Aranwaën

The Grand State of Aranwaën is a large plutocratic republic located in the north-west portion of Venail, east of the Red Mountains. It is home to a population of over 30 million, making it one of the most populous nations in Venail. Whilst humans make up around three quarters of the population, the state is heavily influenced by the culture of the Ancient Elves, and has a sizeable population of Red and Imperial Elves. It is made up of eight administrative provinces, called aranvens. Aranwaën is a plutocratic state led by its merchant class, with its capital being Aranaine, on the Waënil river.
Aranwaën, meaning Bloodwine in both Imperial and Aranese, has been inhabited since around 3500 OA, according to dwarven historians. At the time it was settled by men collectively known as the Remanites. Their cultural was already more urban than most at the time, and a large percentage of the population lived in the city of Fereshiyat, now Wanel. It was one of the first regions to be invaded by the Elves of the Zodiac Empire, leading to both the Aranese language and Araner culture borrowing heavily from the Old Elves. It was under the Old Empire that Aranwaën established itself as the leading wine-producing region of Venail. Collapsing into warring states following the elven withdrawal, Bloodwine was conquered by the Hosaq Empire in the early 200s. At the Empire's peak, Aranwaën grew to become one of the most prosperous regions of the continent. However, with the First Orcish War and the War of Kin, Araner trade was threatened. This ultimately led to the Aranese merchant class to break away from the Empire in the Merchants' coup. The new Aranese state was however unable to resist Hosaq warlords, Orcish raiders and incursions from the Cold Steppe and it lost control over most of its territory during the 6th century NA. By the 8th century however Aranwaën had made an efficient recovery under the leadership of the wealthy Sil Pirtras family which gained influence. Beginning in the early 1100s, Aranwaën began aggressively expanding into the lands of the last remnants of the Hosaq Empire. In a series of spectacular triumphs during the 12th and early 13th centuries known as the Wine Wars, Aranwaën shattered Hosaq remnants and doubled its population and territory. Emerging victorious, Aranwaën became the first power in the world, dominating the rest of the continent primarily through trade. It has taken part in the efforts to rediscover Sol Venail in the early 1200s. It has established several forts and a significant colony on the Relenian Peninsula.
Aranwaën is a major centre of learning, culture, art and science in the world. It is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, controlling most of the trade between Eastern Venail and Western Venail. Additionally, it has many lucrative resources such as wine, silk, dyes, pearls, silver along with manufactured goods such as cloths, paper or glass. Its citizens, especially in the prosperous cities and their surroundings, enjoy better living standards than most. Nearly all Halflings in Venail live in Lower Bloodwine, which is also their homeland. It is one of the only realms whose influence can be felt across the continent, with its embassies in every nation in Venail. The Combine, under the control of the highly influential Sil Pirtras family also serves Aranese interests across the world. It is sufficiently wealthy to have abandoned levies and mercenaries in favour of a standing professional army made of recruits, which serves as an occupation force in newly-conquered territories. Its navy is very large thanks to its massivee trade fleets. Since the end of the Fifth Wine War however, it has restrained its military expansion so as to avoid alienating other major powers.
==History==
===Pre-imperial times===
According to various legends, compiled in the Seventh chronicle, the area now known as Bloodwine was already inhabited by Gnomes prior to the arrival of men. Their rural agrarian societies were unprepared for warfare, and they were subdued upon the arrival of men. According to Dwarven archives, this arrival of men happened during the 4th millennium of the Old Age. These men, called the Remanites, cames from the Great Desert west of the Red Mountains. Already by the 3400s OA, the Remanites began to trade extensively with the dwarves. They adopted the gnomish lifestyle, and became more preoccupied with trade and the cultivation of land than warfare. Over the course of many years, the Gnomes faded from memory as they were replaced by the Halflings, which were taller, only slightly shorter than Elves. 
The great city of Wanel, at the time known as Fereshiyat, was founded in 3124 OA, and became the center of Remanite civilisation. The city became the capital of a confederation of tribes of sorts, which stretched throughout what is now Lower Bloodwine and Ardor. There are ruins of several other settlements which have been found over time, but none of them seem to have had the same importance as Wanel. In what is now Bezgar, there are extensive complexes now found under the city which seem to suggest that the city was an important religious center. By the 2600s, the Remanite tribes had peacefully expanded and settled into Doriniem, Upper Bloodwine and Emirìa. It is believed that it's also around this time the Remanites discovered the fabrication of wine, but it was only used for religious rituals and great festivals.
In 2064 OA, the first elven scout-ships arrived on the shores of Ardor. They peacefully interacted with the native tribes, exchanging various gifts. One of the most important gifts to be exchanged at this time was wine, which the Remanites gave the Elves. Bringing it back to Sol Venail, the elven upper class grew very fond of wine, and sent multiple expeditions, each one larger than the last, to exchange wine for various goods and technologies.
===Imperial era===
====Imperial annexation====
Around 2003 OA, the Elves arrived with a massive invasion fleet. Part of it landed at what is now Heliaine, and the rest at the location of Onanelh led by Aislin I. Whilst these areas were not populated by the Remanites at the time, news quickly reached Wanel of the mass arrival of the Elves. Emissaries were sent by the Remanites to contact the Elves and propose various trade agreements. The Elves decided to avoid bloodshed and establish a peaceful foothold on the continent. As such, they offered the Remanites protection from the now regular incursions from the First Hosaq Kingdom. It is unknown how events exactly unfolded, but Dwarven records indicate that by the 19th century OA, the Remanites were under the rule of the Old Empire without bloodshed. 
After the subjugation of of the Remanite Confederation, the region was carved up into several manarvems (literally regions of men). The Elves founded several cities, most notably what would become Waënpor to export wine and Pirtras. The Elves also founded several fortresses, most notably Varul (then Var Hul, "red fort"). After the founding of Onanelh in 2001 OA, the Elves continued their expansion throughout the rest of the continent, using Bloodwine as their base of operations for other many invasions. 
==== The Great Peace ====
The Great Peace or Sol Serilia in Imperial was a period in Araner and wider Venail history which lasted from the elven subjugation of Bloodwine to the mid 1300s OA. Due to elven complete technological superiority and their use of magic, up until then largely unknown to men outside of small circles of priests, they were able to subjugate much of Venail throughout the second milennium of the Old Age with little significant resistance. This era brought immense prosperity to the Elves back in Sol Venail but also marked an era of peace and stability for their new subjects. Bloodwine in particular saw its economy skyrocket thanks to its importance to the Elves, as it was near Sinarvem, which became the main source of silver for the Empire, and as it was the main producer of wine which had become extremely popular with the Elves. 
The Elves initially treated the men of the Remanite tribes well, as their resistance had been relatively limited and they had largely accepted elven rule. In 1908 of the Old Age, the new emperor Varian I, later nicknamed the Wise, issued a decree, now known as the Narahuën Decree, which made all species equal to Elves in the eyes of the law. It also effectively decriminalised the worship of the main gods of the Zodiac pantheon for other races. This cemented the Remanite loyalty to the Elves, and due to their importance in wine production they were granted special privileges on top of those of the decree. These included the ability to serve in the elven army, acquire administrative positions and to study the arcane arts. 
The Remanites began utilising the elven script], and over time the Remanite language, under the influence of Imperial, transformed into what would become Aranese. The vocabulary and sound of the language came to resemble Imperial, but it retained much of the complex syntax and grammar of human languages, which Imperial language lacks. This was part of a wider assimilation of the Remanites into elven culture, and they were soon called "the most elven of men" ("Vhenothyb yrb Thorpan"). Already around the 1600s of the Old Age, the Remanites begin to be referred to as Araners. The Halflings however did not assimilate as well, and their culture and language remains distinct to this day. 
In 1546 OA Aranaine was founded to serve as the overall capital of the Bloodwine region, which at the time was still subdivided into smaller administrative districts. Due to its location near the coast and midpoint between Onanelh and Waënpor from Wanel and Waënul, it quickly grew to eclipse Wanel as the largest city in the area. It is also at this time that Varul transitioned from a mere fort to a city proper, and it became a major center of learning due to strong orgone in the area.
==== The Troubles ====
The Troubles were a period of instability across Venail due to poor elven leadership and alienation of the Empire with its subjects. With the death of the long-lived Varian I in 1168 OA, his cousin's grandson, Morien, was chosen to become the next emperor. He would come to be known as the Foolish. Over the course of his reign he made a series of poor decisions, fueled by his desire to appease the increasingly xenophobic ruling class of the Empire, which ultimately weakened the Empire and put it on the path of collapse. In 1093 OA he revoked the Narahuën Decree, making Elves superior to other races legally. He also made it punishable by death for any member of another race to worship the gods. As the edict which granted the Araners their privileges was separate from the main Narahuën edict, they were spared from these changes. However, in 1008, he revoked Araner privileges as well. This sparked widespread unrest across the region.
The nomads of the Cold Steppe, south of Aranwaën had never been completely subjugated by the Elves due to their nomadic nature, and they always kept their independent spirit. By the mid-10th century OA, the nomads of Santel began launching raids into Upper Bloodwine and Emirìa. A delegation was sent by the Araners requesting aid after they were defeated in battle, but the newly-appointed imperial governor refused to help, citing that Humans should work out their differences among themselves. This caused outrage in every part of the empire populated by Humans. In the end, the regional army of the Hosaq came to aid the Araners, and their combined forces defeated a major nomadic host in 916 OA. 
With the emperor refusing to even attempt to placate the Humans, Goblins and Dwarves of the realm, the entire continent entered a state of permanent unrest. Elven officials were regularly murdered and armies were openly attacked, supply lines and ships destroyed, shipments delayed, equipment sabotaged. The Araners, which had traditionally loyal to the empire begun organising resistance. In 897 OA, Morien sent a great force of 100,000 elven soldiers to effectively re-occupy the continent, twice the size of the original invasion force. Whilst none dared fight them in the field, the army was slowly sapped of its strength, and over time many of its soldiers began deserting, due to their own disapproval of the emperor's conduct. By 894 OA, the force, unable to commit to a decisive battle, was left with barely a dozen thousand troops. The emperor, preoccupied by unrest back home was forced to placate the Humans, and he conceded to them the equality in front of the law in 891 OA. He however did not reinstate Araner privileges or religious rights. This succeeded in calming the local populations temporarily, which did not wish independence but merely reform. 
As time went, many independence movements grew across Venail, particularly in Northern Ocania and Western Venail. Even the Red Elves, which had risen from the union of Elves and Humans wished to separate themselves from the Empire, which they now saw as decadent, corrupt and needlessly authoritarian. With the rise of the Orcs from Goblin-Elven unions in the Great Desert, came a new threat to the Empire. Ultimately, the Troubles would see a short recession during the reign of Varian II the Just from 829 to 756 OA. Like his namesake, he reinstated the Narahuën Decree in its entirety. However, he also decreed that not only was it no longer criminal for other races to worship the gods, but that it was now fully legal and encouraged. This caused a deep split in the elven elite, and he was assassinated shortly after. This announcement he made during a visit in Varul, making Varul one of the main holy sites of the Miratiri religion. Whilst it was unpopular with the Elves back home, the Red Elves and other races, with the exception of the Orcs, embraced it across Venail. Varian was succeeded by Lyrenlin, who was not from the imperial dynasty.
This short pause in the independence movements was however only temporary. The Cold Steppe shattered the illusion of imperial control in 576 OA already at the Battle under the Black Sun. Losing any semblance of legitimacy, Lyrenlin was himself murdered and succeeded by Terenlin, Varian's only surviving son. This was an example for many others to declare their independence. It began with Orcs during the 500s OA. The Empire progressively began withdrawing, in particular from areas which were only under nominal control. During the 5th century OA, the Empire abandoned the Southern Realms and the Red Mountains, followed by Yondarin and Southern Ocania in the 4th century OA. Many other regions followed, and by 300 OA over half the continent was effectively independent again. During the 200s OA, the Empire was forced into a devastating war against the Ocanians which it lost, and the Empire withdrew from Ocania in 199 OA. By 139 OA, they had abandoned the entire continent except for Aranwaën, Sinarvem and Silur. Silur was abandoned in 86 OA, and Aranwaën was abandoned in 73 OA. Onanelh remained part of the Empire until 5 OA, when it was officially made independent. Five years later, the last ships departed for Sol Venail. Thus began the New Age. 
=== Warring duchies period ===
With the departure of the Empire, large parts of the continent were left in a state of perpetual conflict, and Aranwaën was no exception. Whilst the neighbouring Dwarves were able to rapidle reconstitute their society around their ancestral city-states, Aranwaën was unable to return to the old and outdated confederacy of tribes system. A gathering of local lords, merchants, as well as remaining elven elites was called in 68 OA at the city of Wanel. This came to be known as the Conclave of Wanel. The elven elite and merchants worked to make Aranwaën into a military and commercial alliance of independent cities. However, the local nobility forced the negotiations into a standstill, in part due to their differences with the elven administrators. Two months after the conference was called, negotiations collapsed as one of the most powerful nobles in the realm, which would go on to become the duke of Emirìa, declared independence and attempted to seize as much land as he could. Following this, several lords proclaimed their independence, whilst Aranaine and Waënpor were seized by the merchant guilds, and much of Upper Bloodwine came under elven control again. 
The various independent states limited themselves to small border skirmishes for a few years, but by 56 OA the entire region had effectively entered a state of perpetual conflict. With perpetually shifting alliances and enemies, Aranwaën was stuck in a state of inner conflict and perpetual war for over 250 years. However, the fighting largely spared Bloodwine proper, and concentrated itself on the borderlands between it and the rest of the region. Nevertheless, Aranwaën was largely devastated economically and demographically during its period, its population stagnating for over two centuries. The period of most intense and brutal fighting occurred between 43 NA and 63 NA, when two large coalitions fought for the control of Nelhuan. This period is known as the Dark Twenty, or Shet Tum in Aranese. By the mid-2nd century NA, an elven-merchant alliance had recovered most of Bloodwine's area and established itself as the main state in the area.
=== Hosaq period ===
The Hosaq, in their own civil conflict, emerged united under king Manar I in 196 NA. They would quickly absorb many of their neighbours, including Aranwaën. Their use of heavy cavalry, well-established feudal system and united nature allowed them to easily overrun other nations. The Hosaq invasion began in 232 NA, under king Virtam I. The invasion was kickstarted by the capture of Varul, whilst the Emirìan ducal army was away fighting in the west. He then marched with his army on Ardhor, capturing Ardaine later that same year. He spent the winter in Ardaine and was reinforced by an additional army led by his son, future king and later emperor Manar III. 
In 233 NA, Virtam moved south and captured Bezgar with little resistance. The Araner merchant-elven alliance, left with their main western enemies considerably weakened were able to push into Doriniem, ending the everlasting civil war. The Araners confronted the Hosaq Royal Army near Ardaine. The Araners had 8000 men where as the Hosaq had 13000. The battle, which would eventually be known as the Battle of the Purple Hills, begun in the Hosaq's favour. As the two main infantry lines clashed, the Hosaq were able to come out on top and a decisive cavalry charge led by Manar himself seemed to have sealed the fate of the Araner army. However, the elven mages invoked a powerful spell, creating a massive sinkhole in the ground, which engulfed a large cavalry contigent and the king himself. Seeing their king disappeared, the Hosaq retreated in a panic, although they had considerably less casualties than the Araners. Nevertheless, Manar refused to return to Hosaq City for his coronation and continued his offensive. He met the Araner army a second time near Wanel itself, but this time he bribed some of the elven mages to join him before the battle, and they were able to negate the spells cast by the Araner ones. The Araner army was effectively wiped out, and with little to no resources left most Araner cities simply surrendered upon seeing Manar's army approaching.
The Hosaq period saw little resistance. The Hosaq were unlike the Elves, happy to leave the local populations to their own devices in exchange for minimal tribute and military aid. In 248 NA, following a pledge of loyalty of the ruling council of Onanelh, Manar III became the first Emperor of the Hosaq, Manar I, forever afterwards known as the Great. He reorganised Aranwaën into the Kingdom of Bloodwine nominally ruled by a member of the imperial family, but in reality ruled by a council made up of the old elven bureaucrats and merchants. He did this as they were effectively the legitimate government of the region following their victory against the nobles. The remaining nobles were steadily stifled out by the merchants and lost any real power. The Elves themselves were slowly relegated to the role of advisors and ministers and the merchants grew ever richer as trade began to prosper again under the Hosaq peace. 
City 	Population 	Aranvem 	Own Riëtem?
Onanelh 	~150 thousand	Sinarvem 	YES
Waënpor 	~120 thousand	Sinarvem 	YES
Aranaine 	~80 thousand 	Lower Bloodwine	YES
Wanel 	~70 thousand 	Upper Bloodwine	NO
Aranpor 	~48 thousand 	Lower Bloodwine	NO
Varul 	~30 thousand 	Emirìa 	YES
Nelhuan 	~24 thousand 	Upper Bloodwine	YES
Waënul 	~20 thousand 	Upper Bloodwine	NO
Doraine = Pirtras	~19 thousand 	Doriniem 	NO
Bezgar 	~18 thousand 	Santel 	NO
Heliaine 	~18 thousand 	Sel Helior 	NO
==Society and culture==
Araner culture is no doubt one of the most distinct on the continent. It is a mix of ancient elven culture and native human culture. Whilst Aranwaën is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, its people generally frown upon excess and lavish displays of wealth, with the notable exception of cuisine. Araner culture is also one of the most zealous, fiercely adhering to Miratiri. 
Aranwaën is one of the most pro-magic nations in the world. Whilst mages are often limited to positions of court advisors among the higher nobility of most other nations, and are persecuted in orcish realms, Aranwaën makes use of mages in all sectors and stratas of society. The great Academies of Varul and Aranaine are some of the largest and most prestigious in the world. The University of the Arcane Arts of Onanelh hosts the largest library of books and runes in the world. Araner culture holds scholars, mage or not, in high regard. Wealthy merchant families compete for the patronage of the best-known scholars to display their power and love of the arts and sciences. 
There is also a complete absence of landed nobility. The upper class is nearly entirely made up of merchant families, called noënils in Aranese. These families hold most of the political power, especially in the cities, and make up the entirety of the Assembly of the Merchants, as the name would suggest. Farmland is mostly held by individual farmers. When it is not, it is often part of bocnelus, land collectively owned by members of a community, most often a village. This is similar to the communal land ownership systems which are common in the region of the Great Plains. Great agricultural plantations for export are however held by the burghers, such as vineyards and fields of olives. 
===Cuisine===
Wine being its prime export, it is no surprise that cuisine is one of the most well-known aspects of Aranwaën abroad. Its wine is famed all across the continent, especially in further away areas such as the Border Duchies and the two Grey Kingdoms. Araner food is described in the Guide to Var Venail's cuisine of Blue Mage Soppar, published in 983, as "...a menu where every meal contains, to various degrees, wine and sea fruits". Whilst most of Aranwaën proper isn't a coastal region, the extensive trade and communication with its neighbouring regions (which are now part of the nation) of Sinarvem and Sel Helior, both of which lay along the coast, has ensured that sea food is overrepresented in Araner cuisine relative to its geography. 
===Fashion===
Aranese fashion is known for being extremely simplistic. As the merchant class replaced the old nobility in the early 100s, the old noble extravagant fashion became seen as outdated and a symbol of the nobility. However recently great silk robes in the colours of individual families have gained a lot of traction.
===Architecture===
Following in the path of its fashion, architecture in Aranwaën is relatively minimalistic. However, this is less extreme than with fashion. Araner architecture is well known for its usage of domes, mosaics and various geometrical patterns, especially in public buildings. Whilst coats of arms are reserved for wealthier families, almost every family in Aranwaën has its own pattern. These patterns are replicated in the homes of that family. These patterns are of high importance to the Aranese, and a major symbol of identity. They are called poliors. There is also a general pattern used to represent the nation as a whole. This pattern, as well as several familial patterns have been sourced back to pre-
Arrival times, at the time of the Remanite Tribes.
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