Fragmented inland networks of pirates, traffickers, and self-declared rulers—descendants not of any single war, but of an unresolved collapse. With imperial law stretched thin and relay coverage irregular, the vast clearings of inland Thazvaar became breeding grounds for illicit sovereignty. Some routes remain peaceful only due to sheer geographic scale; others, bound by hidden tolls and fractured allegiances, are kept in a state of controlled disorder. No formal rule governs these corridors. The Empire’s laws do not reach here.

Most modern formations avoid set-piece engagements. Resistance is sustained not through defense, but through depth—abandoning positions, shifting lines, dispersing rather than contesting. Inland warlords thrive by evading structure and intercepting wealth, feeding on smuggling lanes, relay gaps, and instability.

Major Groups

• Jerhit Syndicate. Wealthiest inland network. Founded by Brennen Jerhit, now led by Brena Jerhit. Controls black-market propulsion chains and smuggling corridors, with manufact infrastructure across contested clearings. Known for enforcing routes with engineered compliance teams and high-value relay interference. Their influence spans deep into former relay zones.
• Children of Kharan. Largest pirate confederation by headcount, named in honor of the legendary pirate warlord Kharan but without historical connection. Their structure mimics the myths of Gulf piracy, yet lacks resources, territory, or long-term cohesion. Though effective in swarm-style operations against lesser opponents, they collapse quickly under pressure. They possess no permanent holdings, and are not trusted by inland syndicates due to frequent betrayal-for-pay behavior.
• Teytan (New Dominion). Hardline separatist force presenting as a future state, not a syndicate. Their aim is singular: to restore the Old Dominion’s presence and authority in Thazvaar through any means necessary. This includes methods the Empire legally classifies as war crimes. They are not diplomatic. They finance their campaigns through mass trafficking (human and material) and maintain heavily fortified mountain strongholds overlooking privately cleared valleys. One exception to their brutality: civilians within their domain are known to be protected, well-fed, and insulated from external harm.
• Independent Warlords. Scattered remnants of the original inland breakdown—strongmen with inherited firepower and conscripted bands. Fewer each year, as most are either absorbed, crushed, or quietly neutralized.

Notables

• Ashk Kota. Assault-Class Engineered warlord. His imperial birth name and identity within state archives is obscured from public knowledge.
  Empire Bounty: 2,000 Auren (alive). Wanted for deserting prior to the official end of the Warlord Eras. Under imperial doctrine, this marks him as unfinished state property. His reappearance inland led others—many still under term—to abandon their posts. The Empire formally demands his return but exerts no visible effort to enforce the order. Among the general Geban public, Ashk is widely admired. It is alleged that the Empire has known the location of his base for decades without intervention.
  Syndicate Bounty: 7,500 Auren (dead, body required). Resented by all major inland groups for liberating trafficked laborers, destroying supply caches, and disabling syndicate-controlled relay infrastructure—directly reducing their income, mobility, and leverage.
• Haavu Project “Permeance.” Semi-covert team of field engineers, researchers, and security personnel tasked with maintaining Haavu relay and propulsion infrastructure across disputed inland zones. They operate in an ethical gray zone—off-record trade, improvised contracting, and selective loyalty—in order to keep key systems operational in lawless regions. Formally disavowed but informally tolerated by the Empire.