State Profile: Zelan

Zelan is a sparsely-populated state, the borders of which were in constant flux until the completion of Theilden's southern border wall. Though it is classified as a human independent state, humans actually make up a very small portion of the overall population. Zelan's dense forests provide ample ground for goblins, kobolds, bugbears, gnolls, and other creatures. The humans that do populate the area do so by maintaining a strong militia and thick walls, though the capital of Fearon remains relatively safe, having carved a large swath out of the protective forest. Now Fearon is a very successful exporter of the ancient and strong lumber that makes up the forest, though it seems little forward progress ever lasts very long. The other human city, Ambar, serves as a waypoint for merchants trading with Theilden and the outside world. In truth, it started as little more than a fort and a tavern, but a sizable market has sprung up in which traders buy and sell goods for import and export. This militia has a few squadrons of highly-experienced soldiers that serve as escorts for any merchant who can afford to buy their services, but other mercenaries will do the job for less.
Fearon is a moderately-sized city of about 75 square miles with a population of about 65,000. Its position on the river that feeds into the lake adjacent to the Dwarven city of Granthal makes it the prime exporter to the Dwarven kingdom of Vrandorth. Despite its relatively low population, Fearon maintains a strong economy and enjoys widespread prosperity. This is not without risk, as the lumber and food that Fearon exports often come at a high cost. Still, Zelan attracts laborers and mercenaries from many lands to claim lucrative prizes and fees.
The demographic breakdown of Zelan is difficult to accurately measure since the majority of its inhabitants do not belong to a civilized race, but estimates run about 35% human, 9% Elven, 7% Halfling, 2% Dwarven, 2% half-orc, and an ambiguous 45% other. This mysterious majority includes over a dozen various races, mostly in tribal groupings.