Unification of Nordain

The **Unification of Nordain** is a series of events that occurred in the Fifth Age, following King Lontan Kaulden's rise to power as he united the Ketharri tribes to form the nation of Nordain.

## Background

It was in the Drahanim's nature to wage civil wars to gain dominance over their fellow nobles. They created many independent baronies and jarldoms. In **2A10** Jarl Caedron, the grandson of Jarl Heford, started the war for kingship by declaring himself king. However, this time it was no different, and the tribes waged another civil war. For many years the barons and jarls of the Drahanim were competing and fighting each other to determine who would prevail and become the first king of the new united nation.

## Siege of South Hill

Baron Jorcch was besieged at his castle by Baron Myrddin's troops. Myrrdin called Jorcch out to parley, but the latter sent Lontan to impersonate him in his stead. Myrrdin intended to kill Jorcch during the meeting but Lontan disobeyed his Baron's orders and revealed his true identity. Lontan's courage and honor impressed Myrddin, so he offered him the position of his squire. Lontan refused on the basis that he wasn't an honorable man since Myrddin intended to betray the right of parley. Myrddin launched his final assault, killing both Jorcch and Ser Gromard, though Myrrdin himself was defeated by Lontan in single combat. Lontan spared Myrrdin, however. Inspired by Lontan's peerless honor, Myrrdin in turn swore himself to Lontan's service. The lands of the late Baron Jorrch were given to Lontan and he was named a Jarl.

## Lontan's Victories

The following years, Lontan began a campaign against the highland Thaneholds. Lontan claimed victory after victory, and more allies flocked to his banner. One of them was the famed apostate mage Avenarn, a former consultant to Baron Jorcch and his father before that. Avenarn was taken with Lontan's foolhardy honor and became Lontan's chief advisor after Myrrdin's defeat. Another companion of Lontan was the legendary female warrior Lady Furwen, who also became a close friend of his.

Lontan eventually found his way back to his home city of Seaworth. Jarless Evehild Sorelden gathered all the thanes sworn to her jarldom and faced Lontan's army, refusing to recognise him as king. In the end, the Soreldens lost the battle. In the aftermath, they were shown mercy, and Lontan allowed the Soreldens to retain their jarldom if they would swear fealty to him, which they did.

## Battle of the Nordish Valley

Kvesgar, the infamous Jarl of Dersoden, was the last significant opposition who stood against Lontan. By Avenarn's advice, Lontan went to the Umbradal Forest to recruit the Ashcloaks to his cause. Lontan returned not only with the Ashcloaks, however, but also with the templars and Institute mages. Avenarn left Lontan's service, outraged by his friend's actions, as he saw it as a betrayal that Lontan was condoning the oppression of mages and inviting the Ministry's influence to take root in the nascent kingdom. Despite Avenarn's absence and the superior numbers of Jarl Kvesgar's forces, the Ashcloaks were able to break through Kvesgar's lines. During the battle, Kvesgar nearly killed Lontan, but Lady Furwen intervened and took the wound for him, slaying Kvesgar. With Kevsgar's death, the Battle of the Nordish Valley ended with Lontan's victory.

## Aftermath

In **5A33**, Lontan was named Jarl of Dersoden. Later on, he moved through the Thaneholds and successfully laid siege to Erencliffe, becoming one of three men who was able to do so.

Without any significant opposition, Lontan convened an Allsmeet in **5A42** and was crowned as the very first King of Nordain with his wife Aelareid, the daughter of Baron Myrddin, as its first Queen.

In **5A42** with the crowning of King Lontan in Dersoden, the various warring factions of Drahanim are at last united under a single banner to form Nordain. What had always been considered a land of wild, nomadic barbarians was finally a nation in its own right, though considered primitive and backwater by most other nations which existed longer.