Tuornen
Duchy in Kingdom of Avonlae
Duchess Laela Flaertes
Provinces/Holdings: Tuornen's eight provinces lie on the extreme western end of the Heartlands.
• Law: Laela Flaertes, Duchess of Tuornen, owns about one-third of the kingdom's law. The rest is split between the Archduke of Aerie Boeruine and the Prince of Darien Avan or goes unclaimed.
• Temples: The Western Imperial Temple of Azimir and the Militant Order of Cuiraecen have split the temples of Tuornen, with the agreement that neither will seek to wrest away the other's holdings. Of course, neither side has any intention of keeping this oath.
• Guilds: Mheallie Bireon of Cariele and Parnien Anuvier Iniere of Avanil seek to dethrone the Duchess of Tuornen from her holding in Haesrien. However, they first plan to wrest away the more threatening holdings of Eriene Mierelen, Duchess of Brosengae.
• Sources: Caine from Endier has claimed nearly all the magic of Tuornen. In return, the duchess asks only the occasional defense of her realm—perhaps from ihe Elf, who holds the rest of the sources. She doesn't expect much from Caine, and she probably won't get it.
Army: The duchess keeps a minuscule army, to show as little disrespect to her neighbors as possible. She holds units only against Rhuobhe and the Five Peaks. The army of Tuornen is:
• 2 units of archers.
• 3 units of pikemen.
• 2 units of knights.
Regent: Laela Flaertes rules as Duchess of Tuornen. She inherited the kingdom from a senile father, and she strives to rebuild it to its former glory—or at least keep it from the hands of those who so avidly seek the Iron Throne.
With three provinces bordering Boeruine and three on Avanil, Flaertes can not afford to make a mistake in her political dealings. Her situation has given her a life of extreme tension. Where other regents might give in to one or the other, she works to ensure that she takes no missteps that might cause her people to suffer.
• Lieutenants: Elf commander Vaedonnal Tuare holds the defense of north Tuornen.Though this firebrand would love to fight the awnshegh Rhuobhe, the duchess has forbidden it, reminding him that such an offensive would place the kingdom in considerable peril.
Important NPCs: In the court of Tuornen. Baubb the Court Toymaker creates playthings for the children of Tuornen's nobles.
Description: Once a part of the Duchy of Alamie, Tuornen split off during a civil war between two brothers, both claiming to be the rightful heir to the Alamien regency, and both unwilling to step aside. This schism brought war to Alamie, causing one of the mightiest of the old Twelve Duchies to fall.
The kingdom of Tuornen has healed from the wounds of this war, fought 100 years ago. Still, as in the Heartlands, places in the countryside remain where no living thing will grow again. The prairie in the south slowly gives way to the hills of the western provinces, which in turn become mountains, forest, or a little of both. But those who would travel here, through Elevesnemiere or Pechalinn, should take care, for Rhuobhe's domain lies nearby—and human-hating elves sometimes creep from Rhuobhe into Tuornen to slay "despoilers of the land."
The inhabitants of Tuornen seem generally friendly, but speak and act rather guardedly. They derive from the same stock as the Alamiens, but the rift of the last century has caused the two peoples to drift apart culturally as much as politically. The Tuors get somewhat defensive when confronted with the topic of the rebellion, but they also feel proud of their forefathers' defiance. This pride drives them to prove themselves better than the Alamiens and excel in whatever they do. Though they may fall short of the mark sometimes, no one can ever say they haven't tried. Some neighbors think this drive makes the Tuors too proud.
Capital: The capital of Tuornen sits just across the Tuor River from Alamie's capital—Haes and Lofton were once one city. However, after the civil war that rent the land, the city split in two. Tuornen's Haes now dominates the river traffic, keeping the bulk of the bounty away from Lofton. The walled city has kept out several Alamien invasions, and bears permanent scars as proof. The Haesians in particular, and Tuors in general, look at these scars and remember the necessity of freedom from Alamien rule.
• Trade Goods: The Tuor River flows past the door of Haes, merging into the river Maesil just north of Endier. The river, Tuornen's main trade route, makes the city of Haes a veritable seaport. From the northern hills and mountains and the western forest come a plethora of goods—lumber, furniture, gold, silver, and coal—that other parts of Avonlae desperately need. Though no Imperial Capital, Haes remains one of the Heartland's main cities, bringing traders and visitors from all over to buy, trade, and see the sights.
Allies: Tuornen has gone to great lengths to avoid choosing allies that would anger another nearby province. Her efforts to remain neutral have earned the praise of The Mhor and the Patriarch of Elinie, but one could not honestly say that Tuornen has any true allies. Even Avanil and Boeruine have not declared their allegiance one way or another—which can only come as a relief to the beleaguered duchess.
Enemies: Likewise, Tuornen has no true enemies— with the notable exception of the Duke of Alamie. Through policy, duchess has ensured that no other neighbors bear Tuornen ill will. However, Alamie's enmity hasn't faded through Tuornen's century of independence. Flaertes knows the Duke of Alamie constantly hatches schemes to retake what he sees as "his" lands, but so far she has managed to foil them. However, she fears she'll fail one day.
Special Conditions: Anyone visiting Tuornen should come prepared to deal with Tuor pride.
Provinces/Holdings: Tuornen's eight provinces lie on the extreme western end of the Heartlands.
• Law: Laela Flaertes, Duchess of Tuornen, owns about one-third of the kingdom's law. The rest is split between the Archduke of Aerie Boeruine and the Prince of Darien Avan or goes unclaimed.
• Temples: The Western Imperial Temple of Azimir and the Militant Order of Cuiraecen have split the temples of Tuornen, with the agreement that neither will seek to wrest away the other's holdings. Of course, neither side has any intention of keeping this oath.
• Guilds: Mheallie Bireon of Cariele and Parnien Anuvier Iniere of Avanil seek to dethrone the Duchess of Tuornen from her holding in Haesrien. However, they first plan to wrest away the more threatening holdings of Eriene Mierelen, Duchess of Brosengae.
• Sources: Caine from Endier has claimed nearly all the magic of Tuornen. In return, the duchess asks only the occasional defense of her realm—perhaps from ihe Elf, who holds the rest of the sources. She doesn't expect much from Caine, and she probably won't get it.
Army: The duchess keeps a minuscule army, to show as little disrespect to her neighbors as possible. She holds units only against Rhuobhe and the Five Peaks. The army of Tuornen is:
• 2 units of archers.
• 3 units of pikemen.
• 2 units of knights.
Regent: Laela Flaertes rules as Duchess of Tuornen. She inherited the kingdom from a senile father, and she strives to rebuild it to its former glory—or at least keep it from the hands of those who so avidly seek the Iron Throne.
With three provinces bordering Boeruine and three on Avanil, Flaertes can not afford to make a mistake in her political dealings. Her situation has given her a life of extreme tension. Where other regents might give in to one or the other, she works to ensure that she takes no missteps that might cause her people to suffer.
• Lieutenants: Elf commander Vaedonnal Tuare holds the defense of north Tuornen.Though this firebrand would love to fight the awnshegh Rhuobhe, the duchess has forbidden it, reminding him that such an offensive would place the kingdom in considerable peril.
Important NPCs: In the court of Tuornen. Baubb the Court Toymaker creates playthings for the children of Tuornen's nobles.
Description: Once a part of the Duchy of Alamie, Tuornen split off during a civil war between two brothers, both claiming to be the rightful heir to the Alamien regency, and both unwilling to step aside. This schism brought war to Alamie, causing one of the mightiest of the old Twelve Duchies to fall.
The kingdom of Tuornen has healed from the wounds of this war, fought 100 years ago. Still, as in the Heartlands, places in the countryside remain where no living thing will grow again. The prairie in the south slowly gives way to the hills of the western provinces, which in turn become mountains, forest, or a little of both. But those who would travel here, through Elevesnemiere or Pechalinn, should take care, for Rhuobhe's domain lies nearby—and human-hating elves sometimes creep from Rhuobhe into Tuornen to slay "despoilers of the land."
The inhabitants of Tuornen seem generally friendly, but speak and act rather guardedly. They derive from the same stock as the Alamiens, but the rift of the last century has caused the two peoples to drift apart culturally as much as politically. The Tuors get somewhat defensive when confronted with the topic of the rebellion, but they also feel proud of their forefathers' defiance. This pride drives them to prove themselves better than the Alamiens and excel in whatever they do. Though they may fall short of the mark sometimes, no one can ever say they haven't tried. Some neighbors think this drive makes the Tuors too proud.
Capital: The capital of Tuornen sits just across the Tuor River from Alamie's capital—Haes and Lofton were once one city. However, after the civil war that rent the land, the city split in two. Tuornen's Haes now dominates the river traffic, keeping the bulk of the bounty away from Lofton. The walled city has kept out several Alamien invasions, and bears permanent scars as proof. The Haesians in particular, and Tuors in general, look at these scars and remember the necessity of freedom from Alamien rule.
• Trade Goods: The Tuor River flows past the door of Haes, merging into the river Maesil just north of Endier. The river, Tuornen's main trade route, makes the city of Haes a veritable seaport. From the northern hills and mountains and the western forest come a plethora of goods—lumber, furniture, gold, silver, and coal—that other parts of Avonlae desperately need. Though no Imperial Capital, Haes remains one of the Heartland's main cities, bringing traders and visitors from all over to buy, trade, and see the sights.
Allies: Tuornen has gone to great lengths to avoid choosing allies that would anger another nearby province. Her efforts to remain neutral have earned the praise of The Mhor and the Patriarch of Elinie, but one could not honestly say that Tuornen has any true allies. Even Avanil and Boeruine have not declared their allegiance one way or another—which can only come as a relief to the beleaguered duchess.
Enemies: Likewise, Tuornen has no true enemies— with the notable exception of the Duke of Alamie. Through policy, duchess has ensured that no other neighbors bear Tuornen ill will. However, Alamie's enmity hasn't faded through Tuornen's century of independence. Flaertes knows the Duke of Alamie constantly hatches schemes to retake what he sees as "his" lands, but so far she has managed to foil them. However, she fears she'll fail one day.
Special Conditions: Anyone visiting Tuornen should come prepared to deal with Tuor pride.
