Myrddraal
03-29-2005, 11:51
Updated:
Murandy
The people of Murandy, much like the people of Altara do not really consider themselves the citizens of a nation. They are more likely to claim allegiance to one or another of the local lords. Murandy is therefore a chaotically disorganised country and is not even regarded as a real nation by some. Within its borders is a shifting quilt of petty kingdoms ruled by various self-styled Lords and Ladies fighting their own private wars and vendettas to further their own ambitions.
The ruler of Murandy seldom controls events outside of the capital city of Lugard. Even within Lugard, the monarch is sometimes helpless to affect the course of events. It often seems that the only reason a monarch is tolerated in Murandy is as a deterrent to incursions by foreign nations.
The capital city of Lugard is located in central Murandy, and it is the trade flowing through Lugard which keeps Murandy alive. Despite whatever political conflict might be disrupting daily life in Murandy, trade continues to fill merchant’s coffers and allow the squalid settlement, in truth little larger than a town, to prosper after a fashion. It is one of few cities which has more inns and stables to house peddlers and merchants than residences and shops.
Lugard was once surrounded by a tall stone wall, but it has since crumbled. In many places around the city, piles of rubble mark where the wall once stood. Additionally, the countless feuds between rival nobles throughout the centuries has resulted in numerous walls being built within the city itself, partitioning the town amongst Murandian nobles competing for the little power, wealth and influence the city can offer. The many thieves who call Lugard home consider any foreigner fair game, and the unpaved roads and alleys are frequently dangerous to travel alone.
Outside the city of Lugard, Murandy is a lawless and dangerous land, brimming with bandits making their living off the merchants who brave the perils of the country to ply their wares. Other brigands also flock to Murandy from neighbouring states simply to lie low and escape the attention of security forces in their own nations.
Due to the enormous importance of trade in Murandy and the equally large dangers to its healthy growth presented by bandits, merchant’s guards are exceptionally common within the borders and are rarely out of employment. Murandian guards themselves have quite a reputation for blunt-nosed, no-nonsense efficiency – but only when fully paid.
Murandy plays a minor role in world politics. The lack of an effective ruler makes it difficult for Murandy to defend itself in any co-ordinated manner, much less to make its presence felt in the rest of the land. Murandy is a nation with few prospects of improvement – it is not rich enough to finance any large-scale economic or military development, and its disorganisation means that it is almost impossible for a Murundian King to expand his domain. Murandy is not a player on the international scene, nor can it ever realistically hope to be.
Amadicia and the Children of the Light
Amadicia is a powerful and agressive nation in the Southwest stretching from the southern tip of the mighty Mountains of Mist to the sultry shores at the southwest corner of the continent. It is best known as the home and kingdom of the Children of the Light, a militaristic religious order that was born in the War of the Hundred Years with the aim to defeat the Shadow and root out Darkfriends. Amadicia has historically had a king, but the Children have always pulled the strings of whichever puppet sits upon the throne.
The origins of the Children are shrouded in mystery, dating back, some historians claim, to the Hundred Years War. This war was not one single conflict but in fact consisted of a whole host of upheavals and wars ranging from petty border wars to the total obliteration of ancient and mighty nations. It is said that the Children began as an order of preachers and missionaries dedicated to spreading the Light peacefully throughout the nations and to preaching against the Shadow. Their founder was a man named Lothair Mantelar, a devout man of uncompromising and strict morals. His seminal work, the Way of the Light, inspired the code and morality that bound the Children together. Despite their firm moral stances they rejected violence whenever possible, and aparently did not carry arms themselves. This inevitably led to problems in the turmoil and lawlessness of the times as the defenceless preachers were at the mercy of bandits and the various armies that struggled for supremacy amongst the ruins of Hawkwing’s once-mighty empire.
At some point during the early history of the Children the organisation began to evolve in a response to the difficulties experienced due to their military vulnerability. Their structure became increasingly militarisitic as they responded to the threats the world presented. As time passed the organisation became a rigidly structured fighting force rather than a nomadic group of preachers. Their aims were the same – to fight the onset of the Shadow. Their methods, however, changed radically.
Whereas before the Children had preached and used persuasion as their main tool against the Shadow, now they resorted to violence and torture, hunting suspected Darkfriends and executing them in droves. Their methods became increasingly close-minded and brutal, and their motives more political than purely religious. It is now common for the Whitecloaks to execute so-called ‘Darkfriends’ simply on the grounds that they are social outcasts, political nuisances or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Children now have a fearsome reputation as fanatical and merciless butchers and are known and feared by almost all common folk. How an organisation of peace-loving preachers became a ruthless organisation of witch-hunters is a tragedy and a mystery.
The home of the Whitecloaks is Amadicia, a nation whose political structure they gradually assimilated as they became more militarisic and aggressive. Amadicia is the puppet throne of the Lord Captain of the Children, and the King holds no power other than the right to throw lavish parties, hunt and collect taxes to be spent at the Children’s discretion. Amadicia itself is a wealthy and populous nation, powerful enough in its own right. It is also something of a regional superpower, surrounded by weak nations such as Altara, Ghealdan and Tarabon who are easily bullied by the Children’s military might. It also has rich trade and good farming land which is harshly but effectively administered by the King and nobility. The Amadician army is a powerful army though usually limited to garrison duties - except in times of war, when it fights alongside the Children as a vital auxilia, providing numbers, dependable infantry and effective missile troops. The King himself and his nobles ride into battle as little more than figureheads. Despite the proven worth of the solid Amadician army the Children are dismissive of the value of their allies, prefering invariably to rely on their own strength to fight their wars.
Due to the Children's belief that Aes Sedai are servants of the Dark One, both Aes Sedai and channeling are outlawed in Amadicia, and the meerest suspicion of such "witchcraft" can result in harsh punishment and even execution. Similarly, the denouncment, trial, and execution of suspected "Darkfriends" are common, though the accused are often little more than social outcasts or the unlucky particpants in disagreements.
The organisation that organises these executions and ‘trials’ of Darkfriends are the Hand of the Light, a semi-autonomous sub-organisation of the Whitecloaks. This sinister group are notorious throughout the world and known as Questioners by those who despise and fear them. The Questioners regard themselves as somewhat more important than their Whitecloak colleagues and it is interesting to note that the High Inquisitor, their leader, bears on his tunic not the Sunburst of the Children but the red sheperd’s crook of the Questioners alone – as if he stood outside of, or somehow above, the organisation of the Children of the Light.
All in all the Children of the Light are a powerful and influential nation in the world with a unique approach to culture, politics and war. They are in a position to become the dominant nation of the South, and maybe even the world, if they can only restrain their aggressive zeal and temper their unquestioned bravery and prowess with political savvy and cunning. Amadicia is a nation on the rise, perhaps set to topple the established order of the world since the end of the War of the Hundred Years.
Andor
‘Forward the White Lion!’
Andor is the largest, one of the oldest and one of the most powerful nations on the continent. It is also one of the wealthiest, having both excellent natural resources (notably in the mines west of Baerlon), and flourishing trade along the Manetherendrelle and the Erinin. It is therefore well positioned to be the dominant power in the coming era, with all the advantages needed to fully establish itself as the most powerful nation on the continent.
Andor is a nation steeped in history and tradition. Its Queens can trace themselves back to a time before the Hundred years War, during which the nation was forged in War by the first Queen, Ishara, and her husband Souran Maravaile, a renowned general whom Hawking had entrusted with his greatest task – the siege of Tar Valon. It was Ishara, however, who was the creator of Andor, persuading Souran to abandon his seemingly endless siege of Tar Valon in order to consolidate Andor’s borders. Souran and Ishara’s cautious strategies ensured that Andor kept the lands it gained during the anarchy of the collapse of Artur Hawking’s empire. Whilst other nations spread swiftly and fell swiftly, Andor grew gradually and consistently until it had established itself as an enduring power.
Militarily, Andor is one of the most powerful nations in the known world, having at its disposal the elite Queen’s Guard as well as a large and well-equipped army that can be drawn from the noble Houses to form a powerful force in times of crisis. Its armies are, unusually, not commanded by its sovereign, with this duty instead falling to the First Prince of the Sword, the Queen’s brother or husband. This arrangement reciprocates Ishara’s and Souran’s relationship – the Queen leads the nation politically, whilst the First Prince of the Sword commands the military.
Andor also has a strong sense of national unity, unlike some of the nations that border it. Almost every Andorman has a strong respect for his Queen’s authority, and Andoran history is almost entirely free of rebellion, having escaped the spread of Daes’ Damar that has afflicted most of its neighbours. This makes Andor a very strong nation socially, giving it a strong sense of unity in times of strife and war.
Tear
Tear is one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world, and dominates the hot southern coasts. It is an enormously rich trading nation, but its wealth is concentrated in the hands of a tiny minority of nobles. Nobles hold disproportionate power in every nation, but in Tear the gap between rich and poor is accentuated and commoners in the city and land are mostly desperately poor, downtrodden folk who have suffered centuries of oppression by the nobility. The city of Tear itself is the very heart of the nation, by far the largest, most affluent and most important settlement in the land. It dominates trade along the river Erinin and in the Sea of Storms, rivalled only by its old enemy Illian and of course the Sea Folk.
If Tear is the heart of the nation, however, then the Stone of Tear is the heart of Tear. This gargantuan fortress dates from the age of Legends, and resembles more a vast mountain than the stronghold it actually is. It is from here that the Tairen High Lords and Ladies extend their dominance over the land. The Stone is both the fortress, centre of government and economic heart of the nation. The Stone’s importance is not only visible in the practical side of governance and security, as the fortress – which has never, in its 3000 years of history, fallen to an enemy – is key to the prophecies of the Dragon. The Heart of the Stone – the chamber at the very centre of the stronghold – houses Callandor, the legendary sword of the mighty Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon. Prophecy says that when the Stone falls and Callandor is seized, the Dragon will have been reborn. These prophecies have created a national paranoia and fear of channelling that is exceptional even in the superstitious South.
Tairen lords have grown rich off the thriving river and sea trade and are notoriously opulent in their wealth, lavishing fortunes on fine clothes, banquets and, of course, personal armies. Tear is a powerful military nation, with considerable armies which are, as is common in non-borderlander nations, led by a multitude of nobles, each with their own private command. Tear’s armies resemble Tairen society, as it is the nobles who dominate entirely on the battlefield as well as throughout the palace and towns.
Almost all Tairen nobility ride into battle, and although their equipment is excellent, their armour lavish and their bravery fierce, it is their mounts that are held in highest esteem abroad. The Tairen pastures breed the finest horses in the known world, and the Tairen stock is prized even in the distant borderlands. Tairen horses are, by and large, faster, stronger and more durable than any other. The armies of Tear are characterised by their cavalry, which ranges from the massively heavy Tairen nobility to the astonishingly swift and agile horse archers. Their cavalry is certainly the best and the most impetuous and hot-headed to be found South of the Borderlands. In contrast the peasant infantry are often ignored by the nobles, who would be described as obsessed with mounted conflict even by the most favourable observer. Recruiting infantry is regarded by Tairen nobility as a necessary but unwelcome chore, and as a consequence most regiments are ill-equipped and unprepared for battle. In addition, the Lords’ willingness (and in some cases even eagerness) to expend their infantry almost casually does not engender loyalty or great enthusiasm amongst the common soldier. Tarien foot is less likely to hold in adverse conditions, more likely to break and flee. They are also often raw and inexperienced, unused to the rigours of battle, and tire easily. Disciplined is poor amongst these unwilling foot soldiers, and the poor quality of Tairen infantry only serves to encourage the nobles’ derision of infantry rather than cause them to improve it.
Tear is a land of great contrasts, between classes, between city and nation. However, the nation and people are also defined by their neighbours: Mayene and Illian. Mayene is a miniscule kingdom to the East of Tear, separated from the Tairen lands by a broad bay. It is rich with the trade of the Sea of Storms, and particularly the revenue generated by oil from shoals of oil-fish in the Sea of Storms. Mayene’s wealth often draws covetous glances from Tear, and the First of Mayene, the equivalent of another nation’s king or queen, has always had to play a delicate political game of cat and mouse with its powerful neighbour. Despite Tairen envy, Mayene has somehow managed to avoid conquest since the fall of Artur Hawking’s empire. Tear’s continuing attempts to conquer Mayene highlight the political intrigue and envious greed of Tear. Illian, however, highlights something different in Tairen nature – passionate pride and impetuous rivalry. Tear and Illian are geographically natural rivals, each seeking to establish its interests in the plains of Maredo that lie between the two nations. Both have laid claim to this lands of the centuries of endless border campaigns and even full scale war on several occasions. However, for the Tairens the conflict has taken on a new dimension, proving superiority over Illian is all-important, a means of maintaining national pride and preserving Tairen honour.
Bonuses – Cavalry (except Maredo) superior speed, stamina and attack, impetuous
Minuses – Infantry inferior discipline, morale, stamina and attack
Quality, fast and hard hitting cavalry, capable of performing many roles, good horse archers. Best non borderlander cavalry. Shoddy, poorly trained and unenthusiastic infantry
Murandy
The people of Murandy, much like the people of Altara do not really consider themselves the citizens of a nation. They are more likely to claim allegiance to one or another of the local lords. Murandy is therefore a chaotically disorganised country and is not even regarded as a real nation by some. Within its borders is a shifting quilt of petty kingdoms ruled by various self-styled Lords and Ladies fighting their own private wars and vendettas to further their own ambitions.
The ruler of Murandy seldom controls events outside of the capital city of Lugard. Even within Lugard, the monarch is sometimes helpless to affect the course of events. It often seems that the only reason a monarch is tolerated in Murandy is as a deterrent to incursions by foreign nations.
The capital city of Lugard is located in central Murandy, and it is the trade flowing through Lugard which keeps Murandy alive. Despite whatever political conflict might be disrupting daily life in Murandy, trade continues to fill merchant’s coffers and allow the squalid settlement, in truth little larger than a town, to prosper after a fashion. It is one of few cities which has more inns and stables to house peddlers and merchants than residences and shops.
Lugard was once surrounded by a tall stone wall, but it has since crumbled. In many places around the city, piles of rubble mark where the wall once stood. Additionally, the countless feuds between rival nobles throughout the centuries has resulted in numerous walls being built within the city itself, partitioning the town amongst Murandian nobles competing for the little power, wealth and influence the city can offer. The many thieves who call Lugard home consider any foreigner fair game, and the unpaved roads and alleys are frequently dangerous to travel alone.
Outside the city of Lugard, Murandy is a lawless and dangerous land, brimming with bandits making their living off the merchants who brave the perils of the country to ply their wares. Other brigands also flock to Murandy from neighbouring states simply to lie low and escape the attention of security forces in their own nations.
Due to the enormous importance of trade in Murandy and the equally large dangers to its healthy growth presented by bandits, merchant’s guards are exceptionally common within the borders and are rarely out of employment. Murandian guards themselves have quite a reputation for blunt-nosed, no-nonsense efficiency – but only when fully paid.
Murandy plays a minor role in world politics. The lack of an effective ruler makes it difficult for Murandy to defend itself in any co-ordinated manner, much less to make its presence felt in the rest of the land. Murandy is a nation with few prospects of improvement – it is not rich enough to finance any large-scale economic or military development, and its disorganisation means that it is almost impossible for a Murundian King to expand his domain. Murandy is not a player on the international scene, nor can it ever realistically hope to be.
Amadicia and the Children of the Light
Amadicia is a powerful and agressive nation in the Southwest stretching from the southern tip of the mighty Mountains of Mist to the sultry shores at the southwest corner of the continent. It is best known as the home and kingdom of the Children of the Light, a militaristic religious order that was born in the War of the Hundred Years with the aim to defeat the Shadow and root out Darkfriends. Amadicia has historically had a king, but the Children have always pulled the strings of whichever puppet sits upon the throne.
The origins of the Children are shrouded in mystery, dating back, some historians claim, to the Hundred Years War. This war was not one single conflict but in fact consisted of a whole host of upheavals and wars ranging from petty border wars to the total obliteration of ancient and mighty nations. It is said that the Children began as an order of preachers and missionaries dedicated to spreading the Light peacefully throughout the nations and to preaching against the Shadow. Their founder was a man named Lothair Mantelar, a devout man of uncompromising and strict morals. His seminal work, the Way of the Light, inspired the code and morality that bound the Children together. Despite their firm moral stances they rejected violence whenever possible, and aparently did not carry arms themselves. This inevitably led to problems in the turmoil and lawlessness of the times as the defenceless preachers were at the mercy of bandits and the various armies that struggled for supremacy amongst the ruins of Hawkwing’s once-mighty empire.
At some point during the early history of the Children the organisation began to evolve in a response to the difficulties experienced due to their military vulnerability. Their structure became increasingly militarisitic as they responded to the threats the world presented. As time passed the organisation became a rigidly structured fighting force rather than a nomadic group of preachers. Their aims were the same – to fight the onset of the Shadow. Their methods, however, changed radically.
Whereas before the Children had preached and used persuasion as their main tool against the Shadow, now they resorted to violence and torture, hunting suspected Darkfriends and executing them in droves. Their methods became increasingly close-minded and brutal, and their motives more political than purely religious. It is now common for the Whitecloaks to execute so-called ‘Darkfriends’ simply on the grounds that they are social outcasts, political nuisances or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Children now have a fearsome reputation as fanatical and merciless butchers and are known and feared by almost all common folk. How an organisation of peace-loving preachers became a ruthless organisation of witch-hunters is a tragedy and a mystery.
The home of the Whitecloaks is Amadicia, a nation whose political structure they gradually assimilated as they became more militarisic and aggressive. Amadicia is the puppet throne of the Lord Captain of the Children, and the King holds no power other than the right to throw lavish parties, hunt and collect taxes to be spent at the Children’s discretion. Amadicia itself is a wealthy and populous nation, powerful enough in its own right. It is also something of a regional superpower, surrounded by weak nations such as Altara, Ghealdan and Tarabon who are easily bullied by the Children’s military might. It also has rich trade and good farming land which is harshly but effectively administered by the King and nobility. The Amadician army is a powerful army though usually limited to garrison duties - except in times of war, when it fights alongside the Children as a vital auxilia, providing numbers, dependable infantry and effective missile troops. The King himself and his nobles ride into battle as little more than figureheads. Despite the proven worth of the solid Amadician army the Children are dismissive of the value of their allies, prefering invariably to rely on their own strength to fight their wars.
Due to the Children's belief that Aes Sedai are servants of the Dark One, both Aes Sedai and channeling are outlawed in Amadicia, and the meerest suspicion of such "witchcraft" can result in harsh punishment and even execution. Similarly, the denouncment, trial, and execution of suspected "Darkfriends" are common, though the accused are often little more than social outcasts or the unlucky particpants in disagreements.
The organisation that organises these executions and ‘trials’ of Darkfriends are the Hand of the Light, a semi-autonomous sub-organisation of the Whitecloaks. This sinister group are notorious throughout the world and known as Questioners by those who despise and fear them. The Questioners regard themselves as somewhat more important than their Whitecloak colleagues and it is interesting to note that the High Inquisitor, their leader, bears on his tunic not the Sunburst of the Children but the red sheperd’s crook of the Questioners alone – as if he stood outside of, or somehow above, the organisation of the Children of the Light.
All in all the Children of the Light are a powerful and influential nation in the world with a unique approach to culture, politics and war. They are in a position to become the dominant nation of the South, and maybe even the world, if they can only restrain their aggressive zeal and temper their unquestioned bravery and prowess with political savvy and cunning. Amadicia is a nation on the rise, perhaps set to topple the established order of the world since the end of the War of the Hundred Years.
Andor
‘Forward the White Lion!’
Andor is the largest, one of the oldest and one of the most powerful nations on the continent. It is also one of the wealthiest, having both excellent natural resources (notably in the mines west of Baerlon), and flourishing trade along the Manetherendrelle and the Erinin. It is therefore well positioned to be the dominant power in the coming era, with all the advantages needed to fully establish itself as the most powerful nation on the continent.
Andor is a nation steeped in history and tradition. Its Queens can trace themselves back to a time before the Hundred years War, during which the nation was forged in War by the first Queen, Ishara, and her husband Souran Maravaile, a renowned general whom Hawking had entrusted with his greatest task – the siege of Tar Valon. It was Ishara, however, who was the creator of Andor, persuading Souran to abandon his seemingly endless siege of Tar Valon in order to consolidate Andor’s borders. Souran and Ishara’s cautious strategies ensured that Andor kept the lands it gained during the anarchy of the collapse of Artur Hawking’s empire. Whilst other nations spread swiftly and fell swiftly, Andor grew gradually and consistently until it had established itself as an enduring power.
Militarily, Andor is one of the most powerful nations in the known world, having at its disposal the elite Queen’s Guard as well as a large and well-equipped army that can be drawn from the noble Houses to form a powerful force in times of crisis. Its armies are, unusually, not commanded by its sovereign, with this duty instead falling to the First Prince of the Sword, the Queen’s brother or husband. This arrangement reciprocates Ishara’s and Souran’s relationship – the Queen leads the nation politically, whilst the First Prince of the Sword commands the military.
Andor also has a strong sense of national unity, unlike some of the nations that border it. Almost every Andorman has a strong respect for his Queen’s authority, and Andoran history is almost entirely free of rebellion, having escaped the spread of Daes’ Damar that has afflicted most of its neighbours. This makes Andor a very strong nation socially, giving it a strong sense of unity in times of strife and war.
Tear
Tear is one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world, and dominates the hot southern coasts. It is an enormously rich trading nation, but its wealth is concentrated in the hands of a tiny minority of nobles. Nobles hold disproportionate power in every nation, but in Tear the gap between rich and poor is accentuated and commoners in the city and land are mostly desperately poor, downtrodden folk who have suffered centuries of oppression by the nobility. The city of Tear itself is the very heart of the nation, by far the largest, most affluent and most important settlement in the land. It dominates trade along the river Erinin and in the Sea of Storms, rivalled only by its old enemy Illian and of course the Sea Folk.
If Tear is the heart of the nation, however, then the Stone of Tear is the heart of Tear. This gargantuan fortress dates from the age of Legends, and resembles more a vast mountain than the stronghold it actually is. It is from here that the Tairen High Lords and Ladies extend their dominance over the land. The Stone is both the fortress, centre of government and economic heart of the nation. The Stone’s importance is not only visible in the practical side of governance and security, as the fortress – which has never, in its 3000 years of history, fallen to an enemy – is key to the prophecies of the Dragon. The Heart of the Stone – the chamber at the very centre of the stronghold – houses Callandor, the legendary sword of the mighty Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon. Prophecy says that when the Stone falls and Callandor is seized, the Dragon will have been reborn. These prophecies have created a national paranoia and fear of channelling that is exceptional even in the superstitious South.
Tairen lords have grown rich off the thriving river and sea trade and are notoriously opulent in their wealth, lavishing fortunes on fine clothes, banquets and, of course, personal armies. Tear is a powerful military nation, with considerable armies which are, as is common in non-borderlander nations, led by a multitude of nobles, each with their own private command. Tear’s armies resemble Tairen society, as it is the nobles who dominate entirely on the battlefield as well as throughout the palace and towns.
Almost all Tairen nobility ride into battle, and although their equipment is excellent, their armour lavish and their bravery fierce, it is their mounts that are held in highest esteem abroad. The Tairen pastures breed the finest horses in the known world, and the Tairen stock is prized even in the distant borderlands. Tairen horses are, by and large, faster, stronger and more durable than any other. The armies of Tear are characterised by their cavalry, which ranges from the massively heavy Tairen nobility to the astonishingly swift and agile horse archers. Their cavalry is certainly the best and the most impetuous and hot-headed to be found South of the Borderlands. In contrast the peasant infantry are often ignored by the nobles, who would be described as obsessed with mounted conflict even by the most favourable observer. Recruiting infantry is regarded by Tairen nobility as a necessary but unwelcome chore, and as a consequence most regiments are ill-equipped and unprepared for battle. In addition, the Lords’ willingness (and in some cases even eagerness) to expend their infantry almost casually does not engender loyalty or great enthusiasm amongst the common soldier. Tarien foot is less likely to hold in adverse conditions, more likely to break and flee. They are also often raw and inexperienced, unused to the rigours of battle, and tire easily. Disciplined is poor amongst these unwilling foot soldiers, and the poor quality of Tairen infantry only serves to encourage the nobles’ derision of infantry rather than cause them to improve it.
Tear is a land of great contrasts, between classes, between city and nation. However, the nation and people are also defined by their neighbours: Mayene and Illian. Mayene is a miniscule kingdom to the East of Tear, separated from the Tairen lands by a broad bay. It is rich with the trade of the Sea of Storms, and particularly the revenue generated by oil from shoals of oil-fish in the Sea of Storms. Mayene’s wealth often draws covetous glances from Tear, and the First of Mayene, the equivalent of another nation’s king or queen, has always had to play a delicate political game of cat and mouse with its powerful neighbour. Despite Tairen envy, Mayene has somehow managed to avoid conquest since the fall of Artur Hawking’s empire. Tear’s continuing attempts to conquer Mayene highlight the political intrigue and envious greed of Tear. Illian, however, highlights something different in Tairen nature – passionate pride and impetuous rivalry. Tear and Illian are geographically natural rivals, each seeking to establish its interests in the plains of Maredo that lie between the two nations. Both have laid claim to this lands of the centuries of endless border campaigns and even full scale war on several occasions. However, for the Tairens the conflict has taken on a new dimension, proving superiority over Illian is all-important, a means of maintaining national pride and preserving Tairen honour.
Bonuses – Cavalry (except Maredo) superior speed, stamina and attack, impetuous
Minuses – Infantry inferior discipline, morale, stamina and attack
Quality, fast and hard hitting cavalry, capable of performing many roles, good horse archers. Best non borderlander cavalry. Shoddy, poorly trained and unenthusiastic infantry