Caynea
The Desert Kingdom of Caynea is perhaps the most prolific kingdom of Lower Shantania, which comes as a surprise considering that it is located in the middle of an expansive desert, several hundred miles from major sources of water. Caynea is also the second-most populous nation on the planet, next only to Lestalia.
Caynea's capitol, named similarly to the country, is divided into two cities. The larger, fancier, upper-class half is Upper Caynea, home of the noble families, the Senate, the temple, library, and most prominently, the Caynea Royal Palace. Opposite Upper Caynea and across a quarter-mile expanse of desert known as the Sandy Divide is Lower Caynea. Lower Caynea is actually the larger of the two halves in terms of volume and population, but the quality of life is drastically reduced. There are a handful of other major cities within Caynea's jurisdiction, but the majority of the population resides in the two capitals. No Caynean city is built further north than Upper Caynea, due to general unwillingness to invoke the ire of the Rigans following the conclusion of the previous Caynean-Rigan war.
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Caynea's Origin (S.R. 1-226)
Since S.R. 1, the area that would later become Caynea was actually a solid sheet of ice called Kasellia, home of brutal blizzards and ice storms. At this point, the Kingdom was a ruthless dictatorship, with the vast majority of the populace being subject to the brutal tyranny of Emperor Kasiell who generally forbade his subjects - mostly nomads who struggled to survive - from leaving the area for other countries. Kasiell seemed immortal, living for hundreds of years while his people slowly died out because of him. One day in S.R. 226, Emperor Kasiell was challenged to a Duel of Hearts by a wandering magician. Their fight raged on for three days straight, until the magician called upon the sky to open and reveal the light. According to accounts of the time, the clouds split apart, allowing the sun to shine on the Duel. The sun's light revealed Emperor Kasiell as an ice demon, and eventually melted him to death. The sheet of ice that was once Kasellia had melted and the region became fertile.
When asked for his name, the magician referred to himself as Gregor Caynea, and was immediately exalted by the people as their new leader. Under King Gregor's rule, the new Kingdom of Caynea expanded and flourished.
Since Gregor's rule, future inheritors to the throne do not refer to themselves with the surname Caynea, even though it is their family name. The proper title is [rank] [name] of the Kingdom of Caynea; i.e. High Queen Jennet of the Kingdom of Caynea.
Caynea's Foundation and Rise (S.R. 227-520)
King Gregor's reign lasted nearly forty years. During that time, the ice that covered old Kasellia gradually melted and evaporated. Caynea itself was thought to be a fertile land, full of fruit-bearing plants, strong domestic animals, and rich veins of precious metals. Towards the end of King Gregor's life, a large number of the fertile grasslands were beginning to dry up, though this was not immediately obvious to the people of Caynea until some decades after his death. By S.R. 300, many of the grasslands and rolling hills became barren wastes, but by that point, Caynea had already invested significant resources into constructing its capitol city, and demolishing it would be wasting the eighty years of effort already put into it.
For a very long time, Caynea's main source of water would be a large lake - nameless to historical documents - that is said to have completely dried up by S.R. 400. By then, the Caynean people had become highly dependent on water, as much from personal needs as from its trade value. By 440, the water market became the single largest trade in Lower Shantania, inadvertently draining the rest of the minor lakes and rivers found near Caynea itself. A significant portion of Lower Shantania was now completely dry, and not a trace remained of the ice of old Kasellia.
The First Caynean-Rigan War (S.R. 520-560)
In S.R. 550, Prince Harvill of Caynea took the throne, and had noticed that there was but one major body of water left: the Northern Oasis. Perhaps through some divine gift, this oasis had yet to be drained, but it had one major drawback: it was almost a hundred miles from Caynea proper, and most attempts to settle failed due to frequent attack by bandits or barbarians. Harvill, now King of Caynea, ordered a group of colonists and soldiers to attempt to fortify the oasis, but this effort was thwarted quickly when a detachment of Rigan nomads attacked and killed the colonists. Riga, the survivors had said, needed the oasis as much as Caynea did, and they were not pleased by the attempt to annex it. Negotiations broke down, and soon, Caynea was formally at war with Riga. King Harvill lead his Caynean Guard to war with Riga over the oasis, and despite the battle being declared a stalemate, both sides incurred heavy losses, with Harvill eventually meeting his end at the hands of a Rigan general, and the Rigan King dying to a Caynean infantry charge. King Harvill's wife, Queen Jennet, helped draft a truce agreement addressed to the new Rigan King, that the Oasis be declared neutral territory.
The Transfers (S.R. 560-60*)
While King Harvill was off fighting the Rigans for control of the northern oasis, his wife, Queen Jennet, gave birth to twins. By Caynean law, only one of the Queen's offspring is eligible to become the Crown Prince - any other, lesser offspring may not be allowed to be a part of the royal family, being either exiled, killed, or given to a family of lesser status. Rather than follow this rule, Queen Jennet created an elaborate measure to give both sons a chance at the throne, that she referred to as "the Transfers."
Once every month since birth, Jennet would switch the two sons without the knowledge of the Royal Aides or (most importantly) King Harvill. Both would be briefed about the events of the previous month before being released under their new selves. Both children were named Bermand; while one was given the identity of the Prince of Caynea, the other was hidden away and tended to by an uninformed wetnurse.
The Transfers gradually built up a brutal feud between the two brothers, as only one could lay claim to the name of King Bermand at once. Once the twins turned 20, "Bermand" was crowned King of Caynea, with Queen Jennet presiding over him as High Queen and advisor to the throne. By this time, it was too risky to have any staff handle the "hidden" Bermand, so Jennet took it upon herself instead.
When both brothers were around 28 years of age (S.R. 578), one of the Bermands - acting silently, beyond the reach of his mother or brother - courted the candidate princess Aliana. Their wedding day was a surprise to both Jennet and the other Bermand, and Aliana soon became pregnant. Jennet was in no position to assume Aliana was not aware of the Transfers, but had no means to stop her until she was due to give birth. Not wishing to take risks about what Aliana knew or didn't know, Jennet poisoned her soon after she went into labor. Aliana's daughter, Lynia, survived the process, and was brought up under the notion that her mother's death was due to natural complications that arose from the process of childbirth.
National Treasures
Cloudbreaker
The royal family's heirloom is a staff, named Cloudbreaker, which is an ancient weapon passed down through the Caynean royal family since the days of King Gregor. Historians believe the staff to have actually been used by King Gregor during his duel with Kasiell, but in truth, the staff was not commissioned until he took the throne. The staff was intended as a vessel, to which Gregor would transfer his soul and associated powers on the occasion of his death. It has since been a tradition of the royal family to continually imbue the staff with the souls and energies of each successor to the throne, though not all of Caynea's kings and queens had the chance to do so on their deaths, in particular King Harvill, who had been killed in battle by the barbarians of Riga, and was not carrying the staff at the time.
It was never made public, however, that the staff possesses supernatural power when wielded by a member of the Caynean royal family. Initially, the staff is seen to be able to communicate spiritually with its wielder; it is very wise, since it bears the spirits of past Caynean kings and queens. It does not know everything, though, and talking back to it is difficult to a wielder untrained in its use. Because Cloudbreaker contains the spirit of the hero, Gregor Caynea, it bears incredible defenses against creatures born of ice.
The last royal, blood-related or otherwise, to have submitted their soul to the staff was the late Queen Aliana, who wished that the staff be present during childbirth. Years later, Lynia feels an unusual connection to the staff, which eventually manifests as the spirit of her departed mother Aliana near endgame. The combined spirits of Aliana and all her ancestors give the staff limited autonomy during certain situations, as the staff may occasionally move on its own to get its user's attention, as a means of warning, or defend its user from what would otherwise be a lethal blow.
Because of Cloudbreaker's connections to both Gregor Caynea and the Ice Demon Kasiell, it grants any wielder of royal birth complete, total invincibility to Ice Demons, but at the same time, Cloudbreaker cannot hurt Ice Demons without exposing its user to harm. Therefore, when Lynia inevitably faces Kasiell in combat, neither may damage each other.
Law Enforcement
The task of enforcing the law is generally left to the Caynean Guard; while few regulations govern the Guard, they are generally forbidden from attacking or killing criminals unless they pose an immediate threat to the safety of another. Even if a guard has killed a suspect solely in self-defense, the Royal Family typically strips that guard of their rank. The only acceptable force is just enough that a suspect may be subdued, tied, and brought to trial. Law enforcement, it is said, is more than the protection of oneself. It is putting the protection of others above the protection of oneself, even at great personal risk.
Capital Punishment
Caynea's system of law favors humiliation over death, and all suspects are tried before the Royal Family with no jury. A person may choose to represent themselves (as is often the case), or they may hire an attorney to appeal to the Family. The Caynea justice system does not provide rights to suspects, nor does it keep criminal records, so repeat offenses are never accounted for. Attorneys are usually noblemen, and more often than not cost an extravagant sum of money to hire, thus leading to the fact that a criminal is more likely to get off clean if they already have money - hence, the Caynean justice system favors nobility and upper-class citizens over lower-class and below. A typical criminal case is heard and given a verdict in no more than an hour, depending more on travel times to and from the Palace than on the actual nature of the case.
The dungeons of the Caynea Royal Palace are typically reserved for the highly dangerous criminals or those who are serving a life sentence. Most criminals are chained to the flagpole in the palace's courtyard - which is accessible to the general public, all the way up to the bottom of the stairs leading inside - in order to make them as visible as possible. Convicts are occasionally also stripped of their clothes, except for a crude loincloth.
Social Customs and Taboos
It is considered impolite to shake hands with someone you have just met - the handshake is intended to symbolize union, cooperation, or finality of a deal or exchange. Nobles are almost never seen shaking hands with peasants.
Despite the hot weather of the desert, public nudity is frowned upon, but not illegal. This has lead, however, to some numbers of beggars selling all of their clothes to pay for food or water. These people are generally not looked favorably upon by most.
Salivating or spitting in the presence of another person is a gesture of sacrifice, of intent to do whatever it takes to appease that person's will. Spitting directly on another, however, is still considered rude - one must take care that their spit lands on the ground at the person's feet, not on their face.
If a soldier dies, taking their flask of water is bad form (unless there is clearly no other path). Generally speaking, these dead soldiers are to be honored by pouring their flask over their body. (That said, though, many soldiers choose not to honor this tradition, due to combat's tendency to dehydrate an average battalion.)
Economy
The primary currency in Caynea is a typical metal coin called a shekel. Since the Caynean desert is relatively rich in gold compared to other portions of the world, almost all denominations of shekel have some gold in them, except for the bronze piece. The number eight is common to differentiate the different coins; each successive denomination is a power of eight over the previous one. Because the design imprinted on the shekel makes the coin slightly rounded, the number eight was chosen because a stack of shekels can only be about eight coins tall before the stack becomes unstable.
Denominations of Shekels
- Bronze shekel - 1s
- Silver shekel - 8s
- Electrum shekels - 64s
- Pure-gold shekels - 1024s
Water is sold at a steep premium. Caynea's water comes primarily from an oasis located a ways north of Upper Caynea, which is constantly being besieged by bandits and corrupt merchant parties, so they can sell its water for huge sums of money. Thus, the oasis is in a constant state of flux as far as armed conflicts are concerned, and the price of water in Caynea fluctuates as well depending on whether it is currently under attack.
Spirituality
Caynea is a largely atheistic kingdom. Most Cayneans do not feel that it is worth honoring a creator. Outside of occasional consultation of the Wiseman stationed there, the people largely believe in astrology. Lower Caynea does have at least a couple of places of worship used by immigrants from other nations like Lestalia, but these are only implicitly tolerated, not officially recognized by Caynean authorities. Occasional religious squabbles tend to be shut down by the Royal Guard. Astrological star signs are not as clear-cut as Earth's, due to the relative rarity of nightfall during Shantania's 52-hour days. A starsign is said to protect a child if they are born at the exact instant that the moon passes over its constellation (though this is a matter of perspective, and occasional arguments arise over whether the moon was in exactly the right place at the time, or when exactly the child is considered "born"). Starsigns are not divided into months or years. For this reason, it is considered to be good luck if a Caynean woman gives birth at night, even if their child does not end up receiving a birth sign.
Starsigns
The Eagle
"Here is the thing about the future. Every time you look at, it changes, because you looked at it, and that changes everything else." --Cris Johnson, "Next"
The sign of hunters, politicians, and thieves. The Eagle is said to grant limited foresight to its children; those born under the sign of the Eagle tend to be a few steps ahead of everybody else. This foresight is not perfect, and it is often difficult to discern whether one's future sight is the result of one action or another, but those attuned to it may use it to great advantage during negotiations, or to turn the tide of a losing battle.
The Apple
The Apple provides its children the gift of endurance. Thought to protect the poor, the Apple's children are said to last weeks or months without food or water. Most famously, a Caynean prisoner during the reign of King Harvill had survived a month in the dungeon after the guards forgot about him; when Harvill learned of this oversight, the prisoner was immediately released and pardoned.
The Hammer
A sign of strength and reliability; the Hammer's children are more apt to the physical professions than those that require more mental discipline. It is no surprise that Hammers often become warriors or smiths, though a mage or scholar born to the Hammer is not entirely unheard of.
The Pavise
Though it is named for a protective barrier, Pavise does not directly offer protection to its children; those born under the Pavise tend to feel invincible and more confident. This tends to be a double-edged sword, as Pavises stand equal chance of saving the day as they do getting run through for being too headstrong.
The Horseman
Dwells on the horizon most nights, the Horseman represents loyalty and reliability. Children of the Horseman can be depended on for almost anything. It is unsurprising that most Horseman become loyal knights and servants, rarely vying for power themselves, though there are some outlying instances where a Horseman wound up betraying their master.
- Nestor of the Wagonsguard is a notable Horseman.
The Oak
Children of the Oak are thought to be more attuned with nature, and tend to develop more peaceable personalities that detest unnecessary destruction. Oaks sometimes become farmers, but this is rarely their true calling. The naming of the Oak is particularly ironic, given that oak trees have never grown natively in Caynea.
The Many Heads
Considered to be a "cursed" sign, those born under the Many Heads tend to struggle with their sense of self. Many Heads are susceptible to manipulation by others, and in some cases are especially vulnerable to being possessed.
- High Queen Jennet of Caynea is a notable child of Many Heads.
The Reflecting Lake
The opposite of the Many Heads, those born under the Reflecting Lake are far more in touch with who they are, and are often leery of those who would seek to manipulate them. They are also said to be resistant, if not immune, to being possessed. This starsign is strange to Caynean astronomers because it is perfectly vertically symmetrical.
- Princess Lynia of Caynea may potentially be a child of the Reflecting Lake.
