Grand Dutchy of Calcabra

The **Grand Duchy of Calcabra** is the largest producer of food of the western region, as its hills and plains are in fertile ground. Thus, it has a particular need for mercenaries to defend its border from the Drow city states. Because of this, it has developed a large army and dominates local politics within its sphere of influence.

## History

This region’s ancient history is mostly lost to myth. The humans in this area are ethnically similar to others found in the northwest, and may or may not be related to those who lived in Etera. Unlike Etera, they got along well with the wood elves, hobbits, gnomes, and other fey-ish beings who would eventually unite to form the (First) Western Elf Empire in attempt to fend off the growing Azan/Dragon Empire. However this would ultimately fail as the humans, hobbits, half-elves, gnomes, dwarves, sea elves, and others who made up much of the population of the Scimitarian Subcontinent gradually opted to become allies, vassals, and provinces of the Azan/Dragon Empire instead, leaving just Etera, its allies, and a few pockets of wood elves.

However, many parts of the Scimitarian Subcontinent didn’t remain independent for long, as roughly a thousand years ago, the drow emerged from the underworld in large numbers and took much of the subcontinent (calling themselves the Second Western Elf Empire in a largely failed attempt to recruit patsies from the few remaining loyalists to the previous Western Elf Empire).

But this didn’t last long either.

The drow had overreached and within a short time period were driven back to ash wastes in the central subcontinent. Many folk, bitter at the failings of the Azan/Dragon Empire, declared independence, creating a hodgepodge of feudal states, city states, and magocracies.

The Calcabra region went through much political change over the past millennia since the defeat of the drow, as small independent states gradually coalesced into a collection of duchies, principalities, and semi-independent baronies. Violence was rare however, as the threat of raids from the drow was ever present. Instead, most disputes were resolved via political manoeuvring and marriages.

Eventually the main duchies unified into one Grand Duchy, though this simply formalized the long standing dominance of House Wesrarian, who controlled the largest duchy, and are related to most of the rulers of the rest.

## Government

   The Grand Duchy is essentially a feudal state, but each layer of nobility has a strong supporting bureaucracy and military, who for the most part work seamlessly together in times of crisis. Democracy is mostly limited to village and town councils, yet Calcabra’s rulership is considered one of the most enlightened in the world, and dissent is rare among the populace (though this is partially due to fears of creating openings for the drow).

## Economy

Calcabra is a major exporter of luxury food and drinks, high quality wood and metal crafts, and is also a major shipbuilding centre.

Due to its wealth, it sometimes hires large numbers of foreign mercenaries when drow raids or skirmishes are particularly frequent.

## Foreign Relations

### Calcrabian Mountains and South Belsirya

Due to its sheer size and wealth, Calcabra has a great deal of influence in these two regions, but it rarely abuses it, instead seeing them as valuable allies against the drow.

### Belsire States and Aurous Highlands

Calcabra has a lot of influence here as well, but these regions vast mineral wealth buys them a certain amount of independence.

### Arangea and Bumi

Calcrabra isn’t entirely comfortable with Arangea’s obsession with Etera, nor their current slavery and bigotry. Bumi they like even less due to their dark magic and religious oppression. But still honor ancient alliances and more recent defence pacts with them against the drow.

### Isle of Wizards

Another staunch allies against the drow, though the wizards only truly respect those powerful in magic.

### Sea-Elves

Traditionally they have gotten along, but Calcabra’s unwillingness to sanction the war with Chrysovica has strained relations a bit.

### Chrysovica

Calcabra’s unwillingness to intervene on behalf of Chrysovica against the sea elves as strained relations here as well.

### Drow

The main enemies of Calcabra and its allies, Calcabra has fought off the drow for a millennium.

### Azan Empire

The Azan Empire once claimed most of the region that is now Calcabra, but this is seen as ancient history. Relations are generally positive now due to trade ties and shared religion.

### Hithlone

Although few Calcabrian ships go south along the coast, many ships from Hithlone go up and down the coast. Direct relations with Hithlone are rare though, and many in Calcabra see them as a pirate nation little better than Kinnog or Moreelse.

### Kinnog

Calcabra is aware pirates and smugglers operate in this region, but so little of their trade goes south they rarely make an effort to suppress these activities.

### Orc’eire

Traditionally Calcabra has seen the orcs as nothing but raiders and slavers, but Clan Bansheebane has recently made some efforts to form positive relations.

### Scarred Phantoms

Although they generally see assassination as beneath them, occasionally there are those in Calcabra that see need for a discreet intervention.

### Moreelse

Calcabra doesn’t much care for them due to their criminal activities, but fortunately White Death hasn’t become as popular here as in many other parts of the west.

## Geography

Much of Calcabra is well cultivated farmland separated by small forests and marshland. The coastal areas are drier and more warm. The volcanic ashlands to the south form a natural border with drow territory.

## Demographics

### Humans

Humans make up most of the population. They are of similar ethnicity to the people of the northern Scimitarian Subcontinent, Isle of Wizards, Gvilderstaaten, and the northern portions of the Azan Empire, though they have an unusually high percentage of blonds.

### Half-Elves

They descend from ancient intermixing with wood/primal elves. They usually have high societal status due to their longer lifespan and attractiveness.

### Hobbits

Some hobbits live in the northern parts of the Grand Duchy, they are usually more tame than their mountain dwelling cousins.

### Dwarves

Some dwarf clans live here, farming, herding, and operating small mines and quarries. They are one of the remnants of the large dwarven kingdoms that once existed on the subcontinent.

### Sea Elves and Drow

A few ideological dissidents of these races live in Calcabra, though their mixed race descendants are more common.

### Goblins, Ogres, Trolls, Orcs, and Harpies

Monstrous raiders are rare, but not unheard of in Calcabra. With the exception of the harpies, many are run away slaves from drow territory or Arangea.

### Merfolk

Western merfolk are common along the coast, and have close relations with Calcabra.

## Religion

Most Calcabrians follow a variant of the New Azan Faith, where sun symbols are heavily used to represent Bronzar. Although not dogmatically religious, few regions uphold the ideals of the New Azan Faith as well as the Calcabrians, though folk in other nations sometimes find them naïve, vain, or sanctimonious depending on the individual.

A more benevolent form of the Moon Goddess faith of Irem is popular with some free spirits, particularly drow and sea elves. Other drow and sea elves worship obscure gods banned in their homelands.

Hobbits, dwarves, and merfolk tend to worship their own gods, though some have converted to the New Azan Faith.

## Military

Calcabra has a solid military of professional footmen and knights, backed by militia archers and skirmishers, and combat mages and healers. Although each formation is theoretically loyal to a local lord rather than the state, there is a high level of standardization between forces, and most soldiers will ignore orders of a lord they feel is betraying the interests of the nation as a whole.

Calcabra also has a powerful navy that sometimes polices waters far beyond Calcabra’s borders.