Kalds

The Kald or Kalds are Humans that occupy the mountaintops of the Eb'lon region of the East Twin. They share the region with the Do'Ence. The Kalds are known for their natural abilities to wield fire and are said to be the first to develop fire magic.

Although officially part of the Third Empire of Man, they do not have representation in the Trinity.

Region
The Kald stay on the tops of the high mountains of Eb'lon. It is said that every snow tipped mountain in the region has a Kald city in and on it.

Notable Kald cities are as follows:
 * Tohka
 * Mechinagar
 * Waling
 * Tetela - the only Kald city that is outside of Eb'lon.

Appearance
Many Kalds are short with barrel chests and long limbs. Their height is comparable to the Yamato. Their skin is a shade of light brown with it being darker the older one is. All Kalds have white hair at birth that grows silver with age. Their eyes are various shades of red. It is said that the shade of red that one's eyes correlate with which fire deity looks after the individual Kald.

The older a Kald becomes the darker his or her skin becomes. For the oldest, the skin appears cracked with veins of red energy appearing within. Their eyes maintain their same hue but many consider them to start to glow around the age of 70.

Clothing
Most Kalds are covered from head to toe in various layers of red, yellow, or orange robes. Most wear masks with slit-like eye holes to prevent snow blindness. The robes they wear often give the appearance of dancing flames as they move. Due to the nature of their environment, the mountains they dwell in are considered some of the most fertile earth in the Twins. Many rare plants grow here and as a result, the clothing of the Kalds are a mixture of expensive silks, cotton, and wools.

Physiology
The older a Kald becomes, the more powerful and more aligned they are the forces of fire. The oldest of the Kalds become so powerful that their very presence in an area becomes warmer and more temperate. As such, they claim the title of Mausama, the weather bearer. These powerful kalds sit on the tips of the mountains exuding their presence into the world. Their presence caused the tips of the mountains to thaw causing the area to become incredibly fertile. The most powerful of these Kalds are said to have mountaintops that are comparable in heat to that of the Ahuehuetl jungles

Era of Heros
The Kalds claim that they are the chosen people of fire and the sun. They traveled the Twins far longer than the other clans of Humans until they settled in the region of Eb'lon. Originally, the Do'Ence and Kalds had many battles and fought several bloody wars. It was the Do'Ence leader, Ijos, that calmed the tensions between the two Human clans. With his help, the two clans established a mutually beneficial relationship where the Do'Ence had Kald Firekeepers assist in all things that required flame such as in crafts and war and the Do'Ence provided materials and supplies to the various mountain cities.

Era of Heroes
The Era of Heroes was a peaceful time for the Kalds. They had no wars or battles with the Do'Ence or any of the other races or clans. The Kalds established official trade with the Kethra elves where the elves would provide raw materials and rare plant seeds and the Kalds would provide made goods as well as a portion of the grown plants that they produce in their mountains. The agreement was made possible due to the charismatic leader of the Tohka mountain, Ananda. He used his powerful fire magics to signal to the cloud faring people to come meet him on top of his mountain. After he served the Kethra leader, Xenia, with wine made from his own rare herbs and plants, he impressed her so much that she demanded that she be shown his garden. She saw the lavish gardens extending for miles in front of her. Ananda's fire magics were so powerful that he made the frozen tip of the mountain into a near tropical oasis. Xenia from then on asked to be allies in all trade. Ananda gladly agreed. This alliance has never faltered.

First Era of Man
The Kalds were never directly affected by the Kojin Blight. Their natural habitat of the mountain tops proved quite difficult for the Blight to spread. They did not actively hunt the Kojin and only did so when the corrupted mortals found a way through the mountains into their cities. It was not until the Do'Ence High King, Alle, asked for their help that they finally joined. Begum, the leader of Waling mountain, convinced her people to join the First Empire with the expectation that the Kald mountains will be free of any of the Empire's rules. The Kalds would offer solders for that price. With the help of the Kalds and their fire abilities, the Kojin and their Blight was eradicated from Eb'lon and Kokochiyoi. The jungles of Ahuehuetl and its fierce warriors proved too much for the mountain people and they turned back to return to their homes.

Some of Kalds lost their way back home and were forced to make an extended camp through the winter in the Jungles of Ahuehuetl. The constant attacks of the Tenoch and the natural predators of the area made the Kalds warry but due to their tenacious nature and strength, the Tenoch grew to respect the strangely robed people and eventually grew to grow fond of them. The camp eventually grew to a fort and before long a small town walled with the melted earth. More and more Tenoch wished to join the town and learn more of the mountain people. The city of Tetela was born. With the birth of the city, the Tenoch and Kald clans are considered allies with each other and each assist each other when needed.

Second Era of Man
The Dragon forces concentrated much of its attention on the mountain cities and as a result, many Kalds were killed in the many battles. The Dragons and the Davok, on the other hand, had many loses due to the powerful magics of the mountain people. If it was not for the assistance of the Kethra and their cloud fortresses, the Kalds would not have survived the initial invasion by the Inquisition. Due to the loss of many of their people, the Kalds willingly joined the Second Empire. With the innovating technologies of the Gnomes, the Kalds were given new abilities such as bombs and rudimentary guns. The combined forces of the Second Empire forced back the Dragon forces to the coast where the Kald forces drowned the dragon kind in the waters of the Scar. After the war, the Kald chose to stay within the Empire so they could repopulate and grow their numbers. The help of the Empire was instrumental in reestablishing key mountain cities and boosting up numbers.

Era of Fractured Kingdoms
The Kalds were mostly independent within the Empire already so the fall of it did not affect them much. Their relationship with the Do'Ence had not changed except for the need for additional Firekeepers in the Tribes and Families that was newly established within the Do'Ence.

Third Era of Man
The Kalds joined the Third Empire of Man shortly after the Do'Ence were forced to join. They do not have a seat in the Trinity but the Tenoch and the Do'Ence often take the opinion of the Kald Ambassador to heart.

Government
Kald society is unique in that it is entirely democratic. The Eb'lon mountains have 297 peaks and as such, there are 297 mountain cities occupied by the Kalds. Each of the cities has a representative that represents the city. The 297 cities make up the Confederacy of Surya.

The representatives meet a minimum of twice a year with two set dates; the summer solstice and the winter solstice. If the need arises that the representatives must meet more than those two times of the year, the representatives meet within the fortnight. Each representative is an elected official with every member of the Kald having a say.

The representatives meet in the mountain city of Tohka, the highest and largest mountain in the Twins. The twice a year meetings occur in the Obelisk where the representatives meet to discuss anything that may have risen in half a year. The meetings take usually seven full days to complete.

On the winter solstice of every year, the Ambassador to the Empire is selected. Along with new Firekeepers that are sent to the Do'Ence and other areas within the Twins.

Society within the mountain cities
Due to the nature of how cold it is in Eb'lon, the Kalds have changed the tops of the mountains to be tropical-like with their powers. Many Kalds are farmers that grow exotic and hard to farm plants as well as raise exotic livestock. All Kalds are allowed to own land and all have an equal voice in their society.

Those that are not farmers are usually in the work of crafts. Due to their affinity to fire, they are often seen as smiths and form strong relationships to the smiths of the Do'Ence.

Kalds in the Third Empire
Although part of the Empire, not many Kalds are seen outside of their mountains. Those that are seen are almost certainly adventurers or Firekeepers. Kalds are generally respected due to their natural abilities as well as their good-natured personalities.

Religion
Like the Do'Ence, the Kalds worship Svor, the god of the Sun. They also worship all gods that embody fire. Grannus, Garyx, and Kossuth are common gods that are worshipped.