Northride

The Kingdom of the North Riding was a powerful kingdom on the coast of the Trade Lake before the Great Gap. Despite its name, the Northride has never been overly associated with horsemanship like its neighbours in etymology, the Eastride, Westride, and Southride.

## History

The Northride is generally considered to have begun when the people of Hindbeck began to exert influence over the smaller neighbouring town of Ilheiy in around 40BCE. This was a democracy, with the town council in Hindbeck governing both settlements.

In 85CE, the Northride expanded to the west along the coast, absorbing the town of Ottenden. This town was bellicose and aggressive, chafing under the yoke of the Northride. In 110, this came to a head in the Ottenden War. The Northride's democratic council was cast aside for the time being, with a single figure - the Throned Man - taking control in order to aid decision-making. Regardless of the change in command, the Northride was forced to concede Ottenden's independence in 113.

Though the war had been lost, the Northride was now a Kingdom. The first Throned Man refused to hand control back to the council, and instead took permanent control. This, and news of the war, had a profound effect on the surrounding area. What had been a collection of peaceful farming towns suddenly exploded into war, and resulted in two rival kingdoms. This terrified the settlements around the Northride, which quickly began to nationalise in order to resist any invasion that may occur. This resulted in the towns of Guildwich, Ovardale, and Sturlmere forming a confederation against both Ottenden and the Northride.

The Northride refrained from aggressive action for nearly a century, trying not to antagonise the confederation to the south. Instead if focussed on trade, establishing relations with the Kingdom of Dornrod, the Republic of Landningen, and the Kingdom of Falkenlunde among others. The latter was a great ally to the Northride, with the royal families of both intermarrying frequently.

It was the expansion of Varhold that prompted the Northride to take up arms again. The deep friendship the Throned Men shared with the Kings of Falkenlunde meant that the Northride would assist if Varhold should attack Falkenlunde. However, the Northride lacked the capacity to help in any significant way. To ensure its own survival, then, Falkenlunde gave assistance to the Northride in consolidating its grip on the surrounding area.

In 204, the Northride attacked Ottenden and annexed it, then conquering the southern confederation town by town. It set up client states in Torncastre, Kalde, Wolfden, Aldcast, and Prye, to protect itself from potential invaders in the south. This greatly expanded the influence and power of the Northride without making itself appear powerful enough to antagonise its neighbours - neighbours such as the Southride.

The Southride desired the lands of the Northride, and in the 230s and 240s developed relationships with several of the Northride's client states. In 249 this incited Torncastre and Kalde to rebellion, resulting in the formation of the Westride as an independent country influenced significantly by the Southride.

Regardless, the remaining client states allowed the Northride to focus on expanding. Prye was fully brought into the fold in 301, and after that the War of Genville brought Harnfell and Stralrath into the Northride by 310.

In 327, the inevitable occurred. Varhold, having taken Vänersgård, turned its attention to Gornelund and Falkenlunde. The Conquest of Falkenlunde raged for eight years, and the Northride contributed a significant force for the defence of its ally. It was in vain, however, and in 335 Falkenlunde was reduced to a vestige of its former self.

The Great Gap occurred ten years later. Going into the Gap, the Northride was a proud kingdom, with strong borders and an army just recovered from its expedition to the north. After the Gap, it ceased to exist entirely. The idea of the Northride lived on in the administrative region - the Throned Men had been demoted to the Caped Men of Sturlmere, under the thumb of the Kingdom of Kingdom of Faramond.