Kelsma

Overview
Beyond the western seas, tumultuous and lethal, lies the region of Aeternitas, its shores glimpsed by only the most daring of Muralisian explorers. The first land most reach is Idrach, the fog-shrouded province of faeries and madmen. From these distant reaches came, on some rosy day of yore, colonists looking to expand their empire. Such was not to be, for the seas are whimsical and do not suffer frequent traversal happily. Over the years, through intermingling with natives and a strident desire to retain their identity, a unique people would come into existence. More than a mere colony, this isolated region would become Kelsma.

History
Kelsmic history is a carefully recorded matter, stretching back beyond the meager documents of early Durant. Some time before Gryndollyn Smythe had begun to ponder the creation of a kingdom amongst the tribes, a fleet of Idrachi colonists had realized that the sea was wider than had been anticipated; turning around was impossible and the only hope rested in the discovery of a habitable landmass, preferably soon. Praying to gods whose names are lost to history, perhaps in vain or perhaps to great effect, four of the nine ships would happen upon the western shores of Muralis, rocky yet possessing a promise of life. Given the choice between casting themselves into the sea and pressing onward into the mainland, the resolute mariners unanimously selected the latter. So it was that, in the year 359 BU (the Kelsmic calendar has been gradually phased out to render historical comparisons comprehensible), a record of arrival was penned by the admiral of the expedition.

Within the year the Idrachi mariners would discover the indigenous peoples, condemn them as beasts, realize that they lacked sufficient numbers to restart society alone, reconsider their decision regarding the natives, and proceed to take their place amongst the natives as rulers, armed as they were with superior knowledge and weaponry. The Idrachis had arrived armed with rudimentary explosives, tempered steel blades, and bows outclassing the simplistic implements favored by their quarry. The mariners would fan out, forming a web of settlements linked by well-maintained trade roads. By the passing of the original Idrachis a functional civilization entirely independent of those of Greater Muralis would be firmly in place, the teachings of the forerunners and the distant Idrachis before them resonating throughout the region.

For a time these settlements would carry on largely independent of one another, interacting to trade and occasionally exchange marriage candidates to maintain genetic freshness. An attempted incursion by southern tribes from the lands now known as Godrin plucked the Kelsmic people from their vague solipsism, however. Faced with a dangerous invading force, the settlements wasted no time in banding together, a law bringer of each town traveling to the border with a group of chosen warriors to drive back the surge. It was in this act of united defense that the Kelsmics identified the need for a collective identity, the law givers agreeing upon the institution of a central government seated upon the plateau at the southern border, the better to observe the movements of the “savages”. 302 BU would therefore see the establishment of the Judiciary Legion, led by judges representing each of the original Kelsmic settlements.

With the formation of Durantin 290 BU the people of what was now recognizably Kelsma saw the rise of a power beyond their northeastern mountains. Though secure in their ability to defend their borders, the Kelsmics saw no reason to interact with these foreigners. The fact of the matter was that Kelsma, having secured itself against all intrusion and established a tolerably constant supply line from Idrach, had no need whatsoever for foreign trade, or alliance of any kind for that matter. From time to time Durantian scouts would stray into the Kelsmicmountains only to be eradicated or, from time to time, integrated into Kelsmic society at the whim of the Judges. Isolation was not, however, sufficient to hold back the Fiendtide. Springing up in the center of Kelsma in 69 BU, it spread rapidly, felling roughly a third of the population and sparking a long-awaited coup at the tower of Venemond ousting the presence of the foreign Idrachi power, before at last being halted by a Durantian emissary bearing the Devraux Serum, that miraculous cure so long in coming. This gesture of good will inspired in the Kelsmics a desire to, if not befriend the Durantians, at least acknowledge their neighbors as fellow humans. Trade routes, limited as they were, sprung up through the mountains. Technologies were exchanged, embassies established, formalities observed. This would set the tone for years of relations to come, that is to say, just barely sufficient enough to merit any mention. With the absence of a formal royal family, yet a certain expectation of its presence, the Judiciary League felt it prudent to promote a well-loved family to a position of faux royalty which, over the years, would gain credence as authentic.

By the unification of Ghalea, Kelsma’s governing body had grown weary of the southern capital. Constant skirmishing with the “savages” rendered the cultivation of high society following the banishment of the Fiendtide all but impossible, leaving the people eager for a change. In a wise if not somewhat tardy move, the Judiciary Legion arranged a mass northward exodus, sweeping through the searing sands to settle in the northern lands, until then populated sparsely by farmers and a handful of merchants. By Godrin’s unification some generations later, the now flourishing population had spread southward once more, proper garrisons springing up upon the plateau. Kelsmahad recovered in full, greater than ever before. Throughout the War of the Vassals, Kelsma rather prudently refused any direct involvement, refusing to accept the desperate influx of tribal refugees while at the same time massacring any and all Godrite soldiers caught near the borders. While it is possible that a Durantian brigade or two may have been caught up in the uncompromising violence, the Archduke Saint-Just did not feel it necessary to address the matter in light of a generous gift of gold given by the Judiciary League upon the signing of the Armistice. Kelsma has since maintained its characteristic isolation.

Culture
Obsessed with maintaining racial purity in a foreign land, the original Idrachi mariners were quick to institute guidelines for mating and fraternization with foreigners. While this may have reasonably been expected to fade with time, it on the contrary gained strength with every passing generation. Arranged marriages are the norm in modern Kelsma, with Murotian and Muralisian traits serving as clear identifiers of perversion and failure to accept national values, often resulting in a thorough shunning. Instead, the uniformly Kelsmic features (subtly pointed ears, dark pigmentation, slender almond eyes) dominate all in sight. Education is a strictly maintained matter, overseen by government agencies in the aim of solidifying the collective Kelsmic identity. There are, in Kelsmic society, two laws which stand above all others. First, to lie is to insult oneself, one’s family, one’s ancestors, and one’s nation. Second, one’s country is greater than any individual, and deserves one’s complete devotion. As failure to adhere to these tenants results in imprisonment, exile, or execution, the populace is perhaps more disciplined at their core than even the citizens of proud Godrin. The law is worshiped as divine, having been passed down from the Idrachi mariners, being revised only by the great Judges as the advancement of civilization demands. To fail to uphold the law is to violate both of the aforementioned tenants, the consequences of which we have addressed.

Government
A kritarchy from the beginning, Kelsma enjoys traditional inherited rule by Judges descended directly from the original Idrachi mariners, each belonging to houses carrying the names of the settlements they founded. These Judges meet periodically in the capital, convening over matters of state and overseeing the activities of the Magistrates scattered throughout the nation. Their power, while technically unchecked, is effectively limited by oftentimes conflicting desires of the Judges who, in spite of their emphasis upon national unity, are in fact individual men and women with individual intentions. Among the judges sits the representative of the Royal House, established after the fall of Venemond in 68 BU. This individual, while technically the supreme power in Kelsma, is in truth little more than a figurehead trotted about by the Judges.
 * Judge Yenilenme (The Renewal) ~ Of the seven houses, House Yenilenme has historically wielded the greatest influence by way of its ancestral holdings along the coast. All travel to and from Idrach passes through the lands of Yenilenme, resulting in a traditionally conservative Judge in fiscal matters. The current bearer of the title is no exception; Ghalibah Yenilenme is an example of the rather modern trend of equality between the sexes, her... intensity... a thing of wonder. Oversees contact with Idrach.
 * Judge Ceneler (The Jaws) ~ House Ceneler, occupying the lands northern mountains separating Durant and Kelsma, has developed over the ages a reputation for brutality. It is, after all, the duty of the Ceneler Judge to restrict movement through the mountains, which for many generations meant the uncompromising slaughter of hapless Durantian explorers. While this policy has been significantly softened in recent years, the taint of blood seems to cling to the house. This is regrettable, as the young Judge Zeyad Ceneler is more of a butterfly than the lion which may have been expected, much of the work being left to his valet, Selena Forsythe . Oversees the northern border and Durantian relations.
 * Judge Sonunda (The End) ~ The counterpart of House Ceneler, House Sonunda maintains the plateau Tiffmosque.jpg which the ancient capital rests, long since given way to military installments. Tradition dictates that House Sonunda tend to the armed forces, the house Judge often serving as a general. This is true of Judge Mimar Sonunda, a student of military theory and, on a wholly unrelated note, Durantian opera. This aberration is tolerated in consideration of his superior abilities both on and off the field of battle. Oversees the southern border and the military.
 * Judge Talimat (The Instructor) ~ As the name suggests, House Talimat has taken an active interest in the regulation of the nation's educational facilities, inviting foreign scholars to the traditional consultation panels and ensuring that the curriculum keeps up with the times. Judge Basem Talimat is a capable, albeit somewhat distracted, holder of the position.
 * Judge Serce (The Sparrow) ~ House Serce, named for the abundance of sparrows inhabiting the region which would one day hold the modern capital, has long been burdened with the task of tending the rocky hills of the farmlands. Needless to say, this burden soon became the highest of honors upon the exodus, dramatically increasing the thrust of the house. Judge Shehroze Serce, a poetic prince amongst men, maintains the capital and is responsible for arranging the meetings of the Judiciary League.
 * Judge Kurye (The Courier) ~ House Kurye is the traditional keeper of the mail service. While this may seem to be something of a triviality when compared to the duties of other houses, any mother residing in the capital whose son spends the majority of the year garrisoned at the southern border will quickly say otherwise. Judge Iyad Kurye, in addition to overseeing the postal network, ensures that the central border remains secure and is rumored to oversea a modest spy network.
 * Judge Ara (The Seeker) ~ House Ara has seen as little change over the ages as the region it calls home, the sweltering center of Kelsma from which the Fiendtide sprung. Responsible for the tending of the dead, the house oversees the Undertaker's Guild and personally tends the Remnant of Venemond, the site of that mercifully forgotten atrocity of ages past. Judge Nasrin Ara, an aged woman of great knowledge and light step, resides in modest compartments within the Remnant's outer chambers.

Military
Conscription, while an active part of Kelsmic law, is hardly necessary given the desire of the Kelsmic people to prove themselves worthy of their heritage. As such it is necessary to regulate the number of citizens enlisted in the standing army at any given time to prevent society from crumbling in the absence of other occupations. The Kelsmic forces of House Sonunda are more than fit to patrol the borders, though they remain largely untested beyond such limited skirmishing.

Diplomacy
It has surely been made clear by now that the first priority of the Kelsmic government is not maintaining close relations with neighbors. A yearly shipment is retrieved from Idrach, with whom Kelsma retains increasingly fragile connections, and it is grudgingly accepted that trade with the Durantians is necessary to avoid become a complete pariah.

Economy
Given the unique and enigmatic nature of Kelsma, goods produced by its peoples fetch a hefty price indeed on foreign markets, not to mention the occasional Idrachi trinket put up for sale. Beyond exporting fabrics, dyes, figurines, and assorted baubles, the economy is fueled by trade between the Houses. There is little emphasis placed on capitalism, and worth is not measured by one's accumulated wealth, leaving the majority of the gross capital in the hands of the government.