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Arthedain
"Ah,
Arthedain. Take your blades there if you must. As for me, I 'd rather live
to spend my plunder. The men of Arthedain are hard as iron, and the women
are fierce and nigh un-rapable."
—King Ludvig of Hraalvar to
his court (AR 690).
Map
of Arthedain
Ruler:
Queen Ulbraxa
Who Really Rules: The Sword Council, a 17-member council of the
wealthiest and most influential noble lords. However, the Sword Council
often finds itself trying to placate the very vocal people of Arthedain.
Cities (population): Proudwall (42,000), Sterncastle (capital;
78,000).
Resources & Exports: Wool, Iron, Copper, Livestock, Produce,
Leather, Alcohol.
Races: Human 83% (Emerish 89%, Lyrrean 8%, Hraal 2%, others 1%),
Halflings 8%, Dwarves 5%, Dragonborn 3%, others 1%.
The
rocky, windswept lands of Arthedain have bred a hardy race of
warrior-poets. Though the folk of the Iron Isle have suffered raids from
many hostile nations, never has an attacking force been
able to claim and hold an inch of Arthedainian soil. Thus, the folk of
Arthedain are a proud lot, indomitable of will and fierce of spirit. They
are also hot-tempered, easily offended, and nealry as stubborn as dwarves.
Originally
a hereditary monarchy, Arthedain now (beginning in AR 780 with King Wolnar
the Brave) elects its ruler by popular vote. The
ruler must have performed some heroic service of some kind for the
betterment of the kingdom. Past rulers have included war heroes, valorous
adventurers that have defeated some menance to the kingdom, and, on one occasion,
a street-sweeper who single-handedly rescued 34 children from a burning
orphanage (King Taemus the Kind, AR 838-842). Once elected,
the monarch rules for life.
The
current ruler is Queen Ulbraxa, who
is also the first
non-human to wear the crown. In AR 888, the dragonborn
adventurer slew the rampaging red dragon Ebonfire on the shore of Knights
Lake. Much to the horror
of the nobles of the Sword Council, the commonfolk overwhelmingly voted
Ulbraxa
to
the throne. Though abnormally shy and reclusive for
a monarch, Ulbraxa has ruled Arthedain justly for the past 12 years.
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