Coronation of Queen Aurala of Aundair

Political event

The transition to power of Barvette’s daughter was relatively smooth, and Queen Aurala was crowned in 980. The new queen found herself ruling a nearly ruined country. Her reign would be marked by shrewd diplomacy and a newfound restoration of the nation.

The sheer attrition of decades of war, plus the long time required to train adepts, magewrights, and other skilled personnel (as well as to raise dragonhawks) meant that replacing losses was difficult, particularly when compared to Thrane's levy infantry or even Karrnathi bone knights.   The quality of Aundairian troops and their arcane support was at its lowest ebb. Aurala's desperation was reflected in her initial actions. She sent envoys to her enemies, seeking a ceasefire. The queen tapped her most skilled and intelligent diplomats and instructed them to, at the very least, delay as long as possible.   Meanwhile, Aurala contacted the Lhazaar pirate barons, the Valenar elves, and the Talenta halflings about hiring mercenaries from among their numbers. The queen might even have approached the dragons of Argonnessen and the warlords and abominations of the Demon Waste. Cyre was dismayed when word spread that Aurala had recognized Valenar's independence as a negotiation ploy in securing the elves' aid. The actions of Aundair's new royal achieved their results. Over the next several years, Aundairian forces gained time to recover some measure of their morale, expertise, and numbers.   The primary cause, however, was cautious generalship. As Cyre, Karrnath, Thrane, and Breland wore out one another with regular assaults, Aundair ceased offensive operations, entrenched, and rebuilt. Aundairian diplomacy mostly bought time—although numerous peace negotiations were started, little was accomplished. In all, Queen Aurala showed herself a wily fox indeed. The “early years of Aurala” are still remembered as a time of relative peace and rebuilding in Aundair.  

Perhaps the most enduring alliance during the Last War was that between Aundair and Cyre. From King Wrogar’s initial support of Queen Mishann, relations reached a high point when Queen Wrella married Cyran Prince Deggan and bore a son. Still, the long war years frayed and eventually undermined even this friendship. In 958, King Aarott of Aundair renounced his support of Cyre ambitions. Toward the end, Queen Aurala's recognition of Valenar essentially ended cooperation between the countries.   Although Aundair sent no troops into battle against Cyre, its rejection of all but a handful of Cyran refuges at war’s end showed just how far relations had deteriorated. - Renowned Zil librarian Augusta Wainwocket