(redirected from Atlas.Ymar)

Ymar, at the southeastern tip of Drael, has historically taken the brunt of various attempts to gain a foothold on that continent. It has flourished best when united under Everon, least when it has broken away. The name of the kingdom, and its primary city, have changed with its fortunes: in ancient times it was Ymar (pronounced yah-MAR) which slurred into eee-MAR and, depending on the accent, EYE-mar. Its capital, with few historical associations, pretty much shifted with every change in government. During the 4700s, until the sixties, the capital was Winstan at the fork of the two main rivers, the royal family being named Winstanhaeme (win-STAN-hay-ee-meh), and Winstan being their family holding.

This royal family ended up following the tendency of former Ymaran governments of compromising with the exceedingly strong magnates, who were like little kings in their holdings, propagating a weak country never really satisfying anyone, and never capable of withstanding concerted attack. The kingdom did best when ruled from Everon which reined the magnates' autocratic tendencies--something they resisted vigorously.

Fishing, agriculture, mining are the main trade items. Ymaran architecture for those who can afford it is famed. The hereditary gentry of Ymar had gradually gained all the power the crown lost, and while political brangling went on over who'd get to rule and what they did afterward, the tradition was for very strong local government. Thus, the estates of the gentry of Ymar are far finer than the capital, constantly updated and refined, as there is little sense of 'tradition' in Ymar, and none of the heavy sense of 'replace it exactly as it was' that keeps some Sartoran homes so unchanged that (as it's said) their ancestors could come in and find their favorite chair in exactly the same place.

Ymar's main claim to fame, and its curse, has been the Port of Jaro and to a lesser extent the smaller, narrower harbor at Beilann, which make perfect toeholds for would-be conquerors. Thus, attacks from the south (and even from the north) at that end of Drael always begin at Jaro.

Brought utterly under by being chosen for the headquarters of the Host of Lords during the Norsunder War, it is gradually recovering, especially under the aegis of the reunited government under a Dei.

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