Halta
Overview
To the outside world, the Republic of Halta is a strange and alien land: there, green-haired humans dwell in the tops of trees alongside talking animals and beastmen, even the Fair Folk who seek the destruction of Creation, all looking upon each other as equals. To most minds forged in the fire of a feudal upbringing, this is a wild and improper thing, for differences are inherent and dangerous, their embrace madness.
But to the Haltans, and the powers which have shaped them, the Republic stands not as a pillar of madness but one of success, a nation that has overcome the flaws of this degenerate age to grow something better.
History
The Republic of Halta was forged in the wake of the Great Contagion, as refugees and forest tribes intermingled and formed alliances. The Eastern forests, particularly the huge redwood conifers of the Northeast, had been used as dwellings by humans since they first came to the land, and this tradition continued… treetop dwellings provided some measure of safety from the roving beasts on the forest floor (and, during the Balorian Crusade, the Fair Folk). As years wore on, many tribes dwelling in the redwoods found themselves encouraged into alliance due to encouragement from the god of conifers, Caltia the Eternal, whom they all worshipped in some way or another, as well as the sage advice of their shamans and charismatic war leaders. Still unknown to the Haltans, much of this advice originated with two Lunar Exalted, Silver Python and Rain Deathflyer. This pair of ancient Lunars have cultivated and protected Halta since its founding, keeping their involvement secret… they consider the state to largely be a success, though some others within the Silver Pact do not agree with their confidence.
Unified by shared gods and the influence of the Celestial Exalted, Halta soon found another unifying factor: hatred of the Linowan. The Linowan were a people of the rivers as the Haltans were a people of the trees, and the border between the coniferous forests of Caltia the Eternal and the deciduous river meadows of Golden-Eyed Jorst were a source of conflict between the two gods and the tribes who worshipped them. Caltia encouraged her Haltans to set fires and plant coniferous saplings, and Jorst responded by sending his tribes to chop down redwoods, missions which became raids to loot and pillage Haltan villages. The two peoples are locked in a cycle of hatred, having warred against each other ever since as they seek to push the boundaries of coniferous and deciduous trees back and forth between them.
In RY276, the largest battle between Linowa and Halta was fought. Both nations expended the vast bulk of their remaining First Age arms as well as tens of thousands of warriors in a massive engagement along the border between the two nations. Some say that Jorst and Caltia took to the field and clashed in personal combat. Regardless, the land was devastated, trees both coniferous and deciduous blasted away, and a shadowland born: the Fields of Woe.
Another momentous event for Halta occurred soon after, with the signing of the Treaty of High Order and Wild Roots with the Fair Folk dwelling in the Haltan forests. The Haltans had already lived predominantly in trees, but this treaty permanently gave up the ground.
The Linowan recovered more quickly than the Haltans from their first major battle, gathering armies again for an assault in the War of Summer Conflagration, which saw them enter territory they believed was Haltan but in fact belonged to the Fae… the invading army was destroyed. In the wake of the War, neither side mounted massive invasions of the other, limiting their conflict to constant raiding and occasional major operations… until very recently, when Halta responded to a number of its smaller neighbours allying themselves with the Icewalkers to form an agreement with Yurgen Kaneko to aid him in the War with the Bull.
Haltan society also developed politically, with developments found alien across most of Creation… beastmen and ata-beasts secured the same rights as humans, struggles occurred between monarch and legislature, life amongst the trees was mastered, and even the Fair Folk began to secure some forms of integration within the society as trade in their gossamer goods grew in value.
Today, Halta sits on a precipice. It now has a position of strength... the Linowan lost the war, the Haltans won it, the allies of the river tribes are broken and paralyzed while the allies of the Republic are here and strong. But the war killed many thousands of Haltans, and barely expanded its borders or its treeline at all. Worse, the soldiers who fought in the Bull’s War are returning shaken and horrified by what they witnessed… their allies flanked by armies of demons, border raids abandoned in favour of obliterating whole tribes and cities. The world they know is different from the one they grew up in, and this may just be the beginning.
Geography
Halta is a large nation of the Northeastern Threshold, spread out across the redwood forests which grow around the rivers that join to become the Silver River .
Strictly speaking, Halta is defined as occupying a roughly triangular area, with the Golden Leaf Canal as its curving northeastern base, following the River of White Birch in the south and the Blackwater River in the west to a point at Lake Sanazala, stabbing into the heart of Linowa. Here and there, Halta does not control expanses of territory within this region, or thrusts outposts out passed those lines, but in general Halta’s shape is defined by the area covered by the Treaty of High Order and Wild Roots… the treaty also explains the strange nature of borders in the region, for Halta controls the treetops of its land, but not the ground.
The northeastern forests are filled with evergreens, and the area occupied by Halta is primarily redwood forest. The massive redwood trees grow to huge heights and diameters, enough to support human habitation both in their branches and their carved-out interiors. Ironwood trees grow along the southern border of the country.
Chanta (13) – The capital of the Haltan Republic is located deep within the country, at the center of most of the land’s arboreal trade routes and distant from the river systems which could carry raiders to its base. Chanta is home to massive temples to the gods supported by the Haltans, particularly their patron Caltia the Eternal, as well as the ornate hall that serves as meeting place for the country’s ruling Council of Nobles and its monarch. Massive platforms extend between Halta’s largest redwoods, creating a maze of levels and allowing residents to enjoy rare open spaces, reminiscent of moving on ground level. While most cities are home to a college of Thaumaturgy, Chanta is home to the largest and most skilled faculty.
Glorious Crown (17) – Glorious Crown is a tree city which serves as the center of trade and politics between Halta and the Fair Folk, the city located in trees with an excellent view of the nearby city of Yagan, ‘capital’ of Sluluru's Domain.
Caltia’s Triumph (8) – Caltia’s Triumph is a tree city located along the River of Black Branches in eastern Halta. It is the center of Ironwood production in Halta, and though developed its size is limited by the fact that Ironwood trees are short and stocky, difficult to harvest without setting foot on the ground. Once this meant work was highly dangerous, though in recent decades the local Fair Folk have seemed quite tolerant of Haltan lumberjacks provided they supply a steady stream of Linowan prisoners.
Kajeth (7) – Kajeth is a tree city located on the banks of the Bloody River , known as a center of trade for the Haltan Republic .
River Blossom (14) – River Blossom is a tree city on the eastern banks of the Blackwater River , known for two things: the first is trade, for it sits across the river from the Guild outpost of River Keep. The second is sap: River Blossom is located on the edge of an area of forest where the usual redwoods give way mostly to tall, thinner varieties of pine. The sap of these trees, however, flows free and plentiful. Most of the trees produce a glowing sap, but some within the city instead produce sweet, pure water, and rare trees produce a fine, sweet wine, fruity in flavour. It is from here that Halta is supplied with wine, with only an occasional bottle left for trade with the Guild. The glowing sap is harvested in great quantities to fill the translucent globes produced by a local fungal species, creating lamps which produce no smoke and burn no fuel, ideal for lighting paths between tree cities and illuminating interior chambers.
Resplendent Peak (6) – Resplendent Peak is a large town on the western frontier of Halta, across the Blackwater River from Halta proper. The outpost, outside the protection of the Treaty of High Order and Wild Roots, is primarily a military post, holding a rocky ridge with a commanding view of the Blackwater’s most easily forded region. Redwoods do not grow here, so the Haltans are forced to live closer to the ground, though their ridge is reinforced with a defensive palisade to keep out Fae raiders and barbarian invasions. Resplendent Peak was built due to the vulnerability of this point, which was used in the past by Icewalker tribes and the forces of the Fae Yseult’s Domain (who is not a Treaty signatory) to cross into Halta. The fort also defends against Linowan canoes attempting to sneak upriver so they might assault Halta’s northern villages along the Golden Leaf Canal.
Sal-Maneth (19) – Floating First-Age city, now in ruins.
Trinu (20) – Township which has been suffering some ill-fortune, animals departing and people plagued by fatigue.
Black Branches (21) – Large town, center for Haltan production of Elderberry wine and home to the sanctum of the god Sweet Harvest.
Religion
Religion is of significant importance in Haltan life, for the gods of Halta have taken an active role in the land’s development. The treaty with the fae, the spread of intelligent animals, the gifts granted people by the woods, success in hunting, protection against Linowan massacre… the list of practical boons the Haltans thank their gods for is innumerable. Halta does not mandate a religion, following the Shogunate tradition of patronage where individuals select gods who grant the benefits they require and worship those. However, the active role of spirits in shaping Halta means that the land has a pantheon of deities who are most often subject of such worship.
Caltia the Eternal – God of Halta and of coniferous forests, the environment upon which they depend, all citizens of Halta engage in at least some worship of Caltia for she is patron of their homes and their whole society, as well as of those who seek to destroy the deciduous trees of Golden-Eyed Jorst and those who engage in hunting.
Oplath Daigono Shar – God of Natural Flight, Shar is worshipped by winged beastmen and ata-beasts, and by those involved in keeping birds for hunting, as messengers, or other duties. The former are far more common in Halta than elsewhere in Creation, the latter are vital to maintaining the Haltan Republic, resulting in a great deal of worship.
Yesryk – God of Raptors and Arboreal Hunting. Yesryk is worshipped by those who keep hawks and other raptors. However, he has passed the apex of his worship in Halta itself, as he is patron god of the Shandir Woods, and the beastmen & ata-beasts who seek his favour have moved over time to reside in that realm.
Forest Walkers of Halta – Gods of specific forests. Six such gods are worshipped by the Haltans, as their forests lie in and around the Haltan Republic.
Sweet Harvest – God of the Elderberry vine, which is common in some parts of Halta as a parasite wrapping the branches and trunks of conifers. The vine’s black berries, filled with deep staining purple juice, are used to make wine, and in Halta Sweet Harvest receives worship both from the makers of such wine and its drinkers.
Other gods, and even Exalts and Spiritblooded, are able to form cults of worshippers in exchange for boons. The only entities who cannot be worshipped are the Neverborn, the dead, the Yozi, and demons… such worship is punishable by sacrifice to the Fair Folk. In fact, this is one of the more severe strictures in a relatively tolerant Republic, for any association at all with undeath or the demonic is expressly banned and similarly punished. A similar stricture exists against worship of the Fae, but enforcement has lapsed over time… the lord of Sluluru’s Domain encourages Haltans to worship him, and should such worshippers be punished… by Haltan law and Treaty requirement they are ‘fed’ to Sluluru, who simply sends them back up the trees after thanking them for their worship.
Looked down upon by mainstream society, but not punished unless it violates civil law, are the cults of Vata, god of cannibals. Those who succumb to the Vatal Disease which bears her name are driven out of Haltan settlements and slain or (preferably) forced down to be dealt with by the Fair Folk.
Politics
The Haltan Republic possesses a unique political system which grants remarkable political freedom and power to the land’s individual citizens. A constitution exists establishing firm limits on the terms and powers of those who hold positions of leadership, and while government departments bicker over details no one has sufficient power to seize complete control in a feudal sense… even Caltia the Eternal is merely an influence, not a controller, of the Republic. The current form of the Haltan government is a result of centuries of political disputes and wrangling between various factions and polities, but despite many divisions and changes the Republic persists.
Halta is ruled by a Queen, elected by a Council of Nobles from the members of Halta’s ancient royal line, the Chaltra family. The Queen may rule only until the age of 40, after which she must abdicate and a successor is elected. The Queen appoints the members of the bureaucracy and governs foreign relations and matters of treaty, as well as providing broad direction to the state and a veto over decisions of the Counicl of Nobles.
The Council of Nobles is a body of 500 legislators, elected rather than hereditary. The Council decides on the laws of Halta, subject to veto by the Queen. Any Haltan citizen may run for office as a Noble, and the office is held until death, retirement, or legal removal from office. To qualify for an open seat, an individual citizen must pass a comprehensive examination to determine their intellectual capabilities and knowledge of Halta. 275 seats on the Council have the additional requirement that the candidate have served as a Haltan commando, while 5 require the candidate be an ata-beast. The candidates who pass the examinations may then be elected to fill any vacant posts on the Noble Council, by the sitting members of the Noble Council. Such elections occur every three years.
Half of the Nobles reside in the capital of Chanta full-time, while half serve as administrators for each of Halta’s 250 districts. New Nobles serve as administrators (always of districts where they have never resided), moving to the capital only as vacancies allow them to ascend in seniority. Such junior nobles are subject to review every three years, where the judges of the Haltan bureaucracy conduct a secret ballot amongst all citizens resident in their district, rating their performance. Those who do well are rewarded by the Queen. Those who fail may be punished… severe and/or repeated failure will see them transferred to a different district or sometimes even stripped of their Noble rank entirely.
Beneath the Queen and Council stand the three Departments of Halta’s bureaucracy, charged with carrying out the laws passed by the Republic’s rulers. This ystem has its origins in Shogunate political texts, from whom fragments have been recovered and applied.
The Department of Halta is responsible for much of the regular civil government, including judges who decide on legal matters, tax collectors, and managers of public projects. Punishment for most crimes comes in the form of fines, while more severe crimes punished by feeding the offender to the Fair Folk. This Department is also responsible for (limited) espionage and (more pervasive) counter-espionage, with a cadre of Monitors who track the movements and activities of visiting foreigners and identify themselves .
The Department of Religious and Natural Affairs is responsible for Halta’s religious and traditional ceremonies, and for resolving disputes and carrying out relations with the Fair Folk. This work is carried out by shaman-priests, who are also assigned to carry out diplomatic missions to other states (rare for the insular Haltans) and provide thaumaturgical power to military units. The Department’s shaman-priests are required to have a san-beast companion to ‘symbolize their connection to the forest’… this stricture has been somewhat contentious in some circles as being highly humanocentric… it was the refusal of the Department to accept the decision of ten ata-beast shaman-priests to each take a san-human as their animal companion some centuries ago that led to the schism which founded Ascending Spruce
The Department of Warfare is responsible for Halta’s military (see below).
In addition to these departments, the Haltan Carriers serve as another branch of the bureaucracy, allowing the three Departments as well as the Queen and Noble Council to operate. The Carriers train large numbers of san-beast Great Owls and Diving Herons, who can bear messages and small packages across the length and breadth of Halta.
Queen of Halta: Chaltra Evamal. Responsible for the alliance with the Bull of the North, though now showing signs of regret, the current Queen is a charismatic woman who is about to reach the age of mandatory abdication.
Head of the Department of Halta: Rhall Gesran. Youngest of Halta’s top bureaucrats, ambitious and filled with hate for the Linowan. A vocal supporter of the alliance with the Bull, in hopes it will see the final conquest of Linowa.
Head of the Department of Religious and Natural Affairs: Jurak Treyna. An elderly, reclusive Godblooded sorcerer.
Head of the Department of Warfare: Flera Skyweaver. An elder outcaste Dragonblooded and former Haltan general, cautious in military matters and eager to end the Republic’s alliance with the Bull.
Population
The people of Halta are unique. The human population always has green hair and green or brown eyes with red-brown skin, their feet bearing toes longer and more prehensile than the norm.
Alongside humans, Beastmen are accepted with the society as being blessed by the gods, treated as equals, though the populace maintains a respectful distance most of the time. The same is true of ata-beasts, animals who have been bred or mutated to have the powers of speech, and with those touched by spirits such as the Godblooded and Faeblooded. Intolerant of infernalism and necromancy, however, Haltans do not accept those touched by death and demons, including Ghostblooded and Demonblooded.
Haltans make great use of san-beasts, unusually intelligent animals. These are not capable of human speech or thinking, and do not have rights as persons in Halta, but are valued as messengers, hunters, and companions… mistreatment of san-beasts is punished severely. Levels of intelligence do not determine personhood only amongst the san- and ata-beasts… humans who suffer mental disabilities are considered ‘san-humans’, treated and kept as are other san-beasts.
Even human to human, the mindset of Haltans is alien to most people outside their forest realm. Of note, their focus on intelligence as key to personhood means that elderly people whose mental faculties deteriorate cease to be real people, and children too young for ordered thought are likewise not yet people. While some parental relationships are recognizable, in Halta such attachments are predominantly as one might see elsewhere between an owner and a beloved pet. As such, one wants the pet/child/senile elder to be treated well, but one cannot treat it as more than it is… if one is trapped starving in the woods, abandoning or even consuming such pets is a sad necessity to ensure the survival of real people.
One tradition of note amongst the Haltan Population is the Test of Survival. Children may attempt the Test when they wish to become adults, recognized as full persons by their parents and the law. They may bear only a single suit of clothes, a water skin, a knife, flint and tinder, and a blanket, and may travel with no companions. They must leave into the wilderness alone, and only return when they have with them the body of a slain beast or some rare and highly-valued plant. Those who succeed may seek to serve in government and the military, marry, own property, vote on the performance of the local Noble, or enlighten their Essence. Those who fail may try again but only once each season. It is not common, but deaths during the Trial are not unknown.
Haltans are known for arrogance and insularity in their relations with foreigners. While not actively hostile save against the Linowan and other neighbouring threats, Haltans know that they live in Creation’s most free, most prosperous, most just society, and all other peoples and methods must surely be lesser. They are eager to demonstrate their superior ways, but will rarely pretend any interest if the lands and ways of others are explained to them.
Economy
Halta is distant from the great commercial centers of Creation, the main Silver River artery of trade obstructed by the Linowan. Even within Halta, movement takes place over long and winding branch paths, which means it is both slow and limited in scale.
The most basic Haltan economy is one of subsistence from the forest’s upper reaches… denied the forest floor, they have had to invest great efforts in developing enough food to sustain their people. The bulk of food comes in the form of edible mosses growing along tree trunks (used to create a thick porridge) and pine nuts gathered from conifers. These nuts are eaten toasted on occasion, but most are processed into oil and ground into flour (used to make a nut bread). Coniferous forests are not hospitable environments for most fruit-bearing plants, but a number of berry vines can be found growing along redwood branches. San-beast Emerald Monkeys are trained to gather such fruit and return it to the Haltans. Mushrooms also sometimes grow in Haltan reach. Water is provided by thick Water-Vines, which draw water up from the forest floor to where the Haltans can access it via Ironwood taps.
Influenced by Caltia, Haltan culture has a great respect for the hunt, but their access to game is limited by inability to touch the ground. There are several species found amongst the upper branches. The preferred one is the Giant Arboreal Sloth, which is large, slow-moving, and considered quite stupid: it has long provided the Haltans with meat and skin for leather. Other animals found in the branches are also hunted, including Tree Pards, Forest Baboons, Emerald Monkeys, Giant Bats, and Diving Herons… a few Haltans find this hunting distasteful as these creatures are also encountered in Haltan society due to the presence of ata- and san-beast versions of all these animals, but most have long accepted the practice… Caltia demands her people hunt, and there are simply no other options. Occasional mistakes where a hunter slays a san-beast or ata-beast are difficult to prove, for the Haltans do not believe in cruelty to their prey: the first strike ought be a killing blow, with no traps or disabling moves that might allow undue suffering.. or questioning to determine intelligence level. To their credit, this is not a matter of species bias: the ata-beasts of Halta, and even human hunters, have sometimes slain those they believed to be wild san-humans rather than real people.
Where settlements are located near rivers, fish and shellfish are gathered by san-beast Diving Herons to supplement the local diet.
Haltans gather a large number of plants for both eating and medicinal purposes. The sap of conifers is tapped and used to produce a beer-like beverage known as Sek, while a variety of berry is fermented into Elderberry wine. The Haltans also have access to Soaring Hemp, which is used as a recreational drug, and a number of rare poisonous and medicinal plants including Blood Berries, Coldvine, Succor Blossom, Liar’s Mushroom, Totem Leaf, and Young Monkey Tea. Trade with the barbarian tribes of the far East and raids against the Linowan add Ironbush, Bright Morning, and sometimes Death Sap to the herbs available. The Guild is a major buyer of such plants, transporting them for sale across Creation.
Haltans are renowned woodworkers, particularly with Ironwood, producing versions of nearly any tool or material one would make from true metal elsewhere in Creation. Haltan-worked Ironwood is the largest export by both weight and volume, though not value. They are also adept at using bark fibres to create textiles for clothing, and in the production of paper and printing woodblocks. While the plant-based paints and dyes they use lack the vibrancy of some woodblock prints seen in the Realm, this means that books are relatively widespread in Halta. The silk of Giant Wolf Spiders is strong, but makes for coarser clothing than true Silk from the Blessed Isle... wealthy Haltans wear it, but most dream of importing bolts of true silk cloth which they might have cut in proper Haltan styles.
The Guild dominates trade between Halta and the outside world, for they have established treaties of neutrality with the Haltans, the local Fair Folk, AND the Linowan, allowing their ships to carry goods up and down the Silver River without harassment. In exchange for worked Ironwood and valuable herbs, the Guild sells the Haltans metal goods and luxury items from distant lands. The Guild also operates several drug dens in Halta’s larger cities, where it can sell processed leaves of the Coca Bush, Qat, and Heroin, and users can enjoy in a controlled environment without risk of falling from the branchpaths (an event the Guild makes efforts to prevent, due to the difficulties that might result for their continuing trade prospects in the country). Heroin had some adherents, but was never extremely popular until the past few years, when veterans of the War with the Bull began to seek escape from their troubled minds in its embrace. As this influx of capital allows further purchases of Haltan goods for sale elsewhere, the Guild is nearly leaping for joy at this turn of events, though some within the Council of Nobles are beginning to voice concerns.
Halta also engages in trade with the Fair Folk who signed the Treaty of High Order and Wild Roots, at least with the signatory Sluluru’s Domain. The Fae have a number of goods desired by the Haltans: cataphractoi ‘mercenaries’ to assist in defense of their settlements and on raids against the Linowan; weapons, armour, and luxury objects of gossamer; and intricately worked objects of yellow glass from the city of Yagan. Unfortunately for the Haltans, the Fae have few needs which can be satisfied in exchange for such treasures… mercenary assistance on raids is paid for by offering choice pick of captives taken, but most prisoners are required just to satisfy Halta’s treaty commitments, requiring the Republic to launch ever larger raids to maintain their trade with the Fae. Halta has also authorized Fair Folk who have been allowed into Halta to purchase the dreams of Haltan citizens, so long as they are freely given, and the population has proved quite comfortable with the practice, though a few naysayers shout of the dangers inherent to giving oneself over to the potential enemies living on the forest floor.
Halta does not permit slavery… no human may own another. Even animals are treated as pets to be cared for rather than objects owned by their masters. As Halta has few spare slaves to sell, and little use for slaves it might buy, the Guild has seemed happy to accept the matter without dispute.
Not a major contributor economically, but one of few ways Haltans leave their realm, is in travelling circus shows, where they can impress with acrobatic skill and tricks performed by san- and ata-beasts. Such ‘Haltan Faires’ are popular in the Scavenger lands, and can be lucrative for the Haltan humans and ata-beasts involved.
Military
The Haltan military is a large and powerful institution, tasked with both defending the Republic and expanding the borders of the coniferous forests in the name of both Halta and Caltia the Eternal. Caltia and the Lunar patrons of Halta were in firm agreement on the need for strength of arms as they forged their state, and the endless war with the Linowan has meant the pressure for a large army has never been lifted.
The military is divided into two branches: the Haltan Guard and the Haltan Commandos. Both are organized using units corresponding to those of the current Legions of the Realm, though Halta uses unique terminology: the largest operational unit is the Tree (Legion), containing ten Trunks (Dragons), each containing two Branches (Wings), each containing two Twigs (Talons), each containing five Leaves (Scales).
Every Haltan citizen may be called on to serve a 4-year term in the Haltan Guard starting from the day of their 18th birthday. The number of Haltans so conscripted is determined by the Queen, based on impending dangers and losses. Some Haltans choose to volunteer rather than waiting to be conscripted. The Guard are trained in basic drill & forest warfare, equipped with redwood-fiber buff jackets, and equipped with javelins and Ironwood shortspears. They are used as a labour pool for public projects and to build and maintain branchpaths between Haltan settlements, as well as serving as a defensive force in case of outsiders launching raids or invasions. As militia forces they are admirable, but they are a step below true professional soldiers.
Halta does have such professionals: the Haltan Commandos. Following a term in the Guard, a Haltan citizen may sign on for a ten-year term as a commando. The entry requirements are difficult to meet, and the testing thorough, followed by significant training both in arboreal fighting and in warfare on the ground. They are well-equipped with redwood-fiber buff jackets reinforced with bone or Ironwood, as well as war boomerangs and melee weapons of the soldier’s choice, usually short and one-handed. They also operate a number of ballistae and ‘Birchcutters’, war machines which fire two large boomerangs connected together to tear swathes through any packed formation of troops.
Haltan Commandos garrison a row of large defensive fortifications arrayed along the border with the Linowan. They are also responsible for any operations taking place outside of Halta, including raiding the Linowan. Commando units and forts typically have several Fair Folk warriors attached to provide assistance and supernatural puissance.
