Founded: in 1820 by conquest from the Kingdom of the North
Capital: Gorreth
King: Zorgar of the House of Kyr. Acceded to the throne 24 Weven 2500 (aged 27). Born 17 Oscow 2973 (now aged 29). Married to Estrith, niece of King Bjørn XVII of the North, and daughter of the late Varel of Normeikl. Heir apparent, son Kargax (aged 2). One illegitimate daughter, Princess Arna (aged 6).
Kyr is an island situated in the Northern Sea some 500 miles South of the Kingdom of the North, 700 miles East of Garf Lea and 400 miles West of the Desolate Coast. The island measures some 200 miles West to East and 150 miles North to South.
The coast is guarded by cliffs, rising to mountain ranges, on all sides except the South West: an area of low rolling hills known as the Southern Uplands. The coastal mountains guard the approaches to the Central Plateau: an area of upland pasture over 1500 feet above sea level. The coastline itself is indented by fjords, providing many natural harbours. The lower slopes of the mountains are heavily wooded, with coniferous forests. These two factors have combined to provide the resources for the island's famed shipbuilding industry.
The capital, Gorreth, lies at the head of a large fjord in the Southern Uplands, on the main approach route to the Central Plateau. Other than from the Southern Uplands, the only passes providing access to the Central Plateau are the Vartan Pass, from Vergaz on the North coast, the Ennash valley, from Kovik on the North West coast, and a difficult navigation of the Hakko valley from Choriz on the North East coast. The island's natural defences are thus formidable.
The climate is less harsh than that of the Kingdom of the North. Sheltered by the coastal mountains, the Central Plateau is a fertile agricultural area.
Gorreth is the only city, having a population of c25,000. The other significant towns are Vergaz (pop. c10,000), Uleth (pop. c8,000), Ravo (pop. c6,000), Thurn (pop. c5,000), Kovik (pop. c4,000) and Choriz (pop. c2,500). All are on the coast, where the population is clustered around the natural harbours.
The population of the Central Plateau is widely dispersed in villages and farmsteads, though there are a few market towns (pop. c1,000).
The traditional activity of the Kyrians is piracy. They are a hardy, warlike and independent people, and expert shipbuilders. The Kyrian longboat is justly famed, and feared, across the Great Ocean. In the past they would raid other ships or coastal settlements, and retreat to the safety of their island fastness. Even today, when the once-independent coastal towns have been brought under the rule of a central monarchy allied to the major Good / Lawful states, piracy has not entirely died out. But most Kyrian ports are now devoted to fishing , supplemented by trading (particularly from Gorreth and Uleth) and a little smuggling.
The Central Plateau is devoted to agriculture, both arable and livestock. Kyr produces more than enough food for its own population, and exports much of its produce to the Valdrean Empire, Kingdom of the North and Dwarven Kingdoms.
The mountains produce some iron ore and precious metals (particularly gold), but these natural resources are generally under-exploited, the Kyrians only taking enough for their own axes and ploughshares.
There are few roads, and most communication is by sea. The only road of caravan route standard is the Royal Highway: a toll road from Gorreth to Vergaz.
Although the feudal system was supposedly introduced in the 1820s, following the island's conquest by the Kingdom of the North and the establishment of the monarchy, it has much less of a hold than in the North. The coastal towns are ruled by hereditary Barons, but the townspeople are free men. The Central Plateau is parcelled out into Baronial estates, but there are few serfs. Most farmers are independent smallholders and crofters. Vast tracts of land are wilderness, owned by no-one, and the farms have been carved out of this wilderness by families who pass them down through generations.
Kyrian armies are mostly volunteers, with a few press-gang victims from the towns. The King and his Barons raise their revenue by taxing trade, and by engaging in it themselves. Most of the gold mines are owned by the nobility.
A Parliament of the King, his Barons and the Bishops meets in Gorreth. Parliament has law-making authority, and is traditionally given a fairly free rein by the King, who relies on consensus to hold together his independent-minded and widely-scattered subjects.
The other force which holds the country together is its Faith in ESCUS. Although all the non-Evil Gods are worshipped on Kyr, it is the Creed of ESCUS which predominates.
However this dominance, coupled with the independent spirit of the people and poor communications, has resulted in a diversity of interpretations of the Creed, leading to heresies and schisms. The most widespread sect is that of the Wolf Cult in the North of the island.
P.R. Wild, 3 January 1998
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