Cardolan

***The Realm of Cardolan***

**Overview**

* The Nation of Cardolan has been a country for hundreds of years and has been on the rise since the end of the Great Northern War where they claimed much of Northern Arrassia. Through the power and skill of their High Lords and lesser nobility they aim to create a nation of prosperity.

## State Information

### Other Settlements

Rommena, Valid, Forostar, Orothia, Dorrulum, Gerehalt, Helleth, Anduia.

## Territory

The Borders of Cardolan

***History***

**The Sundered City**

* The story of Cardolan does not begin in the land of Arrassia, but rather in a city in the old world known as Aerthia . This city was a modest trading city that was ruled by a House who descended from the Old Kingdom of Imperia whos name was House Lotus. After several hundred years a famine hit the region and killed a large portion of the people, two years later a large earthquake hit the city, and swallowed a large section of the southern portion. The city enjoyed peace for a decade after the earthquake until 4 years after the rebuilding was completed a war was declared by a pirate lord named Tigor Gerinhal. He waged war on the city for 4 years trying to make it his new pirate haven. After a fierce battle in which Peter Thistle the admiral of the fleet of Aerthia finally sunk the flagship of the pirate king the war finally ended. Although now the city was almost a hell-scape with most of its people poor or dead, unable to leave due to the grip the lord. Peter Thistle realizing his position demanded the title of "Guardian of the Sea" from the cities lord and he was forced to grant it due to his popularity. Using this new found title and the power that came with it, he ordered 10 ships to sail around the north to look for a land where he can bring his people from the dying city. Eventually one ship brought back word of a far off land shrouded in mist and its coast rich in grapes and berries. seeing no other option Lord Thistle send a small fleet up to settle a small town now known as Valid; once the city was established he kept sending more and more people and resources up without the Lord of House Lotus knowing. After 6 years of secrecy Lord Thistle was given the Title "Lord of Valid" by the locals and the population of the colony was 1,600 at the time of this title being given. Another 2 years pass and finally the Lord of Aerthia heard of this colony and was outraged, and thus the "War of Falling Flowers" began. The war was brutal with thousands dying which just resulted in more and more evacuating to Valid, and the population became too numerous for one city and eventually refugees founded a second city called Forostar. The War ended 5 years after it began with the final members of House Lotus being killed by another earthquake that consumed the palace. The war ended and the city almost entirely destroyed with the final population count of the city being 1,900 and the colonies in Cardolan being at around 74,000. Lord Thistle after a long deliberation decided to go and rule in Valid and abandoned the city of Aerthia totally with the last child being born in the city before leaving it was his only son Thomas. After a rough journey the family made it to Valid and took up lordship, eventually after 200 years of ruling as the Lords of Valid, Lord Rean using what strength his cities had decided to assail and annex the tribes in the region. Upon his death he had conquered the city of Stormhold and had annex much of the tribal land of the Orronians making them effectively subjects of the "Polis of Valid". Although after the Sacking of Stormhold Lord Raen was crowned as the "High Lord of Cardolan" and thus the first High Lord had been crowned and Cardolan established.

**The Old Realm of Cardolan**

* The first countries that were born in the region were the nations of the natives who inhabited the land, many tribes came and went over the years and by the arrival of the Aerthiuons only two were inhabiting the region them being the Camethians and Orronians. The Camethians at the time of conquest and even to today are the largest group in Cardolan by number. They formed hill tribes and small kingdoms the largest of which being Hullwalth which had many forts in the reigon around what is today known as "Gerehalt". The Orronians were and are the coastal tribe who make their homes along the shore and built the cities of Stormhold and later Orothia. While smaller in number than the Camethians they survived on more advanced technology and a more organized military. They were the first to be conquered by the Aerthiuons during the reign of Lord Raen.

* After a particularly brutal tribal war, known as the "War of Sundered Stars" in which most of the militaries of the native realms were decimated, it made it extraordinarily easy for Lord Raen to conquer the Orronians through military might. The conquest of the Camethians would not be complete until the reign of Edward Thistle during the Second Northern War where the borders of Cardolan finally hit their largest with the annexation of most of Northern Arrassia.

**The Nation**

* The nation has many Guilds and companies that hold great sway over the towns from the "Validian Wine Heritage", to "The Golden-grass Fishing Association", but only the "Jewel-smith's Guild" owns entire territories and islands to uphold the cultural heritage of the people's storied past. These companies are used by the Lord to control the economy by directly influencing which companies run smoothly. This nation is heavily based off of the mining which is done in the mountains, the industry in the main cities, and the Jewel Smith's Guild that create this nations relics and weapons. The people of this nation are highly nationalistic and still traditional being that Cardolan is still a staunchly conservative state, they still revere their unique identity, and refuse to bow to another power.

* After the failed experiment with democracy during the period after the Great Northern war, the High Lord began to reassert more power through the council which he named "The Order of the Talon" which became a replacement for the long standing council that had long been bloated and made up of men that only served themselves.

**The Demographics and Ethnicities**

* The people of Cardolan are very few and far between although they are very independent from most others as their language Cardoline formerly was a series of tribal languages is spoken no where else and their religion is the foundation of their society. The people are recently unified and have much in common with their former tribal differences melting away in a nation united in language and faith. The identity of Cardolan is being set wit the peoples there forgetting more and more of their former tribal traditions as more time passes.

* 35% Being Camethians
* 22% Being Orronians
* 25% Being Mixed
* 18% Being Aerthiuon

* The Camethians are the hill men who were there before the conquest they are fair in skin and blonde in hair with a small number who have red hair.

* The Orronians are the shore peoples who populate fishing villages and the city of Stormhold they are also fair in skin and have blonde hair, however they have a large portion of their population having white hair.

* The Mixed peoples are almost exclusively Camethians and Orronians with High Cardoline not mixing with the "lesser Peoples".

* The Aerthiuon are those from the old world who migrated north and subjugated the native people with a majority of them being nobles or high level officers and mariners, this ethnic group formerly called themselves Rommenials. These peoples have darker hair and their skin can range from olive to fair based on their old heritage.

**The Languages**

* The Languages of the Old Cardoline are a mix of the native languages among the tribal peoples known as Camethian and Orrothian which belong to the people of whom these languages gain their names from. They are languages that sound as if sandpaper is rubbing your vocal cords, with them having similar roots.

* The Language of the High Cardoline is the language of Aerthiuon which is very similar to other languages from the old world. This language is used by the majority of the population especially among the middle and upper classes of Cardolan.

**Agriculture**

* Almost all of the food supply of Cardolan come form the agriculture done in Gerehalt's heartlands and the fishing done by the Golden Grass Fishing Co. These food suppliers export food all over the country and the Golden Grass Co. specifically being the second largest employer in the nation. The main crops of Cardolan are grapes, berries, wheat, beats, and their staple crop corn.

**The Government**

* The Kingdom is a Monarchy where the High Lord has recently reassumed power from the council and has abolished the body, much to the delight of the people. The government later included the bodies of The Order of the Talon and The Regional Assembly. With the Talon being the main body of executive advisors, and the Assembly being a body of officials who run the regions more mundane policies.