Coltherstone
Culture
There is a joke amongst Ashenfeld, that Collanders love their bows and rifles more than their wives and husbands. This is partly true, as bows, crossbows, and rifles are passed down from family to family and well cared for. In fact, they have built an entire culture around the use of ranged weaponry and hunting, meaning that most Collanders are at least able to use said bows, and hunting is seen as the "proper pastime". Though meant as an insult, the "bow love" joke actually caught on like wildfire in Coltherstone, and now there is an entire joke portion of their wedding ceremonies where after kissing their new spouse, they must apologize to their family's weapon for "cheating on it" with varying degrees of overly dramatized speeches. Regardless, the Collanders are hardy and rugged survivalists. They are widely known as a positive and hardy people, if a bit blunt and pragmatic. There is also complaints from others that their accent is "blunter" sounding, though that complaint only gets thrown around seriously by nobles from other provinces. However it is worth noting that the Collanders have adopted a plethora of animalistic references and phrases in their language.
Being the center of the Kingdom itself provides danger but also opportunity. Due to their expert hunters, they do their best to sell the finest animal skins and hides in the land, and other sorts of quality goods to get people to come in and spend money. This is why there are large built up cities near rivers, supporting the many river convoys that travel through the land. The Zigani people especially make regularly use of Coltherstone's river ports, and as such are a surprisingly common face to see in a Coltherstone crowd. This also means that it has to struggle to maintain its own supplies, as the lands are not as bountiful in crops like other provinces. This has led to famine with the civil war, which then leads to plague and banditry. Banditry especially has become quite common, with the roads being some of the most treacherous in the kingdom. This does also unfortunately bring up a negative stereotype by the rest of the kingdom that the Collanders are flighty brigands and cutthroats.
While the other provinces may scoff at them for being flighty cowards to afraid to fight at range, the one thing that has never broken, is the Collander spirt. They are a stubborn people that will refuse to die, and regularly fight desperate last stands if need be, for retreating is something so shameful that those who run away are said to have their bows or rifles cut in half, an incredibly shameful event for any poor Collander. Regardless, the Collanders are a proud people, who's hope for survival and utter refusal to be cowed means that while their troops march in formation, the archers behind it know that they can put an arrow or rifle round through the eye slit of a knight from 450 yards.
History
The large plains and deep forests of the land that makes up Coltherstone have long since affected the people who lived there. The modern day Collanders hail from the ancient Coulangur Tribe, a very old tribe that unlike its neighbors was less war like then its neighbors. Long since living close or in the great forests, the Collanders focused on hunting and scavenging for food, living in balance with nature. Whenever an enemy tribe or group of monsters would come to raid them, the Coulangur's would melt into the forest and either hide or take their enemies out from the shadows. This made the tribe ideal scouts and hunters to be added to Heymon's quest to unite the land, and in fact they were the first tribe Heymon contacted. Though apprehensive, the Coulangurns accepted, and they would eventually become the province of Coltherstone, named so for the great stone near the center of their territory said to be placed there by the god of the hunt, Inos.
Throughout its early history, the Collanders have realized that their land was not as richly fertile as some of the other provinces, but this mattered not to them as their skills in hunting made up for this downside. The superstitious hunters would bring in plenty of game to share around the newly built towns and villages. However a defining moment in the Collanders history was the battle of Gentle Grove. The battle was caused due to a large Orc Horde would surge fourth from the mountains to the south, and so the Collanders marched with the warriors of Winden. While the knights and soldiers of both armies faced appalling loses as they had to fight in brutal hand to hand combat, the Collander scouts and bowmen proved themselves to be highly capable warriors. Thanks to the accurate arrow fire, the orcs were routed after 3 days, and from that day on the Collanders further cemented their role as prime huntsmen, although those of Winden still stereotype them as "flighty and cowardly".
Since then, the Collanders have proven themselves rugged survivalists, and this is to their benefit as now with the great civil war, they are surrounded on all sides. However despite being surrounded on all sides, they have for the most part survived, due to their ability to harry their enemies. However, turmoil plagues the land as due to their less fertile lands, they are having a hard time keeping food production up as of late. Famine is beginning to spread, and plague is also beginning to spread, leaving the province in great peril. This is a time where the Collanders cant simply hang back, and now are realizing they may have to take the lead if they want to secure their right to rule, and to survive this war.
Foreign Relations
"Coltherstone was once favored by the grand herald of the Flame, Heymon, but look at it now. They may have been flighty before but now their cowardice leads them to starvation and disease. Flame willing, it'd be better to purify the land in fire, not like anything nice can grow there anyway" -Artis Drowe, Bishop of the Church of the Flame
"Listen boy, we have survived here longer then your ancestors were even born. When giants stocked the land, we were there, when orcs stalked the land, we fought with bow. To this day, we still fight with bow and rifle, and with Inos guiding my shots I only have one thing to say. Come than, dogs of Winden, come than and taste my arrow and shot going through your neck" -Willas Gysby, Monster Hunter turned mercenary in Coltherstone
"Honestly, in terms of which southerners i hate, Collanders aren't that high. Sure they keep prattling on about how good they are at shooting things, but hey the game they bring back tastes damn fine. Pay good too, which is a plus since let me tell you, their women and men ain't too bad to look at either!" -Brosta, Mercenary from Ustaria
"Once a land prosperous in its people and ways, now it is but a remnant of its former self, and a sad reminder of better years." -Ridget Righte, local Farmer Girl
Being the quite literal center of the kingdom, the Collanders have run ins with everyone quite regularly. As such, many have gotten to know them, and for the most part opinion is more divided then negative. While many call them cowardly brigands, many more recognize the rich and communal culture of friendship and brotherhood amongst the Collander's for it is said that if one becomes a true friend to a Collander, they will treat them as if they were family. However, breaking the trust of that friendship invites a wrath as terrible as hellfire.
Capital
Coltherstone
Exports
Timber, fish, animal skins
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Alternative Names
Colthland
Demonym
Collanders. Colthernians
Parent Organization
