Kyval

The Confederation of Kyval, typically just called **Kyval**, is a nation in northern Selonia. Kyval is bordered by the Frost Sea to the north, Gaffa to the east, Irvinia to the southeast, Lake Karbrost to the south, Danzerg to the southwest, and the Primordial Sea to the west. Across the Twilight Channel lays the Island of Yorda. Kyval is the largest country in northern Selonia by land area and the 5th largest country in all of Selonia. Despite its large size, Kyval is sparsely populated with just over 1 million inhabitants. Most Kyvalings live in rural villages and the country lacks any towns over 10,000 people.

## Etymology

The word Kyval is derived from the Wood Elf Words Kai-Val, meaning Cold Land. The land that composes modern Kyval, as well as parts of Danzerg and Gaffa was referred to as Kai-Val by the Wood Elves for thousands of years before humans migrated to the region and adopted the name for their own territory.

"Kyvalings" (Cold-Landers) refers to any resident of Kyval, but it is most typically used to refer to the Humans living in Kyval as most Wood Elves refer to themselves as Arboleans.

In both Argentian and Verdenian Dwarvish, Kyval is called "Orustyga" meaning "Winter Land."

## History

### Age of Creation 100,000 BC

The land that is now Kyval has been inhabited by both Snow and Wood Elves for tens of thousands of years. In the origins of Selonia, the god Viridius created the continent of Selonia and populated it with elves in his own image in 100,000 BC. These elves, originally all belonging to one tribe, split as they moved to the far edges of the continent. Both the Wood Elves and the Snow Elves (along with the Dark Elves of Yorda) migrated north and settled the lands there.

### Cognus' Betrayal 50,000 BC

The Betrayal of Cognus in 50,000 BC brought knowledge and civilization to Selonia. It also brought war and strife. The High Elves, those who rallied behind Cognus' teachings, began to consolidate themselves into a single kingdom which sought to dominate the continent of Selonia. Both Wood and Snow Elves were forced to flee farther north, abandoning lands they held in central Selonia for the more remote regions of Kyval and Gaffa.

### Age of the Elves 50,000 BC-500 BC

During the Age of the Elves, more accurately the Age of the High Elves, much of central and southern Selonia was under the domination of successive High Elf Dynasties. In Kyval, the Snow Elves and Wood Elves began to distinguish themselves from both the High Elves and one another. Snow Elves took to inhabiting the icy coasts of the frost sea and the surrounding tundra, while wood elves remained farther south in the vast taiga forests.

During this period in history, much of what occurred in Kyval comes from the oral traditions of the Wood Elves who passed stories down generation to generation around village fires. Much of their way of life remained unchanged during the early Imperial Age of Selonia, and Kyval was so remote it rarely experienced violence with the southern empires.

It is also important to note that unlike many Elven regions, the Kyvalians did not practice or engage in the Human and Dwarf Slave trade that flourished in the High Elf Empires.

### Late Imperial Age and Lumanari Dynasty 10,000 BC-500 BC

During the late Imperial Age in Selonia, particularly during the Lumanari Dynasty, large numbers of freed Humans began to settle in the border regions between Kyval and the Lumanari, which today is modern Danzerg and Irvinia. As centuries went on, Humans slowly began to move into Kyval proper and live alongside the Wood Elves in southern Kyval. This migration brought tension, leading to numerous skirmishes between the numerically superior Humans and the Elf natives. A culmination of battles lead to the Treaty of Menheim, which established peace between the Humans and Elves and allowed Humans to move further into Elven territory.

#### Gradual Decline of Wood Elf Prominence 5000 BC-Present

The Treaty of Wilvarn started the long period of decline of the wood elves in Kyval. For much of their history, Wood Elves were the dominate force in Kyval and surrounding lands, but the numerically superior Humans proved to overwhelm them. Intermarriage between Humans and Wood Elves, while at first taboo, became more widespread by the end of the Imperial Age to the point in which numerous Human tribes began to accept Wood Elves into their ranks.

### Collapse of the Lumanari 500 BC

The Collapse of the Lumanari Empire sent shockwaves through much of Selonia, including Kyval which had never been apart of any High Elf Dynasty. The rise of Humans in the south paralleled the developments in Kyval from several centuries before, in which Humans outgrew their Elven masters and seized power for themselves. Kyval, however, was spared much of the violence from the fallout of the Lumanari Empire given its remote location and relations between Humans and Wood Elves continued to be stable, even as the Humans continued to outgrow the native population.

### Age of the Humans 500 BC-Present

The Age of The Humans, which occurred rapidly and violently in the south of Selonia, was steady and peaceful in Kyval. Humans already outnumbered native elves in Kyval 5 to 1, yet they had adopted many Wood Elf customs to the point where it was difficult to distinguish the two cultures. It was during this time that the 7 Great Tribes of Kyval met in the city of Wilvarn to establish the Confederation of Kyval, dedicated to protecting all being-Human and Elvish-within Kyval's borders against outsiders. This also lead to the establishment of the first ever Winter Games, a tradition that has continued to the modern time.

#### Luxo Dynasty 320 BC-0 AC

The Luxo dynasty was the first Human dynasty to rise out of the ashes of the High Elf Imperial Period and attempt to assert itself as the true rulers of Selonia. More ambitious than its High Elf predecessors, the Luxo dynasty sought to conquer all regions of Selonia including Kyval. The tribal leaders of Kyval watched the developments in southern Selonia with growing concern, but decided not to intervene in the various wars of conquest that would soon follow the rise of the Luxo Dynasty.

The Luxo Dynasty used the notion of pan-Humanism, the idea that all Humans are one tribe that should be united against the other races, as a means to inspire support from Humans both within and outside their borders. This ideal was not well received in Kyval, where Humans had lived side by side with Elves for centuries and married them frequently.

##### Campaign in the North 303 BC-290 BC

Queen Indre of the Luxo Dynasty lead the early parts of the northern campaign against the combined armies of Danzerg, Gaffa, Irvinia, and Kyval as well as their Dwarven and Elvish allies. The disastrous Battle of Den Isuen (300 BC) saw the capitulation of both Danzergian and Dwarvish forces and forced the Kyvaling Army to retreat back to their own borders. Only a few months later, the Battle of Freneva lead to the surrender of Irvinia and its incorporation into the Luxo Empire.

### Fall of Kyval 298 BC

The next two years saw the Luxo Dynasty undertake a massive invasion of Kyval by both land and sea. The Kyvalings and their Wood Elf allies relied on guerilla tactics to slow their advances and both sides suffered heavy casualties. After months of bloody fighting, the Luxo Dynasty was able to capture numerous coastal towns including Menheim, Kavanger, and Maslo but failed to establish control of the vast interior of the country. The Kyvalings would continue to launch raids against the Luxian holdings till the empire would collapse due to the Yorda Catacalysm.

### Yorda Cataclysm 0 AC

Kyvalings continued to launch raids for much of the Luxo Golden Age, which lasted from 290-0 AC. Repeated attempts by the Luxians to pacify the country were unsuccessful and much of the country remained unofficially independent.

The Events of the Yorda Cataclysm were felt strongly in Kyval, as the supernatural catastrophe was in close proximity to Kyval. Records indicate that large waves hit the shores of western Kyval, flooding coastal towns and destroying hundreds of miles of forests. Massive blizzards and crop failures lead to famine and hostility grew between the tribes.

### Post Cataclysm 0 AC-350 AC (Present)

The years following the Yorda Cataclysm were marked by instability in much of Selonia, including Kyval where numerous tribes broke into open conflict over hunting and fishing rights. The fall of the Luxian Dynasty was one bright spot in the early years of this time, resulting in the coastal cities of Kyval returning to their respective tribes.

It took several decades before peace and order was restored in Kyval, by which time the tribes had agreed once again to honor the Wilvarn Accords though tension and hostility would remain.

### Present 350 AC

At Present the Confederation is still held together by the Wilvarn Accords. The 7 tribes of Kyval, 5 Human and 2 Elvish, cooperate on certain matters including defending against outsiders but they disagree on others. Skirmishes between the tribes are common, though serious civil conflict has not struck Kyval since the early days of the Post Cataclysm.

## Geography

Situated in Northern Selonia, Kyval lies south of the Frost Sea and east of both the Primordial Sea and the Twilight Channel. This provides Kyval with one of the longest coasts in Selonia, though much of it is frozen throughout the year and only the very southern strip of land remains ice free during the winter. Much of the land in the north near the coast of the Frost Sea is flat tundra, where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The vegetation of this area is composed of shrubs, grass, and moss and the shore itself is rocky and covered with ice. Ice sheets extend during the winter to create an ice shelf into the Frost Sea that extends for several miles.

Eastern Kyval is dominated by the Argent Mountains which form the border with the kingdom of Gaffa to the east. The area around the mountains in south/southeastern Kyval is dominated by the Yula Forest, a large boreal forests home to the Vargsta Tribe and their main village of Kavanger.

The south of Kyval is home to the lush Zima Forest, located largely along the shores of Lake Karbrost and sandwiched in between two rivers: the Zeron and Lerod. The Zima is home to the Menheim Tribe, with their village of Menheim being their chief population center.

The southwest, west of the Lerod River, is dominated by flatter lands and the massive Bjormoln Forest home of the Brun Tribe. This area is the most developed and has the highest population.

Western Kyval is dominated by the Skummelt Forest home of the Hval Tribe. This area is incredibly remote and swampy, home to fearsome beasts. Most of the population lives along the coasts or near the River Tryst

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