The Kingdom of Calante

The **Kingdom of Calante** is an absolute monarchy that dominates the southern half of **Helion's** western coast. Formed from the southern half of the **Herianos Empire**, this nation is around 400 hundred years old. This kingdom is led by a monarch (king and queen) and has been led by the original leading house of the Herianos Empire since the founding. The current monarch is King **Calantin X**.

## History

### Origins: The Herianos Empire - 400 years ago

Some four hundred years ago, the Herianos Empire dominated the western coast of Helion. It was flourishing and was expanding in great swathes. At this point in time, it was around 650 years old. It was an old nation. At that time, it was fair to say that the Herianos Empire was perhaps the strongest nation on Helion. Its people were happy and prosperous. The reigning King was **Tybaltine XVI**, who was a kind and soft king. He was a good ruler, but lacked the iron in his blood that his ancestors had. It was this strength of character that kept the Empire together and it was this distinct lack of strength that fractured the Empire. For the King, although a kindly man, was weak in character and was often dominated by those around him, despite his position as *Master of the Empire*.

He had two sons, twins. These twins were called **Arlandin** and **Calantin**. Despite being twins, the two princes were equally ambitious and each wanted to rule the empire as the *only* *ruler*. Due to the King's indecision and not wanting to offend either son, he named them both as heirs to his empire. The Empire was symbolically split between the two heirs, with the northern half going to **Arlandin** and the southern half going to **Calantin**. The King, in his wisdom, proclaimed that if the sons were to rule one day, it would be easier if they governed one part of the country first, in order to acclimate them to ruling the entire country. He proclaimed that they would each rule their half for a period of five years. The King failed to see that this would draw the future battlelines. The two princes were highly capable, even more capable than their father. Their governing skills endeared them to their respective sides, and by the time the King died, both sides were firmly entrenched to their respective Prince. Indeed, although weak, the King's presence prevented any conflict, as both princes, for all their faults, loved their father dearly. It was after the death of the King, that the conflict that had been simmering for nearly 5 years, finally erupted.

King **Tybaltine** **XVI** died in the late second age, and with him, the Herianos Empire. A month after he died, both **Arlandin** and **Calantin** proclaimed themselves *sole master* of the Empire. Each son demanded the subservience of the other. Neither backed down, and with that, the Civil War began. Equal in most respects, neither side could defeat the other. Although the Northern Empire had the larger population and army, the Southern Empire was richer. Although the Northern Empire had the larger force, the Southern Empire's riches meant their army was smaller but better trained and had superior weaponry. With this, the war began.

### Conflict! The Civil War - 370 years ago

The war began with the death of the King, and with him, died any hope of the Empire's future. For in the fires of ambition, laid the Empire's downfall. Neither brother would back down, and so the armies of the Empire fought against their own brethren for the first time in the Empire's history.

Both sides would muster the full extent of their forces and met on the river Tybar. This mighty river separated the two boundaries of each brother's domain. The river bridge near the middle of the river was the only way to get into either side's territories on land. The other way was sail alongside the coast. Both brothers, wanting to settle this quickly and secure their power, both marched their armies to the Tybar Bridge. It was a mighty bridge, built during Tybaltine X's time. Calantin was able to get to the bridge before Arlandin and dug in, securing his position. When Arlandin arrived, he saw that Calantin's position was unassailable through a conventional assault and declined to attack. For a week, there was a stalemate. While Calantin's position was unassailable, so to was Arlandin's, for Arlandin outnumbered Calantin by 2-1. Both sides dug in and for a time, it seemed that the war was on pause. This would change in the following week. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Arlandin hastily led a charge across the bridge on horseback, urging on his army to take the bridge. This proved to be a mistake, as the charge was easily repelled by Calantin's forces. Arlandin's forces suffered heavy casualties trying to take the bridge, and many more when the attack failed and a general retreat was ordered. Arlandin himself took an arrow to the throat and was thrown off his horse. Seeing Arlandin fall, Calantin's soldiers charged forward to finish the job. Many of Arlandin's soldiers died to get him back to camp. Drunk off victory, Calantin's soldiers continued the pursuit of the retreating enemies, despite Calantin ordering a general withdrawal back to the camp. Calantin's soldiers attacked the walls of Arlandin's camp and soon Arlandin found himself under siege. The siege was short, with Calantin knocking down the wooden gate of the camp. What followed was a slaughter. Arlandin's forces were slaughtered to a man, with Arlandin dragged before Calantin. Calantin planned to execute his brother and consolidate his power. Before he did, he had a soldier remove his brother's helm. To everyone's surprise but his, it was not his brother at all but a fake. Calantin had little time to digest this when war horns were heard all around him. To his shock, he saw his own camp being attacked and quickly being overwhelmed by Arlandin's forces, while a new cavalry force was charging down to the camp. This time, a helmetless figure led the charge, and there was no denying that this time, it was Arlandin at the fore. Resigned to this, Calantin led a counter charge back to camp, and after taking grievous casualties, was able to retake his camp. The damage was done however. Calantin now knew his position was untenable. With nearly a quarter of his forces either dead or wounded, with Arlandin still holding the advantage in numbers, Calantin needed to retreat. However he knew that retreating from the bridge would mean a defeat, and a defeat now would severely weaken his credibility and standing amongst the peoples of the Empire. Thus did Calantin lead a charge against Arlandin. The wily Arlandin was taken off guard by this, as he thought it was too reckless a move for Calantin to move. Both armies met in the fields outside Arlandin's camp, and a fierce battle took place. Neither side could prevail over the other, and in the midst of this, Calantin and Arlandin met on the field of battle. Both brothers were skilled, and just as it was in war, neither could overcome the other in battle. Their duel ended when both had the opportunity to land a killing blow on the other. However, neither Arlandin or Calantin could do so. They found that despite everything, neither could kill their brother. Both brothers called for a ceasefire and both retreated to their camps to retire for the night.

In the following morning, the two brothers held a parlay and came to an agreement. The war would end, at the cost of the Empire itself. The Empire would be fractured in two, with both brothers maintaining one side of the Empire. The Herianos Empire was no more, and from its end, began the age of the Kingdoms of Arlande and Calante respectively. There would be no further conflict between the two Kingdoms in Arlandin and Calantin's time. However, while the peace would hold during these two kings time, it would not hold for the next generation. Both Kingdoms' new monarchs both held the ambition that their fathers held but this time, there was no sibling bond to stop the killing blow. And so it went, for generations did both Kingdoms fight over the right to rule. This conflict has continued since. Sometimes Arlandin would hold the advantage, sometimes it would be Calantin. Neither side could ever defeat the either and so the Herianos Empire remains fractured.

## Geography

### Calantin's Hold

The southern half of the western coast of Helion is the territory of the Kingdom of Calante. To the east is the Lindon Mountains and to the west lays the island nation of Langoose, which enjoys an amicable trading relationship with Calante.

* **Cathulan**: City located near the Lindon Mountains in the east of Calante. It is the capital city of the nation, and is also its largest city. It has a population of one hundred thousand leoparids, with several thousand of various other races like gnomes, halflings and humans.
* **Castle Cathu**: Fortress located at the Tybar Bridge. Each nation has a fortress at the shared border at the Tybar River. It has a garrison of five thousand soldiers.

## Politics

### Monarch

At the inception of the Kingdom, this nation has been led by a King or Queen. The monarchy holds absolute power and is advised by a High Council of the nobility.

### High Council

The High Council is a council comprised of the most powerful and influential nobles in the land. They advise the monarchy and help in the governing of the Kingdom.