Kjerag

**Kjerag** is a Terran country which borders Columbia, Kazimierz, and Victoria. It is a theocracy based on the worship of Kjeragandr, the nation goddess who protects the land. Kjerag is known for its strong religious influence with the Karlan Saintess acting as the spiritual leader and political figurehead. The Vine-Bear Court acts as the highest authority to its people while the Tri-Clan Council deals with secular affairs.

The Kjeragians highly venerates Kjeragandr through various festivals and religious rituals, particularly the annual Grand Ceremony held to commemorate Kjeragandr's appearance and acts as a national holiday whilst the three noble clans of Kjerag organize the Holy Hunt where the Saintess hunts down the legendary *Tschäggättäs* to bring good fortune.

Kjerag is nicknamed the "**Snow Realm**" due to its rugged, snowbound mountainous landscape that protects Kjerag from Catastrophes and foreign invasions. Its geographical features allow the inhabitants to live in sedentary settlements.

## Background

 File:The Snow Realm.png
A few thousand years ago, Kjerag was founded by the eponymous goddess who led Her people to settle in the rugged mountains. For the next three centuries, Kjeragandr ruled the nation until She decided to ascend into the heavens amidst a blizzard. Before Her departure, Kjeragandr appointed the three greatest noble families, the Silverashes, the Browntails, and the Paleroches, as Kjerag's nominal leaders. Such traditions have been maintained for millennia out of the people's respect for Kjeragandr.

Due to its geographical features and the long period of peace, Kjerag is not particularly interested to the outside world and prefers to focus on internal affairs. But as the geopolitics around Kjerag grows tenuous, especially since the rise of Columbia and the fall of the Gaulish Empire, change is inevitable. Tensions already rose between the reformist Silverashes and the conservative faction led by the Paleroches, Browntails, and the Vine-Bear Court who wish to maintain the *status quo*. The matter became worse when Olafur, the Silverashes' former patriarch, died with his wife Elizabeth in a train accident, giving the opportunity for the other two clans to oust the Silverashes from the Tri-Clan Council through political schemes. For the next few years, the Paleroches and Browntails dominated Kjerag's politics until Olafur's firstborn son Enciodes returned from Victoria and founded the Karlan Trade seven years ago (the year 1090), restoring the Silverashes' position in the Council by allowing the other two clans to benefit from their trade.

Despite this, the Silverashes were impatient withe the slow progress and planned to "accelerate" Kjerag's modernization through various unequal deals with foreign countries and over-extraction of its natural resources. In the meantime, the Paleroches, Browntails, and Vine-Bear Court worry that the Silverashes' methods would bring an end to peace in the Snow Realm and desecrate the Kjeragandr cult's tradition and faith. This came to head in a brief conflict dubbed the Snowcap Incident that led to Kjerag ending its centuries-long isolationism, unifying the three clans under one banner, and changing itself for the better.

## Notable people

* **Elizabeth Silverash**☠: The mother of Enciodes, Enya, and Ensia who died alongside Olafur in a train accident.
* **Luca Browntail**☠: The former patriarch of the Browntail clan and the grandfather of Ratatos and Sciurus.
* **Olafur Silverash**☠: The former patriarch of the Silverash clan and father of Enciodes, Enya, and Ensia. He intended to industrialize Kjerag, but was opposed by the Browntails and Paleroches who plotted to assassinate him as part of their scheme to oust the Silverashes from the Tri-Clan Council. Before they could, Olafur and Elizabeth dies in a train accident with the Edelweisses being framed for their death by the Browntails.

## Location

### Landmarks

* **Mount Karlan**: The most sacred mountain in the Kjeragandr cult, located between the Silverashes and Paleroches' territory, and said to be Kjeragandr's abode. The Karlan Square where the Kjeragandr cult's festivals are held is located on Mt. Karlan's foothills, while a sanctuary complex where the Vine-Bear Court is based on and the Karlan Saintess' residence is located on the summit.
* **Mount Jungfrau**: Named after the 3rd Karlan Saintess, Mt. Jungfrau is said to be made from Kjeragandr's tears. Hiking or climbing Mt. Jungfrau is forbidden without permission from the Paleroches.
* **Mount Matterhorn**: The tallest mountain in Kjerag which Matterhorn is named after.

### Settlements

* **Turicum**: The capital of the Silverashes' territory. It is Kjerag's only industrial area and gateway to the outside world through K.T.'s activities.

## References

2. ↑ BI-5 Before
3. ↑ BI-1 After
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 BI-6 After
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 BI-1 Before