Kalte

Icy Wastes of Kalte
Capital	Ljuk Ikaya (de facto)
Ruler	Unknown (present) Brumalmarc Tvor'tana (MS 5100–MS 5101)
Population	6,000 (MS 5050)
Currency	Gold Crown (Ljuk only)
Resources	Furs
Relations	Sommerlund (enemy) Durenor (enemy)

The Icy Wastes of Kalte, commonly referred to as Kalte, is the arctic region of Magnamund. It is one of three major landmasses in Magnamund. It was once the home of the Shianti, although they were forced to flee south due to a terrible curse. It is now home to the nomadic warlike Ice Barbarians, who have invaded Sommerlund and Durenor multiple times in history when the Kaltersee separating them has frozen over.

History

Early history

Kalte was first settled by the Shianti, who arrived on Magnamund after their planet was threatened with extinction. In parallel, the Ice Demons of Sharr, also known as the Suulash, too faced the prospect of their planet being destroyed. The destruction of the Shianti planet of Caliandra became a beacon for any race able to detect such an event, including the Ice Demons, allowing them to detect the presence of Magnamund. After attempts to teleport through the Shadow Gate en masse failed, the Shadow Gate was reconfigured so that the Ice Demons could enter one-by-one. The first Ice Demon travelled through a Shadow Gate on Sharr, arriving in Kalte, where it was captured and interrogated by the Shianti. The Shianti realised that these creatures were evil and violent, and likely to soon enter Magnamund in number. While the Shianti could keep the Shadow Gate closed, it would only be a matter of time before the Ice Demons opened it permanently.

The Shianti were forced to fight. They manipulated the arrival of the Ice Demons to be the Vagadyn Gate, the Shadow Gate in Kalte. As Sharr was hours from destruction, they emerged from the Shadow Gate, and a violent battle ensued. In the end, the Shianti won, and enslaved the Ice Demons. The Shianti had no desire to slaughter them, but had no choice as they could not be free. The Lesser Ice Demons were imprisoned in large glowing stone bowls called M'lare Bowls, as a source of light. The Greater Ice Demons were used to construct the ice fortress of Ikaya, as well as various other magical devices and buildings deep in the Caverns of Kalte. For their treatment, the Ice Demons are determined to wreck vengeance on Magnamund.

Around 1600 MS, the Agarashi of the north had been driven out by the Elder Magi. These Agarashi lay hidden and bred in secret, and then discovered the Shianti to the north. The Agarashi declared war on Kalte, and invaded. Once again the Shianti were victorious, but Agarash himself arrived, and cast a terrible curse on the Shianti, destroying their civilisation, and forcing them to flee south to the mainland of Magnamund. Their servants were left behind, becoming the Ice Barbarians that live there today. The Shianti left behind the fortress of Ikaya, as well as the many mysterious magical devices and powers. However, the Ice Barbarians shunned the magic of the Shianti, believing it was responsible for their downfall. This did not stop them accidentally triggering these over time, such as in MS 3990, when the defences of the palace activated and swept the land with beams of red light, igniting flesh and melting the ice hundreds of feet deep.

The era of the Darklords

Between the second half of the Age of the Black Moon (MS 3550–MS 3800), the climate cooled dramatically. The Kaltersee froze over, and the Baknar of Kalte, as well as the Ice Barbarians soon after, began invading the Kirlundin Isles of Sommerlund. Throughout this period, Kalte raided Sommerlund many times. In MS 3614, the Ice Barbarians accidentally destroyed the prisons of three Greater Ice Demons while exploring Ikaya, and the Ice Demons promptly possessed the Ice Demons. In MS 3616, they took part in a raid on Sommerlund, wielding tremendous ice elemental powers. Two of them were killed, but one survived.

Ljuk was built in MS 3952 by travellers and explorers, allowing humanity to spread further north. This outpost is begrudgingly tolerated by the Ice Barbarians, exporting furs and gems, and importing steel and other materials they cannot make themselves.

During the time of Archlord Zagarna, one of his Xaghash stole one of the Doomstones, which Zagarna had captured to become Archlord, and attempted to release the Ice Demons imprisoned in Kalte. This Xaghash intended to become their leader, capture Hammerdal, and become ruler of Durenor. However, after releasing the Ice Demons, the Xaghash was promptly destroyed by them. The Doomstone, now known as the Doomstone of Ikaya, was hidden in the Temple of the Ancients by the Ice Demons.

In MS 5050, during the events of The Caverns of Kalte, Vonotar, fleeing both Sommerlund and the Darklands, captured Loi-Kymar, and used his Guildstaff to teleport himself to Kalte. There, he tricked Brumalmarc Kzu'tooa into becoming his magician, and promptly slew him, becoming the ruler of Kalte. Lone Wolf was dispatched to bring Vonotar to justice for his part in the Massacre of the Kai and subsequent invasion of Sommerlund. Lone Wolf was successful in his quest, and Vonotar was cast into the Shadow Gate of Toran to the Daziarn, where no person had managed to escape from.

Post-Darklords era

In MS 5100, the Ice Barbarians seized and shut-down Ljuk, and any crews in the area were murdered. Chieftain Tvor'tana united all the disparate tribes of the northern wastes for the first time, and Tvor'tana was granted the title of "Grand Brumalmarc of the Icelands". In MS 5101, Tvor'tana unsealed the Vagadyn Gate and released the Ice Demons once more. They caused an unnatural winter to occur, freezing the Kaltersee, and the two forces attacked Sommerlund and Durenor. Sommerlund and Durenor, with the help of the Kai, were victorious in the battle, destroying the Ice Demons, and driving the Ice Barbarians back to Kalte, although at the cost of the brave self-sacrifice of King Tor IV of Sommerlund. The unnatural winter subsided, causing three months of flooding before the climate returned to normal.

Geography

Kalte is located at the north pole of Magnamund. It is a large landmass, separated from Northern Magnamund by the Dejkaata to the west, and Kaltersee to the east. Throughout history, the Kaltersee has frozen over multiple times, allowing for "land" raids to take place on Sommerlund and Durenor.

Kalte is relatively unknown and few explorers have been able to access it (even fewer have returned). The best known part is the western because it can be accessed by sea without great difficulty. Moreover, it is not as enclosed as the other sectors of the continent, which are isolated by a succession of massifs parallel to the coast of which the chain of Hrod, slightly apart, constitutes the final link. This one extends a little inland, allowing access to the plain of Hrod and the desolate expanses of Gorduga.

Most of Kalte is an icy waste; during winter, pack ice is a major threat to ships. The land is populated by Ice Barbarians, which are in turn headed by a chief. The nominal capital is Ikaya, although the trading outpost of Ljuk is the main point of contact with the rest of Magnamund.

Politics

Kalte is a country of nomadic tribes, ruled by a Brumalmarc. In MS 5100, the disparate tribes were united for the first time, and the ruler, Tvor'tana was given the title of "Grand Brumalmarc of the Icelands".

Known rulers of Kalte

• The Shianti (c. 1600 MS–0)
• Ice Barbarian rule (c. MS 0)
• Brumalmarc Kzu'tooa (during MS 5050)
• Vonotar (MS 5050)
• Grand Brumalmarc of the Icelands Tvor'tana (MS 5100–MS 5101)

Economy

Despite the Ice Barbarians' desire for solitude, they recognise the need for contact with the outside world, and begrudgingly allow Ljuk, a trading port to the south of Kalte, to operate. Kalte exports furs and gems, and imports steel and other materials they cannot make themselves.

Demographics

Kalte's population was approximately 6,000 during MS 5050, mostly nomadic Ice Barbarians. A small transient human population in Ljuk operates this trading port.

In the gamebooks

Kalte is the setting of The Caverns of Kalte. In this gamebook, the player attempts to bring Vonotar the Traitor, hiding in Kalte, to justice, and is successful in this quest. Vonotar is banished through the Shadow Gate of Toran to the Daziarn. The player will find plenty of lore about Kalte and the Ice Demons, and may even find the Doomstone of Ikaya, hidden in the Temple of the Ancients.