The Bekari Region
The Bekari Region of the Galerian Imperium is fairly small region of the country, located within the (Dealer's Choice of Duchy), centered around the Bekar Mountain and the two river valleys that have formed on the east and west sides of it. The Bekari Region is one of the first settlements made by the earliest goblins came into existence after the rise of the first Goblin King, in the Age of Clockwork. The goblins that settled here would go onto grow bigger and stronger in the expansive mountain and valleys, becoming some of the first Hobgoblins in Ransera.
The villages on the mountain are not of the same mindset or function as those in the valleys. These villages are largely governance and military, and less about industry and residence. These villages are each run by a pair of representatives selected by the valleys, one male and one female, to rule until one dies. These pairs are known as the Bekari Chieftains. When one dies, the other retires and a new pair of chieftains are selected. The Bekari Chieftains craft the laws of the region and are the highest generals of the local military. The villages on the mountain are heavily fortified, built into the mountains, and designed to withstand the longest of sieges.
The Bekari region is split into two halves, East and West Bekari, based on the two river valleys. East Bekari is centered around the Rubioth River, and all of the villages and tribes in this valley are strictly matriarchal in their governorship, for they believe the sun is born from the earth in the east. Meanwhile, West Bekari is centered around the Giedral River, and all of the villages and tribes in this valley are strictly patriarchal in their governorship, believing the sun impregnates the earth once more to be born again. Each village is run by a singular chieftain, and each village is free to have their own method of selection. Some of them believe it to be an inherited role, others vote for a chieftain, and some prefer a meritocratic method.
The villages in the valleys are largely centered around farming, fishing, and timbering, and they supply the majority of the food for the villages on the mountain. In the Bekari region, all Hobgoblins are trained for combat from the earliest ages. From birth to age 12, Hobgoblins are trained by their family and their village. After their 12th birthday, they are sent up to the mountain villages to be further trained until their 18th birthday, at which point they can choose to remain in the military or to take another job. Other goblin types and races can choose to enter the military if they wish, but must do so with a chieftain's blessing.
The Bekari Military was always defensive focused. They've never tried to expand beyond the borders of their two valleys and mountain, and have instead entirely focused on strengthening them to prevent invasion. For many years, neighboring regions attempted to invade the Bekari Region, smashing their armies against Bekar Mountain. And for hundreds of years, the Bekari people remained unconquered.
Then the Galerian Imperium showed up, launching their campaign to conquer as many of their neighboring regions as possible. They began a decades long siege against the Bekari military, but found they were unable to break them out of their mountain. The Imperium sustained heavy losses in this siege, but still managed to conquer other areas, including where the Goblin King resided. Soon after this, the Imperium made the Bekari an offer that they had given no other. In exchange for joining the Imperium, they Bekari would be allowed to keep their lands, and largely be self governing under the guidance of the Goblin King, so long as they abided by the Imperium's laws as well, and fought by the Imperium's side in their quest for regional domination.
It was not an easy decision for the Bekari people. Having fought for so long, successfully, they felt they could outlast the invading army. However, this had been the longest and most difficult siege in their history, and many were weary, and missed the valleys and rivers. Eventually the Bekari Chieftains agreed to the terms, and Bekar was absorbed into the Galerian Imperium.
Overtime more and more humans began to move into the lush and fertile valleys, adopting to the various local traditions there. The chieftains of the villages answer to both the Bekari Chieftains and the government of the Imperium but this largely went without much incident. The Bekari people were fierce fighters and many of their hobgoblins happily entered the Imperial Military and greatly improved it with their strength and ferocity.
To this day, Bekar still largely keeps to itself and the agreement of old. They supply soldiers, they keep to Imperial law, and they get to maintain their small, mountain province and their goblin culture. Anytime there is a major dispute over a law, the Goblin King becomes involved, but these occurrences are quite rare.
Villages of the Bekari Region
Risea - A village in East Bekari, set on the river at the base of Bekar Mountain