Kingdom of Káldôr
Kaldor is a kingdom in east-central Hârn. The name is also used for the region of the middle Kald River watershed, which lies roughly between the Sôrkin and Félsha Mountains. The natural vegetation is mostly mixed woodland and forest and there are large tracts of cropland and pasture. Most of the region is alluvial plains but there are several hilly districts, notably the Kathéla Hills and the Upper Ósel. Most Hârnians using the name Káldôr mean the kingdom, not the region.
Although the region is culturally dominated by the Kingdom of Kaldor, it is home to several tribal nations that range back and forth across the realm’s ambiguous borders. Although Kaldor has assimilated large numbers of tribesmen since its foundation in 188 TR, many of the lands claimed by its kings and nobility are actually controlled by the Chélni, Kath, Pagaelin, and Taelda nations. By avoiding open battle, these hardy tribesmen have been able to withstand intermittent Káldôric attempts at conquest.
The lands of the kingdom’s south and west are lightly settled and administered as the military districts of Óselmarch and Chélmarch. In the west, Chélni and Kath lands are crossed by the Salt Route and include some fertile Kald bottomland. Káldôr has a token presence at Trobridge Inn but only because the Chélni allow it to survive. The southern Óselmarch lies within Pagaelin territory. It has a high proportion of grassy, open woodland, giving it higher agricultural potential. The region is crossed by the Genin Trail and subject to Pagaelin raids. Beyond the Pagaelin territory lies small but rich Chybisa, a kingdom to which Káldôr occasionally asserts a claim.
While the kingdom is not entirely safe from her barbaric neighbors, pacification of surrounding land continues. Relations with the tribes are not always warlike; a few hardy miners, trappers, and explorers venture in the wilderness, and tribesmen are a common sight in border settlements
History
The House of Elendsa
Haldan I the Elder
Clan Elendsa rose to prominence for loyal service to Aidrik III during the Restoration, of the house of Tane in 406, during years of exile. When Herlan Elendsa was made Earl of Ólokand and granted Nénda and Ternúa as vassal fiefs, his successors carefully built the clan’s influence, in no small part by judiciously marrying into the great clans. It was over those next 200 years, nine generations of clan Elendsa, that they gained much wealth and influence through astute commerce and marriage. During the Baronial revolt, Earl Haldan Elendsa was a serious contender for the throne. During the struggle, he emerged as a man of honesty and worth. After three years of skirmishes, Earl Alessa Dariune offered support to Haldan, forcing the only remaining serious claimant, Kalasen Curo to withdraw his candidacy. In 603, Earl Haldan was crowned King Haldan I of Káldôr. After the revolt ended in 603, Káldôr began 20 years of reconstruction under Haldan the Elder. For the most part, the barons were content as Haldan sponsored a restoration of feudalism and their rights were respected. When he died, only the most cynical failed to mourn. BLOODLINE NOT AVAILABLEDemography and Population
105,000
Founding Date
Founded 188 TR.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Leader
Family Leader
Location
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
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