A small and strategically located state, it was formed only recently and may yet suffer the fate of so many other lands settled by hopeful and newly wealthy adventurers. Still, thus far they have shown
themselves to be politically astute, allying themselves with the Ocean Tribes while offending neither the Calandesian Countries nor the Kingdom of Cadorna. They
have established links with the Hillgarth Clans, and may someday even steal some trade from the Urgrik Confederation. Still, survival will not be easy. Located on the narrow strip of land connecting the
Xyrog Peninsula to the mainland, they are a likely target for Ylthians on a Viking raid. Moreover, the land itself is small and not very fertile, with bitter winters
and scant sea life at this end of the Bay of Bodej.
Militarily the Barony is not a force to be reckoned with, at least not offensively. Defensive concerns are another matter entirely. From a naval point of view, while they have no navy worth mentioning
of their own, their close ties with the Ocean Tribes - and their navy in particular - means that local sea lanes are well patrolled indeed. On the ground a focus on sturdy, dwarven-built structures and
well-paid high-level mercenary troops means they are well prepared for most brigand or monster incursions. The city of Juloss itself has sturdy walls and massive fortifications (money was little object
in building these structures), manned by a core of loyal cross-bowmen and medium foot (polearms and mace predominate). This core force is supported by an enthusiastic and well-equiped militia consisting of
virtually every able-bodied citizen of the city (including many high-level ex-adventurers). Other towns and all caravans are supported by mercenary troops, most of whom genuinely like their work and
the rich pay that goes with it.
BACKGROUND
Although this narrow neck of land connecting the Xyrog Peninsula to the rest of Trishore might seem at first to be of strategic importance, it has proven
of little value for many years. Its proximity to both the Hillgarth Clans and to the Calandesian Countries (who have a strong historical animosity due
to the Haz Imperium) has rendered it a sort of no-man's-land for centuries. Moreover, it is far too rocky for farming, has no mineral wealth to speak
of, and the Calandesian towns of southern Shembys are much closer to the rich fishing at the mouth of the Bay of Bodej. Finally, the Kingdom of Cadorna
and the old unified state of Schew (as recently as 100 years ago) had not desire to trade. There were lingering issues also stemming form the time of the
Haz Imperium: Cadornians still claim the Schewians were willing allies of the Illabode / Calandesian alliance. The thinking sounds like this, "after
all, aren't the Calandesians and the Schewians all Ylthic anyhow?" So in reality, this land was of little value nor strategic importance, let alone
really even populated until about 75 years ago.
It was at that time that a recently married couple of ex-adventurers decided to build a little keep on a rocky outcrop in what is now Juloss. 
Together they
had formed one-third of a very successful adventuring team, and they had decided to quit with their riches and build a new life. This inhospitable area seemed
perfect to them, for he had made a few enemies from his old Guild, and she wanted some quiet to study her magic arts. They were also comfortable because he had
some Ylthic blood and came from just south of the area, and she was part Sapoy from the Drinen Federation, and both spoke Dwarvish. Thus they had the major
"cultures" and languages in the area "covered". It would turn out that these skills would be more valuable than they thought.
He was Ingor Glotig [16th level Thief, N(G)] and she was Juloss of Manula [15th level Abjurer Mage, C.G.], the grandparents of the current rulers. The
retirement was not quite as quiet as they had hoped.
It was only a few years after the keep was built and their "staff" settled in that the newly independent Ocean Tribes began to seek ways to fund
their ongoing struggle against the Kingdom of Schew. Some ship captains approached the couple, suggesting that if they were to act as middle-men, that they
might be able to overcome the historical differences between (what was now) the Ocean Tribes and Kingdom of Cadorna. In effect, the suggestion was that if
the couple acted as the trans-shippers across the peninsula [saving the captains weeks of sailing through the North Sea and along the dangerous Calandesian
shoreline] they could make a whole lot of money.
Ingor and Juloss were not convinced. While Ingor was form what was now the Ocean Tribes territory and felt he should help, he could already see that the new
rulers of his homeland could be even worse than the old united Kingdom of Schew ever was and certainly did not want to help them. The captains assured him that
the people he would be helping most were the common folk: it would be the captains and crews - not a noble among them - who would profit from the trade, giving
only "something off the top" to the new rulers of the Ocean Tribes. And, they urged the older ex-Thief, there would be lots of profit for
everyone. Juloss simply did not want to get involved, fearing war of the loss of their then one-year-old son. The captains spoke of the Ocean Tribes superiority
at sea and how safe she would be, and appealed to her goodness by talking of how the trade would bring gold to the poorest towns and ships, trade that Schew was
doing everything to block with traditional markets and partners to the south.
Together Ingor and Juloss came up with an innovative plan that would keep everyone happy.
First, they laid claim to everything north of the dwarvish city of Bergruin and south of the Diamond Peaks: a sliver of land guaranteed to offend no one. Then they
promptly signed a carefully worded agreement with the Ocean Tribes. It made this new territory a fully autonomous and independent State under the protection
of the Ocean Tribes. It was called the Barony of Bodej. 
This agreement
also stipulated that the present owners' offspring, or anyone they or their offspring chose, could act as the absolute rulers of the Barony forever. Then, in a stroke
of pure brilliance, they signed a non-aggression treaty with the Kingdom of Cadorna: if Cadorna attacked the Barony then the Ocean Tribes would respond, and vice versa, and
both would respond to Calandesian attacks. The Ocean Tribes had already made it clear what was in it for them, but Ingor's Thievish contacts had given him reason
to believe that Cadorna would sign too. Cadorna, it turned out, signed the treaty because they were in a relatively "peaceful" period of Illabode
raids, but merchant traffic along the Silverflow River was suffering due to orc raids around Ald Mured, so they were hungry for imports.
The results, in terms of trade, were explosive. Ocean Tribe ships scoured the sea-lanes from the Marid Gulf to the North Sea to find trade goods, while the little keep was soon
surrounded by a bustling city named Juloss (after the first Baroness). Juloss became an huge trans-shipment point, moving spices, iron, furs and beverages to Cadorna, while ivory,
meat and grains moved east. Even the Calandesians got into the act, moving gold and platinum from their mines in Haguntir through the Barony of Bodej. Ingor and Juloss' grandchildren -
with their eldest grandson now Baron of Bodej - are far wealthier than anyone ever dreamed.
STATISTICS
CAPITAL: Juloss (9,000)
TOTAL POP.: 15,000
POLITICAL STRUCTURE: Hereditary Autocracy
LANGUAGE(S): Ylic, Common, Faresh (see: [human languages])
HUMANS: 60% Ylthic cognate, the remainder Sapoy cognate or of mixed descent
DEMI-HUMANS: Comprise just over 15% of total population (largely Dwarves)
HUMANOIDS: Few
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