Kingdom of Suranth, the Tundra Realms
"This lifeless howling tundra, a harsh land of mountains, boreal conifer forests, glacial highlands and marshes. It is cold and desolate here, where the ground is frozen for many more days than it is thawed. This would be one land that you would assume would be uninhabitable. Yet...along the coastlines of the oceans, within caverns, cliffs, mountains, and along the coasts of her inland sea and the riverlands surrounding it, one would be in awe of the civilization and brilliance they would find. This is Suranth, the youngest nation on Durol, the last to be resettled, to be liberated from the darkness of the Sundering during the Age of Reclaimation. How they survive is a balance of strong industry, a wealth of natural resources, brilliant technological innovations, excellent diplomacy and indispensible leadership."
Mar'elin Du'ristic
Structure
The Tundra Council marks the leadership of Suranth, and is its governing body. It is made up of one noble from not just the six great clans whom could be the High King or Queen, but from each of the sixteen clans, their closest bloodline able to choose a representative. Only the clan who occupies the seat of High King/Queen of the Tundra Realms does not have a representative in their seat. Instead that clan's vote is also held by the individual upon the throne.
This does allow the High King or Queen technically three votes upon such matters, though two of them, the two tied to being the person upon that throne, cannot be separated from each other. The council then also has two elected officials, who's seats go up for election every decade, from each of the clanhold cities, and a further two from Geata-Iarainn. Rounding out the council's last three seats are; the current head of the Kartheartian church, the Archmage of the Geata Magisterium Campus, and the current Storm General of the Suranthi Armed forces. This makes a total of 37 votes, and 35 individuals upon the council.
Below this the clanholds have their own structures and bodies in place for more localized governance and decision making, as one might expect.
Culture
Assets
Salt. Suranth is the single largest producer of salt, a delicious and simple spice loved far and wide across Valerick. The cliffs along the coast are coated and filled deep with the stuff. Besides being loved for its flavoring capabilities, it is a vital and heavily valued perservative. Admittedly the sea salt being harvested here is quite different from some salts pulled from the earth in and around Susma. However Suranth holds the dominant market in the northern lands for salt.
Suranth's biggest asset however, is her earth bound minerals. Quality stone of various sorts; marble, granite, limestone, slate, all these are quarried at a fantastic volume. Copper, gold, iron, silver, and more are found and mined here in large quantities. Beyond that, many of these mines have in the past, stumbled upon small, highly valuable deposits of raw manna gems. These always provide a massive boost of wealth economically injected in the region such a deposit is discovered in.
In Suranth, military service is a career choice, and one that can indeed provide for anyone for their entire working life. Her standing army numbers some two hundred thousand or so, though they are maintained in a unique structure. Every clanhold maintains its own 'regional guard' military, the 'regulars' if you like, troops whom do their duty, train once or twice a week, and are assigned regionally, answering to regional officers. They are not poorly trained nor are they poorly equipped, but they are rather....average in the grand scheme of military. These regulars, in all the aspects, naval, aerial, rail and land, make up the bulk of Suranth's armed forces. However the best of the best, specialized troops, such as war-wizards, war priests, the Iron Dragons, the Suranthi Artillery Corps, and the Storm-Lancers, they all answer at a federal level, tied directly to the institution that is Suranth, the nation, and all that entails. One notable exception to that does exist, and that is the Storm-Lancers, whom swear their oath not to the nation but to the peoples and land itself, under authority of the Kartheartian Church.
Demography and Population
| Race/Ancestry | Rough % of Population | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | 32% | 736000 |
| Gnomes | 4% | 92000 |
| Halflings | 9% | 207000 |
| Human, Koltani | 12% | 276000 |
| Human, Mogol | 9% | 207000 |
| Human, Renarii | 6% | 138000 |
| Human, Mixed | 6% | 138000 |
| Sky Elves | 4% | 92000 |
| Woad Elves | 5% | 115000 |
| Mixed Elves | 2% | 46000 |
| Tanturs | 11% | 253000 |
Population by Clanhold
Worthy of note of course is the lack of mention of Forgeborn this is not because none exist. It is because one can assume their presence is less than a rounding error by percentage in Suranth, thus at this scale they are not mentioned and the other populations are rounded to reach the rough count. Presumably less than a few hundred, likely a few dozen from each race mentioned, would make up the Forgeborn population. However they are growing and it is believed by the next census it will be relevant and necessary to include them as a separate count to properly represent the demographics of the nation.
Territories
Tir-gach Clan (Land of all Clans): Recognized as holy ground, tied to all the clans, but held by none, it is here the nation's capital, Geata-Iarainn, sits, at the very north-eastern tip of the Irontip Range. The region also encompasses the Isle of Higbolv, and is where the Ghel industry is housed, over fifty percent of ghel processing and manufacturing happens within this region.
Ironcliffe Connighclann: The most populated region in all of Suranth, these lands encompass a large portion of the Irontip Range and most of the Nordjeim River System and the lowlands beyond. Clan Ironcliffe was the original clan of the most recent head of the Suranthi government, High King Cormac. A resource rich region, mining and fishing are dominant industries here.
Vithang Connighclann: The lands under the umbrella now of Clan Vithang, this region is known most famously as the birthplace of locomotion. It is a place of heavy industrial development, its manufacturing sector quite large. It is also known for being home to some of the most prestigious learning institutions in the fields of engineering and the sciences in all of Suranth.
Romain Connighclann: One of two such clan holds, given in standing to human noble family lines recognized as Abhaic Oinigh or honorary dwarves, it is a region highlighted by its many rivers, and the Snowspire Woods, which offer a large and steady supply of softwood lumber. The region is also known for its thick moss fields of Parvi, a moss more commonly known as 'breadmoss' famous for its nutritional values and how long the loaves made from it, called Parvin Loaves, can last.
Gnolundi Connighclann: One of the least populous clanholds, yet strategically, a place of great importance. Clan Gnolundi holds sway and influence as the great clan here. The region is heavily militant, known for its weapons and armor production, as well of course, as being home and birthplace of the Iron Dragon regiments, Suranth's elite infantry forces.
Barazbarak Connighclann: The lands of Clan Barazbarak, this clanhold is rich in timber and holds the unique distinction of being a region where farming, in a limited fashion with selective swift growing and hardy crops, is possible. It is a region with population spread about more, with farming communities dotting its central regions. Bruachthoir, the region's clanhold city, is the only port in all of Suranth that can, on some days in late summer and early autumn, rival Geata-Iarainn for volume of traffic in and out.
Storm-born Connighclann: The second of the two holdings gifted unto Abhaic Oinigh, it is a region well known for its various military academies, soldiers from every branch coming from all across the country to train and learn here regularly. It is also a region of heavy naval production, a large percentage of the boats, ships, and parts for them that are used by the military and by private interests in Suranth are produced here.
Military
41270 Clansmen: (regulars), the infantry core of the land forces, which includes equal numbers of archers/crossbowmen and regulars (arming sword, hand-ax, hammer, or mace, and a shield, spears or other polearms, or claymore/great axe). Counted among this number for now as well, are the first generation of Sky-rigger, those soldiers whom are also crewmen for Sky-Ships, though at current the Suranthi Air Force is in its barest infancy, numbering only six Sky-Ships.
26470 Saltbeards: (basic marines) the bulk of all naval forces and crews, both seaman and river-wardens. (Axe/arming sword and shield, pistols)
11950 Tundra Rovers: These troops are skilled at deploying swiftly, preferring longbows, or carbines, and a variety of side arms, from cutlasses to hatchets. Road Wardens, Rail Wardens and Air Wardens are all in this group as well Rangers of all sorts, but a key troop, making up a notable majority, are mushers and their dogsled teams. Capable of crossing great distances quickly, with cargo, intelligence, a person, or even two to three, of importance. Their military uses are diverse, as is their training. Pilots and flight crew for Suranth's few Sky-Ships are held under this designation right now, as there is not yet a properly dedicated division for an Aero Force, though such a thing is on the list of policies to be handled within the coming months and years.
8540 Iron Riders: Heavily Armored Demigryph and Griffon mounted knights, mixed with heavy shock cavalry riding large Frost-Tip Boars, wielding boar spears, cav hammer/axe and shield.
5690 Storm Lancers: The elite troops, the shock and awe of Suranth's army at close range, the Storm-Lancers all ride massive white-grey furred boars known as Iron-tusks. They are strong, tough and vicious as they come, and with not an inch of give in them, their loyalty to the throne of Suranth only equaled by their conviction to their faith. Vicious mounted, but what most never expect is the carnage after the charge, as they dismount, and engage in melee with a skill and ferocity only matched by their Iron-Tusk mounts. In fact there is a saying in regards to cavalry tactics being 'shock and awe' in the ranks;
"'The charge they expect, an' generally take rather well, ta give credit w'ere tis due. That nae be the shock. It be after impact, when our numbers double, that the wee Green-skins nae ever see comin'!!!"
5690 Iron Dragons: These troops are a mixed brigade, specializing in...unique tactics. They combine the standard dwarven formation fighting, shield walls, and unbreakable defense with skirmisher tactics and groups to back it up, allowing a flexibility of tactics that one would not normally see. Dwarven units and companies normally don't mix, as such differing heights would not allow effective formation fighting. But these elite troops balance that issue by making the battle groups a combination. A bastion to strike from, the dwarves make up the wall, the anchor for the other more mobile and less formation based soldiers to strike from and operate within. They employ a variety of devastating tactics combining that classical dwarven fortress of steel with shot, explosives, and swift brutal violence. They are the new age elite, but are strictly tied to the military and their country, owing no allegiance to the church. Though they have not the so called 'pedigree' of the Storm-Lancers, this does not really matter. The Iron Dragons accomplish similar feats of skill and ferocity through a bristling wall of steel, with withering rains of rifle and pistol fire, and copious amounts of high explosives applied generously. They are a highly flexible unit, with impressive tactical awareness and adaptability, along with of course, an impressive ability to rapidly and fully deploy with a complete and overwhelming violence of action.
5700 Wave-Runners: (Intelligence Organization) Naturally this number is pretty much a best guess by anyone's count. The Wave-Runners are Suranth's....problem solving apparatus. They are the nation's eyes and ears abroad, and at home as well. Tundra Rovers whom are perhaps the tops of their craft, particularly mushers, may find themselves offered a large promotion to join the ranks of this secretive intelligence unit, whilst still maintaining their status as a Tundra-Rover, or so the rumors suggest. None will confirm, however, which is not unexpected.
4270 Warpriest/Priests/Magisters/Physicians: These are specialized troops of course, all of which are in high demand by all sections and brigades. With available numbers being limited by comparative need, they are made available how and where they can be.
4270 Engineers/Artisans: These are of course the officers and craftsmen whom handle large arms, like cannon, trebuchet, ballista, and other such large scale equipment. Sappers. These officers and troops are favored for seige warfare, though every oceanic vessel in Suranth's navy has at least one engineer and a specialized cannon operator on board, whom guides and trains the handpicked sailors on the basics of cannon operation.
Technological Level
Religion
Like all nations in the civilized parts of the world, worship of the Ruined Gods is illegal and a crime punishable by death.
Iron and Bone, Blood and Stone!
Maps
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Suranth, the Tundra Realms
The kingdom of Suranth, the Tundra Realms -
Geata-Iarainn
Map of the Suranthi Capital, Geata-Iarainn
Sun Notes come in six denominations. A one sun note, a two sun note, a five sun note, a ten sun note, a twenty sun note, and a fifty sun note.
Coins come in a variety of denominations, as well. 1 silver, 2.5 silver (called an 'eve'), 5 silver (called a 'night') and 7.5 silver (called a 'morn'. Brass coins come in similiar denominations, 1 star coins, 2.5 stars (quarter moon), 5 stars (half-moon), 7.5 stars (three-quarter moon).
In this new modernizing era, where cross border, and even intercontinental investment is becoming more and more common, there is the beginnings of a standardizing measurement of exchange. The nation of Waston stands as the nation which seemingly took charge in this way, their ties to trade across all of Valerick running deep and spreading far. It is their currency which has become the accepted universal standard. However currently, the Suranthi Solar is valued at a rate of 1.02 to 1 against the Wastonian Shailling, the closest the two currencies have been, as Suranth slowly and steadily creeps up to perhaps match and surpass Waston economically.


I love how vivid a picture this article paints of Suranth - you've done a wonderful job with the detail and thought you've put into it.
Thank you very much :)