Editing D&D5:NoMansLand (section)

====The Khanate of Rau====
Across the Low Mountain, in the Steppes of Rau, the Orcs, and those other peoples who dwell with them, live. Ferocity is their guiding principle, though they see it as the way they live with each other, not with other peoples, who they see as inherently weaker. They are nomadic, living and moving with their great herds of aurochs, who serve as food, mounts, beasts of burden, and weapons of war. There are eleven Clans, who are ordered from strongest to weakest. Between the Clans, there is the expectation that only the weaker may instigate hostilities with the stronger; preying on the weak is seen as disgraceful, while the weak seeking to become strong is seen as praiseworthy.

Every three years, the eleven clans come together to have a Grand Battle, where each Clan does battle with their strongest warriors, though typically not to the death. The battle begins as the last sliver of light vanishes at dusk, until the first glimmer of light at dawn. The Clan whose warriors stand within the Circle of Judgement by the time the Grand Battle ends are judged the strongest, and their leader becomes Khan of the Clans until the next Grand Battle. The other clans are judged by their performance in the Grand Battle, and a new order of strongest to weakest is recognized.

The last three battles have seen victory by the Eyeless Moon clan, led by Ravekhram the Sky-Cleaver. The Khantate is usually held by the Eyeless Moon, or their traditional rivals, the Horns of Graz, led by Vrememami the Doom-Eye.

There is a twelfth clan, the Silent Stones, who do not take part in the Grand Battle, and serve as adjudicators between the clans.

There is some mild trade between the Khanate and Sylverda, but neither has much that the other desires. Sylverda would very much like the Khanate as an ally, should war break out with the Empire again, but the Khanate's view is that only the weak seek allies. The sour note in the relations between the nations comes from encroachments on Khanate lands by settlers from Wyffleum. As Sylverda and Wyffleum are allied states, the Khan considers Sylverda to be in part responsible for restraining their fellow Allied State, while Wyffleum seeks to have Sylverda help protect their settlers from Orcish raids.