Republic of Retiand
The Republic of Retiand is the northernmost halfling nation in the world, and has played a minor role in events in Orentelar. Retiand was originally the northernmost bastion of the dwarven Kingdom of Harjall, but was settled heavily by Verderén halfling migrants. Its hills and valleys, while cool, have temperate summers which make the valleys good for agriculture, with abundent but not torrential rains. Therefore, despite the snowy winters, the halflings preferred this region to the colder slopes of central Harjall.
When Harjall fell into civil war in 1309, it threw the whole kingdom into disarray. With the war continuing until 1325, the halfling-dominated Retiand was left to govern itself, and declared itself independent in 1320. They were unrecognized until the youngest son was defeated and forced to flee the country with his remaining supporters. Passing through Retiand under a flag of truce, he negotiated peace with the halflings and recognized Retiand to spite his brothers. With him later founding Valrang, this technically would be Retaind's earliest recognition by another nation. The Retianders formed a republican government with an oligarchic tradition, which did occasionally slide into pseudo-monarchy. However, true dynasties were never really established, with major families largely trading control over the years. Stable and secure, in 1579 the Retainders invaded neighboring Agrenraysereg Federation while they were in an anarchic period and secured parts of the Deinperio river. However, when Agrenraysereg was reunited under the authoritarian leadership of Aslan Chogkar in the 1600s, they got revenge for this vulture-like action. Retiand was utterly defeated and its leader was imprisoned. His son was placed in control as a puppet, as Aslan Khan intended to rule over Retiand as a vassal. However, he died before this could be realized, and while Retiand continued paying tribute for a few years, they never ended up a subject.
Continuing on their previous trend, Retiand developed their lands, although it took many years before they recovered from the devastation the Ayseregy brought. While they had retained their prewar borders and the small amount of humans already within their borders, the loss of life to the halfling majority was hard to recover from, as the cold winters killed many following the scorching of their farms. Although Retiand didn't initiate an offensive war after this, their national nightmare was repeated in 1813, when Agrenraysereg once again invaded, this time to secure goods for supply routes for their new holdings on the Plaires Centralis. Although not as harsh as the previous invasion, Retianders fought a guerilla war against the Ayseregy. With Agrenraysereg eventually being pushed nearly out of the plains by 1824, they decided to cut their losses and evacuate Retiand by 1825.
The winter of 1825 saw the dwarven nation of Harjallstund, seize Retiand and held it against the humans. Although kinder masters than their previous ones, the dwarves still held Retaind as a military base rather than an equal part of their domain. Low scale and protracted warfare continued throughout Retiand during these years, with the human-majority portions of the nation and many of the valleys held by the Ayseregy while the dwarves held the highlands. Finally, in 1833, the Retainder population rose up once more and expelled the humans, though they still had to win their independence from the dwarves. In order to achieve this, they formed an alliance with Harjallgard, forcing the Harjallstundi to retreat or face conquest. By this point, the Retianders had lost around 2/3rds of the population they had in 1813. It would take many years to recover, as even the land of Retiand itself was devastated.
Naturally, with hostilities against the Ayseregy continuing throughout the years, south, mainly through the nation of Lioseas and into Cloriadme. With the fall of Agrenraysereg to the Khanate of Doikorás, the halflings have started to reroute trade that way, opening up trading relations the Doikorás. Although Retaind continues to be surrounded by warmongering powers, their defensible terrain and stout-hearted citizens are not to be counted out.
When Harjall fell into civil war in 1309, it threw the whole kingdom into disarray. With the war continuing until 1325, the halfling-dominated Retiand was left to govern itself, and declared itself independent in 1320. They were unrecognized until the youngest son was defeated and forced to flee the country with his remaining supporters. Passing through Retiand under a flag of truce, he negotiated peace with the halflings and recognized Retiand to spite his brothers. With him later founding Valrang, this technically would be Retaind's earliest recognition by another nation. The Retianders formed a republican government with an oligarchic tradition, which did occasionally slide into pseudo-monarchy. However, true dynasties were never really established, with major families largely trading control over the years. Stable and secure, in 1579 the Retainders invaded neighboring Agrenraysereg Federation while they were in an anarchic period and secured parts of the Deinperio river. However, when Agrenraysereg was reunited under the authoritarian leadership of Aslan Chogkar in the 1600s, they got revenge for this vulture-like action. Retiand was utterly defeated and its leader was imprisoned. His son was placed in control as a puppet, as Aslan Khan intended to rule over Retiand as a vassal. However, he died before this could be realized, and while Retiand continued paying tribute for a few years, they never ended up a subject.
Continuing on their previous trend, Retiand developed their lands, although it took many years before they recovered from the devastation the Ayseregy brought. While they had retained their prewar borders and the small amount of humans already within their borders, the loss of life to the halfling majority was hard to recover from, as the cold winters killed many following the scorching of their farms. Although Retiand didn't initiate an offensive war after this, their national nightmare was repeated in 1813, when Agrenraysereg once again invaded, this time to secure goods for supply routes for their new holdings on the Plaires Centralis. Although not as harsh as the previous invasion, Retianders fought a guerilla war against the Ayseregy. With Agrenraysereg eventually being pushed nearly out of the plains by 1824, they decided to cut their losses and evacuate Retiand by 1825.
The winter of 1825 saw the dwarven nation of Harjallstund, seize Retiand and held it against the humans. Although kinder masters than their previous ones, the dwarves still held Retaind as a military base rather than an equal part of their domain. Low scale and protracted warfare continued throughout Retiand during these years, with the human-majority portions of the nation and many of the valleys held by the Ayseregy while the dwarves held the highlands. Finally, in 1833, the Retainder population rose up once more and expelled the humans, though they still had to win their independence from the dwarves. In order to achieve this, they formed an alliance with Harjallgard, forcing the Harjallstundi to retreat or face conquest. By this point, the Retianders had lost around 2/3rds of the population they had in 1813. It would take many years to recover, as even the land of Retiand itself was devastated.
Naturally, with hostilities against the Ayseregy continuing throughout the years, south, mainly through the nation of Lioseas and into Cloriadme. With the fall of Agrenraysereg to the Khanate of Doikorás, the halflings have started to reroute trade that way, opening up trading relations the Doikorás. Although Retaind continues to be surrounded by warmongering powers, their defensible terrain and stout-hearted citizens are not to be counted out.
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