Book IV - Kaliphlin: Guild Sign-up and Discussion

[Grover]

Welcome to Kaliphlin!

Kaliphlin is open to members of all backgrounds. Just create a sig-fig and back-story, post here to sign up, and then get on to the building!

Kaliphlin's colors are red and dark blue, so show your guild pride by including a banner with your minifigure when you sign up!

 

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Section One: Guilds of Historica Background

See the main Book IV thread for the origins and current story status.

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Section Two: Guild Background and Theme

Kaliphlin Guild: The Siccus Badlands

(click for a larger image)

 

The Landscape: 

Mostly desert, bordered by mountains and the ocean on the east, with a bit of forest near Avalonia and swamplands in the far south as the delta fed by mountain streams empties into the sea.

 

The Siccus Badlands:

A desert wasteland that defines Kaliphlin to the outside world, the Siccus Badlands is watered sparingly by the Arkbi river which runs through its lands.  Its cities are few, but located on strategic trade routes.  Slicing across the Badlands rises the Great Escarpment, Kaliphlin's most formidable natural barrier.  Queenscross, located at the lowest point of the escarpment, directly protects the entrance to Kaliphlin's capital while Sultan's Gate defends the escarpment farther east.

Oases litter the Siccus desert with the largest one being Petraea, Kaliphlin's capital. Though lacking in most other resources, it is one of the few producers of Black Oil in the entire land of Historica, generating wealth beyond belief for its inhabitants. Those within its inner city live in virtual paradise relative to those behind the outer clay-brick fortifications. 

The bulk of Petraea's citizens are made up of ex-criminals, freed slaves, fortune seekers and people looking to restart their lives in anonymity. While most outside the south presume that the Petraea is a lawless savage city, it is in fact one of the most lawful cities in all of Historica. The prosperous Black Oil provides plentiful jobs and money for all those who give an honest days work. To those that choose dishonesty, the vast standing Army of the Kaliphlin Guild hands out harsh punishments to ensure there are no repeat offenders.

In Kaliphlin, law and order do not extend far outside the capital and the major cities. The remaining oases are savage places where those that are bent on lawlessness thrive. They survive by raiding merchants traveling between between the three major cities.

 

The Rakath Mountain Range:

The Rakath Mountains, peaking in Nocturnus, trail to an end along the east coast of Kaliphlin. Here the mountain fortress of Qarkyr acts as a sentinel, keeping the inhabitants of the Darklands at bay.

 

The West:

The port city of Barqa stands as the major trading hub in the western part of the Siccus. Here supplies from the north are shipped in and in return the Black Oil is shipped out. The supplies travel along the Oil Road - always heavily guarded to protect from bandits.

The Arkbi River runs through western Kaliphlin, helping to make agriculture possible in the region.  Here lie the meager forests and farmlands of Kaliphlin. These pitiful farms do not provide much food, but their vastness of the farmland provides enough space to grow food for the sparsely populated Siccus Badlands.

Take a tour of some of Kaliphlin's most visited locations!
Or visit our old University campus to learn more about the culture of Kaliphlin.

 

Kaliphlin Architecture:

Heavily inspired by the Near Eastern cultures, Kaliphlin architecture is luxurious, magnificent, and solid.  But the changes of time, and the preference of the powerful for building new monuments and palaces rather than maintaining old ones, means that Kaliphlin structures are often in disrepair.

Kaliphlinian builders have also been known to take inspiration from Mediterranean or Far Eastern architecture.

 

Kaliphlin Inhabitants:

The Siccus Wasteland is a scattered band of peoples - all races are represented - though the population is less than the other three realms. In the cities it is not uncommon to see the nobles be of all races and creeds. Keeping with the survival instincts of the harsh climate, there is no set armor or weapons for the the Kaliphlin Army or its people - when they march into the field of battle they will use whatever the individual chooses to best suit them. But while guarding inside the City, full dress armor is essential - to ensure that the world knows of the wealth that is hidden within this desolate realm.

Outside the three major cities, the harsh south has lead many to abandon Siccus and wander north to more hospitable realms, and this leaves only the most ruthless and hardened bands to wander the wastelands. While they are not typically aligned, they have known to form allegiances to oppose greater foes.

 

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Section Three: Recent Guild History

The Victor Revolword war was devastating for many of the communities within Kaliphlin. Two of the major battles happened within its borders, and many other cities and towns were turned to ruins by the elemental forces. Still, the people of Kaliphlin stayed strong, built more fortresses, connected more cities with roads and trade posts, and expanded trading empires outside the borders of Kaliphlin.

But then the "Great Disturbance" shocked Kaliphlin - eruptions of its venerable volcanoes, a large earthquake lasting what seemed to be hours, and a tsunami.  And when the dust settled, the astonished southerners found that their horizon had been invaded.  The lost island of Ulandus had risen from the oceans of time and demanded recognition as a part of Kaliphlin - and that was the most moderate of its demands.

Deeper disturbances lay beyond, however. The ancient Desert King, whose feud with Ulandus had been the reason that vast province had sunk long, long ago, had resurrected. Or possibly, someone claimed to have resurrected. Whatever the case, Kaliphlinians were forced to choose sides. And between the adherents of the High Council, the Desert King, and the Ulandians, Kaliphlin was torn apart.

Today, the Desert King rules, but his scepter seems to be a cracked one. Discontent simmers and those who seek for peace under a truly Kaliphlinian ruler shake their heads. The kingdom is far from stable.

But for the adventurous, for the brave, for the daring, opportunities abound.  And that is what the citizens of Kaliphlin have always been. Whatever the future holds, they are sure it will be bright.

 

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Section Four: Kaliphlin Leaders

For in-character purposes, the current Ruler of the Kaliphlin Guild is the Desert King.  He thinks he should rule all of Historica, and his power-hungry spirit finds little favor with Kaliphlin's traditionally isolationist nobility.

For administrative purposes, @Kai NRG is the Guild Leader and the representative for Kaliphlin to the Guilds of Historica core leadership group.  @jtooker acts as Lieutenant.

List of Active Members.

 

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Section Five: Guild Challenges
Open projects for all GOH members:
The University of Petraea's Doctorate of Historica Program
University Tracking Thread

Projects that are finished (list is not exhaustive):
The Great Mitgardian / Kaliphlin Naval Arms Race
Sultan's Gate Community Build
The War of the Brothers LDD Weapons of War Contest Link 2
Life and Death in Kaliphlin
Oil Drive to Save Mitgardia (Winner: Gideon)
Bandages for Avalonia! (Winner: Robuko)
Inside Kaliphlin Collab
Kaliphlin at Work Collab

A few other helpful links:
Guilds of Historica New Member Guide
Book I Kaliphlin Guild Thread
Book II Kaliphlin Guild Thread
Book III Kaliphlin Guild Thread
Nice Marmot's map-making guide

[Kai NRG]

Reserved for active members list.

[jtooker]

Rhalyf the Wanderer

Rhalyf finds himself drawn to the south and to Kaliphlin.  Not much is known about Rhalyf, except that he travels alone and has the skills and abilities to take care of himself even in hostile environments.

 

 

Rhalyf the Wander

 

Rhalyf enters Kaliphlin

Spoiler

Since not much in-Historica time has passed since I joined, I'm just reposting from Book III.  If I get around to it, I'll update the images.

For higher quality images of Rhalyf, see Rhalyf's page on my website.

 

[Gideon]

Chancellor Gideon of Barqa

A half-elf with origins from Avalonia, with a background as a vagabond travelling all over Historica and a as a veteran from the Revolword wars, Gideon has settled in Barqa in Kaliphlin. 
By now he has served as the head of the City Council of Barqa for many years, and has led the city's recovery from the turmoil of the Kaliphlin Civil War and the ensuing trade disruptions - to Barqa once again being a prosperous trading hub for the south-west of Historica.
With a strong sense of duty, he keeps toiling away with the politics and administrative tasks of the city governance - but the itch to return to his old life as an adventurer is growing stronger every day...