THE HISTORY OF SENDARIA
Unlike the other kingdoms of the west, Sendarian history does not begin in the dim and uncertain stretches of the distant past. Although the region has been inhabited since time immemorial and has been claimed at times by Arendia, Algaria, Cherek and even Tolnedra, the modern nation was created , if you will, by Emperor Ran Horb II of the first Horbite Dynasty in the year 3827 as an extension of Tolnedran policy in the north. By creating Sendaria, the Emperor established a buffer state between Algaria and Arendia, thus preventing the commercial advantage which would have accrued to the burgeoning Mimbrate mercantile families following the destruction of the Asturian Arends.
Without any genuine hereditary nobility dwelling in the area, the Sendars were compelled to hold an election, the first ever held in known history which involved universal suffrage. After tremendously long and involved arguments about property qualifications and the like for participating in the voting, the ever-practical Sendars decided to let everyone vote. When the question of women voting was raised, community leaders simply extended the vote to everyone. It is generally conceded that parents cast the ballots of their infant children, but this unique experiment appears to have come off with a minimum of election fraud.
Unfortunately, the first ballot produced 743 viable candidates with vote tallies ranging from eight for a northern farmer named Olrach to several thousand for a number of the more prosperous landholders around Lake Sulturn.
The balloting continued for six years and became a sort of national picnic. With enormous good humor, the Sendars continued to cast ballot after ballot until exhausted candidates began to withdraw their names in disgust.
Finally, on the twenty-third ballot in the spring of 3833 everyone was stunned by the fact that someone had actually received a slim majority. National leaders, election officials and a number of people who hoped for positions in the new court donned their finest garb and journeyed to a small farming village on the east side of Lake Erat in northern Sendaria. There they found their elected King, a rutabaga farmer named Fundor, vigorously fertilizing his fields.
The troop of notables trudged across the fields toward their new monarch, and when they reached him they greeted him with a great cry, ‘Hail, Fundor the Magnificent, King of Sendaria,’ and fell upon their knees in his August presence.
History mercilessly records the first words of the new King. They were as follows: ‘I pray you, your eminences, have a care for your finery. I have just well-manured the bed you are kneeling in.’
The assembled notables, it is reported, rose quickly to their feet.
They discovered that Fundor’s name had been placed in candidacy by his neighbors before the first ballot in order that they might have some recognition of their district in the tremendous proceedings. Fundor had believed that his name was no longer on the ballot after the first vote and was overcome to learn of his election. To cover his confusion, he invited the whole party into his kitchen for cakes and ale.
History reports that Mrs Fundor (who was to become Queen Anhelda) was none too gracious about a group of manure-smeared strangers in her kitchen.
A sooth-sayer who accompanied the throng pressed the new King for a prediction, believing as they all did that each word the King spoke that day would be of tremendous significance.
And the King spake thusly: ‘I believe it’s going to be a good year for rutabagas—if we don’t get too much rain.’
The King and his family were rushed to the capital at Sendar where he was duly coronated and installed in the Royal Palace.
The rutabaga harvest that year, incidentally, failed miserably.
From that date no one has ever taken the Sendarian monarchy seriously—least of all the Sendarian monarchs. Remarkably enough, however, they are actually very good kings. They are just, even-handed and open, caring more for the welfare of the people than they do for their own pomp and prestige. They seem to all be possessed of a wry good humor that makes the court at Sendar a delight to visit.
Sendaria avoided the upheaval which shook the world at the time of the assassination of the Rivan King and continued her existence in uninterrupted tranquility and prosperity until the invasion of Kal-Torak in 4865. The Sendarian monarch at that time, Ormik the Warlike, raised an army of Sendars, a mismatched and motley crowd, neither infantry nor cavalry, with an odd assortment of weapons, and joined the forces marching south under the generalship of the Rivan Warder. They fought bravely, however, holding the center against repeated onslaughts of Malloreans at the Battle of Vo Mimbre.
Following the defeat of the Angaraks, Sendaria suffered a temporary economic decline as a result of the closing of the North Caravan Route and the cessation of the cattle drives from Algaria to Muros for the years which were required to restore the Algarian herds. The decline of the Sendarian economy, however, was only temporary and did not have the permanent and disastrous effects we witnessed in Tolnedra.
The present monarch of the Sendars is Fulrach the Splendid, a short, rather dumpy man in his mid-fifties who is, like his predecessors, an able administrator, but who has made no truly notable achievement in the twenty years since he ascended the throne. He is good-natured and soft-spoken and wears a short brown beard.
Sendaria
COINAGE
Because their kingdom was established by Imperial decree at a time when Sendaria was dominated by Tolnedra, Sendarian coins are the same as Tolnedran except the King’s likeness is on the coins, and Sendarian coins suffer a 5–7% discount due to impurities in the metal. The term ‘Sendarian’ is a prefix to their coinage to distinguish between their coins and Tolnedran.
Extensive presence of other coins in circulation.
COSTUME
Standard medieval. Jerkins, tabards, leggings, hose, caps, toques, shoes of soft leather. Hooded jackets, etc. among commoners. Stout capes for foul weather.
Women wear short-sleeved dresses. Headdresses for formal occasions. Kerchiefs for informal. Broad aprons.
All wear wooden shoes in muddy fields.
MERCANTILE CLASSES AND TRADESMEN
Wear clothing associated with their trade or long gowns and bag hats. Their women wear fine gowns, if they can. Young men tend to be a bit foppish—doublets, hose, fancy shoes and the long visored cap.
MEMBERS OF THE NOBILITY
Wear gowns trimmed with fur, hose, surcoats, woolen or linen shirts. On very formal occasions the chain-mail suit with surcoat, helmet and sword.
YOUNG MEN
Are quite foppish, hose, doublets, soft shoes or boots, small-swords (less than the broadsword but more than a rapier) similar to sons of tradesmen or merchants but richer, and the sword distinguishes them.
WOMEN
Wear the gown and the wimple. The high pointed hat. A great deal of bosom is displayed. A great deal of fancy cloth used. Hair is generally worn long in Sendaria. Variously coiffed. Women’s garb is more likely to reflect the national heritage of the family than that of the men.
Except for the nobility, it is not standard practice in Sendaria to go about armed. Not illegal, but not customary.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
Status goes thus: Nobility, Mercantile, tradesmen, farmers, laborers.
It is considered bad manners to snub those of lower rank. Sendars are very polite to each other. The bulk of the land consists of free-holdings—privately owned farms. The large farmers (equivalent to an 18th century squire) have certain legal duties as well (as magistrates). They are called free-holders, a term of respect.
Sendaria is divided into Districts. Some are almost exclusively occupied by members of one racial grouping; others more homogeneous. Many towns and villages. Districts administered by an Earl (chief magistrate). Districts divided into Ridings. Ridings into Townships. These divisions are usually each associated with a town or village. Townsmen and villagers tend to look down on farmers.
Sendarian farmsteads are usually constructed in the central European defensive style (all walls fac
ing out around a courtyard). Crofts are small, rented farms. Villagers often farm the nearby fields.
Churches are used in common by all religions—careful scheduling.
RANK
THE KING AND QUEEN
At the court in Sendar. By custom, they rule jointly.
THE EARLS
Chief administrators of Districts.
THE COUNTS
Chief administrators of Ridings.
BARONS
Chief administrators of a Township (sometimes)—not all Townships have Barons.
ASSORTED
Lords, Marquis, Viscounts, Baronets, Margraves, Knights, Dukes, etc. These are titles bestowed by the King for service or to honor excellent men. Some are hereditary, some are not. No one is quite sure which ranks higher, and Sendars are too polite to push it. These titles are usually bestowed on court functionaries. The work loaded on them far outweighs the honor of the title.
MODES OF ADDRESS
To the King and Queen—Your Highness, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness.
To all other nobles—‘My Lord’ or ‘your Grace’. ‘My Lord’ used among nobles, ‘your Grace’ by commoners. The Unlettered sometimes say ‘your Honor’ not knowing what else to say.
To Burgers, Merchants or Free-holders—Title ‘Merchant John’, ‘Free-holder Fred’ or simply ‘your honor’.
All other—‘Goodman’.
MANNERS
Sendars are extremely polite. (They are, after all, elemental Englishmen.) They have a great deal of interest in local affairs but are extremely provincial. They are hospitable. They treat their employees well. Wages and prices are set on all goods and services in the kingdom. They are watchful of strangers but are friendly.
The nobility is not haughty and, like the King, look upon their rank as a responsibility rather than a privilege. More father figures than masters.
They are hard-working and thrifty. The ‘Free-holding’ is a large (usually 100 acres or more) farm, neatly kept, and the farm buildings around the central court are extensive—a rabbit-warren of single rooms. Huge kitchens and a vast dining hall. Many workers on such a farm. Since room and board is part of the pay, not too much cash is involved in hiring a worker. There is an effort to have all useful arts represented on the free-holding—blacksmith, cobbler, cooper, wheelwright, carpenter etc. Married couples usually rent a croft and save up to buy their own free-holding.
Marketing is well-organized. Customary practice is for buyers to visit the town and village market places and some of the larger free-holdings. They bring their own wagons or rent those of independent wagoneers—a rowdy bunch. Hauled quickly to a major market, re-sold for delivery to places all up and down the west coast. Tend not to deal in extremely perishable goods—root crops, beans and moist-land grains— because of transit-time.
HOLIDAYS
Erastide—A really big thing in Sendaria—a two week orgy of gifts, feasts, dancing, jollity and sentimental good fellowship. Midwinter.
Sendaria Day—The date of the coronation of the first King. A big midsummer holiday. (4th of July.)
Blessing Day—A spring ritual. The blessing of the fields. Priests of most of the Gods go about with a big procession/ following and bless the fields prior to planting.
Harvest Day—Celebration in the fall at the conclusion of the harvest (Thanksgiving).
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
Priests of most religions in most communities (no Grolims). Observances are civilized and engender good-feeling. Friends will wait for each other to finish in the church before usual Sabbath frolics. (In actuality three Gods in Sendaria— Belar, Chaldan and Nedra. Very few Angaraks, no Marags— of course—and no Nyissans.)
POPULATION
Population about 3–4 million.
ARENDIA
GEOGRAPHY
Arendia is the heavily forested area lying between Sendaria to the north and Tolnedra to the south and stretching from the mountains, where it borders Ulgoland, to the Great Western sea. Vast fertile plains extend for hundreds of leagues in the southern and western reaches of the kingdom, and those plains are largely given over to the production of wheat. The mineral deposits in the eastern highlands have been largely undeveloped, but there is a thriving cottage industry in weaving and the inevitable black-smithery. There are—or rather were—three major cities in Arendia, Vo Mimbre, Vo Astur, and Vo Wacune. The latter two cities are uninhabited ruins now as a result of the savagery of the Civil Wars. Vo Mimbre is a grim fortress still bearing the scars of the vast battle fought there against the Angaraks of Kal-Torak. Of all the kingdoms of the west Arendia is certainly the most blessed by nature. Her dark and bloody history, however, proves that tragedy is possible even in the brightest of settings.
THE PEOPLE 56
The Arends are the most stiff-necked people of the twelve kingdoms, intensely proud and with a vast sense of honor. While the common people appear to have normal sense, the nobility (as one Tolnedran ambassador was wont to say) have minds unviolated by thought. The culture is the most fundamentally feudal and conservative in the west. The Arends are shorter and darker than the rangy blond Alorns to the north and show certain racial similarities to Tolnedrans and Nyissans. They are a humorless people with strong tendencies toward melancholy. Their songs are lugubrious accounts of lost battles and hopeless last stands against overwhelming odds—complete with lengthy casualty lists which include the genealogy of each of the slain. If the songs are to be believed, Arendish maidens are rampantly suicidal, casting themselves off towers or into rivers or plunging a variety of sharp instruments into themselves on the slightest pretext. Arendish men are savage warriors, but the Knights consider the most elemental tactics or strategy beneath their dignity. They are masters of the frontal attack and the last stand. The charge of the Mimbrate Knights at the Battle of Vo Mimbre was truly awe-inspiring, although its purpose was largely diversionary.
Cautionary note: Arends are extremely proud and sensitive. The tiniest slight, real or imaginary, will evoke anything from a blow to the side of the head up to and including a formal challenge to single combat—always fought to the death in Arendia. Only the most skilled diplomats should ever have dealings with these people.
THE HISTORY OF ARENDIA
Like the other peoples of the western kingdoms, the Arends migrated out of the east during the early centuries of the first millennium. By the year 2000, the three major cities, Vo Mimbre, Vo Wacune and Vo Astur existed in their present locations, and were the seats of three more or less rival Duchies. The Mimbrate house controlled the southern reaches, the Asturians the west, the Wacites the north. (The Wacite holdings were located primarily in what is now Sendaria.)
The institution of Knighthood among the Arends has always been a hindrance to the development of the kingdom. By the 23rd century, Arendia was dotted with castles, keeps, forts and strongholds. The entire energy of the nation has been devoted to war and the preparation for war, and Arendish Knights live in an almost perpetual state of armed conflict. The struggles between the contending Duchies is duplicated at the local level. A dispute over a pig or a broken fence can set neighbors at each other’s throats, and because of the interlocking relationships between the various barons, earls, viscounts etc., these disputes spread rapidly and can, if unchecked, flare into open civil war.
The third millennium marked the period of Arendish expansionism. The Asturians solidified their hold on the west and, in a surprise move, fortified the southern bank of the Astur River against the Wacites and the southern edge of the great Arendish Forest against the Mimbrates, effectively cutting Arendia in two by extending a band of control from the borders of Ulgoland on the east to the sea on the west. The Mimbrates and Wacites naturally both declared war at that point, but the hastily-erected wooden blockhouses of the Asturians proved to be substantial enough to repel them. In point of fact, neither of the other Duchies could bring their full forces to bear on the Asturians since the Wacites were engaged in a war against Cherek
in the northern reaches of Sendaria as a part of their grand plan to extend their power to the north and the Mimbrates were engaged in their centuries-long dispute with Tolnedra in their attempt to extend their influence to the south.
The Duke of Asturia then proclaimed himself King of Arendia (2618) and called upon his fellow Dukes to come to Vo Astur to pay him homage. It is difficult to determine if this maneuver by the Duke of Asturia was a clever ploy designed to infuriate the other two Dukes into a precipitous withdrawal from their foreign wars in order to attack him or if it was the result of sheer, arrogant stupidity. One is always tempted to believe the worst of an Arend, but we must look at the results rather than the appearance.
The war of the three kingdoms followed, lasting for approximately eleven hundred years. The Wacite and the Mimbrate Dukes each proclaimed themselves King of Arendia and issued royal commands similar to that made by the Asturian. Thus there were three kings in Arendia, all contending.
The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of THE BELGARIAD and THE MALLOREON (The Belgariad / The Malloreon) Page 19
