The Isles of Caelum

Isles of Caelum




Description: A land of Kings, Fairies and Magic, the country of Caelum has a rich history, a unique culture which developed separately from the mainland, and was only ruled by outside influences during small periods of its history. Due to their isolated nature and drastic variety of landscapes, never in their history has a single power ruled all of the Caelese isles: Kingdoms rise and fall, with new ones born from the ashes. Most of the country's nobility can trace their descent to some long lost Kingdom: Even the country's most legendary King began his life as a peasant.

Localization: The Isles of Caelum are located south of Minstrel and Fiore. It's divided in two major islands, the larger Albion to the east and and the smaller Erin to the west, plus countless smaller islands surrounding them.

Politics: The politics of Caelum are as diverse as its people, since no single country has yet unified the lands. The one closest to this claim is the Kingdom of Albion, which rules over the southern half of the eponymous island. They are members of the Magic Council, and use this power projection to present themselves as the rightful rulers of the divided Isles: Those who wish to have positive diplomatic relationships with this Kingdom must accept their claim, and treat them as the Kingdom of Caelum. They have an ancient rivalry with Minstrel, which frequently opposes their unification efforts. Currently ruled by King Alfred III, the Kingdom of Albion is a Parlimentary Monarchy, where an elected group of Lords and other powerful people advise the king and rule over the day to day lives of the Kingdom. Caelum has abolished slavery long ago, however, some local lords still hold sway over serfs. A society where old, unchallenged nobility meets meritocracy, those who prove their worth can rise to the ranks of the nobility, from which none ever leave unless they fall out of favour with the King or Queen. The lands up north are ruled by a tribal federation of the people of Alba, with a budding Kingdom growing around the capital of Dun Scaith, struggling to unify the Highlands: A Kingdom who opposes their Southern neighbour's expansion. The Isle of Erin is divided into many small Kingdoms, each with their own systems and styles of government, which frequently wage war on one another when absent an external enemy to unite them. The many lands of elves within the Isles are generally respected and treated as enclaves within the Human Kingdoms, with their authority unchallenged in their respective lands.

Economy: Due to the sheer size of the Caelese isles, their vast population, and the wide range of natural resources surrounding them, their economy is extremely powerful and self sufficient, with enough farmlands, fish and livestock to feed their people. Famous as heavy drinkers, the Caelese are well known throughout Ishgar for their premium quality spirits and ales, which are always staples of bars worldwide. Aside from their breweries, the Caelese are also experts in magic: As none bar the elves surpass their arcane mastery, Caelese spell tomes and enchanted items are extremely valuable worldwide. Their skill in magic is so renowned that many travel far and wide only to enroll in a Caelese magic school.

Culture: Caelum was a land of elves, dragons and fairies long before humans arrived in the Isles. As such, the people of Caelum hold a great reverence towards mysticism and the supernatural, and a profound respect for one's ancestors and heritage. Every single hero in their tales and history books has been blessed by magic in some way shape or form, and people hold much of that same reverence for it in their daily lives: Magic guilds are plentiful and schools even more so. They value knowledge, wisdom and education, which is highly accessible and meritocratic, with countless colleges readily seeking out bright pupils full of potential. Fiercely independent, the people of Caelum take pride in the differences between themselves and mainlanders, though amongst each other, the various peoples of Caelum have little else in common. From the expansionist, innovative people of the Kingdom of Albion, to their isolationist, traditionalist neighbors in the Northern Alba, to the passionate, free spirited people of the Isle of Erin.

Religion: The Caelese people generally follow either the faith of Illumin important from the mainland, particularly in the Kingdom of Albion where it is considered the state religion. Nonetheless, even followers of Illumin respect the ancient Druidic faith leared from the island's supernatural entities, and respect the palpable power of its ancient runic magic. The people of Erin and Alba mostly follow this ancient faith, which worships the Gods in sacred places such as lakes, rivers or forests, paying tribute to the Gods by lighting giant wooden statues ablaze.

Language: The official language is Caelese, of which there are several unique variants and dialects spread out across the isles. It belongs to the same family as Boscosi and Icebergian, evidencing a common heritage, though some dialects almost feel like a completely different language entirely.

Locations



Kingdom of Albion: A land of lush green lowlands, woodlands and dark wetlands, the southern half of Albion is mostly controlled by the Kingdom of the same name, which refers to itself as the Kingdom of Caelum, laying claim to the rest of the isles. Having been under the control of various powers, from the Sevese empire to the Minstreli, the Kingdom of Albion boasts of new was of thinking and innovation, slowly abandoning the Isles' traditions in favour of new technology: The capital city of Avalon is particularly advanced, with budding steam technology making an impact on people's lives.

Highlands of Alba: Northern Albion is known for its cold weather and harsh, unforgiving highlands. Inhabited by hardy peoples who still follow the old ways, they have never yielded or been conquered by any foreign invader, or even any Kingdom from Southern Caelum, but at the same time, neither has any single Kingdom united Alba. These inhospitable lands are known for their breweries and high quality meat, and are also home to the most famous Mage School. The largest city is Dun Scaith, a shadowy city in the mountains famed to have once been the castle of an immortal warrior queen.

Isle of Erin: The smaller of the two major Caelese Isles, Erin has a unique identity distinct from that of Albion, and the inhabitants take pride in this uniqueness. With rich, bountiful farmlands, they're the agricultural heartland of the caelese isles, which has enabled its people to thrive. A land of fierce warriors, Erin has bred countless heroes throughout its history, however the land is riddled with instability: Currently divided in countless small kingdoms, no single power has ever been able to rule this lands for too long.

Wilds of Albion: Though not known for harbouring voracious predators, the dark, gloomy wilderness of Albion remains unconquered by the human kingdoms, and is said to be home to fairies and witches who still follow the old ways. Many of the elven Kingdoms make their living in these woodlands as well, and few know them as well as they do. The beings who inhabit them can be either benevolent or malevolent, but out of caution, humans are frequently warned against venturing too deep into the wilds, for they risk never coming back.

Druantia Hills: Even throughout the modernized Kingdom of Albion, vast stretches of landscape and hilltops remain adorned with vestiges of a bygone age, and chief among which are the hills of Druantia. Adorned by a mysterious stone monument, no living human remembers who exactly built them, though they've been used in rituals that predate their arrival in the island. Even conquering Sevese empire simply built around it and used it in their own religion. Nowadays its treated as a landmark, and a popular tourist spot, though all who visit awe at this display of ancient mystery.