Kalanossa

Name - Kingdom of Kalanossa

Government Style - Constitutional Oligarchy

Flag - Cyan Flag, with a deep golden Crab in Center.

Currency - Lirs - round coins with holes in the middle - it's common for people to string them on a rope in lieu of a wallet.

Capital - Nahkaiyu

Geography - Kalanossa spreads over a massive archipelago located South-East of Shiralai. It is estimated to be close to 10,000 islands in this area. However, the Kingdom of Kalanossa only keeps records and control on around fifty or so islands in the North-West of the group, where the capital and major cities are located. Officially the other islands are uninhabited but that is doubtful, though it would be near impossible and pointless to keep census on them all. They are counted as territories. All of Kalanossa is a tropical climate, being very warm, with beautiful white beaches and turquoise waters. A wide variety of flora and fauna exist on these islands, many never seen by man. The islands range in distance, with some being quite close together on the "outer rim" of islands, sometimes being right next to each other.

History - The prevailing legend is that Kalanossa was once one very large island, inhabited by an undetermined race. This race and their civilization was eliminated when the island broke up into countless fragments for an unknown reason. All that is left of that age are mysterious ruins. These ruins do advance the case that Kalanossa was once one large islands - there are places where what appears to half a ruined building, for example, can be found - the other half can be seen on a separate island next to the one you are standing on. Like the islands themselves, there is no good recording of all these ruins.

Kalanossa was first settled by people who appeared to have come from areas in southern Eulysal. Over the years, peoples from all countries ventured south for various reasons. The largest movement is when the Iraygion Empire added Kalanossa to it's many states. They "civilized" the populace building the gorgeous white buildings that can still be seen today. Eventually the invaders either returned home or bred into the populace.

There was then a brief civil war as the islands degenerated into independent states, each with kings. The civil war lasted with a truce, the kings agreeing to rule by council, meeting regularly on the capital island to discuss matters. This oligarchy eventually transformed into a democracy to make the country easier to run, however, the various lords still meet for ceremonial purposes.

Today - Today Kalanossa is becoming a booming trading nations, acting as a shipping point for boats coming from eastern Eulysal and heading to Shiralai. With so many unrecorded areas, many treasure hunters came, either looking for mineral veins, valuable plants or forgotten gold. Kalanossa became known as a very good shipbuilding kingdom, supplying these various adventurers and also exporting the exotic wares that are found only on their islands. They found a willing market for these among the rich classes in the north, in nations such as Dalisor.

Like many nations, Kalanossa is having to deal with Chessandian expansion, with that nation making many wild claims to islands in the eastern part of the archipelago. Even if they are refused, it is near impossible to keep track of all the islands and it is suspected that there are already Chessandian miners and such operating on the eastern islands.

The Kalanossian Military is almost totally made up of local militias- it is incredibly difficult to get an army that can respond on all the islands. Each island has a militia leader known as the "Warden" - working as a Sheriff or low level officer. Their navy is another matter, being quite well trained and with a variety of boat sizes, for both open ocean fighting and combat among the islands. Their boat building skills are being transferred to their ships of the air. Their airships tend to be small and fast, not having the resources to build the mighty air cruisers that some other nations have.

Due to it's vastness and uncharted nature Kalanossa has become something of a popular destination for those who want to disappear. Many people who have enemies, debts or simply a life they feel they can't handle will simply take a small boat out and head into the azure tropical wilderness, living off the land in the moderate climate. Sometimes they encounters others and band together - some of them even declare themselves "nations." Of course, such a lifestyle has dangers, be it southern sea storms, disease or wild beasts. Merfolk are abundant in the southern parts of the archipelago and have been known to enjoy toying, sometimes violently, with people who "trespass" that far.

One place that is rarely visited is the "Heart" of the archipelago - this is mostly because the islands are more spread out. One can easily wander the Outer Rim with just a canoe or Kayak but a better boat is required for the distances and strange currents of the Interior sea. The very center of the Archipelago is what is referred to as specifically as "The Heart" - it holds a reputation to be a cursed place that makes ships disappear.