King's Chasm
You know all their names. You've heard the tales of their glory. The heroes who beat back tentacled monstrocities from another star. The champions who battled armies of flesh golems moulded from a God. The dauntless soldiers who defended King's Chasm even as the very nature of magic itself twisted and warped around them. You are descendant of a long line of warriors, and there is no greater honor than to join their bronze statues in the Hall of Heroes.
Structure
Stonehelm Bloodline
King's Chasm is ruled by a royal dwarven bloodline dating back over two thousand years to Jofraic Stonehelm, whom founded the kingdom from a mining settlement on Ironridge Mountain. The throne is the birthright of the first child, regardless of gender, with younger siblings filling other roles of authority in the kingdom's ministry or military's hierarchy. The reign of the current king, Jodrig Stonehelm, is entering its 200th year, considerably longer than the kings and queens before him. He worries that as he strays further and further from his physical prime, he is no longer capable of a battle worthy of a spot in the history books.
The Archivists
A sect of scholars highly respected for their wisdom and knowledge. The archivists guard and study the kingdom's Deep Vaults which contains records and documents dating back to the age of Migdal Bavel. It is an archive so vast even the Archivists, whom dedicate their lives to its study, understand only a fraction of the ancient knowledge it contains. It is the job of the Archivists to rear each Stonehelm child into a great leader, following the example of the leaders before them.
Culture
The people of King's Chasm are a hardy folk, isolated between the snowy mountains from the rest of the continent. They pride themselves in their strength, and the might of the kingdom not only in surviving through the ages but also in military clashes as they expand their domain. The citizens view in high regard members of the upper echelon and the bloodlines from which they hailed, eager to aid them in serving the kingdom.
Military Academy
The people of King's Chasm are indoctrinated at an early age, children dream of entering the King's Military the same way kids outside the kingdom would dream of being a famous bard or a wealthy merchant. Practically every able-bodied citizen attempts the Military Academy Enrollment Trials when they turn 20, almost like a rite of passage. To be accepted is highly celebrated but those denied are not shamed either, as there are other noble jobs aiding the kingdom. Pass or fail, the people of the kingdom are heavily influenced by the years they spent training for the trials. Everyone stands with an upright posture, keep unwavering eye contact, and sometimes even use salutes in place of hand shakes.
Forge Masters
The kingdom's might stem not only from the strength of their men but also the craftmanship of their weapons and armor. The dwarves of King's Chasm, equipped with techniques perfected through generations of blacksmiths and supplied by the rich veins of Ironridge, are renowned for creating masterwork shields and warhammers. With the fall of the Midnight Star, the forge masters have recently gained a new fascination; Midnight Shards. A material with which they have sculpted weapons enhanced with otherworldly enchantments. While masterful handling of the material has prevented any unsightly incidents there is considerable dissent against this fascination, as the people see what the shards has done to the previously tranquil mountains.
Forgotten Archives
Despite the breadth and thoroughness of the records kept in the Deep Vaults, much of the kingdom's history have become tall tales and legends to the commonfolk. Embellished over countless retellings, the glorious battles shared in inns and taverns are almost irrecognizable to the events studied by the Archivists. Many have even forgotten the reasoning behind the ban on Nereus's worship, ignorant to the details of the event which flooded much of the kingdom's land.
Birthright
While none are as old and decorated as the Stonehelm, the bloodlines that run in King's Chasm run deep, most dating back at least a thousand years. Members of these bloodlines pride themselves in, and are respected for, the accomplishments of their forefathers. To be a Blackbanner is to be a respected soldier. To be a Firebeard is to be a respected forgeman. To be a Silverforge is to be an Archivist. Those of lesser bloodlines, while legally equal to any other citizen, face greater hardships in establishing themselves.
Public Agenda
King's Chasm has spent most of its years expanding its domain. The kingdom controls a large part of the Northern Frontier as it is, and are pushing against the borders of both Archreach and Ulstedt. This thirst for war is fueled not only by the kingdom's desire for land and resources, but also by the desires of generals, ambassadors and kings alike for the glorious battle which will secure their spot in the Hall of Heroes.
Their expansion have halted in recent years following the fall of the Midnight Star. Preoccupied by the disaster, the northern kingdoms have entered a fragile cease fire. While defending King's Chasm from the occasional stray monster is well within the Military's capabilities, the kingdom is none the less busied by the Star. The kingdom's attention has turned to studying Midnight Shards to empower their armies, fully intending to break the cease fire once they have successfully done so.
Founding Date
2420 DA (or -2093 MA)
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Gold
Legislative Body
Stonehelm Bloodline
Judicial Body
King's Military, Archivists
Controlled Territories
