Aurand
Structure
Aurand, like the other nations of Acitern is a monarchy, and is ruled by a king or queen. These rulers come from the same royal house: House Lupisene. Even though the monarchs throughout Aurand's history have retained the Lupisene name, the original bloodline has died out a very long time ago.
Other communities are ruled based on feudal holdings, not unlike Sokoku. Each town, village, and hamlet is the possession of a noble, their house ruled by a hereditary ruler. Technically, even the monarch is one of these feudal lords, whose holdings are the city of Tarke.
Ultimately, it is the monarch who determines who gets what land. As such, the nobility are constantly vying for their favor. Often, these contests come both in schemes to sabotage one another, or in quests carried out by the knights sworn to noble houses. These quests are often grand affairs, with the knights of various patrons trying to outdo one another.
Culture
The Aurandians, more than than those of the other nations in Acitern, value personal worth. This level of worth is based on individual virtues. These virtues can include one's strength, courage, cunning, beauty, or wealth, among others. There are those who find Auarandians quite judgemental for this reason.
Similar to Llanuria, knights are considered by most to be the epitome of civilized behavior. They maintain a code of chivalry that includes loyalty to one's lord, courage and fairness in battle, and civility and courtesy during peacetime. This ideal often inspires these knights, even if the reality sometimes falls short.
These knights often prove their worth by undergoing quests. Many seek to prove their worth by slaying dragons, or-- failing that-- the aptly-named questing beasts. They can often range quite far in search of glory, even joining the adventuring profession. Many adventuring knights take up the life to bring glory to their lord, or in self-imposed exile if dishonored.
The main religion practiced by the Aurandians is that of the Church of the Light. They are quite influential, but have no official power. Still, their influence sometimes makes Aurand quite the unpleasant place for non-humans and the nomadic Aciterni clans. The non-humans frequently gather together for at least some semblance of safety and community.
History
It isn't entirely clear when people first came to Acitern. Unlike most lands, this land doesn't have gods that would have brought them. It is sometimes believed they migrated from Skogsmark in ancient times, but this theory doesn't account for races that are not found there, such as halflings or gnomes.
It is also uncertain when and how civilization began here. It is known that Aurand is the oldest of Acitern's kingdoms. The story goes, however, that the child of a she-wolf, Atarin, was gifted with symbols of his rulership such as a chalice, crown, and most importantly the sword Caliburn by spirits of the sky, land, and waters. Even lost, these are considered to this day as symbols of House Lupisene's right to rule.
No matter the truth behind these legends, the story is very important to the Aurandians, cementing their claim over Acitern. Either way, this greater age is believed to be why Aurand is comparatively rich and well-developed. Historically, they are more than willing to leverage this prosperity against their neighboring kingdoms.
Relatively early in their history, a group of criminals and outcasts fled into the forests to the west. There they met a fey spirit known as Reynard the Fox, who sheltered them from their pursuers. This is the origin for the Aurandian enmity for Reynardia. They have attacked that nation many times in the past, periodically conquering and losing it.
Still, despite all these wars, one of the most important events in Aurand's history is internal. Karad Blackheart, a hero born under the sign of the Wild Hunt, blamed the gods for his poor treatment over the course of his life and sought to convert the population of Acitern into his undead servants so that he might wage war on the lands of the gods.
His efforts started small, merely raising bodies from graveyards scattered throughout the land. Many of these efforts were thwarted by a party of adventurers led by the Bjornlander hero Vidar Elf-Child. This was until a plague swept across much of Acitern, allowing Karad, now a lich, to raise legions of bodies at once and march them in an unstoppable column.
To vie for time, Vidar and the adventurers attempted to unite the people of Acitern against Karad's forces. They managed to gain the support of Pranish, Llanuria, and even the Aciterni, but the Reynardians were unwilling to provide full support for their hated enemies. Eventually, Vidar tracked down Karad's phylactery and destroyed it, slaying the foul creature once and for all.
Demography and Population
While the majority of the Aurandian population is still human, the nation is one of the most diverse places in all of Covenant. The primary minority found here are halflings, followed by gnomes. There are also small but stable populations of elves and orcs, originally from the land of Skogsmark.
Ever since the population began turning against non-humans, this diversity has been gradually dwindling. Many non-humans have been leaving Aurand in favor of more tolerant lands. Mostly, they go to Reynardia, but more recently, they have started going to Pranish as well.
This land also has a large population of goblinoids that raid other peoples. The most common of these are goblins, followed by bugbears then hobgoblins. These attacks are often used by the Church of the Light as an excuse to justify their actions against non-humans.
Territories
Military
Like so many other lands, Aurand has a professional military to fight its battles. This force answers to the ruling king or queen and serves to seize land the crown desires and to keep the nobility in line. In theory, promotion is done only through merit, although the reality often strays quite far from this ideal.
In addition to the monarch's army, nobles also maintain their own troops. These forces are primarily meant to defend their lands and provide extra forces to the monarch, but they are turned against one another with a surprising regularity. By design, none of these forces are close to a match for the army.
The nobles, including the monarch also have others sworn to them. The most well-known and well-respected of these are the knights, who often go on grand quests in the name of their patron. Mages also serve their lords this way, including the monarch, providing their forces with magical support.
Foreign Relations
Aurand has had a long history of conflict with their neighbors, occasionally attacking Llanuria or Pranish for territory or wealth. However, their most important feud has historically been against Reynardia, their neighbors to the east. The Aurandians have long claimed Reynardia as their ancestral territory, and have conquered them more than once. However, their rule over the fiercely independent Reynardians rarely lasts long.
Most recently, the schism between the Pranishan church and that of the rest of Acitern has complicated matters. Officially, the king is reluctant to commit to the crusade, but plenty of Aurandians have willingly joined their side. This has made them somewhat closer to the Llanurians at the cost of their relationship with Pranish.
Not all of their conflicts have been against those of Acitern, however. Due to their wealth and relative proximity, they are the favorite targets of vikings from Bjornland. More than once they have attempted a counterattack by invading Bjornland, but their martial culture made these unsuccessful.
Agriculture & Industry
Unlike some lands, such as Reynardia, Aurand's agriculture is very large-scale, mostly to support its high population. Mostly the labor comes from serfs who serve the nobles that own the land, growing grains, flax, and other staples, or herding cattle or sheep.
Due to its relatively cosmopolitan ways, techniques from various different lands have found their way to Aurand. This allows for a particularly high level of skill in several different trades, such as blacksmithing, jeweling, woodworking, and weaving, among others.
Trade & Transport
The more-or-less central location Aurand has on Acitern makes it a very attractive destination for traders, even more so due to favorable ocean currents. The most common origin for such ships is the Polisian city-state of Pasedonis, bringing in goods from Polisia, Sakkal, Kemet, and even sometimes Jiayuan.
Its varied lands also leave Aurand flush with natural resources, including multiple kinds of metals, cloths, and dyes. These are often traded for simple coin, or goods the Aurandians find exotic, such as Polisian wine, Jiayuanese silk, or Kemetan jewelry.
Infrastructure
In addition to being one of the most populated places in Covenant, it is also the most well-developed. A series of roadways criss-cross the entire kingdom, making even the most isolated towns connected to the capital at Tarke. In fact, the Aurandians have the largest network of cobbled roads in the world.
Most famously, the Aurandians construct vast castles made of stone. These are considered a status symbol among the nobles who reside there, and are often majestic structures with a commanding view of the countryside they rule over. They also serve a vital defensive role for their citizens, protecting them from possible invasion.
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