Duchy of Audal

The Duchy of Audal (or Dahrsat dez Audal in Audalad) is a State in Yimmu-Audal corresponding to the core territory of the Empire. The Duchy was formally founded during the Theios-Essukdal era in March 2021. It is located in Central Rathnir on the continent of Alteniquia. It borders the Sea of Pearls, the Atsyllean Sea, the Gulf of Ombra, the sub-continent of Aldovir, the Archonate of Theiónikos, the Duchy of Anoshphéy, The Magisterium, Azuria and the Thievocracy of Charm. The land is the home of the Rathnirian Yimmu-Audal Empire, and the religion of the Hukar Sharud faith, the oldest in Stoneworks. The head of the State is currently the Dahrsu (duke) Vouto Rochelle-Âudalad.

First Empire of Yimmu-Audal
During the First Rathnirian Empire of Yimmu-Audal, the core territory was referred as Yimmu-Audal proper, meaning the area populated by the Audalad people who fled the destruction of Jagdas and the Geshemi people in late 2020. This territory corresponds today as the whole Duchy minus the Abayril county, but with the current territories of Azuria, the Alteniquian part of The Magisterium, a portion of the northern coast of the Sea of Pearls and a territrory in the Golf of Ombria. The territory was at that time directly administrated by the Emperor and constituted the most of the Empire's population. Some cities founded during that time are Urnu-Arrak, Eldal-Adadi, Pyriad and Amos, for the most significant ones still relevant today.

Absorption into Soleannen, then a short independence
After the defeat of Yimmu-Audal during the Great Rathnir War, the Yimmu-Audal proper is integrated into Escharia, forming the first Soleannen Empire. However, due to international pressure mainly from Bardonia and the Silver Coalition, Yimmu-Audal is granted an autonomy, with his leader being Gray Is Yes, under the nickname as "the Last Emperor". During this period, Yimmu-Audal will suffer from a decrease of activity with only a few players remaining.

After the collapse of the First Soleannen Empire, the differents duchies of Alteniquia all gained their independence, including Yimmu-Audal. The formation of the kingdom of Theios-Essukdal, formalizing the union with the Theionikos duchy, allows Yimmu-Audal to come back on the world stage.

Duchy of Audal during Theios-Essukdal
Upon the creation of the Theios-Essukdal, the duchy of Audal was left less populated than the neighbouring duchy of Theionikos, with the major consequence being the adoption of Sakrelism and its variant Theiosism as state religions. The Hukar sharud faith and the Red cult were allowed but not proselytized. However, the Theiosism religion despised deeply the Red cult and some cultists were forced to practice their faith underground. That was the case until the Edict of Treiur, the 30th March 2021. There was not really a sole duke of Audal, on the contrary of Theionikos, meaning that the count of Urnu-Arrak Story Studio was de facto the main guy in charge in Audal, alongside with the count of Eldal-Adadi Gray Is Yes. It will be the case until Mistic would become first Ningal (queen) of Theios-Essukdal, on March 22, 2021.

During the time of Theios-Essukdal, the Duchy of Audal saw most of its population located in the Geshem bay, with Amos and Urnu-Arrak being the poles of the region. Eldal-Adadi, led by Gray Is Yes, was also at that time a city in recovery, gaining progressively population. And finally in the west, the old settlement of Pyriad became a real town and a county capital until july 2021, thanks to the efforts of the count ObsOlid and mayor LegionaryWackus. The duchy was originally composed of three counties, being Urnu-Arrak, Eldal-Adadi and Pyriad. However Pyriad will lose its county status due to inactivity in the course of July 2021 and the free county of Abayril lately joined the duchy the 29th August 2021. Since then, the duchy hasn't seen any major change in its borders, making it the most stable state of the Empire.

During the reign of the Ningal Mistic Âudalad, the Duchy of Audal gained progressively more influence with more and more players joining it during the late spring and summer of 2021. On the contrary, Theiosism and the duchy of Theionikos were losing influence on the Heartlands, leading ultimately in the abolition of the kingdom of Theios-Essukdal, and the proclamtion of the Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal, then later the Empire of Yimmu-Audal, with Mistic coronating herself Empress.

Appointment by Mistic
The 6th October 2021, or Winter of 94 TE Foxmunk is proposed by the Empress Mistic to become Duke of Audal, with the two main goals: repopulate Amos and the whole Duchy, who suffered a decrease of activity in the late summer. Foxmunk willingly accepted this proposition and his activity in the first part of his reign would bring a dynamism to the duchy, with the help of the first rengent duke Relmont. The duchy underwent a moment of prosperity, until the Brothers War. When two towns of the Abayril county, Iverthirak (known today as Uyiram) and Liraxavir seceeded to form Fuscinivir, a state led by Joe Frank Kennedy, which led Yimmu-Audal for the first time in a massive war against the Empire of Aldovir.

Brothers war and Proclamation of Astyllea
The Brothers War between Yimmu-Audal and Aldovir ended up with a severe defeat of Audalad forces in the battle of Praestinia, and after negotiations between Jabberdrake, the Aldoviri leader and the now Emperor and Duke Foxmunk Âudalad, the two countries would merge into Astyllea on the 9th January 2022. Through Astyllea, Audal and the rest of the Audalad states would gain more power, which they did not have prior to the union.

Astyllean Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal
The formation of Astyllea would mean the disaparition of the name of Yimmu-Audal from the map, a thing that the Duke of Audal, Foxmunk couldn't accept. As such, the Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal was proclaimed shortly after the signing of the Edict of Urnu Arrak. Foxmunk did this in order to ensure that the name Yimmu-Audal continued to have significance. However, the Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal suffered from a lack of activity during Astyllea and this curse pursued even after the collapse of Astyllea. The Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal, abbreviated KoYA, was composed of three counties: Urnu-Arrak, Eldal-Adadi and Abayril. The Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal, despite the name, is different from the realm that succeeded to Theios-Essukdal, because it is composed only of the Heartlands, without the other states. The King was still Foxmunk, who kept his position of Sharrular (Monarch) during all of the Astyllean period. However, during Astyllea, the states of Alteniquia proper, forming the core territory of Yimmu-Audal, were working less together than before, increasing the isolation between each state, and so, KoYA would suffer of a lack of dynamism. After the attempted coup d'État by Daria Elernel-Dariae, Astyllea would collapse the 3rd of April 2022.

Post Astyllean Heartlands
The collapse of Astyllea is the greatest geopolitical moment in the history of Alteniquia, leading to areal risk of collapse of the nation and the Idea of Yimmu-Audal. The instability of Astyllea and its eventual collapsed meant that a shadow treaty signed 5 months earlier, between NattyNuke (Anoshphite State Leader) and Foxmunk known as the Joint-Leadership Treaty or colloqially, Akari was enacted after a discussion between the two. So on the 3rd April 2021, Anoshphey declared independence from Astyllea with the integration of the Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal, with vassalisation under the Soleannan Imperium. Later, the other core states (as per Clause 3a) of Theiónikos, and Tálor would join on the 7th of April to form the High Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal, still under the Soleannan Imperium.

Foxmunk would step down from his position of Sharrular (King) of Yimmu-Audal the 17th of April, after reigning 6 months due to his increasing inactivity. He would appoint Mirain Caicuria to be Sharrular of Audal. With the mission of trying of boosting activity as well. Indeed, KoYA was the most inactive state in the High Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal.

However, during this period, a massive crisis occurred when Yestanbul, led by Howertt declared war on Anoshphey and later Yimmu-Audal to seek revenge from an Astyllean argument. That argument was in fact Yestanbul wanting to illegally secede from the Empire, which led to a war that the former Azurian city won massively. However, Howertt didn't forget that conflict and ordered the historic city of Urnu-Arrak to be ceded over Yestanbul in the beginning of May. Thanks to the work of Toren Orne'Valerin, which was given three days to buy the city back for 1,5 Million, the city was ceded back to Yimmu-Audal on the 31st May 2022, with the capital status transferred back from Amos to Urnu-Arrak. Toren was given the Patron Title to commemorate this sacrifice and the national Highway (built by Monkey) from Amos to Eldal-Adadi is named after him.

Under Mirain's rule as Sharrular of Audal, a religious change was made to implement a little bit more of freedom of religion. The citizens of the Duchy of Audal are still required to be Sharudi, meaning members of the Hukar Sharud faith, but they can now be openly syncretic with another state recognized religion. This reform still applies today.

However, on the 6th of August 2022, Mairain Âudalad would resign from office after nearly 4 months, appointing Monkey Âudalad as her successor.

Monkey's rule started with the mayor Duchy wide infrastructure project made, being the construction of the Patrons Path. Its construction had started shortly after Monkey took office and was completed in Septemeber of 2022. The road, made of stone and outlined by deepslate has a main branch from west-Amos to Eldal-Adadi, passing through Keu-Ninshu. Later the new town of Amarukh-Darash was to be founded in the central part of this road. The Patron's path has also a shorter branch going from Amos to Sukrath.

2nd Duchy of Audal
On the 5th December 2022, a important vote was made in the noble council of Yimmu-Audal. Stori Âudalad, with the permision of Monkey, proposed a vote to rename the Kingdom of Yimmu-Audal back to the Duchy of Audal, the historic name. With a majority of 80%, the state was renamed into the Duchy of Audal, with Monkey becoming the first Duke since Foxmunk. As time went on Monkey went inactive and placed Argentus Rochelle as Regent Duke he tried reviving but eventually failed. Once Argentus went inactive he was replaced by Vouto Rochelle-Âudalad. During Vouto's time as Regent Duke, he replaced all inactive mayors, developed Eldal-Adadi, and introduced a new form of government and many new laws. Vouto was later crowned Duke of Audal and Agerster Caicuria as Regent Duke, the Duchy has continued to grow reaching a golden age in population, economy, and military.

Geography
Duchy of Audal is located in the southern part of Alteniquia proper, called Essukdal by the inhabitants. It Borders the sea of Pearls, the Atsyllean Sea, and the Golf of Ombria. It borders the others Audalad states of Theionikos to the north west, Talór to the south, and Anoshphey to the north east.

Urnu-Arrak county
Birth place of the Duchy and the Entire empire of Yimmu-Audal in Rathnir, the county of Urnu-Arrak has over 15 active citizens. The County of Urnu-Arrak is composed of desert, being largely responsible for the nickname of Sand Land to designate Yimmu-Audal. Beside the desert, Urnu-Arrak county has a part of the great eastern savanna of Audal. Also, there are the Gulard plains were sits the refounded town of Carmelior-Gulard. The county highest point is the dunes in the west from Amos.

Eldal-Adadi county
The county of Eldal-Adadi corresponds to the central and eastern part of the duchy, and is the largest county of the Duchy. It's largest town is Eldal-Adadi. The county is by farm the more diverse regarding the biomes, with the classical desert being only 10% of the county. Otherwise Savannah and plains are prominent, while there are some mountains in the southern part of the county.

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