Cardesti

The **Cardesti** are a human ethnic group originating from the Muthadhaya in eastern Rahen, having fled the region during Rise of the Harimraj in 35. They are infamous being nomadic travellers seen all over Cannor, and by the elves known as the **Salainé** (meaning “People of the River”).

## History

Their origins are clouded in mystery but the Cardesti people are said to have originated from eastern Rahen and fled from the region shortly before Harimar's conquests in 35 - 48, led by exiled oracles of Mount Tughayasa who foresaw Harimar's rise and decided the best course of action was to leave. It is believed this is where their origins shunning necromancy, considering it the most vile act, originate from and were maintained. Not much is heard about the Cardesti until 100 when were invited to settle by the Castanorian Dostanorian Dominion in what is now known as Daravan's Folly.

The Cardesti in Dostanor by 400 grew to become a prominent but insular minority, settling across the south Dostanor countryside, often in their own villages. Despite this, their influence on Dostanor was significant, and much of the pre-Folly oral storytelling traditions and folklore had some influence from Cardesti taleweavers.

### Daravan's Folly

In 666 the Third Xhaz sought to invade Dostanor and clashed with the Korbarid Kingdom that ruled the region. In a last attempt to withstand the gnollish horde, the Korbarid King Daravan the Malignant, who was actually half-Cardesti, who had divined all possible options, cast a great and powerful spell that flooded the lands, and killing many of the Cardesti peoples that had thrived there for, at this point, over 500 years, giving birth to the swamp known as Daravan's Folly.

The Korbarid clans blamed Daravan as much as the Cardesti did, but blamed his Cardesti half for misdeeds, specifically the Cardesti reliance on divination. They claimed that it clouded Daravan's mind, and made him see false truths and a world that victory was not an option - which led to the Folly, but that in reality, victory could very much have been achieved.

What remained of the people were driven out of Dostanor and became nomadic once again, travelling Cannor in their caravans in home for a new home. Unfortunately, many in Cannor believed the Korbarid narrative and saw the Cardesti as cursed and even blamed them for the Folly itself.

### Itinerant People

With this the Cardesti became a reviled group of travellers that would be persecuted throughout history, though one treated with caution when it came to their gifts in divination.

### Rule of the Augur Queen

In 810 a large clan of Cardesti joined other Castanorian settlers in the Forlorn Vale, which had long been a land best left alone due to its dark past. Over time more and more Cardesti travellers arrived from all over Cannor, turning their wagons into makeshift villages across the vale. Like their travelling bands, the Cardesti settlements were unified under a powerful seer, which in this case came a young girl of sixteen named Dunicha. Dunicha was already known as a powerful diviner and had frequently attended the Castanorian court from the age of six to speak prophecy to the then emperor, Castan Frostbane.

By 820 Dunicha had used her powers to peacefully unite the Cardesti and Castanorian settlers in the Forlorn Vale and proclaimed the state of Great Cardest, which was even approved by Castan Frostbane himself. By then, Dunicha would no longer have to travel to Castonath to read fortunes for the emperor, instead, the emperor and many other great men of the time would visit Dunicha's court at the Cardesti city of Vardoced (located in modern-day Ibevar City). She would become known as the Augur Queen, despite her denying any sort of royal title.

Great Cardest continued to grow and by 840 it grew both in land and sphere of influence, de facto ruling over much of The Borders. During this year conflict with their Corvurian neighbours in the Dostanor Dominion finally sparked open war, and for once Cardest had to fight.

### Wars of the Augur Queen and Independence

Led by Dostanor, many kingdoms rallied against Great Cardest, such as the Wexonard Kingdom and Adenica. By 850 the war was officially over, and Great Cardest officially conquered Dostanor, writing the wrongs of Daravan's Folly 200 years before. With this, Castan Frostbane officially gave Dunicha the title of Governor of the Dostanor Dominion. It is said during this time the Cardesti prosecuted the native Corvurians and banished many of them from their lands.

However, in 864 the Sack of Vertesk occured and Dunicha fell out of favour with Castanor after failing to predict the event for the emperor, and she was officially humiliated at court. Castanor officially revoked her title of Governor which essentially sanctioned revolt in her lands, in return, Dunicha publically cursed Castan XLVIII to "bring death to the empire". This marked the beginning of the Second War of the Augur Queen, which ended inconclusively with the death of the emperor by an invading reaver who would later be known Castan Ebonfrost. Cardest officially proclaimed independence, and it is said that Dunicha's curse brought an end to Castanor proper.

### Fall of Great Cardest

Dunicha attended the coronation of Castan Ebonfrost and even offered an alliance with the fledgling king, having foreseen the imminent rebellion of his new vassals. Despite this, Castan Ebonfrost abhorred sorcery, and instead blinded Dunicha and personally led a pogrom of the Cardesti in Castonath.

Upon her return to Vardoced, the Augur Queen began rallying for war, and now conspired with many other rebellious lords and governors hoping to do the same. The Cardesti people, on the other hand, were tired of wars and politics that Dunicha had led her people into - with many prestigious Cardesti clans leaving for a nomadic life elsewhere. This marked the beginning of a period of unrest in Great Cardest, with many Cardesti vassals joining revolts and plots against her, along with her subjects in The Borders and Corvuria, and by 868 Cardest was pushed back to their de jure lands in the Forlorn Vale.

In 871 the Cardesti army rebelled and let through a legion sent by Castan Ebonfrost himself. Fearing the loss of her kingdom and a place for her people Dunicha she put a great curse on her land, its invaders, and her people.

## The Augur Queen's Curse

*"You and your blood will forever be trapped in mine lands, and no Man from the Beyond will ever call mine lands home. And to mine blood Beyond, an eternal and malevolent curse. You were offered a place to grow your roots yet you have fled back to the wilds. And flee you shall, for any of mine blood that dares to grow roots shall wither and die within a fortnight."*

With this, the reputation of the Forlorn Vale as a cursed place amplified. Records say a great mist rose across the land, and those outside of the forests proper were forced to flee or be choked by the deadly fogs. But the mystery came from those within the forest, and within Vardoced: for none ever made it out.

The Cardesti people can confirm the effects of the curse, and now cannot stay more in one place for longer than two weeks, or they get afflicted in what is known as The Withering, causing them to decay from within. Many say she made a pact with Mesner himself, damning all Cardesti that perish from The Withering to Mesner's ownership.

It is said that Masilda the Diviner was able to avoid the effects of the Augur Queen's Curse by the use of an extremely powerful magical artifact (and possibly thanks to experiments by Mafalda the Mad), although any further knowledge is either hidden or considered hearsay by Cardesti communities, her name and legacy being shunned due to her heritage.

The Forlorn Vale would be a place avoided by most, with only a few settlements at its edges, though some say that one should never trust maps of the vale, for settlements clearly marked could disappear the next and take unsuspecting travellers with it.

It would be only after the War of the Sorcerer King that the Forlorn Vale would see activity, and it was one of the many places where skirmishes occured. By this time Black Castanor had been aggressively colonizing the region despite its reputation, and had used it as a staging point for several of its invasions into the East Dameshead, along with its Corvurian territories. The Free Realms used the land as a way to get behind Castanorian lines with ease, and by the end of the war many makeshift camps had been established in the region.

In 1020 at the end of the war, the elf Ibenion ta'Lunatein requested that much of the Forlorn Vale be given to him and his followers, which gave birth to the Elfrealm of Ibevar. Despite the place's negative reputation, the elves had little trouble with it, though they finally confirmed the disappearance of settlements or traces of old civilization in the Cursewood proper. What happened to Dunicha the Augur Queen, her trapped people and trapped invaders remains a mystery, but to the elves, the Forlorn Vale became a virginal land ripe for fresh development.