Kingdom of the Aurous Highlands

Between the Blesire States and the Mountain Hobbits in Northern Scimitaria lies the **The Kingdom** - or the Lordship, as known inside the country itself **-** **of the Aurous Highlands**. Contrary to popular belief, the Aurous Highlands are not named after their gold mines, but their name was given by its locals more than a millenia ago, thanks in part to their golden coloured hills and wheat fields near the coast.

The Aurous Highlands are known for their rugged hills, rolling plains, fertile fields, and broadleaf forests. The land contains lakes and rivers, and the hills conceal systems of caves and caverns. The Golden Highlands are not the largest, most populous, or most fertile part of the Scimitarian continent, but they are the richest. Full of hills and crags, the land is dotted with mines from which pour gold and silver in astonishing quantities.

Many people from the Blesire States and South Belsirya migrate to the Highlands, seeking their fortune. There are settlements which become ghost towns once nearby mines stop producing ore, which is something that becomes ever so common nowadays..

## History

### Under the Elves

The area that now houses the Aurous Highlands has been inhabited for as long as there has been human settlements in Scimitaria. Originally a province of the First Western Elven Empire, it was populated by a few quiet farmsteads and small villages. After the fall of the First Elven Empire, Belsirya and the Aurous Highlands fell under the control of the Azan Empire.

The Azaneese favored the Scimitarian humans over the local Drow and other elven settlers such as Sea Elves and Wood Elven colonizers from Eflwood, and as such they invested heavily in the northern human provinces, whose status quickly grew within the Empire. As a consequence of this, two human kingdoms were erected in northwestern Scimitaria - the Kingdom of Belsirya and the Duchy of Calcabra, both being vassals of the Azan Empire, but enjoying some amount of autonomy. Under the Kingdom of Belsirya ruled many lesser kings, with the Aurous Highlands constituting one of these lesser kingdoms.

Over time, the influence of the Azan Empire gradually lessened in the region, eventually leading to a series of wars against the united Drow, who aimed in creating a succesor state of the First Elven Empire. Even though they were initially succesful, their "Second Elven Empire" was short lived, lasting only three decades, and they were eventually driven back into their ashlands over a series of wars throughout Scimitaria.

Both Calcabra and Belsirya earned their independence, as small independent states gradually coalesced into a collection of duchies, principalities, and semi-independent baronies. Over time, the two states that existed during the days of the Azan Empire -Belsirya and Calcabra - were reformed. Like Calcabra being united under one Grand Duchy, Belsirya also consolidated into one state, the Kingdom of Belsirya, being ruled from the capital city of Margueron, near the border with Calcabra.

### Discovery of the Gold Mines

The Aurous Highlands were the poorest and least populated region of Belsirya for centuries, but it all changed when miners from the small village of Canavan discovered gold. Over time, many more veins were discovered, and word quickly reached to Lord Paramount Basil Bolivard and even to the King of Belsirya itself, Aurelien of House Platret.

King Aurelien did not let the opportunity slip away, and soon sent many opportunist miners and other government officials to monitor the gold excavation in the Aurous Highlands. Soon, the region became one of the richest in the entirety of Scimitaria, and many castles and towns were built with its newfound wealth.

However, not even 50 years had passed before turmoil boiled down in the Aurous HIghlands. King Aurelien's nephew, Florian, was even more greedy and ruthless than his predecessor, and he tried to squeeze out every last bit of gold out of the locals of the highlands. He used his slave masters to enforce his will into the populace, and it wasn't long before even the Lord Paramount, a longtime ally of House Platret, turned against the King.

It all started in the village of Canavan, the original source of the gold mines, which had now turned into a large hillside trading town. The soldiers stationed there were brutally killed by pitchfork and rusty knife wielding peasants, chanting against the tyrannical House of Belsirya. Soon, this rebellion spread throughout the Aurous Highlands, and Lord Paramount Maxell Bolivard had no chance but to act swiftly, lending his arm to the rebellious peasants.

Before Margueron could act, most of the soldiers and slavers in the Aurous Highlands were driven out with their tails behind their legs. The other lords of Belsirya also sensed this moment of weakness, and willing to free themselves, joined the rebellion.

Needless to say, not even a year passed from the first rebellious incident and Belsirya was now shattered. The Kingdom lost the majority of its lands, and was now reduced to a small strip of land in the western Scimitarian coast. Even though they still call themselves the Kingdom of Belsirya, the name of this state that's fashioned by their neighbors now is "the Kingdom of South Belsirya", wanting to make the distinction between the past and the present.

Northern Belsirya was now home to a political alliance between many Paramount Lords, known as the "Alliance of the Blesire States". However, once the son of Lord Paramount Maxell died without heirs, the political alliance between the Aurous Highlands and the rest of the Blesire States broke apart.

Then followed a 12 year period of political turmoil in the Aurous Highlands, with many nobles and parties wanting to take control of the vacant place that House Bolivard left behind. It ended with Lord Emil of House Guivarch, a nobleman from the Northwesternmost tip of Belsirya - taking the throne of the Aurous Highlands, after he struck a deal with the miners and local merchants. Nowadays, his dynasty still rules these lands, almost a century after their independence from the Kingdom of Belsirya.

## Government

The Aurous Highlands, despite what their name might indicate, are not a Kingdom. Most foreigners call them by the name of the historical kingdom that used to exist shortly before the Drow invasion.

In reality, it's a Lordship that's ruled by Lady Paramount Saverine of House Guivarch, a direct descendant of Lord Emil. She rules from Ashmark, a large fortress carved out of a hill. It was constructed after the discovery of the first gold mine, and it's surrounded by a walled city, at the foot of the hill where it's built.

## Locations

Ashmark, a large fortress carved out of a hill, is the capital of the Aurous Highlands. It was constructed by King Basil I after the discovery of the first gold mine, and it's surrounded by the walled city of Canavan, at the foot of the hill where it's built. Canavan was just a small mining village around 180 years ago, but its popularity and population bloomed with the discovery of the first gold vein. Today, it is the second biggest city in the Aurous Highlands.

Sanderport is a walled harbor city situated on the northern coast of Scimitaria. It's the historical capital of the region, as it was there where the Lesser Kings and the Lord Paramounts used to rule from, before the golden discovery. It's the biggest population centre of the Lordship and also the longest continuously inhabited settlement.

The city is renowned for its goldwork and goldsmiths and produces a spiced honey wine that's a popular export in the Adamantine Archipelago and the Blesire States. Sanderport is also renowned for its brothels and its well trained City Watch that polices the city. There are also other port towns along the northern coastline, although none are as important and wealthy as Sanderport.

Many other cities and towns have sprung up in the past, usually near a recently discovered gold mine. For that reaosn, there are many settlements that turn into ghost towns once nearby mines stop producing ore, which is something that becomes ever so common nowadays.

## Geography

The Aurous Highlands are known for their rugged hills, rolling plains, fertile fields, and broadleaf forests. The land contains lakes and rivers, and the hills conceal systems of caves and caverns. The southern and western portion of the realm is more mountainous, while the nearer one gets to the coast the flatter the land gets. Full of hills and crags, the land is dotted with mines from which gold and silver pour in astonishing quantities.

## Economy

Gold makes up the main export and the foundation of the Aurian economy. The Aurous Highlands are not the largest, most populous, or most fertile part of northern Scimitaria, but they are the richest. Besides goldwork, goldsmithing and silversmithing, there is also fishery on the northern coast, as well as some farming along the highlands. Spiced honey wine wine is a popular product of Sandersport, and many varieties of goat milk and butter are produced in many mountain villages.

## Religion

### Faith of the Nine Saints

The most common religion practiced by the people of the Aurous Highlands, Belsiyra and the Blesire States is the worship of the Nine Saints. The faithful of the Nine Saints believe that a single God, who has a million names and a million forms, reigns over the world of the mortal via his eight servants, mortals who were ascended into sainthood.

The pantheon of the Nine Saints is as follows:

* Julienn, holy patron of stonemasons and smiths.
* Melitele, holy patron of childbirth and mercy.
* Alara, holy patron of justice. The same figure stands as a prophet in the New Azan Faith, and is one of many instances where the Azan Faith has influenced the local religion.
* Zana, holy patron of fertility and love.
* Zeke, holy patron of warriors.
* Brezne, holy patron of sailors and fishermen.
* Atman, holy patron of miners.
* Nealan, holy patron of health and disease.
* Liandry, holy patron of death and the underworld.

The Faith of the Nine Saints have many religious centres throughout the region of Greater Belsirya. Depending on the patron saint, one can find places of worships in many different places.

Small temples built in honor of Atman and Julienn are usually found near mines and quarries, respectively. Temples of Melitele and Nealan train their priests in midwifery and healing, respectively. Many ships carry small shrines where sailors pray to Brezne for winds of fortune. Followers of Liandry are are tasked with preparing the deceased for the grave, as well as burying them. They dress in black robes, their faces hooded and shawled so only their eyes remain visible.

The Royal Justiciar and the Royal Executioner carry out their actions in the name of Alara. Inside the barracks of the city watch one can find shrines dedicated to Alara and Zeke. Zana is popular amongst women, and love potions are known to be brewed inside her temples.

### Azan Faith

A variant of the New Azan Faith is also present in the Aurous Highlands, where many sun symbols are used. The worship of Bronzar is sometimes combined with that of Atman and Julienn, with miners and masons often considering the aspect of one god. There is also a dichotomy between the faiths of Azan and that of the Nine Saints, as Alara is a prophet in the former, while in the latter she's considered a saint.

Most of the New Azan faithful are found in the city of Sanderport.

### Faith of Irem

The southeast of the Lordship is home to a community of reclusive villages, which were built by refugees from Bumi. These refugees are followers of the moon goddess Irem and were forced to flee their homeland after being prosecuted for their beliefs by the Church of Mg'umba.

## Demographics

### Humans

Humans make up the majority of the population. Most are of Blesiryan stock, with a few Calcabrans immigrating during the gold rush of the Aurous Highlands, now having fully integrated with the natives. A community of Bumians live in the southwest, while many merchants and fishermen from Chrysovica are found on the northern coast towns.

### Non-Humans

Non humans are relatively rare in the Aurous Highlands. Sea Elves can occasionally be found on the coast, trading with the locals. Some Mountain Hobbits traversed the Calcabran Mountains, reaching the other side in order to partake in the gold rush. Their descendants can be found scattered around the many mining communities.

## Foreign Relations

### Blesire States

The Aurous Highlands mantain good relations with the Blesire States, of which they used to be part of. They share religious belief and cultural habits. The various Blesire nobles are still bitter about the fact that they weren't able to take control of the gold mines, and are constantly trying to scheme their way into the court of Ashmark. Both countries have vowed to defend eachother in case of any Blesiryan aggression.

### South Belsirya

South Belsirya is hostile against the Blesire States and the Aurous Highlands, seeing them as breakaway states. They prefer to trade with Chrysovica and Calcabra instead. Even though the Highlanders see the House of Platret as tyrannical oppressors who look to drain them of all their resources. Despite that, South Belsirya has yet to act on their threats of reconquering their former territories.

### Grand Duchy of Calcabra

There is a feeling of comradery between these nations, ever since their joint war of independence against the Drow. Still, the Calcabrans have influence in the Aurous Highlands and are constantly trying to benefit from their mineral wealth.

### Drow City States

Although interactions between the two are almost non existant nowadays, there is still mutual dislike between each other that hails from the northern Scimitarian wars. Every state of former Blesirya has vowed to help Calcabra defend their borders in the case of a defensive war.

### Bumi and Arangea

Although trade is rare with these nations, they have also developed a defensive pact against the Drow.

### Isle of Wizards

The Wizards have often lended millitary assistance against the Drow to the Calcabran and Blesiryan states in the form of amazon warriors and lesser magic orders. Relations between the two nations are cordial, although the Wizards only respect those with magical abillity.

### Earldom of Chrysovica and Sea Elven Domains

Trade is very common between these nations, with the city of Sanderport being a common meeting ground for their merchants. Even though the Sea Elves once conquered the far northeastern portion of Scimitaria from the humans who once lived there, their relations haven't soured at all. That's because these wars of conquest were over a millenia ago, after the break-up of the Azan Empire, and because the Sea Elves - unlike their Drow cousins - treated the humans with respect and integrated them into their society, giving them positions of power. Sometimes, whenever a mine dries out, the workers there are forced to sail off to Chrysovica in search of better fortunes.

### Mountain Hobbit Clans

Sometimes merchants of both nations will take the long road that leads back and forth into the Calcabran mountains to trade milk, meat, butter, furs and ore. Relations between the two are cordial, and the Aurous Highlanders sympathize with the Hobbit struggle against the Drow.