Himan Kingdom

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Himan Kingdom
Alias(es)	希曼王国; the continent's granary
Affiliation	Himan Royal Family; Himan nobility
Status	Collapsed after Nord Isaac captured Jiman City; its remaining territory was gradually conquered by the Dermon Kingdom over the following six months 403
First Appearance	10

Background / History

The Himan Kingdom arose in the former Aresian Empire's Northern Realm after the empire's collapse. The Himan Family was among the forces responsible for the Isaac Family's downfall; the kingdom was founded directly upon that collapse. Had the Isaac Family retained control of the Northern Realm, the region might have become an Isaac Kingdom instead. 295 336

Its territory encompassed the Hilo Plain and Mamm Plain, two of the continent's major plains. Their agricultural output made the kingdom the Norsen Continent's highest grain-producing state and supported a dense population, despite the widespread poverty of its commoners. 388 431

For centuries, the Himan Kingdom and Besser Duchy fought recurring wars. Himan's founding king had cut off Besser's grain supply out of fear that the duchy would become a threat, beginning the prolonged conflict. The kingdom maintained a strict prohibition on grain trade with Besser, seeking to limit its rival's population growth and military potential. 345 378

Geography and Society

• A north-central plains nation roughly twice the size of the early Dermon Kingdom. 388
• Its northern border with Dermon was marked by undulating mountains, while its interior opened into broad, flat plains. 388
• The Sarifen River divided the kingdom; its irrigation supported the fertility of both major plains. Jiman City, the capital, stood on the river's south bank. 394
• The Hilo Plain was one of the continent's five great plains and had formerly been an Isaac Family fief. 378
• Himan commoners generally had enough grain to avoid starvation, but noble exploitation left many poor; Nord found border-town residents gaunt and living in harsh conditions. 388 389
• Years of warfare and border raiding left many villages deserted or devastated. 310 388 389
• Its architecture retained elements of Aresian Empire design, though Nord judged it less grand than the empire's surviving works. 389

Military

Forces and Equipment

• The army primarily fielded light infantry and archers, supplemented by light cavalry. 388
• Superior equipment, national resources, and ranged warfare originally allowed Himan to contend with the more physically formidable Besser forces. 10 319
• The kingdom concealed a force of at least 10,000 light cavalry near Jiman City as a decisive reserve against Nord's siege equipment. 398
• During the invasion of Besser Duchy, it committed 40,000 troops—nearly half its military strength—to seize Beron City. 345

Siege Doctrine

Himan armies used archery to suppress defenders before placing ladders against city walls. Assault troops climbed the ladders, after which fresh archers fired indiscriminately into the melee, sacrificing their own soldiers to inflict heavier losses on defenders. 355

• Rotated archer units maintained continuous pressure during sieges. 355
• The tactic exploited Himan's ranged advantage while compensating for weaker melee troops. 319 355
• Nord considered the method ruthless but effective, contrasting it with his refusal to abandon his own soldiers. 355

Weaknesses

• Himan soldiers were generally physically weaker than Besser soldiers and Nord's troops. 358
• The nobility's wealth and comfort eroded its martial capability; most nobles commanded from the rear rather than fighting personally. 359
• Many border lords treated annual Besser raids as someone else's problem, leaving border commoners to suffer. 310
• When the royal family and nobility committed to resistance, Himan soldiers proved far more tenacious than Nord had expected, revealing potential that their leaders had failed to cultivate. 391 392

Relationships

• Isaac Family — historic enemy. The Himan Family helped destroy the Isaac Family after the Aresian Empire's fall; Nord's later invasion was framed as revenge and reclamation of his ancestral land. 295 375 402
• Besser Duchy — longstanding rival whose grain supply Himan restricted; their recurring wars culminated in Himan's seizure of Beron City and execution of Grand Duke Besser. 345 350 351
• Dermon Kingdom — successor state that expelled Himan forces from former Besser territory, then conquered the kingdom after Nord captured Jiman City. 383 403
• Eurilo Kingdom — maintained a friendly strategic relationship with Himan despite both states rising from the Aresian Empire's dissolution. After Himan's fall, Prince Charles sought Eurilo support to restore his kingdom. 405 408 423

Story Role / Major Arcs

Destabilization of Besser Duchy

Following Besser's seizure of half the Hilo Plain, Himan escalated from annual conflict to a coordinated plan: stir rebellion among Besser nobles, isolate Grand Duke Besser, and invade with a major army aimed directly at Beron City. 291 311 345

The plan succeeded in capturing Beron City and Grand Duke Besser. Himan nobles then killed the Besser royals and their own Besserian collaborators, demonstrating that their agreements with the traitors had only been tactical tools. 350

Himan forces displayed Grand Duke Besser's head on Beron City's walls, provoking an enraged counteroffensive that cost the kingdom nearly 10,000 soldiers over the next half-month. 351

Occupation of Former Besser Territory

Although Himan destroyed Besser Duchy's central authority, the campaign proved Pyrrhic: of the 40,000 troops sent into Besser territory, only slightly more than 10,000 remained. 377

Himan armies occupied Beron City and besieged other former Besser cities, including Berun City. Nord first fought the kingdom's forces there, disrupting their siege and exposing the gap between Himan soldiers' individual strength and their army's ruthless tactics. 354 355 357 358

After Nord's victories weakened their position, Himan nobles sought a non-aggression pact through First Prince Charles. Nord rejected the offer, viewing it as an insincere attempt to end the Isaac Family's feud without meaningful concessions. 378 379

Collapse and Conquest

Nord captured Jone City, ending Himan's war in former Besser territory and enabling the foundation of the Dermon Kingdom. 383 386

Dermon then invaded Himan territory from three directions. Nord's forces captured border towns, distributed seized noble supplies to commoners, and cultivated support through Nord's claimed descent from the Eagle Governor. 389 390

Himan resistance hardened as Nord advanced. Its armies delayed him through determined city defenses, destroyed the Sarifen River bridge, and committed major forces to defend Jiman City. 391 394 398 400

After securing Jiman City's walls, Nord guaranteed the commoners' safety and presented himself as the legitimate heir to the land. With popular resistance neutralized, his army took the Himan Royal Palace; the Himan King died attacking Nord, while other royal family members were imprisoned. 402 403

Nord formally declared the Himan Kingdom's demise after taking its capital. Prince Charles attempted to rally the surviving nobles, but the remaining territory fell to Dermon within six months. 403

Legacy

• Former Himan territory became the Himan Region of the Dermon Kingdom. 481 482
• The region's population and agricultural strength became important assets of Dermon's expanding workshop economy. 406
• Compulsory education was implemented in the Himan and Besser Regions; the Himan Region later supplied the largest share of Dermon's administrative officials. 481
• The Eagle Governor's legend remained influential among Himan commoners for centuries, ultimately helping Nord legitimize Dermon rule after the kingdom's fall. 390 402