Kingdom of Kar'linon
The Elven island nation of Kar'Linon is formed by two islands in the Eastern Ocean: the northern island Lar'Taan, and the southern island Ara'Thena. The kingdom is ruled by the Half-Elf Queen Araerys il Kysstine and her consort Meifyr.
The islands are predominately inhabited by Elves, Half-Elves and some Ostoharan Humans. However, in the large harbour-cities of Sigilarna and Sig'Ythana a more diverse display of races and cultures can be found with many travelers and traders from around all around the eastern coastal area and beyond.
Structure
Kar'Linon is a kingdom and is ruled by the royal house il Kysstine. The land has little seated noble elites, predominantly limited to barons, burgraves and nobleguards who tend to the protection of towns, castles and temples respectively. In contrast to the seated elite, Kar'Linon has a relative large grouping of uneasted noble families. The major titles of these families are mostly drawn from military and religious hierarchy.
Although Kar'Linon is a monarchy, the queen rules by support of the nobles. Both the seated as the unseated elites are represented in the senate. The senate consists of seven coastal estates and seven inland estates. The estates itself are geographical, political bodies wherein local nobles congregate. Originally every nobleman had a right to the seat in the senate. However, because travelling to and staying in the capital is a costly endeavour both in time and in coin for seated landowners, many estates elect one or more (permanent) representatives, known as estagents, who protect their interests. Often members of the same families serve in the function of estagents, giving them an heridetary nature although this is not formally settled in all estates.
Cities are governed in a similar way as the national level. Barons govern cities but are assisted by a city council in which the lesser nobility and notables, such as the richer merchant families or temple leaders are seated. The city councils decide who gets a seat in the council.
Culture
The citizens of Kar'Linon are known for their grace and hospitality. Due to its location, many Karlini make a living as fishermen, sailors or traders. Most Karlini maintain a simple, modest lifestyle, which might appear as thrifty or frugal to others. Spending money frivolously or poorly managing one's assets is considered a sign of weak character in the upper elites of Karlini society. Karlini see themselves as well managed and forward-thinking. The Karlini believe their economical sense has been a vital element to the prosperity the nation enjoys. Moreover, they believe poor economical behaviour to show a lack of insight and control over one's own more basic desires.
Naming conventions
Karlini names, both for persons and to describe locations, can easily be reckognized by the use of certain key pronounciation combinations. Predominant are the usage of 8 key components, these are: 'ena', 'ilo', 'ina', 'ion', 'nal', 'nel', 'non' and 'orn'. These components are combined and mixed and varied upon. Additionally Karlini surnames usually contain the 'y' character and end in components sounding like 'inne', 'na' or 'ir'. Surnames also usually have more strong consonents than first names or place names. Important to note is the use of the 'x' character, for it is highly irregular in the Karlini naming convention and strongly suggests a foreign heritage.History
The Kingdom of Kar'Linon is an old empire, with a rich history of long periods of relative peace and prosperity only occasionally interrupted by short periods of chaos due to disaster or (civil) war.
A Sibling's Quarrel
The Ara'Thene Civil War, also known as the Minnaian Sistermurder, was a war for the Ara'Thene throne fought between the princess Elliana Minna and her brother Nellion Minna. Before the start of the war, Anallorn Minna had defeated all other Ara'Thene lords with the help of mercenaries from Mahaan and decleared himself the first Ara'Thene king. After his death both his daughter Elliana and his son Nellion laid claim to the throne. The Ara'Thene noble families supported Elliana's claim, for she was the eldest child of Anallorn. Moreover Elliana's husband was the son of one of the more influential noble families. The Ara'Thene nobles hoped that Elliana's reliance on the noble families would give the nobles more influence over the crown and royal family in the future. Elliana's younger brother Nellion's claim had a more mysterious nature. Originally he had seemingly accepted that his sister would inherit the throne. When king Anallorn became gravely ill, Nellion visited the tempel of Torm in Nondilon, beseaching the god to give his father the strength to weather the disease that plagued him. Whilst praying, Nellion received a vision where he saw his nation in conflict and the land aflame. In the middle of the flames stood a shadowy figure in the shape of Elliana, crowned and with a bloody sword in her hand. Convinced that this vision prophesised that his sister's rule would mean the end for Ara'Thena, he claimed the inheritance of the throne for himself. The priests of Torm who had witnessed the miracle vision saw this as a sign that Nellion's claim was supported by the gods. Convinced of the righteousness of his claim, many temple orders sided with Nellion during the conflict. A civil war broke out between the religious fanatical supporters of Nellion and the noble loyalists. By applying guerilla tactics, Nellion's troops were able to withstand and square off against the well-equipped and better trained armies of Elliana's allies. The war abruptly ended on the princess' birthday. According to Ara'Thene custom, the princess was in a procession towards the temple to ask the gods for another year of prosperity. A Nellion-fanatic managed to infilitrate the castle and fataly stab princess Elliana. As the killer tried to make his escape, some of the iron braziers and incense burners, which had been placed to emphasise the righteous rule of the Elliana, were knocked over. Elliana, shocked and wounded by this brazen attack, pulled the assassin's blade from her stomach, walked three paces and collapsed admist the smoke and brimstone. Nellion denied to have given or approved the assassination of his sister, and although many were not convinced the war was quickly brought to an end. After his coronation, Nellion put through some land reforms, whereby he reduced the economic and policital power of the old, landed elites. He also made Nondilon the capital, to honor the place where his victory had originated.Military
Kar'Linon has a relatively small standing army, directly in service to Queen Araerys. The army is made up of the Kysstine Royal Guard and the city garrisons of all the Karlini cities. These land armies only function as a last line of defense, for Eastern Elves rely on their sizeable navy to protect their territories.
The navy of Kar'Linon is its most powerful miltary asset. The Admirality of Sigilarna boasts the command of 10 permanent military fleets, consisting of galleys and ballistae-mounted sailing ships. Besides these, they also have the largest trading fleet of all nations of Eclion. In times of war these trade vessels can be commandered and used in battle. Most Karlini trade ships are even designed with this possibility in mind, making sure the ships can function as servicable military ships when needed.
Religion
Karlini culture knows and worships a tight pantheon of predominantly Elven gods, led by Corellon Larethian, the Elven high god of creation, art and magic. Along the Elven gods, the Karlini acknowledge several gods which are also worshipped in the pantheon of humans. These include Paladine and Aspondia, both major gods in the pantheon of Arain, and Illmater, who enjoys a large following in Boahar.
The following gods enjoy organized worship in Karlini society:
- Corellon Larethian, (Elf) God of art and magic (CG, Light, quarter moon or starburst)
- Azuth, (Elf) God of wizards (LN, Knowledge, left hand pointed upward, outlined with fire)
- Aspondia, (Human) Goddess of agriculture (NG, Life, sheaf of grain or a bloosiming rose over grain)
- Deep Sashelas, (Elf) God of the sea (CG, Nature/Tempest, dolphin)
- Eldath, (Elf) god of peace (Neutral Good, Life/Nature, waterfall plunging into a still pool)
- Paladine, (Human) God of protection (LN, Life/Light, staring eye on upright left gauntlet)
- Kelemvor, (Elf) God of the dead (LN, Death, upright skeletal arm holding balanced scales)
- Illmater, (Human) God of endurance (LG, Life, hands bound at the wrist by a red cord)
- Sehanine Moonbow, (Elf) Goddess of the moon (CG, Knowledge, crescent moon)
- Silvanus, (Elf) God of wild nature (Elf) (N, Nature, oak leaf)
- Talos, (Elf) God of storms (CE, Tempest, Three lightning bolts radiating from a central point)
- Torm, (Elf) God of courage and self-sacrifice (LG, War, white right gauntlet)
- Umberlee, (Elf) Goddess of the sea (CE, Tempest, Wave curling left and right)
- Waukeen, (Elf) Goddess of trade (N, Knowledge/Trickery, upright coin with Waukeen's profile facing left)
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Demonym
Karlini
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Traditional
Location
Neighboring Nations
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