Unapproachable East - Thesk

In eons past, the human empire of Narfell once stretched over Impiltur, the Great Dale, Thesk, and parts of Thay, but little survives the cataclysmic war that destroyed that empire. For centuries, the land of Thesk stood mostly empty until colonists from old Impiltur began to settle the area in 800 DR. The great Impilturan merchant Windyn Balindre was the first to pioneer the route of the Golden Way and reach Kara-Tur. Upon his return, he organized the Royal Company of Shou-Lung and began to found a series of outposts along what would become the Golden Way. In 926 DR, Balindre moved his company from Lyrabar to the new settlement of Telflamm and claimed the title of Merchant Prince. In 1177 DR, his decendant, Princess Delile Balindre, declares Telflamm's independence from Impiltur. Although independent for more than two centuries now, the cities of Thesk have yet to forge a true nation under one government.

In 1086 DR, Thay invaded and captured the two southernmost cities of Thesk, Nethjet and Nethentir. Twenty-five years later, Thay again invaded, marching on the city of Phent, but this time the combined forces of Impiltur and Thesk defeat the Red Wizards. Relations between the two nations eventually cooled, and in 1351 DR, one of the first Thayan Enclaves is established in Telflamm.

In 1360 DR, the Tuigan Horde, led by Khahan Hoekun Yamun invades Faerûn and makes his way towards Thesk. To meet this grave threat, the people of the western heartlands, led by King Azoun of Cormyr raised a great Alliance made of groups from Cormyr, the Dales, Hillsfar, Ravens Bluff, and other cities. Sembia provided funds to hire mercenaries, the Zhentil Keep contributed 1000 orcs and 2000 dwarves from the Earthfast mountains near Impiltur to bring the total to 28,000 troops. This force met a Tuigan army 100,000 men strong at the First and Second Battles of the Golden Way near Phsant. Eventually, King Azoun killed Khahan Yamun and the was broken. The eastern cities of Thesk lay in ruins, but with the threat of the Horde gone, trade with Kara-Tur was able to resume for the first time in centuries, bringing great wealth into the land.

Seeing opportunity in a weakened Thesk, the Sharkjaws, a flotilla of pirate vessels, descend on Telflamm and make it their homeport until the Shadowmasters manage to drive them out, leaving them unchallenged to expand their influence in the still recovering city.