Ikthal
(Icy death elves with ancestor worship/veneration)
Ikthal is one of the two oldest countries, part of four domains that make up the Outer Ring. It is situated in the very North-western area of the continent and shares borders with Banallma, Folstova, and Riven, as well as providing access to the Central Ringlet.
Detail Ikthal's relationship to Sekhab and settlement of the Inner Ring - War of the North.
Include Ikthal's terrain, with a few notable examples - leading to the rise of stilt houses due to permafrost, take inspiration from artic architecture especially here.
Structure
Ikthal is ruled in a sense by the current Speaker of Ikthal - usually an individual of Agnae descent that shares a bloodline with an ancestor spirit, although if such a person is not available the previous Speaker can choose their successor. The Speaker is the only living being allowed contact with the The Consilium of Ikthal, a vast chamber housed by the ancestor spirits from the entire continent.
The Concilium dictates to the Speaker their advice on the current world, and the Speaker reveals their decisions to the people of Ikthal. For all intentions, the Speaker is a mouthpiece for the ancient spirits, who properly rule and look over the country.
Under the Speaker, there is the Ministry of Four-and-Nine, comprising of four statesmen and nine ministers over the thirteen separate provinces of the country. The Ministry meets once a month to confer with the Speaker before separating back to their provinces.
Culture
The main cultural identity of Ikthal is that of preserving the past to predict the future. A cultural touchstone is the awareness most of the people have of death; its inevitability, its law of absolutes, and the wisdom stored within such a state. Many call it The Great Peace, and have no fear of it. The lessons of death are seen everywhere here, from the bones that make up their foundations to the frozen corpses that act as waypoints in the vast emptiness of its tundras. The fragility of life is seen as an honor to bear, and an even greater honor to give back to The Peaceful Lady.
Public Agenda
Expand upon this, especially with its relations with Banallma due to the War of the North. Ikthal is not massively into expanding territory but rather just waiting out the (inevitable) decline of other nations, so very passive in a sense - minus rare cases.
Assets
Ice, metals, rare fish, guarded ancient histroy, and the only known entry to The Madhalls.
History
Dawn of creation, written records of them separating from Sehkab in myth and in reality/where it blends, observing the settlements of the Inner Ring
Primary development of recording spawns from them most of the time - advent of a ice-specific paper that has to remain in the capital in order to not melt, ice tablets comparable to clay tablets of Sehkab, actual nature pulp paper products left to Sehkab and the Inner Ring.
Territories
The majority of their dominion lays in the northwestern segment of the continent, with disputed lands found along the northern coast of The Central Ringlet. After Sehkab's relinquishment of Durkab, Ikthal has become the largest known country.
Military
Elaborate here on the private militia I wrote about earlier
Technological Level
Natural magic and the development of ice-based technology as opposed to fire/spark based.
Religion
Veneration of death, ancestors, and The Peaceful Lady - linked to the only major god without a 'Lord' title, that of Lady Vanar.
Foreign Relations
Elaborate here specifically their relationships with Banallma and Sehkab - also the lead up of the creation of Riven, and the Scars of the World. Key piece to fitting together the history of the Outer Ring.
Agriculture & Industry
Due to their native geography, not huge into agriculture - food is their main import - with the significant exception of the hidden fields in The Madhalls. Leading edge of many technological advances as well - work on this after the history/diplomacy section.
Education
As keepers of history, well educated in the upper hierarchy. Lower classes not as educated but still generally better than the average continental individual. Workshop this out a bit.
Infrastructure
Elaborate on this bit, separate the countries a bit more.
Mythology & Lore
Origin myth of Ikthal here - details of The Peaceful Lady myth as a universal mother figure
Divine Origins
Factual origins of Ikthal without the fluffy bits of myth here
Cosmological Views
The emphasis of the tapestry of life as opposed to the influence of other Lords, Princes, Sires, and the like.
Granted Divine Powers
Access to the concilium after death for the venerated dead.
Brittle are the fools that bind us
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Thalians
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Gerontocracy
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
The official currency of Ikthal are coins called Specie, with their value placed in the amount of metal that makes up the coin. They all share the same exterior dimensions, but the marked differences between them are denoted by the shape cut from the center. Iron is the common ore that is used for Specie, although ones that mark large amounts of money can be made with Brightmetal.
- The smallest currency has a circle bored into the center of it, although even cheaper pieces can be off-center.
- The middling currencies have a triangle and a square cut into the center with slight decoration on the edges.
- The highest currency as three small circles bored into it at the center in a straight line, often to be laced into a necklace thread for safekeeping.
Legislative Body
Together the Speaker of Ikthal and the Ministry create the laws, after being approved by The Concilium. This usually means a long and detailed set of trials each law has to partake in before being approved, as only by the approval of The Concilium are they actually put into effect.
Judicial Body
The Ministry oversees the spread and observation of the laws, although much room is left for personal interpretation depending on who the ruling Speaker is. Only in grievous moments of oversight are the Ministry members pulled into a private council.
Executive Body
Members of a specially trained militia act as both soldiers and enforcers of law across the land. These members swear fealty to their minister or statesmen as applicable. It is not uncommon for them to be under hire, although preference is given to families that swear their oaths for several generations. Many militia members carry a special writ that guarantees their freedoms in case of criminal misconduct allegations by lower-ranking guards.
Official State Religion
Deities
Location
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