Aedirn

Aedirn is newer than Temeria and Redania, founded as humans worked their way up the Pontar after the Landing of the Exiles. It is bordered to the north by Kaedwen, on the west by the disputed Pontar Valley and the Mahakaman Mountains, on the south by Lyria and Rivia, and on the east by the Blue Mountains. It was founded at roughly the same time as Kaedwen. The Kaedweni have always been jealous of the mild Aedirnian climate and its more arable lands. These conditions made for a population skilled in farming and dairying. The country had many small towns, most generally neat and clean. Unfortunately these enviable conditions resulted in Aedirn losing a lot of land to nearby powers, primarily Kaedwen. Despite King Demavend III’s noted tactical skills, which allowed him to anticipate Nilfgaard in the First Nilfgaardian War, Aedirn has become smaller and smaller.
Now the bulk of Aedirn is awash in death and devastation. Everything fell into chaos when King Demavend was assassinated by Letho of Gulet on the king’s pleasure barge. His current sorcerer, his bodyguard, and the well-known archer Tybalt were killed as well. Demavend was a ruthless and unpleasant king, looking for any excuse to send “punitive expeditions” into Dol Blathanna, but Aedirn dearly misses his tactical mind. Aedirn is occupied by Nilfgaard, which is probably gathering its forces for an assault on the Pontar Valley. The people looked to Demavend’s son, Prince Stennis, but the word spreads that he may already be dead, perhaps lynched for attempting to poison Saskia, Virgin of Aedirn. It is unlikely Aedirn will receive aid from Kaedwen. In the last war, Kaedwen turned traitor to all the North and formed an agreement with Nilfgaard to split up Aedirn as spoils of war. Aedirn’s lands were only returned at the Peace of Cintra. As Demavend hated elves passionately, we can write off aid from Dol Blathanna. During the Second Nilfgaardian War, advancing Nilfgaardian troops dismantled or destroyed all industrial centers, from forging to weaving. All they dismantled they loaded into wagons and took to Nilfgaard, as well as all the crops and livestock they could find. I do not envy the Nilfgaardian troops assigned to cart Aedirn’s wealth and food all those miles home to the South through angry, starving civilians with nothing to lose.
Vengerberg is the capital of Aedirn. It was once one of the largest, most prosperous, and most beautiful of the Northern cities. It sits on important trade crossroads and its marketplaces, factories, schools, and churches were the envy of many. Historically, Vengerberg is known for producing beer, spirits, dyes, and textiles. Elves would not be comfortable in Vengerberg. Aedirn’s displeasure does not typically extend to dwarves, especially the Vivaldi family of the Vivaldi and Sons bank, but there has been at least one non-human pogrom. Nilfgaard did great damage to the city during the Second Nilfgaardian War due to the horrific agreement between Kaedwen and Nilfgaard, but after the Peace of Cintra the citizens of Vengerberg started to rebuild their city. Now Vengerberg is again in Nilfgaardian hands. Who knows what will happen?