The Nordakas

Crest: Pale per fess gold and argent counter charged, a swan close proper.
Motto: Prosper
Registry: Palace of Gules, 603TR
Holdings: Telen, Ramala, Coranan 21, 500 Acres
Sources: Thardic Republican Module, Telen Article, Jonathan M. Davidson's Alternate Army, Registery of Attendance of the Thardic Senate by Jerry Holland-Hibbert.

Clan Nordaka is the second largest landholder in the Thardic Republic. They are a relatively old clan who acquired the majority of its lands through marriages and inheritances. Only about 12% of their lands were ever actually purchased. While the clan existed at the Republics foundation, there is little written record of the clans existence before this time. Their crest was registered at the Palace of Gules in Coranan in 603TR. A few members of the clan's past are celebrated in local feasts, but no such celebrations are common outside of the clan seat of Telen.

They trace their history back before the beginning of the Republics and into the Corani Empire. Locals believe the clans lineage can be traced even further still. The current feud between Clan Wytel and Clan Nordaka began in the Senate some 20 years ago and has since spilled over onto the streets. While neither clan is yet willing to declare full scale war upon the other, assassinations, kidnapping and other nefarious deeds are becoming common. To date such deeds can be attributed to one or two clan members taking things into their own hands without the clan's blessings.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Clan History

Nordaka clan history is closely tied to the town of Telen. Most believe that so long as Telen flourishes, so too will the Clan.

"Their children suckle on money and politics and learn oratory before they can walk."

Shiranan Witticism

Sometime during the Theocracy, the merchant clan of Nordaka rose to prominence. The purges of the Balashan Jihad removed the majority of the traditional imperial ruling class, and there was now land and title available to those with the money, and the power to take it. The first Nordaka of note was Horlin, a master trader with a nose for politics.

The clan Nordaka was locally known as a pedlar's family that worked the Telen region. The founder of the clan, Medrah, was a master mason who's three youngest sons took to peddling as a way of life.

During the reign of Emperor Shorka the area around Telen was left to chaos. The clan Nordaka found it difficult to peddle their wares outside of what is now the Telen district and so restricted their routes. Banditry was on the rise and without clear Imperial leadership few thought it would get better. With Shorka's death from apoplectic seizure in 555, and Emperor Medak's rise to the throne hope was restored. Shorka's reign was remembered as corrupt and tyrannical. The local Imperial nobility tried to maintain order.

Shortly after Emperor Medak was crowned, he killed the main source of corruption, Shorka's astrologer Workol in 558. The Red Death Plague (559 through 561), prophetised by Workol, killed one out of every ten. In Telen few fields were fully planted. The local Imperial nobility took most of the harvest for themselves and hundreds more died of starvation.

The clan Nordaka tried to house and feed their friends but as the plague persisted, even money could not always buy food. The survivors began attacking noble's houses. Clan Nordaka was not, at the time considered part of the Imperial nobility. But they were rich and thus they suffered at the hands of their once-friendly neighbors.

Between 560 and 564 the area was besieged by bandits and wandering bands of marauders. The Clan Nordaka did what they could to fortify their villa and offered its protection to their neighbors. Food was still short but things were beginning to brighten.

When the Theocracy was founded in 568 it found order already restored to a heavily armed Telen. Additional forces were sent to Telen to assist in the refounding of the town, and eradication of the bandits that still plagued the area. The Imperial nobility was made the target and the cause of all things evil that had happened to the people of Telen. They were brought out as "opponents" to the new order, and either butchered locally, or sent off to the Pamesani Games or other Morgathian amusements.

The region, further diminished, settled into a peace necessitated by scarcity. Even bandits came to Telen to be put to work in the fields. Food became the main priority in everyone's lives. It was only in the following years that the town of Telen began to suffer under Morgathian rule. Various purges struck the region. Farmers were brought out and killed because they worshiped the wrong god. The rich were killed because they were rich, and the poor because they were poor. The Nordakas began to hoard food for their neighbors, so that the Morgathian taxmen could not seize it all and leave the locals hungry throughout the winter. When Horam of Tekhos emerged as the sole leader in 568TR and founded the Theocracy of Tekhos, the people of Telen hardly noticed. The Morgathian bureaucrats became Theocracy bureaucrats almost over night. The purges slowed, but did not stop.

By 570TR, the locals had suffered enough. When Medrath, a younger son of the Nordaka clan was taken for paying tribute to the wrong god the clan rose up in rebellion. With the support of neighboring farmers they were able to storm Caer Telen from within and without. The ruling Theocrat died in the ensuing struggle. Horlin, a prominent member of the clan, saw that the Theocrats were replaced by the last vestiges of Imperial nobility who looked to him for advice. There is no proof that Horam, or his government, even noticed the replacement of his agents in the small area.

Local taxes lessened, and the purges stopped. Positive reports were falsified and sent on to Coranan city. When the Theocracy fell apart some 18 years later, the Nordaka clan sent out pedlars and caravans to do business with the fractional remains of the Empire. They found a very welcoming clientele. Legend says that fights stopped and warriors from both sides flocked to the caravans sporting the White Swan.

In 571 Horlin had Villa Nordaka built in Telen.

In 593 the Council of Telen was formed as an advisory body to a small oligarchy of local land owners. The Council was headed by Horlin who sent out diplomats with his trading caravans. As the rest of the region decayed into bitter power battles, Telen remained almost untouched. The wealth from the Nordaka's trading empire assured the locals had a well stocked and well trained garrison of troops. The majority of the people of Telen began taking the name Nordaka as being synonymous with luck. What families who could marry into the clan, did so and considered themselves blessed.

The Nordaka clan and Telen as their holding became the only sea of peace in a turbulent time. The clan grew and merged with the few remaining Imperial nobles by marriage or commerce.

In 626TR the Council of Telen was approached by the Coranan Republic. After much debate and negotiation, Telen joined the Republic and appointed Horlin as their first senator. The Clan Nordaka was granted further lands around the Telen and within the Coranan region in return for their loyalty and use of their troops.

When the barbarian kingdom of Rethem appeared expansionistic, the Coranan Republic and the Shiran Republic voted to form the Thardic League in 636. Senator Horlin Nordaka was prominent in assuring the League would not raise local taxes. Instead it had responsibility for the defenses of the Republics and foreign relations. Horlin ordered the soldiers in Telen to remove the white swan from their shields. It was replaced by the heraldry symbol of the Thardic League, which is still in use to this day as the symbol for the Coranan Legion.

Horlin is reputed to have turned down the post of Autarch, an elected official for a seven year term. The Autarch, protected by the Autarch's Guard became the ultimate general of the combined forces of the Shiran and Coranan Republics.

From 636 to 674 there were six Autarchies constantly either fighting or planning wars against the Republic's neighbors. Their expansionistic plans of the Autarchies suited the clan perfectly. Wherever the forces of the Thardic League went, the white swan merchants went as well. They were a constant presence in the Armies tail. Mixed among the merchants were the sons of the clan who acted as diplomates who assured that the success or failure of the league did not directly damage trade with the republics.

Lepral Nordaka was the second Autarch. His successful but short reign of 6 years was primarily against the bandits that plagued the combined republics. He died in 650TR from wounds suffered in a campaign against the Hefiosa brigands. He was mourned by clan and friends alike.

The clan was surprisingly successful in trading both with the soldiers on both sides of the battlefield. Horlin, as a very old man is attributed what little success the Republics gained in trading with Kanday even though it lost so much land at the Peace of Quivum in 666.

Aglir Nordaka, the sixth and last Autarch, bungled a battle at Ramala Gap and was forced to accept trade and territorial concessions by Kaldor in 672. This defeat so rankled the clan Nordaka that Horlin himself led the debate against Aglir's leadership in the Coranan senate. Some believe he even began to move against Aglir and have him replaced when Aglir declared martial law and issued warrants for the arrest of several Senators on treason charges. Certainly those were turbulent days, with most of the populace of the cities rioting against Aglir's imperial pretensions.

The exact details surrounding Aglir's assination are a mystery to this day. It has been blamed upon the members of the Autarch Guard, specifically the four who brought the warrants against the senators with Algir's signature and seal affixed to the two senates. Certainly Horlin Nordaka was involved in the affair, but to what level can only be guessed. Horlin did lead the senate towards the vote that, the next day, abolished the Autarch and helped to establish a joint commission to establish a unified Republic.

The clan's division between Algir and Horlin ended on the day Algir died. Algir's supporters within the clan quietly returned to back Horlin, and later his replacement Cobart, or left the clan altogether. Some say this was the real cause of the founding (or at least the strengthening) of clan Wytel. It is certainly a source of great animosity.

The Thardic Republic was founded three months after Algir's death. Telen was named the capital to the new Thardic Republic as it was the largest city between Coranan and Shiran. It was also the only city backed by the never-empty purses of the Clan Nordaka.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Current Events

Since the founding of the Thardic Republic only Nordakas have been elected to the position of Marshal, Magistrate or Senator for Telen. The locals willingly support the Nordakas and believe it only fit that a clan who's future is so tied to a place should rule it. Other clans who offer candidates for these positions are bribed, or politically discouraged against continuing in the race. The Nordakas are all eloquent speakers and are brought up well educated in their own clans history as well as the political methods of the Thardic Republic. Several lesser members of clan Nordaka hold posts in the local civil, judicial and military administrations.

Many wonder why Quaril Jeredosta was elected president of the senate when Senator Amerak Nordaka is a far more eloquent speaker. The Nordaka clan is also significantly richer than the Jeredosta clan, but nothing in Thardic politics is so obvious. The clan has sent several feelers into the situation, but are no closer to understanding how Amerak lost the election. That the balloting was fixed is obvious, but a cry of outrage in the senate would get the clan nowhere if they do not understand why it was done. Currently the clan appears patient and happy with the senates decision of President.

Nordakas have had a vested interest in the trade and politics of the Republic. The Nordakas invest heavily in the local caravans that travel along the salt route.

The only way the clan can see to increase trade would be to build the Aramal road. The clan began lobbing the Thardic senate to build a seaport on the Gulf of Chakro. It will connect to Telen through a new road thought the Ramala Gap, a currently hostile region.

The plan for Aramal road includes plans for two or three fortifications along its length to protect wayfarers. It would give the Republic a seaport and remove the necessity for transporting goods down the Thard through Rethem or overland through Kanday to Aleath. Secondly it would increase the Republican presence in Ramala Province, strengthening their hold on the wilderness region and making it safer for settlement.

The Clan has already undertaken a preliminary survey of the area and sent expeditions to examine possible sites for the seaport, and convinced several senators of the validly of the plan. Although the clan still has a notable opposition in the house, they have yet to bring the clans financial support to bear.

"We look first to the Republic's interest, and then, if at all, to our Neighbors."

Colorin Nordaka

While such a port will mean that trade will be better protected, and easier to ship to sea-routes, the Nordaka's motives are not totally altruistic. Such a port and road would use the majority of their Ramala land, much of which lies fallow because of tribal unrest throughout that region. Were the plan to be approved, they would make immense profits from this as well as from the increased flow of trade to Telen.

The Clan is in the process of trying to get the senate to approve the use of legionnaires for the purpose of guarding the surveyors, but are in the process of hiring mercenaries just in case the senate declines.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Clan Holdings

The Clan Nordaka holds land in both Telen and Ramala districts. They have residences there as well as in the city of Coranan, and own lands scattered throughout Coranan province.

Telen

Telen is the family seat and the headquarters of the Coranan provincial government.

The Coranan Legion is the second largest within the republic and it defends the most populous part of the republic including the capital. Also raised within the province is the Red Guard that confines its duties to the capital. The wealth and manpower of the province is greater than that required to support the legion and the Red Guard, some of the excess is transferred to the Eidel legion.

Coranan Legion

As representatives of the province of Coranan, the Nordakas are, in part, responsible in seeing that the Coranan Legion recieves its expected tribute/taxes, men through mandatory recruitment. The Clan Nordaka oversees all requests for additional equipment or support staff for the Coranan Legion.

The Coranan Legion consists of twenty-three cohorts in six districts. It is based in Caer Telen the castle attached to the provincial capital, and is commanded by Cobart of Nordaka.

Telen district is based at Telen Castle. Tribertes Primus Markus of Nordaka is the provincial Marshal. He controls: Cohort Bovett, Cohort Pelek, Cohort Purough, Cohort Remmel and Cohors Telen I* & II* all stationed at Caer Telen.

The Coranan Legion Statistics

Legion Manpower:
Infantry 1,104
Cavalry 235
Total muster 1669 (663 over requirement)
Legion Finance:
Income £4,719 10s 10d,
Expenditure £2,964 2s 4d.
Province: 216,880 acres,
households 5,312 ,
acres held by the Legion `27,300

"You cannot breath in Telen without first paying the Nordaka clan for the air"

- Coranan Witticism

In Telen the Nordaka clan is seen as great benefactors to both their clients and neighbors. While their control is centralized around the town of Telen, the Nordaka clan has its hands in several local ventures.

The largest venture is the attempt to push a road through from Telen to the coast. However, this venture has already met with disaster before it could be approved by the senate. Local legionnaires, sent into the near-primal forest to survey the land have disappeared.

Their disappearance last fall has raised many questions. The Nordakas have requested the legionnaires send a new survey team in the spring, when the weather is once again favorable. The legion is unwilling as no search party sent in could find the missing survey team; and the legion refuses to admit the missing soldiers may have gone rogue.

Ramala

The clan's Ramala holdings are kept more out of greed and a pride that refuses to allow them to admit defeat. The taxes in the Ramala region are continuously on the rise. The forces at Taztos provide a pleasant place to send troublesome legionnaires, but it is becoming more and more difficult (and thus more expensive) to resupply the fort.

The plans for the Aramal road are approved of by any legionnaire in Taztos. The more forts in the area the better. They believe such a road would provide the means to civilize the area, or certainly depopulate a large portion of it. Unfortunately Senators rarely inquire after legionnaire's opinions.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Clan Religion

The Nordakas are secretly Laranian in their worship. The clan has always appreciated the Laranian ideal of a just war. Their war is fought in the senate as oppose to the lands surrounding their holdings. To hide this secret affiliation, most all Nordaka holdings have both a temple to Larani and a temple to Agrik. The official reason for harboring such foreign religions is that the Nordakas allow their clients to worship as they choose; and a majority of the Nordaka clients are either Laranian or Agrikan.

Officially the Nordakas worship Halea and occasionally Peoni. Some believe they also pay lip service to Morgath so that his temples will ignore the clan. The political freedom within the clan is not unusual in Tharda. Still the clan has decreed that no man shall be punished for his choice of religion in Nordaka held lands.

This has made the clan several enemies, particularly those clans affiliated with Agrik and Morgath. But it does raise questions as to their close affiliation with the Lia-K'avir and by extension the Naveh religion. To date such affiliations have never been proven. To dwell on such speculations in public has proven to be deadly to ones political career if not ones life, especially in Telen.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Clan Politics

Their enmity with the Consolidations clans is legendary. Surprisingly this amenity remains within the senate and has not yet, officially, spilled out into the streets. By common agreement all "enemies" serving their legion duty are immune to clan politics; for the legions are suppose to be politically neutral.

Clan Wytel heads the consolidations faction of the senate. It and its supporters are the Clan Nordaka's chosen enemy. If clan Wytel is for the motion, clan Nordaka is against it on principal if nothing else.

Although expansionist, the Nordaka clan supports the Jeredosta clan against Marshal/Magistrate Kronos. The clan is the most verbally against Marshal/Magistrate Kronos. In 720 they intend to put forth the motion that no man has the right to be both Marshal and Magistrate. The senate should, therefore, demand Kronos choose between his two positions.

If Kronos chooses Marshal - Quarli will propose he act as their Imperator in a war against a neighboring country. His assistants are currently studying the question as to which country the war should be against.

If Kronos chooses Magistrate, he will be assigned to Cestor to clean it up. Cestor is a town in Jeredosta territory. All the better to keep an eye on the over-talented and over-lucky Kronos.

Amerak has recently proposed a third position. If Kronos promises to back Aramal road, seeing it built during his term in Ramala, the clan will back Kronos's desire to be Marshal of Ramala so long as the Magistrate is a Nordaka. This position is very unpopular to the Jeredosta clan, and the debate between the two clans threatens to fracture their political alliance.

Clan Jeredosta has few allies. Politically they are allied with Clan Nordaka, but the two clans almost never meet socially. Instead, Clan Jeredosta supports motions by Clan Nordaka as often as they can. Combined, the two clans make up the majority of the money and motivation to the Expansionist faction in the senate.

The Nordakas are more interested in trade than politics. The majority of their money comes from the White Swan caravan, and the fleet of pedlars they supply from Telen and send up and down the salt route. The Nordakas support a war against Kaldor in the hopes of winning and removing the trade concessions forced upon them by Algir's blunder.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

Clan Personalities

There are hundreds of "important" Nordakas both in the Coranan legion (including the Red Guard) and the Coranan province government. The most important of these live in Telen. Seemingly almost everyone in Telen traces their roots somehow to the Clan Nordaka.

Regardless of the confusing genealogy, there are really only five important Nordakas. They are:

Once again this list proves the difficulty of a non-Nordaka to acquire a position in Telen's military or government without clan Nordaka's backing.

Clan History | Current Events | Clan Holdings | Clan Religion | Clan Politics | Clan Personalities

July 9, 2001

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