The Freecity of Kalapur
- Area Square Miles: 2,500
The rough area in square miles of that nation. - Population: 30,000 (12/sq. mile) The total population, including all significant humanoid races, plus the average population per square mile.
- Racial Balance: Human (91%), Halfling (5%), Gnome (3%), Dwarf (1%), Other (1%) The details of all the major races of that country, as a percentage of the total population.
- Capital City: Kalapur (pop. 5,500) The capital city of that country, if it has one, along with its population.
- Government: Democracy The political structure for that nation, if any. This will be one of: autocracy, confederation, democracy, despotism, dictatorship, imperial, monarchy, oligarchy, republic or tribal. By far, the most common form of government is monarchy.
- World View: passive / mercantile, seafaring The attitude of each nation toward its neighbors (passive, defensive or aggressive) and a number of terms that best sum that nation up (ie agricultural, nomadic, seafaring, wild, etc). Each nation can have one or more such terms, but will only ever have one attitude.
- Religion: Aruthane, Azerond, Destor, Fandor, Malanon, Omuz, Pith, Rougon, Sassa, Sha Dorrain, Uther; Olgden, Thim; Ky, Gungorn; Destor, Kavak The main gods esteemed by that nation. The list reflects the racial balance statistics (see above); so if humans are the largest racial group in that nation, followed by elves and dwarves, the list of deities follwed by humans will be first, then elves and dwarves. Within this context, they are listed alphabetically. No deity is listed more than once, even if more than one racial group prays to that god (for instance, both elves and gnomes are likely to follow Ky, but it will only be listed once nonetheless).
- Languages: Karnish The main languages spoken by the people of that nation, listed alphabetically.
- Climate: Warm Temperate The climate of that nation, from: arctic, continental cool summer, humid subtropical, subarctic, subtropical, temperate, tropical, warm temperate.
Overview
The only truly democratically elected government in Arrasia, this small, independent city and the surrounding lands has established itself despite all the odds, with the majority of the population direct descendants of the slaves who survived the rage of Sassa against the Amman fleet, which they manned. With pearls and coral shipped all around Arrasia and with their fishing fleets taking fish and whale meat, plus many delicacies, to the ports of the Aggenbor Sea, the Freecity of Kalapur has seen its wealth and esteem rise dramatically.
Kalapur is divided into ten small regions and each region sends one representative to sit on the Long Table, where all political decisions are made. This representative is elected by universal suffrage by the people of that region. It is these representatives, the Ten Seers of Kalapur, who vote for the Seer of Kalapur, who chairs the Long Table, and whose vote counts as double. The Seer of Kalapur acts as the head of the nation for the duration of his office.
This method of government has brought great stability to the Freecity of Kalapur, with low levels of corruption and crime, which has seen the citizens reap the rewards of their hard work. With the constant contact with the merchants and dignitaries of Karnish, Kalapur has embraced their culture and language as their own and it would be easy to step from a ship into the port of Kalapur and not realize that the ship had ever left the coast of Karnish, such has been the total eclipse of Karnish culture over all others.
Due to their geographical location, the world's wores tend to pass them by. However, they are not complacent and have a powerful, albeit small, navy, who have acquired a decent reputation in their struggles against the pirtae ships and Amman privateers who plague the waters local to them.
Significant Trade Export
Coral: The coastal waters of Kalapur are surrounded by dramatic coral reefs. The coral is fashioned by the gnomes of Kalapur into fine jewelry and ornamental pieces. Red Kalapur Coral is especially popular in Karnish, where there is a ready market for it.
Fish and Whale Meat: Being a small island, Kalapur fishes its seas extensively. As well as supplying the needs of its own people, the Kalapur fishing fleet calls into many of the ports around the Aggenbor Sea and, of course, Karnish, where there is a good profit to be turned.
Pearls (fresh and salt water): Kalapur exports exquisite pearls around Arrasia, as their coasts and inland lakes and rivers are abundant with pearl producing shellfish. The gnomes of Kalapur are skilled in fashioning the pearls into exquisite jewelry with imported gold. The jewelry of Kalapur is of the highest order and ranks amongst the best and most desirable in Arrasia.
Sponge: The expert divers of Kalapur earn a very good living diving for sponge, which is sold onto the Karnish merchants. Kalapur sponge is highly sought after by the Karnish elite.
Brief History
After the great storm, whipped up by Sassa, which washed away the mighty Amman fleet as it made for the Eppen coastline, those few that were not sunk were scattered. The slaves, who were forced to row the ships, rebelled in their panic and many managed to overwhelm their masters and take control of the ships themselves. Several small naval battles occurred between those ships that were now free and those still controlled by the Amman sailors and slowly a small fleet of freed slaves made their escape.
Exhausted and scurvy riven, the ships finally anchored off the coast of an island, where they established a small community and recovered their strength. For several years they awaited the inevitable backlash of Amman, unaware of greater events unfolding around them. By the time news filtered through that they were indeed free people and that the threat of Amman was finished, their original settlement, Kalapur, had grown significantly and the people had started to settle across the island.
Establishing a democratic rule of law, Kalapur found its wealth in the seas that surrounded it, as well as in its inland lakes and rivers, and soon trade flourished. Without a culture or identity of their own, the people of Kalapur embraced all things Karnish - including their language - but also pay some homage to Sassa, for whom they owe their existence. Kalapur has continued to grow and has seen its trading opportunities expand greatly, bringing greater wealth and prosperity to a people that started with nothing.
The Major Towns and Cities
Kalapur: (pop: 5,500) The port city of Kalapur is very much like any town or city found in Karnish, being built up around a hive of streets and alleys, with a mix of stone and wooden buildings. The port dominates and acts as its focal point and can be exceptionally lively. It is always busy, with fishermen, divers and merchant vessels regular visitors.