Kepet

Flag of the Republic

The **Republic of Kepet**, also known as **Kepeti Narodnakj Velakj** (Kepeti People's Government) in Kepeti, is an Orc-majority country located in the eastern half of the Frozen Continent. It is bordered to the west by Keghotogh and to the south by Orcanth. Kepet, like its immediate neighbor, was founded by Tulkon Darrokh, and is best known for being the birthplace of Tulkonism.

## History

### Pre-Settlement, pre-50 AT

Kepet was part of the Angels' core territory, whose presence made the continent an unforgiving frozen wasteland. After the end of the Infinite War and the Angels' disappearance, Kepet was completely lifeless with the exception of some native flora and fauna. Thanks to its harsh weather and remoteness, Kepet has the highest number of preserved Angel ruins in the world.

In 30 AT, the area was explored as part of the Iloisa Empire's efforts to colonize the Frozen Continent. These attempts failed, but a young Bytu, a child who was part of the expedition, fell in love with the landscape and would journey here many more times. Bytu found particular interest in the Tip of Kepet, where he would eventually be granted the Essence of the Tulkon by the Angel Arrkea. Bytu would use his newfound abilities to connect the world.

Bytu's knowledge of the area was transferred to his reincarnation, Darrokh, who used it to lead the settlement of the Frozen Continent, beginning in 50 AT.

### Keghotogh Region, 50 AT-1647 AT

Savatist Orcs, primarily from Penazaduz, settled the Frozen Continent, and were led all the way to the Tip of Kepet. Darrokh himself settled in this area, where he would construct the Temple of the Tulkon in 60 AT. This led to the foundation of the religion of Tulkonism, which spread rapidly around the Frozen Continent and eventually Ditarre. The region was named *Ke'pêt* in Penaz, meaning "settlement/city in the cold".

What would become the nation of Kepet was, at this time, part of the Keghotogh Region, which encompassed most of the Frozen Continent. However, Kepet's people were separated from the rest of the population by the Keghotogh Mountains. This isolation led to the development of a unique Kepeti culture, language, and customs. However, its biggest influence would still be Keghotogh, and the two were considered brother cultures.

During the late 400s, Kepet's northern coast was a target of the Iloisa Empire. However, the attackers proved no match for the region's natural defenses, and it was able to defend itself and remained untouched for the duration of the conflict.

Tulkon Rogeduze completed his training several years before the Orcanth Civil War in 570 AT, In 571 AT, Orcanth entered a Civil War, when the King at the time died without an heir resulting in a succession conflict. Tulkon Rogeduze helped create an elective monarchy system that would govern for the next several centuries, quelling the conflict. This was the first of one of many of Orcanth's Civil Wars.

Tulkon Aghe was born in the city of Redakhok, in western Keghotogh, in 809 AT. After completing her training, Aghe became known for her military exploits. Her first victory was in support of A'Roastar when the E'Deonadi Rebellion took place. She became the leader of Redakhokh. Orcanth then declared war on the Phocachirsk IHS to take over the northern half of the garden continent, and Aghe, refusing to participate and also being dissatisfied with the Orc king’s power-hungry rule, started a rebellion against him in the second Orcanth Civil War. The rebellion was successful, and the king’s nine-year-old son Dzz Igh succeeded him. Aghe guided Dzz Igh’s first years on the throne and was his top advisor. After her death in 894, Dzz Igh, whom she considered to be her adopted son, held a month-long period of mourning for her. Over the years, this mourning period developed into the annual Celebration of Life, a month-long Tulkonist celebration of lost loved ones and new beginnings held during the month of Therum in Keghotogh. The celebration is also held in Kepet, albeit on a much smaller scale.

During the 40-Year War and the subsequent Demon Invasion, Kepet received many refugees from southern Orcanth. Its natural defenses again kept it isolated from the conflict.

### Frig-Reda, 1647 AT-1712 AT

In the 1630's, war broke out between the orc nations of Orcanth and Gogeget when Tulkon Zoktopo was a child, so he was taken to Keghotogh for safety where he would train for the next few years. By the war’s end, Gogeget had become fully reconquered by Orcanth. Years later, Zoktopo, now an adult, realized that the government of Orcanth had become oppressive and had far too much power. He started a revolution from Keghotogh. In three years, Zoktopo led the orc rebellion to victory, confining Orcanth to the continent of Penazaduz and founding the nation of Frig-Reda in 1647, as well as allowing Gogeget to become independent once again.

Frig-Reda encompassed the entirety of the Frozen Continent. Zoktopo served the government in an unofficial capacity. He was injured in battle and swore off combat, settling down in Redakhokh and becoming a spiritual leader. His advice was largely ignored by the Frig-Reda government, which led to the Reunification Crisis, where Frig-Reda became rather corrupt. Zoktopo was labelled an enemy of the state in 1649 and was forced to flee the country, becoming a refugee in Nokina along with thousands of Keghotuhr who left Frig-Reda to join the diasporic community in the neighboring country. Zoktopo planned to dismantle Frig-Reda, but died of his old injury before his plans could come to fruition.

### Keghotogh Ascendancy, 1712 AT-2580 AT

In 1712, Frig-Reda fell, and the country was reorganized into the Keghotogh Ascendancy. Tulkon O'Raenore helped legitimize the new government as an adult.

Seeking to gain access to Norte-Muldox’s vast mineral wealth, the Keghotogh Ascendancy invaded Norte-Muldox. At King Amorim’s behest, Tulkon Osnerime did not join the fighting; he was a young Tulkon who did not need to enter a war. Osnerime did not participate in Amorim’s retaliatory strike in the Ascendancy, where he perished. Osnerime, in his grief, made his way to the Ascendancy and forced their surrender by attacking the Ascendant Palace. He later realized that he was acting out of rage rather than what truly needed to be done, and negotiated a peace treaty that was mutually beneficial to both countries. He spent many years mending the relationship between the two, as well.

In 2493, the Keghotogh Ascendancy invaded Gogeget, attempting to form a new Orc empire. Gogeget invaded Keghotogh in turn, resulting in a huge intercontinental conflict that drew limited involvement from several other countries. In the end, Giha forced the surrender of both countries, ending the conflict for good. Giha would spend decades on recovery efforts in both countries.

Thanks to Tulkon Giha’s reconstruction efforts following the Orc Conquest, the people of the Keghotogh Ascendancy viewed the Tulkon with high esteem and Keghotuhr Rakte’s confirmation as the Tulkon in 2575was widely celebrated. Rakte was half-human; his mother Tasha was the daughter of Honsin relief workers who worked with Tulkon Giha and settled in Keghotogh, and his father Raurkhurkh was a native of the city. Rakte grew to become a wise leader, even as a teen. Rakte grew to become a wise leader, even as a teen. Civil unrest in the country began coming to a head: the Keghotogh and Kepet regions began engaging in violence, and unsolved anger over the civil war decades earlier led to significant animosity between various political factions. Kepeti rebels were also motivated by their own independent culture, believing they had existed under the thumb of Keghotogh for far too long. A civil war erupted, and young Rakte was hidden for his own protection. The war claimed many lives, and Rakte, angered by his sequestration, escaped and used his powers to end the fighting for good. The Ascendancy officially split into two republics, the Keghotogh and the Kepet.

### Kepet Republic, 2580 AT-

The Immortal War began in 2896 AT, when Emperor Zetopa of Orcanth declared the formation of the Immortal Empire. The Republics of the Frozen Continent, Norte-Muldox, A’Roastad, Nyfo Ynoforiad, and the Ilois and Nokina IHS allied together to fight the Immortal Empire. Early in the war, however, both of the Frozen Republics fell under the control of the Empire. The Ro Kot Resistance Movement was a notable force, fighting back against the forces of the Empire and keeping Northeastern Keghotogh and western Kepet free from Imperial Control through the end of the war, when the rest of the country became liberated by Tulkon Vonha.

The Republic, along with all other nations, was one of the signatories of the Onor-Ynofora Codes.

During the Keghotogh Crisis, many Keghotuhr refugees crossed the Keghotogh mountains into Kepet, where they were granted asylum. The outbreak of violence in Keghotogh did lead to some violent incidents in southern Kepet.

## Culture

### Ethnicity

Kepet is composed mostly of Kepeti Orcs, with small minorities of Keghotuhr and Penaz from neighboring countries. As a whole, however, Kepet is rather homogenous. Its terrain and isolation have largely dissuaded immigrants from journeying to the country, although the region's importance in the history of Tulkonism has attracted Tulkonist immigartion and tourism from all over the world.

Kepet's sole official language is Kepeti. Kepet is one of the world's least densely populated countries, with most of its population concentrated in the far south and northeast, with only a few isolated cities throughout the interior.

### Religion

Kepet's first settlers were Savatists from Orcanth, but most of the region's inhabitants very quickly turned to Tulkonism, which remains the dominant religion in Kepet to this day. Many Kepeti are adherents of Darrokhian Tulkonism, which stresses the importance of Darrokh's original teachings while recognizing his successors. This has led to a perception that the Kepeti are somewhat conservative. Notably, Kepet is one of the few countries where the Tulkonist Council-promoted Kostralle has not taken root, leaving it free from the Tulkonist extremism that has gripped other nations.