Secrets Of Catherian

The land of Catherian is a large country divided into five different kingdoms. The first is the northern Kingdom of Mathia, Mathia is renowned in the country for its fierce warriors and their strict codes. The cold climate does little for their economy and their primary exports include fish and oil from the many fishing boats that dot the frozen coasts, as well as the ores from their mines. Their sparse population and rugged environment produce a hearty people that are just as fierce as they are family and community driven, it is said no kingdom welcomes and cares for their own or travelers as well as those from Mathia.Their Jarl is currently the twenty-five year old Mikkel Sathrose, a large young man standing at nearly seven feet tall and weighing close to 275 lbs. With hair as fair as the snow that surrounds him and piercing blue eyes like ice, he is acclaimed as the most handsome man in the kingdom as yet unmarried, much to the disappointment of his beautiful mother and his advisors. He is known to be calm and fair, though his reputation on the field of battle is the polar opposite, the whispers around his kingdom is his family once interbred with the fierce frost giants to the far north of the kingdom, accounting for his size and the supposed “frost” magic him and his family can utilize. For as kind and fair as the ruler may be, the animosity that Mathia has with their Eastern neighbors has simmered and boiled over a couple of times in his short five year reign already.

The second of the Catherian’s Kingdoms,Rakar, lies to the West and is by far the largest kingdom. The vast territory is dotted with untamed forest, and grasslands. Their primary exports are timber and food crops, though a modest amount is attributed to their livestock as well. With many cities and towns scattered throughout the kingdom it is divided and ruled by many earls and dukes, all swearing allegiance to their king, currently ruled by the forty-three year old Richard Krake, a small man with sharp and defined features. Standing at only 5 ft, and weighing a hundred pounds. His black hair is balding on top and his green eyes sparkle with a merry nature. The whispers around the kingdom put his illegitimate children in the twenties, he is said to get drunk often at balls and banquets and take whomever catches his eye, be it serving maid or a duke's wife or daughter. Though he is a fair and jolly individual, his people seem to dislike his rule. Many a civil uprising has been put down, though none as soon as he would like, and many came close to eradicating the ruler and his family. If not for his top general being as competent and loyal as he is, many in the kingdom believe his rule would have ended many times over.

The third kingdom on Catherian is the Eastern Kingdom of Alkali, with its high steppe plains and lower desert heat. The kingdom is often referred to as the Desert Jewel. Their primary exports include Ivory, Gold, and Silk. With so few good locations to settle a majority of the kingdom's population resides together, gathered into large cities along trade routes and the river that cuts the kingdom in two. The primary location being Manzerai, the capital of the kingdom, currently ruled by Emir Shaheer el-Assad. A tall and slender man said to move with the grace of a viper, he rules with a cold and ruthless hand. Standing at 6’ 8” and weighing a mere 160lbs, those that meet the ruler say he has a cold and piercing gaze with his intense brown eyes, and permanent sneer set to his lips as he passes judgment. The people he rules over fall into two distinct classes: the working class treated little better than serfs, and the merchants who double as the nobility. The majority of the troops of Alkali are drafted militia with little to no training but their numbers account for much, and with the highly trained Golderosh, making a strong and ruthless backbone to their army. The kingdom has seen several heated engagements with the northern kingdom of late, some say it has to do with a failed marriage arrangement between the two countries, while others claim a group of mercenaries hired by the Emir stole something of great value to the rulers of Mathia.

The fourth kingdom is secretive and stays out of international affairs, only allowing certain merchants and emissaries inside their borders. The reclusive kingdom of Lipev, very little is known about its denizens or their government structure. Lying to the southeast, the high rocky coasts make it difficult for even sailors going by to see much, the mountains circling the rest of the kingdom are patrolled and defended by large stone fortifications that monitor and generally turn travelers and merchants alike away at the border. Though speculation through the other kingdoms tell of monsters and myth come alive, that dark magic is used daily or that there is a mysterious cult running things. The only detail we know for sure is that the popular “duke” Emin is always out and about looking to establish trade through his sources in the kingdom, his team, his goods, and his wagons trundle through most of the other kingdoms acquiring whatever he deems his country will need and making a lot of money doing so. Emin stands at five foot nine and weighs about a hundred and forty-five pounds, his red hair and green eyes make for a rare sight in most of the other kingdoms, but it also makes it so that any and all sources know when he is in the area. Muscular but not ripped and his personality that of the tradesman he is, he always has a compliment or witty remark to elicit smiles from nobles and commoners alike. He dresses modestly and is always accompanied by his retinue of “Bug soldiers” as the people of Rakar refer to them.

The Kingdom of Haneion, often referred to as the “old seat”, claims that they were the first kingdom to form after the Long War broke apart the old empire. Many don’t believe the tales that once the entire country was one big kingdom ruled from the old seat, but those from Haneion claim it to be so. Lying to the southwest the final kingdom is home to many different environs, from forests in the north, to the bogs of the west, and mountains to the south, the people vary as much as the scenery in the kingdom but all swear fealty to their beloved Queen. A tall and graceful woman of magnificent beauty, the 6’ 5” queen is a calm and tranquil individual that all who meet seem to adore. Being in her late forties has not slowed down the number of suitors who come calling. Though none seem to make any progress after her late husband passed five years ago. She has beautiful long black hair usually adorned by the green emeralds of the southern mountain mines, and deep blue eyes that carry a calm and powerful presence. Whispers in the lowest taverns also boast of her beautiful and well endowed assets, though never where respectable people or the guards could overhear. Their exports range as the terrain is so diverse, and so maintain a fairly self sufficient kingdom. They have known peace for as long as the late king and current queen have reigned. Their only son, a boy of ten now is due to take his mother and fathers place as the sole heir to the old kingdom.

This is the story of the ruling houses of Catherian, their daily lives and the secrets and intrigue that await them.

Authors Note: Please don't forget to like any chapters that you enjoy, it really helps me out and encourages me to keep writing. Thank you all and enjoy.