Karg: A Young Traveler’s Ramblings through a Fledgling Nation

A Collection of Thoughts from Illona Torok

The Nation of Karg - a small, humble home to idealists and vagabonds searching for a fresh start. Depending on who you ask, Karg could be called just about anything, from a hidden paradise to a hub for loonies, (or one of my personal favorites, “The what, now?”) but I couldn’t really get the whole picture until I went there myself. It’s one hell of a carriage ride, mind you, but if you have the time and the means, Karg’s charm is something that doesn’t quite hit you until you’re right in the middle of it.

The abundantly scenic route down the winding roads to Karg initially greets you with smaller hamlets here and there, hard working people tending to their crops and offering a friendly wave as you pass by. Agriculture seems to be the trade of choice around these parts, which makes sense with their remote location and limited trade exports, but outside of Caliharah, I’d never seen people so content with their little plots of land. Folks would offer us a warm beverage when the sun went down or a place to rest our heads, but our destination was clear and, luckily, the path was short enough to get there. By the time the evening lanterns were lit, we’d made it to the capital, and right then and there I was charmed beyond belief.

A Tour of the City

Clearly the most fortified city of the bunch, Bello still holds the quaint charm of a hamlet while offering modest accommodations to any weary traveler that wanders in through their doors. The people there are happy to see you. They want to know who you are, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from, because now, you’re in Karg. To hear the hustle and bustle of the outdoor market lit by flickering lanterns, to see a group of people that were happy to be a part of it all… Well, it swept me off my feet. After a good pint of local ale my team and I shacked up for a good night’s rest, my head swimming with curiosity for what we would encounter the following day.

Bello, while a humble town in comparison to other nation’s national cities, is actually doing quite well for itself, despite the nation’s less than ideal placement on the continent. Named after the nation's founder, Karg Bellon, the capital stands as the main center of business for the entire nation. It is here in the capital that the Presider of the nation resides - the elected official voted upon by all of Karg’s citizens, regardless of race, religion, or previous life. Next to their base of operations is an office for the local security team, a squad of capable volunteers devoted to the protection of their nation. Some of these folks are skilled warriors who made their way to Karg for a fresh start, and they’ve trained enough willing citizens the combat skills necessary to protect themselves from the odd bandit or semi-regular kitteri or arak raids. They also do a good job of keeping folks in line when the need comes for it, though thankfully it doesn’t sound like that’s too often of an occurrence. Next to them are some modest operating spaces for the Ion’cavar, Guardians, and the Clerks, and past that stands the little inn that houses many a weary traveler.

The nearby marketplace boasts the fruits of the many citizen’s agricultural labor, though it also serves as a hub for the bit of trade that Karg holds with their neighboring nations. While agriculture does well for them, Karg greatest setback seems to be its lack of strong congruence users and industrial technology. While Nashriam and Curath boast a high level of both, Karg has a mere sprinkling of highly apt congruence users, and even less technology based around it. What little trade they have established with Alvania and Vas’tek helps them make do, but it is certainly something that the citizens are hopeful for in the years to come. After all, the nation itself is quite young, with just under a century of years in its history (That’s about three life-term presidencies, for the record).

Why Stay?

Now, I know what you’re thinking… Why would somebody want to traverse all the way out to the southern coastline of the continent to set up a tiny home in a tiny nation without the infrastructure that’s established anywhere else? Well, to some, this place is a last resort, a final safe haven for people who haven’t had the freedom to make that choice until they arrived here. Slavery is outlawed in Karg, and the path to citizenship isn’t riddled with hidden rules and prejudices. This nation has set itself up as a true democracy, a nation that listens to every citizen brave enough to make their way here and call this place their home. It’s not a wealthy nation, or a powerful nation - Hell, most of the others on the map pay it no heed due to it’s unobtrusive standing - but the people that are here want to be here. Many of them fought to get to these grounds, eager for a fresh start. Karg might not boast the highest fineries on the continent, but it grows every day, and I truly believe that the more folks make their way out here and see it for themselves, the more they’ll want to call this place home.

I know that I do.

---

Notes on Karg:

What makes Karg stand out from the other nations outside of the true democracy?

• Sense of new start; pioneer-ism;
• Big percentage of community is escaped slaves
• People had to fight to get here. They WANT to fight to get here
• Not a wealthy or ‘powerful’ nation, but the people are proud to be there and are willing to put in the work to make the community thrive
• They lack infrastructure (roads, etc) and some upscale comforts, but the people are hard at work and the nation is continuously growing/pushing forward.

If the Presider serves a life-term, could they never be voted out of power?

• Can be voted out
• Would have to have another election
• Ruling council would call of “vote of no confidence” (but not really)
• No issues that would need this to happen yet, but they do have infrastructure just in case

TRADE

• Minor trade also exists with Caliharah
• Not a lot of exports so trade is tricky
• Mostly trying to import congruence based/industrial items

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Small safety squad (mainly militia, as written about above)
  • There is a small prison for the people that commit crime
  • Prison acts as a labor camp to pay off debt to community (ie community service)
  • Wouldn’t be above death penalty (for crimes that warranted it)
• Main defense is against monsters and bandits
  • No real reason for people/neighbors to spend the time/resources to invade
    • Nothing particularly valuable
    • They’re not a threat in any way
    • Not taking up somebody’s territory

CITIZENSHIP

• If you work and/or live in the community on any permanent (or semi-perm) basis, they’re a citizen

TAXES

• Limited taxation
  • Land ownership is what is most often taxed
    • What the land is used for is heavily considered
• There is a community based volunteer/public works system in play as an alternative
  • However many weeks per year expected as a citizen to keep community thriving
• Citizens can choose between Public work or taxes