Gauros (Tharch)

Gauros is a relatively poor tharch with no major cities. The River Gauros flows down from the heights of the Sunrise Mountains and through northeastern Thay before tumbling over the edge of the First Escarpment to carve out the great Gorge of Gauros. From there, it flows into Lake Mulsantir on the nation’s northern border. Gauros is rocky, rugged, and forbidding, a wild land of dry pine forests and high, barren mesas. Swift, shallow snowmelt rivers from the Sunrises rush through the land, but by midsummer they are reduced to dusty rivulets. Most of the folk in the district are Rashemi woodcutters and goatherds. Ruined towers and empty keeps crown many of the barren hills, the remnants of ancient Raumathar’s foothold on this part of the Thayan plateau. The nearby mountains harbor dangerous monsters, including athachs, chimeras, and bands of feral gnolls.

The ruler of Gauros is Tharchion Azhir Kren (NE female human Ftr15). An aggressive general, she is itching to lead Szass Tam’s legions into battle. The zulkir’s fascination with developing trade does nothing but frustrate her. Kren’s troops constantly patrol the Gorge of Gauros, looking for any excuse to launch an invasion of her nation’s northern neighbor, Rashemen. Kren only needs the thinnest of pretexts, and if she doesn’t stumble across one soon, she’ll manufacture the necessary evidence.