Ethel Canton
The current maritime capital of Milos, Ethel has embraced Eysch economics and become a master of debts, binders, and of course shipping. Despite the region's new interests, Ethel maintains its monopoly of the sheep trade that helped to make it wealthy.
An issue of names: The term "Ethel" is perpetually confusing, as it has so many applications within the Lordsland of Ethel. It is applied to the folk who live within the canton itself, as well as those who belong to Clan Ethel, as well as a race of people distinct from the ancient Rathi, and even Ethelbranders (those who live in the capitol city of Ethelbrand) are oft called Ethels. The canton's citizens are technically called Ethelites, and the race technically called Etheli, but more often they are all simply called "Ethels." This of course can make it difficult to distinguish between these various groups, and perhaps speaks to Clan Ethel's hegemony in the region (and, perhaps, in the Peninsula as a whole).
History
Though joined chiefly by myth, the Ethel Canton is largely considered the descendant of Aether, the legendary first kingdom of Milos. Eidon, the legendary king of Aether, was supposedly a male wizard who had mastered an unknown, ill-defined form of magic, whose secrets he passed on to his sons. Many have suggested this was an invention of later historians, reacting to the female-dominated magic of the Orckid Empire. There are a handful of legendary kings and kingdoms in the Peninsula, and most of them have great deeds or dynasties included in their tales. For Eidon and Aether, however, nothing more is known.
Milosian History is largely unknown before the Khabarese Crusade. Virtually all spelt records were destroyed in the Burning of the Great Spellery, located at Cantef. Not only Ethel was affected by this: whatever caused the Burning would lead to the destruction of virtually every spellery in the Peninsula, effectively wiping all history from the nation. The Burning was followed by the Lost Age, a time too recent for myths and legends and yet too shrouded in vagaries and rumor for anything to be reliably recalled.
In 642 RA, a port town in Lorden was taken by Khabarese Paladins, who brought with them their own spellers and messengers (called "scribes" in their lands). The power this granted them over the Lordenites, as well as the historic import of this invasion, prompted many clan chiefs to reinstitute spelling and records, under their own watchful eye. With this, histories began to reemerge of the the Milosian cantons.
Colors: Gilt and Silver Aronn, called the Golden King [1st Known King of Ethel]
[Wizards: Dark Danna, Florris Faintheart]
[??? - 659 RA]
The Derraghs claimed to come from the Golden Land across the sea, and what little we know from the Lost Age suggests they brought great wealth with them. By the time King Aronn sat the gilty chair, however, any blood links to the Golden Folk must have diminished, for Aronn and his family were as ghast and dun-haired as anyone in Ethel before the coming of the Eysch. Aronn had three sons and four daughters. Aronn had wed Lady Aliss of Clan Towers, who ruled Cantef at the time, and therefore betrothed his first son Orinn to Lady Ellin of Clan Cayor in Kelisfield. It was traditional for the King of Ethel to betroth his first son to the first daughter of the liege lords of from the three (later four) major settlements in the canton. Daughters were typically given to local lords, with some leeway granted to how younger sons might be disposed. Ethel was less opposed to spelling than the other cantons, and it appears that spellers were never completely removed from the greatest families. As such, when word of Khabar's early victories in Lorden reached him, King Aronn ordered Danna Spawler from Cantef to serve as his royal Wizard. Danna was dark of eye and hair, and reportedly cold in demeanor, granting her the style Dark Danna. She did not wish to leave Cantef, and many felt she often overstepped her bounds in how she spoke to the king, yet the two had a profitable if contentious relationship, and Danna served to improve both Ethel's western defenses and their wealth. Danna's disappearance later in Aronn's rule is somewhat mysterious, with some saying she was burned alive (a once common fate for treacherous wizards, according to legend) or given to another king, or even that she fled from her service, sailing north into faraway Vaina. She was replaced with another speller from Cantef, Florris Faintheart. Florris was much more respectful, effective and obedient, but little else could be said of her. King Aronn is renowned for his long and peaceful reign, though of course the exact length of his rule is unknown. Ethelbrand remained unassailed, and even the famously war-torn Kelisfield suffered no more than occasional skirmishes from Revellia to the south. In his final years, Aronn grew extremely stout and was eventually unable to sit the gilty chair or even climb stairs. He had long named his first sone Orinn his Archon (an Old Orckid term), and the prince served in his father's stead for nearly three years before Aronn failed to awaken one Autumn morning. Aronn and his wife Queen Aliss had grown estranged in their later years, and the queen had returned to her family estate at Cantef. She did return for the king's funeral however, and her son Orinn commanded her to remain. Orinn, called the Witch Slayer [2nd Known King of Ethel]
[Wizards: Florris Faintheart, Maudd the Meek, Loona Lionheart, Tess the Terrible, Dark Daelle]
[659 RA - 675 RA]
Aronn the Golden King was largely seen as a consensus-builder, but his son Orinn would prove a far more forceful king. Long fed up with the royal wizard, Florris Faintheart, Orinn consulted his mother, the Dowager Queen Aliss (who was born in Cantef and had oft visited there for many months at a time) on the best choice for a replacement. They settled on Maudd Branc, a woman of middling birth but high ability, and sent for her at once. It was not until Maudd took up residence in the wizard's tower and began organizing missives that, timid as always, Florris Faintheart approached the new king and requested and explanation. "Maudd is my royal wizard," he answered. "You may serve as her speller, or you may return to Cantef." When Florris objected, timidly as always, the king offered a third option. "The Queen Aliss is sailing north soon," he said, "perhaps you would like us to sell you a Vainan witch instead." Florris would soon agree to serve as one of Maudd's spellers. In less than a year, she vanished from the castle. Given Orinn's future reputation, it is unsurprising that many suggested he had the woman thrown into the sea. It took nearly two months to select Maudd, and another two for her to take her position. Orinn's selection of Archon, however, took place the day after putting on the crown. His brother Corred was a renowned warrior, having led several sorties to defend Kelisfield to the south from incursions, and Orinn was eager to have a forceful servant at his right hand. Dowager Queen Aliss recommended his second brother Garreth, a thoughtful man who was rumored to be a speller, and whom she hoped might temper Orinn's blunt manner. Orinn would not hear of it, however, and indeed in 663 RA Garreth was sent away to Cantef on the pretext of supervising fortifications, to be rid of his unwelcome council. Queen Aliss would depart with her youngest son, without her king's leave. She would never leave Cantef again, dying of her years there in 670 RA.
RULERS OF ETHEL
Rule of Clan Derragh
Sigil: A Bloody Merman
Colors: Gilt and Silver Aronn, called the Golden King [1st Known King of Ethel]
[Wizards: Dark Danna, Florris Faintheart]
[??? - 659 RA]
The Derraghs claimed to come from the Golden Land across the sea, and what little we know from the Lost Age suggests they brought great wealth with them. By the time King Aronn sat the gilty chair, however, any blood links to the Golden Folk must have diminished, for Aronn and his family were as ghast and dun-haired as anyone in Ethel before the coming of the Eysch. Aronn had three sons and four daughters. Aronn had wed Lady Aliss of Clan Towers, who ruled Cantef at the time, and therefore betrothed his first son Orinn to Lady Ellin of Clan Cayor in Kelisfield. It was traditional for the King of Ethel to betroth his first son to the first daughter of the liege lords of from the three (later four) major settlements in the canton. Daughters were typically given to local lords, with some leeway granted to how younger sons might be disposed. Ethel was less opposed to spelling than the other cantons, and it appears that spellers were never completely removed from the greatest families. As such, when word of Khabar's early victories in Lorden reached him, King Aronn ordered Danna Spawler from Cantef to serve as his royal Wizard. Danna was dark of eye and hair, and reportedly cold in demeanor, granting her the style Dark Danna. She did not wish to leave Cantef, and many felt she often overstepped her bounds in how she spoke to the king, yet the two had a profitable if contentious relationship, and Danna served to improve both Ethel's western defenses and their wealth. Danna's disappearance later in Aronn's rule is somewhat mysterious, with some saying she was burned alive (a once common fate for treacherous wizards, according to legend) or given to another king, or even that she fled from her service, sailing north into faraway Vaina. She was replaced with another speller from Cantef, Florris Faintheart. Florris was much more respectful, effective and obedient, but little else could be said of her. King Aronn is renowned for his long and peaceful reign, though of course the exact length of his rule is unknown. Ethelbrand remained unassailed, and even the famously war-torn Kelisfield suffered no more than occasional skirmishes from Revellia to the south. In his final years, Aronn grew extremely stout and was eventually unable to sit the gilty chair or even climb stairs. He had long named his first sone Orinn his Archon (an Old Orckid term), and the prince served in his father's stead for nearly three years before Aronn failed to awaken one Autumn morning. Aronn and his wife Queen Aliss had grown estranged in their later years, and the queen had returned to her family estate at Cantef. She did return for the king's funeral however, and her son Orinn commanded her to remain. Orinn, called the Witch Slayer [2nd Known King of Ethel]
[Wizards: Florris Faintheart, Maudd the Meek, Loona Lionheart, Tess the Terrible, Dark Daelle]
[659 RA - 675 RA]
Aronn the Golden King was largely seen as a consensus-builder, but his son Orinn would prove a far more forceful king. Long fed up with the royal wizard, Florris Faintheart, Orinn consulted his mother, the Dowager Queen Aliss (who was born in Cantef and had oft visited there for many months at a time) on the best choice for a replacement. They settled on Maudd Branc, a woman of middling birth but high ability, and sent for her at once. It was not until Maudd took up residence in the wizard's tower and began organizing missives that, timid as always, Florris Faintheart approached the new king and requested and explanation. "Maudd is my royal wizard," he answered. "You may serve as her speller, or you may return to Cantef." When Florris objected, timidly as always, the king offered a third option. "The Queen Aliss is sailing north soon," he said, "perhaps you would like us to sell you a Vainan witch instead." Florris would soon agree to serve as one of Maudd's spellers. In less than a year, she vanished from the castle. Given Orinn's future reputation, it is unsurprising that many suggested he had the woman thrown into the sea. It took nearly two months to select Maudd, and another two for her to take her position. Orinn's selection of Archon, however, took place the day after putting on the crown. His brother Corred was a renowned warrior, having led several sorties to defend Kelisfield to the south from incursions, and Orinn was eager to have a forceful servant at his right hand. Dowager Queen Aliss recommended his second brother Garreth, a thoughtful man who was rumored to be a speller, and whom she hoped might temper Orinn's blunt manner. Orinn would not hear of it, however, and indeed in 663 RA Garreth was sent away to Cantef on the pretext of supervising fortifications, to be rid of his unwelcome council. Queen Aliss would depart with her youngest son, without her king's leave. She would never leave Cantef again, dying of her years there in 670 RA.
Type
Geopolitical, Lordship
Alternative Names
Sheep Lands
Demonym
Ethels, Ethelites
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities