Valaduur
As in the case of the Lands of Tandranor, the lands comprised between the Crystal River (to the west), the Crystal Sea (to the north), the Anurym River (to the east) and the Mooridge Mountains (to the south) have always been settled in one way or another as far as human memory can remember. Lost fabled empires such as Telluria (fall: c.a. -13000 A.R.) and Lankharh (fall: c.a. -10000 A.R.) are known to have erected cities in these lands, although evidence of such cities are themselves lost. Indeed, other cities have been built over their ruins throughout the millennia so as to have erased any traces of Tellurian or Lankharhan presence in these lands.
Likewise, the knowledge of those cities and nations which arose in these lands following the fall of the last known empire, Lankharh, is itself rather fragmented and mostly lost to the millennia that have come and gone - although it is accepted wisdom that numerous tomes detailing the history of such cities and nations are to be found in the deepest vaults of the biggest libraries of Arandor, the oldest enduring nation of the Crystal Sea. Nonetheless, the names of some of such lost cities and nations are still remembered to this day, if only in myths and fables:
The recorded history of the region (at least which still survives to this day) begins with the foundation of Valaduur (in -1212 A.R.), upon the ruins of Antiom, as a colony of the warrior-kingdom of Tandranor. Valaduur was left on its own after the fall of Tandranor (in -996 A.R.), managing to grow as an economic and sea power on its own. Although located near the very ancient and secretive kingdom of Anuria, Valaduur has ever remained unbothered by the isolationist nation.
Throughout the centuries since the fall of Tandranor, Valaduur has had to fend-off conquest attempts by Tanduur (the former capital of Tandranor) which aspires to this day at reconstituting the warrior-kingdom. The defensive successes of Valaduur are due in good part to its friendly military and economic cooperation with other cities of the Crystal Sea, such as Wateredge and Allaranth. Today (1396 A.R.), Valaduur is a powerful, independent city-state, although is does not boast of any area of influence or rule of its own - indeed, the lands about the city have ever been barely settled since its foundation, for reasons that remain poorly understood. However, the city does entertain close relations with Stonedge (founded: -711 A.R.), a heavily fortified gnomish mining city at the foot of the Mooridge Mountains.
Ever since the fall of Tandranor, Valaduur has been ruled by hereditary monarchy. The current valaduurian ruler is Queen Amorune III, of the Aldehym dynasty. Incidentally, the worship of good (e.g. Agrah, Lharishar, Dianchuur, Athor, Ukkor, etc.), lawful (e.g. Codan, Odan, etc.) and neutral (e.g. Thask, Danuur, Hurme, etc.) powers are predominant in Valaduur. The exception to this rule is the still-prevalent worship of the chaotic power Barask (God of war, conquests and might), most likely as part of the warrior heritage of the valaduurians.
Lastly, it is of note that ancient, crumbling ruins are known to lie on the island west of Valaduur. These ruins are thought to be the remnants of a city of the lost kingdom of Hakanesh, the name of which has been forgotten.
Valaduur is yet to constitute a part of the adventuring locale of a Realmz scenario.
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