Empire of Keoland
Empire of Dwarves and Men
The Empire of Keoland ("Keola" in dwarvish) is arugably the most powerful nation in all of the lands around Procan's Depths and the Cobalt Sea. Stretching across multiple mountain ranges, both sides of the Ringshadow, and a diverse array of peoples, the empire is held together with guns, ships, and military might.
Structure
The Empire of Keoland is organized around the Emperor, currently Kimberlos Kocia. His clan, the Kocia Clan holds almost all the executive positions within the Emperor's court. Those positions are primarily a variety of ministers who direct various functions of the state, nationalized industries, and the military. The rest of the empire consists of a dual system of human feudalism and dwarven clans, all reporting through chains of vassal-hood to the ministers and, ultimately, the Emperor.
The Clergy
The Emperor is not all-powerful, though. His sometimes-peer sometimes-rival is the Pontifice (Pontiff) of Kocia Stronghold. They were once the religious leader of the entire Church of Moradin, but after the schism during the Clergymen's Wars, the Pontifice became the leader of solely Keoland's branch of Moradin's Saints. The church is made up of third-gender, effectively inersex priests (or Ministres) that lead each stronghold or town in worship. The Ministres report to Obispes, who spiritually govern polities. The church coronates the emperor and has the ear of many within the Imperial Court.The Military
The military is further subdivided, consisting of an army and a navy. The Imperial Army of Keoland far predates the Imperial Navy of Keoland, and each are led by the High General and Grand Admiral, peers of the Ministers, respectively. These military forces are nominally for defending the empire, but in reality they serve to enforce order and subjugate new realms.The Colonies
The colonies are overseen by the Minister of Settlement to whom the Viceroys report to. There are two Viceroys, each ruling a Viceroyality. The Viceroaylities are the Viceroyality of the Salmon Coast and Viceroyality of New Keola. These Viceroyalities themselves are divided into colonies ruled by Dukes, such as the Salmon Coast's Southern Coast Colonies and Peninsular Colonies. Due to their relative youth and geographic distance, many of the colonies maintain a slight degree of autonomy relative to the Vassal States.Vassal States
The plateaus and deserts east of the Kasyrienne Mountains are host to a number of human chiefdoms and kingdoms, some of which were conquered by Keoland in the 100s PIA. These states mostly became vassal states to Keoland, their noble structures left largely intact but made subservient to Keoland. They are led by the Vassal-Kings and Vassal-Chiefs, peers of the Ministers. Following the coronation of Kimberlos Kocia as Emperor, these vassal states were joined by the coastal The Raan Dynasty, which had been a tributary state of Keoland for a century. It's ruler, the Master-General, became peer to the Vassal-Kings. The last vassal state to be conquered by Keoland outside of the Colonial system was the Kingdom of Waveknight during the War of Silver Succession.
Guilds
Industry within the empire is varied. In the imperial heartland, dwavern clans monopolize mining and some industrial production as their birthright. Elsewhere, guilds of artisans and tradesmen oversee commerce, as well as a variety of crown-certified companies such as the Saltmarsh Mining Company. These organizations are powerful in their own right, but are ultimately subservient to the emperor, to varying degrees.Culture
Keoish culture varies from region to region and group to group, largely along pre-existing ethnic lines. While Keoization attempts have been made to integrate populations, they have had mixed results.
The Keoish dialect of Dwarven is the defacto language of the region for speaking, reading, and writing. Religion is also key, and hardly a soul within the mountains opts to not attend church services at the beginning of each week. Prayers, fiestas with religious themes, and religious imagery permeate Keoish life.
Living in a dangerous frontier means that the colonists do not have as prolific an artistic history as the heartland, but songs are prominent within the colonial life. Sea shanties, work songs, Tənas Palach dance rituals, and bardic Jugleres have combined into a vast system of musical expression and communication.
Cultural tensions surrounding slavery, the Sea Princes, and the Repartmiento System have left the already oppressive relationship between the Tənas Palach and the colonists dangerously bitter, and increased militarization following the proliferation of darker occult forces has not helped ease the tension.
The Heartland
Traditional dwarven culture dominates within the Keoish heartland. Deep within the Kasyrienne Mountains, strongholds such as Kocia are beacons of industry and culture. Dwarven artwork includes sculpture, architecture, murals, paintings, and literature. While earlier literature was enitrely within carvings, books written on vellum and bound with wood and leather became popular in the pre-imperial age, while recent developments such as the printing press and the importation of paper from across the ocean have lead to a proliferation of Dwarven literature. Pastoral literature is especially common, depicting an idealized view of life on the colonial frontier.The Keoish dialect of Dwarven is the defacto language of the region for speaking, reading, and writing. Religion is also key, and hardly a soul within the mountains opts to not attend church services at the beginning of each week. Prayers, fiestas with religious themes, and religious imagery permeate Keoish life.
Raan Dynasty
The Raan Dynasty maintains a vibrantly multicultral society, with dragon worship and traditional Raanite social structures melding with dwarven Fiestas and literature. Militarily focused, the Raan Dynasty sees itself as less a vassal to Keoland and more a peer, securing freedom and stability throught the empire. Their religious independence has been co-opted by the Keoish military to a degree, but this has only increased nationalism as public service for the Empire is seen as holy. The dynasty has its own strong history of poetry, oral storytelling, and live performance which has neatly mixed with the Empire's.Eastern Vassals
The eastern vassal-states have suffered more than any other vassals under Keoish rule, with some religious practices supressed and forced labor all too common. This has led to a culture of quiet resistance, while pre-existing religious and artisan secret socieities developed into organizations dedicated to preserving traditional culture and oppossing the empire. The chiefs, meanwhile, of the vassal-states have enjoyed political power, increased influence, and wealth, leading to disagreements between the downtrodden peasents, resistant relgious and economic leaders, and decadent nobility.Wavenight
Long Keola's younger brother, Wavenight (alternatively Waveknight) was brought into the fold in the mid-100s IA after the Clergymen's War when they sided with the Silver Crown against the Pontifice, and lost brutally. The dwarven kingdom sits at the edge of Ringshadow and junction of the Kasyrienne Mountains with the Moradin Mountains. A major exporter of Daybreak Gems and supporter of religious pluralism, their culture of tolerance for which they were conquered for has ironically shifted the religious profile of the Empire. Their theological contributions, paired with economic ties to Keola, have catapulted them into prominence among the Vassal-Kings, with Pontifice Sanche Sacerdocie from Waveknight, the first Pontifice to not be from Keoland or the Silver Crown's lands in centuries.Salmon Coast
The northern colonies of keoland are quite distinct from the rest of the empire. Divided by the Cobalt Sea into the peninsular and southern coast colonies, the people of the Salmon Coast are primarily colonists and native Tənas Palach . The Tənas Palach are Littlefolk and Elves, tied deeply to the land and spirit world with their own history and cutlure of social stratification and a gift economy. Tənas Palach artwork, especially their woodworking, is renowned and some Littlefolk artisans have been brought into the Empire to work on engineering projects. The colonists, meanwhile, are primarily humans from the eastern vassal states and dwarves from Keola and Wavenight. The former practice a variety of religions, though the Church of Procan is prominent, while the latter are deeply rooted to their clan structures, often with entire clans breaking off and moving to set up a colony.Living in a dangerous frontier means that the colonists do not have as prolific an artistic history as the heartland, but songs are prominent within the colonial life. Sea shanties, work songs, Tənas Palach dance rituals, and bardic Jugleres have combined into a vast system of musical expression and communication.
Cultural tensions surrounding slavery, the Sea Princes, and the Repartmiento System have left the already oppressive relationship between the Tənas Palach and the colonists dangerously bitter, and increased militarization following the proliferation of darker occult forces has not helped ease the tension.
New Keola
The southernmost colonies of Keoland are largely massive sugar plantations staffed by slave labor under the Ecomienda System. The slaves, largely local natives and conquered peoples from other regions, have become a melting pot of multiculturalism, with slave rebellions and escapees forming Moors settlements deep in the jungle common. Keoland conquered the Empire of the Rainbow to form the Viceroyality, and its ashes are still reflected in native religion and language. The colonists, meanwhile, are largely rich dwarven and human merchant classes from Keola, Waveknight, and the Raan Dynasty living the decadent lives of plantation owners. It is a realm of brutality, excess, and oppression.History
Originally the Kingdom of Keoland, the Empire was formed in 1 IA with the coronation of Kimberlos Kocia as Emperor, not King, following the vassal-hood of several eastern human kingdoms.
In the ensuing decades, Keoland made the Raan Dynasty to west of their mountains a vassal rather than a mere tributary state, and using their newfound ports as well as technological developments, set out to explore the Cobalt Sea north into Ringshadow. This brought them to new lands including those of the Tənas Palach , and around the turn of the century Keoland established the Southern Coast Colonies and Peninsular Colonies, founding cities such as Seaton, Saltmarsh, and The Styes.
This expanded trade in the region, accelerated by the ascension of Keoland's rival, the Empire of the Silver Crown. Following their victory in the Clergymen's War and assimilation of Waveknight into the empire, Keoland turned her attention eastward to a war with the Chiefdom of the Bison, which allowed piracy to flourish in the Cobalt Sea. These pirates became powerful enough to form the Sea Princes, a loose confederacy of pirates, smugglers, and other seafaring ne'er-do-wells. In the late 100s IA, Keoland fled the east due to defeat at the Chiefdom's hands, and the Imperial Navy of Keoland pushed the Sea Princes out of the Southern Coast Colonies during the Cobalt Reconquista and to their present territory on the large Isla de Amaya.
Now, Keoland seeks to re-affirm her power and authority in the colonies, and expand them to be larger, more productive, and better developed.
In the ensuing decades, Keoland made the Raan Dynasty to west of their mountains a vassal rather than a mere tributary state, and using their newfound ports as well as technological developments, set out to explore the Cobalt Sea north into Ringshadow. This brought them to new lands including those of the Tənas Palach , and around the turn of the century Keoland established the Southern Coast Colonies and Peninsular Colonies, founding cities such as Seaton, Saltmarsh, and The Styes.
This expanded trade in the region, accelerated by the ascension of Keoland's rival, the Empire of the Silver Crown. Following their victory in the Clergymen's War and assimilation of Waveknight into the empire, Keoland turned her attention eastward to a war with the Chiefdom of the Bison, which allowed piracy to flourish in the Cobalt Sea. These pirates became powerful enough to form the Sea Princes, a loose confederacy of pirates, smugglers, and other seafaring ne'er-do-wells. In the late 100s IA, Keoland fled the east due to defeat at the Chiefdom's hands, and the Imperial Navy of Keoland pushed the Sea Princes out of the Southern Coast Colonies during the Cobalt Reconquista and to their present territory on the large Isla de Amaya.
Now, Keoland seeks to re-affirm her power and authority in the colonies, and expand them to be larger, more productive, and better developed.
Demography and Population
The population of the Empire of Keoland is multi-ethnic and multiracial, reflecting it's broad geographic span and history of foreign conquests. In the heartland is almost exclusively dwarves, with the eastern vassal states being a mix of humans, orcs, dwarves, and a vareity of demi-humans. The Raan Dynasty has many humans and dragonborn, with other minor populations within. The Salom Coast colonies have their original inhabitants, mostly littlefolk, and elves; but also new settler populations consisting of humans, dragonborn, and dwarves, among more "exotic" races. New Keola is inhabited by tabaxi, humans, and frogfolk such as the grung.
Territories
Keoland's territory extends from their heartland in the Kasyrienne Mountain range to the Moradin Mountains of the peninsula, encircling much of the Cobalt Sea to Thunder Mountain. Several river systems are controlled by the dwarves, such as the Kinfisher River and Raan River. Keoish territory further reaches far east into the river systems and plateaus where their vassal states lie. Across the ocean lay New Keola, which surrounds a gulf and penetrates deep within the jungle.
Across such huge distances, communication is key. Out in the colonies, long-distance communication for civilians is limited by the speed of the postal service. However, clerics (who have access to church infrastructure) and traveling bards provide important communication and propaganda avenues for the public augmented by magic.
The wealthy can afford magical items or access to civilian mages to use sending. Teleportation is controlled entirely by the military, and you’ve already seen how they utilize magic to create an immense communications network, which the state supplements with church and civilian government systems.
Travel isn’t done with teleportation circles except on small scale messengers and higher ups. Ships, horses, and carriages are thus the most common methods for civilians. Flying mounts do exist, and all of the above can be augmented by magic (daybreak gems, horsehoes of the zephyr, etc).
Across such huge distances, communication is key. Out in the colonies, long-distance communication for civilians is limited by the speed of the postal service. However, clerics (who have access to church infrastructure) and traveling bards provide important communication and propaganda avenues for the public augmented by magic.
The wealthy can afford magical items or access to civilian mages to use sending. Teleportation is controlled entirely by the military, and you’ve already seen how they utilize magic to create an immense communications network, which the state supplements with church and civilian government systems.
Travel isn’t done with teleportation circles except on small scale messengers and higher ups. Ships, horses, and carriages are thus the most common methods for civilians. Flying mounts do exist, and all of the above can be augmented by magic (daybreak gems, horsehoes of the zephyr, etc).
Military
As described above, the military consists of the Imperial Army of Keoland which oversees all land and underground military activities, consisting of cavalry and infantry, and the Imperial Navy of Keoland which patrols the Cobalt Sea and battles the Sea Princes among other naval threats. Both branches are a mix of career soldiers, noble knights, and mercenary armies; the military is as much a complex myriad as the empire itself.
This complexity is highlighted in the existence of parallel local defense forces, such as Town Guards and Principality Defense Forces, mostly employed in the colonies by barons, town councils, and the viceroys. The Raan Dynasty's unique military structure acts as a bridge between the standing army of the empire and the local militias of the Salmon Coast colonies.
The Keoish army has largely footsoldiers who act as guards and infantry. However, these units rarely march in tight formations due to cannons and magic. Additionally, casters supplement these soldiers as artillery, support, and intelligence units. Like, a company might have several corporals and lance corporals who support the unit via bardic inspiration, clerical healing, paladin auras, artificer infusions, and of course wizard & sorcerer destructive magic. Other more traditional infantry typical protects these units because they are incredibly important.
Additionally, given magic and gunpower, most combat is at a distance. Most of their mages are dwarven artificers and knights of raan. Warlocks are more or less outlawed depending on who they made a pact with, and paladins pretty much have to make an oath to the crown or devotion of a crown supported religion. The crown also supports conquest paladins and, in some places, peace paladins. Oathbreakers are super illegal. Ancients and vengeance aren’t illegal but they are frowned upon and don’t serve in the military.
This complexity is highlighted in the existence of parallel local defense forces, such as Town Guards and Principality Defense Forces, mostly employed in the colonies by barons, town councils, and the viceroys. The Raan Dynasty's unique military structure acts as a bridge between the standing army of the empire and the local militias of the Salmon Coast colonies.
The Keoish army has largely footsoldiers who act as guards and infantry. However, these units rarely march in tight formations due to cannons and magic. Additionally, casters supplement these soldiers as artillery, support, and intelligence units. Like, a company might have several corporals and lance corporals who support the unit via bardic inspiration, clerical healing, paladin auras, artificer infusions, and of course wizard & sorcerer destructive magic. Other more traditional infantry typical protects these units because they are incredibly important.
Additionally, given magic and gunpower, most combat is at a distance. Most of their mages are dwarven artificers and knights of raan. Warlocks are more or less outlawed depending on who they made a pact with, and paladins pretty much have to make an oath to the crown or devotion of a crown supported religion. The crown also supports conquest paladins and, in some places, peace paladins. Oathbreakers are super illegal. Ancients and vengeance aren’t illegal but they are frowned upon and don’t serve in the military.
Technological Level
As an early-modern society, the Keoish Empire has a massive technological advantage over their neighbors (and people) as they have developed gunpowder, allowing for pike and shot warfare (a natural extension of pike and mage warfare). The empire is not as magically integrated as some other groups, however, making their mechanization distinct. The people of the vassal states (but not the colonies) are largely prohibited from owning firearms, and the empire is still dominated by feudal and guild-level technological organization, production, and advancement; albeit augmented by some magical prowess, which especially aids the realms of agriculture and medicine. Alchemy is the most common arcanomechanical art, with the manufacture of magical items far from industrial-scale.
Religion
The Church of Moradin is the official state religion of Keoland, but it is not the only religion. The Followers of Raan and Church of Procan are quite popular, to say nothing of the secret shammanistic beliefs of the vassal kingdoms, hidden congregations of slaves, and the spirit-workings of the Tənas Palach.
Foreign Relations
Keoland maintains mostly peaceful trade relations with the Empire of the Silver Crown, though they primarily see one another as imperial rivals. Procan's Depths and surrounding areas count themselves lucky the two empires maintains mostly peaceful relations for the time being.
The non-vassal eastern kingdoms are largely either hostile to the Empire (as they fear vassalhood themselves) or are already tributary states. A notable exception would be the Great Kingdom, who Keoland sees as a valuable regional ally.
Keoland currently maintains tense but peaceful cooperative agreements with several Tənas Palach tribes and chiefdoms, including the Silverstand Chiefdom, but these relationships are fraught due to colonialism and many Tənas Palach groups are rightfully distrustful of imperial authorities and colonists.
The Sea Princes are Keoland's principal enemy, being a breakaway state and, in the eyes of some, criminal rebels. While all-out war is not the current reality, it seems largely inevitable.
The Chiefdom of the Bison is another enemy of Keoland, seen as a threat to their eastern vassals and potentially the Southern Coast Colonies. The nomads have beaten the empire back and struck peace for now, but many suspect that peace will be short-lived.
The Kor of the northern steppe maintain some spare trade contact with the Empire of Keoland, but for the most part the northen mountains and Ringshadow, as well as the Kor's loose organization, is enough to prevent a meaningful offocial relationship. This is not the case for the myserious Realm of Ithaqua to the far north, which actively trades with the Southern Coast Colonies.
Keoland has sparse contact with the underwater deziens of the Cobalt Sea, but most contact consists of Sahuagin raids and trade with The Confederacy of Dar Elestri. The Underdark has somewhat more contact with Keoland, especially in the Imperial Heartland, which almost universally is a hostile affair. Keoland is terrified of the Spirit Realm, and has no official relationship with Faerie Lords or any other such entitites.
The non-vassal eastern kingdoms are largely either hostile to the Empire (as they fear vassalhood themselves) or are already tributary states. A notable exception would be the Great Kingdom, who Keoland sees as a valuable regional ally.
Keoland currently maintains tense but peaceful cooperative agreements with several Tənas Palach tribes and chiefdoms, including the Silverstand Chiefdom, but these relationships are fraught due to colonialism and many Tənas Palach groups are rightfully distrustful of imperial authorities and colonists.
The Sea Princes are Keoland's principal enemy, being a breakaway state and, in the eyes of some, criminal rebels. While all-out war is not the current reality, it seems largely inevitable.
The Chiefdom of the Bison is another enemy of Keoland, seen as a threat to their eastern vassals and potentially the Southern Coast Colonies. The nomads have beaten the empire back and struck peace for now, but many suspect that peace will be short-lived.
The Kor of the northern steppe maintain some spare trade contact with the Empire of Keoland, but for the most part the northen mountains and Ringshadow, as well as the Kor's loose organization, is enough to prevent a meaningful offocial relationship. This is not the case for the myserious Realm of Ithaqua to the far north, which actively trades with the Southern Coast Colonies.
Keoland has sparse contact with the underwater deziens of the Cobalt Sea, but most contact consists of Sahuagin raids and trade with The Confederacy of Dar Elestri. The Underdark has somewhat more contact with Keoland, especially in the Imperial Heartland, which almost universally is a hostile affair. Keoland is terrified of the Spirit Realm, and has no official relationship with Faerie Lords or any other such entitites.
Agriculture & Industry
Keoland is the lead industrial power of the entire region, and possibly the world. Keoland's mining and arcanomechanical advancements have given rise to gunpowder and new innovations in naval capabilities, allowing for military dominance through technological supremacy. Agriculture is primarily provided through a few breadbasket vassal states, as the heartland is too mountainous to provide food for the whole empire.
Trade & Transport
Trade within the Empire of Keoland happens in two main ways: overland trade, and oversea trade.
Overland trade happens primarily between colonists and the colonized, or between the heartland, vassals, and neighbors. In the southeast, overland trade is made possible by trade caravans navigating a massive system of roads and highways. In the colonies, overland trade happens in more granular and localized ways, and often via rivers, not roads.
Oversea trade is how raw materials such as lumber and ore from the colonies are transported back to the heartland, and manufactured goods (as well as some agricultural products) are transported back to the colonies. This trade is done via trade companies owned by wealthy families who manage a variety of boats. Oversee trade is also conducted between the empire and far-flung countries, peoples, and trade outposts.
Overland trade happens primarily between colonists and the colonized, or between the heartland, vassals, and neighbors. In the southeast, overland trade is made possible by trade caravans navigating a massive system of roads and highways. In the colonies, overland trade happens in more granular and localized ways, and often via rivers, not roads.
Oversea trade is how raw materials such as lumber and ore from the colonies are transported back to the heartland, and manufactured goods (as well as some agricultural products) are transported back to the colonies. This trade is done via trade companies owned by wealthy families who manage a variety of boats. Oversee trade is also conducted between the empire and far-flung countries, peoples, and trade outposts.
Glory to Keoland
The Royal Family
When the Kocia clan came to what the dwarves call the Kasyrienne mountains, their leader slew a red dragon in the area. The dragon's old lair became the capitol of Keola, and from there the Kingdom of Keoland--and then the Empire of Keoland--expanded. Just like how half-dragons are made by bathing in dragon's blood and how Selina was able to de-age by eating a dragon's heart, the royal family of Keoland used the body of the dragon not just to make Dragonscale mail and various dragonclaw and dragontooth weapons for themselves and their royal guards, but they also have made sure every king, emperor, and heir was a red draconic bloodline sorcerer. Legend has it they've been including dragon's claws in their children when they sculpt them.
Founding Date
1 IA
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Alternative Names
Keola, The Empire, The Kingdom of Keoland, the Dwarven Empire
Predecessor Organization
Successor Organization
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Keoish
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Keoland mints their own coinage, Keoish Coins which come in copper, silver, gold, and platinum varieties. These coins have values separated by factors of ten, so ten silver make a gold, ten gold a platinum, etc. Historically there were electrum pieces worth half a gold piece, but these coins haven't been minted since the Cobalt Reconquista due to forgeries.
Major Exports
While many exports are produced within the empire and bound to other parts of the empire, the primary foriegn exports are industrial products made by dwarven craftsmen and textile products from the wool dogs of the colonies.
Major Imports
Imports primarily take the form of some food products (especially spices) and luxury goods, such as silk and new technologies. The empire has such a diversity of terrain under it's control that it largely does not need anything, though the ringshadow of the colonies makes their argricultral capacity somewhat challenged, preventing total colonial self-sufficency.
Legislative Body
The Imperial Court of Keola
Judicial Body
Executive Body
The military, largely in the form of local defense and guard forces, keep the peace within Keoland.
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
The Importance of Ringshadow
Ringshadow long served as a limiting factor, isolating Keoland from their northern neighbors. It was not until the melding of draconic technologies with magical Daybreak Gems found within craters that the cold and dark of the north could be pierced for long enough times to allow for widespread colonization and expolration by the Empire, as opposed to the occassional contact and raids that characterized pre-crystal times.
Friendly
The Great Kingdom sees cooperation with Keoland as better than becoming a client state, and Keoland views the Great Kingdom as a useful buffer state between them and the Great Chiefdom
Non-aggression pact
Rival empires, the Empire of Keoland and Empire of the Silver Crown have decided (for now) not to wage war on one another, opting instead for a non-aggression pact so they might individually expand their own colonies.
Vassalhood
The Raan Dynasty is a vassal of the Empire of Keoland
Ceasefire
The Empire of Keoland and Sea Princes, while technically at peace, are engaged in a ceasefire, and Keoish authorities still prowl the Cobalt Sea, putting a stop to piracy whenever they see it. The peace cannot last long.
Comments
Author's Notes
The Empire of Keoland is historically inspired by the Spanish Empire and, to a lesser extent with regards to the Southern Coast Colonies, the British Empire.