Long ago, after the Old World was an established province and settlers had made claim to the New World at Rilhaven, a group of nobles from the Old World sailed in search of a place where they could claim their own lands upon the New World.  These two families, the Moratelles and the Tirlaans, settled at Faol, named for the legendary wolf sighted there upon their approach.

Faol grew swiftly, for the surrounding foothills were rich in gem deposits, and Faol was soon synonymous with wealth, high living, and general abundance. But, eleven years after the beginning of the Raven Wars, Faol started outgrowing the small nook it had formed at the base of the Eldenmaad Mountains. And once again a grouping of nobles ventured inland in search of new lands.

Eleven families were represented by this pioneering effort, and after encountering and making their way around the edge of Lake Surana, they found a vast area of rolling expanse, covered in rich plains, verdant forests, and high, overlooking hills. Up the western edge of these lands rose the Turjaalg Mountains, towering high and bestowing a feeling of protection. And on the east, the Aritelle ocean rose up against dark, forbidding cliffs. Protected from Maelmuire by the mountains, immune to sea attack, the eleven families decided that they had the perfect place to settle.

Their plan was one of deliberate community, of forging a new province where the old ideals of Masallan nobility could flourish. It was to be a place of boundless wealth (for the lands seemed never to end) and honorable living.

On the shore of Lake Surana they founded the city of Casara, a word meaning 'bright vision' in Old Masallan. The head of each of the eleven families gathered together into a council, and the lands of Casara were mapped and divided between the families. Each family was titled royalty of Casara, political power was invested in the council, and the families packed up and went out to build their homes.

At first the pioneers struggled to bring in enough workers to serve as peasants, castle builders, and hunters, but then a great discovery was made. You see, the foothills of the Turjaalg Mountains on Casara's western edge were found to be even more laden with gem pockets than the foothills near Faol. Furthermore, the gems found were of even higher quality.

This raised a thorny problem. Suddenly Casara was possessed of immense wealth. But in order to enjoy this wealth, Casara needed to trade those stones with the world. However, the infusion of Casaran gemstones into the world market would depreciate the value of Faol gemstones, seriously damaging Casara's relationship with Faol. And since Faol was Casara's only window to the world, for all of Casara's trading was done through Faol, because of Casara's inaccessibility, this would not be a workable deal. Thus Casara seemed doomed to possess the most wealth the world had ever seen, with no way to capitalize upon it.

The solution, however, was simple. Faol suggested that Casara trade their gemstones only to Faol, and in exchange, Casaran merchants could utilize Faol’s ports to wage any trade other than trade in gems. In essence, Casara was granted their window to the world, and gems mined in Casara were sold only to Faol, who claimed that they were Faol-mined gemstones. Faol's reputation as the gemstone provider to the world was bolstered up, for they now were 'producing' even higher quality gems, yet they depended on Casara for the continuation of that reputation. 

After this, Casara grew. Refusing to pay homage to Antara and the Niall royal line, the seat of power in the New World during that era, Casara was considered an empire by many political figures of the time. After all, they had laid claim to lands already staked by Antara, and were swiftly building towns, cities, castles, and strongholds. Casara knew that they were well-protected, and that no nearby provinces possessed ground forces powerful enough to threaten their position on the New World.

When Antara fell, Casara officially claimed themselves an independent province. Although that claim has not been recognized by the world at large, it has not been refuted, either.

From the western mountains, which at first seemed so sheltering, emerged other challenges. Raiding bands of Sereg, predatory nymphs, trolls, goblins, and large, mountain dwelling predators, including dragons, began to take their toll. The western holdings gradually became rougher and more unlawful. Not only did they have to deal with the creatures from the mountains, but they were in charge of mining as well, a task which utilized the forced labor of criminals. Less desirable elements began to creep in.

Adventurers were among these, lured by tales of caverns sparkling with gems, and by the legend of Nikira, the city of gemstones, an ancient ruin said to lie somewhere in the mountains to the west.

But Casara had much working in its favor, as well. Its mines continued to produce priceless treasures, allowing the lords and ladies to not only sell much to Faol, but to keep many of the stones for themselves. Even today, a lower noble woman of Casara often possesses jewels which would be the envy of the highest lords of Masalla or Lantrielle.

The lands of Casara were also ripe with offerings. The soil was fertile, yielding abundant crops, the forests were full of game, and Lake Surana and Casara's rivers gave up bountiful harvests of fish. Although Casara continued to trade with the outside world, the trade was primarily for luxuries, since Casara could easily provide for many of its own needs.

Relations with Faol continued to be quite prosperous, but Casara had alienated itself from much of the rest of the world by virtue of its 'empire' status.

Today Casara stands as an illegitimate province whose royalty is not officially recognized by the other world provinces. Casara's standing as its own province could be made official by the signature of Lord Niall, ruler of the New World, but the issue remains at a stalemate. Nevertheless, many people from all over the world travel to Casara to do trade, to see the beautiful lands, and to marvel at the wealth of the province's nobility. Casara keeps a jealous hold on their peasants, making sure that news of the outside world is tainted.  It is hoped this will keep them from attempting to leave to places such as Aranor. A rigid social structure keeps social classes well defined, much as it was, and still is, in Masalla. With strict laws, filtered news, and strong social mores that dictate behavior, the peasants, artisans, and common class are kept working diligently.

Among the laws present to keep the holdings of Casara in balance are a total outlawing of magical practice except by royally sanctioned individuals, and denial of the right to bear arms by anyone of less than noble status. Peasants are required to pay taxes or tributes, as well as to give a certain amount of their time in service to their lord.

Punishments in Casara can be harsh, and long-term imprisonments, hangings, and even torture are not unheard of. Crimes such as thievery, whoring, or disobeying a lord's command can mean ill tidings for the offender.

Laws are applied more leniently to outsiders, but the restrictions on magic and the carrying of arms are strictly held to, and direct challenges to a lord or lady can mean imprisonment or even death.

Because of Casara's immense wealth, the soldiers, men-at-arms, and knights of the holdings are extremely well equipped, often with the finest of resin armor and Rel Morde blades, as well as highly-trained warhorses. Casara has no navy, excepting a few light warships that sail upon Lake Surana and are equipped with armament meant to strike ground forces that would travel around the edge of the lake. Being landlocked, the lake holds only the ships of Casara, and thus no large fleet is necessary.

Due to the fact that each holding often has their own military forces, no accurate count of Casara's men can be reached, but it is estimated that if they combined into an army, they would have over four thousand exceptionally equipped fighters.

Although highly trained, these fighters do not experience much actual combat, leaving them unseasoned. This is excepting the soldiers of the west, who are constantly fighting off the threats from the mountains. These warriors are considered some of the most potent and seasoned of veterans the world knows.

The original eleven baronies have been broken up into, at present, 88 holdings, each of which is ruled by its own family, creates its own laws, and holds a place on the royal baronic council of Casara. In all the lands of Casara, current figures show that there are 118 villages, 74 towns, and 5 large cities. This has held true for some time now, since the shrinking size of baronies has caused a sharp decline in the practice of dividing one's land among one's children.

Holdings range in size from less than a round league to thirty-three round leagues in the case of the Barony of Vellun, the largest holding, still left in its original intact state.

The five cities of Casara should be mentioned here. Casara, the seat of the baronic council, is Casara's only port, and sits on the shore of Lake Surana. It is a place of great wealth and opportunity, for it is the only free holding.  The council rules over Casara, and thus it is not held by any one single family.  All trade with Faol crosses Lake Surana and moves from Casara's markets out into the rest of the baronies. It is here where the majority of visitors come, and most are not encouraged to go further, for the lords of Casara, though they desire trade and respect from the outside world, do not want their peasants and commoners seduced by tales of Aranor. The city is fine and clean, though always busy and teaming with traders, merchants, and visitors. Fine restaurants, luxurious inns, exquisite art galleries, and numerous theaters make Casara a desired destination to both the people of Casara's baronies as well as those of the outside world.

To the east of Casara, on the northern fringe of the Jacinth Mountains, lie the twin cities of New Ennalae and Maejen Lor. Both are prosperous holdings due to the rich mining found in the Jacinths, named such for the famous jacinth specimens often found there. But past that, they have little in common.

The cities were founded at the same time by two brothers, Kaelen and Sevran Jalorre. Kaelen had a vision of a shining, wealthy city, fine and rich, where fair treatment of citizens and equally applied justice would give opportunity to all. He swiftly attracted many repressed citizens from other baronies, making his city grow swiftly while he gained the dislike of other barons.

Sevran, on the other hand, was deeply attracted to magical practices and was famed for possessing a gloomy attitude. He founded his city mainly to compete with his brother, but since he readily sanctioned almost any magical practitioners, he became a haven for those who wished to study the arcane arts. His city, too, developed a bad reputation, but grew swiftly because of his permissive laws and attitudes.

Kaelen and Sevran are long dead, and since then, both cities have moderated and evolved. Kaelan's city, called New Ennalae after his favorite city in Masalla, has become a famed mining city where gems are sold by private and public sellers on every street. Imported white marble makes up many of the buildings, and one of the world's most diverse libraries and finest theaters lies within her environs. The city is still known for fair treatment of commoners, and many merchants do their business there.

Maejen Lor, Sevran's city, lays claim to Casara's only magical university, where students of the arcane arts are taught in order to serve one or another of the baronies as court mages or majae. It is smaller than New Ennalae and less visited, deriving most of its business from selling the services of its magicians. Its streets are known for the many arcane-oriented shoppes, alchemical works, and small magic schools found there. It still fights an ill reputation, but is, overall, an accepted part of Casaran culture.

Far to the north, the FarReach Peninsula is covered by fertile peasant lands and divided by fences which pen sheep, pigs, cattle, and horses. Crowning the peninsula's tip is Sel Alain, with its high, imposing castle and its large city below.

Sel Alain provides much of the fine-bred horses to the rest of the baronies, and serves as the principal religious center of Casara. Pilgrimages are made by many lords and ladies to pray in the elegantly architectured cathedrals of the city, or to travel out to the countryside to worship at the many village temples found dotting the landscape. The city itself is prosperous, and has crafted long stairways down to the sea, so that Sel Alain is the only place in Casara where fresh ocean fish can be had. Still, there are no docks to port at, and the waters are treacherous for large ships, so Casara does all its trade by land, through the city of Casara to Faol.

Finally, along the Turjaalg Mountains, lies Vellun, the largest holding in Casara. The most prosperous mining city of Casara, Vellun struggles with attacks from the mountains and from escaped mining prisoners who ravage the city in bands. Once a proud, beautiful city, it is now a place of strict laws and many guardsmen and soldiers, making it unpopular with visitors. Many adventurers come here before setting out to look for the legendary city of Nikira, and some elements of the city attempt to illegally accommodate them while the authorities do all they can to keep the adventurers out. The flavour of Vellun is of high walls, military presence, and harsh treatment of anyone who steps outside of their rightful bounds.

Casara faces great challenges with the presence of Queen Lillian's reign. Her Renaissance threatens to disrupt many of the strongly held values which make Casara what it is, while many outsiders consider Casara a place of injustice and repression, and feel that it should be 'brought to modern times'.

Casara's best tools for fighting these influences are its isolated location and its popularity with certain of the nobility of many provinces, as well as with merchants of almost all lands. Whether such tools can keep Casara free from drastic change remains to be seen.

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