The Lanari

The Lanari can be seen traveling between the Free Provinces in brightly-colored wagons, or encamped at a cross-roads. Wherever they stop, they sell hand-made (and sometimes stolen) wares; put on nightly entertainments by oil lamp (not all of which are seemly); delight young children with their pageantry; and tempt young men and women with the romance of their itinerate lifestyle. But this strange people with their own language and customs have a history that is more tragic than their brightly-colored clothes and loud revelry would first indicate.

Centuries ago, the proud House of Ferona sat atop several of what was then called the Principalities of Vyruma Serpentis. About a a third of the region's population was under its control, and the sages of history believe that almost half of the wealth of the time was concentrated in Ald Casera -- the city from which the scions of Ferona ruled. Powerful Houses will draw rivals, and Ferona was no exception.

In 3409 Prince Lan of House Ferona grew strong enough that he declared himself the Emperor of a new land -- a wide swath of the principalities that he named Lanaria. Lan sent envoys to the other principalities demanding tribute from their princes. In so doing, his rivals became his enemies and rose as one against him. Under that coalition, the Emperor was eventually thrown down. His head was chained to the walls of his own Ald, and his bones were parceled out to each of his rivals as a trophy. His lands were given to the sons of lesser houses. His daughters were pledged to the Sacred Sisters. But, the dream of the Empire did not die easy. Many thousands of the people still remained loyal to the former Emperor. The princes soon found that the Lanari were difficult to control.

In 3413ey, three hundreds of the loyalists who still longed for the Emperor's rule were slaughtered in a single afternoon. Across the Principalities the scene was repeated, time and again. This series of events came to be called the Desolation of Lanaria. Those that survived the anguish were forced to take the mark of Lan -- a tattoo upon their face. They were forbidden from owning property and thus became pirates upon the sea (Salt Lanari) and nomads across the land.

The Principalities of Vyruma Serpentis eventually gave way to the Free Provinces. But centuries later, the descendants of the Lanari still wander, "taking the mark" voluntarily, even proudly, and making their way as itinerates and laborers across the world. Their reputation still suffers, for most Provincials see them as thieves and swindlers and treat them as an underclass to this day.