faced children, much to the chagrin of the pragmatic Sespechi.
Every able bodied male in Sespech is a soldier, serving the nation for a minimum six year period starting in their 16th year. While somewhat excessive, the rate of conscription is a necessity. Sespech needs all the soldiers it can get. Men who elect to remain in service to the Baron when their six years are up can become junior officers, further eroding the traditional lines of nobility, which is a luxury the war torn Barony cannot afford.
The practice of magic is tolerated, but intensely suspect in the Vilhon Reach, but more so in Sespech. Mages are required by law and tradition to wear long hoods or veils, preventing others from ever seeing their face. They also must give up their name, a practice designed to prevent spellcasters from having a public identity or holding public power. Even so, one flashy cantrip out of turn will lead to immediate banishment or execution.
The centuries of political instability, war, and occupation have furbished Sespech with one of the most defiantly anti-authoritarian and suspicious populations of any nation. A common, and somewhat fatalistic phrase nicely sums up the Sespechi outlook, "Paying the coward's price". The meaning of which is that it is better to fight for something, as those who don't can still lose everything, or more.
ex. "I'd better sit in on the next council meeting, or I'll wind up paying the coward's price."
Despite what some would deem a paranoid and fatalistic attitude, Sespechi feasts and celebrations are massive in scope. Perhaps as an extended escape from the very real uncertainty of every day life in the Barony. The Festival of the Moon is celebrated in the autumn at harvest time, lasting a full tenday. A more recent but wildly popular tradition is the Feast of Purple Majesty, which celebrates Baron Foesmasher's rise to power. Lasting anywhere from three days to a full tenday, the Feast features extensive tournaments, including jousting and swordplay. The winners of which earn a seat at the Baron's table during the final day of the celebration, a grand feast and gala in Foesmasher Citadel itself. The Baron delights in such displays of celebration, and is known to drunkenly dance the
Rottinghiem with his men.
Cities:Sespech is home to three major cities. The Capitol of Ormpetarr, the port city of Mimph, and the former logging metropolis of Elbulder.
Ormpetarr is an ancient city, built a thousand years prior by the Chondathans. Despite it's original purpose as a fortress city to intimidate the populace into compliance, the Metropolis is renowned across the Reach for it's beauty and its many ornate brass spires. Sitting on the edge of the Nagaflow Ormpetarr is a major commercial power, regulating and overseeing all trade from the south. The massive bulk of Foesmasher Citadel sits at its center, renamed in honor of the current Baron. Despite the war torn history of the region, Ormpetarr has never fallen to anyone but the Sespechi themselves, and legend has it that only Sespech can hold Ormpetarr.
Internally, Ormpetarr faces the same problems of any major metropolis, crime, graft and corruption. one of the bigger reasons for Baron Thuragar's popularity is his stern stance on eliminating such crime and corruption. A policy that has generated numerous assassination attempts by the often Chondathan funded thieves guilds.
Mimph is by far the oldest city in Sespech, though it has been destroyed and rebuilt more than a dozen times. Sespech's only port on the Reach itself, and granting trade access to the Sea of Fallen Stars, Mimph is strategically important. Repeated naval bombardments and raids by Arrabar have severely frustrated Sespech's attempts to build up its navy.
Elbulder is located on the river Arran, on the western edge of the Chondalwood. A forest many allege to be haunted. Once a logging town, the industry there was thwarted many years ago by the druids of the Emerald Enclave, ending the major source of commerce for the city. Despite this setback, Elbulder has survived due in part to it's strategic position on the Chondathan border, and its reputation as a center of learning. The only example of a mage academy in Sespech can be found here, and the population is somewhat more tolerant of magic than the remainder of the nation. Indeed, the mayor of Elbulder, Gavilon Jostins, is a wizard of some renown himself.
Next time! Part Two: Chondath, cradle of modern humanity!
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