Bandit Kingdoms

The Bandit Kingdoms are a collection of petty holdings which were founded in the early Third Age. This collection of small personal territories stretches from the Eagle Mountains to the Shadowyarn Mountains, primarily south of the Greyflood. Each little kingdom is ruled by a robber chieftain claiming a title. The territorial boundaries of the holding of these kinglets are subject to rapid change due to sudden warfare and defeat or victory. The whole relationship exists because no single bandit lord is strong enough to conquer the whole territory, and the combined strength of all is often required to defend against neighboring states retributive expeditions. So bandit and brigand band together in self-interest, and no kinglet, regardless of ambition, has seriously attempted to rule the whole, for fear that threatened lords would turn to the kingdom in spite. Thus, the combined kinglets continue to stand more or less together. The total military strength of all territories is quite considerable due to the fact that each ruler controls a large force with which to raid and pillage.