Dorada was the very first Freehold ever founded on Corwyn. It was located in what is today, the Theocracy of Derianor.
Back in the distant days of the Third Age, Dorada was part of the Eastvale region of the Highlands. It derived its name from the Doradans; a Vaas Clan who had settled there.
The Doradans were a peaceful, spiritual people who lived a simple life in the lands of Dorada and eventually founded a settlement there, called Amhorst.
The settlement of Amhorst prospered as an independent settlement until the year 846/3, when the Eastvale was invaded by a war-like Vaas Clan known as the Cynarans. The invaders were led by King Endacil Redmond; the first King of Urland.
Dorada was under the oppressive rule of Urland for many years. Then, in the year 1137/3, the Iskari sailed across the Wyn Myr and landed upon the shores of Westvale Island, and everything changed.
The Iskari, who were led by their chieftain; Ilnavel Cyrenäe, defeated the Kingdom of Urland in the Forty-Years War, causing the Cynarans to lose their hold on the Eastvale forever.
At this time, Amhorst and the surrounding region of Dorada became independent. This continued until another the Harloch Clan migrated into the region. Like the Cynarans before them, the Harlochs were aggressive and soon conquered the peaceful Dorada region and captured its main city of Amhorst.
With the capture of the city, the region became known as the Kingdom of Harloch, and was ruled by a powerful priestess named Queen Elsareth Van Arden; known as the “Queen of the Highlands.”
Queen Elsareth ruled over the Dorada region for many years and was beloved by all her subjects. Upon her death, the city of Amhorst was re-named in her honor and still carries the name “Elsareth” today.
During this period, Stonebridge; the easternmost city in the Dorada region remained independent. For many years it was ruled by a succession of petty Barons or elected Mayors.
In the year 585/4, a nobleman named Adleroth Penrose arrived in Dorada. He was an exile from the eastern Kingdom of Adar, and came to Stonebridge with only his family and a few loyal retainers.
Adleroth was an extremely spiritual man and a devout follower of the God Berevrom. He settled in Stonebridge and soon began making many friends and allies in that city. Adleroth completed many good deeds and public works, which increased his popularity so much so, that in the year 599/4, he was elected the new Mayor of Stonebridge.
During his tenure as ruler, Adleroth made many changes. He re-named the city of Stonebridge to “Donareth," after a famous Knight named Sir Donaray. More importantly he created a new type of political state called a “Freehold.” Upon his death the Freehold of Dorada was created.
The Freehold built several massive temples dedicated to the God Berevrom. The largest and most important of these was called “Valecross,” and was built along the banks of the Vryne River, at the crossing of the Eastvale Road.
Fall of Harloch
About 400 years later, the Kingdom of Harloch was invaded by several fierce barbarian tribes called the “Ravagers,” led by a Chieftain named Garthold. These barbarians were ethnically Vaas, but from a particularly blood-thirsty tribe of the Nolar Clan, known as the “Melkor.”
In the year 763/4, the Kingdom of Harloch was overthrown by the Ravagers, its city of Elsareth was sacked, and Castle Harloch burned to the ground. Afterward, Dorada became a wild, ungoverned region, beset with constant warfare between rival Clans and tribes.
The Ravagers also attacked the city of Donareth and the Freehold of Dorada but were unsuccessful. However, the Ravagers did manage to destroy the Valecross temple and kill many of Dorada’s citizenry
Expansion of the Freehold
In the wake of the destruction of Harloch, the Freehold came to the aid of the region, helping to rebuild the city of Elsareth and feeding the local population.
The Freehold also ordered the Valecross Temple rebuilt, but this time with a massive fortification surrounding it. This castle came to known as “Berevrom’s Keep.”
Within a 20-year period, the Freehold of Dorada had taken over control of most of the territory of the former Kingdom, and brought peace and stability to the Eastvale region.
This time period where Dorada filled the void left by the Fall of Harloch and consolidated its control over the Eastvale became known as “The Great Expansion.”
Eventually, the rulers of the Freehold moved the capital to Elsareth and that city began to outgrow Donareth in size and importance.
The Ravinian Period
The importance of the Freehold of Dorada began to peak in the period of the Ravinian Empire. Dorada was one of the first states to join the Empire in the early years of the Fifth Age.
Empress Ravinia Myrnäe traveled to the region and fell in love with its beauty and the spirituality of its people. She ordered the magnificent Anfala Palace built on the site of the ruins of Castle Harloch, which would serve as her summer retreat.
Ravinia also ordered the construction of the Academë, which was to become the greatest magical university of the Empire. The school was built within the fast-growing city of Elsareth.
During the Ravinian period, the city of Elsareth grew ten-fold and became the Imperial center of culture, learning, and religion. Dozens of massive temples and shrines were built within the city walls, and tens of thousands of artisans, scholars, and religious pilgrims flocked there.
In many ways, Elsareth became the de facto Imperial capitol, and in many ways, the most important city of the Empire.
The Cataclysm & Founding of Derianor
By the late Fifth Age, the Ravinian Empire was beset with many troubles. Ultimately, it was destroyed by both war and treachery, led by Sorimmar and the Malachar Vilmartine; the Gwynnish “Traitor-Knight.”
When the Ravinian Empire collapsed, Dorada and its city of Elsareth were spared from complete physical destruction. The leader of the Freehold, Grand Bishop Deriyan Montessarë, decided to form a new nation based on the ideals of the fallen Empire.
Hedecided this new nation would be ruled by religious leaders, instead of a king or queen. Deriyan spent the remainder of his life pursuing this goal, and upon his death, the nation was formed and named “Derianor” in his honor.
Derianor became of Theocracy, ruled by a High Council of priests and priestesses, where all faiths were accepted and given equal say.
The Theocracy would have no standing army to protect itself. Instead, it relied upon a new Order of Knights called the “Silver Ravens.” The Order was founded by a former Ravinian knight named Thalen Penrose, who instilled the order with the ideals of the former “Raven Knights” of the Empire.
The Silver Ravens made their home at the famed “Blue Keep,” and their members dedicated their lives to fighting evil in all its forms.
