Ruanon

This article is about the province of Ruanon. For the principal town, sometimes called "Ruanon", see Ruanon Town. For other uses, see Ruanon (disambiguation).

Baronial Province of Ruanon
Capital	Ruanon Town
Population	26,000 (MS 5000)
Foundation	c. MS 3799
Country	Sommerlund
Region	Northern Magnamund
Planet	Magnamund
Plane of Existence	Aon
Politics
Ruler	Baroness Madelon Vanalund
Noble title	Baron of Ruanon

The Baronial Province of Ruanon, commonly-known as Ruanon, formerly the March of Ruanon, is the southernmost province of Sommerlund, south of Moytura. It was formerly part of Cloeasia until MS 3004, when it was divided between Cloeasia, the Wildlands, Lyris and Casiorn. Earthquakes turned the region into a wasteland, until it was reclaimed after MS 3799 by King Bern I of Sommerlund. It has since remained a province of Sommerlund, but its location close to the Maakengorge, the Wildlands, and the Stornlands has made it one of Sommerlund's most eventful provinces.

History

Establishment

The land of Ruanon was originally part of the Zultanate of Cloeasia. In MS 3004, it was divided between Cloeasia, Casiorn, the Wildlands and Lyris. However, in MS 3055, earthquakes devastated the region, and both Lyris and Cloeasia lost control. The northern part of the region was turned into a wasteland, effectively becoming part of the Wildlands.

In MS 3799, Archlord Vashna was defeated at the Battle of Moytura Pass, and his armies were pursued south into what would become Ruanon, driven to the Maakengorge, where they were routed in the Battle of the Maakengorge. After his defeat, King Bern I, son of King Ulnar I (who perished in the battle) claimed the unoccupied land, calling it the March of Ruanon, named after King Ruanon I.

In MS 5103, Archlord Vashna returned, raised from the Maakengorge at Zekgazad. The Nengud-kor-Adez erupted in the Maaken Mines, sealing off Ruanon's wealth and plunging Sommerlund into financial difficulty. Vashna's undead then invaded Ruanon at Hesley, before storming the castle stronghold at Maaken, and marched north towards Ruanon Town. Helghast had also infiltrated the societies of Sommerlund's allies, Durenor, Cloeasia and Slovia, ensuring that only Dessi could send reinforcements. At the Battle of the Ruanon Homelands, Sommerlund and Dessi were victorious, but at terrible cost, as the Nengud-kor-Adez expanded to the battlefield, where Vashna made his triumphant return. Vashna, however, retreated upon seeing Lone Wolf, wielding the Sommerswerd, the weapon that had slain him before. Despite this, Vashna demanded that Lone Wolf fight him in Zekgazad, deep under the ground where the Sommerswerd was ineffective, otherwise he would expand the Nengud-kor-Adez deep into Sommerlund itself. With no way of countering this threat, Lone Wolf was forced to agree.

Geography

Ruanon is the southern-most province of Sommerlund, south of Moytura. The two are linked by the Ruanon Pike, a narrow and dangerous strip of land bordering the Wildlands. Ruanon juts out from the Ruanon Pike, with a narrow strip north of the Maaken Range, following the Maakenmire, before joining over to the Maakengorge and looping back towards the Southern Durncrag Mountains. Bordered by the wilderness of the Wildlands to the north, the Maakenmire to the east, and the Maakengorge to the south, Ruanon is surrounded by dangerous neighbours. The Maakenmire is the source of the River Xane which flows through the province, passing just north of Ruanon Town, where it leads to the the Durncrag Mountains. The Maaken Mines sit in the Maaken Range, and tributaries of the River Xane pass through the mines, making them dangerous.

Ruanon possesses rich forests, with its Redwood trees noted for their hardness. These trees formed the basis of Ruanon's initial economy. The south of Ruanon, called the Ruanon Homelands, also contains much arable farmland, now mostly private estates formed by families who became rich during the Gold Rush of Ruanon.

Settlements

• Ruanon Town
• Old Town
• Eshnar
• Mudmoor
• Castle Maaken
• Southgate
• Hesley
• Maaken
• Maura
• Torseth
• Ruanon Homelands

Politics

Ruanon was originally a march, ruled by the Marquess of Ruanon, and its first ruler was Marquess Venn Falastar around MS 3799. House Falastar ruled the march until MS 4141, where it passed into the House of Gorlen. The last Marquess was Landor Gorlen, whose ambition during the Gold Rush of Ruanon saw his title destroyed in MS 4570, and he and his family exiled to Palmyrion in MS 4571. The march became a barony, and the Maaken Mines placed under Crown control. The first Baron of Ruanon was Hulo Vanalund. The current ruler is Baroness Madelon Vanalund, who became ruler in MS 5087.

The barony has several vassal titles. The landed vassals are the Fryearl of Maaken and Sheriff of Eshnar. The latter is a unique title in Sommerlund, with special military responsibilities, defending Ruanon and Sommerlund from the east. Other vassals, during MS 5000, were:

Known rulers of Ruanon

Marquess of Ruanon

Main article: Marquess of Ruanon

• Venn Falastar, 1st Marquess of Ruanon (c. MS 3799–unknown)
• House Falastar
• House of Gorlen
• Landor Gorlen (unknown–MS 4570, title destroyed and replaced with Baron of Ruanon)

Baron of Ruanon

Main article: Baron of Ruanon

• Hulo Vanalund, 1st Baron of Ruanon (MS 4571–unknown)
• Radnar Vanalund, 14th Baron of Ruanon (during MS 5000)
• Oren Vanalund, 15th Baron of Ruanon (unknown–MS 5087)
• Madelon Vanalund, 16th Baroness of Ruanon (MS 5087–present)

Vassals

Sheriff of Eshnar

• Vaceron Wengar (during MS 5000)

Fryearl of Maaken

• Kian Maaken (during MS 5000)

Fryearl of Ruanon Town

• No known title holders

Other known nobles of Ruanon

• Fryearl Laef Ersen, made Fryearl at 23 due to his heroism in the Battle of Ruanon (during MS 5000)
• High Judge of Ruanon, Lord Periscar Merelon (during MS 5000)
• Comptroller General Millan Brocarn, who audits the gold coming out of the Maaken Mines (during MS 5000)
• High Constable of the Mines, also known as the High Constable of Ruanon Town, commander of three cassels who defend the Maaken Mines

Government and law

The Baron is responsible for implementing the laws of Sommerlund. This is deferred to the High Judge of Ruanon, who oversees the Tribunal, a panel of lesser judges.

Deception is seen as one of the most serious crimes, and is usually punished by hard labour in the Maaken Mines.

Economy

The vast majority of Ruanon's economy is mining from the Maaken Mines, where gold, iron and copper are mined. In MS 5000, this constituted 90% of Ruanon's economic activity. The remaining 10% is mostly based around exporting wood from its hardwood forests. Ruanon also possesses rich soil, producing cattle and foodstuffs, although most of these goods are consumed within Ruanon.

The gold and precious stones mined in Ruanon are an important source of income for Sommerlund. Every month, Sommerlund soldiers escort a convoy of wagons leaving the province for the capital, carrying their cargo of riches. In MS 5103, after the Maaken Mines were flooded by the Nengud-kor-Adez, this emptied the coffers of Sommerlund.

Demographics

In MS 5000, its population was about 26,000.

The denonym of Ruanon is "Ruanese". They are renowned for their frontier spirit and efficient operation of the Maaken Mines.

The border post of Mudmoor is the only place where Szalls, a sub-species of Giak, are tolerated.

In the gamebooks

Ruanon is the setting of The Chasm of Doom. In this gamebook, Madelon Vanalund, daughter of Baron Oren Vanalund, is kidnapped, to be sacrificed at the Maakengorge using the Dagger of Vashna, to reawaken Archlord Vashna. The player, as Lone Wolf, stops this ritual, saving Madelon, and takes the Dagger of Vashna in his possession for safekeeping.

Madelon later becomes Baroness of Ruanon in her own right. She is reunited with Lone Wolf in The Dusk of Eternal Night, where her province has suffered the triple catastrophe of the Maakengorge lengthening (destroying neighbour Casiorn), the Nengud-kor-Adez flooding the Maaken Mines, depriving Ruanon and Sommerlund of most of its income, and an invasion by Vashna's undead at Hesley. In this gamebook, the player, as Grand Master, takes part in the Battle of the Ruanon Homelands, defending against the undead, where they are victorious, but at a great cost. Archlord Vashna, revived in the previous book (Dead in the Deep), makes his definitive return in this battle, erupting from the Nengud-kor-Adez, which had expanded to the battlefield.

External links

• Map of Ruanon