Ran

Ran
Feudal Status:	County
Motto:	{{{motto}}}
Capital:	Goldshire Hamlet
Largest Cities:	Aurum, Tyrelwynn
Local Leadership Title:	Count
Local Government:	Feudal
Current leader:	Thorgils Tarjeisson
Local language:	Shirithian English
Local Religion:	Cedrism, Money

The County of Ran was reestablished by decree of Queen Noor in 1635.6100 (Elw.ASC). It is based territorially off the former Barony of Ransenar and is the core county of Goldshire, consisting of the territories of the first proper Goldshirian state established by Treesian merchants and containing their capital, Goldshire Hamlet. It is named for the Rannish peoples, who were believed to be the resident native tribes at the time of the Treesians' arrival.

A series of bloody military campaigns aimed at Goldshire Hamlet in the ancient past have fragmented or wiped out much of the history of the area. A few legends survive by oral means such as the tale of Ran Dansin, a beast slaying bard whose skill in subduing monsters was matched only by his charm in doing so.

The geography of Ran is dominated by gently rolling hill country, somewhere between the more mountainous slopes of Ynnraile and the flat plains of Lunaris. The climate is of a maritime and temperate nature, a pleasant place to be during summer with its sea of vibrant greens, most famously praised in poetic terms by Duchess Jadie of Goldshire who made the area her home in the 1500s ASC.

Culturally, Ran absorbs the best of the mysterious beauty of Ynnraile with the oddball quaintness of Lunaris, combining with all the trappings of Goldshirian Ducal state to provide what is essentially the standard Goldshirian identity. It is much to the irritation of Suthergold, Ynnraile and Lunaris that the popular depiction of Goldshirians among foreigners tends to be somebody of identifiably Ranish extraction. This is not entirely accidental, as the Ransenari are easily the most outgoing and friendly people of all Goldshire; taught by centuries of mercantile practicality not to judge a man by appearance or first impression (until he at least opens his wallet).

History

The Earldom of Ran was one of the three constituent earldoms in the Barony of Holly. It later became a county before being joined with Elsenar by Duke Merkayastreb to form the county of Ransenar, run for some years by Count Janus Eadric under Duke Ryker Everstone. Ran was separated out from Elsenar after the reforms of Queen Noor, with the result that the ports of Zolt, Wendor and Chryse on the Shire Sea were lost to the county.

After a long period of neglect, the core territory of what would become the County of Ran had fragmented into three distinct portions; the City and Soke of Goldshire Hamlet, the Lordship of Tyrelwynn and Uí Lysaght Holdings (Lordship of Aurum).

The City and Soke of Goldshire Hamlet is a more ordered jurisdiction than its two predominantly rural neighbours. Most of its focus is on the eponymous city, which is a significant port as well as the seat of comital and royal government. Agriculture in the Soke is making tentative steps towards industrialisation, although tractors still tend to be of the armoured variety and the prudent farmer brings a repeating rifle and a pavise along with his ploughman's lunch, for when it comes to the seasons in which to plow and sow, the more Luddite inclined amongst his neighbours may yet wish for his head to adorn their barn doors come the harvest festivals.

The city itself, by being comparatively cosmopolitan, is something of a sanctuary for those non-humans of Shireroth who otherwise tend to receive a nasty shock when they cross the border into Ran.

At the moment the Count of Ran's authority is very much restricted to the Soke of Goldshire Hamlet, a consequence of the neglect and anarchy which allowed the two other lordships to form in the County. Even within the Soke the Count faces near constant obstruction from the Worshipful Guild of Aldermen of the Corporation of Goldshire Hamlet. who continually honk on about the preservation of their ancient, and conveniently codified, liberties.

The Lordship of Tyrelwynn presently falls under the demesne of Lord Finan Ravenscloak of the Humerumal Banner. Owing to the preferences of his Lordship, Tyrelwynn and the Hundreds that fall within his grasp, are not open to settlement by non-humans.

Excepting the river trade on the Red Elwynn, for which it is in bitter competition with the ESB dominated city of Teldrin, the economy of Tyrelwynn rests predominantly upon subsistence agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and border reiving.

The Ravenscloak referred to in Lord Finan's surname refers to a family heirloom dating back to the last siege of Shirekeep.

There is very little that is good to be said of the Uí Lysaght Banner, who mark their territorial boundaries with crucified prisoners and wear the flayed skins of their enemies as durable all-weather leather capes. Their definition of enemy encompassing just about everyone they are likely to meet. Under the right circumstances they can be hospitable hosts and they take seriously the traditions of the guest-right and will make extreme sacrifices to guarantee the safety of anyone who is under their protection. The manner of gaining that protection remains somewhat unfortunate as it entails the traveller founding a cordial relationship with his protector by sucking his nipple. The gesture is meant to represent the act of an infant sucking on a mother's teat and thus being adopted into the relevant family or sept of the Uí Lysaght.

Anyone living in the area who was not of the Uí Lysaght and who had not taken the prudent precaution of sucking on a proffered nipple, has long since fled or been flayed and crucified. It goes without saying that all but the most necessary journeys to Aurum are strongly advised against.

Only the Octalune were spared, on account of their general utility as slaves and scouts.

If there is any form of economic activity in the Uí Lysaght Holdings beyond cattle-rustling and murder, we have yet to hear of it.

Demographics of the County

The City and Soke of Goldshire Hamlet: 5,086,906

Ethnicity	Population Size
Boreal	2,312
Elw	655,000
Goldshirean	2,363,000
Lunatic	15,211
Mercajan (Treesian Revivalist)	959,300
Norse	49,709
Octalune	22,369
Other Aliens (Hominid)	301,942
Other Aliens (Non-Hominid Humanoid)	34
Other Aliens (Non-Humanoid Hominid)	124
Other Aliens (Non-Humanoid)	1
Shirerithian (Hominid)	700,538
Shirerithian (Revenant)	542
Storrish-Elfinshi (Froyalandish)	255
Jingdao Heathens	2
Llaškari (Euran Babkhi)	4,223
Babkhi	12,344

Earls of Ran

• Johnathan Nelson Wythe, 1st Earl of Ran

Counts of Ran

• Thorgils Tarjeisson, 1st Count of Ran