Hel

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The volcanic islands of **Hel** are a nation off the northwest corner of Kartonas. **Hel** is a very cold and primitive nation. It is sparsely populated, and is well known for its naval raiding parties who savage the northern seas.

The nation is also known as **Helion-hom**, and is home to the Helion-kin.

## History

**Hel** was originally compromised of many smaller islands, however in -330tt there came a large amount of volcanic activity, which conglomerated many of the centermost islands.

There had been very few permanent settlements in the nation. The oldest surviving settlement would be the city of Pac, founded in 10tt, which resides on the southwestern shore.

A number of nomadic tribes existed for many centuries on the islands, but it was not until -100tt that the first permanent settlement was founded on the southeastern shore, near the modern-day city of Cherch.

As the population grew, the tribes spread out across the islands, but it was very rare for more than one settlement to be lead by the same Chief, and there were constant battles between the tribes all across the islands.

Helion tribes were infamous for their naval raids along the coast of the continent. The earliest known external raid is thought to have taken place in 132tt, on the Lupieran city of Gegh.

In 1132tt the Kartonan Empire began to invade and take control of the islands. The original capital of Cherch was founded on the southern shore in 1134tt.

In 1201tt the Kartonan Empire declared war on Nazrea, in what is now known as the Biscan War. Troops were garrisoned at many ports in the country, but there were very few battles in its territory.

In 1330tt, after the dissolution of the Kartonan Empire, the local tribes scrambled to take control. The **Tec** family managed to unite the tribes into its own nation in 1343tt.

## Geography

The islands of **Hel** are located to the northwest of Kartonas, in the Biscan Sea. It shares no land borders with any other nation, but does share some naval borders.

To the northeast are the islands under the control of the Alliance of Hunters, chiefly Resc. To the east lay the kingdom of Lupiera, on the mainland of the continent of Kartonas. To the southeast of the islands lay the island of Korn, part of Lycanthia. The nazrean archipelago resides to the southwest of the nation.

**Hel** is compromised of one large island and eight minor islands. The majority of the major island is frozen lava fields. There are many rivers snaking through the island, mostly leading to the southeast shore. The north and west sections of the islands are known to have dense pine forests, and the south and east reaches are more vegetated tundras.

**Hel** is in a subarctic climate, having long, cold winters and short, mild summers.

### Krektov

In the center of the major island there are multiple volcanoes, the largest and most well-known of which being **Krektov**, the largest volcano in Kartonas.

It is a commonly held belief that the god of war, Kreptus, is trapped within the volcanoes at the center of the island, and that if he were to escape, the resulting cataclysm would destroy the world. Routine ritual sacrifices are performed in an attempt to prevent this, but it is truly just a myth.

## Politics

The nation has a monarchical government and is ruled by the Tetec family, believed to be direct ancestors of the Tec family who united the tribes in 1343tt.
The current leader of Hel is Ensu Tetec Amil, a fierce Helion-kin woman, who inherited the throne in 1401tt from her father, Masu Tetec Mec.

## Religion

The cult of Kreptus is popular in the less populated parts of the nation, but the major cities are known to worship Pecunia.

## Cities

### Hec

capital founded at the base of the big volcano

### Pac

oldest city, a port on the southwest side

### Cherch

originally an outpost for the Kartonan Empire