Keldar

## The Holy Order of Keldar

The distinctive charge of the Arms of Keldar: A golden dragon, slain, in a crimson field.

## Geography

### Type

Unitary landed military and monastic order

## Society

### Races

60% Humans
 30% Half-Elves
 5% Elves
 5% Other

## History

### Preceded by

Various Kelian and Duranian duchies

**Keldar**, also known as the **Holy Order of Keldar**, and by its full name, the **Sovereign Holy and Military Order of the Knights of the Transmundane**, is an autocratic theocracy in central Erideon. The government of the state can be summarized in the figure of the Grand Master, who effectively rules by decree.

Originally, the Keldari authority was twofold: The temporal domain of the Landmeisters, and the religious domain of the Pontiff. However, the expansion of the Order has caused both to become affixed together.

In the present, the Order of the Knights of the Transmundane and the Keldari State are essentially synonymous, for which reason the state is best described as a landed military and monastic order.

Although modern belief would pin the blame for the Endless War squarely on Keldar's shoulders, this is not necessarily true. However, Keldar has recently launched substantial invasions of its neighbours, leading to the accretion of this popular belief.

## Etymology

The precise etymology of the word **Keldar** is unknown, but has referred to the region since time immemorial. In classical history, the region is also often known as **Durania** (Keldari: *Durien)*, and in romantic accounts of Keldari history the term **Duranian** is often employed.

Scholars hold that it is likeliest that the term Keldar is derived from the name given to the historical God revered by the Duranian people, Kel, for which reason Kel-Dar would mean something along the lines of "God's Land" or "God's Country."

## History

### Second Age

The second age saw much conflict in the area now known as Keldar. For one, the region was formerly divided into dozens of petty counties and duchies; these fought over minimal power and clout in the region.

### Third Age

The Third Age saw the unification of the fractious Keldari and Duranian duchies into a single theocratic nation-state, rebranded as Keldar.

## Geography

Surrounded by mountains and rivers, Keldar has easily-defensible borders that have allowed the region to maintain its cohesive independence for centuries.

Pine forests dominate most of the elevated hills of the state, which are mostly located inland. Closer to the coast of the Great Sea, the vegetation opens up to form large, fertile prairies and rolling pastoral landscapes.

## Politics

### Administrative Structure

#### The Pontiff

The Pontiff, a currently-vacant position, is the spiritual leader of the Order.

#### The Grand Master

The Grand Master is the temporal leader of the Order. He rules, in essence, by decree, although much of the minutiae of governance and administration is left to the Grand Council.

#### The Temple

The innermost circle of rulership within the Holy Order is known as the Temple, and refers to the Old Temple -- a large church and religious-political complex in Temple Ward, at the center of Freienthal. The Temple is composed of the Grand Master and his cabinet of closest friends and advisors, subdivided into the Household and the Chancellery of the Grand Master (dealing with internal and external affairs respectively).

#### The Grand Council

The Grand Council is an appointed corps that advises and supports the executive. Much of the small affairs of the realm -- such as customs, trade guidelines, and the administration of infrastructure, is left to the Grand Council.

The Grand Chancellor is the chair and speaker of the Grand Council of the Order. In the event of a Grand Master's unexpected demise, the Grand Chancellor succeeds as a provisional Grand Master. The Grand Council also includes the Grand Marshal, Grand Hospitaller, and Grand Treasurer.

### Foreign relations

Main article: Endless War
Within Erideon, Keldar is almost-universally despised because of its role in the Endless War. Nonetheless, Keldari officials continuously blame the Aldian New Monarchy for the entire conflict.

#### The Free Provinces

Keldar invaded the Free Provinces a few decades ago, and much of their territory remains under Keldari occupation. Suffice it to say that relations are not exactly friendly.

#### The New Monarchy

Main article: Endless War
The Holy Order and the New Monarchy both believed to have reasons to go to war with each other. However, neither side could have foreseen the scale of destruction and tragedy that would accompany the Endless War.

Now having raged for 102 years without any side finding the decisive victory they hoped for -- even after Keldar opened a second front by invading the Free Provinces to the North -- Keldar has recently enjoyed greater levels of success in the battlefield, allowing the Order to secure the important cities of Tourall and Leveire.

#### Stavenberg

Stavenberg has shown signs of support towards Aldreic, for which reason Keldar shows some restrained hostility towards this Dwarven Kingdom, which culminated into the Keldari invasion of Stavenberg in 120 3A.

#### Tyrland

Tyrland, decidedly neutral in the geopolitical affairs of Erideon, has elected to recall its embassies to the three primary belligerents of the Great Northern War. Upon the fall of Logarius, Keldar launched the Keldari invasion of Tyrland against its weakened southern neighbour.

## Economy

As most countries in Erideon, the Keldari economy mostly revolves around subsistence farming throughout the various regions of the Order. However, the Order's economy relies less on trade than do the economies of the Free Provinces and the New Monarchy; this is because Keldari goods have been almost wholly boycotted in Erideon, and the Order has readily embraced autarkic practices.

## Demographics

Humans are the majority of the populace of Keldar. As with most countries in Erideon, however, there is a significant elven minority; half-elves also represent a sizeable portion of the population.

Unlike what Aldian propaganda would lead one to believe, the government of Keldar does not consider other races to be second-class citizens; nevertheless, Keldar is the least diverse state of the continent.

## Culture

The intersection between religion (that of Kel, to be precise) and the military colours the entire culture and society of this eastern state of Erideon.