Yerlen

Yerlen is a large country in the Vasterlands in northwest Tairghol, bordered to the west by Vadya, the east by Trisk and Efulia, and bounded to the north and south by ocean and mountains.
Yerlen's capital is the city of Havwald, and two other major centers, to the east and west respectively, are Varpne and Lintzee.
Yerlen is one of very few states in the area that is not a member of the Dalforean League, instead being prosperous enough to ensure its own safety and having a large enough economy to support its population without large-scale trade.
Yerlen, unusually, is ruled by a Burgermeister - that is, the municipal government of Havwald before Yerlen was formed has remained the system of government instead of being replaced by a higher power.
== History ==
Yerlen is one of many states that appeared following the Great Gap. Initially it was the city of Havwald, with a swathe of land around it. Lintzee and Varpne were similarly city-states, and both were integrated peacefully in the late 5th Century after the Honourable Gamble. 
After this the Burgermeister's objective was to connect the two enclaves - to this end he enlisted the help of the duchy of Gehemnia and, in 502, both countries invaded and partitioned the duchy of Unterwerden. This was followed by the conquest of the duchy of Vost-Mitland in 510.
By this time the burgeoning trade state was rich enough to support itself, and when he invaded Nordzeeland in 515 the Burgermeister didn't call on Gehemnia to help. This caused a rift between Yerlen and Gehemnia, ultimately resulting in the dissolution of their alliance.
Over the next forty years Yerlen had peace. It built up relations with the tribes of northeast Vadya and eventually employed the warriors of the Faranorii tribe to distract the Free Cities of Ankershagen and Penzlin while Yerlenese levies massed on the border. In 563 the city of Penzlin fell after a year-long siege and Ankershagen fell three years later.
By 570 Yerlen was the eminent power in the central Vasterlands and, in 574, the trading republic of Ost-Mitland elected to join the powerhouse.
== Ideology ==
The people of Yerlen value honour above all else. This is an intrinsic part of their culture, leading to Yerlen being the most highly-trusted country in the Vasterlands.Category:Countries