Oront

**To his most excellent Zapalovahn Cnyaz:**

"*In my travels throughout the lands between the provinces of Azan and the dreaded witchelven brothels, so far uncharted in all of our maps, I have discovered that the territory bordering the East of Azan is a rather mountainous region, from which great rivers feed the nearby lakes, with the exception of the lowest lake, whose source I haven't been able to discover.*

*In between these mountains lay rocky plateaus and a few green valleys around minor rivers. At the top of the plateaus, in turn, can be found many fortified cities, of comparable population to the cities that one can find in the north, though smaller than those of Azan and certainly minuscule compared to the endless metropolis of Fenqui. These cities are part of a small, landlocked vassal realm known as Oront. The ruler of Oront is one high king Vah'an of the house of Artash, apparently newcomers to the throne after a recent civil war. Sadly I wasn't admitted in the palace, located in the western capital of Mina (you'll find the picture allocated next to this letter).*

*The high king pays regular tribute in gold, ochre and soldiers to the emperor of Azan, and serves as an Eastern buffer state in case the damned witchelvens were to strike to their West. The armies of Oront are composed of an underclass of foot archers and a high class of heavily armoured (virtually covered in metal) noble cavalry, which, supposedly, the famed heavy cavalry of Azan is merely a second-rate imitation.*

*The border of Oront in the East is the ruined and abandoned city of Tigris, near the shores of the third lake, To the East of that there's a wide strip of no man's land sparsely populated by humans and subject to constant incursion by trolls from the south and witchelf slavers from the further east.*

*The noteworthy products of Oront are bound to end in the markets of Azan, thus establishing direct trade doesn't seem necessary."*

## History

The lands of Oront have been tied to the Azanese Empire for nearly as long as it has existed. And yet, it has managed to fiercely keep its own identity and much of its independence, even at the height of the empire. The first believed contact between Azan and the many orontian cities was around 1.500 BBE. The legends tell that an azanese explorer, searching for a way to find the source that feed the Green River and the Greenspot Lake, with the mountains believed to be impassable at the time. Stopping to catch his breath, he was found by a local shepherd, who casually pointed to him a small crossing between the tall mountains. Following this small road, he managed to find the city of Cetna, finding it surprisingly well defended, with battlements and earthworks highly advanced by the time. While the locals were welcoming to the stranger from outside the mountains, they warned him of mentioning this place to anyone from the other side. Unperturbed by this, the explorer went back to Azan to tell about the good news. The emperor sent a diplomatic team to Oront, wishing to bring them to the empire peacefully. What transpired next is not well known, but it is said that the only response the orontian sent was the heads of the diplomats attached to the backs of goats.

Naturally, war followed, starting around 1.663 BBE. The Azanese-Orontian War is not a well documented conflict, at least not on the part of the orontians. The different cities within the mountains had been a state of war pretty much since their origins, back in untold times. And they saw the war against the outsiders as just another conflict. The azanese, however, saw the execution of their mandataries as a deep insult, and quickly dispatched a great army to deal with the barbarians who had killed the emissaries. However, the high and treacherous mountains, with routes and crevices barely able to let a single man pass, stopped the offensive on its tracks. After the Battle of the Racägnna Pass in 1.649 BBE, where the azanese forces were ambushed and fell into the precipices, Azan saw no further action against the orontians, stopping the fights against them. While they prioritized the conquests of the nearby lands, the orontians began building great fortresses near the mountains, in case of the azanese decided to attack again. However, during this process, the orontian cities began infighting again.

This was a chance taken by the azanese emperor Henne. Presenting himself to the orontian cities, he proposed a peace pact between the orontians and azan. Unarmed, and accompanied only by wise men and counselors, he presented to the orontians the truth that, while Oront had won the war against Azan, the empire had conquered all of the terrains surrounding the mountains. This meant that Azan could isolate the nation to death, not only blocking it from trade with the rest of the world, but also the advances in technology and warfare. While the cities of Oront were formidable in war, and had developed extraordinary fortifications, the truth was that, in any other aspect, they were way behind with the civilized Azan. On the other hand, if Oront willingly joined Azan as a vassal with many freedoms and rights, they would enjoy all the benefits and riches that befitted a member of the empire. Impressed by the bravery of the emperor Henne, and realizing the few options they truly had, the orontian accepted the deal. In 1.451 BBE, the Kingdom of Oront was born as a province of Azan, with the government of the region done from the city of Cetna.

This pact worked well enough for all parties involved. In exchange for many freedoms from the capital and benefits in regional trade, Azan gained a well fortified province that controlled many of the roads to the east, as well as a great host of the powerful orontian warriors. The princes and knights of Oront were highly militarized, and trained in warfare from a very early age in the arts of cavalry. Orontian heavy cavalry was able to launch great and powerful charges from distances other cavalrymen would assume too short to pull off. Their ability to dash against the enemy was also great due to their skill with traversing difficult terrain, particularly mountainous land, which was used to attack the enemy from behind against what, one would assume, is a defended position. The victories the orontian knights gained also allowed Oront to become very wealthy fast, allowing it to develop at the same level as the rest of the empire. However, one of the clauses of the deal was that, in case of infighting within Oront, then Azan was not allowed to participate in favor of anyone, allowing the orontians to deal with their own problems, though they were still obligated to pay their taxes. The frequency of these fights, while low in intensity and bloodshed, meant that traders and merchants from outside tended to keep their businesses outside of Oront, meaning that only the knights lived in wealth, while the rest of the population had little access to the benefits from the empire.

Despite its level of infighting, Oront would prove its worth during the chaotic days of the 20th, 21st and 22nd centuries. During the first great war against the witchelven, the orontian partook in the fight against the witchelven, both by sending their famous cavalry to battle and by fortifying the Oront Mountains. The quick advances of the witchelven were difficult to stop once they were on the move, raiding and pillaging the land to survive instead of needing supply lines, and burning anything they could not carry. The level of these intrusions forced Azan to push for faster forces, preferably mounted cavalry that could respond quickly and chase down the witchelven once they were on the run. The orontian cavalry excelled in surprise attacks, being able to silently sneak up on witchelven raiders and quickly charge them before they could respond. However, attrition and numbers hurt the orontian numbers, and they were forced to retreat to a secondary position in the war. They decided to fortify the Oront Mountains, seeing as losing this area would be a knife stuck at the center of the empire. The orontians had been fortifying the region for centuries, but now the needs of war forced them to double their efforts, creating an impassable wall that could stop the witchelven cold, forcing them to move south if they wanted to advance, helping Azan to gather their forces against the witchelven on a single spot.

It was during the war against the drow that Oront became involved in one of the bloodiest events of the period. In 1.946 ABE, a massive gibberling invasion begins in the azanese areas of the Baalps. While Azan initially tries to help their vassal population, the defeat in the Battle of Broken Horn Fortress meant horrible losses against the witchelven, and combined with their fights to the west against the drow, the emperor decided their holdings in the Baalps were no longer sustainable. Evacuating them allowed abled personnel to reinforce the desperate fronts everywhere else, and the gibberlings did not seem to move towards the south (and even then, Azan expected to just retake the land at a later date once the gibberlings began fighting each other). Thus, all the azanese population in the area was ordered to evacuate to deeper parts of the empire. This angered the dwarves from the Staliguard dynasties. Their lands abandoned with little fight, they decided to secretly rebel against Azan. To create their own dwarven kingdom, they set their eyes on Oront, a mountainous land similar to their old home. In 1.948 ABE, they managed to reunite enough of their wealth and influence to take over the land of Gäutlan, at the time very impoverished by corruption and the war. From there, they launched an undercover attack against Oront, seeing as, if they managed to take down the province, Azan wouldn’t be able to dislodge them. It also helped that the news of the great losses suffered by the orontian knights were well known, so the staliguardians thought it would be an easy surprise coup. However, due to the growing chain of fortresses within the mountains, the dwarves were forced to follow the darkest and most dangerous roads, with hundreds of them dying during their travels. Once they came back from the mountains, they found themselves surprised by the orontian knights. At some point, the watchers of Oront had noticed the army of rebel dwarves coming, and had gathered their forces at the mouth of the pass to take them down before they were any further within the land. Tired, starved, wounded, and having already lost a good portion of their forces, the staliguardians were in no position to fight, so they asked for terms. This was utterly ignored by the knights, thinking the dwarves were in league with the witchelven. This began the Battle of the Serpent Pass, or what it’s better known as, the Staliguard Massacre. The dwarves were not able to put up a fight, and since they appeared as a hostile army, they couldn’t convince the orontians they weren’t allied with the witchelven, not without revealing their treachery. The orontian knights butchered nearly to the last man, with the few survivors hiding in the mountains. The orontians, also thinking that the land of Gäutlan was part of this conspiracy, gathered their forces for an assault against them.

Luckily, azanese diplomats arrived before another bloodbath could commence. Getting in between the knights and the terrified gäutlanders, the azanese managed to offer a deal. Having heard of the staliguardians’ treachery, they quietly detained all survivors that were part of the conspiracy, and let the survivors who had not partaken in treacherous acts free, with stern warnings that they should prove their loyalty from now on. The orontians were privately forgiven by their actions, having inadvertently stopped another focus of war. This gained them a lot of accolades within the azanese administration, something that would continue during the Azanese Civil War. While there were initial fights and discussions, Oront quickly declared in favor of Azan, though their contribution to the war was limited, due to the high attrition they had been suffering for so long.

## Society and Culture

Oront is a harsh land. High peaks blocking the region from the rest of the world, a poor and rocky soil not really suited for agriculture, and scant rains during most of the year. This situation doesn’t allow for any extensive agriculture. Historically, the orontians have struggled to obtain enough produce from the land to sustain themselves, and control over the fertile spots was always disputed by force. For the most part, the kingdom’s agriculture is focused around barley, wheat and fodder for domestic animals. Most houses also produce the typical orontian strawberries, a local variety of highly nutritious berry that grows in many crevices within the mountains. Many distillers have used these berries to prepare berry wine, a sweet vine taken during celebrations in Oront. Outside of this, husbandry is also an important sector, producing mostly bovine and the famous orontian horses. Fishing in the lakes is not an options, for there are no fish in them. It is believed that, in unremembered times, the entire region was covered by glaciers. This, as well as the lack of connection between the rivers within and without Oront, makes it so that there is no way for fish to reach the lands. Instead, these areas are filled with insects and many kinds of migratory birds, perfect for hunting.

Outside of this, the land of Oront is very poor. The lands are divided between the knights and the orontian lords, who rule from the cities. These live as mercenaries, fighting wars outside of the mountains and live from the spoils of their victory. The poverty within their nation means that they have had to become excellent warriors, either to control as much orontian land as possible or to sell their services to the highest bidder. This means that the knights are trained (and even bred to an extent, with marriages of convenience seeking to produce stronger warriors as well as political alliances) for war, and thus are some of the most capable fighters in all Azan. They are highly specialized as heavy cavalry, preparing to break enemy formations even despite their strong defenses. The orontian horse breeds are massive horses, and are very strong, able to speed up their galloping in little time. However, this explosive acceleration, as well as the weight of knight and the armor they wear, comes at the cost of endurance. Orontian horses are not particularly resilient, and need to rest relatively frequently, especially after a charge, least their own weight choke them. To compensate for this, they are somehow capable of walking in near perfect silent, even when carrying heavy weights. They are also trained to avoid creating dustclouds, with the orontian secrets that teach them this art kept in secrets under oath. Also, they are extremely skilled at traversing obstacles and difficult terrain. This makes them superb ambushers, as very few armies in the world are prepared for a surprise charge of heavy cavalry from close range. This makes the orontian knights always need support, either in the form of peasant levies or foot archers, allowing the spent knights to go back and rest while protecting their retreat.

Outside the nobles, the peasants spend harsh lives toiling the land or taking care of the livestock. They also have to prepare themselves for the many grudge wars between the knights and the orontian cities. These fights keep the knights in top shape, even during the times of peace within Azan. The nobles and knights are proud and petty, and there is little to stop them from honor duels and armed fights. Going from that to local wars is more complicated, usually needing the support of multiple noble houses at once, but it’s still frequent enough to see one or two inner wars every century. Nowadays, the capital city was established in Mina, after their masters defeated the lords of Cetna and gained the right to hold the capital.

## Government and the rule of Oront

The organization of the **Kingdom of Oront** has been described as “chaotic” by no few amount of azanese administrators and diplomats over the years. The terms of the incorporation to Azan estipulate that the orontian cities would be able to rule themselves, only following the most strict and overarching rules demanded from the capital. In practice, this means that orontian cities have their own set of rules and laws. Trade disputes, crimes and other recourses are resolved with the set of laws in effect within the city, and not with azanese laws, with the only exception being matters of military and defense, magnicide, treason and tax evasion. Outside of these, the orontian cities are allowed to pretty much rule themselves. The role of representing the orontian cities falls within the purview of the King of Oront. The title “King of Oront” has little power within the orontian cities. He is in charge of collecting the taxes from the cities, making sure everyone pays their dues, and sending it to the capital. The other job of the “King of Oront” is just represent the demands of orontian society to the azanese throne, selected by all of the cities in the region. While the ownership of the title is not particularly sought after, a recently defeated city cannot bear it, on the grounds that they are not strong enough to defend Oront’s interests with enough conviction and will.

## The Orontian Cities

The land within the Orontian Mountains is not very spacious. Between the harsh badlands that occupy most of the realm and the lakes that double in size during summer, there is very little room for agriculture. In those areas where they can plant crops, small fortified towns pop up. The biggest of those have grown to become the orontian cities, ruled by the knight houses of the realm. And yet, calling them cities would raise an eyebrow in many members of the Azan Empire. In comparison to even the most modest cities of the empire, orontian cities are barely overgrown towns, built irregularly and without any planning. Far from the ample streets from the imperial capital, orontian streets are narrow and claustrophobic. This is by design, as the frequent fighting in the cities tends to favor small spaces, blocking the attackers’ movements while allowing the defenders to rain arrows upon them. Houses are also design with war in mind, though most civilians basically bunker down on their property until the knights’ affairs have concluded. Windows are small, with iron frames and bars to avoid entering, and the residents always have planks of wood nearby to block them in case of conflict outside. In general, houses are made of stone and brick, since there is not that much wood within the land, which fortunately helps the cities avoid fires during the fights, at least for the most part.

The size of these “cities” is very small, with the biggest one barely arriving at the 15.000 inhabitants. However, they are heavily prepared for war. All of these cities have double walls, considerably high and with plenty of archer arrows aiming at both the outside at a pre-prepared killing fields. Around the cities, we can find big moats, filled with water connected to the local lakes, blocking most access to the city, and allowing the doors to be protected by retractable bridges to enter. The cities’ neighborhoods are themselves walled and fortified, needing to be besieged and taken one by one. The city streets always prepared to become barricades against the invaders, blocking them into a few streets where the fighting will be concentrated, and some streets are themselves blocked by stairs designed to force mounted knights to get down from their horses and fight on foot. At the center of each city, there lies a massive fortification, a castle that is itself walled and fortified, and filled with fixed positions for archers and cannons to fire at the enemy (though gunpowder weapons are not used during knight disputes as a matter of honor, and were only installed as a precaution against the witchelven). Fights as a matter of knightly disputes will rarely involve the population, and thus the castle is not used as a refuge for the population, preferring instead to bunker down on their houses until the fight is done.

The lands near the cities produce most of the food they require daily. Despite this, the cities are well connected to the rural towns near them, in case they need more produce. Spread around the land, these small towns of barely a couple hundred people live from the land, trying as hard as they can to avoid getting mixed up with the affairs of the knights. Most of these towns are also fortified, though their fortifications are limited to a big watchtower made of stone that doubles as a keep.

In total, there are around seven populations that are considered orontian cities: Cetna, Mina, Zaleya, Gurm-Mol, Birabar, Tinnat and Knotsza. Each of them have multiple knight houses, plus many vassal families and other servants of the knights, as well as the commoners. There used to be eight, but the city of Tigris was long ago abandoned. The reasons for this are poorly understood, but apparently, the ruling knight house of the city managed to gain the enmity of all of the others, who fought them in such a vicious and bloody fight that depopulated the entire city. As such, it is considered a place of bad luck, and no other knight house has taken it into their domain. They also forbade the common folk to occupy the city, under penalty of death. Thus, their remnants lie near the lake, as a strange casualty of the knights’ rivalries.

The architecture of Oront has been described as “beautiful in its simplicity”. Due to the need to design around the frequent warfare and the lack of wood, the orontian architecture has adopted a very practical philosophy. It needs to be functional enough for the daily activities and resilient enough so as to the damages caused by the knightly wars are reduced to a minimum. Fortunately, the Orontian Mountains are able to provide the locals with high quality minerals, with plenty reserves of stone and granite. The oldest buildings in Oront still around are made out of crude but effective masonry using these elements. Nowadays, we can find a big distinction between the buildings for commoners, usually done with a combination of brick, mortar and stone, and the fortifications and castles, done exclusively with highly crafter stone masonry. Both of them are designed with simplicity in mind, with very few decorations in the façades, preferring instead to follow a more sober and austere style. The dependence of stone and granite for building means that the weight of these structures is considerable, and since the orontians avoid many of the architectural advancements from outside the mointains in favor of defensive functionality, the buildings have a reduced height due to the weight of the walls. In theory, this also makes them very vulnerable to gunpowder, but since knights do not use it as a matter of honor, and an outsider who would do it would require bringing cannons all the way through the treacherous mountains, this is not considered a threat. The most decorated buildings are the temples, and even then they are considerable more humble that what one could find outside of Oront. An element they have over other azanese temples is the presence of a large bell tower, usually separated from the temple, which serves both as a watch point and as an alarm system in case of attacks.

## The Mountain Fortresses

The Orontian Mountains are filled with dangerous peaks and treacherous roads, blocking most of the accesses between Oront and the outside world. In those well known roads that actually allow relatively easy travel from one place to another, the orontians have build great fortresses, blocking anyone suspicious from entering into Oront. Many of these constructions were already operative before the union with Azan, but nowadays, the majority of the fortresses are of very modern design. In particular, the start of the war against the witchelven forced Azan to invest in the defense of Oront, as if the region fell, the enemy would gain a very defensible position and access to the heart of the empire. The orontians, who did share the hatred towards the witchelven, also dedicated great efforts into these defenses, especially after the orontian knights began suffering important casualties during the war. Because of this, the fortresses are very modern and highly defensible, full with the most modern weaponry Azan can give them. The orontian knights, who usually disdain gunpowder and magical weapons for matters of honor, have no qualms in using them against unwelcomed enemies. This has turned the Oront Mountains into a near impregnable fortress. Even the western side of the mountains, which used to be much less defended, became the focus of great building after the Staliguard Massacre, presenting the real possibility of an attack through the weaker side.

## Religion

Almost the entirety of Oront follows the New Azan Faith, brought by St. Smyrre the Venerable. The faith in Oront is almost identical to the one practiced in much of Azan, with some small differences in doctrines, brought by the Hiranurist reformation. For that reason, most people in mainland Azan (as well as other practicioners of the New Azan Faith) refer to the Orontian branch of the faith as "Hiranurism".

Only a few traces of the old Orontian religion - based around its own pantheon - remain, such as specific religious holidays and customs, that have been repurposed for the Azaneese faith. Many venerated saints of the New Azan Faith come from Oront, which is now known as one of the strongest pillars of the faith in the West.

## Demographics

Even though it's part of the Empire, Oront is nowhere near as multicultural than the rest of the Empire, mostly due to its isolation. Foreigners can only be found in the largest cities,and are usually either envoys or merchants, either of Azaneese origin, Dwarves from Gautlan or Joos.

The Orontians are often seen as small, backwards people by the people of mainland Azan, although the mountain folk are proud of their country and customs.

## Foreign Relations

### Azan Empire

Oront is technically part of the Empire, but it's self ruled in most regards.

### Gäutlan

Apart from the mainland of Azan, these pesky Dwarves are the foreigners which Oront interacts the most with. The reason for this stems from the war fought between Oront and the dwarven dynasty of Staliguard more than a millenium ago, which had taken control of the weakened nation of Gäutlan and launched an attack on Oront.

Even though the Orontians had repelled the dwarves this once, it stood out as one of the most bloodthirsty wars the mountainous nation had ever faced, and it also led to the eventual vassalage of Oront to Azan, after the Azaneese Civil War. Due to this, there's a subconscious distrust towards any Dwarves, whom they see as treacherous, and direct competitors when it comes to exports as well.

### Hasteria and the Witchelven

The Azaneese province of Hasteria now lies in ruins and is ripe with disease and death, due to the Witchelven and demon raids and skirmishes. Even though Oront stands as the barrier between Azan proper and the Witch elves, with all witchelven raids into the Orontian mountains resulting in substantial failure, the Orontians rarely bother with patrolling Hasteria, unless part of a larger millitary force belonging to the Empire. Despite that, they've taken numerous Hasterian refugees since the succubus breaches appeared.

### Rest of the Empire

Oront barely interacts with the Empire's vassals, such as the marches of the Stymphalian swamps and Daligrad, except with some set up embassies and trade, due to their isolation.

## Orontian Saints and characters of note

### St. Cuthelbrus the Paradoxical

Born as a homeless orphan in the cold cobblestone alleys of Cetna many centuries ago, St. Cuthelbrus is considered to be one of the chief patrons of Orornt. Though he embraced his fate as a beggar from a young age, living shrouded in rags and covered in dirt, Cuthelbrus was known to possess a heart filled with unparalleled optimism or more accurately acute delusion.

Despite his sightless eyes, St. Cuthelbrus firmly believed he was the wealthiest man in the realm. With a boundless imagination as his only guiding light, he waltzed through the streets, casting his voice like a beguiling bard, regaling tales of untold riches and opulent splendour of his would-be court to any who would listen. Oh, the treasures he claimed to possess! Jewels that rival the sun, castles that kissed the sky, and feasts that could satisfy the most insatiable glutton!

Alas, unbeknownst to our saintly hero, his pockets were eternally empty, and his dreams of grandeur were naught but a whimsical mirage. Mischievous thieves, sensing his blissful ignorance, made off with his meagre alms time and time again, leaving him none the wiser in his reverie. The entire kingdom marvelled at his unyielding optimism, his faith in his own delusions of wealth, and his unwavering trust in the human spirit.

He died as he lived, freezing to death on the pavement of Cetna on a particularly chilly summer day, with a smile on his face and the remains of a half-eaten mountain newt in his cold hands. In his honour the men of Oront celebrate the feast day of Fools on the eleventh sunrise before midsummer to this day.

During the the holy feast of St. Cuthelbrus, Orontians are known to let loose a little and celebrate. The blind, the fools, the beggars, and the narrow-minded all gather in jubilant revelry, embracing the saints spirit of whimsy. It is a day to honour the beauty in blissful ignorance, to celebrate the sheer audacity of living in a world that defies expectations.

The day starts early with what is known as the Fool's Parade in Cetna and The Saints March in Mina. Under the command of the Mayor of Fools, jesters of the city come together in a grand procession, parading through the streets with colorful costumes (for Oront) and jesters' masks. Laughter echoes through the air as these merry pranksters entertain the crowds with their clever tricks, and all manners of mischievous tomfoolery. In Cetna it is customary for fools to self-flagelate with ivy as the dance while in Mina, women must whip unmarried men with thorns and inversely serve brandy to married men.

As the shadows start to grow long, the Mayor of Fools officially declares the Beggars' Banquet open. In a rare display of solidarity, communities gather for a communal feast where the impoverished and mentally incapable are considered honored guests. The townspeople, dressed in humble attire, partake in a simple hearty meal while passages from the stories of the Saint are read aloud as a reminder of the importance of compassion and the inherent dignity in every soul, regardless of worldly possessions.

The feast day ends with the Candlelit Procession. As dusk descends upon the mountains, a mesmerizing candlelit procession illuminates the streets. The townsfolk carry candles and lanterns, their soft glow casting a magical aura. In a symbolic gesture, they express gratitude for the light of hope that St. Cuthelbrus represents. The day ends rather soberly with an evening service and a traditional serving of lentil soup with boiled newts.

### Blessed Illes of Ussika, Patron of soldiers, horses and mourners, Guardian of Sorrows

St. Illes also known as the Tragic Knight is an Orontian saint who met an untimely demise while bravely serving his king, leaving a legacy of devotion and sorrow.

A noble and chivalrous soul devoted to Oront, St. Illes is said to have been the only knight to have answered the call from the King-in-Oront when he summoned the knights of the realm to him to repulse a dwarfish incursion. With unwavering loyalty, Illes donned his armor and rode forth into battle alone, fearlessly defending his liege's realm from the perfidious dwarves. His prowess in combat was legendary, as he fought with unmatched valor, driven by a deep-rooted sense of duty and honor.

Tragedy struck when St. Illes embarked on a fateful journey through treacherous mountain terrain. As he gallantly rode atop his trusted steed Gallo, a harrowing accident unfolded. A sudden misstep, a stumble on an uneven path, and St. Illes was unseated from his horse, his mortal journey abruptly halted at the bottom of an unnamed mountain ravine. The land mourned the loss of the gallant knight, recognizing the profound sacrifice he had made for his king and country.

In commemoration of St. Illes' unwavering dedication and his tragic fate, his feast day is observed on the first da of autumn, a somber occasion when the kingdom pauses to remember his noble spirit. The day is marked by solemn processions and prayerful remembrance, honoring the fallen knight who gave his life in service to the crown. St. Illes, in his untimely departure, has become a patron saint of several causes. He is revered as the patron of soldiers, offering guidance and protection to those who bravely defend their lands.

His intercession is sought by those facing the perils of war, granting them courage and strength in times of conflict.He is also regarded as the patron saint of riders, his tragic accident forever intertwining his legacy with the bond between humans and horses. Those who engage in equine pursuits and depend on the noble steeds find solace in his patronage, seeking his blessings for safety and skilful horsemanship. Lastly and most importantly, St. Illes is the patron saint of those who have experienced sudden and unexpected tragedies, offering solace and comfort to the grieving. His story serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the fickleness of fate which can take even the most valiant in the most mundane of ways.

### Lesser Orontese Saints

#### Blessed Ventagnan of Gurm-Mol

* **Feast day:** first day of the harvest moon
* **Patronage:** Forgotten moments, inexplicable situations, herbalists, drink peddlers

Ventagnan's path to sainthood, if it can be called that, was paved with eccentricities and bizarre incidents. His spiritual journey was marked by a series of inexplicable miracles, which were often met with equal parts awe and scepticism by those who witnessed them. These miracles, though perplexing in nature, were characterized by their complete lack of practical significance or theological profundity. Legend has it that Blessed Ventagnan possessed the extraordinary ability to turn water into mildly lukewarm tea, a feat that impressed some and baffled others. This seemingly trivial miracle became the hallmark of his strange spiritual vocation, as he travelled from village to village, offering tepid tea to the unsuspecting faithful who really didn't ask for any of this.

#### St. Ardenna, First abbess of the Convent of His Eternal Mountains

* **Feast day:** day before the autumnal equinox
* **Patronage:** nuns, settlers, mountaineers

St. Ardenna emerged as a beacon of piety in the rugged wilderness of the Oront mountains. From a young age, she displayed an innate connection to the divine, seeking solace and enlightenment amidst the majestic peaks that surrounded her village. Guided by a profound sense of calling, St. Ardenna embarked on a solitary spiritual pilgrimage, venturing deep into the heart of the mountains. It was there, amidst the whispering winds and the sacred silence of nature, that she received a divine revelation—a vision of a sanctuary where devout souls would seek solace and dedicate their lives to prayer and contemplation.

With unyielding determination, St. Ardenna undertook the monumental task of establishing the Convent of His Eternal Mountains. Guided by her unwavering faith and inspired by divine guidance, she rallied a group of devout followers. Together, they cleared the rugged terrain, erected the foundations of the abbey, and constructed a place of sanctuary deep in the Klagg Wilds of Eastern Oront. Under St. Ardenna's wise and compassionate leadership, the Convent of His Eternal Mountains flourished as a bastion of piety and devotion. The saints profound teachings and exemplary way of life resonated beyond the walls of the convent. Pilgrims from far and wide sought her counsel, drawn by the reputation of her spiritual wisdom and divine insights. Her legacy endures in the hearts of those who seek divine enlightenment and find solace in the embrace of His Eternal Mountains.

#### St. Laude Amonis, priest of the Eternal-Flame-in-Heaven

* **Feast day:** day of the vernal equinox
* **Patronage:** choirs, mystics, singers

St. Laude Amonis dedicated his life to the pursuit of divine harmony and celestial poetry. He exhibited a remarkable gift for music and his voice was said to carry the echoes of heaven itself. Amonis composed a repertoire of canticles and psalms that have survived the eons and continue to enrapture the souls of the faithful to this day.

Of his compositions, all written in old clerical Azanese, the most well known ones is "Dal Ciel Venne Messo Novello," a hymn celebrating the arrival of a new message from heaven, which gained popularity during the times of the Azanese reformation. Also of note are "Pentamerone," a mellifluous melody of praise, encapsulating the multifaceted beauty of creation, mirroring the elements that shape the world and "O Monaciello Incandesce," a luminous chant that spoke of the transformative power of piety.

The feast day of St. Laude Amonis is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox. A very pious occasion, the faithful come together to honour his legacy as choral ensembles perform his compositions, filling the air with celestial harmonies and uplifting the spirits of all who are willing to listen.

#### Kirye Zaleveyos, "patron y des gueux"

* **Feast day:** 13th day of the autumnal equinox (folk calendar)
* **Patronage:** beggars, vagabonds, the city of Zaleya

Kirye Zalevevos is an Orontese folk saint, unrecognised by most church authorities, meaning information on the figure is even more scarce than for most saints of old. Said to have lived sometime in the 14th century, the so called "patron y des gueux," - literally chief of the beggars in Middle Orontese. There are many tales surrounding Kirye, some more ribald then others all along the Hollun mountain chains and amongst the deep valleys of the Gurrina river. All of the paint the saint as an enigmatic ally to outcasts and vagabonds. Most of the tales usually end with Kirye triumphing against tyrannical nobles and corrupt clergy which explains why his veneration is rather curtailed by official authorities. On his feast day, bread is offered to beggars and all manners of vagabonds and outlaws can be seen raising a glass of Gurrinnese sour wine to the memory of old Zalavevos.

#### St. Smyrre the Venerable, draughtsman of the Church

* **Feast day:** 15th day of the automnal equinox
* **Patronage:** Enorioi, temples of the lower Klagg, the Exarchical Prelacy of Mina

St Smyrre was a rather dour man credited with implementing vast church reforms during the latter days of he Azanese 8th dynasty and fully converting Oront to the New Azan Faith. Third born son of a small noble family, he was sent to Narses to attend seminary. There he was introduced to the new doctrines of the faith and the Hiranurist reform movement.

His attempts to reform the local church structure were first met with disdain in Oront, but Smyrre managed to gain a key ally fairly early on, Kyrlos XXI. the Lord-Marcher of Cetna and King-in-Oront at the time. With his patronage, the reformer slowly but surely got to work, translating new and old texts into contemporary Orontese and reforming the parochial and fossilised structure of the local prelacies.

The crown jewels of his campaign are the Three White Enorias, imposing new temples that were built in Cetna, Mina and Gurm-Mol. Built in all white stone according to the mystico-mathematical precepts of the new faith, the three temples continue to serve as the centre of the church in Oront to this day.