Hadibair
| Hadibair | |
|---|---|
 Artwork by adamkuczek The Mazov River flows into the Kluvian River through Hadibair via waterfall, pictured here. | |
| Settlement Type | River City |
| Sovereignty | Independent |
| Region | Serranak |
| Seat | Palace of the Grove |
| Seat Type | Calazis |
| Ruler | Meah Kor Satalaani |
| Founded | 2E Y45 |
| Named for | Hadibaius, Old Serran for Sustenance |
| Religions | Serran Pantheon Kurnish Folklore Dwarven Divinism |
| Languages | Grystok Serran Dwarven |
| Demographics | 43% Human, 38% Orcish, 11% Dwarvish, 8% Elvish |
Founded in the Second Era by the Kingdom of Serra as a lumber colony, the now-independent city-state of Hadibair is a major player in the Ghyrstbehn. Supplying the trade region with an abundance of lumber, the city has grown to become one of the most populous and wealthy cities in the region of Serranak.
Located at the convergence of the Siwalu and Bedan Rivers in central Serranak, the area was initially settled to help supply the growing cities of Al’mina and Banuk after they became independent cities. Now a long-standing member of the Ghrystbehn, Hadibair is the key producer of most of the region’s lumber and exports thousands of tons downriver to the rest of the region as well as the Drekkis Valley.
History
Founding of a Lumber Camp
After the Serran Empire’s failed invasion of Kurnhuelde, their influence fell in the region of Serranak. The once-held colonies of Al’mina and Banuk broke off and gained independence. Battered and looking to rebuild after successfully defending from Kurnish counterattacks, the two cities looked east to establish a colony of their own in order to help supply these efforts.
The new colony settlers ventured northeast along the Siwalu, coming to the point where it meets with the Bedan River, later joining with the Ghryst where Razak was. Hadibair was founded, and within the year a constant supply of lumber, metals, and other goods were being shipped back to the Al’mina and Banuk.
Growing Trade
As Hadibair grew along with its sister cities, the region began to experience an insurgence of migration. Hadibair’s reach expanded, bringing in builders and laborers and tradesmen who transformed it from a simple logging colony to a thriving town.
Independence from Al’mina and Banuk
Around the end of the Second Era, the Serran Civil War began, causing a rift felt far across the lands of Voreld. Tensions began to rise between Hadibair and the twin cities that still held agency over it. Demands were made by Hadibair, and when they weren’t met, trade was halted. This embargo caused an uproar in both Al’mina and Banuk, who sent an armed envoy to Hadibair in order to keep it in check. This was perceived as a threat by the leadership in Hadibair, who ordered its militia to round up, defeat, and capture the soldiers.
This aggression provoked a war between the three factions, with Al’mina and Banuk fighting to keep their colony under control, while Hadibair fought for complete independence. Despite being outnumbered, the militia forced massive losses in the enemy forces across an entire month-long attempt at an occupation. In the constant attacks, most of Hadibair burned down from a vicious fire. The leader of the logging town was left with no choice but to grudgingly surrender and swear fealty to their superior city-states.
While this violence and destruction left most of the residents of Hadibair homeless, it did not leave them jobless. The townspeople set out immediately to rebuild the town of Hadibair, making it even sturdier than before. Stone buildings went up where wood once stood, and a palisade was constructed around the village center.
Around this time, Banuk was still recovering from large losses due to the siege on Hadibair. In a show of brash avarice due tensions that had been growing for decades, Al’mina launched an attack on Banuk. The latter was caught off-guard but held tight, having been fortified by the Serran armies who originally built it. This newborn conquest took pressure off of Hadibair, who immediately shut itself away from the warring city-states, forcing out or killing any resistance who was keeping watch. The war between Banuk and Al’mina trudged on, and neither was able to prevent Hadibair from enjoying its independence.
Establishment of a New Doctrine
Immediately upon gaining independence, the ruler of Hadibair established a new doctrine: one that stood on just laws, and revolved around following the tenets of the Serran Pantheon. While followers of other religions or creeds were not persecuted for their beliefs directly, they were held to many of the standards and religious laws that those under Serran dominion were.
Despite the majority of the population being Serran in origin, the new doctrine was received poorly by most of Hadibair. It was compared to the Elysian conflict in Imardin, and many of the villagers began to publicly denounce the leader’s decisions.
When discontentment had started to boil over, the leader was forced to resign in a militia-backed coup. The populists installed their own leader, one that was moving toward broad acceptance of the many peoples who made up Hadibair.
Valdurn
In the early Fifth Era, Hadibair began an important trade agreement with Valdurn, a dwarven city upriver that was an offshoot of the fallen Garrund. Hadibair was growing, but its shallow mines had grown exhausted. In exchange for lumber that had to be shipped by carts, Hadibair received shipments of dwarven minerals, ores, and tools. This trade agreement helped strengthen both of these cities over the next few decades.
Joining the Ghrystbehn
In 5E Y542, the nearby city of Razak proposed forming a trade alliance among many provinces in the Serranak area. Many of them including Hadibair agreed, and the Ghryst River Alliance, or Ghrystbehn, was formed.
Hadibair was already a moderately-sized city-state, but this alliance allowed for a new level of growth. Trade goods, materials, and luxuries that were previously too difficult or expensive to import were now at their fingertips. Industry and migration boomed.
Valdurn opted to stay independent, too distant in location to meet the demands required to join. However, they maintained active trade agreements with Hadibair, continuing to build their relationship as well as allowing for small villages to form between them.
Modern Hadibair
In the Sixth Era, Hadibair continues to expand its influence throughout the region of Serranak. It has become the de facto center for inexpensive, high-quality lumber. Its goods are exported downriver for hundreds of miles, some all the way to Valdriz in Kurnhuelde before entering Borstid’s Sea.
