![[khuzait banner.png]] # Baltakhand ## 'the Fortress of the Axe' - Owned and Built Previously by the [[Iltanlar]], a Khuzait Clan or Similar Culture, who 40 Years Ago were Forced to Submit to Khan [[Urkhun]]'s Khanate --- # Backstory & History [[Baltakhand]], 'the Fortress of the Axe', was settled by the [[Iltanlar]], mountain-dwelling cousins of the Khuzaits. Centuries ago their beys descended into the plains and created the fortress here that guards the portages of Iltan, the network of lakes and rivers that divides the [[Sturgian]] lands from the [[Khuzait-Khanate]]'s realm. Bitter winters protected them from the reach of the [[Calradian-Empire]], but no blast of wind was cutting enough to stop the horsemen of Khan [[Urkhun]], who 40 years ago forced this town to submit to the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] Khanate. This settlement is part of the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] Khanate. [[Asaios]] on Baltakhand (See page [[11]].) > I made a relatively safe trip to [[Baltakhand]]. The town lies in the rocky foothills on the edges of the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] domain. Beyond, I believe, lies only steppe land. The people of [[Baltakhand]] speak the same language as the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] but, I was told, abandoned their nomadic ways many centuries ago. The [[Khuzait-Khanate]], for their part, are still nomads at heart despite ruling these lands for two generations. Everywhere in the city I could see the circular tents of the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] overlords, which are called '*gers*'. There were gers outside the walls, gers inside the walls, and the biggest ger of all on the top of the citadel, like a great dome. People told me that the [[Khuzait-Khanate]] wished to show that they had not gone soft like town-dwellers, and were still ready to take to the saddle at a moment's notice. [[Agandios]] stays here. --- # Game Files / Developer Diaries clan 3, Arkits, lords 5, 9, 15 -->