Carthan

Quick Facts:
Ruler: House Trakand - Currently Queen Alliandre
Location: Furthest point South and West on the Peninsula.
Captial: Kalimshere
Climate: Warm and Temperate, mainly coastline
Known For: Massive Trade Industry

Carthan is a large and prosperous nation comprised mainly of coastlines along both the Gormal Ocean to the South and West and the Mugen or Middle Sea to the East. The center of the country is densely forested and believed to be impassable save for the main trade routes cutting through the woods. From its capital, Kalimshere, the North Road leads to Terra's twin capitals, Asfeld and Denosgrad. The Old Road heads to the North-West of the city toward what was once Nyston. The fall of the nation has led to the route becoming rather over grown and seldom used. The West Road is little more than a forest trail following close to the coast toward the borders of Darya. Toward the northern border, the forest finally gives way to the plains of Terra and the rolling hills of once proud Nyston. Due to the importance of the sea and its trade to the country, all its cities and villages are concentrated around the extensive coastlines, it is believed to be poor luck to live within the forest as local legends claim it enchanted and full of wild and dangerous beasts not usually seen by human eyes, such as gryphons and centaurs.

The people of Carthan in general, and Kalimshere in particular, tend to be a mix from the world over. People and creatures from every nation make their homes or their livelihood through Carthan's trade. The small population that can claim to be Carthan "born and bred" have medium to olive complexions, dark brown to auburn hair and eyes that range from brown to vibrant greens. The nearly extinct race of the Mari'Riatin also call Carthan anchorage, though hardly "home." Over the millenia the blood of the true Mari'Riatin has been diluted through intermarriages but those of the pure blood are one of two extremes. Those descendent of the Selkie blood are pale of skin but incredibly dark of hair and eye. Those descendent from the nymph blood have pale skin and hair but eyes as bright as fish scales. None among them can remain long on the land before the sea calls them back again and so nearly all make their livings as merchants, sailors or even pirates.

Carthan's culture is and always has been, based around the sea that brings them life and prosperity. All trade comes from the sea to the dozens of ports along the coast. The largest and most prestigious naturally being its capital, Kalimshere. Most Carthians live by the ode that "the sea will give and the sea will take away," signifying the complete circle of birth, death and eventual rebirth that is held throughout most cultures of the world. Though the nation has little more than arms men in the capital as an "army," their navy is unbeatable in the Known World thanks in part to the aid of Terran cannons. In current day, as has often been in the past, the Admiral of the Navy is bound to the Royal Line.

Carthan holds strong alliances with Terra to the north due to interdependence on one another and an ancient shared bloodline. Terra protects Carthan and the other southern nations from the evils of Karash and provides fine iron and steel for weapons, armor and, most importantly, cannons for naval ships in return for open trade to the ocean along the North Road (called the South Road once over the border). Relations with Darya are better in Carthan than with the rest of the world due to the proximity of the nations and Carthan's respect for the elves' borders, but the difference is minimal. Due to their status as a trade nation, Carthan's borders and policies are open to ships flying any flag though there is strong distrust between Carthians and Semhari and very respectful confusion toward Zacapans, often attributed to their differing lifestyles.

The city of Kalimshere was founded centuries after many of the Eastern countries by the Seven Clans of the Mari'Riatin seeking a place of anchorage for their people. When they found the unclaimed port, they made it their own. The ruling system of Carthan is still based upon those ancient houses. The Seven Clans became the Seven High Houses of Carthan still in power today. Among the heads of those Houses, they elect a line to lead them as the Royal House. That line should rule by generation until such a time as they become unfit to do so. Early in the history, the Houses and Royals shared their power with the Guild of merchants that had aided in the founding of the nation. A romantic tale says that the leader of the Mari'Riatin saved the Pirate King in exchange for his aid in building the city and over the year that he promised to her, they fell in love and forever tied the Sea People to the pirates who eventually swore off their pillaging ways and became the Guild. Through the cooperation of the Houses and the Guild, Kalimshere grew into the prosperous and wealthy nation of Carthan, but soon enough the Guild claimed more and more power for itself and, as always, with great power came corruption. Soon the Houses no longer placed whom they saw fit on the throne but were forced to the Guild's choice and dissent ran strong through the people. A group of mages, calling themselves the Council, began to gather people unhappy with the Guild's rule and set up a resistance. A nameless man, thereafter known as simply the "Grand Master," came to lead the Council and in one night they over threw the Guild and massacred every man, woman and child swearing to the old ways. In later years, that bloody day would be called the Ascension and those oppressed by the Guild who first cried out in joy quickly turned to horror as the true ramifications of their actions became clear. With the Guild gone and the seven Houses already in a weakened state, the Council and its Grand Master took control even more complete than the Guild had held. Any one opposing the new rule was quickly silenced and a child king, easily manipulated by the Grand Master's will, was placed on the throne after the "mysterious death" of his predecessor. For over two centuries, the Council's rule was complete in all but name as the throne changed hands from the child king to his heir upon his death. It was about this time that whispers of a resistance again started in the streets of Kalimshere. This time it was of a supposed revival of the Old Guild calling itself "The Legacy." For half a century their commander, Kinara De'Nakashta, one of the Mari'Riatin who was said to be the only survivor of the Ascension thanks to her mother's sacrifice, worked from literally beneath the city to reclaim what had been lost and her revenge against the Grand Master who had murdered her parents. At nearly the same time, a Kostroman woman and Illusionist of untold power was called from her homeland by the Grand Master to be his Voice, his So'jihn. For years the two factions struggled back and forth, the Guild always being forced to remain hidden beneath the city. When at last the Grand Master turned completely against his So'jihn for her disobedience of his orders, he sealed his fate. True to the promises made, the Commander, Kinara, finally took his half life in the name of the Old Guild massacred over two hundred years before. The Legacy, once more simply called The Guild, was at last allowed to reveal their faces and move their guildhall to the surface. Though the Council and the Guild still carried blood feud, the new Queen, Alliandre, demanded a truce in her lands so that everyone could turn their blades to the invading forces of the Shiranai. Through the war new alliances were formed between the factions and eventually their leaders, Commander Kinara and Lady So'jihn Shyla gained respect for one another and even a form of sisterhood. During the five year Shiranai war, Kinara gave birth to her only daughter and Shyla was named god mother. Under these two rulers the Council and Guild made a truce that survived even both their deaths at the very end of the war. After the war, reconstruction of the city and the villages surrounding it took nearly a decade, bringing us to current day. Alliandre yet rules over Carthan with a just hand at the bidding of the six other Houses as tradition dictates with her Admiral and Prince Consort, Logain, at her side. Bad blood has not been completely forgotten between the two powerful factions in the city but out of respect for their departed leaders, they hold the truce that Kinara and Shyla made. So long as both the Guild and the Council hold equal power in Carthan, no one faction can rise above the other as they did in the past.