The Kaliphate of Koronna
“The Traazorite Masters are the epitome of their symbol the Sun! They lord over us as we toil under their boot all day long to fill their bellies and coffers! The people of the Sun are unforgiving and oppress all of the Children of the Moons! We must let the Proconsul and his legions know that at the end of every day the sun sets and Moons rise!” -Excerpt from a handbill found in the market place of Mulaslen prior to the Koronnan Revolt.Heraldry
The two moons, Koromai and Koromen, silver on a black field.
Structure
A Dual Regency elected by the Conclave of Wolves and Owls, a body of senior Moon priests and priestesses. The Conclave is formed to select a husband and wife who rule as co-regents and the physical embodiment of Koromai and Koromen.
Kaliph and Kalipha: Head of State and Commanders-in-chief, they rule from the capital city Mulaslen.
Other titles: Protectors of the Moons
Escharchs: A husband and wife team who co-rule a Korodad. This pair is selected by the local Priest and Priestess, and approved by the Kaliph and Kalipha. The Escharchs see to the Korodad’s economic and judicial needs. Military outposts located in the Korodads support the local Escharchs but serve the Kaliph and Kalipha
In 1008, Tuhrvan and Nevara are Kaliph and Kalipha of Koronna.
History
Koronna first existed as a province of the Traazorite Empire, the last such holding on the northwestern continent. Long a haven for religious dissenters, a faction of heretical (at least heretical to the Traazorite government) moonspriests seized power in the year 86 and declared independence. Although no more in agreement with the Faeler religion than that of their former masters, the Koronnans found themselves awash in Faeler allies in their war to break away from the empire. Religious zeal and help from her friends finally removed the Traazorites from the continent, seemingly for good.
Since then, Koronna has maintained an uneasy balance of power. Her strong natural defenses prevent her from being pushed into the sea and the desire of her neighbors to keep the empire at bay ensures she will have friends whenever the Traazorites return to claim their lost province.
Demography and Population
Mating Rituals and Customs
Courtship and mating is one of the least complicated of all Koronnan customs, this lack of complexity has lead to their neighbors and other Chalers viewing Koronnans as hedonistic. Courtship can be initiated by either the man or the woman, and does not need to culminate in marriage. Companions, concubines and spouses are all accepted levels of relationship within Koronna.
The actual marriage ceremony is conducted under the full moons with both a Moon Priest and Priestess present. The ceremony is as simple or as extravagant as the couple can afford or desire. The importance of the actual ceremony is that the Priest and Priestess tie a piece of the spirit of each member of the couple together. The combining of a portion of the two spirits results in bond between the couple. The strength of the bond differs among couples, and each couple derives different benefits from this bond.
Entertainment
Most outsiders will point to the gladiatorial fights, a holdover from Koronna’s Traazorite past, and believe this blood-thirsty activity is a prime example of Koronnan entertainment. While many Koronnans appreciate the fights of the arena, it is not their true love. Koronnans love games that require subtlety and strategy. The multi-dimensional, three tiered game of Fikir, is the perfect example of how the Koronnan mind entertains itself. A two-player game played on three boards suspended one above the other. The bottom tier is black, the middle tier is gray and the top tier is white, and pieces can move between the tiers and across each board. The game is a metaphor for how the Koronnans view the world, life and reality.
Two other ways in which Koronnans entertain themselves is in open public debates and the theater. Victory in public debate is respected as an example of both an educated and agile mind. Koronnans enjoy the theater, preferring tragedies, mysteries, histories, and subtle comedies. The ribald humor of the northern theater is viewed as an example of an uneducated people.
What is valued by this society?
The ability to look at a situation from multiple directions. Koronnans value what they see as a “rational viewpoint”, or the ability to understand that life is not right vs. wrong, black vs. white, but are comfortable in the gray. This is not to say that Koronnans are not emotional or can be steadfast in a viewpoint once decided. Koronnans view themselves superior to Faelers in that they see Faelers as too opinionated and dominated by old beliefs and superstitions. Among themselves Koronnans value equality, all Koronnans are equal; man, woman, rich, poor, young and old. Equality is driven by the feeling of citizenship and Koronna’s history of breaking away from a chauvinistic Dictatorship. Citizens believe Koronna will only continue to exist as a free country if all citizens work together in her defense. Education is also highly valued within Koronnan society. A “common” education is available to all Koronnan citizens short of attending a University or trade school. Higher education is either paid for by the family, compensated for to the government or through a patron. The great library of Aseldam contains not only Koronnan knowledge, but also knowledge and histories from other countries collected by Koronnan scholars who are a part of every Koronnan embassy.
Territories
Koronna is the only Chaler country on the northern continent. The country is located on the southern portion of the continent with swamps and desert to their west, mountains to their north, Thormenal to their east and the sea to their south. The country has a temperate climate with a long growing season and mild winters. Koronna is bisected by several rivers that run out of the mountain range in the north into the sea to the south.
Climate
Koronna has a pleasant, warm climate. Koronna consists of mountains to the north, the sea to their south with a vast desert and swamp to the west. The country is crossed in several places by rivers running from the northern mountains to the sea. These rivers and an improved canal network support a very productive agricultural region.
Military
Military
Initially a province of the Traazorite Empire, the Koronnan military has evolved from its infantry-centric force to one that can face the “cavalry heavy” forces on their three land based flanks. Continually in danger from its larger neighbors and former masters, Koronna maintains a small, but well-trained army. The mainstays are lance- and bow-armed heavy cavalry and infantry who fight in bodies mixing spear and bow. Well disciplined infantry form multiple ranks of spear, with archers to their rear firing over their heads.
Koronnan light cavalry from their western frontier and light infantry levees from the mountains screen and protect the army’s flanks.
Lance and bow armed heavy cavalry have the capability to increase their armor and provide fast moving shock troops to support the spear/bow battleline.
Koronnan heavy cavalry, while not the equal of Faeler knights, can, by using their lance and bow together, along with support of their spear blocks, keep the Faeler knights busy. Koronnan forces are capable of holding their own in the push and shove of melee as well as able to dish out a respectable amount of missile fire. If the missiles fail to damage heavier enemy units (say Haradelan knights) appreciably before they charge, the Koronnans may be in trouble.
The core Koronnan troops are well supported by the lighter Outriders and Light Infantry who act as a screening and scouting force.
Occasionally, Koronnan armies are accompanied in the field by gladiators paid to fight from the country’s many arenas. Koronna also musters troops from among the hardy mountain folk or the Bar Nol.
From Del-Kamai’s Crusade, the Koronnans maintained a force of Faeler soldiers who swore allegiance to the Kaliph and Kalipha as part of the defense of Koronna against the empire. The original members of the Faeler Guard were devotees of Valar and Valia who abhorred the assault upon the moon-god and moon-goddess that the crusades represented, even if they did not interpret the moon religion in the same way as the Koronnans. Today, the Faeler Guard is comprised of descendants of the original members as well as those seeking adventure and special status.
The Koronnan navy is large for a country its size, and with allies, has kept the Traazorites from invading successfully for hundreds of years.
Religion
Religion
The Koronnans worship the moon-deities Koromai and Koromen. Theological differences with the mainstream Traazorite religion, which worships Runah, the sun god, center on the fact that moon-worship elevated the position of women in Koronnan society to that of equals (Koromai and Koromen are husband and wife representing Faelon’s two moons) which the misogynistic Traazorite leadership could not accept.
The Faeler pantheon (that of Falkaar, Thormenal and Haradel) also recognizes male and female moon-deities, but Valar and Valia are brother and sister, something that continues to cause friction between the two cultures.
Foreign Relations
View of Outsiders
Koronnan’s views of their neighbors are complex. They ceded from the Traazorite Empire for religious and political freedoms. Their neighbors to their west, north and east are all of different races and religions. This situation could easily result in a feeling of anxiety or paranoia, but in fact, most Koronnans feel superior to all those around them.
As a country founded on freedom and equality Koronnans view themselves as morally superior to their fellow Chalers in Traazor. Koronnans pity the common Traazorite and hate any Traazorite in a position of leadership or power.
Koronnans view the Faelers around them as a “simple” people. Koronnans point out that Faelers understand right from wrong, good from bad and black from white, but feel that their neighbors come up short in not appreciating the various shades of gray in between the two poles.
Koronnans see Thormenalans as the most advanced of their neighbors, in that they have a “world-view”, and understand the indirect method. Haradelans to the north are often seen as one generation removed from barbarians. Explaining anything requiring subtlety to a Haradelan is often compared to having a conversation with your pet dog. Falkarans are viewed as falling somewhere between the two other Faeler neighbors in complexity, but due to past military alliances against Traazor, Koronnans have a greater tolerance of Falkaarans over other Faelers. The Faeler religion includes the Moons and their God/Goddess aspect, but Faelers view the two as brother/sister not husband/wife, which can lead to friction with Koronnans.
Trade & Transport
Koronna’s geographical location and climate allow for a long growing season. The Korodads in the south along the rivers grow rice and other grains while the northern Korodads contain vineyards and olive groves. The Korodads to the east and west raise both horses and cattle. These diverse regions allow Koronna to be self sustaining. The Bar Nol range contains both copper and tin which is exported all along the coast along with excess food stuff. Koronna has a modest trade fleet whose primary destinations are in Falkaar and Thormenal.
Koronna is the closest country to the free city of Tehradim and maintains a close relationship to her in the trade of food stuffs.
Overland trade is limited. The natural defenses that help to protect Koronna make land based trade to Falkaar and Haradel a long and dangerous journey. Caravans to Falkaar are required to cross the desert wastes of the Dathglar, while caravans to Haradel must cross the Bar Nol mountains, the best pass being in a region often contested between Koronna and Thormenal.
Founding Date
86
Capital
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Currency
Koronnan currency is based on the Traazorite system. As copper and tin are plentiful in Koronna, they also mint double-weight coins to prevent devaluation by trading partners.
Bezant: gold, 15 grams
Denarius: silver, 15 grams
Talent: bronze, 15 grams
Duotalent: bronze, 30 grams
Centum: copper, 15 grams
Duocentum: copper, 30 grams
Official State Religion
Related Professions
Related Ethnicities
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