Ardol Province

Ardol Province, also generally referred to as the Land of Tacua, is one of the 7 provinces of the Aûrlunor Velande, and has a rich history of struggles for power, prosperity, and destitution. While it is no longer as powerful as it once was, it still holds a major role in the history of Aûrlunor and the Lhûren people. It was previously known as Tacua Province until it merged with Celume Province.

Early Settlement
Settlement of the region began with the founding of the city of Ardol by the early migratory Lhûren people, and Ardol was a prosperous city state for quite some time. The Founding of Ardol helped lead the Lhûren population to settle in the area of southern Syltor around the Gulf of Heaven. Ardol remained the key hub of Lhûren activity in Rathnir during the early tribal periods, leading to a large cultural tradition around fishing and maritime trade in that area.

As the Lhûren population began to spread out, the economic importance of Ardol began to diminish, leaving it as a political power and fishing city. The quickly growing city of Sachómar in Alma began to overshadow Ardol. As the Almadorians grew, so did their need for land and power. With the rise of Maxion the Conquerer to power somewhere between 11,000BCA and 8,300BCA (it is unsure when exactly, as there are no clear records of this time period) Ardol was given control of to the Almadorians, being one of the first states to be in the Kingdom of Almador.

Ardol and the Tacuan lands continued to remain in the Kingdom of Almador during the golden ages of Almador. These golden ages lasted from 7,000BCA to 2,000BCA and would see the growth of Almador to an empire of sizable portion. Ardol gradually declined during this time, with the population staying consistant and none of the industries truly growing during these 5,000 years.

During the reign of King Hireon of Almador, dissent began in Ardol, with the formation of a rebellious group of Ardolians lead by then Chief of Military, Tarmon. This group would stay idle during the reign of King Hireon, sowing the seeds of rebellion, and would only go for independence after the assassination of King Hireon by Alcon Sandan.

Creation of the Kingdom of Tacua
With the Kingdom of Tacua now founded by Tarmon's party, they voted to make Tarmon the first king of Tacua. He was thus given the name King Tarmon "the Usurper". With Almador quickly dissolving, there was no physical challenge to Tarmon's new claim as king of Tacua. Tarmon worked for 6 years building the government structure and laws of Tacua before his young death. It is unknown the cause, but some rumor it to be poison, while many claim it to be simply poor health. His son Fathfar would take the throne after him, coming to be known as "the Builder" after working with the local Jungle Elves on the founding of the northern town of Estéconmar. He would also be the one to import marbles from far lands to build the majestic white city of Ardol it would be known as later on.

Due to its lack of major resources or political power, Tacua would not be very aggressive during this post-Almadorian warring states. Instead, Tacua focused on building up its trade empire, with Ardol becoming one of the major harbors in the north Gulf of Heaven, only second to Sachómar. 7 kings would come after Fathfar "the Builder", each having their own significance on Tacua.

The last King of Tacua, Picunada the II, would reign during the final period of the 'Two Kingdoms Period' (as referring to Linwe and Melwende). He had three daughters, the eldest being Ráviel the III. On his death bed, "the last King" King Picunada the II chose to change the order of succession, giving the throne to his eldest daughter, rather than letting her husband to take the throne. Thus, the Kingdom of Tacua was forever changed to the Queendom of Tacua.

Queendom of Tacua
Queen Ráviel the III would reign over Tacua for a little over a century, and would marry Maxilon the IV of the Maxion bloodline. (Maxilon being a semantic change of the name Maxion) She would set up a prosperous trade agreement with the Queendom of Hampo, where Ardol would get most of the remaining marble to complete the white city. She would pass the throne onto her eldest daughter Anon the XV. Anon went on to strengthen the ties between the royal house of Tarmon (the royalty of Tacua) and one of the leading jungle elf families in Estéconmar by marrying Lord Pathata, who would go on to become lord over Estéconmar.

Her eldest daughter with Fautel (Anon the XV's first husband), Ráviel the IV would lead a long rule over Tacua. She became known as "the Collector" as she traveled around Rathnir, collecting husbands of each type of elf. She was despised by many of the citizens of Tacua for defiling their heritage. Her first husband was Hateith the Nivosus. She married four other male elves from different sub-species, those being: a Lhûren, an Ashuran, a Teravo, and a Jungle Elf. She studied each of her husbands, providing a better scientific understanding of the functions, biology, and differences of each of the sub-classes of elves. She eventually passed the throne on to her daughter Ráviel the V before passing on so that she could continue her research.

Ráviel the V lead a short reign of 2 years before the 'Bloody war of the Queendoms' began. This was a war influenced by Ashura, where the Queendoms of Tacua and Hampo were spurred to attack the rising power of Sareariel's Aûrlunor. It was a loosing battle from the start.

War of the Queendoms
Also sometimes called 'The Aûrlunorian Conquest of the 400s', it was a long a bloody war for both sides. While it lasted a long time between Hampo and Aûrlunor, Tacua was quickly taken out in 5 years of it starting. The war between Tacua and Aûrlunor was stalemated for most of this time, due to Tacua's sea wall defense being so well useful, but eventually it fell.

On the 12th day of the second month of 427ACA, Sareariel and her forces attacked Ardol, taking it by surprise in the dense mist of that midday. With Ardol off guard, it was quickly overrun and conquered by the Aûrlunorians. The battle lasted for two hours, during which time Sareariel didn't hesitate to attack straight to the royal palace. The Royal family was captured, and promptly killed, all except Lord Hateith (husband of Queen Ráviel the IV) who Sareariel kept alive to remind the people of Tacua what happens when they get in the way of the Aûrlunorians. (she chose Hateith due to him no longer being able to have children) Thus would have been the ending of the royal bloodline of Tarmon.

The city of Ardol was burned to the ground during this attack, leading to the rubble that can still be seen in the province of Tacua. The city of Estéconmar was instated as the new capital of the province of Tacua, and has been ever since.

Province of Aûrlunor
Tacua has remained a province of Aûrlunor Velande ever since its conquering in 427ACA. Originally it was a part of the Imperial province, merged alongside Sachómar and Lhûmar. Later it was given full province-hood after the creation of the province of Alda. It remained in a great recession till around 640 ACA, when the archeologist guild began to examine the ruins of Ardol and its various other fossils and ancient structures. It has not been near the size it was when it was the Queendom of Tacua, but hope still remains that maybe one day it will be.

Tacua remains one of the biggest exporters of fish in the Gulf of Heaven and has begun to be a scientific hub for discovery and research. The governorship has passed down to many people, most notable recently being Aesop Hexen, estranged descendent of Queen Ráviel the III from her second daughter, Aval. He governed Tacua from 930 ACA to 946 ACA. She helped bring in the idea of Tacua being a scientific hub for Aûrlunor, and reinstated the archeological guild in Tacua.

Recently, Governship has been taken up by the reincarnated Aule the V, daughter of Queen Ráviel the V "last Queen of Tacua". She has brought back some of the old policies that were part of the Queendom of Tacua and formed a economic trade alliance with another of the provinces, Celume. This trade alliance has helped both provinces to grow more and prosper off each other's successes.

Before the death of Aule, the province was agreed to merge with Celume to form a larger Ardol Province. Although this was contested between the central government, an agreement was finally made, and the province would enlargen its borders beyond the jungles down to the Athrabar Peninsula.