Grand Kalev

**Grand Kalev** victors of the last great Maligon war, Kalev has poised itself as a grand arbiter of the continent, Kalev city’s grand hall serves as the conference hall of the nations

Kalev City, Offzeitkrom, Zarnova, Whitebear, Wotcaveverg, tagavaya.

Grand Kalev in the modern age is politically is the most important nation across Maligon. The nation began as a small collection of villages on the borders of the river Torgil, built after the silence of the dragon queen. Its populace greatly increased during the great human diaspora, and a popular chieftain of the incoming refugees named Peitor Kalev was crowned King of the nation now named in his honour. The centuries passed with Kalev changing dynastic royal lines but always holding its own against its neighbours, training its infantry men and building cultural institutions. Fortunes changed during the last great war, thanks to the leadership of King Khabarov Vladislavovich. The combination of clever deployments of its highly trained infantry, ruthless aggressive fighting and the willingness to make exhaustive treaties meant that by the end of the conflict, Kalev had doubled its lands and positioned itself as the arbiters of the continent. As Labremulyor finally agreed to an ending of direct conflict, King Khabarov set to work on one of the most ambitious organisational efforts ever seen on the cog.

King Khabarov amalgamated the original villages the large kalev city, took direct control of the lands around the river Torgil and offered a protectorate to the nations that would not fully bow to the Kalev throne. He then sent his noble ambassadors to the furtherest frontiers of the continent, and while wounds were still sore, he arranged for them to meet in what he decreed was the first Kalev City council in the enormous ‘Maligon parliament hall’ he was having rapidly constructed. Representatives from the nations were demanded to attend, with many having little recourse in the face of defeat. King Khabarov also had his envoys approach some of the more alienated communities and ask them to send a representative. In a table of Yero wood beneath the heraldry of their nations, King Khabarov declared Kalev was now Grand Kalev, adding a crown to their crest, and that they would be the centralised bank of the continent that other currencies would be measured against. He also announced that the territories of the Yeroifox forest, The ka-prit-prit hobgoblin settlement, the dwarfhold of Cilfant and the wastes of Bendattan where their own sovereign nations, and could request the protection of Grand Kalev. Eautipet was given offical heraldry for the first time in its existence, Zimayik, which had been forcibly annexed was made a principality of Grand Kalev and its leadership would be the King’s younger brother Duke Vladimir Vladislavovich. Sanctions were placed on Tryb, Urangagso, caraniv and other key actors in the wars beginning, but no reparations were sought. The genius of how swiftly King Khabarov imposed this was not lost on both his supporters and detractors. Lord of Whitekeep Ulfric Ceascrotias and Duke Miro Ristovski were quick to object but silenced quickly by the Archmagospremier of Zuge Anita Rajesh and the newly crowned queen Skullcracker the immovable of Bendattan.

While nations attempted to rebuild after the war and some found themselves with a new form of statehood, there was no doubt that King Khabarov had positioned himself about them all. When the king died at a magically assisted one hundred and twenty three years old, he had built a nation that was seen as both the tyrannical overlords and the enforcers of peace and justice, a reputation that mirrored his with his own people. After his death, he had only one heir from a political marriage to lady Jasteth Virtue of Ragnnloth. Queen Kharislava Vladislavovich is in her mid twenties and very different from her father or at least from his cultivated legacy. A short, heavyset woman with a pleasant open round face. Well read and thoughtful, she is by no means stupid but is considered naive and too kind hearted to follow in her large shadow of her imperious father.

Kalev city sits on the lands that made up Kalev, the country on the banks of the river Torgil. To compare the map of Kalev to modern day Grand Kalev is a clear indication of the incredible effect King Khabarov had on his lands, as the river Torgil was entirely reshaped by canals to form some form of enormous moat around the new capital of this expanded nation. The city is divided into rings, at its centre the Vladislavovich district of palaces, known by locals as the Vladisland. Vladisland is a remarkable construction of wide palaces the size of villages, where the Maligon parliament hall and throne of grand Kalev sit. Colourful buildings of the Kalev black, pink and pale yellow heraldy are built atop each other, with onion domed buildings and statuary of bears and warriors. The central throne room of the royal palace is one that reflects King Khabarov and his indomitable personality. Where a regular throne room would have a space for court, this court stands in balconies the throne. The throne itself is in a beautiful but imposing wrought iron cage, with guards standing at each corner and two at the singular gate that opens to the rest of the room. For the vast majority of his life, even into his elderly years, King Khabarov would sit alone in his throne, his sword of office and his war hammer from his time on horseback during the great war at his sides. He would hold court like this, decrees given up to the courtiers above him, and hearing entreaties or complaints directly, alone in the cage. While his safety was secured by war wizards and ranged guards above, this performative set up was imposing, and represented King Khabarov’s belief that if an enemy or assassin could worm their way in and best him in the cage, he did not deserve to be the King of such a nation as Grand kalev. The throne and its famous cage remain, but the queen does have her master at arms near the throne, and sometimes will invite a trusted vizier onto the dais.

The next ring from the Vladisland is the warriors fortress, a circular stone walled district around the palaces that houses barracks, weapon stores and the tactical minds that grand Kalev has prided itself on. From towns guards to generals, many of those who live in Kalev City will find themselves within the Armies of the bear, for varying lengths of time and in various positions. Unlike Labremulyor and Eautipet, there is no drafted conscription for the Kalev millitary, but it boasts enormous numbers because of a highly rated public opinion of the knights and infantrymen since the last war. The current master of arms and second in command of the forces after the queen is Penkin Milorad Olegovich, whose father was eventually made chief general in the last war, and who served with the King in skirmishers over the last forty years. Tales of Olegovich’s bravery and heroism are scarred across his one eyed face, but his associates and the Queen respect him more as a wise and cautious leader, valuing peace and safety over any small gains of territory or power.

The next ring out from the centre is the merchant’s district, one of the more diverse sectors of the city, peoples from across the cog will come to establish business connections and sell local wares to the capital to make a name for themselves. The merchants district is home to the Central bank authority of Grand Kalev, which keeps a running tally of international currencies against the one Kalev gold coin and the white bear bullion. The bank is not one building, but spread across underground vaults and offices around the entire ring. It is, for obvious reasons, as guarded as heavily as the Palaces, but enterprising criminals have always considered robbing one of the larger vaults to be a lofty and desirable goal. And then the final and largest ring is that of the Bednye ring, the common labourers and farmers that make up the bulk of the population. Kalev City is no where near as dense as cities of a comparable size such as Ashellberg, and farmland can be found on the artificial island. In the Bednyes, many small houses have been transformed into vodka drinking houses, most of which just go by variants of bear in their name.

Offzeitkrom is on the southern most tip of Grand kalev, and was once a sovereign settlement. As it has the forest of Uranagso to its west and the forest of Zima on its right, Offzeitkrom makes most of its trade in wood and wood projects, furniture, lintels, tools and also with hunters and foragers selling their wares. Offzeitkrom still maintains some of the differences in culture to central Kalev, and elects a Burgomeister every five years. The current Burgomeister is a popular publican, distiller and innkeeper goblin called Klaus DeRentz who owns ‘the legged hut’ tavern to the north of the town. DeRentz is popular with the druid community who live in the forests as he trades generously for the berries they produce, which he in turn makes Gins and vodkas with. One of the wonders of Offzeitkrom is the ancient and beautiful Stave church to Takamul in her form as the mother of forests. Constructed entirely from wood the church has multiple levels of peaked roofs giving the appearance of a large evergreen tree. Multiple wayward travellers have claimed to have appeared under its portico when all hope was lost. Along with the legged hut, Offzeitkrom has a large tavern and coaching house called the Dunkelhaus, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of a highwayman killed there by his law-men pursuers. Offzeitkrom also contains the national jailhouse for Grand kalev.

Zarnova functions as Kalev’s export and import town for the west of Maligon. The rampage company, The ringiff land transports, oruti catwagons, Goldsreach porters and even the atasac caravans will make stops in Zarnova. Some of the wealthier buisness have even constructed or sponsored coach houses for their wares to be delivered to, leading to buildings and signs that resemble their homelands more than the style of Grand Kalev. The businesses of Zarnova make good use of their imports, making garments, tools and luxury items that are resold, which the crown takes significant taxation of the profits. Zarnova contains a large cemetery, some of the early graves pre-dating even Kalev. At its centre is the church of our lady’s shawl, a spiritual centre and active mortuary dedicated to Etolik. A well maintained but eerie looking building, the gravetenders of the shawl have folklore and children’s stories that have followed them for generations. Zarnova is also home to a Gnoll tribe of good standing, the pink manes, who dye their mohawk tufts pink to signify their allegiance to Etolik in her form of the mother of gnolls. These gnoll monks and clerics operate almshouses and healing hospitals and enjoy a heroic reputation that is confusing to a lot of travellers more familiar with the more sinister clans of the giggling humanoids.

Whitebear is one of the newer towns, built on an abandoned Dwarven town that was a staging post for the fledging mines of Yoluger. Whitebear is named after the heraldry of Pietor Kalev, and the white bear has become the symbol of kalev, along with the crown and kunzite gemstone. Whitebear makes all of the provisions and equipment of the enormous army of the bear, and contains the training grounds that all soldiers attend before being put on duty foreign or domestically. As such, the town has a young and energetic population, Attending military academies and training in obstacle courses and sparring pits. Whitebear is home to Grand Kalev’s most prominent temple to Kushinda, which serves as a military history museum and shrine to the heroes of Kalev’s past. Enormous paintings cover the interior of the ten sided palace, and a central bronze statue of Kushinda providing her arms and hands to King Khabarov. In private, the king confessed to not enjoying this statue very much. Whitebear holds a large festival for Proudsinger’s week, the holiday held in the middle of Vitarek. The grand Kalev Proudsinger’s games accepts entrants of any level for sporting challenges of all kinds, and the medals that have been given out have been proven on several occasions to carry the blessing and favour of the goddess.

Wotcaveverg is the cultural home of Grand Kalev, on the banks of the river torgil. Most famously Wotcaveverg boasts a magnificent opera house called the Vadimovna that is seen as the highest pinnacle stage of the art form across the cog. A palace sized museum called the Muradasilova institute of art collects pieces from far afield and offers a two silver day ticket to visit. Wotcaveverg has a dedicated parkland to its north called the Wotcafeld that hosts festivals, the Zagris circuses and professional wrestling events. While her father begrudgingly attended a few events in Wotcaveverg during his life, Queen Kharislava spends most of her leisure time in the town, and it is common to see the royal pleasure barge making trips across the Torgil. Wotcaveverg has one of the cogs largest temples of sixir, an enormous complex with libraries and magical repositories kept within. This temple is known somewhat mockingly as ‘our lady of upside down’ as due to some quirk of the designer, the fifteen foot tall statue of Sixir at the main altar is displayed with her head towards the ground and her body above her, as if she is frozen in some moment of spinning. The floor of dark blue cut marble however, reflects the goddess of magic in a more respectful orientation. In the last thirty years or so, Wotcaveverg has become popular for independent mages, those who didn’t wish to work within the systems of Zuge or Oweib. Laboratory space is happily sold to them near the temple, and magical accidents have been on the rise ever since.

Tagavaya serves the same import and export function as Zarnova for the east, but to a much smaller extent. Utilizing the stretch of the torgil river, the two impressive Tagavaya steam ships can deliver to most of the north east faster than a courier. One Grand Kalev captain, Josef Kinski Masonarraldavich believes he could pilot his vessel over the mountains, through ogrebridge and out to sea, but has yet to find a crew wild enough to do it. Tagavaya is also a symbol of Grand Kalev’s relationship with Ragnnloth. During her time as the Queen of King Khabarov, lady Jasteth Virtue had a Cathedral of Leholimo build that venerated her homeland’s saints and most controversially, the Pontiff of Ragnnloth. When lady Virtue died of illness, conspiracies about her run rampant from the streets to inside the kings caged court. Namely that Lady Virtue was some sort of spy for the pontiff and now that the religion of Ragnnloth was within their borders, the Lady faked her demise and was free to depart. In times of unrest near the end of King Khabarov’s lengthy reign, the Tagavaya Cathedral found itself the subject of iconoclasm and vandalism and many of the broken vestiges remain visible across the interior and exterior of the building. In the handful of years since Queen Kharislava Vladislavovich was crowned, these attacks have ceased partly due to the passage of time but mostly due to Lebredenom the Angel who has taken residence there. Lebredeom is a deva of Leholimo, who would be one of countless fleets in Ragnnloth but has a unique position outside of the holy land. According to the parish accounts, at the very moment of King Khabarov’s death Lebredeom appeared speaking of the graces and virtues of the goddess of order and decreed itself to be the sworn protector of the queen of Kalev. Since then, the celestial being has remained in the church, behaving much like a young priest and occasionally delivering prophecy. Queen Kharislava is said to be grateful of this angel and its connection to her mother, but is unnerved by spending too long in their presence.

Grand Kalev suffers from the same chill winds that affect the eastern passage of Maligon, and their winters can become unbearably cold. Of course the iconic Kalev polar bear exists in the north west of the country, but Kalev is also home to brown bears, wild dogs, woolly mammoth, greatly furred pack horses, seals, trout and other such tundra fauna. Nobility across grand Kalev pride themselves on the quality of their livestock, from the prized Kalev gold goat to the enormous Khabarov cow.