Sunndi

The County of Sunndi is a nation of the southeastern Flanaess, lying to the south of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy.

Overview

Sunndi is nestled in a natural basin between the Hestmark Highlands to the east, the Gloriole Mountains to the north, and the Hollow Highlands to the west. The climate is very warm but temperate, with much rainfall throughout the year, especially in the winter; snow is unknown, and freezing temperatures are a sure sign that foul magic is afoot.
The western and southern ends of the country lie within the meandering Pawluck River valley, and the aptly named Vast Swamp forms the southern border of the kingdom. The Rieuwood is considered part of the realm, and the northern border is the Greyflood River, from the Great Kingdom city of Hexpools to the city of Kalstrand. The Menowood is not part of Sunndi, but its nonhuman clans are loosely allied with it.
Sunndi army units are posted along the southern banks of the Greyflood River and for a short distance along the Thelly across from Kalstrand. The lands south of the Thelly, down to the Glorioles and Hestmark Highlands, are currently claimed by the Great Kingdom but not held in force; some Sunndi units pass through here in pursuit of bandits, but it is unlikely Sunndi could take and hold this area against the Great Kingdom's might, if push came to shove.

History

The great migrations during the Baklunish-Suel wars and following the Twin Cataclysms saw most Suloise pushed to the far extremes of the Flanaess. Several houses, led by the charismatic Zellif Ad-Zol, scion of the Suloise Throne, passed through the fertile Pawluck River Valley, hunting out a land promised to them in dreams and castings. Most of the Suel followed their leader into the Vast Swamp, eventually finding salvation on the Tilvanot Peninsula.
Other, perhaps wiser, Suel saw in the valley great prosperity, and elected to remain. These men and women made the place their home, easily befriending the indigenous elven lords, who claimed to have lived in the land since the first tree had broken ground. Later years brought powerful Oeridian raiders, who conquered the Suel and elven alliance with little difficulty.
After Aerdy had solidified its hold on the entirety of Oeridian lands following the Battle of a Fortnight’s Length, a canny king made Sunndi a fief within South Province, granting rulership to whatever noble might fall within the good graces of the sitting herzog in Zelradton. This form of repressive rule brought oppressive taxation, overfarming, and acts of violence against Sunndi’s demihuman population. While the ever-present Glorioles Army of South Province kept the land free of banditry and protected from the nonhumans of the nearby mountains and swamps, the safety came at the price of freedom.
Within a decade of the formation of the Iron League, human, dwarf, elf, and other nobles of the Pawluck Valley, Hestmark Highlands, Rieuwood, and Glorioles Mountains rose up against the occupiers, liberating Sunndi in a short but brutal uprising still remembered with bitterness in the Great Kingdom. In 455 CY, Sunndi officially joined the Iron League. With the Aerdy nobility dead, fled, or in revolt against the Overking, the people of Sunndi turned to the elves of the forests for guidance. Turentel Esparithen, a count under the occupied government and a hero in the fighting against the Aerdi, established a government based upon mutual respect for all peoples.
The nation existed in this state for more than a century. From time to time, border skirmishes with South Province escalated into what could be termed war, though without financial backing from Rauxes, the herzogs of Ahlissa could do little more than cast angry stares across the Greyflood.

Geography

Political subdivisions

Royal Lands:

• Barony of Pitchfield

Baronies:

• Barony of Brennathar
• Barony of Corul
• Barony of Dalmond
• Barony of Deltrees
• Barony of Esparithen
• Barony of Greenhills
• Barony of Hestmarken
• Barony of the Hollow Highlands
• Barony of Lemarthen
• Barony of Pawluck Valley
• Barony of Pelsand
• Barony of Ralsond
• Barony of Shildaran
• Barony of Stalward
• Barony of Starland
• Barony of the Downs
• Barony of Trasol

Settlements

Towns and Villages

• Arnat
• Axebjerg
• Calgen
• Dalmen
• Dunn
• Eyedrinn
• Fandaulo
• Faw's Luck
• Intasinundur (Elves)
• Katram
• Kellenshire
• Londa
• Longwood
• Molnar
• Newkeep
• Nondrinn
• Nonzfyr
• Panther
• Pitchfield
• Qual
• Rocktop
• Sanon
• Si'Lanu (Elves)
• Sinnacar
• Taruk
• Tem'sethental (Elves)
• Viceroc
• Yeshara
• Ymmon

Notable locations

• The Belching Vortex of Leuk-O
• Gromkeep
• Guard Post
• Hobrand Castle
• The Monastery of the Silent Valley
• Trollpyre Keep

Demography and Population

445.000 - Human 79% (OS), Elf 9% (High), Dwarf 5% (Mountain 50%, Hill 50%), Gnome 3%, Halfling 2%, Half-elf 1%, Other 1%

Type

Geopolitical, County / March

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Currency

[Modified Aerdy] New Plate (pp), New Crown (gp), Noble (ep), Silver (sp), Common (cp)