Vun

**Vun** is one of the Free Cities of Wendos, located within the Yanniri Desert in the land of Vunendos. It is currently in dominion of the Lordosi Empire.

## Geography

The city itself is situated in the centre of a giant crater, known as the Garden of Heaven. The area surrounding the crater is a desolate and arid land, but the crater itself is green and full of life. This verdant landscape supports the city, providing food and water.

Although there is little rainfall in Vun, various deep water wells and underground rivers provide the city with water. The city sprawls throughout the crater, with farms and pastures dotted throughout. Vun lacks any walls or battlements, as the steep slopes of the crater provide adequate defence against the outside world.

The only entrance to the crater is at the north-eastern end. A keep sits at the base of crater, guarding a narrow pathway carved into the crater edge. A small settlement, known as Vungart, is built surrounding this keep. Vungart is mostly comprised of inns and taverns, where travellers to Vun rest while awaiting access to the crater.

## History

The origins of Vun are unclear. It is believed the city was built by the same civilisation that constructed the ancient cities of Tor, Hask and Thel before the Age of Fire. Architecturally, the buildings are similar to those in Tor, but built from sandstone rather than marble.

### **The Wendorni**

The first people to inhabit Vun following the Age of Fire were the Wendorni tribes that migrated south between the 3rd and 8th centuries 8E. It is said that the people who eventually settled in Vun travelled across the desolate Yaniri Desert for many years before reaching Vun. After seeing birds flying above the crater, the humans, weak from thirst and hunger, crawled up the sides of the crater. When they finally reached the top, they thought they had found paradise.

Over the centuries, these humans spread out throughout Vun and flourished. For a long time, the city was completely isolated from other civilisations. Until trade started to flow from Balshkia and Leyenne into western Wendos, the people of Vun had almost no contact with the outside world. As this trade started to increase, Vun developed into a major trade hub, as it was one of the few places travellers could stop while crossing the harsh Yaniri.

### **Lordosi Conquest**

During the mid 10th era, the growing Lordosi Empire started conquering the once free cities of Wendos. After Tor and Hask fell, Vun shores it's defences and prepared for the attack. In the early 7th century, the forces of Lordos invaded Vunendos. From the very beginning, it was clear this was to be an arduous campaign.

The Lordosi empire had to deploy massive supply lines to bring food and water to their forces as they marched through the desert. Attrition losses were high as the Vun soldiers raided these lines, causing many to die from thirst and hunger. The campaign in Vunendos lasted decades and cost thousands of lives. The Emperor knew that he must conquer Vun in order to continue conquest into Balshkia and Leyenne.

The Lordosi could not afford a drawn out siege; the defenders were well stocked with provisions and the attackers were losing men every day to the harsh desert. The Lordosi generals developed a plan. Rather than try and starve the defenders out, they marshalled their main force to attack Vungart, while they sent small forces to scale the crater and enter the city. These saboteurs poisoned the sacred wells and burnt Vun's crops to weaken the city's defence. The priest-lords of Vun saw that they were in danger of losing their precious food and water supply and so, sued for peace with the Lordosi.

After the siege, a treaty was drawn that allowed Vun to operate as a vassal state. They would not become part of the empire and would be allowed to continue practising their ancient religion. In return, the Lordosi forces would garrison in Vun and use it as a way-point for their further conquests east.

### **The Lordosi Betrayal**

In the years following the conquest of Vun, the Lordosi war machine ground to a halt. The disastrous invasions of invasions of Leyenne and Dolhaegia and thwarted the Empire's thirst of expansion and caused the emperor's attention to turn inwards. It was during this time that the Golandri Purges started. As the Golandri started systematically executing all mages within the Empire, their attention also turned to those who worshipped religions other than Lorranism.

Despite the promises made in the peace treaty, the Golandri arrived in Vun and started to destroy the Vunish religion. With the help of the army, they destroyed the temples and shrines of Vun and executed the priest-lords that had ruled for over a thousand years.

## Religion

### **The Godspring**

Before Vun was conquered by Lordos, the people of Vun believed their city was created by a godlike race, called the Grenfexi. They created a magical fountain in the centre line of the crater, known as the Godspring. From this fountain, the land grew rich and fertile. The Grenfexi then used their magic to raise the earth around the garden, creating the walls of the crater. The early Vunendosi worshipped the Grenfexi as gods and built great temples and shrines to honour them. After Vun fell to Lordos, the worship of the Grenfexi was outlawed and their monuments were torn down. Secret cults of worship still existnin Vun, but any who are discovered to still practice this ancient religion are martyred by the Golandri.