High Principality of Midrian

A tiny kingdom in the shadow of the Second Alousian Empire, Midrian is home to a global network of bards, druids and rangers dedicated to the nation's survival.

History

Soon after ancient Alousia fell, Midrian was the first nation to secede from the old empire. Located to the south of today’s Second Alousian Empire, Midrian is best known for its capital city of Cinri, home of the most famous bardic colleges in the world. While Erelessa in Mazrendaram is the world capital of entertainment, Cinri is where the most serious bards and other performers come to train (along with the colleges in Cernoa).
The Cinrian colleges, while most famous for their bards, are also known for training druids and rangers. Alumni often go on to hold important and powerful posts all over the world as diplomats, advisors and court performers. This informal network does its best to quietly protect the otherwise vulnerable Midrian, which has only a small army and its reputation to defend itself with. The most prestigious bardic college in Cinri is the Lavathan Academy, while the largest is Johren University.

Athlas and Othras

A love story set in ancient time between a dryad from the forest and a naiad from the sea. The folk song "When the Forest Loved the Sea" is about their unrequited love. The most famous version is attributed to the Cernoan aasimar Esreithane, though the aaracokra Qurhati ambassador Mishran Al'haroun's version is also well known.
The story of Athlas and Othras took place a long time ago - long before the elves, humans and orcs became the ausrani and settled the west, long before the dragons invaded with their armies from another world, even long before first of the accursed undead walked these lands. The story of Athlas and Othras happened in a time when only the giantkin, fey, and the ancient treants walked the earth. At this time the fey were many, and had settled all corners of the continent of Jehaan and its surrounding waters.
Athlas was a young dryad, the protector of a sacred grove on the coast dedicated to Antu, Shepherd of the Forest. Othras was a young naiad who lived with her sisters in the bay across the beach from Athlas' tree. They fell in love, spending hours on that shore, listening to rustle of leaves in the trees and the rustle of waves on the beach. Athlas' family forbade their love, but Othras' sisters encouraged it. And while Othras the naiad could breathe air and water, Athlas the dryad could not breathe water and could not long leave her trees. Wile Othlas could visit Athlas she was forbidden, and Athlas could never visit Othlas in her home. In despair, each took their own life unknown to the other.
Millennia later, when the ausrani settled the west they heard the story of Athlas and Othras and honored them by naming the forest and the bay after their long-dead protectors.

The Kindred in Midrian

The Kindred are particularly popular and powerful in Midrian. There are two generally ackowledged reasons for this. The first is the proximity of the scar left by the Bloodwar Rift that opened to the lower planes 1,200 years ago and led to the Fall of Alousia and the Collapse of Godossea. There is a strong folk memory of Alousia's destruction by fiends and the subsequent founding of Midrian and other nations from Alousia's ashes. As a quasi-secret society dedicated to combating invaders from otherplanar rifts, the Kindred hace been extremely popular in the West for over a thousand years.
While the rank-and-file of the Kindred generally stay anonymous, the Kindred of Midrian are very publicly led by the human druid Ahroa Brynwyth. Ahroa was a druidic prodigy as a child and stopped aging in her mid-twenties - over 150 years ago. She is also Lady Brynwyth, the hereditary Sáyanar of Jhánka in the Välsa of Elspeth.
Many Midrianite families aspire to send three children out in the world, "one for the Rangers, one for the Temple, one for the Kindred." In reality most children stay home to tend the farm or shop, but the military, priesthoods and Kindred are rarely short of recruits.

Government

Midrian is divided into three "duchies" called välsa, each ruled by a välsar. Each välsa is further divided into a number of "baronies" called sayán, governed by a hereditary sáyanar. The "prince" of Midrian is called the 'Daoshan' from the Old Alousian title duzhan meaning 'advisor to the Emperor' and in some cases 'regent.'
The rule of each sáyan is passed down to the oldest child of the Sáyanar. The Välsar is chosen from among that väisa's Sáyanar by majority vote and serves for life.
For as long as anyone can remember, the Daoshan of Midrian has received both bardic and druidic training from a young age. The reigning Daoshan generally performs the major public druidic rituals themselves, and is usually a highly trained orator. Serving until death or abdication, the Daoshan chooses their successor (called the Vishenyi) upon their coronation. The Midrianite nobility have the power to veto that choice - every noble has one vote, from the three välsar down to the lowliest knight-ranger. If two thirds vote to replace the Vishenyi, the Daoshan needs to nominate a different candidate. This tends to cement loyalty to the eventual Daoshan among both the nobility and the command structure of the army.
It is rare (but not unheard of) for the vishenyi to be chosen from the three välsar. Instead, the daoshan and their vishenyi are almost invariably chosen from among the sáyanar.
Välsa Orenna is ruled by the half elf Välsar Lord Haskia el'Amorn. He is also Sáyanar of Idrissa and Lord of the City of Imbault. The sayáns of Välsa Orenna are:

• Sayán Finthael, whose Sáyanar is the bugbear Lady Amara Kenshian,
• Sayán Gondrin, whose Sáyanar is the elderly elven druid Lady Alecra Tanaster,
• Sayán Idrissa, whose Sáyanar is the half-elven Haskia el'Amorn. El'Amorn is also Välsar of Orenna and Lord of the City of Imbault,
• Sayán Tamelas, whose Sáyanar is the halfing Lord Orlan Bannet

Välsa Elspeth is ruled by the feyborn human Välsar Lady Anaïn Rhesya. She is also Sáyanar of Hathranna and Crown Guardian of the Daoshan's lands around the capital of Cinri and Lake Iroa. The sayáns of Välsa Elspeth are:

• Sayán Hathranna. See Välsa Elspeth above,
• Sayán Jhánka, whose Sáyanar is the seemingly immortal human druid Lady Ahroa Brynwyth. Lady Brynwyth is also the leader of the Kindred of Midrian.
• Sayán Tantaman, whose Sáyanar is the human Lady Caira Avastian. She is also the Lord Ranger of Midrian.

Välsa Mathras is ruled by the tortle sorcerer Lord Ghendu Isénrys. Ghendu is also the Sáyanar of Avaresha. The sayáns of Välsa Mathras are:

• Sayán Avaresha. See Välsa Mathras above.
• Sayán Dagothra, whose Sáyanar is the half-ogre Lady Bas Omra
• Sayán Yenrassa, whose Sáyanar is the human Lord Ralan Visroa

Arouna Basheir, Daoshan of Midrian

Caira Avastian, Lord Ranger of Midrian and Sáyanar of Tantaman

Haskia el'Amorn - Välsar of Orenna, Sáyanar of Idrissa, and Lord of Imbault

The ageless human druid Ahroa Brynwyth, Sáyanar of Jhánka and leader of the Kindred in Midrian.

Athlas the Dryad

Othras the Naiad

Maps

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  Midrian, Principality of (geographic)

• 

  Midrian, Principality of (political)

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Predecessor Organization

• Ancient Alousian Empire

Demonym

Midrianite

Official Languages

• Alousian
• Shanite

Neighboring Nations

• Kingdom of Shan
• Second Alousian Empire