Arindear

Arindear (Elvish for 'Kingsland') was the north eastern province of Sierda.

The province of Arindear was the area surrounding Umirabaen, where most of the Kraitains of the time lived. It stretched from the Rorekath mountains in the east, in the north as far as Crawford Keep where the main road that ran all the way to the southern port city of Galadar began, to parts of the Astilik and the Lothilabeth Plain.

Arindear became a soverign state in 1,046 BBB. The kingdom of Arindear was founded by the brothers Rickrion and Blactios, and their father Cherdansrio. Arindear was an allied kingdom with Sierda, whose line of king chieftains came from Rickrion, while the Line of the Kings of Arindear was from Blactios.

Arindear was the prominent kingdom of Men on Enniare, bordered by Théodear to the north east, Sierda to the south, Latarnia to the west, and the dwarven kingdom of Takaria to the south east. Its first capital was Umirabaen, moved to Arindear City in 267 BBB. The city of Arindear remains the capital of Arindear; other major fortresses include 1 in 2 and 3, which was a city on the river Bourne.

Arindear was at the height of its power in its early years due to the riverships and the military might that its armies possessed. However, continued attacks by the Latarnians, and a devastating plague caused it to gradually decline over the centuries until the crowning of King Nalsar. Following that time the power of Arindear once again expanded, until the former lands of Sierda were brought under the banner of the Kingdom of Arindear.

History
Arindear was home to many Horaimian colonists, who either mixed blood with the indigenous Men if they were friendly, or dispersed them into 1, 2, and 3 Forest. Arindear, at a latitude comparable to Venice, was a more fertile region than Sierda to the south, and therefore it already had a larger population before the ships of Cherdansrio's sons arrived, including a well-established city, A.

The Cherdansrion, from Horaim were given a warm reception upon their arrival by those that had already colonized Enniare, including a colonial branch of Horaimian royalty at B. The colonists north of Arinsier accepted Cherdansrio's claim to kingship over them. East of the Arinsier, however, the people did not recognize Cherdansrio's claim.

Arindear was being founded after Horaim's population had already split between the Cherdansrion and The Crown, and all of the more northern colonies (such as Théodear) remained open enemies of the Cherdansrion. Several skermishes were proof of this.

After the bulk of the collective conflicts, Arindear's power and wealth grew steadily. Its power would continue to grow into the 10th century. While the power of Arindear's sister kingdom Sierda peaked during the 9th century, when it broke into various successor states, Arindear's greatest glory was yet to come. Arindear's great cities, E, D, C and A, only grew and the Kraitain of Arindear started to rule over the lesser people.

Such was Arindear's wealth during the period that men from other lands would say in envy: "In Arindear precious stones are but marbbles for the children to play with." Arindear would also enjoy several centuries of peace due to its military might.

However, after decadence spread under the Kings of Arindear, a long period of decline began. Two great calamities struck Arindear during this time, which are held to be the chief reasons for its decline: the Black Wind, and the invasion of the Qushairi.

The Black Wind struck and many died. This Plague was no localized event: it swept through all of Enniare, even reaching the successor states of Sierda in the south. King Tarondor moved the capital from C to E, the City of Ea. During this time, Arindear was so depopulated that the fortifications guarding against the re-entry of evil into Latarnia were abandoned. However, the Plague left Arindear's enemies in no better condition than Arindear itself, and neither side was capable of mounting a new offensives.

Following the sapping of Arindear's strength by the plague, it did recover but then the Qushairi invaded and devastated Arindear, and the conflict lasted for almost a century. The Qushairi destroyed the Northern Army of Arindear, but survivors linked up with the victorious Southern Army which destroyed the Swerpings as they crossed the river Acela, led by a general named Katar, and they went on to destroy the Qushari as they celebrated their victory during the Battle of Foefeast.

In 1009 BBB Arindear faced a succession crisis when King Ohnoher was slain in battle with both his sons. Marvin, Prince of Lomaron, Ohnoher's son-in-law, and the victorious general Katar, who was a distant blood-relative of Ondoher, claimed the throne. Marvin's claim lay mainly in the reintroduction of the old Horaimian law of accession, which stated the eldest remaining child should succeed the king. If the law was reintroduced, then Marvin's wife Meriel, Ohnoher's daughter and last remaining child, would become Ruling Queen, making their descendants Kings of both Sierda and Arindear. Marvin also tried to put weight behind his claim, as he was Rickrion's heir. The council of Arindear recognised that the name of Rickrion was held in honour in Arindear, but they dictated that the North-Kingdom must be ruled by an Heir of Blactios. Due to his ancestry from Meriel and Marvin, Nalsar put forward his claim as the heir of both Rickrion and Blactios.

Katar laid his claim as being a direct descendant of King Shoun. His claim was also greatly bolstered by the popularity he had gained as the victorious general who saved Arindear from the Qushairi after winning the southern theatre of the war. High Barron Rendor who was temporarily ruling Arindear as serving as arbiter of succession, intervened in favour of Arindear's victorious general who would rule as Katar I. Shortly after the kings death in 936 BBB, his son and only heir, Katar II, disapeared while on a fox hunt through the Vindavin woods and was presummed dead as well.

High Barrons of Arindear
A long line of hereditary High Barrons governed the realm after the disappearance of Katar II, son of Katar, since there was no proof that the last king was dead, and no claimant had enough support to be accepted as his successor. The line of Blactios was held to have failed. Whenever there was a new High Barron, he would swear an oath to yield rule of Arindear back to the King, in essence only an heir of Rickrion, if he should ever return. In Arindear, there was no one who could claim descent from Riickrion in direct line, and the southern line of Sierda had effectively disappeared, so this oath was not considered seriously. The line of High Barrons ruled as Kings, without having the title.

Tirion and Mühvei
In 443 BBB when High Barron Tirion ruled over Arindear, the nation faced one of its greatest perils: an Qushairi tribe named the Belch invaded Arindear with mass force. Arindear's army marched to fight the Belch but were cut off from Arindear City and pushed back in the direction of the Astilik.

Messengers were sent to get help from the Lôthéod, a nomadic tribe, which lived in the northern vales of the Wylde, but nobody expected the messengers to reach their destination. When certain peril came upon Arindear, however, the Lôthéod turned the tide of the Battle of the Field of Théodear. After the victory the Lôthéod were awarded the fields of Áterac northwest of the Astilik, between rivers Bourne and Arinsier, to the northern coast, where they established the kingdom of Lôdear with Mühvei the Young as their first king. A permanent alliance between Arindear and Lôdear was established by the oath Mühvei swore to Tirion.