Ulkenult

## Geography

**Ulkenult**, also known as **Ulkenmos,** officially the **Boreal Kingdom of the Ulken**, was a small nation in Barasud. It comprised the northern edge of the Mos Plains, the Urgamal Wood, and the Khutai Valley. Kisi Awil was its capital and main permanent settlement. The primary language spoken and written is Awilian.

Ulkenult was previously colonized by the Dwarven Empire until approximately 500 BBS. Shortly afterwards, the Ulken species migrated into the area from further south. The Ulken would inhabit the area for centuries as wild and solitary predators, rarely travelling in groups of more than three.

In 73 BBS, several families of Ulken found themselves living in close proximity to each other. Rather than fight or migrate elsewhere, the groups came together to survive a particularly harsh winter. Realizing the strength of working together, the group decided to settle there for permanently. The site was named Kisi Awil and has been inhabited by Ulken ever since, save for a gap from 13 BBS to 10 BBS.

*Ulkenult* is Awilian for "Land of the Ulken" with *Ulken* meaning "Tall". *Ulkenmos*, another name for the country, means "Plains of the Ulken" referring to the large ice plains that surround Kisi Awil.

Following the Aftermath of the Pearldrop and the first strands of Orukan hordes, the territories of Ulkenult were annexed to the Myrklanrer Realm on the years 936 AS,

## History

### Post Dwaven Collapse (500 BBS - 73 BBS)

Following the collapse of the Dwarven Empire and its subsequent retreat from the Khutai Valley, a wide open land was suddenly ripe for the taking. The Ulken, previously secluded to the coldest depths of Barasud's interior, were quick to migrate to the new, warmer environment. There, in the Urgamal Wood, the species thrived and swelled to much greater numbers than before. With the rapidly increasing density of Ulken, it was inevitable that sooner or later a permanent settlement would be established, and so it was in 73 BBS, when the village of Kisi Awil was created by several families taking shelter from a particularly cold storm.

### Formation of a Government and Bawsh Kublai (73 BBS - 51 BBS)

The new settlement pottered along for its first thirteen years with no government or formal structure. In 60 BBS, the eldest member of the village, Kublai outlined her plan for a lasting and stable governmental system, in which one person would be elected to the position of Bawsh for the duration of their life. The plan was agreed to by the majority of the village, and Kublai was soon elected as the first Bawsh of the Ulken.

Bawsh Kublai had a relatively quiet time in power. She reigned for nine years and saw the villages population nearly double.

### Bawsh Arban and the Khutai Valley Battles (51 BBS - 48 BBS)

Following Kublai's death of old age, Arban was elected Bawsh. Much like Kublai, Arban was elected unopposed as the eldest member of the village. Arban looked to take aggressive steps to protect his nation, and chief among those was his plan to clear the old dwarven ruin in the Khutai Valley. The ruin, an old tower built in the western foothills, had become home to a large band of orcs. While not threatening on their own to an Ulken, a group of orcs can quickly swarm one of the giants and defeat them, something that had happened to many a lone traveler in the Khutai Valley.

Bawsh Arban gathered a war party of twenty four Ulken and set forth towards the valley, arriving there the same day. Before advancing towards the ruin however, he found his party ambushed. The orcs had someone seen the attack coming, and had quickly taken the initiative. The fighting was brutal and lasted for an hour before both sides withdrew, the orcs towards their tower with half their band dead or dying, and the Ulken towards Kisi Awil, with fiften of the twenty four Ulken dead.

The battle was the worst disaster in Ulkenult history, and despite Arban's pleas, the Ulken refused to march back out and finish the job. Thus the situation remained unchanged for two further years, when Arban finally convinced his people to strike again.

Moving towards the Khutai Valley once again, the forty strong war party was able to keep their movements concealed this time, and the orcs weren't aware of an attack until the Ulken showed up at their doorstep in the dead of night. What followed was an hours long slaughter of the orc band, the charge personally led by Arban, and the fighting ceaseless until every single orc was dead, women and children included.

Once the fighting was over, the Ulken found none of them had taken serious wounds. Many wanted to further explore the ruin, but Arban forbid, and the group set off towards Kisi Awil. On the way there, whilst still in the Khutai Valley, they were caught by a stampeding mammoth migration. The entire party was killed by the deadly Quilly Mammoths.

## Government

The government of Ulkenult, if it can be called a true government, was one of elective monarchy. Starting with Bawsh Kublai in 60 BBS, the leader of Ulkenult has been elected following the death of their predecessor. All citizens of Kisi Awil take part in the election, regardless of their age or social status.

The elected leader is called *Bawsh*. They serve until their death or retirement. They do not wield absolute power, and unpopular Bawshes will be quick to feel the ire of their people if they continue to make poor decisions.