Valken

Valken is the oldest major city and former capital of the Commonwealth of Ardun. It is the second largest city in the country, with 2.4 million people living in the city proper (6.2 million in the Valken Metropolitan Area). Settled at the mouth of the Amberag River, Valken is one of the most important centers for trade along the Galtica coast and the Heartland Sea.
The city of Valken was originally founded by Galts of the Amberwyn Tribe at the beginning of the Bronze Age, and is the oldest surviving galtic settlement. Throughout the First and Second Eras, it became a bridge in trade between the continents of Lusia and Bruna, at times finding itself allied with and against the growing Meron Supremacy. When the Kingdom of Ardun was founded at the beginning of the Third Age, Valken was chosen as the royal capital, a status that would benefit from until the collapse of the monarchy in the Ardunan Revolution.
Valken's Old District is considered a World Heritage Site due to its preservation of Meron and Ardunni architecture. Three of the five largest museums in Ardun can be found in the city.

History

Early History

The founding of Valken's ancient core is a subject of much speculation. Though galtic peoples did have the habit of writing down their histories and myths with runic carvings, most of their lorekeeping was performed by the druidic class, primarily through oral history. This, coupled with the many sackings Valken has witnessed through the ages, has resulted in few historical documentation surviving to present day. 
However, it is known that Valken was settled sometime around the year 800 of the First Age, making it one of the earliest settlements in history. It was preceded by a group of galtic villages around the Amberag River, which united into the Amberwyn Tribe for the sake of mutual protection. Frequent attacks by raiders from land and sea drove the first Valkeners to construct the type of elevated settlement, surrounded by wooden walls, that would become iconic of the galtic civilization.
The settlement's strategic position, on top of a cliff overseeing the mouth of the Amberag, would soon turn out to be not only a military boon, but an economic one. As other civilizations around the Heartland Sea began to develop, the Amberag became seen as the dividing line between the "civilized" grasslands of Lusia and the "wild" forests of Bruna. This made neighbouring kingdoms and city-states wary of expanding past the river, but demand for the natural resources of the north put Valken at the center of many lucrative trade routes.

Galtic Wars

The first half of the Iron Age saw the Meron Supremacy expand north at a rapid pace, leading them to a direct confrontation with galtic kingdoms south of the Amberag. These conflicts eventually boiled over into the First Galtic War. The Amberwyn Tribe managed to remain neutral during much of the fighting due to their valued trade partnership with Meros. However, some neighboring tribes began to see the Amberwyns as complicit in Meron aggression, and attacked them in the hope to cut the meron legions from their supply of brunan ores. The Amberwyn Tribe and their satellite tribes were forced to join the Merons, which would greatly improve their position when the Merons won the war. The end of the war saw the expansion of the Supremacy as far north as the Bartan River, and the Amberwyns were given control over their former neighbours' land as payment for their assistance.
The interbellum period led to another economic boom for Valken, as the rapid Meron settlement of formerly galtic lands led to increased demand for wood, stone and metals, and the trade routes that the settlement had long benefited from nearly tripled in size. By 500-2a, Valken had grown to the size of an average Meron city, dwarfing virtually all other galtic settlements in Bruna.
Though this peace would last for a century, the Meron Supremacy would eventually begin a new wave of military expansion northwards. This time, galtic leaders had learned from the past generations, and rallied together in an united front against meron aggression. Despite standing with the merons in the previous war, the Amberwyn Tribe was quickly welcomed into this alliance, mostly because of the economic and strategic value of Valken. This war would last for over a decade, and although the galtic alliance would perform admirably on the battlefield, it would result in a conclusive Meron victory.
Following the Amberwyns' defeat at the Second Galtic War, Valken and the surrounding regions were annexed into the Supremacy, and the city was renamed to Valcera.
After falling back under galtic control in the Great Northern Revolt, the city's original name was restored, and Valken became the largest city within the Kingdom of Ardunnon, eventually being established as the new capital after King Fennar Falkrun's death.
280-3a

History

Following the Amberwyns' defeat at the Second Galtic War, Valken and the surrounding regions were annexed into the Supremacy, and the city was renamed to Valcera. After falling back under galtic control in the Great Northern Revolt, the city's original name was restored, and Valken became the largest city within the Kingdom of Ardunnon, eventually being established as the new capital after King Fennar Falkrun's death.
280-3a

Country: Ardun 
Region: Asgern
County: Valken Metropolitan Area
Settled: 600-1a
Subdivisions: 6 Districts
Government

• Type: Council Government
• Body: Municipal Commune of Valken

Type

Large city