Hornan Liander
The Kingdom of Kend was formed from the smaller Prelatehoods of Kend, Caan and Cisson soon after the collapse of the federation. The Lianders were one of several warring families who fought over the throne for many years before finally vanquishing their enemies. A later division saw the province of Caan made independent and ruled by the Bornon family as a Duchy.
Hornan Liander became king of Kend on the death of his father when Hornan was twenty-five and was serving as a knight. The country was very poor and was trading little with neighbours. As a young man, he befriended Terran, the son of a trader who dealt with the castle of Weidess Burh. When Terran's father died, Terran joined the stables at the castle as a squire and later became one of the most respected knights of the kingdom. On taking the throne, Hornan made Terran Lord Knight in charge of Kend's small forces.
Hornan was very keen to shake off the shackles of kingship, as he saw them. He believed that a monarchy restricted the opportunities for his people and so for the country as a whole. Giving the country to the people, he felt, would allow for more wealth and a strong, more stable society. When his son was nine, following the death of Queen Jeremine, Hornan told him that he did not intend for him to inherit the crown, though how this would be achieved was still far from settled.
The return of the dragons gave Hornan the opportunity he sought, though problems in the region prevented him from abdicating for several years.
Hornan became known as a clever negotiator and his dealings with neighbouring countries in the south gave him the power to negotiate alliances with countries north of the Red Mountains following the defeat of Categan and the True Path.
This was quite a triumph, and even in the time of Farthing and Mayor Holin, no treaties were ever successfully negotiated north to south. The Cwendrina on Taken believed that his skills, more than anyone, had given a new and strong hope for the stability of Preland, something not seen since the demise of the oppressive Prelature.