History of Raudan:
The first records of new people settling in the Raudan area, are from the year 700. These settlers were nothing but poor farmers and fishermen coming from the southern duchy of Staivenhuaard. Hearing the rumours of great fishing oppertunities on lake Rhakag. The next years these people builded up the village of Tengrii, south of the lake Rhakag. These men made their living from fishing and farming.
Not much was known about the lands north of lake Rhakag untill the year of 1000 when the village elder of Tengrii ordered an expedition northwards into lake Rhakag. A fleet full of enthusiastic armed men sailed off but only after 5 days, 1 made it back. The boats were ambushed while sailing up the river Vaskadi. All other men were either killed or captured, only 1 boat was quick enough to escape from the so called “wild men”.
These “wild men” were warriors of clan Ynag living on the northern side of lake Rhakag. Clan Ynag were fishermen like the people from Tengrii, but weren’t as peaceful, and would often go on raiding parties northwards into the Taiga, or towards the eastern mountain lands.
The same goes for the other clans living in Raudan. Clan Isval of the vaskadi river are known for their longboats and galleys, they are great sailors and would often fight the people of Ynag for simple things like territory, loot or fishing spots.
The other Clans living in Raudan are the Aravki and Dunblane people. The Aravki people coming from the northern Tundra, the Aravki make their living from hunting in the Tundra’s of Raudan. The people from Dunblane come from the mountains of Raudan. This clan is known for their brutal and wild behaviour. The Dunblane people make their living from hunting and mostly from raiding other clans in the east.
The next 240 years all the clans and people of Raudan would be at constant war with each other, fighting it out on land, sea, or the Vaskadi river. Many warlords rose and fell in these times. In 1030 during the Stobunheim religious wars many lands in the west were captured by the Aravki people.
But everything changed in the year of 1242. The great empire of Iropia had risen and grew stronger every day. Feeling threatened by the great empire of Iropia the warlords ordered a peacefull meeting for the first time in Raudan’s history. This meeting was held at the neutral place of Skorghijll island at lake Rhakag. The warlords set their common goal of defending Raudan against any foreign invader from the south, and warlord Thorstein Yngvild was voted in as leader of the new Tribal Confederacy of Raudan.
In the following months new policies and laws were set up by Thorstein. Thorstein forbid all the clans of Raudan to fight each other in these times.
A national army was raised and organised using all tribes strenghts to the best, and from the village of Tengrii, trade was established with the empire of Stobunheim. Traders from Tengrii traded food,wood and even mercenaries in trade for steel weapons and armour.
After the crushing defeat of Stobunheim at the battle of Sivan in 1242, Thorstein decided to move his capital from Tengrii to the Ynag camp of Bjarkan on the banks of Vaskadi river. He prepared his army for the upcoming invasion of Iropia. As predicted the empire of Iropia took Tengrii by the year of 1245 and moved northwards. The army of Raudan engaged the invading army of Iropia at the battle of blood forrest, but were beaten after a brutal savage fight.
Thorstein fled with his people. The army of Iropia didn’t chase them as it not being worth the effort, the north after all was just “snow and woods” in eyes of the emperor.
The next 150 years the tribes of Raudan had small skirmishes with Iropean borderguards but lived in relative peace with each other.
After the fall of the empire in 1420 the clans held another meeting, and decided to take back what was rightfully theirs. The descendant of now “Thorstein the great” was voted in as chief of the clans, his name being Sigrunn Yngvild. Sigrunn as member from the Dunblane clan is a aggresive and rude man, he rather fights than talks but however listens carefull to his advisors from the other clans.
Sigrunn quickly retook his land and even expanded his borders while the empire of Iropia crumbled. More land towards the empire of Stobunheim was gifted by the Kaiser of Stobunheim to show goodwill. After capture the village of Tengrii is once again used as trade capital. The tribes of Raudan now look upon a bright future with much decisions to be made. Raiding or trading? War or friendship with neighbours? Will the clans remain united?
