Ourworld:Keltoi

The Keltoi are a race of fair-skinned seafaring humans who have mastered magitech and have recently entered a cultural and political renaissance. The dominant race in the region, they trade with almost everyone and are tolerant towards outsiders. Their previous imperial ambitions led to the great size of the Republic but now they seem settled and don't currently hold any great ambition to spread their borders further out. Still, the Northern City States often provoke them into border skirmishes and brushwars, and there is a no man's land currently seperating the Republic from the City States so they are not truly at peace. The Clanholders to the south seem content with their lot and haven't revolted or declared war on the new Republic. Still, the people are cautiously positive and the country is if not at peace, then at least there's plenty of food for everyone and few go without. Even the war with the City States seems to be losing momentum as soldiers from both sides head home in the hundreds.

The History of the Keltoi

The Keltoi Arrive; Destruction of the Laideann Empire, circa 800-1,000 years ago

The ancient history of the Keltoi tells of the great ships of their ancestors coming ashore at what is now Caenid Bealach (Caenid Bay). From across the seas a great fleet hove to, crudely hewn ships crewed by a young and savage race with pinkish skin and wild red hair. They wear brass and war paint and bear strange designs upon their flesh. They sing harsh war songs and drink heavily. They wish to fight and kill and take the ancient lands from Laideann. This unwashed horde is led by Gwyddno the Dog-Bull, leader of the Sons of the Dawn Tide who wishes to spread his people and his new beliefs to these shores. These warlike men take most of the land off the fat and rich Laideann Empire, a decadent and ancient people whose divided and corrupt armies cannot not stand up to the lean and hungry Keltoi. Even as their marble cities crumbled, the Laideann held orgies and went about their unwholesome ways. Great treasuries were split between the warbands and some of the biggest libraries in the world were burned to the ground. The Keltoi’s gutting and looting of Laideann drove the conquered over the White River where the majority of that race drowned in the swiftly running current. Satisfied that the Laideann had been driven away, the Keltoi split their spoils between their various Thanes and thus began the War of the Long Knives.

The War of the Long Knives, 500 years ago

With the unifying threat of the Laideanns gone, the Keltoi began a ferocious inter-clan warring period. Gwyddno's original vision of splitting the clans into roughly equal warbands lead to the Thanes being essentially the same in size, power and influence. For years, none of the Thanes gained a significant advantage. This period lasted about three hundred years and ended with the Keltoi lands expanding to cover almost the entire southern continent. They did not lack for land, and it was unusually fertile, so their population exploded. The only thing keeping them vaguely in check was their constant bloody war, which served to allow the Laideann to grow into seperate nations again, though they were basically slaves of the Keltoi for most of this period with Keltoi Thanes ruling their domains and Laideann men drafted into Keltoi armies to fight their blood foes. The largest clan, Kincaed, was nearest to the Laideann lands and it was they who uncovered the Draoidheil Leabhar in the ruins of the ancient capital. This treasure trove of ancient Laideann wisdom, culture, philosophy, history and alchemy benefitted the the Kincaed clan immeasurably. Speficially, various texts detailed the rituals and signs needed to work a potent alchemical craft, magic. Their druids learned the necessary skills to use this and utilised it to brutal effect. They quickly absorbed the clans near them and put hundreds of Laideann scholar-sorcerers to task at learning this craft as quickly as possible, which had the follow on effect of the Laideann learning real magic, not the conjurer's tricks they had utilised since the destruction of the Empire. This, combined with the liberal use of Laideann mercenaries to bolster their ranks led to clan Kincaed becoming the dominant force on the continent and expanding her borders quickly. Soon there was very little competition as her conquests gained momentum and this had the effect of beginning a new age of the Keltoi; the Cinntinn, or Flourishing.

The Flourishing, 200 years ago

The Druids of Clan Kincaed took the surrender of the Clans at Glabhar, the first Kincaed village and landing point of the Keltoi centuries before, now a large town, and future capital of the Republic. As part of the conditions of surrender, a druid from clan Kincaed was sent to every clan leader and he acted as their advisor. At first, the Thanes resented this intrusion, but over the years, began to value the skills and wisdom of the druids. A period of unparalleled peace and prosperity began and the Keltoi began combining their inherent curiosity about the world and their largely rational approach with the arcane texts of the Laideann to begin a cultural, scientific and philosophical renaissance. The Golden Age of the Keltoi had begun and it lasted a hundred years. People from all nations came to their lands to learn and to teach and the sum of the world's knowledge was enriched. This period ended when King Roibeard Kincaed, a man of the older, bloodier days, began amassing a great fleet with the ambitious aim of conquering the globe.

The Age of Conquest

If the Flourishing was a Golden Age, then the last hundred years could be considered the Red Age. Millions of people from all races were drawn into Roibeard's and Roibeard's son's and grandson's adventures. The most massive fleet ever constructed headed west to subdue the western continent. Massive tracts of land were taken and retaken and taken again over bloody battles that rages for twenty years. Settlements and fortresses and castles were built and destroyed. When Roibeard died, his son Roibeard the Red Hand simply built another fleet and took back what had been retaken a decade before. This war also lasted twenty years and it seemed that all but the Keltoi were tired of the endless conflict. Countries were ravaged, forests razed and mountains mined. After almost fifty years of almost constant war, Roibeard the Red Hand's son, Roibeard the Bandit-King threw his father into the sea and vowed to continued the conquest. Still, he inherited an empty treasury and a country almost economically destroyed by war. There was little he could do but retire home and try to rebuild. However, true to his name, he constantly raided Laideann territories and drew the ire of the Laideann Trader's League, a powerful group who knew an opportunity when they saw it. Their enormous mercenary army ventured south and conquered huge areas of the Keltoi homelands. Thousands of Keltoi were enslaved or merely murdered. Many believed this was the long-awaited revenge of the ancient Laideann Empire. However, the mercenary army was not fit for rulership and quickly dissolved into quarrelling captains and petty lords. This gave the almost-beaten Keltoi the chance to rally, and rally they did. They pushed the Laideann back to the White River just as they had almost a thousand years before. They knew they could not hold the Laideann lands, however and agreed on a pact; the Laideann would hold everything north and one hundred kilometres south of the White River, while the Keltoi would hold all south of the Stob Bahn Mountains. The hundred kilometre no-man's land was neutral territory which neither held and served as a buffer to both sides.

The Republic, 50 years ago-now

Rebuilding after the wars of conquest and the Laideann invasion was slow but gradual. The Keltoi Rìoghachd, or kingdom, Clan Kincaed's homeland, was still the largest of the clanholds and this time, extended her influence through trade, not war, which enriched her greatly. There was a smaller renaissance that ended with her becoming the Poblachd, or republic, after her king abdicated. Now the greatest Keltoi nation has eschewed her earlier dreams of conquest and has focused towards building a sustainable economy and enlightened social system.

The Poblachd (Republic)

The largest Keltoi area, the seat of clan Kincaed is called Poblachd, or 'The Republic'. For most of its history, it was the dominant Keltoi Rìoghachd. However, recently, from pressure groups in the capital and public opinion polls, the Poblachd has been dissolved and a Republic put in its place. King Cinaed abdicated and was quickly voted back as Ard-shuidhear, or President, Cinaed with very little diminished power but a Senate to answer to.

The Clanholds

While the Poblachd is the largest single Keltoi nation, the Clanholds make up a total of ten major and several minor clanlands in the southern area of the continent, making up an area roughly two-and-a-half times the size of the Poblachd. Though they are independent, they have formed a rough union of sorts to compete with the Poblachd and interact with them on a more level footing. They tend to be more traditional and don't make extensive use of clan Kincaed's alchemical magic. There have been intermittent wars and border skirmishes, but they have been largely unsuccessful. The major clanholds are:

Clan Uwain: a stable and agriculturally dominant clanhold, it is also strongly traditional. Ruled by Uwain, who takes the clan's name upon ascention to Archdruid. Clan McLearan: Called the "Stone Wolves", they are an old clan on the frozen shores of the south, they are regarded as grim and humorless by the other clanholders. They brood in their stone fortresses and raid enemy clans for supplies and gold, as theirs is a poor area. Clan Eilloweth: living in the low foothills in the west, they are miners and smiths who revere their queen Raignohailt who is said to be immortal. Clan Gowaren: Claiming to be the descendents of the great heroes of the past, Gowaren are a proud and reckless folk. They terrify their foes by utilising trained battle boars, woad and their claidhmores, and little else. Clan Fiodhar: The famous Fiodhar whiskey distillery has made this clan a very wealthy one indeed, though they are traditionally relatively wll-to-do anyway. They are very mercantile and tend to prefer trade over war.

Keltoi Spiritualism

The Keltoi do not formally worship any gods but they have a rich and complex tradition of ancestor worship and revere the forces of nature. There are several festivals during the year, such as the Moon Festival, the Oak Festival and Ancestor Reverence Week. They don't worship spirits or totems, rather they reflect on such aspects as the aesthetic beauty of nature and their role in the cosmos. Their 'gods' and 'demi-gods' are mythical heroes. There are ancient tales of great Keltoi heroes being summoned from the spirit realms to help them in their times of greatest need. Their druids, who aren't religious in the strictest sense so much as followers of tradition, act as advisors, magistrates and sages and are greatly respected. There are almost no Keltoi divine casters, those that do exist, follow the druid code. Keltoi regard those who follow organised religion with some suspicion and while they allow such people in their lands, don't tend to listen to them as a whole.

Keltoi Nimhelioc (Alchemy)

The Keltoi have a certain aptitude with magic and the harnessing of it for mechanical purposes. They traditionally utilised flame lances (later developed into alchemical guns) in war, and have great elemental turbines that power their industrial machines. Their alchemical guns are feared and renowned. The three principal cities of the Republic are joined by a train network. Cities are filled with glowlamps and the rich and powerful are protected by guardian constructs. Even the poorest dockworker has glimpsed the mighty and terrifying iron juggernauts that lurk deep beneath the sea. Because their machines are powered by magic, not fossil fuels, Keltoi cities are surprisingly clean and hygienic and if the air is sometimes filled with static, then nobody complains. This wondrous magitech is restricted to the main cities on the east coast, and many a poor or provincial man has never glimpsed such things.

Sample Magitech Devices & Contrivances

Flame Lance

These unusual contrivances, originally used by the Teleri, are traditionally utilised by Keltoi soldiers to harass enemy formations. They are 10’long rods made of a glimmering silvery metal. When gripped, they are suffused with a soft ruby light. They can shoot a concentrated beam of light up to 150, dealing 2D6 damage. They have effectively limitless charges and can be fired as many times as the wielder has attacks.

Alchemical Musket

The Keltoi developed these from the flame lances of the Teleri. A long-ranged weapon that utilises percussion caps, the alchemical musket is used in support of the Keltoi frontline warriors.

Iron Juggernaut

Monstrous machines of war, Juggernauts are essentially alchemically created submersible ships. They can fit a crew of 30 comfortably, 60 maximum. Internal wards ensure sea pressure doesn’t crush the hull, and runes also ensure breathing is possible. (It also makes the submariners immune to poisonous gases as a side effect)

The Keltoi People

Cináed in his Prime

The Keltoi (both plural and singular) are a fair-skinned race with heights averaging 5’5-5’10. Their hair colours vary from black to almost blond, though a reddish brown is the commonest. A redhead is considered lucky. Eye colour also varies from brown to blue to green. They are a fierce people who are proud of their warrior tradition but have recently begun a period of enlightenment and self-reflection. The Republic’s inter-clan wars have almost stopped, though in the southern frontiers it is a different story. Other races consider them upstarts but cannot deny their spirit and drive. They are interested in the sciences, particular alchemy, which has aided their culture immensely in many fields. At peace, a Keltoi may hunt or fish or read or compose poetry or work at his trade as he wishes, though if there is a call to war, he will drop his farming tools and take up weapons to defend his home. Traditionally the Keltoi utilize claymores and various polearms, especially lochaber axes but in recent conflicts, the arquebus and field cannon have also seen use on the field. They tend towards the lighter armours since they prefer a more mobile warfare and the advent of alchemical guns has reinforced that point. The use of very destructive arcane magic on the battlefield is generally frowned upon and since the Agreement of Dun Hader, certain magics such as evocations are forbidden by the Republic, though it is often ignoreod in practice.

Male Keltoi Names

Algune, Aed, Aengus/Angus, Arcill, Amhlaidh, Baíthín, Broccin, Caerell, Cailin, Cainneach, Cathal, Cennédig, Cinaed, Colbán, Comgell,Cormac, Cuilén, Cú Lí, Domhnall, Donnchadh, Donnsléibhe, Eochaid, Eoghan, Fearchar, Fionghuine, Fionnlagh, Griogair, Gille Epscoip, Gille Fhaoláin, Gille Míchéil, Gille Mhuire, Gwyddno, Iomhar, Lochlann, Mártainn, Matne, Morgann, Muireadhach, Muirgheas, Neachdann, Niall, Padraig, Raghnall, Roibeard, Ruadhán, Ruadrí, Seamus/Shames, Somhairle, Toirdhealbhach, Torcadall

Female Keltoi Names

Affraic/Afraig, Agais, Caitrina, Dearbháil, Deirdre, Dearbhorhaill, Ealusaid, Eithne, Ete, Éua, Fionnghuala, Forbhliath, Gormlaith, Iosbail, Laighb, Máel Muire, Mairghread, Meadghbh, Mor, Morgan, Muirgheal, Raignhailt, Seonaid

Racial Traits

Keltoi are humans and gain the standard human bonuses. They gain 1 extra skill point per level and an extra feat at level one. Keltoi from the Republic consider alchemical guns (firearms) martial weapons, and Keltoi from the Clanlands consider claidhmores (bastard swords) martial weapons.

Alignment

Keltoi cover the entire spectrum of human behaviour. However, very broadly, the average citizen of the Republic might be neutral or lawful neutral. They respect tradition and their clan and kings, and many quarrels are solved in formalised duels.

The Leagues of Druids

Keltoi knowledge rests with the Druids, who acts as arbitrators, loremasters and advisors amongst others. Druids tend to group into small clubs and collectives for their own mutual benefit, though they are not obliged to, and sometimes meet for councils to vote on important matters at the yearly Druidmoot. While technically subservient to the central government, they are given nearly unlimited autonomy in matters pertaining to wizardry and all matters arcane including magical transport, trade, penalties for misuse, registration, membership fees, the importation of tobacco and whiskey, and such. The druids are all gentlemanly about everything and vote on everything and generally don't get a lot done, though they do drink a lot of fortified wines and discuss obscure personal philosophies and literature or whatever personal hobby distracts them.

Once every 30 months the druids meet the Goliath Shamans on the autumn or spring equinox. The only contact between the Republic and the Goliath tribes is the "councils of the wise". The Shamans have asked their brother druids to keep the knowledge of "the peoples" from the humans as a whole, though recently Goliaths have been spotted in the northern areas as far north as the Laideann city of Port Ceseric. The more populous groups of druids include:

•The League of Reasonable Men •The Gentleman’s Society •The Rationalist Club •Reform Club •Society for Advancement of Literary Awareness •The Oak Club

The vast majority of members are wizards, though any class is welcome. However, to be on the small council or the council of elders, you have to be a wizard. The most appropriate prestige classes are Archmage, Loremaster and Guildmage.

How the Keltoi see the other races:

Ailokim: The Keltoi do not understand the Ailokim. An old race, they are long-lived but frail, cowardly hiding behind their considerable magics and their Umberkim slaves. Some Keltoi druids whisper gravely about Ailokim atrocities, though it is unproven as yet.

Dwarves: The Keltoi have little contact with the Dwarves and their only real contact is in the trade of weapons of war and metals, though they are surprisingly friendly to each other when they do meet.

Goliaths: Few Keltoi know anything accurate about the Goliaths. Due to their inaccessibility, the paucity of resources and their reclusive nature, Keltoi usually ignore their existence. The druids have some contact with them at the Moots, but that is almost the entire extent of their contact.

Lizardmen: The Keltoi consider these creatures, when they think of them at all, as mere savages. There is very little contact, except by a handful of Keltoi anthropoligists who have met with limited success.

Laideann The Keltoi see the Northerners as too clever by half. They see their constant political maneouvering as frivolous and uncivilised and tolerate them only because of their strong trade ties. Historically, these two nations have been more or less constantly either at work or antagonistic towards each other. Various invasions northward have met with rare Laideann unity.

Summer Islanders While culturally alien to the Islanders, the Keltoi have an odd respect for the laid back folk of the Summer Isles. While they consider them lazy, they also respect their innate egalitarian natures and generous hospitality.

Teleri : The Keltoi have a grudging respect for the Teleri because of their skill in naval warfare and magic. They dearly wish to discover the secret of their enchanted ships and have offered preposterous sums of money to attain it, in order to explore the western hemisphere.

Umberkim The Keltoi have little contact with the slave race beholden to the Ailokim. They keep a respecful distance in their conflicts, preferring to shoot them at range. However, in recent times, there has been no great trouble with the Ailokim so the Umberkim are distant from their minds.

Ourworld
Societies	Keltoi, Laideann, Ailokim, Teleri, Goliaths, Goblinoids_and_surrounds, Dwarves, Orcs, Ashlands