Barston is a cosmopolitan region in south-central Tarleaux. It is bordered by the tip of Crazula to the south, Fryzyr to the southwest, Ikhil to the southeast, Muftigowen to the northwest, and Shaitam to the northeast.
Barston has existed as a nation for as long as any history books recall, though its borders and influence have fluctuated over time. At its peak it controlled the entire width of Tarleaux and half of its height. During these imperial times, the strongest and brightest young men were expatriated to central Barston, where they served the king as military commanders and court officials. Outlying regions of the empire were administered by local women empowered by the king to maintain order and collect taxes.
When Barston was a large empire it contained all sorts of people, but the heartland of Barston, which is all it has controlled for several centuries, is almost entirely populated by Humans. There are small minorities of most other races, each of which are concentrated in certain homogenous neighborhoods.
The major cities have temples for many gods and goddesses, including Oghma, God of Knowledge; Gond, God of Craft; Lliira, Goddess of Joy; Milil, God of Poetry and Song; and Waukeen, Goddess of Trade.
In addition to its capital, Barston boasts several other cities that are among the largest on Tarleaux. Between these cities is a vast, sparsely populated grassland that is used mostly as grazing land for large herds of livestock.
The King's rule is abolute, though he delegates powers to appointed governors of each city and its surrounding environs.
Barstonians like to think of themselves as the most intellectual and cultured people in the world, and few would argue with them. The cities of Barston contain world-class academies, as well as museums, theaters, galleries, and libraries. Most of these semi-public buildings are designed by the world's leading architects, who naturally were trained in Barston's academies.
A citizen of Barston believes that life without the arts is not worth living, and they tend to pity their more parochial neighbors. Because the world's leading lights were once brought to Barston by force and now frequently emigrate of their own volition, the artistic and scientific elite are much more diverse than the common folk.
Barston's main exports are cultural, though they also have a reputation for inventing and manufacturing machinery that rivals the gnomes in complexity. They also produce significant quantities of beef, pork, and mutton. Tourism is also a significant factor in their economy, as the whole continent's wealthy wish to visit its famed cities.
For the last few months Barston has had a new king, Ranwid I, who succeeded his brother. Ranwid dismissed many of his brother's long-term advisors and officials and replaced them with people he trusted. Because their diet is primarily based on grazing cattle, Barston seems to be weathering The Blight better than other places. But the fact that its principle exports are luxuries, as the world economy struggles it has lost many of its trading advantages.