Darkalyndae Ideas

Traditions
+1 Yearly Devotion
+1 Yearly Horde Unity
+1 Yearly Legitimacy

Legacy of KataedziundAfter Geladhan the Stoneburner was killed in a duel, the Saerraeg Asezhudar quickly collapsed, with many regional successor Ezhudars taking its place. One of these realms was Kataedziund, the "Land of War", a remnant kingdom based in the city of Darkalyndar which at its peak controlled the Iron Hills and Marhed Rayodana. Kataedziund was unique among the Ezhudars due to its extremely quick integration into Taychendi society, being the first among the remnant kingdoms to re-legalize slavery.\n\nDue to this, Kataedziund would be one of the more stable successors of Ultarlanbeg and Geladhan, though like all the others it declined over the half century of war that marked the Chendhyan Warlord Period, struggling against noble revolts and warfare againsts other Chenhdyan states. Ultimately, it was destroyed when Olhokar the Fortuitous revolted against Kataedziund domination and destroyed much of their army at the battle of the Bukkana Varanya, in his first step towards the unification of Taychend.
+2 Max Promoted Cultures

Eternal LoyaltyAfter Olhokar’s destruction of Kataedziund, the Chendhyan-dominated city of Darkalyndar was left independent, but without allies. Ironically, their greatest supporter would become the very city that destroyed their Ezhudar: Gophira. From Olhokar’s point of view, Kataedziund and its capital Darkalyndar were home to some of the only acceptable Chendhyans, as they had already greatly integrated into Taychendi society. Kataedziund simply happened to stand in the way of Gophira’s independence, and he would have done the same to a Taychendi realm.\n\nThe Darkalyndae became allies of Gophira, initially simply due to their fear of suffering the same fate as the other Chendhyan remnants. However, over the years of Olhokar’s campaign and the Fourth Age of Ambition, the alliance between the two cities proved to be a fruitful relationship, and they slowly became friendlier. Later on, Darkalyndar would willingly join the rising Great Gophiran Empire and when the empire came crumbling down it was the only city to stay fully loyal to their overlords. Even when the young Gophiran king Harrihara X betrayed them and attacked the city, hoping to place his Chendhyan wife on the throne, Darkalyndar was magnanimous in victory, and would assume "stewardship" of the fort until its later conquest by Ameion.
+1 Diplomatic Reputation

The Council of BravesWhen Darkalyndar was still the capital of Kataeziund, the Council of Braves, evolving from tribal councils commonplace within Chendhyan realms, served as a way for the rulers of the Ezhudar to manage the disparate tribes under their control. As the realm grew closer to the local populace, the council naturally expanded to include Taychendi warlords and their lieutenants as well.\n\nNowadays, the body – a stratocratic political assembly which incorporates all the premier military leaders of Darkalyndar, Chendhyan and Taychendi both – functions as a key representative body for the different forces within the city and its territories. Holding significant legislative and military power, a hostile Council of Braves can topple a ruler, while a friendlier one can allow the rulers of Darkalyndar near unlimited and above all legitimised power and authority – a scarce thing in Taychend.
-10% Leader Cost

Weather the StormEven though Darkalyndar has been heavily integrated into Taychendi society since the days of Kataedziund, being a Chendhyan enclave in foreign lands has taken its toll on the city throughout the years, the scars of war and violence making their mark on the city walls. In order to weather the Taychendi storm, Darkalyndar has had to constantly reform its army, adapting remnants of their tribal military to Taychendi warfare and organising their men into banners that allow greater adaptability on the field. The professionalism of their military partly inspired their Gophiran allies’ Ironblood Army, one of the finest military forces in Taychendi history, and the backbone of the powerful Second Gophiran Empire.
+5% Discipline

Aeladazyr the BraveAlazhlan the Brave was a renowned general of the Ironblood Army under Gophira of Darkalyndae origins. Supporting Celapana during the civil war of 1289, he was instrumental in her usurpation of the imperial throne, notably leading the charge in the Battle of Nymbhava. Due to this, he was granted governorship of the Lower Kalavend by Celapana. During the two decades of Celapana’s rule, Alazhlan slowly increased his power in the Ironblood Army, becoming by far the most influential governor-commander – a powerful warlord in his own right. When Celapana was assassinated by one of her bastards, Alazhlan would rise in support of one of her trueborn children, Tailatam.\n\nHis hold over the Kalavend and Sibisimra, as well as the support he had gathered in the Ironblood Army, allowed Tailatam to gain a significant head start in the civil war. However, Alazhlan was assassinated in 1316 and Tailatam’s faction in the civil war would quickly collapse after the death of the elf who held it all together. He is still today remembered in Darkalyndar due to both his loyalty to Gophira and Tailatam and his fierceness during the civil war.
+1 Land Leader Shock

The Fearless RidersThe Tydhzegaeda – strong and powerful big cats known to the Cannorians as "jaguars" – have long been favoured mounts of the eastern Chendhyans of the Guaraddhi – when the tribes that would become the Darkalyndae settled in their new home, they brought their cats with them, interbreeding with the native Taychendi jaguars of the Iron Hills in order to strengthen them further. While only consisting of a minority of their army, the Darkalyndae have kept their love of the Tydhzegaeda strong, with the semi-professional core of Darkalyndar’s army being exclusively composed of elite jaguar cavalry, called the Fearless Riders for their strength and ferocity in battle.
+0.25 Cavalry Shock

The Green DesertThe Green Desert of the Bukkana Varanya is, much like its northern sibling of the Sarihaddu, particularly rich in Precursor Relics. Ever since the Ruin, the area has been filled with strange magical phenomena: particularly at night, the desert sky takes a sickly green hue, hence the name. The reason for this lies half-hidden in the sands – unlike the Sarihaddu, where most Slaver-Noble artefacts are not functional at all, consigned to the Dust Graveyard because they were simply broken or useless, in the Bukkana Varanya still active and dangerous relics litter the ground, dating back to when the area was used by the slaver-nobles as a dumping ground for particularly volatile failed magical experiments and side projects – no surprise, then, that the Bukka Varanya was the source of the most famous dysfunctional relic in Taychendi history: the Armour of Yodhan.\n\nWhen carefully dealt with, this dangerous relic minefield can be used against invaders, as while a desert is already dangerous to cross, simply stepping foot in the Bukkana Varanya might randomly kill you. Only the local Sarihaddi tribes really know how to deal with the randomness of the area and are able to scavenge the area, and their good relationship with Darkalyndar allows the state to profit greatly from the local relic trade.
+1 Attrition for Enemies
+5% Production Efficiency

Ambition
+25% Mercenary Manpower