Kaltia
From Reydala
Contents |
Environment and Geography
Location
Kaltia resides upon it's own self-named continent, the largest landmass in Reydala's eastern hemisphere. Being surrounded from most sides by mountains and ocean, it is a supremely well defended position. The far western border made by the Muline river is the only Border that Kaltia shares with another country. Kaltia also has claimed the several islands off the Kaltian continents southern peninsula as their own, though they fall under no official district and few inhabit them (outside of Gnomes, that is). In terms of land, Kaltia is second only to Riscana in size.
Environment
As the Kaltian continent is quite large, there is a wide variety of climates contained within. In the northern regions, the cold is only slightly better than the frozen wastes. In the south, the temperatures can reach nigh tropical levels. Kaltia on the whole is covered with a large percentage of forests, mostly deciduous with tundras in the north, and a few jungles existing on the southern peninsula.
Important Terrain Features
The Darauf Mountains
This Long Mountain range makes up most of the eastern and northern borders of Kaltia. Though heavily mined, there are still vast stretches of minerals left untapped. The Darauf mountains are one of the primary reasons that Kaltia has grown to be so large and successful in Reydala, seemingly giving a nigh infinite supply of both precious gemstones and metals (in the southern regions) and practical building metals like iron, mithral, and even adamantine (mostly in the northern regions). Despite their bounty, the mountains are not a very hospitable place, containing some of the highest and steepest peaks on the planet in the northern regions. Because of this, Kaltain mining ambitions are usually confined to only the outer rim of the mountains.
Though humans usually stay clear, the mountains are home to many creatures, both friendly and hostile. Most familiar to Kaltians would be the many Dwarven strongholds that dot the deeper regions of the eastern mountain range. Though very similar to their Riscanan cousins, Kaltian dwarves usually refer to their racial line as the Matoa Dwarves. They average a few inches shorter than Riscanan dwarves, and have a much higher occurance of Silvering hair. Dwarves and Humans along the eastern border live in relative harmony, the dwarves perferring the deeper mountain ranges that humans seldom visit. Often dwarven caravans will set out from their mountain homes to sell all manner of smithed equipment, often returning home laden with human delicacies and produce. The far northen ranges are inhospitable even for dwarves, bitter colds and searing winds making the realm all but unlivable to those not accustomed to the climate. Many Kingdoms of frost giants are scattered within the mountain range, giving would-be explorers even more to worry about.
Though it is technically possible to climb a path through the mountains from Kaltia to Riscana, neither country knows this is the case, or would attempt it even if they knew. The bitter cold of the poles deters even the most determined of trailblazers, and have claimed hundreds of souls who were ambitious enough to attempt it. No expedition has ever spanned the arduous journey from one side of the pole of the other. The land beyond the northern mountains has a somewhat mystical background in Kaltian folklore, rumored to be a home to nightmarish creatures and souls of those who were claimed by snow and ice.
The Kaltian Gulf
This is the body of water between the Ohnben continent and the souther Kaltian peninsula, one of the largest gulfs in the world. It starts at the end of the Muline River in the Krasevae district and widens until it blends into the ocean beyond. Thanks to the healing waters of the Muline, the Kaltian gulf is teeming with aquatic life and has bounteous fishing grounds throughout it's boundaries.
Unique Flora & Fauna
Frost Worms
Gigantic menaces of the northern districts, the frost worms were originally raised and used as beasts of war by the frost Giants. After the Giants' retreat, many worms were left behind that continue to terrorize northern Kaltia. Frost Worms prefer the softer ground of the tundra for laying their eggs compared to the northern mountains, which leads to inevitable conflict with humans.
The modern frost worm is a bit different than the beast encountered during Kaltia's unification. Without the conditioning by the frost giants they are usually rather skittish about attacking humans, usually only striking if extremely hungry, cornered, or in defense of a nest. They mostly hunt at night to avoid the eyes of powerful humans, who have driven the species to endangerment over the course of Kaltia's expansions. Most modern frost worm related deaths occur when travelers inadvertently enter a nest, perhaps seeking shelter from harsh weather. Some frost worm tunnels are quite shallow, and it is not uncommon for people to fall through a thin layer of snow and ice to find themselves in the lair of a huge beast with little chance of escape.
Spinefish
Huge fish that occupy the icy waters of the Muline and the north areas of the Kaltian gulf. Spinefish usually grow to about six feet long, though specimens as large as nine feet have been reported in the gulf areas. Spinefish range in color from mottled gray to gray-blue depending on season, their name comes from the unusually obvious spine and ribcage that runs down the body of the creatures, almost as if their outer skin was a size too small. Spinefish have four fins, two shark-like fins close to the head on either side, one dorsal fin, also fairly near to the head, and a paddle fin at the rear of the tail. Spinefish are usually bottom-feeders off large and small shellfish, they have sharp rows of teeth and strong jaws for cracking shells, but rarely pursue prey larger than it can swallow in one bite. Humans have reported nasty spinefish bites, but no fatalities have ever been attributed to the fish. Spinefish move much like a snake under the water, undulating the tail that makes up most of it's body to propel itself along the murky surface. Their grotesque appearance makes them unpopular at best, they have little edible meat and none that tastes anywhere close to appetizing.
In the distant past, during the time where Kaltia's individual tribes were still hunters and gatherers, bones of the spinefish were often used in tool and weapon construction. These past relics are often found in coastal areas and on the riverbed. Since the invention of steel, the spinefish has only been sought as a sport fish. The large size of the fish combined with it's strength have snapped many a pole, and there are hundreds of stories about the spinefish that got away.
Ice Moss
Rumored to be the failed creation of a powerful wizard over a millenium ago, patches of Ice Moss grow occaisionally throughout the northern Kaltia, most often in damp, dark areas. Nobody quite knows for sure how Ice Moss suddenly appears, but patches grow extremely quickly once rooted, often doubling in size overnight. Ice Moss resembles a collection of Ice crystals growing in intricate, mostly geometrical patterns, usually expanding over walls like crystalline ivy. If left unchecked, Ice Moss will rapidly grow outward, sealing entire tunnels with almost web-like ice.
Ice Moss is generally viewed as a menace in Kaltia, since the rapid growth and strength of the crystals has been known to crack home and stronghold foundations, resulting in hefty repair fees and in some cases entire structural collapse. It is also known to sustain itself on local unreality, and when left alone in the wild is known to create entire caves of true reality (Frost worms often use these as nests, as the reality field is often enough to deter humans with powerful magic). Getting rid of Ice Moss is difficult by force, the crystals are quite resilient to physical attack and most attempts to smash Ice Moss infestations are a losing game considering the crystals rapid growth. The crystals melt quite easily in the face of fire, however.
Melted Ice moss resembles a sludge-like blue liquid, and is strangely very resistant to refreezing. If spread over the skin, it acts as a local anesthetic, causing the liquid to be valued by clerics and alchemists. Travelers crossing wide expanses of the icy north have been known to use small amounts of the liquid to dull the pain of arctic winds and ice storms on exposed skin. It also provides limited protection against frostbite and hypothermia by slowing the loss of body heat.
History
Pre-Country Status
The Kaltian continent was once populated with many varying countries, each with their own cultures and customs. Many were founded by formally nomadic tribes who chose to settle by the influence of Regial and Hald. These different countries were often at odds with each other due to their very different benefactors, and many bloody and violent wars reigned between them. The continent was the staging ground for Hald's second crusade, and Kaltia remained at nigh-constant war for nearly seventy years after that catastrophe. It was not until Dizal's faith became cemented in Kaltia over 1280-1299 that open warfare declined and treaties between countries appeared. The first merger of small countries happend in 1300, and linked together the countries Reistelm, Estragraille, and Notrasgard into one nation known simply as Kaltia. As the years past, more and more of the countries joined the union. The last, Higan, joined in 1486, under considerable political pressure.
Kaltian Government
From the first union, the practice of the Councilmaster competition was brought into play. In the early years this was merely controlled warfare in order to determine which of the trinity would hold sway in the nation for a period of seven years. As time progressed, the practice became more and more refined, conflict between armies became conflict between individuals, and more categories besides martial skill were added. Skills such as crafting, magic, hunting, performance and diplomacy began to take equal roles in determining which district would command rule. The councilmaster competition is the foundation of modern Kaltian government.
The district that wins the overall competition presents forward a selection of a new emperor, often this was the competitor in the competition who secured them the victory, though there have been many exceptions over the the thousands of years the practice has been in play. The Emperor is responsible for many things in Kaltia, including settling disputes between districts, dealing with foreign affairs, choosing new laws to bring forward to the council, bringing old laws up for revision or deletion, and governing the next councilmaster competition. Anyone is free to make suggestions in this regard to the Emperor, but the keeper of the throne has the final say and the sole power to call the council together. The council itself consists of representatives from the 12 other districts, chosen within their own districts. The methods of selecting emperors and representatives vary from district to district.
The council votes upon each proposition brought up by the emperor, each proposition is passed if the majority of the districts agree, the Emperor himself holding sway if there is a split council. In this fashion, the emperor does not have complete power over Kaltia (though, depending on the district, he may hold considerable sway there). The districts themselves are largely self-governing, many having their own armies, though they all swear fealty to the emperor and grant to his purposes a portion of their taxes. In times of international war, the armies unite under a single banner. Every district has a palace specifically set up to house the Emperor and the council for their seven year reigns. Thus, every seven years the capital of the nation changes (unless of course, the same country wins the competition again).
Post Unification
Since it merged into one nation, the Kaltian continent has been relatively peaceful, at least among its own districts. The districts have rarely been forced to unify as a military power, though it has happend when great threat came to Kaltia or its allies. Significant was the nation working together through the 1700s in order to tame the monsters that ran rampant over the frigid north and push the northern giant kingdoms back into the mountains. This led to the founding of the districts Nornvalle (1753), Brinfraust (1755), and Krasevae (1761). From its creation, the Krasevae district had troubles dealing with the occasional raid from Ohnben tribes from across the river, but these never became large scale enough to mobilize the nation. The Ice elves were far more trouble, and on three occasions the Krasevae millitary had to rely on support from its fellow districts to repulse them. All three of these attacks (and the majority of Ice Elf attacks in gneral) came after Kaltia assisted Leyandra in it's troubles against Riscana in 2118. Despite these troubles, the council has consistently voted to uphold the alliance with Leyandra. The northern Giant Kingdoms occasionally attempt to reclaim the Kaltian tundra for their own, but the northern districts have trained extensively in anti-giant tactics since their first founding, and most often they are repulsed without an exordinate amount of force.
The Dragon wars that ravaged most of the continent in the past millenium had a likewise devastating effect on Kaltia. The nation soon learned how difficult it is to respond to a threat in multiple places at once with a unified force. Handsome wages were paid by the nation to adventurers who claimed to be able to slay dragon threats. Many took their money and ran at first sign of trouble. As Time went on the Kaltian government began to take the issues very seriously, training crack teams of "Wyrmslayers" chosen from the ranks of the military. Often these Wyrmslayer groups consisted of 5 elite soldiers, at least one capable of teleportation, and at least one capable of healing. These groups responded to threats all over the nation quickly and effectively, though low life expectancy soon caused trepidation among soldiers at being drafted. The banishment of the dragons led to a return of peace, though many soldiers found themselves un-needed (and thus unpaid) in the aftermath. Many of these units became mercenaries to hunt down the dragons that remained for private employers.
Many explain the relative peace in Kaltia compared to other nations by pointing to the Regal Knights, who were founded in the city of Passel in 2353. Since their inception they have been a great force in keeping Kaltia safe from supernatural threats. Others attribute the general non-utilization of the military to Kaltia's difficult to assault position. Others simply say their focus on self-governing districts and councilmaster competition results in great district pride, leading most district leaders to simply solve problems on their own so as to not look bad to their fellows.
Further expansion in Kaltia seems unlikely, expanding over the Muline River robs the nation of the effective natural boundary that it creates, leaving any new settlements open to Ice Elf and Ohnben attack. The northern mountains are far too cold for human life, so the government has been quite content to leave them to the giants. Many recent Emperors have tried to talk to Elem regarding a place in the empire as a district, but the self-sufficient Island country has been cool to the idea at best. Though the Kaltian military could likely rout Elem easily, most of the council is loathe to approve a war of expansion. Though islands exist off the peninsula tentatively under Kaltian rule, as the majority of the population is land gnomes, officials are loathe to district them or deal with the trouble of evicting them. The far southern Island is barren and volcanic to the point of not being able to sustain a human settlement.
Kaltian Districts
The Kaltian districts are the backbone of the nation. Each of them has their own customs, laws, history, and motivations. The map on the right shows how the nation's area is divided among the districts. Though all the districts have different sizes, there is no differentiation in representation (aside from larger districts potentially having a larger pool of talent to bring to competitions).
