Nir

Nir is one of the 12 provinces of the Aurlûnor Velande. Its capital and only major settlement is the port city of Helemar, located on the shores of the Gulf of Heaven in Syltör. Its current governor is Mao Meili (granabam).

Geography & Natural History
Nir is a region dominated by low-lying swamps, and has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. It is frequently rainy due to its location on the Gulf of Heaven, which brings large storms during the summer months.

Millions of years ago, Nir was still swampy, however different kinds of plants and animals lived there. The swampy land was favorable for the formation of peat and fossils, as both the bones of large animals (known as "dragon bones" to the Aurlûnoren and other inhabitants of the region) and large coal deposits can be found in the shale and mudstone that make up the rock formations of the province. The ancient swamps also collected lots or iron, which was used by later inhabitants to craft tools. A period of geologic uplifting known as the Sokalian Orogeny would turn the swamps into mountains, and faulting in the rock allowed for various granitic plutons to form. This new layer of igneous and metamorphic rock would provide an aquifuge, preventing the Nir Aquifer from saturating the lower rock strata. Without the aquifuge, the lower rocks would be saturated with water and any mines would flood.

Due to the rainy climate of the region, the Sokalian mountains would erode rather rapidly, geologically speaking, reducing them to the few hills present in Nir and western Imperial province. The swampy terrain that once dominated during prehistoric times returned as the confluence of the Maerun and Hunshui rivers created a large river delta that has slowly spilt sediment into the sea. The nutrients that the rivers deposit have resulted in highly productive waters that support the local marine ecosystem, especially the coral reefs off the shores of Helemar.

Flora and Fauna
The subtropical/tropical climate and abundant nutrients result in the growth of lots of kelp and coral in the warm waters offshore, and palm trees and bamboo sway in the humid breeze along the beaches. The rich waters support large fish populations, which in turn feed a number of dolphins which are commonly seen, even from land. Nir's swamps support a variety of avifauna, including but not limited to the Maerun Falcon (the world's fastest bird) and the Western Tropical Booby. Nir was also once home to the Helyang or Swamp Sheep, a species of sheep that was unfortunately hunted to extinction. The highlands of Nir, to the east and north, are grassy meadows and dense subtropical broadleaf forest.

History
Humans known as the "Guren" (Ancient ones) first inhabited Nir about 74,000 years before present, and were primarily hunter-gatherers who fished and collected wild plants and kelp. The area was sparsely populated, as despite its rich waters having plenty of food and clay to make pottery, the swamp was home to large swarms of mosquitoes that carried diseases. it wasn't until 10,000 years ago that agriculture began to be established in the area. Migrants from the Dawou culture to the west brought wheat and millet to the region, and the local tribes adopted grain agriculture as a primary food source supplemented by fish.

This agricultural/fishing culture that arose from Dawou influence would become known as Yi'yen. The Yi'yen were the first to discover the mineral resources beneath the swamp, and are said to have independently discovered iron metallurgy about 4,000 years ago, as various pig iron tools made from local ore have been found in bogs. The Yi'yen preserved their dead in these bogs, as many the wanderer will occasionally find a bog body while gathering clay or fishing. Occasionally abandoned Yi'yen mines are also found by miners, as they burned coal for fuel and used iron. The mines also came across fossils, of which smaller pieces of "dragon bone" were ground up and used as medicine. Larger, more complete fossils were regarded as sacred objects, as the bodies of dragons which were and still are sacred in local faith. Other than the mines, oral folktales and preserved items are all that remain of the Yi'yen archaeologically, however, as their buildings were likely made out of wood and earth which rapidly degraded in the rainy, humid climate of Nir.

By about 3,000 years ago, the Yi'yen began growing rice instead of grain, causing a population boom as rice grew better in the swamps than other crops. Rice had been introduced by Celestial Elven traders from Ardol, who occasionally also bought slaves from among the Yi'yen. Much animosity would come between the two nations as Celestialkin slavers began kidnapping Yi'yen fishermen on their boats when the markets didn't fill their demands for forced labor. Eventually, the Yi'yen would ally with the Nû kingdom against Ardol after their fellow Guren kingdom of Dawou was annexed. However, a 96-year conflict led by King Maxion of Almador only resulted in the annexation of Yi'yen into the Elven empire.

During the rule of the Kingdom of Almador, many Celestialkin would immigrate to the region. Much of the first were military personnel and their families, sent to quell rebellious Yi'yen and defend the territory's settlements from bandits and foreign armies. Later on, fishermen and farmers would immigrate to the region as well, eventually outnumbering the Yi'yen. Their cultures blended together, and the Aurlûnoren dialect spoken in modern Nir is said to have Yi'yen loanwords and pronunciations that Aurlûnoren spoken elsewhere in the empire lack.

Takumakken Imperial Rule
Eventually the Almador Kingdom collapsed into an era of warlordism and strife. Filling the power vacuum came the Takumakken Empire, who occupied Nir as the province had fallen into complete anarchy. A second wave of settlers came, however this time it was primarily Crow peoples from the Takumakken homeland to the east. The Crow would establish the city of Sokalis (meaning "City of the Sun" in the Crow language), between the banks of the Hunshui river and the sea. The city served as a trading hub for the Takumakken as it gave them access to the Gulf of Heaven.

Takumakken rule was generally unpleasant for the Celestialkin and remaining Yi'yen alike, as the Crow established themselves as the ruling class. The other races were sidelined as second-class citizens and forced to adopt Takumakken architecture, clothing, and language.

Eventually Takumakken went into decline as the Aurlûnor Velande began reconquering old Almador's territories. The swamps of modern-day Nir's territory were annexed into the Velande around this time, and a crisis over land claims happened between Takumakken's King Krow and Link0Pasta, and Velereth Sareariel Lelya-Earcala of Aurlûnor. Eventually the Treaty of Smaugonik was signed, giving Sokalis' residents the ability to use the swamps around the city to gather and travel through, and the governor of Sokalis, Link0Pasta, was granted dual citizenship. Link would eventually lose interest as governor letting the city go to ruin, and on January 17, 2021 Sokalis was annexed by Aurlûnor properly.

Aurlûnoren Imperial Rule
On January 18th, the transfer of Sokalis was completed, and Nir province was established. Sokalis was renamed to Helemar and made the capitol of the province, however the recently-annexed province lacked a suitable governor yet, and was placed under direct rule from Lhûmar. The military occupation of the province was unfortunately not enough to stop barbarians from raiding the city, causing the Great Fire of Helemar only a week after the city's annexation.

After the fire, local townsfolk took it upon themselves to rebuild the city, focusing away from the old building style and rebuilding Helemar to be more like the capitol in its building style. Chiefly among them were Zax and Mao Meili, the latter of whom was recognized for her effort by the Velereth and was made the first civilian governor of the province.

Apart from Helemar, much of the rest of Nir remains wild and swampy. A few scattered outposts and squatter towns can be found, however, but many of these towns are ephemeral, constructed by hunters and fishermen then abandoned as soon as they're built. The wild lands of Nir are unfortunately not pristine, however, as bandits have poached the swamps, and much of Nir's larger wildlife is endangered. Even the rich fishing grounds and said to be less productive than in olden days by various elderly elven fishermen who remember even the days before Takumakken. But the governor, once herself a teacher and keenly interested in the provincial wildlife, has plans to restore the old environment to preserve the fishing industry so vital to the provincial economy and way of life. Under governor Mao, Helemar has become its own incorporated town and Nir province is no longer under direct imperial control. New buildings continue to be put up and the Velande has plans to turn the swampy city into a shipyard for its navy. The trees of the swamps are of particular interest, as the species of live-oak that grows in Nir is known for its dense wood, perfect for building ships. Otherwise the city's economy still revolves around the sea, with over half its residents employed in fishing or other related industries, and it remains an important trade hub just as the Takumakken intended it. The provincial culture nowadays is seen as a kind of melting pot between Yi'yen, Celestialkin, Crow, and even Kumiho culture, as various immigrants come to Nir to find jobs.