Anðus

Andus

ᚨᚾᚦᚢᛋ
Andus ᚨᚾᚦᚢᛋ
Province of Hellona
	Flag Emblem
Capital; and largest city	Owidal
Government
• King's Commissioner	Elsa den Bomendal
• Rank	4th
Population (1888)
• Total	2,892,000.
• Rank	1st
• Density	9,820/km2 (25,400/sq mi)
• Rank	1st
Demonym	Andusian
Abbreviation	AND
Website	https://www.Andus_Hel.hlo/

Andus (Hellonian:ᚷᛖᚹᛖᛋᛏ ᚨᚾᚦᚢᛋ Gewest Andus, Ellandic: ᛚᚨᚾᚦᛋKᚨᛈ ᚨᚾᚦᚢᛋ Landskap Andus) is a province located in the north-west of Hellona. It is the largest province by population, with 2.892.000 citizens. It is bordered by the provinces of Noord-Alland and Zuid-Alland on the east, and Melre on the south. The capital and seat of the provincial government is Owidal, which also is the largest city in population and size. The King's Commissioner of Andus is Elsa den Bomendal.

Andus is known as the economic and cultural centre of Hellona. In the 1st century it had an integral role in the unification of Hellona. Its capital, Owidal, is an important trading hub in the Vismar region. The city and its metropolitan area cover most of the province's land area. Currently, the province is home to 48 municipalities.

Etymology

Andus derives its name from the Andus river which flows through the province. The origin of the river's name is still debated, but most theories surrounding the name origin link it to the prehistoric goddess Andulia. Andulia was the patron saint of Owidal until Asatru became the dominating religion in the area, after which she was replaced by Wodan.

History

After the last great ice age, modern men came to modern-day Owidal, where the oldest known tribal civilization of Hellona started. These Autochthonous hunter-gatherers, called the North Germanics or Hellonics, maintained relations with their ethnoculturally close South Germans, and the Nambalonian peoples in the west, partially because they travelled the seas as early as 0,5 million years ago. The Hellonics travelled much of the south Vetterran continent, and had early access to copper and bronze because of trade. This made it possible for the Hellonics to advance quickly, but was rivaled by Epca and Deian Salazar. The east Hellonic tribes, known as the Andus, formed the Andus Kingdom in 1400 B.C.

Andus quickly became one of the biggest trading nations on Vetterra. Together with the South Germans, the Andusians ruled the seas for most of the early ages. Andusians mainly focused on the North and western coast, while the South Germans focused on the south-eastern coasts. This era of Hellonian history is characterized by the many wars and the constant warfare between the Andus kingdom and the local populations of the many different states in the Hellonic region, including: the Rejkish city-states, the Duchy of Melre, the Realm of Alland, the Princedom of the Plaeten, the Sakensberg city-state federation, the Kingdom of Guldeland, the Republic of the Moeslanden, the United Chieftains of Rines, the City State of Brunhilde, the Tribes of the Centralberg and the Kingdom of Elland. These wars are often called the Andusian wars of Conquest. Andus under Björn Wodanerson kept winning in grand battles, leading one conquest after another. Ones the Andusian troops conquered Guldeland and were at distance from Elland, the Ellandic king Harald decided it was best to give up the Ellandic independence for peace. He offered his daughter, princess Viktoria Gyllenhjärt, to be wed to the Andusian hero-king Wodanerson. The Kingdom of Hellona was first formed by this act of union, and the modern royal family was formed. Wodanerson wanted to expand further, but decided to stop the march east after a failed expedition through the Centraberg mountain range.

Andus in Hellona

Andus in the unitary state (1401)

Geography

Andus is flat for the most part, with hills and many forests around the east and north. The biggest forest being the Andemelere forest in the south, where the national animal, the red deer, can be found. The area around the capital of Owidal is mostly flat and highly urbanized.

Andus shares international borders with Arialucia and Hallund. Neighbouring provinces in Hellona are Noord-Alland, Zuid-Alland and Melre. The Andemelere forest is located on the border of Melre and Andus, and is named after that fact.

Gemeentes (Municipalities)

As with other Hellonian provinces, Andus is further divided into municipalities, with 48 as of 8 January, 1894. These municipalities are grouped in COROP groups. These regions are used for analytical purposes by, among others, Statistics Hellona. The Hellonian abbreviation stands for Coördinatiecommissie Regionaal Onderzoeksprogramma, literally the Coordination Commission Regional Research Programme. Each province has 5.

COROP groups of Elland

Owidal en ommelanden COROP group
Nambelland COROP group
Zuiderbosch COROP group
Alveen COROP group
Noorderveen COROP group

Culture

Religion in Andus - 1894
religion			percent
Asatru			89%
Sparkism			8%
Other or none			10%

A maypole being erected in Alveen.

Andus has retained a traditional Hellonian culture throughout the years, despite modernization and strong foreign influences. Andusian culture was influential on the other provinces, as the Hellonian kingdom spread from Andus.

Religion

As the modern Hellonian version of Asatru was created in Andus, most Andusians follow this faith. Many Asatru temples have been erected in the city, the biggest one being the Nieuwe-Wodanertempel in the centre of Owidal.

As of 1894, around 90% of Andusians follow the Hellonian version of Asatru and 10% is irreligious or adhere other religions.

Traditions

Example of Andusian Boened

Andusian traditions include the traditional dress, called Boened/Klederdracht or Bunad in Ellandic. Each region has its own form of traditional dress, with each province having a provincial dress; which was often designed by combining various regional variations. The Andusian dress is very detailed and complex compared to simpler dresses in the east, owing to the riches coming in from Owidal. The Meiboomfest (Maypole festival) is still celebrated during Midsummer in Andus, and is celebrated the most in Andus after Elland. Andus has taken over some Norsundish traditions, like Lyukfest, when the people make drawings and throw them in the sea, which would bring good luck to sea-faring people. Other festivities from foreign countries have also been adapted, but to lesser extend.

Andusian culture has been called one of the purer forms of the Hellonian culture (which doesn't include Elland), and was, together with the Ellandic culture, the most important of the cultures to the Hellonian Romantic Nationalist movement from the 19th century and is still important to many Hellonians in modern day and age.

As Andusian culture has been romanticized as the ideal Hellonian culture, some of the other provinces have grown a more regional pride, growing a negative view on Andus, mostly the provinces of Halleren and Guldeland. Andusians, however, see themselves as Hellonians first.

Dialects

Andus is home to several dialects of Hellonian. The dialect of Owidal formed the basis for standard Hellonian and as such resembles the standard language the most. Dialects from the north and east still contributed elements to the standard language, although to a lesser extent.

Historical buildings

Ridderslot in Owidal
the Vismar Museum, renovated from the old Royal Palace
Marianneburg in Marianstad
herterdam Castle in Herterdam
The Lindenhof

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Contents

Etymology