The region of Lleranin is composed of three separate and independent nations: Maerath, Donadhar, and Cwengae. Culturally, all three share a common history, which traces back to before the rise of Ossav. Lleranin is located north and west of the Khravest mountains, and the land has bred rugged people.
Before the days of Ossav, most of Melarna was inhabited by various tribes of humans, demi-humans, and humanoids. One such group of tribes, known as the Rhambar tribes, dwelt mainly in the Lleranin region. They preserved a great deal of culture from an earlier civilization which was obliterated in wars that wracked the continent.
Ossavia had conquered most of the continent by 833; Lleranin was one of the few free areas left. Ossav moved armies across the Khravest mountains into the Lleranin region, and blockaded the ports. The Rhambar tribes fought bitterly against the onslaught, and Ossavian troops felt the bitter bite of the cold winters. The armies of Ossav had been fought to a standstill in the passes of the Khravest mountains, and the port blockade failed, partially due to Askmaths aiding the Rhambar tribes at sea.
Then, in 867, Ossav sent humanoids into the region. Goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears all raided into the Lleranin region, but were again stopped by fierce resistance. The goblinoids retreated into the mountains, and made passage thru very difficult. Lleranin still remained free.
By 879, the Rhambar tribes had lost many good men, but were resilient. Ossav sent gifts to the tribe chiefs as a peace offering. Each was a magnificent weapon, and was a powerful item. Ossav also sent food, in an effort to sue for peace. After the tribes accepted had the gifts, and Ossav's armies departed the Khravest mountains, the tribe chiefs began to argue with each other over whose battle prowess was most spectacular; each claimed it was his efforts which foiled Ossav's invasion. The arguments led to fighting, and the tribes turned on each other.
After a large number of the warriors were dead, only then did the tribesmen realize Ossav's villainy. The magnificent weapons were powerfully sentient, corrupting and controlling the tribal chiefs' actions and driving them into conflict with one another. Ossav's armies and goblinoid tribes returned swiftly, and began the final onslaught that would crush the Rhambar tribes. Kaitheran was the last city to fall in 915, its ancient walls finally falling to Ossav's armies.
During the next few hundred years, Ossav used the Lleranin region as a staging area in his attempts to eradicate the Askmaths. Their frequent raid on the ports made this difficult at best - in 1322 Askmaths burnt Rhonderlyn to the ground to destroy the shipyards. In 1466, the remnants of a fleet from Kaitheran actually landed on Askmar soil after one of the fiercest naval battles in history. They were quickly destroyed by the local Askmaths though, but it was the first (and only) time Ossav's forces actually landed on Askmar.
With the fall of Ossav in 1898, the Dukes governing the area, realizing their precarious position, appealed to the people that they could protect the region from humanoids; several large goblin tribes had permanently settled in the Khravest mountains. By 2010, the families had secured their position; although they had not formally broken away from Ossavia, they certainly only paid lip-service to the emperor.
In 2556, the Duke of Maerath married a princess of the house of Kyre from Ossavia, sealing a growing alliance between the powerful Ossavian house and the duchy. The threat of a strong northern presense prompted Askmar to raid Maerath the next year, sacking the capital, and deposing the duke. A large number of Askmaths established themselves as Jarls in the area, and Maerath was controlled from Askmar. The Askmaths saw this as eliminating Ossavian influence; unfortunately not all Maeraths saw it that way.
With Maerath firmly allied to Askmar, Cwengae and Donadhar began to rely upon one another more. Since Askmar had effectively cut off any Ossavian ships from reaching Donadhar and Cwengae, they became fully independent of Ossavia. In 2588, the ruler of Donadhar (now calling himself Prince) married a daughter of a prominent Askmar Jarl, which helped to smooth relations between the two countries. Cwengae still suffered Askmar's raids, and so pushed south though the Khravest mountains to find alliances.