Hardnit

Population: 950 thousand. A kingdom in northern Bandagora. The capital is Servan. Furthermore Enkisborg   and Zormaras are Hardnitian cities. 
==History==
Though tradition has it that Hardnit was founded in 700, the name Hardnit is not mentioned in any written source before 747. Before that, much of present day Hardnit used to be Servania, one of the Successor States. And before that, the territory was part of the Second Empire, the region tentatively known as Tallona. According to Erlanwe, the name of the region was derived from the word talon, and it was supposedly mostly a wilderness plagued by dragons. Once the Second Empire collapsed around -22000 CC, these dragons reigned freely. Still according to Erlanwe, it wasn't until a hero called Kleron answered Emperor Sertovian's call to search for the nine Black Rings. Not unlike Karkar, he never completed his original quest. but instead killed off most of the dragons that ruled the Servan Plains. Whether the legend is true or not, Servania became part of the Third Empire no later than -400, and and independent kingdom in -187. Around 530 Servania became Marentian, and in the middle of the 7th century it ceased to exist during the Nomad Invasions. Later, around 669, the High Lands occupied the western part of the region. The history of Hardnit proper started (according to tradition in) 700, when the Penboynian (though his mother was Varnasir) Zorma conquered what was to be Zormaras. He then controlled the area west of the Harlindon, which was the foundation to the duchy of Hardnit. Zorma himself was given the title margrave by the Penboynian king, but his son Kristiorn was the first duke. In 747 the High Lands ceded its possessions on the Servan Plain to Hardnit, and the two countries have been closely allied ever since. Kartria did not give up its claim on Hardnit before 931. 
Around 750-950, the duchy was loosely organized around the six families descended from Zorma's paladins. In 934, Duke Bankarl decided to join the efforts to reconquer Kangrison from the Ontainians. Though generally succesful, he and his only son was killed in battle. Bankarl's daughter Marlena was then married to Baron Arrenius of Latina, and the recently crowned King Endicott of Penboyn declared Hardnit a Grand Duchy, and Arrenius the Grand Duke.
Arrenius and Marlena were the first of the Storlads. In the coming years they reorganized Hardnit with four baronies and Elvendale as a diocese.
In 1034 the Salaqi-Hardnitian war started, in the course of which the whole of Hardnit was occupied several times.
Ironically, it began when Duke Stephan (IV) wanted to secure the borders by expanding northward. This led to a few of the independent shires to join Salakand. 
 Not before 1098 a lasting peace was declared through the mediation of the Trinity Church. Hardnit was before January 1103 a grand duchy formally subservient to Penboyn, but was with the blessing of Penboyn declared an independent kingdom by the Pope. The seemingly ceaseless war had left Hardnit depopulated in many places, and the situation had barely been alleviated somewhat, before the Troll Wars cut its path of devastation across Hardnit 1107-1108. The king is Hendrick Storlad. 
==Legal system==
Basically the Penboynian system applies. The Advisory Council has some degree of power. The power of the king is relatively weak, and the power of the nobility relatively strong.
Maps I and II.