The Kingdom of Farraneán was a realm during the Chivalric Escann period, located in the eastern half of the Forlorn Vale. Farraneán is notable for being a land of rivers and creeks, with many such as the Cogaulúis (Whisperwater) or the Meléthreabáis (Curseflow) traveling through its lands It was ruled by the house síl na Eán, originally known as house Farran. Farraneán's highest distinction is in its existence as a land of equal populace between human and elves, which marks it as uniquely distinct from its cousins in Anbennar, who, while overwhelmingly mixed with elven customs, are still overwhelmingly human in numbers. While this may be an artefact of the fairly rural lands it occupied (compared to the highly populated cities of Anbennar), this unique situation as a realm of equal parts has given the Farrani a unique sense of camaraderie in their shared identity, with both humans and elves occupying positions in the highest to the lowest social strata.
History[]
Pre-Kingdom[]
todo: since myth/ancient times the Stargi human tribes lived in the mountains. Later on they clashed with the more organized Havorics who were also a mountainous people
Founding[]
Founded by Martin Farran during the War of the Sorcerer-King, Farraneán originally consisted of the plain of Whistlevale. Though granted de-jure to Ibevar in the Treaty of Anbenncóst, the young elfrealm had no presence within Whistlevale, and the Cursewood was in a mostly bloodless revolt against Ibenion's rule. Martin, too, claimed that he had a better claim to the region, as he had settled years before Ibenion had refounded the lost Cardesti city of Vardoced and laid down his foundations.
Edward Farran would fall for Vehari Tederfremh, the daughter of Variondan Tederfremh, forming the dynasty of síl na Eán. With the blooming of The Scogtrín in Escin, the tree's gnarled visage took the place of the stag on Farrraneán's banner, flying proud above the gold and green as a symbol of the newly united nation.
The White Pestilence[]
The young kingdom was, prior to its unification with the Ibevari Cursewood, soon beset by the White Pestilence, beginning a conflict that would ravage the humans' lands, and take the senior Farran's life. However, the conflict deepened Farraneán's ties with the elves of the Cursewood. Thanks to the intervention of the Orda Aldresia's precursors in the Aldresian Crusade, a long tradition of Farraneán nobles serving in the order's ranks was established. While the order was a diverse and motley collection of souls from all across Cannor, it had been said that the Farrani, perhaps second only to the Vernmen of their southern holdings were the backbone of its numbers. The havoc that was wreaked upon Farrani land by the conflict resulted in the creation of the Caseán, the distinct style of fortified towns that characterized the land.
Rivalries[]
The Farrani often clashed with the Elfrealm of Ibevar, their nation having been founded on what was de jure Ibevari land. However, there were also issues with Arbarani incursions due to the lack of a clear border between the Cursewood and the contiguous stretch of forest in the Marquisate of Arbaran. While there were some strained relations with Adenica and other Escanni neighbors, these were often settled in a more chivalric manner, with duels or treaties, as opposed to the bloody skirmishes that periodically occurred on their western border.
The Greentide[]
The Kingdom of Farraneán was one of the last to fall to The Greentide, for a number of factors, most prominently its location as one of, if not the westernmost Escanni realm. However, this was also in large part thanks to the Caseán towns that sheltered almost their whole population within their walls, and the great amount of experience that its army had gained in providing aid in supporting other nations against the Greentide. Many of the Farrani, having experienced the horrors of the Greentide firsthand, were able to convince others to evacuate when it reached its borders, permitting them a disproportionate rate of survival compared to relative population size, and overrepresenting them among the Greentide's refugees.
Seeking Refuge[]
The surviving Farrani were scattered all across Cannor. Many of its elves had, in time, lost their enmity toward Ibevar, and were settled within its borders, helping to contribute to the cultural displacement of the Ibevar Reformation. Ibevar, due to its isolationist nature, and a strain of elven purism had not accepted half-elven and human refugees, but aided those that crossed their borders, as well as any Farrani elves that would prefer to accompany them in finding quick transit to Aldresia or down the Hehainé to Esmaria. The Orda Aldresia had also been the path for the flight of many Farrani refugees, who were responsible for a boom in population, as well as the staunch defense that held the line at Rottenstep, Tombsvale, and other locales that served as the effective border to the Greentide.
Remnants[]
Additionally, some holdouts remained in the nation's former territory. Proving the most resilient of the Caseán, Freetower hosted the Anbenncóst Expedition and Valefort held out long enough to be integrated into one of the adventurer realms that later occupied its former lands. These holdouts have led to some regional dispute as to whether the kingdom truly fell in 1442, when the last of the síl na Eán fled to Aldresia. Some of these survivors also joined up with the Marcher Lords, serving with distinction in bands such as the Anbenncóst Expedition, Company of the Thorn, and the Warriors of Ancard.
Society[]
Martial Traditions[]
The Farrani martial tradition is noted for its usage of a main body of human cavalry, which truly excelled due to the support of tightly integrated elven archers. While the martial traditions of small scale duels that prevailed in the politics of Chivalric Escann largely prevented these from being used en masse, Farraneán's armies proved quite valiant and effective in the sporadic skirmishes and border conflicts with Ibevar and Arbaran that took place throughout its history.
Cogaulúis Ball[]
The Cogaulúis Ball is a celebration in Silversight, established in the tradition of Esmaria's river parties. Named for the Cogaulúis, the festival filled the kingdom's rivers with barges and music, and was always said to be the highlight of the year. The tradition was started by the Esmari folk that Martin Farran brought to the land during the War of the Sorcerer-King, and gladly adopted by their human and elven subjects. Soon, the Meléthreabáis filled with the same breed of festive barges and minor tributaries of both filled with simpler log rafts and more humble craft that were no less festive. Thanks to a great fire that had nearly destroyed Escin in its early years, these events were much better regulated than the wilder Esmari river parties, which have been known to cause great calamities to this day.
Geography[]
The de-jure lands of the kingdom consists of two primary regions. Whistlevale is a grassy plain which long held human settlements, conquered by Martin Farran during his time in the region. The Cursewood was a formerly untamed fragment of the Deepwoods that was settled by Ibevari dissidents due to the divisive policies of Ibenion I ta'Luneteín, having been essentially a rebellious province of Ibevar, until its unification with Farraneán.
Caseán Towns[]
With the intrusion of the White Pestilence in the kingdom's early years, many of its towns and cities took on this distinguishing trait of Farrani city planning, raising fortifications known as Caseán. These fortified dwellings provided the heart of many Farrani cities and towns. The Caseán allowed for the protection of many Escanni refugees during the Greentide, which allowed for the Farrani's disproportionate representation in the Escanni diaspora, as compared to their pre-Greentide populations.
Notable Locations[]
Escin and The Scogtrín[]
The central courtyard of Escin's palace was home to The Scogtrín, a Cursewood sapling representing the union of the kingdom's elves and humans, which served as a focus to tame the Cursewood's wild magics. Thanks to this, the nation was provided a source of fine timber. However, it never reached true popularity due to superstition surrounding the name "Cursewood", under which it was sold. Nonetheless, that old heartwood lives on in the few beloved heirlooms that its populace were able to carry from their homes, and has in modern times enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, its distinct black hue making it a friendly alternative to more expensive lumber from the Deepwoods or other more perilous locales. Following Escin's reclamation from orcish squatters, a new Scogtrín was established on the spot of the original. Local tradition holds it to be a legitimate descendant, through a sapling that was ushered to the Farrani holdout in Valefort, but it may well be merely another tree of the Cursewood's common stock.