Kieruskans

History

Kieruska began as a set of fragmented villages that lived in the redwood forests to the west. It is said that they evolved from Sekhavi who traveled south tens of thousands of years prior to escape the harsh life in the mountains. Their way of life was neat and quaint, with the people being ruled by feudal lords. Over time, these lords grew increasingly oppressive and the people grew discontent. Many of the lords hailed from the eastern island of Ceskaevya and wanted to profit off the resource-rich land of Kieruska. They instructed the Kieruskans to do the hard labor of cutting down their forests and producing goods for the upper class, while the lords basked in the rewards.
A popular way to escape this hard lifestyle was to turn to piracy and to plunder the lords' houses on the coastline. Piracy was a symbol of freedom for the working class, and before long, many of the lords had stepped down. In the 10212 Silverspire Pact, the lords agreed to treat the working class with fairness, only if piracy would be outlawed and punishable by death. The Kieruskans agreed, knowing their numbers would be too great to control. After all, they had not said they would stop turning to piracy, only that it would be outlawed. The easiest way to avoid death would be to fight, and so they fought. With this, the beginning of the Kieruskan black market began. Weapons were smuggled from the mainland, along with ships and supplies. To this day, Kieruska has the most profitable black market and underground center of operations in all of Istra.

Physical Appearance

Kieruskans are tall and lanky, like the trees that dominate their island home. They tend to have darker hair, ranging mostly from medium brown to black, and their skin is light olive but tans easily, with many outdoor workers having warm brown skin from the southern sun.

Psychology

Height: 5'10"-6'4"
Weight: 120-220
Lifespan: 75-100 years
General features: Hardy, lanky, and strong, with dark hair and tanned skin. Eye color is greatly varied, though light colored eyes are rarer than dark colors.
Reputation: Althainians are known as headstrong and stubborn, driving hard bargains with plains traders, along with being expert sailors and fishermen. Many pirates on the Synnavall Sea hail from Althain, as well as privateers. There is a large amount of animosity between them and the Ceskaevyans to the east, and strife has existed for hundreds of years between the two island nations. They are honest and fair, though also very convincing manipulators if they have to be.
Exports: Seafood, shells, barrels, crates, and anything harvested from the ocean. Their weapons and armor are of a fine quality and are the preferred weapons of mercenaries across the mainland. Their ships are unlike any other in Istra and are prized for their lightweight but solid craftsmanship.
Location: Althain, the southwest island off the coast of the mainland