One of the Five Nations originally founded by the human settlers of Khorvaire, Aundair has a rich tradition of cities dedicated to knowledge and education while the areas outside the cities are known for agriculture. Rich farmlands, pastoral forests, and excellent vineyards abound. Though the borders have changed many times over the centuries, the nation has carried the name of Aundair since 32 YK.

Aundair’s citizens consist mainly of farmers, scholars, and magewrights. Rural farmland covers much of the countryside. Occasionally enough people gather in one place to form a town or village, but only a few cities disturb the tranquility of life throughout the nation.

Aundair produces a great number of agricultural products, both for use within the nation and as imports for trade. Cereals, grains, vegetables, and wines from the Aundair countryside are considered among the best in all of Khorvaire. The cities of Aundair contain great centers of learning that at least equal the colleges and universities of Zilargo, and the arcane institutes might exceed those found anywhere else on the continent. For this reason, magewrights, artificers, and wizards trained in Aundair demand the highest pay compared to those trained in most other traditions.

Prior to the Last War, the nation of Aundair stretched across the northwestern portion of the continent, from the banks of the mighty Scions Sound to the base of the Shadowcrags that marked the end of the kingdom. Today, the kingdom consists of a swath of land bordered by Eldeen Bay to the north, the Wynarn River to the west, Thrane to the east, and Breland to the south.

Aundair maintains an uncomfortable peace with its neighbors. Still reeling from the loss of the western two-thirds of its lands (and almost a fifth of its citizens) to the now-independent Eldeen Reaches, Aurala reluctantly seeks to find common ground with the various factions living to the west of the Wynarn River and Lake Galifar. Tensions between Aundair and Thrane remain high due to events of the Last War while the two kingdoms struggle to establish additional treaties and agreements that will wear down the underlying animosities. Breland and Aundair have mostly gotten along throughout the course of the Last War. Except for a handful of skirmishes and one major confrontation with Breland as the century-long confl ict rolled on, the two nations have been neutral to friendly toward one another. Karrnath, sitting across Scions Sound from Aundair’s northeastern border, has made the most aggressive overtures for lasting peace since the end of the war. Aurala doesn’t trust Karrnath or its leaders, and she has her own secret ambitions concerning the fate of the Five Nations.

Nation Basics

Motto: ‘’What we sow in effort, we harvest in good fortune’’
Ruler: Queen Aurala ir’Wynarn
Capital: Fairhaven
Anthem: “March of Tensin”
Heraldry: The head and wings of a dragonhawk, on a field of blue,
beneath the tome of knowledge and grains of unending wheat.

Climate: Temperate
Population: 7 million (51% human, 16% khoravar, 11% elf, 11% gnome, 5% hobbit, 3% shifter, 2% changeling, 1% other)
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elf, Halfling
Area: 560’000 square miles
Major Cities: Passage, Stormhome (Floating Towers of Arcanix)
Exports: Wine, cheese, grains, agriculture, books
Highest Point: Mount Colieris in the Starpeak Range, elevation 16’112 feet.
Founder: Wrogar, fourth scion of King Jarot.

Aundairian Names

They follow the Galifaran tradition of a personal name followed by a family-based surname.

Male: Ari, Bokk, Breyten, Daen, Dover, Erben, Fluin, Gavrin, Hagro, Herschem, Huys, Jurian, Kamiel, Killian, Kleris, Reng, Retief, Riaan, Saal, Sarelo, Sithov, Tak, Tyman, Urik.

Female: Aafki, Agate, Baltia, Batrax, Beleth, Chantal, Fientia, Flerentia, Gwen, Hjeltia, Juliona, Levini, Margana, Marloes, Sanne, Sien, Tanneken, Vilina.

Surnames: Aarland, Acker, Adriansen, Alyea, Arendt, Bacher, Banekert, Bartell, Bateu, Crudaker, Caldamus, Corleis, Dekker, Ennes, Gerlach, Haldron, Hugrin, Jurians, Karch, Kendig, Maartel, Mantanye, Merchiot, Nagel, Ostren, Petilom, Redeker, Rhuli, Romhaar, Serontain, Shreve, Sykes, Taumen, Thiel, Toriun, Tullier, Valleau, Veseur, Yanger, Zenden.

Five Things Every Aundairian Knows:

1. The names of fine wines and other liquors. Not every Aundairian can afford Bluevine wine or something from the Mount and Moon cellars, but everyone can name his or her favorite labels and engage in animated conversations about the relative merits of each.

2. Some signature dueling moves. Most Aundairians love the flash of swordplay, and even the clumsiest citizen can slowly emulate the “twisting lunge” or “dragonhawk riposte” that he sees in the swordfighting demonstrations common in village-square entertainment.

3. A bit about horses. With its rolling verdant hills, Aundair is horse country second only to Valenar in Khorvaire.

4. Several “add-a-verse” songs. Popular as everything from children’s lullabies to drinking chanties, rhyming songs where a verse is added each time (such as “The House that Galifar Built” or “The 12 Days of End Year”) are an Aundairian tradition. Some run for nearly a hundred verses.

5. The Epic of the Valiant and Vigilant. Popularized some forty years ago by Aundair’s bards, this tale takes about 45 minutes to recite — and most Aundairians have heard it so many times that they can recite it from memory. “The Epic of the Valiant and Vigilant” describes the twin sieges of Tower Valiant and Tower Vigilant in 951 YK, told from the perspective of two lovers, each trapped within one of the castles but believing the other to be safe.

Aundairian Speech

The following turns of phrase are uniquely Aundairian:

“Chattering doesn’t roll the barrel.” – Shut up and get to work, in other words.

“Dirty hands stroke a white beard.” – As you get older, you may have to compromise your youthful ideals. More generally used to mean “sometimes you have to compromise.”

“Have two strings for your bow.” – An expression of caution and preparation.

“Without wine there is no conversation.” – Beyond its obvious meaning, the phrase is spoken as a request for or promise of hospitality.

“Brightness be!” – An expression of surprise.

“Aundair dares! Aundair dares!” – A warcry and taunt popular among Aundairian soldiers during the Last War