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The Kingdom of Terra Mike Renner on 2009-08-18 @ 15:57:08 Located on the eastern end of Hitoriku and surrounded by many tall mountains, the Kingdom of Terra is a military country founded soon after the Demon War. It is the smallest of the five human countries. It's also where I live, if you must know. History The mountainous regions of Terra were originally the home of the Tangashen, groups of warrior tribes who live on the eastern reaches of the country, out of contact from the rest of Hitoriku. The Demon War started in this region, as the demons couldn't cross the ocean west of Zeyphr due to the Seasink, an area where nothing can float on water, in the western ocean. At first, the people of Hitoriku knew nothing of the futile fight between the Tangashen and the demons, and couldn't do anything to help due to their location. As common humans began to fight back the tide, the native common humans who lived in the western and central regions of Terra began to fight back, led by Osyrus Guilder. Osyrus led the remnants of the Tangashen and the other humans who lived in Terra into daring ambushes against the demons, using their knowledge of the land to evade being cornered, until reinforcements from the other human lands arrived to push the demons back and out of Terra. Following the war, Osyrus's son built the Kingdom of Terra from the mountain fortress of Masguard, and the Tangashen returned to their tribal settlements in eastern Terra. Terra became a military country, attempting to become stronger to protect humanity from the possibility of another demon attack, though they largely do this by fighting one another. There exists an uneasy truce between the Tangashen and the Terrans, but they have come into conflict before. Ostensibly, Terra's lands include the area that the Tangashen live, but the Tangashen think of themselves as independent from us and don't often listen to any demands we make of them. Government The Kingdom of Terra is a kingdom, just like Strife and Cicle. Its leader is called a "king" and the king makes decisions just like any other king. However, Terra doesn't decide a king based off of familial relations or descendents. Rather, Terra has decided its kings and queens through strength of arms. In other words, a king has to be *physically* strong to be seen as a leader by the people our nation. To do this, an annual fight called the "Rite of Succession" is fought. The Rite of Succession is a battle fought in a special arena within Masguard's fortress. The battle has to be witnessed by every available top-ranking member of the military, including the General. The battle continues until one is medically unable to continue. There have been several instances where the winner has actually killed the loser as recently as the current king's victory for the throne. Because of the nature of Terra's line of succession, there is a revolving door nature behind succession. It is rare for any king to defend his throne for longer than about five years, and those that do tend to be called "God Kings" if they can accomplish the feat. Although it's not unheard of for a woman to become Queen of Terra, there has only ever been one so-called "God Queen", Sophia Guilder, who reigned until her death four hundred years ago. That probablty doesn't bode well for my chances as Queen of Terra, actually. Culture & Technology Terra is a military kingdom, based purely in strength. Any child deemed healthy enough will be sent into the military at age 7, exempting only the blind, the crippled, and those born with some sort of sickness. And yes, even I had to be in the military when I was 7. Those that end up in the military are legally required to remain there until they turn eighteen, unless they happen to reach the rank of Captain before then. Such an event, however, is so rare that it's only happened once in the entirety of Terra's military history. Terra's military is mostly used for hunting and defense. The mountainous regions of Terra make it a home for lions, bears, and other beasts. Because Terra has little usable farmland, it is through hunting and trade that they are able to survive. Many soldiers of Terra initially serve as bodyguards for royal figures of other countries, but it's rare that a Captain will take such a position. People from other countries are often allowed into the military as well, sometimes through force if they have a peculiar ability of some sort. Holidays & Events December 25th is celebrated as "War's End Day", the anniversary of the day that the Demon War was concluded. It is celebrated with gifts and isn't limited to Terra, as it is celebrated all over Hitoriku. The yearly "Rite of Succession" battle occured on March 31st of every year, barring weather conditions. It has become something of a spectacle of an event, as although all Captains are required to attend the fight, Leadership The current king of Terra is Carson Garrison, who has recently achieved the title of "God King" due to having served as the King for five years. The less said about him, the better. Let's just say that he would recognize me from some part of my body other than my face, and call it even. Climate Terra is in the temperate zone of Hitoriku, like Strife and Zeyphr. However, one has to keep in mind when preparing for a trip here that Terra's main city, Masguard, is built into a tall mountain. As a result, it can be colder here, and snow frequently falls even into summer. It seems to be warm enough often enough for a Fire Immune to wander around, though.
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