#maihen

[authaen]

Authaen Aesthetics: || Maihen

[authaen]

(BIGGER)

Prince Dale is the sole ruler of Maihen, and has done a remarkable job at rebuilding Maihen to something resembling what it was before the Reaping War. 

It’s almost scary how well they’ve picked back up after being so severely hurt for nearly half of a thousand years ago. But Prince Dale insists that his intentions are peaceful, and he only wishes to see his country prosper once more. The lust for power held by his ancestors has lost its hold in him. The only concern of Prince Dale’s is being a firm, but fair ruler to his country.

 After the passing of both his parents at such a young age, his Highness assumed the throne at 16- the youngest ruler of a country, seniored only slightly by King Orerot at 18 and his 19 year old wife. 

The Prince keeps his title of Prince only because he has not married yet, and it isn’t a requirement for the throne. His advisors are concerned, as he is quickly approaching 30 and does not have an apparent heir, through blood or contract. He is more concerned with his people than carrying on his own bloodline. Though there is rumor that he has had his eye on a certain Nathavan princess...

Running his slowly healing country certainly takes up a lot of the Prince’s time, as he is rarely seen at any international social events that he is invited to. Most notably the frequent Havrathen balls, held in the capital of Vaen. A representative is always sent in his stead, and it is truly an honor to meet the man in person.  

[authaen]

Havrathen is Allergy Hell and it was made that way on purpose because Maihenans tend to have a lot of pollen allergies since they’re not used to that many flowers where they’re from.

The current Maihen ruler chooses his ambassadors depending on how severe their allergies are, and they wouldn’t be caught dead sneezing like a fool in front of Havrathens of all people.

[authaen]

Thihon was originally mostly made up of elvaan and rohen ('humans’) that were emigrating from Vrathaen. However, their closeness to the coasts had meant encounters with the semi waterlocked mermaids just outside their shores. Neither side were exactly hostile, but there were tensions nonetheless, considering most of Thihon’s new residents intended on fishing for a living.

Over time the Warrlags and Thihonens grew into allies, and even going as far as occasionally mixing children. Warrlags already had the ability to survive on land for short periods of time, but the mixing of Thihon and Warrlags eventually made both feasible for as long as need be. Not that these children were incredibly common, especially further inland, but the coast was full enough. The Warrlags assisted Thihonens in fishing, and in return were gifted with jewels and metals that could not be produced or refined underwater.  The metals of Thihon are brilliant in color, and incredibly strong.

A thousand and a century worth of years later, during Maihen’s rampage across the continent, inland Thihon was nearly entirely wiped out. Most men had been in the armies that were destroyed, leaving women, children, the elderly, and the unable to fight easy to occupy. The only obstacle that stopped Maihen from completely obliterating Thihon was the absolutely unexpected masses of Warrlags. 

Not only did they, and every mixed Warrlag (which, at that point was most of the coastal towns) halt Maihen from expanding to Wolrut and beyond, but reclaimed every single acre of Thihon, and took a significant chunk of Maihen for themselves.

Thihon remained (and still remains) very territorial. Wolrut remains under their protection, as it shares the coast. Most Thihons are women, as men are rarer in the Warrlag genes, and as previously stated the first Thihon army was composed of most of the country’s elvaan and rohen men. The capital is coastal, and very, very well guarded. It is more common to see Thihonens in armor than not, most feel incredibly exposed without their metal.

Thihon remains friendly with:

Wolrut, Havrathen, and Diahore.

Thihon has no issues with:

Undar, Viasheth, and Vrathaen

Thihon is wary of:

Nathavan (there are Warrlag on the Nathavan coasts as well, though they are not as welcome as Thihon Warrlags), Aban Lu Hai, and anyone in the Drelvan Ring under their control

Thihon is hostile against:

Maihen

[authaen]

The suffix -thaen means ‘created from/by’ in Maihen

Vra can often be seen as meaning wrath, or fire

Au means gold, home, or god, depending on the context

[authaen]

Havrathen is nestled between Nathavan and Maihen, two countries that were fairly aggressive in their early years. Havrathen has always been the buffer between them, and unfortunately was ravaged for their expanding from both sides. The elvaan of Havrathen were not prepared for war, and were driven to the center of the country. They weren’t planning on so much aggression, and had not been anywhere near able to stand up to either army. Most fled further and further to the center of their dwindling country, but an unfortunate amount (which is to say any) were captured as slaves on both sides. It’s been said that Nathavan captured elvaan were treated better, but being enslaved is being enslaved.

At one point Maihen had total control of Havrathen, and got fairly far building another castle near the sheer cliff face with the labor of the elvaan who lived there. Havrathen was no match for the massive army that plowed through the forests. They weren’t even concerned with the elvaan other than to exploit them, and as such were not watching for signs of rebellion. Their main concern was getting the walls around the castle built.

They were eventually pushed out by Nathavan, who captured the city that would be known as Vaen, and finished the castle with their own stolen elvaan. They were only able to capture half of Havrathen for themselves. Maihen held a major chunk still, and that included just outside of Vaen. Nathavan built more walls while both countries were recovering from the battle to claim the castle, further into the Maihen-Havrathen territory. There was very little to be done to expand any more, as the mountains that shielded Maihen were too much to get over, and it was more important to build their defense anyway.

The elvaan of Havrathen in Nathavan hands took this pause in fighting to assemble themselves where they could. Mostly the dungeons under the castle, it was the biggest place they had where no one would get suspicious. Many of them agreed upon building secret places underground while the Maihenian’s weren’t looking when they were in control. Where they could find peace, and more importantly, channel their magic. 

Elvaan magic, at least Havrathen elvaan magic was very deeply connected to nature at the time, and the dirt walls of their hidey holes were just about enough to bring some power back to them. But not enough for any one person to do anything about it. For three years they built their powers in secret as much as they could, before Maihen attacked again. 

In all the confusion the second, bloodier battle of Vaen caused, no one really noticed the elvaan on both sides fleeing to what forest was left around the area. After Maihen won their castle city back, there was only a brief moment to breathe before the elvaan exploded (literally, and figuratively) out of nowhere to reclaim the land they’d been forced to destroy for 40+ years. Had Maihen not been weakened by Nathavan, and so fearful of keeping mages in their ranks Havrathen wouldn’t have stood a chance. 

Some historians forget to mention that what was left of the Nathavan soldiers fought along side the Havrathen elvaan, along with the young Queen of Nathavan herself. Not that it was for any noble reason, of course. Maihen would have taken Nathavan next, and there was a much better chance of negotiating peace with Havrathen after this was over than Maihen.

The most prominent leader in Havrathen’s rebellion was First Crowned  Aashain, a young man of presumably his late twenties, that gave his fellow captured elvaan hope that they would retake their homeland, even as young as he was. All others are said to have perished in the fighting.

Aashain landed the last, war ending blow on the Maihen’s king on top of the castle balcony, in full view of the entirety of what would become his nation to rule. Ancient historians (those who claim to have been there) insist that it was an incredible sight to behold.

As of today, Nathavan and Havrathen keep friendly, but Maihen is rarely heard from. It works mostly in shadow, and doesn’t have much land or any royalty that’s presented itself. This is concerning to both Havrathen and Nathavan, but as long as peace reigns, there is no use digging into them much. For the time being.