Glospiel was a halfling merchant in Western Cimmeria. After Semanarie became a druidic commune the elves of Bigby’s Forest needed a new trading post for exporting goods. Glospiel founded that new trading post and named it Makotako. Makotako quickly grew as the premier trade outpost between Bigby’s Forest and the rest of Cimmeria. Merchants picked up goods from the elves on the forest’s edge and then brought them to Makotako to sell to ship captains or trading caravans.
While Glospiel founded the city, his desire was wealth, not power. As more people immigrated, he deferred to the settlers on how they wished to lead themselves. Coincidentally, the citizens chose a republican system of government where one had to be wealthy in order to hold public office. Glospiel was the first elected king of Makotako. He served honorably while continuing to enrich himself through his private business ventures.
When King Glospiel died, he continued to separate his public responsibilities from his private business. His business and his considerable fortune were inherited by his children. The crown passed to someone outside Glospiel’s family, another wealthy merchant named Testrey. This peaceful transition of power continued for many years.
Kruk-Sho-Kar was a hobgoblin king. During the chaos of the Dragon War, he united the different hobgoblin coalitions into a single army with one purpose. They invaded Eastern Cimmeria which was weakened by decades of fighting against the dragons. Kruk-Sho-Kar’s army pillaged and destroyed the settlements around the Aral Sea. Toffoun, Amalgami, and Jovy responded, but the scattered people of the region were unable to field an effective army.
Toffoun, Amalgami, and Jovy split up to find foreign assistance for the people of the Aral Sea. Jovy brought in reinforcements from Those Blasted Islands. Toffoun negotiated a deal for supplies, weapons, and armor from Queen Shortrastor of the Dominarie Mountains. Amalgami stayed with the army to train the soldiers while avoiding open battle with the hobgoblins. This cooperative effort turned the tide of the war between the Aral Sea people and the hobgoblins. Kruk-Sho-Kar’s progress stalled, and his leadership ability came into question within the cutthroat hobgoblin command structure. Kruk-Sho-Kar was forced to retreat to secure his internal position.
Knowing that the hobgoblins could return at any time, Toffoun and Amalgami organized the Aral Sea people into a city-state at the Dirt Plateau. They named the city, Jipangu. With the hobgoblin threat passed, Toffoun and Amalgami left to continue their work with Tentineh to secure the Dragon Orbs.
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