Kingdom of Skaeld

Colloquially known as "the North", the arctic forests and tundra plains of the Kingdom of Skaeld, corrupted by the Forces of Chaos eons ago, have long been a conquered territory of the Empire. With ancient traditions of chaos worship, seen as heresy by some, and a long history of slavery, seen as horrible by some, it is a constant source of internal division within the Empire. A harsh and unforgiving landscape, filled with magical horrors and near-mythical creatures, the hardy people of the North are defined by their ability to persist. Known as "the land of mines", the massive, ever-growing Crystal Mines of the North are its defining feature, and the source of its great wealth.

Structure

Ruled by the King & Queen of the City of Skaeld, in the fortress known as the Minotaur's Horns, held by House Taurus for the last several centuries. Their power stems from the Magistrates, who rule Holds, and beneath them are Barons and Baronesses ruling Baronies. Northern Knights tend to be known as simply that, and more often are elite mounted warriors and generals than castle-holders.

Public Agenda

Skaeld has always fought for their religious and cultural freedom, to varying effect. While they are honored everywhere for their part in the Crusades against the Forces of Chaos manifest, they still pay homage to the Gods of Hell, though more often than not behind closed doors. Though it may be Heresy, this is somewhat of an open secret. As for slavery, the northmen have always fought fiercely for their right to subjugate. One of their greatest arguments being the truth - the Adan-Barud would do the same to the North given the chance, and many wars have been fought where this exact scenario has played out. The northmen see it as a necessity and a fact of life, while those in cushier regions like the Crusader States and Ascálon believe it to be horrible and atrocious.

Assets

With a near-infinite supply of Infernite and a large slave workforce, the economy of the North is one of the more robust in the Empire. Having rebelled several times over, the North has grown to be as self-sufficient as it is vital to all others. They control a strong majority of the Infernite trade, have a sizable military force, the capabilities to sustain its own population for a near-indefinite amount of time, and extreme winter conditions, making it among the strongest of Imperial Principalities all-around. When not at war, the North is all the more powerful, with massive quantities of gold always flowing in thanks to the Crystal Mines.

History

In the event known as the Storm Rebellion, towards the end of Marius IV's reign, the North declared independence, after their culture and traditions were oppressed for centuries. The Colonies had always had a strong Northern minority, and House Ardus swiftly joined in the rebellion thanks to previous tensions between the Colonies and their Imperial masters. Now fighting a war on two fronts, Marius tried everything he could to win without invading either the North or the Colonies. When he saw he couldn't, he decided to do what he thought was right. He invaded the Colonies and struck down Count Ardus, cutting off the second front and setting the stage for an all-out invasion of the North. Then, he sued for peace. Surprising most of the nobility, peace talks were begun shortly. The North gained more control and autonomy, and thanks to a "open secret" agreement to keep the Inquisiton out of their "cultural affairs", a shaky peace was established.

Mages in the North

The Runekeepers of the north are a mystery joined with a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Each of them seems to work with similar rules that are ever-so-slightly different, changed by personal expression, modified with artistic flourish. Their magic is based on preparation, creativity and understanding, and as such is one of the most infinitely applicable types of magic, though incredibly difficult to learn and teach. It has been compared to teaching a person to paint - you might teach them about materials, styles and techniques, but you can never teach them to express themselves. As such, it is one of the more difficult to classify, and it may well be impossible to make a book of runes that works for everyone. The Circles of the Runekeepers are divided not through what kind of magic they use, but rather, how they use it.

The Red Circle

Those of the red circle use their magic aligned with the ways of old. Defensive, offensive, affecting many or few, this is the home of those who use their magic for direct and glorious battle.

The Blue Circle

Blue keepers are a more modern circle, called "court keepers" by the others, often in a derisive tone. They use their runes for subterfuge, deception, information gathering, and all the other things that are much more useful in the modern word than direct confrontation.

The Obsidian Circle

The Obsidian Ones are the most enigmatic of all. Akin to tales of knight-errants and ronin, these are the ones who have forsaken any structure of the Keepers, and walk their own path. There are many legends of Obsidian Runekeepers wandering the lands and helping people when they most need it, arriving always at exactly the right moment.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Parent Organization

The Empire of Truth