Kalrax

Location and Description

Kalrax is the second largest city-state of Caulis and a major trade hub. It is located at the western end of the Bay of Xaan, in the crescent of land between the Bay and the northeastern slopes of the Mo'Krai Mts. It has a fairly large population (18,000) and is considerably wealthy.

The city was founded by a Xadiri nobleman named Miliga of the House of Kalriga, circa 325 BCE. Miliga, an ambitious man, was banished from Xadir for attempting to overthrow Archon Hettimun I (354-297 BCE). He journeyed west, intending to leave Caulis altogether, and came to a small village in the area where Kalrax nows stands. He and his family and followers settled there and began to grow and expand the city. The Archons and nobility of Kalrax still hold a grudge against Xadir and attempt to disrupt their trade whenever possible. There are signs that outright war may erupt in the decades to come.

Residents of Kalrax refer to themselves as Kalracian, and speak Caulisian. Some residents are able to understand and speak Samredan, as well as rudimentary Ilkaran, Lutian, and Molenorian. Kalracians are--like other Caulisians--a friendly people, but are very distrustful of of Xadir and its satellites. Merchants and travellers from other lands are always welcome in Kalrax; but like other such large and densely populated cities, danger abounds.

Political System

The ruling monarch of Kalrax and the surrounding area is known as the Archon. Unlike the other city-states of Caulis, the throne may be held by either a man or a woman, and the current ruling dynasty is descended directly from its first Archon, Miliga.

The Archon's duties are similar to those of other Caulisian city-states, and takes in large amounts of wealth through taxes, tributes, and the like. The Archon Ninenna (320-289 BCE), daughter of Miliga, set up what she called the Uncael Renna (or Council of Twelve) to advise her on matters of state, and subsequent Archons have continued the tradition. The Council of Twelve is made up of the heads of the twelve oldest and wealthiest noble houses of Kalrax. Both men and women sit on the council, and offer advice to the Archon on such matters as trade, the military, and alliances.

Religion

Kalracians worship the gods of the Caulisian pantheon in the same way as the other city-states, with one major exception. Somehow, the god Gemmuc has undergone as transformation from a malevolent trickster and souce of ill fortune to a benevolent force--the god of wisdom and of magic. He has taken a position equal to Hommut (though still below Eldraad). Priests of Gemmuc (also known as eetari or "magi") believe they posses magical knowledge obtained directly from Gemmuc, and can use this magic to affect such things as the weather or the sea, portend the future, perform enchantments, and transmute materials. The Archons of Kalrax have typically been very interested in magic and mysticism, and spend a great deal of time studying with the magi. A highly secretive school of magic--the Gemukaria--was formed in Kalrax circa 80 BCE, but it is notoriously difficult to gain entrance.

Eetari are known by their distinctive black ona and black cloaks. As a symbol of their dedication to the mystic arts, they forgo shaving and cutting their hair ("He is as wise as his beard is long.") The eetari are given money and gifts by the populace to pray on their behalf, to bless marriages, births, business undertakings, and perform healing ceremonies, as well as perform magical ceremonies for a variety of purposes (the stronger the magic, the higher the cost). As such, the priesthood is fairly lucrative, though the Archon takes a healthy portion for him/herself.

There are temples and shrines dedicated to all the major gods and goddesses of Caulis throughout the city, and the temple to Gemmuc nearly rivals the temple of Eldraad. Thanks to Kalrax's status as a major trade hub, shrines to various foreign deities can be found throughout the city.

The major religious festival of Eldraad takes place at midsummer. The Festival of Gammuc takes place at midwinter; the highlight is a massive bonfire in the main square.

The calendar year is 365 days, divided into 10 months of 36 days. A week is 6 days (and thus, 6 weeks per month), each devoted to a different god. Midsummer's Day and the 2 days preceeding and following--5 days that are essentially a month unto itself--are considered the end of one year and the beginning of the next, and are filled with festivals, feasting, and worship.

Trade

The waters of the Bay of Xaan teem with sea life, so the Kalracian diet consists mainly of seafood, as well as vegetables grown on farms surrounding the city or brought in from Dyrrha. Some of the fish brought in from the bay is salted and traded to neighboring city or regions. Goats are herded in the hills to the west of the city, but are typically only eaten on special occasions.

The neighboring city-state of Dyrrha is a tributary of Kalrax. In 156 BCE, its Archon was assassinated by soldiers in the employ of Kalrax, and a puppet Archon installed on the throne. Dyrrha pays taxes to the Archon of Kalrax, and supplies the city with a significant amount of food, grain, and wood. The current Archon of Kalrax is exploring ways by which Palinae might be brought under her control as well, in order to further erode the power and wealth of Xadir.

Clothing

The men of Kalrax wear light, thigh- or knee-length tunics known locally as ona. Sleeve length varies, usually based on occupation or social class. Tradesmen, common laborers, and slaves wear ona with no sleeves; merchants and the wealthy prefer elbow-length sleeves. Ona in general tend to be rather plain, undyed, and without any but the most basic of decoration. Those men for whom appearance is more than a rudimentary concern tend to set themselves apart through ornamentation--rings, necklaces, armbands, etc. Slaves are prohibited from wearing ornamentation of any kind. The wealthiest Kalracians have rejected the Xadiri obsession with Hurkits and have established a small community of garment makers to provide them with luxurious, expensive clothing. Ona are secured around the waist by a leather or cloth belt.

Women wear a lightweight garment similar to the ona, but ankle-length and sleeveless. Like the male counterpart, they tend to be rather plain and undyed. Women are even more focused on ornamentation, and the wealthiest merchants' wives and noble ladies drape themselves with as many pieces of jewelry as they can afford and stand to wear at any given time. Women of more modest means will pass down items of jewelry from one generation to the next, or fashion tasteful decoration from cheap, semi-precious stones or seashells and such.

When the weather turns cool, Kalracian men and women wrap themselves in rough woolen cloaks known as niona.

Both men and women wear simple leather sandals. Slaves and poor residents of the city go shoeless.

Hair Styles

Kalracian men of all social classes, like other Caulisians, wear their hair cropped short; however, the Caulisian cultural bias against hair that hangs down past the shoulders has relaxed somewhat. It is not uncommon to see men of the city with longer hair, often braided. Beards, also well trimmed and maintained, are common. Soldiers prefer to shave their heads and faces, but are not required to do so. Kalracian women wear their hair long, and women of all social classes enjoy elaborate hairstyles and braiding techniques.

Education

There is no Kalrax-wide system of education. Noble houses and those citizens who can afford to do so hire tutors to instruct male children from the age of 6 or 7 until adulthood at age 14. There is no standardized set of subjects, and boys are instructed in whatever subjects their parents believe are most important. Children of commoners receive no formal education, and literacy is very nearly unheard of outside the nobility and the upper tier of the citizenry. Those children who show intelligence at an early age are often given over to the eetari, who educate such children not only in the realms of magic, but also in more mundane tasks as literacy, mathematics, and so on.

Creator/s: count zero

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