The Jarl of Canis

The Jarl of Canis (Yarl of Can-iss) is a petty kingdom and vassal state of The Nordur Imperium, existing on the landmass of Gallica—otherwise known as Mitjana.

It is one of two Mitjana Houses which broke tradition by assimilating into Imperial rule to protect against Gallican and Jadar incursions, the other being the Jarl of Jotunne. Canis, however, like it’s Jotunne neighbors, still maintains its traditional culture, customs, and population despite Imperial influence as The Nordur are quite content to keep local cultures of their vassals intact.

Also like Jotunne, The Canese developed two subsets of their population as some of their natives began breeding with newcomers during The Age of Man. They have combined together into one, layered, complex, and unique. This, together with its people's common goal of living in peace, gives them a strong sense of national identity.

### Identity/Heritage

Citizens of Canis are known as Canese (can-eess). The population is split into two groups known as Old Canese and New Canese.

Old Canese are the indigenous members of the Canese House. During The Age of Man, when Mitjana was used as a central point between Hemland, Mystara, and Sunterra for commerce and relations, The Canese were the most enthusiastic about mingling with outsiders. Canis became diverse as a result, hosting large populations of peoples from each of the three other lands. Over time, their original blood bred out and created an entirely new ethnic group which is now known as New Canese. Tens of thousands of years later, the Old Canese and New Canese look mostly the same. Canese appearance is characterized by shades of brown or dirty blonde hair, with pure, pink-beige skin. Eye colors vary: satin gray, marble gray, sugar gray, gray hazel, or aquamarine.

Due to the presence of Old Canese and Nordur genetics, even the New Canese are larger than traditional Gallican, Jadar, or Sunterran peoples. Men tend to stand just over six feet tall, with women just under six feet. They are broad shouldered, but lean, and tend to dress in simple, earthen colored tunics and pants made of cotton, flax, and linen.

Canis is united by both sets of ethnic heritage, as well as an overall desire to live in peace and prosperity. They retain amicable relations with the other Mitjana Houses, but do not participate in their conflicts with the Gallicans. As they generally do not partake in conflict overall, and by nature of their proximity, they are a vassal state of The Imperium for protection against Gallica, The Jadar, and Sunterra.

### History

During The Timeless Aeon, Canis was isolated on Mitjana as a result of the post-Cataclysm shift. In the later part of the Aeon, they were visited by Rirris and her Mejfa, and given the gift of awakening via the jurema plant, which they helped the Houses develop. The Mitjana believed Rirris and her Mejfa to be gods, and worshiped her as The Mother.

The Age of Man brought organization to the Mitjana, bringing the formation of the Houses. Shortly after, Nordur explorers from Hemland made their first landings, followed shortly by The Sunterrans, and finally, The Jadar.

At the end of The Age of Man, and well into the First Modern Era, Mitjana became a central place of commerce and relations between the three other landmasses, bringing diversity to the island. This, however, brought about conflict as a new race of people arose in the south: The Gallicans. The southern Houses were pushed off their land, leading to a declaration of war. Canis and Jotunne, due to their integration with the Nordur, Sunterrans, and Jadar, declined to particiapted, and were subsequently cut off from the other Houses. Nordland, The Nivalain, and The First Silician Empire united together to fight the Houses, to no avail. The war ended in a stalemate, though the Houses were unable to achieve their goal of reclaiming the southern lands.

In the aftermath, Canis and Jotunne became independent states. Jotunne maintained its indepdence throughout the ages, while Canis was passed around as a colony. For the remainder of The First Modern Era, they belonged to the First Silician Empire until its fall. It belonged to the Nivalain until it also fell until it was defeated by The Second Silician Empire, which reclaimed Canis as a part of its victory. As The Second Empire fell apart, Canis was briefly independent until it agreed to become a colony of The Storheim Dynasty to relinquish itself from Nihen rule. As The Storheim's fell, Canis maintained its ties to The Nordur by agreeing to ally with House Hrafn and The Nordur Imperium as a vassal, which it has been for the entire Fourth Modern Era.

### Geography

The northern and western borders of Canis are bound by water, The Sparkling Sea and The Oduba Channel, respectively. Every other border is shared with one of their Mitjana sister tribes, all of whom have a share, though most of the land between them is mountainous.

The coast line of Canis is varied. Roughly half of it is hard rock, and the other half is a mixture of soft rock, conglomerate cliff, and mud, with pockets of beaches scattered throughout.

Inland, most of Canis is mountainous, with pockets of broad plains and deep valleys traversed by small rivers. Though mountainous, the soil is the richest in Gallica, allowing for the growth of coffee and tobacco.

Most population centers are along the coast, such as Canese City and Endcamp. Three towns in the river valleys: Girovic, Leida, and Figures. Small villages and towns exist in the mountains as well, mainly populated by those who work the coffee and tobacco fields.

Key geographical points:

* Wilcana Peaks
* Susram Mountains
* Arianrhod's Seat
* Arnia Valley
* Tunroy Vale
* Narrow Dell

### Economy

The Canese economy is one of the most developed of the Mitjana tribes, though it still lags behind others on The Central Continent. Their main exports are coffee and tobacco, which take up most land that would otherwise be used by other crops. They do, however, grow wheat, along with crops meant to keep subsistence for their population. The wheat is primarily used to make bread and beer. The rest of the fertile land present in the jarl is used as grazing pasture for cattle and other animals which are used for dairy and meat, which make up close to eighty percent of the traditional Canese diet.

All imports and exports from the rest of Teleria are managed by Hofud and The Imperium.

### Government

Canis is a jarl of The Nordur Imperium, a form of vassal in which their governance is administered directly by The Imperium via a regional governor known as a Jarl. The current Jarl is Wallia Amaury. All Imperial laws apply within the jarl, but The Imperium has allowed the Canese to keep their local councils, called Houses, which mainly decide matters and disputes applicable to their immediate communities.

Canis has no formal military of its own. The Imperium maintains a small, local guard of a thousand native Canese, and keeps two frigates docked in Canese City Port.

### Culture/Customs

The traditional diet among Canese, old and new, is primarily meat and dairy from cows, goats, and sheep, as well as meat from pigs, rabbits, fallow deer, boar, and-in coastal areas-frogs. The Canese, in traditional Mitjana taste, eat every edible part of the animal. Among ruminants, this means eyes, brains, heart, kidney, liver, testicles, stomach, intestines, hoofs, bone marrow, tongue, pancreas, etc. They even eat cow udders, anus, lungs, and cheek. They will often boil down bones into broth, though it is considered a delicacy and is often very expensive. They distill the wheat grown in their territory into beer, which is often plain compared to other beers, such as those from Brette, which have become more popular since being introduced by The Imperium. Their traditional bread is unleavened, but is sweetened with honey from bee farms in their river valleys and coast lines. Outsiders, however, consider most traditional Mitjana food to be gross, though to some, it is exotic.

Canese consume tobacco and coffee almost in excess, which they credit with fueling their work ethic.

Canese take immense pride in their work, no matter what it is, seeing labor as an honor and a way to earn their keep in the world.

There are hardly any class divisions among The Canese, a MItjana trait that mixed well with Nordur influence. Just as with The Nordur, it is considered an insult to their national heritage to allow a Canese to go hungry, without work, or without relations with their kin. All are given according to their need, though this is done by The Canese themselves rather than by Imperial mandate.

The Canese, like all Mitjana, are incredibly superstitious. They are terrified of sorcery, even that of the Nordur, who keep no seidhkona in Canis out of respect, believing it to be unnatural, making humans into gods. Bells are rung in their cities, towns, and villages at dusk and dawn, driving out whatever spirits may have visited in the night. In the winter, light is kept in the house at all times, refusing to let darkness and death rule the season. Houses and buildings are swept each day, sometimes multiple times a day, believing that the activity wards of bad luck, and that cleanliness ushers in spirits of prosperity and health.

Despite their superstitions and their aversion to sorcery, The Canese still engage with spirituality in a syncretic blend of beliefs which combines The Nordur Imperial Cult, with honoring their ancestral spirits, which they call Guidas (guy-dass). These spirits, they believe, speak to them through the organs of sacrificial animals, fire scrying, and a ritual known as Ran Tapa, a shamanic journey initiated by the jurema plant, which grows wild throughout certain portions of Gallica. The spirits are sought mainly for advice, supplication, and prophecy. It is believed that the spirits of the Mitjana, and the Canese in general, have the ear of Freya herself, and will beseech her assistance on their people's behalf.

The aversion to sorcery is rooted in the belief that The Weavers created humans to be humans, and that the practice of magic upsets the natural hierarchy of the universe. They do not have any issue with Freya herself, however, as she is, in fact, a goddess. Nor do they have any issue with THe Moon Children, who they believe to be invoking the power of the moons, rather than generating any power of their own or through their own minds, spirits, or bodies. It is the seidhkona they take issue with, as well as channelers and alchemists of any kind.

In keeping with traditional Mitjana custom, there are no hard and fast rules on sexuality within Canis. Attitudes are held and respected from person to person, though everything is kept behind closed doors, and strictly between whoever is involved. Generally, monogamy is the standard living arrangement and families are kept nuclear. Sex outside of these relationships is incredibly common, however, as Canese often take whoever they desire in private. Sexual encounters are almost always kept between no more than three people, though. Homosexual relationships, whether of romantic, platonic, or sexual nature, are common as well with both sexes. It is considered extremely rude to disturb any of these relationships, even if one walks in on their monogamous partner having sex with someone else- in which case, it is also rude to ask or confront them about it after.

Canese society, as with all Mitjana, is both matriarchal and matrilineal. All customs of the Mitjana matriarchy apply, with a handful of Nordur customs mixed in.