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	[COLOR=#38A587]► [B]Capital[/B][COLOR=#8293a0] - Chervenista[/COLOR]
	► [B]Demonym[/B][COLOR=#8293a0] - Karynian[/COLOR]
	► [b]Races[/b][COLOR=#8293a0] - Urastians, smaller minorities of others[/COLOR]
	► [b]Government[/b][COLOR=#8293a0] - Constitutional Federal Monarchy[/COLOR]
	► [b]Legislature[/b][COLOR=#8293a0] - Karynian Synedro[/COLOR]
	► [b]Currency[/b][COLOR=#8293a0] - Karynian Vita[/COLOR][/color][/sup]

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[color=silver][i]Pre-Orduinian accounts of the Karynian Peninsula weave tales of several tribes, the race of which is disputed. In some cases, its peoples were of a sturdy constitution and possessed brutish strength, their teeth lined with fanged molars. Another common depiction from explorers of the era asserts their orcoid features, citing the inhabitants to be of slate or ablaster complexion, with sweeping, almond-shaped eyes and narrow complexions. Consistent records indicated that the inhabitants of what was then Karynia loosely organized themselves into several barbarian tribes which were known to also make use of extensive cave networks and tunnels.

The Navarros Incursions into the region under the guise of uniting all elfkind had dashed many of these tribes' independence, to which they were gradually reorganized beneath the Navarrosian banner. Over this period of history, Karynian culture largely became subservient to that of its High Elven overlord, yet rebellions and insurrection were a constant issue for the viceroys of the land. Even so, much of the native population began to intermigle with the elven settlers and governors of Navarros, until eventually the modern race of Urastians was formed from this union of elf and native, and with it, the culture and customs of Karynia shifted with it. The culture of the [b]Urasliya[/b] - the ancient land of Karynia - was a true agglomeration, and by this cultural anthropophagy of tribal, martial, totemist, pantheonic, elven, and indigenous the contemporary culture of Karynia had its roots.

At the onset of the Pale Wars, several of the rebelling clans of [b]Urasliya[/b] began a more emboldened state of resistance against the interloping Navarrosians. In 1212, many of these insurgents united beneath the banner of the champion [b]Kashir The Great[/b], in time taking control of almost the entire countryside. The continued war efforts culminated with the assistance of Orduin and the High Elves, finally settling in the momentous [b]Battle of Ilithrvo[/b], whereupon the forces of [b]Kashir[/b] and the [b]Urasliyans[/b] had laid siege to the final Pale strongholds within Karynia. Its people soonafter rejoiced; For the first time in its history, the whole of Karynia had become a united, free state, beneath the strength and wisdom of its first [b]Tsar Kashir.[/b] 

For their assistance in granting their freedom as a people, the [b]Kingdom of Urasliya[/b] agreed to close cooperation with the [b]Odruin Empire[/b], and by 1245, they had effectively become a tributary vassal of the [b]Empire[/b] itself, only nominally possessing independence. In time, such moves would prove rather unpopular with many of the new clans of Urasliya, culminating in the [b]Seven Week's Rebellion[/b] in 1252. Although at first holding the advantage, the distraction of the Empire with its own civil war led the rebellion - commanded by [b]Belyra the Bloody[/b] - eventually led to the reorganization of the [b]Kingdom[/b] into a [b]Tsardom[/b], under which the [b]Synedro[/b] was given additional powers, and with it, renamed the land from [b]Urasliya[/b] to the more befitting [b]Karynia.[/b]

With the onset of the Beastmen Wars, the relative isolation of [b]Karynia[/b] led to a more insular outlook in politics; An attitude which has persisted unto this day. After all, the Beastmen were a continent away, and the Insects to come after had the great seas between Karynia and them. By maintaining such distance, the [b]Tsardom[/b] was all the more nonplussed to see the dissolution of the Empire. Now, [b]Karynia[/b] only maintains the narrow [b]Ashava Isthmus[/b] as its sole land connection to the rest of [b]Ishtar.[/b] Yet, the threat of another insect invasion grows more pressing by the day, and soon, the residing [b]Tsar Alexandrov[/b] must appoint an heir to the throne, no matter how ill-prepared they may be...[/i][/color]
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[color=silver][i]The Urastians of Karynia are by and large Karynia's most populous race. Historically translated as "Snow Elves", "Ash Elves", or even "Dark Elves", Urastians are widely considered to be an elven people, sporting several unique facets. Typically, Urastians possess a pearlish complexion, with hues ranging depending on ancestry and lineage. Most Urastians will have some manner of lightish, sheen skin tones, with the true hue ranging from pure alabaster to a dark onyx, to rocky reds and exuberant pale pinks. Hair colors again vary greatly depending on genetics and stock, with colors from fierce crimsons to snow whites being the most common. Eye color tends to be more universal, with ruby, sapphire, and emerald tones. Urastians are, like most elves of their kind, rather tall beings, averaging about two meters in adulthood, with most females standing slightly taller than their male counterparts, weighing on average 80 kilograms. Notably, Urastians tend to have more clearly-defined musculature, as well as sharper olfactory systems than many of their elven bretheren, able to more sharply perceive scents and tastes. The fat composition of Urastians bear closer semblance to orcish races; A lactic sinew which contracts and gradually stretches with tone, which provides excellent insulation from cold and helps muscle elasticity. They are well-known for their hardiness and sense of balance, and during the era of the Durosian Empire, Urastians comprised some of the Empire's finest sailors and mountaineers, at ease in some of the most inhospitable of places.

The exact lineage of Urastians is still being uncovered by genealogists and anthropologists, and the current origins of the race continue to be poorly-understood. It is widely agreed that, during some point in the race's history, there was a large degree of cross-pollination with high elven settlers which came into contact with Karynia's native tribes during the Navarrosian Era, at which point the dynamics of the Urasliyan peoples shifted into the contemporary [b]Urastians[/b]. Many scholars believe the ancient Urasliyans to have been of orcish origin, which throughout centuries of cross-polination have given way to the contemporary Urastians. Some contest this theory, citing the varied differences in orcish and elven physiology being too great to allow significant interbreeding effects between the two species. [/i][/color]
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[color=silver][i]Ostensibly, Karynia operates as a federated kingdom under the cooperative reign of its respective [b]Tsar[/b] and the collective [b]Synedro.[/b] Appointment to the position of [b]Tsar[/b] is historically a hereditary position, first fulfilled by the current [b]Tsar[/b] selecting an appropriate heir - typically one of their children or closest offspring - whose appointment is in turn confirmed with a 5/8ths vote by the residing [b]Regency Council[/b], itself a selection of officials formed from the [b]Synedro.[/b] The [b]Tsar[/b] acts as the supreme executive power of the land, and all acts, laws, agreements, and declarations must be approved and finalized by His Highness. Many of the day-to-day functions of the Tsardom are handled by one of the many [b]Syneds[/b], whom range from simple chosen representatives from miniscule hamlets to bureaucrats of colossal merchant houses. In practice, much of the Tsardom has a surprising degree of autonomy as a result of this federalized system, with local villages and municipalities serving as self-governing entities under the banner and guidance of the Tsardom. Thus, the [b]Tsar[/b] has been likened to a conductor, of which the duchies and voivodeships of Karynia play to its tune as a finely-integrated orchestra.[/i][/color]

[color=silver][i][b]Tsar Maeilych Alexandrov[/b] has served as Karynia's Grand Sovereign for eight decades, and his reign has been wise and good. He is often regarded as a sharp, keenly intelligent man, and his rule has been responsible for several of the Tsardom's most beloved (and much-needed) reforms. Yet for all the brightness that has come of the great Tsar's rule, all good things must come to close: It is no secret that [b]Alexandrov[/b] is of sickly constitution, and his ailment worsens as the suns turn. Recent years have seen the [b]Tsar[/b] grow more reclusive, where once an empowered and proud Tsar stood to greet his crowds no matter the weather, he shuts himself within his chambers in hopes he will grow better. His spirit has yet to be vanquished, for even in the face of such enfeeblement the Tsar has never faltered in his stalwart kindredness. 

Even so, the writing on the wall is plain for all to see: The Good Tsar's life will soon come to an end as his health sours. To the North, whispers of The Pale's resurfacing spark fears of a future continental invasion and bring the Tsardom's long-awaited independence to an end. To the South, the Insectoid Hordes finalize their land-bridges and prepare to carve Ishtar into their hellish mound. Soon, he will soon need to choose a diligent successor to the Karynian torch.[/i][/color]

[color=silver][i]Had this had been the case in any other land, in any other time, such an event would be rather standard-fair, if still of great importance. But, there is one great pain which keeps the Tsar awake: 

His children, his most beloved progenies and beholders unto the Great [b]Abonya Throne[/b]...are all woefully unfit for sovereignty.

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[b]Airya Chrysova[/b] - the eldest daughter and the most ostensibly suitable for the heirship - presents herself outwardly as the prim and proper Queen Consort of Karynia, often draped in impressive stateswear and carrying herself with the clout as if the world would move at her command. In spite of her sharp appearances, [b]Airya[/b] possesses neither the traits nor the intellect to properly administer a county, let alone the political behemoth that is the responsibility of the [b]Abonya Throne.[/b] 

Truth be told, [b]Airya[/b] would be little besides an insignificant inexpert if she held office in any standard administration, and serves to have no desirable qualities for selection...aside from a sense of entitlement toward the [b]Tsardom.[/b]
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[b]Zevlan Lirisov[/b] - the Tsar's second eldest and the eldest royal child - was from a young age a curious bookworm who much preferred to be lost in a world of imagination than to be bothered with the trappings of reality. Such an inquisitive mindset has travelled with him to adulthood, where he now finds himself more explorative into the finer arts and humanities. He remains a musical soul, and has since become an accomplished musician, artist, architect, and chef in his own right. 

Although he possesses, and perhaps surpasses, all of the intellect and insight of his father, there is one glaring flaw: [b]Zevlan[/b] has no interest in taking the mantle of [b]Tsar[/b], and has repeatedly insisted that he be passed up in favor of a more willing contender. Should the selection process come to him, it is very likely that [b]Prince Zevlan[/b] will respond with an immediate abdication, leading to the entire succession crisis anew...
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[b]Zora Viktorova[/b] - the ever-so-apt middle royal child and the youngest daughter of the Tsar - has emerged from the [b]Mareilov Military Academy[/b] as a shining military protege. [b]Princess Zora[/b] recently graduated with incredible marks from her officer's schooling, having earned the most sincere regards from her instructors for her stupendous wit and prodigious sense of battle. She has also emerged from the academy with a flawless wargaming record - a feat only achieved thrice in the school's centuries-long history.

A military genius in the making, Zora may very well be, yet peering beneath these feats lie the cause for the [b]Tsar's[/b] nominational hesitation: Zora is...famously uncouth. The Princess remains brash, belligerent, and brutally straightforward, often disregarding decorum as a fumbling waste of time and has shown little regard for civic administration, nor the needs of a day-to-day kingdom. While a great general [b]Princess Zora[/b] may soon become, her aggressive nature leads the [b]Tsar[/b] to fear that, should she gain the reigns to the [b]Tsardom,[/b] her hawkish demeanor may entangle the realm in pointless wars until it inevitably brings the land to ruination...
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[b]Levin Kralovsky[/b] - the second youngest of the royal children - is little more than a decadent socialite who has such far levied his position as royalty to enjoy many of life's "finer" pleasures. [b]Prince Levin[/b] is well-renown for his Epicurean lifestyle, where he can mostly be found at ostentatious parties. More concerned with building harems and wine glass pyramids as to bridges and warships, [b]Prince Levin[/b] lives a thoroughly indulgent lifestyle to which all concerns uninvolved with his orgies of debauchery are of secondary concern.

The sole saving grace to a reign of [b]Prince Levin[/b], it seems, would lie in his aloofness. In the eyes of some, having [b]Levin[/b] upon the [b]Abonya Throne[/b] would, at bare minimum, mean that the would-be Tsar would be far too caught up in his own pleasures to obfuscate the [b]Synedro's[/b] day-to-day machinations...
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[b]Georgi Kirilov[/b] - the youngest son of the Tsar and youngest of the royal children - is but a mere infant. The baby prince has just begun to take his first steps, and with the guiding hand of his private tutor and wet nurse, shall perhaps grow to be the fine heir to the [b]Abonya Throne[/b] the [b]Tsar[/b] so desperately seeks. 

Yet, as the fledgling [b]Prince Georgi[/b] grows older, so too does the [b]Tsar[/b], and when time is of the essence, the gamble of putting [b]Prince Georgi[/b] upon the throne is one too far ahead for the [b]Tsar[/b] to reasonably forsee...

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[color=silver][i]Karynian culture is primarily the agglomeration of many of Karynia's occupiers and affiliates mended together with millennia-old folk traditions. Karynians largely organize themselves into entities known as [b]Vasri[/b], often translated as [b]"House"[/b] or [b]"Clan"[/b], many of whom have roots in pre-Navarrosian tribeships. Affiliation to a particular [b]vasri[/b] is rather complex, and there are few uniform dogmas under which all Karynian [b]vasri[/b] operate. Some [b]vasri[/b] are near-entirely composed of hereditary members, while others form as a result of like-mindedness or mutual interest. As a result, [b]vasri[/b] are a surprisingly fluid construct, disbanding and reforging through the course of time. Broadly speaking, affiliation to a [b]vasri[/b] is by-in-large equally flexible, and order of affiliations is often expressed through the naming conventions of each individual. 

A result of the centuries-long intertwining with Navarrosian and Uraslyian cultures, Karynian society places high value on the finer aspects of life, holding artistry, merrymaking, and the pursuit of knowledge in high regard. Coupled with the omnipresence of [b]vasri[/b] within the Karynian ethos, marriage as a ceremony or construct is almost exclusively done to show affiliation or allegiance, and holds few - if any - romantic connotations. Karynians find it foolish to feel overly beholden to one person in particular, as the very nature of Karynian society often demands such that one make oaths to several persons or institutions, and this naturalistic efficacy of responsibility to not only one person, but towards the well-being of an entire group or clan, extends well into the field of personal relationships. Indeed, it is exceptionally rare to find a Karynian who will only have one romantic interest or claim allegiance to only one [b]vasri[/b], and to insist contrary to such is viewed as unctuous and selfish.

This same fluidness - when combined with Karynia's famed appreciation of magic - has resulted in a rather dynamic social structure within Karynia. As inclusion within a [b]vasri[/b] is typically not beholden to birthright (thought intense cliquing within [b]vasri[/b] make some more exclusionary than others), it is not uncommon for peasants to take up mantles several scores greater when they have shown to prove themselves to their [b]vasri.[/b] Yet, many [b]vasri[/b] - especially many of the elder mercantile houses - are still a fiercely tight-knit bunch, often quick to dissociate with the new. [/i][/color]
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[color=silver][i]Great arboreal forests spot the coasts along Karynia's north and east, and the ancient greatfirs and pines of the boreal wood have given generously for as long as there has been a Karynia. Saps, maple and pine syrups, hazelnuts, paper, canvas, lumber, and refined woodworks come from all over north and east Karynia, and make up some of its most notable holted goods. The crested streams and rivers which lie within the interior give way to Karynia's seasonal agricultural bounty. Karynia becomes frigid through the late autumn months until spring, yet the volcanic soil of the region makes for excellent plantations of its hardy native crops. Cranberries and spiceberries are hardy enough to grow nearly year-round, while apples, apricots, barley, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, and tomatoes are all staple crops of the Karynian harvest. Much of Karynia's central hills give way to crags and caverns as well, where within coal, copper, flux, and iron are extracted throughout its vast subterrania. The volcanoes which stand resolutely in Karynia's center and north produce colorful arrays of volcanic ash, and the rocky, sedimentary fjords and coasts of Karynia couple to create miraculous glassworks.

In the time of the Orduin Empire, the Tsardom earned the apt nickname, [b]"The Cask of the Empire"[/b], for Karynia's coupled glassworks, woodworks, and agricultural bounty - coupled with Karynia's love for festivals and celebrations - have produced a hefty demand for drinks, which are more than gladly met by Karynia's distilleries, vineyards, and breweries. Whether it be Shara's famed barley ales, Yurigrade's warm maple meads, Pristina's rich spiceberry wines, or Chervenista's succulent cranberry brandies, Karynia has always been there to fill Ishtar's glass.

With rich forests, long coasts, and cragged rivers nestled by the coastal winds of the West, Karynians have long been a seafaring people. Shipyards and docks adorn Karynia's extensive coastline, where the canvas and lumber of the forests are transformed into keelboats and frigates, each adorned with Karynia's iconic triangular sails - It is said that the shipyards of Kajsya Sad can be given a tree at sunrise, and would return a ship at sundown. Crabbing and whaling are famed Karynian traditions, and to this day, brave whalers brace the frigid northern oceans, sometimes for days on end, in the perilous quest for their colossal prey. The rich maritime traditions of Karynia have brought with it esteemed merchant [b]vasri,[/b] whose fleets sail all around Ishtar in search of yet another good trade. 

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[color=silver][i]The armies of Karynia are, by and large, a fairly conventional force. Most individual voivodeships possess their own guard, and even smaller [b]vasri[/b] are often known to hold men at arms. In times of war, these guards are pressed into the service of the Tsar, raised as armies alongside the many forces prevalent throughout the realm. Knightly orders composed of [b]vasri,[/b] known in Karynia as [b]cherveks[/b], compose the most notable permanent standing force within Karynia. [b]Cherveks[/b] drill incessantly as they spend their extensive lifespans mastering the art of war in its many forms, often only retiring to career-ending injuries suffered in warfare or sport, then soon retiring to once again teach the next generation of warrior. Karynian cultural heritage has long favored the use of great, two-handed weapons, and greataxes, glaives, halberds, mauls, and greatswords compose the most common weapons of the Karynian arsenal. Magic plays a critical role in Karynian upbringing, and its incorporation into every aspect of martial arts is intertwined such that the distinguishable difference between the magical and the martial are practically inseparable in Karynian dogma. More specialized, powder-based weapons - the likes of muskets, grenades, and cannons - are growing in popularity within Karynia, yet as their role and utility is heavily debated in this era of change, it remains uncertain how these inventions will best be used when competing against the omnipresent use of magic within Karynia.

[b]Cherveks[/b] famously favor using griffons as mounts, their immense strength, agility, and endurance lending well to the chaotic nature a battlefield most naturally provides. Those seeking greater thrills - and perhaps, animal handling skills alongside such fiery passions - prefer using wyverns as their mounts of choice, the immense strength and famed stubbornness of the animals lending itself to solely the most daring of [b]chervek.[/b] The famed [b]ashgliders[/b] of Karynia's volcanic regions provide the realm's most unique mount. [b]Ashgliders[/b] are lizard-like winged creatures which thrive within volcanic environments. Possessing great wings, thick scales, and a notoriously stubborn temperament, [b]ashgliders[/b] are, perhaps oddly, swift and unbothered. Their nonplussed temperament makes them relatively simple to ride, yet this same demeanor makes them lack the raw brutality of a wyvern or the elegant strength of a griffon. Instead, the [b]ashglider's[/b] greatest strength lay in its sheer resilience; Many folk tales speak at length on the [b]ashglider's[/b] ability to bathe in molten lava and survive for weeks on a time with minimal sustenance. 

Due to the circumstance of Karynia's geography - only sharing a narrow (if quite fortified) land border with its Zentauri neighbor - the Tsardom affords to put less concern upon the maintenance of a land army, largely keeping its varied [b]cherveks[/b] at the whims of regular training and tournaments. Instead, Karyina prides itself upon its naval prowess, from which the extensive coasts and merchant marine of the realm need constant survey from pirates and interlopers. The constant patrols and exercises by the Karynian Navy serve as an omnipresent reminder - to Zentaur and Chiti alike - that the Seas of the West are the domain of Karynia, and none other.[/i][/color]
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