Atheling Petty Kingdoms

The Atheling Petty Kingdoms, also known as the Kingdoms of Albavayn, were a group of clans in the north-east of Tyrrus, who ruled the region between the 11th and 14th centuries. Their people were a branch of the Caerth who moved to the Hinterlands, and were named "Athelings", after the river Athel. Their lands were known as Albavayn, but the region is now known as the Hinterwald.

### Overview

The Atheling Kingdoms were originally formed from druidic communes, and as such had a great respect for nature and the druidic way of life. They built their towns and castles in the land south of the Hinterlands, after the fall of the Rune Kingdom, and their presence helped to remove the dark corruption that had settled upon the region.

The Atheling kingdoms began as a collection of varied clans who settled Albavayn, but over time they began to merge together. At the peak of their reign, there were three kingdoms who ruled all the clans.

#### Torfayn

Clan Torfayn was the most central and powerful of the Atheling Kingdoms. They controlled the city of Tor Ynver, and had the greatest population and agriculture.

#### Ysgirrid

Clan Ysgirrid was the most spiritual of the Atheling Kingdoms. The centre of their kingdom was the Henge of Ysgirrid (now known as Old Skirrid), where druids and elves met, and where their kings were elected. The Ysgirrid kingdom controlled the east of Albavayn, the area now known as the Hochlands.

#### Ceredynon

Clan Ceredynon was the most magically attuned of the Atheling Kingdoms. Their proximity to the city of Haven, and the ancient Rune Kingdom ruins, lended them magical knowledge beyond their peers. The Ceredynon kingdom controlled the west of Albavayn.

### History

#### Origin

Sometime around the 8th century, a splinter group of the Caerth crossed the Dragoncrag mountains and entered the wild Hinterlands. The region was infested with demons and other monsters, which heavily suppressed any attempts at creating permanent settlements. This splinter group became known as the Athelings, because they tended to travel along the River Athel.

In the 9th century, many Atheling groups began to migrate south, to safer, less corrupted lands. Unfortunately, the region of Albavayn was at the time controlled by the Republic of Vylatea, a city-state controlled by the dark Cult of Azjol. The Republic allowed the Athelings to settle in Albavayn, but prevented them from building large cities, having leaders, or practicing druidism. This choice between the dangerous freedom of the Hinterlands, or the oppressed safety of Albavayn caused a divide among the Athelings, and they split in two.

The Albavayn Athelings did in no way support or respect their tyrannical rulers at Vylatea, and secretly still practiced druidism. Over the next century, they slowly built up their forces. Though they hated their masters, they learned a lot from them, such as metalworking and magic. They also conspired with the other tribes who were under the oppression of Vylatea, such as the Thassaly and the Barrowlings. In the mid 10th century, with aid from the Dark Monks of the Black Monastery, the tribes rose up and took Vylatea, driving all the cultists of Azjol out of the city. In the aftermath, the city was given to the Thassaly, and the Athelings were given independent rule over the lands of Albavayn.

#### Rise of the Clans

Initially, the Athelings existed in many different clans, each of which ruled independently. However, a few chiefs joined their forces together, and with the larger territories began to elect a king from among them.

The newly free Atheling kingdoms invited their kinsmen of the Hinterlands to join their new prosperous civilisation. Though some accepted this offer, most of the tribal Athelings refused. In their view, the Albavayn Athelings had abandoned the cores of Druidism by creating large towns, electing kings, and working with iron.

Only the Ysgirrid Kingdom were considered to still be connected to druidism. In Ysgirrid, the king was more of a guide, and was elected from a council of druids. There were also no large towns in Ysgirrid, and they maintained relations with the Elves.

The real consolidation point for the Atheling Kingdoms happened during the reign of King Ain Cathan of Torfayn in the 12th century, who was a legendary figure, famous for slaying monsters and bringing peace and prosperity to his kingdom. He unified the surrounding clans, making the Kingdom of Torfayn the largest in the region. This encouraged neighbouring kingdoms to confederate, resulting in the three major kingdoms that the Athelings are known for.