Arding

*Arding* is one of the Northern-States and was scene to numerous battles in the history of Vona. It once was part of Berland and is shaped by ancient battlefields and war-memorials.

In todays Northern Covenant, they are kind of an outsider, as they do not affiliate with any of the bigger political groups in the parlament.

## History

### Settling of Vona

During the settling of the North by the Galawins and Berlish, a war ertrupted between the Human settlers and the native Tor-Vii of the continent. In the area of todays *Ardings*, both groups engaged eachother for the first time, after the failure of peacetalks. In this battle, the first blood was spilled on the earth of *Arding*, which was followed by a campaign against the Tor-Vii in the east, which they lost. The region of the first battle later became part of the new country Berland. On the very first battlefield, they founded the free city of Sigurvad, as a place for all humans despite their origin.

### Three-Corner-War

Sigurvad became a famous city for Berlish, Galawins and Haalfinians, during the Third Age. But growing hostilities between the groups and the three Kingdoms in the North led to the Battle for Sigurvad in 3:312. Once more, this place became the ground for a bloody battle in which the city was completley destroyed. Following this event, in 3:358, began the Three-Corner-War. The region around Sigurvad was occupied by the Haalfinians and laid in ruins. It became known as the Bloodmarshes.

With the fall of the short lived empire in 3:405, the farmers of the general region united into a new state, *Arding*. Allthough, people avoid the marshes in the south of *Arding* to this day.

### Crusade

In the beginning of the Fourth Age, the next cisis started in the North: Hailing from the west, came the Valkarian Empire, aiming to conquer Vona for the God-Emperor. The different nations, who grew out of the fall of the Haalfinian Kaiserreich, were still dickering and fighting amongst eachother, which made it only easier for the Legions to pick them apart one by one. It was too late, wenn the Northerns united against this new foe and fought against them in the heart of Vona, the dried up Bloodmarshes around the ruins of Sigurvad. The Unified Army lost horrible against the invaders and their blood fed the marshes once more, making them even more horrid and repulsive.

When the Crusade arraived on Vona, to liberate it from the foreigners, a fourth battle was held in *Arding*. North, from at the marshes, the crusaders clashed with the legioneers, who were lead by their undeafeted general and war-hero Gallius. In this battle, near the Hills of Glory, Gallius finally fell and his Legions lost their most important strategist. The eventually won the battle, but only recived losses afterwards, until the crusade liberated the rest of Vona and founded the Northern Covenant. North of the foothills, they also raised their new headquartes, Castle Ruhm, which later became the seat of the Castellan Knights.

Today, *Arding* is a member of the Covenant and one of the few, who not part of any coalition in the parlament. Thus, the Mining-Union and the South-North Trade-Alliance are constantly tout for *Ardings* favor and membership, to gain the majority vote in the parlament. So, *Arding* became scene for another, political battlefield.

## Culture

Arding is rather sparce in ressources, compared to other contries on Vona. It only owns a small access to the ironback Mountains and is completley landlocked. Its only use is the historical, besides the farming done in the Hearthbasin. So, Ardings has a cultural significant for the Covenant in addition, to its political importance, inside the parlament.

The people of Arding are used to be in the centr of the North in many aspects and to fight on the frontlines in every war so far. There are so many days of mourning and remeberance of the dead, that they combined them into the Black Week, once a year. Here, they honor all the lost ones, known and nameless soldiers, no matter in which war they served or from with nationality. Stories of ancestors are shared und the people only eat bread and water, to reinact the suffering of the fighters. The last day of the Black Week is a ceremony with music, food and dance. Peace is celebrated after the days of mourning, brought on the shoulders of the dead. You wish for the peace to continue and celebrate the living.

The people of Arding are often seen as melancholic and somber, whose very country is a mere war memorial.

## Regions

### Hills of Glory

   The northern areas of the country are high and undulanting. There lies one of the offshootsd of the Ironback Mountains, the *Bjarnverig Finger,* on which Castle Ruhm stand, the headquarter of the Castellan Knights. In the basin of the area also lies the lake Bardsund, on whiches shores stands the eponymous city.

### Bloodmarshes

siehe: Bloodmarshes

The *Bloodmarshes* once were fields in the south-east of *Arding*, who became the stage vor numerous battles. Today, the very ground is saturated with the blood of the dead and commonly known to be a hostile place. Bizarre Flora and Fauna can be found there, additionaly to a kind of Red Mold, who lives of the bloddied land. Also, the ruins of the city of Sigurvad, once a symbol of unity amongst the Northerners, can be found deep inside the swamp, now a dark and evil place.

### Hearthbasin

In the centre of *Arding* lies the Heartbasin, where the majority of the population lives and mostly is used as farmland. Additionally, *Ardings* capital, Frelsi, sits in its centre. Like most of *Arding* the Mark is open, with little forests.

## Persons/Organisationen

* Castellan Ritter
* Familie Strídundur
* Kaparl Strídundur
* Marsch Wächter