Aundair

Aundair is one of the five nations of the original Kingdom of Galifar. Although much of its western forest territory has now become the Eldeen Reaches, Aundair still possesses beautiful swaths of fertile fields that supply the nations of Khorvaire with food and fine wines while large institutions of higher learning output scholars and knowledge.

Government

Queen Aurala rules the Aundairian monarchy; her family has held the crown since the start of the Last War and the shattering of Galifar. Aundair suffered more than some and less than others during the Last War, but in general, the nation enjoys a relatively safe and idyllic existence. Aurala continues to receive the support and confidence of her vassal lords, and most of the common people adore her.
Beneath the royal family, a wealthy group of nobles oversees tracts of land partitioned to them by the crown. Some of these noble families go back to the days of a united Galifar and continue to oversee the land afforded them by the Galifar king. Others are newer, granted title and privilege due to actions undertaken during the Last War. Aurala works hard to maintain the trust and support of her nobles, for they continue to provide the troops and taxes needed to keep Aundair safe and prosperous in this new age of peace. Aurala also enjoys the counsel of the Arcane Congress, a remnant of the original council of wizards created by King Galifar as the royal answer to the Twelve of the dragonmarked houses. The Congress is currently headquartered in Arcanix, with an annex at the royal court in Fairhaven.

Industry & Trade

Aundair produces a great number of agricultural products, both for use within the nation and as imports for trade. Cereals, grains, vegetables, and wines from the Aundair countryside are considered among the best in all of Khorvaire. The cities of Aundair contain great centers of learning that at least equal the colleges and universities of Zilargo, and the arcane institutes might exceed those found anywhere else on the continent. For this reason, magewrights, artificers, and wizards trained in Aundair demand the highest pay scale compared to those trained in most other traditions. All of the dragonmarked houses maintain emporiums and outposts throughout Aundair. Two houses, Lyrandar and Orien, made their headquarters in the nation. House Lyrandar’s matriarch sits in the northern island city of Stormhome, while the patriarch of House Orien runs the family conglomerate from the city of Passage, which rises from the eastern shore of Lake Galifar.

Guilds and Factions

House Lyrandar: The half-elves of House Lyrandar have turned a harsh, storm-battered island into the seat of the house matriarch, Esravash d’Lyrandar. Stormhome, situated off the northern coast of Aundair, appears on maps as part of Aurala’s nation, but there is no doubt that the place belongs to Lyrandar. Using the full extent of their weather controlling abilities, House Lyrandar has transformed the island into a paradise. The days never grow too hot, the nights never become too cold, and a warm breeze constantly blows across the island. From here, the matriarch oversees the various operations of her house throughout Khorvaire. She maintains a civil relationship with Queen Aurala, and the two often visit to discuss events happening around the continent and share intelligence—much to the dismay of both the Royal Eyes of Aundair (Aurala’s spies and intelligence agents) and House Lyrandar’s elders.
House Orien: The patriarch of House Orien, Kwanti d’Orien, maintains a lavish enclave in the city of Passage. While a royal mayor governs the city, House Orien has an amazing amount of influence in the region. The majority of the population works for the house, and the leaders of the house constantly lobby for laws and regulations that favor trade and transportation. While Passage is the ancestral home of Orien, today it is but one of many headquarters the patriarch uses as he constantly travels the continent to oversee the operations of his house.
House Cannith: The holders of the Mark of Making do not recognize a single head of the family. While the situation hasn’t become as bad as the split that led to the formation of two houses for the Mark of Shadow, it nonetheless weakens the overall power and influence of House Cannith. Instead of a single patriarch or matriarch overseeing the family conglomerate, three leaders oversee operations in different parts of Khorvaire and only sporadically confer and deal with one another. One of these leaders, Jorlanna d’Cannith, makes her base in Fairhaven, organizing the house’s efforts in Aundair, Thrane, and the Eldeen Reaches from a modest enclave in the city’s industrial center.
The Royal Family Aundair’s royal family consists of Queen Aurala, her consort Sasik, her three children, and the extended families of her four siblings. Aurala’s brother Adal serves as her warlord and minister of magic, and he shares her desire to see the Galifar crown on the head of an Aundair lord. He wants that head to be his, though, and not his sister’s. Another brother, Aurad, serves as Aurala’s chief advisor and governor of Fairhaven. Her youngest sisters, the twins Wrel and Wrey, currently study with the mages of Arcanix. From the royal court of Fairhold, built at the heart of the city of Fairhaven, Aurala governs the land using everything at her disposal. She hopes that the overtures of peace that resulted in the Treaty of Thronehold continue at least until she has had a chance to reinforce her kingdom, but she has reservations about some of the less refined new nations. Currently, the Royal Eyes of Aundair keep watch on the activities of the other nations as Aurala plays diplomat in public and conspirator in private.
The Arcane Congress The last vestiges of the great magical study project undertaken by King Galifar I, the Arcane Congress consists of a council of wizards and sorcerers who continue to explore the limits of the arcane arts. The royal warlord and minister of magic, Adal, serves as the go-between for the crown and the Congress, though some factions within the Congress distrust Adal due to his fascination with war and weapons of arcane destruction. In addition to providing Queen Aurala with advice on arcane matters, the Congress oversees the floating towers of wizardry in Arcanix and helps mentor the next generation of wizards and magewrights.
Nobles and Vassal Lords Aundair has a powerful collection of landed gentry, nobles granted land and title by the crown. From their manor houses and keeps, the lords protect their vassal farmers and provide troops and taxes for Aurala to use for the greater defense of the crown and nation. Some of the most powerful and influential nobles include Lord Darro ir’Lain, whose Knights Arcane have traditionally provided much of Aundair’s military punch; Lady Selini ir’Torn; and Lord Kenth ir’Kenthi.

History

The Last War: During the last war, Aundair spent most of its time in warfare against either Thrane or Karrnath, and the loss of Thaliost to Thrane bristles Aundairian national pride to this day. During the Last War, the Eldeen Reaches seceded from Aundair, causing the nation to lose one half of its total area, along with one fifth of its population. The Knights Arcane bravely fought for Aundair, along with peasant militias. Of all of the nations, Aundair was the most reluctant to enter peace negotiations, feeling that with more time they would have achieved victory in the war.

Geography

Much of Aundair's boundaries are marked by natural geographical features. The Wynarn River and Lake Galifar in the west, the Blackcaps to the south, the Eldeen Bay in the north, and Scions Sound and Aundair River in the northwest. The only border not so demarcated is that between Aundair and Thrane, its neighbor to the east. Breland sits to the south and the newly formed Eldeen Reaches borders the west. The lightning rail passes through the larger cities of Passage and Fairhaven while House Orien roadways network through to smaller cities and westward to the Eldeen Reaches.

Type

National Territory

Population

2,000,000 (Humans 51%, Half-elves 16%, Elves 11%, Gnomes 11%, Halflings 5%, Shifter 3%, Changelings 2%, Other 1%)

Owner/Ruler

Aurala ir'Wynarn

Ruling/Owning Rank

Queen