Dalfore

Dalfore is one of few states in the northwest of Tairghol that can claim to have history before the Great Gap. It is currently a prominent country in the area and the leader of the Dalforean League, a trading organisation comprised of many northwest states. Dalfore borders Harä, Kafetra and Talor to the north, and Tianguo and Lacrive to the south.

## Geography

The north of Dalfore is bounded by the Huon Range, and the Hurva River runs between Dalfore and Harä in the central north. This same river separates Dalfore from Kafetra and Talor in the northeast.

The region of Ormol lies in the northwest corner, with its provincial capital being Ormol Camp. There are sparsely-populated smaller settlements in the area: Baenurra Camp, Tawurm, Croscamp and Farrav Town.

Eastwards is the region of Krasnar, governed from Ealsor. Krasnar is more heavily populated and hosts the towns of Niogar, Erdia, Boith, Nuntrick, Sugria and Angog Post.

Further east, on the Talorian border, lies the region of Abrunn; local governance is run from Granwald. Other towns in the area are Salmor, Jalobras, Prensie and Galusar. The latter three settlements lie on the Trade Lake, making them prosperous towns.

South of here lies the region of Avisir, governed from Helnas. Towns in this region include Riabel, Ashfeas, Lylf Thaeth, Fanoris and Lefthas, as well as the fortified town of Avisir Post.

Further south is the sprawling plain of Isfelion, run by the elders of Unetheas and comprising the towns of Melfrius, Albel, Ulfmell, Afaqa, Natala and Oreador.

In the extreme south of Dalfore, and lying on the Merkata River, is the capital city of Delfar. This is a small but highly-populated area of a dozen towns, including Ayerius, Elyran, Ahlon, Harion, Renlin, Lahona, Filnhil, Yavelion, Thaelon, Sanuil and Kesnor.

## History

The Dalforean people have a very difficult origin to pin down. They are essentially leftovers - as the Flentia Fleet sailed, ships continually peeled off to settle all along their route. After sailing to the source of the Flentia and picking up again at the Spurnian, they headed along the coast of the Trade Lake and along the Merkata until they reached its mouth.

Here the sailors were faced with a choice. Continue north or south along the coast, or settle at the Merkata delta. The fleet had major issues arguing over which option to pick, and as a result split in three. Those who chose to settle at the delta were a mixture of Europeans - primarily former Crusaders - and formed the basis of Dalforean culture. There are six ships often identified as the core of this group of settlers - the Basque El Cruzado, the English Nightingale, the Greek Rigas Ferraio, the Spanish Unicornio, and the Dutch Eenhoorn and Reigersberg.

These settlers founded the city of D'Aelfe in the 6th Century BCE, which later grew into the surrounding wilderness. For centuries, though, the city was stagnant and disconnected from its surroundings.

The country itself is said to have come into being in 238CE, when the Minister of the City made the decision to send settlers further north than D'Aelfe's de jure domain of the eponymous region. They headed south into Harver and Vendelton before mustering the required military strength to push back against the savage Running Men to the north.

Dalfore took no part in the Battle of Vorgebirge of 502, and as such had no reason to hate the Tungrids as much as its neighbours, all of which had put high stakes on their defeat. Dalfore did, however, resent that these new neighbours had moved right into the rich northern plains that Dalfore itself had been trying to settle. The Ministers of the time, however, bade their time and, when Adagan Khan died his unified Tungrid state splintered, and Dalfore was able to vassalise two of these.

The Dalforean Minister Haervui (r. 550 - 553) was an especially weak leader, and in the aftermath of his rule, while his successor was picking up the fragmented pieces of Dalforean administration, Tianguo saw weakness and attacked. Dalfore lost all territory south of the Merkata River, leaving it severely weakened.

As a method of centralising more power, Dalfore then instituted the Dalforean League, which was swiftly joined by other peaceful states in the area such as Huon Sa, Harä and Vadya. Dalfore also diplomatically annexed its Tungrid vassals Ormol and Krasnar, extending its northern border to the Huon Range and making Dalfore one of the largest countries in the northwest.