Kaianai (Old Lore)

## Introduction

The Kaianai is the largest Prefectum in all of Xyrillia. Inhabited by the martial Otogaoi, it is a region of constant conflict. It is by far the most untamed and wildest of Prefecti where its inhabitants fight a constant battle against its beasts and climate.

## Kaianai

### Cities

**Kand**

The *city of breathing stone* is the most sacred in all of the Kaianai. It is perhabs the largest, yet its majority consists of ruins. The entire vale of Kand is filled with destoryed walls and towers while grass and wild cotton grow inbetween. Kand is so high up in the mountains that there always lies snow and clouds cover it like a thick dust. The main temple city is huge and entirely build of stone. There are no houses or districts, only a hulking temple of countless levels and towers. In order to survive in the cold, houses and streets are covered by a thick stone roof. Fires and a set of shats in walls and roof illuminate the building. The central temple complex rises high above the surrounding stones, piercing even the highest clouds. In its insides lies the Keshen Born and the wolfgod Vorg.

**Kharad**

The capital of the Kaianai, also known as *New Kand*, is one of the largest cities in the east. It hosts more then two million people and is compromised of 22 great districts. 12 of them are dedicated to Otogaoi inhabitants, 5 to other Xyrillians, 2 to outworlders, 1 to trade, 1 to the paradise gardens and 1 to the central palace. They are delimited by thick stone walls. While the lowborn Keshen, merchants and outlanders inhabit the countless wodden houses, soldiers and guards live inside the gigantic walls which are filled with hallways and apartments. The closer a district lies to the core of Kharad the wealthier the inhabitants. The paradise gardens surround the central palace and almost rival those in Xilian. While the imperial gardens only host local plants, the paradise gardens host exotic plants and animals from the west and the north of Xyrillia, Yokura and other dimensions. In its heart lies the great stone palace of Kharad where the Toloi reside. The cities walls where constructed by architechts from Saoleng, its houses and palaces equipped with esharic glass and its large halls build from nawangian ebonoak. It is in every sense of the word a cosmopolitian city

**Twincreek**

The second largest city in the Kaianai is located where the Gengai river sunders itself in two smaller streams. Twincreek is dedicated to western craft, agriculture and industry. It is the only Keshen City that hosts crafthalls and factories in the style of the west. While it is the economic heart of the Kaianai, other Keshen deem it a monument to the despicable modern times and the accursed influences of the Imperial Court. Twincreek is wealthy but only its noble parts are beautiful, while the rest sinks in dirt, rundown houses and criminality. The local Deepwalker cartel and the corrupt eunuchs have more power then the Kaluken who are supposed to rule Twincreek.

**Jejins Rest**

This city is sacred to most Otogaoi and Orochen tribes. It may be small, only hosting a few thousand inhabitants and its walls might be thin and weak, yet it is more important then the large nothern cities blooming with industry. It hosts the temple of Jejin, the Hero figure of the Kaianai. It was here that the defender of the steppes died and was burried. His armor and the tomb where he was burried with his horse and harem are worshipped by both the populace and travelers. The priests of the temple even hide a Bornelixir that stores Jejins persona deep in the bowels of the city, ready to recreate him in time of need.

**Yuvenhold**

The seat of house Huleg. It is build on a small mountain close to the Gengai river. While the outer districts lie on flat ground and are only defended by a heavy outer wall, the level higher districts are protected by gates, towers and passages. Every house is build on a different height to statione archers ontop. Throning above them is the falcon palace, a giant building made entirely of wood. Here reside the Kaluken of house Huleg. The greatest disadvantage of Yuvenhold is that the majority of the city is made from wood, let alone the stone walls.

**Kublug**

The Gravecity of Kublug was build by emperor *Leiji* who wanted to embrace his Keshen heritage and demanded a mausoleum in the Kaianai. While the Otogaoi loathe this practice, they where convinced by the large summs of money he payed the Toloi. They build almost eighty years until his gigantic tomb was finished. Although his body was stolen and never made it to Kublug, the giant monument to him stands to this very day. Over time, more and more people began to settle around it an bury their dead around the mausoleum. This way, a garden of gravetrees surrounds the mausolem that has been turned into a palace for the Kaluken nobility of house Toloi that govern this growing city.

**Wolfswatch**

The ancient fortress of Wolfswatch was erected long before the First Celestial Empire rose. It functioned as a Bastion against the Ghuls that dwelled in the Osho Mountains and held firm during each attack it faced, no matter how high the odds. Over time it drew more and more refugees to it that seeked its shelter. Thus a large city at the feet of the Osho mountains emerged. Wolfswatch is among the most defensable cities in all of the Kaianai.

**Shoreguard**

Lying directly at the Stormcoast, Shoreguard is the largest trade city of the entire Kaianai. Good from the west, the far north and even other worlds arrive in its harbours to make their way across the entire prefectum. Shoreguard has been declared neutral territory since every house requires its goods and flourishing trade. Its haven disctrict is large and wealthy, displaying a more mythical image of the Kaianai while poorer parts are hidden behind large walls. A Kaluk and an administrator from every house is send to represent them at court

**Korun**

The seat of house Morchen lies close to the stormcoast and is surrounded by a large and impassable swamp that slowly yields to civilisation. The core of Korun is entirely made from moonstone and clay, yet rather small. Surrounding the royal heart of the city is an ocean of wodden houses and slums, housing scum and roguery. Outlanders, westerners and merchants that thrive in the naval trade with Caowei and Sanchai.

**Drolug**

Spread all across the dry Kaianai there are small oases of life known as groves. Here hot springs have created small refuges for animals and trees. The largest of these groves grew where modern Drolug stands. The heart of the grove and its ironoaks still remain as the center of the city, yet the majority of Drolug are shaped by civilisation. The hot springs have turned into bathhouses, the trees into houses and the muddy earth into paved roats. The city is a hotspot for nomad trade and doubles its population during the winter when most tribesmen seek shelter in the large cities.

**Dustgate**

Not far away from the ocean, Dustgate used to be the largest port in the entire Prefectum and gate to the Kaianai. It has been destroyed countless times across the ages. What remains are ruins of stone and and metal. In its shadows a new city has developed, settling inside the hulking ruins. Although it has grown into an important hub for trade, most Keshen see the city as cursed and avoid living in it for too long. It is believed that the ghosts of the fallen have never left it, and that they attack everyone that lives in it for longer then 9 months. For that reason most of Dustgates inhabitants are merchants, travelers or nomads.

**Kreshill**

Close to the Rattling Desert and the Kres Mountains, Kreshill is a large and constantly growing city. It is renowned for its dromedar breeders who not only sell them as beasts of burden across the entire east but also train them to be used as mounts. The Dromedar Cataphracts of Kreshill are famous across the entire Kaianai and are only trained in this city. Kreshill has grown far to large and crowded to be defenisble. The population has raised its walls to use its bricks for their houses. The borders of Kreshill have grown beyond the limits of the cities small administration and thus crime and violence grow in its sewers like a festering wound.

### Kais

The Orochen tribes roam the steppes of the Kaianai without home or shelter. Although many move to the cities during the hard winters, the way of the nomad is still an esteemed way of living. Yet even the most devoted followers of this path call a city their home. There are three major Kais across the estern steppes aswell as uncounted smaller ones. These are sacred gathering places. Here the tribesmen erect their tents and honor ancient rites and festivities. Many of these Kais, including the three major ones, have grown into large and open cities with walls and palaces to protect and overwatch the ocean of tents surrounding it.

## Economy

### Major trade goods

* Horses
* Quilians
* Ironoak
* Woodworks
* Venison
* Pelts
* Iron
* Brass
* Wool

### Minor trade goods

* Black Jade
* Wool Armor/Clothing
* Bornharz
* Ayrag

### Agricultural products

* Rice
* Grain
* Morels
* Meat (Yak, Sheep, Horse, Boar, Dromedary)
* Milk and Cheese (Yak, Sheep, Horse, Boar, Dromedary)
* Ironoak