Katolu Federation
The Katolu Federation is an alliance between seven of the Weinadi cities found in Wulei Ranifa . They are spread all along the chasm that most Weinadi live in. Traditionally, they are bound through trade and military agreements. Over time, this has developed to be a stronger alliance, albeit one that confounds historians. Now, in the year 1000 P/DE, the federation is the longest lasting of its kind.
The cities in the federation are:
- Hajema; known for their Sugar Mold and The Thousand Sugar Festival
- Lijha Haora; the creators of the Haora Canals, arguably the most powerful city in the alliance
- Ngatayaw Ziru; the agricultural giants of the area
- Velzarei; sister city of Adzeri-Solmeo, known for production of high quality fabric
- Adzeri-Solmeo; sister city of Velzarei, they use the same base fabric source to turn the materials into fine tapestries
- Akho; famed for steel production, flourished because of early adoption of the canal system
- Jomedure Tolu; noted for their production of fantastic glass and glassware
Structure
The seven cities are equal to each other in rank, but Lijha Haora has politically held the most power as a transportation and trade hub for the entire area. The Federation is a fairly loose coalition, but it's old enough that the cities might as well be one country. The politics and trade and such are so intertwined that it would be very difficult for one of the cities to leave the Katolantu, but at its core the arrangement is so loose that it would not really be necessary.
There is a central council to which all the cities report at least once a year. The location of this council rotates to a new city every six years.
Public Agenda
Their common purposes are as follows:
- To provide for the common defense
- To encourage growth and industry
- To learn more about the world and more thoroughly understand the place of the Weinadi within it
- To seek for each citizen the chance to pursue their callings in life
History
The Threat from the South
Rameku's Army was a massive threat from the south. Rameku had his start probably about twenty years before he expanded his army north, which was more than enough time for him to have gathered a massive army. History renders his goals rather basic, almost cartoonish in villainy, and it's rare to find a book that describes him as anything more complex than a conqueror. His noted cruelty did not lend itself to creating a nuanced public image. The region of Wulei Ranifa didn't have countries, but city states that were often quite distinct from each other, usually attacking each other in small skirmishes. They were entirely unprepared for the onslaught of a highly trained, highly focused army. The cities fell quickly. The worst atrocity Rameku committed was to rigidly enforce a ridiculously strict legal code that usually ran contrary to the existing laws of each city. If a law was broken, the punishments were severe. The most extreme--and most common--was to banish the criminal to the surface. Not technically a death sentence, but the violent storms and the threat of the Garruw usually end them within days. A lot of innocent people were sentenced to the surface. The broadly different customs and culture of Rameku's invaders caused a number of clashes, and the invaders were given free reign to treat the natives however they saw fit. Some attempted to integrate the cities into the empire Rameku was building. Most did not. The city of Jomedure Tolu, located at the far north of the region, was one of the last cities to be conquered. The city leaders were canny enough to see the impending disaster, and evacuated the most important people before Rameku arrived. Or rather, the people who were best equipped to ignite a revolution. With the help of the Dheizei, this group made their way across the dangerous surface paths to the twin cities of Velzarei and Adzeri-Solmeo, too remote within the caverns for Rameku to consider them a worthwhile target.Standing Together
Despite Rameku's atrocities, the majority of people were complacent. Not happy with the situation, but unwilling to stand up to the army that had struck out so violently and so decisively against them. Rameku did bring new technology and was the first to craft a rapid mail system. Most city leaders were okay with the compromise. Only the seven cities were willing to work together to buck off Rameku's rule. It didn't start out as a federation. It started as a simple rebel force, relying on guerrilla strikes to destabilize Rameku without him even realizing. The movement seemed so small that the leaders in the region ignored it. Until the Katolantu ousted the governors of the seven cities, all on the same day. The Battle of Iwaje was an unexpectedly epic maneuver made possible by the nascent canal system and a series of elaborate tunnels. Rameku was furious, and launched a counter assault. That sequence of battles is known as Rameku's Destruction. They were ready for him, and he was overconfident and enraged. He escaped with less than half of the forces that he brought north with him.Historical Footnotes
It is well worth noting that while no self-respecting historian would directly attribute his death to this defeat, they usually make note of the timeline. Less than a year after his expulsion from the north, Rameku was dead. Possibly by assassin, possibly by illness or underlying health condition. Folklore states that he died of a rage aneurysm, and no historians really discredit this idea, either. The surprise element is the fact that the federation persisted after the threat of Rameku was over and done with. Despite the long distances between some of the cities, they remain connected through a series of tunnels and canals. What was a simple rebellion turned into a formal alliance, regulated by treaty and carefully maintained through yearly council meetings designed to keep them with a unified leadership.
Founding Date
600 P/DE
Type
Political, Federation
Alternative Names
Katolu Natrayu, The League of Seven Cities
Demonym
Katolantu
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Traditional
Location
Official Languages
Related Items
Hi! This is an interesting entry. I like how well it fits into the rest of your world, and how much you connected the article to the rest of the world! If I was to suggest something, I'd say you could perhaps add the map of the region, that I saw on the article Wulei Ranifa ? I'm kind of a visual person, and it could help see the location of all these towns. As for the rest, I like that the federation has a long, and well developped history. I'm thinking, however: do you think it could be useful to cut the History part into small subsections? Something like: "Rameku's invasion", "The Resistance", and "The foundation"? Finally, I have a question: When are we currently? I can see that the federation was founded in 600 P/DE. Was that long ago? Keep up the good work :)