New Caledonia History
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On this page... (hide)
- 1. History of Old Caledonia
- 1.1 Notable Events
- 1.2 Notes on Old Caledonia
- 2. Loner Band
- 2.1 Notable Events
- 3. New Caledonia — Year I
- 3.1 Notable Events
- 4. Year II
- 4.1 Notable Events
- 4.2 Storylines
- 5. Year III
- 5.1 Notable Events
1. History of Old Caledonia
Old Caledonia was a peaceful place where four clans lived across territory that was colloquially referred to as the Highlands and the Lowlands. Set upon by renegade forces in late 2018 for their resource-rich land, each of the Clans fought against their foes in an effort to drive them off. Late into the fighting, all of the Clans came together and decided to elect their first official leader who would represent every one of the Clans. It was on this day that Iomair became The High King.
In 2019 the remaining members of Old Caledonia were forced to admit defeat and flee. After collecting what little remained of their lives, they began a pilgrimage to find new lands that were not devastated by their war.
As a result of this, Iomair broke the Clans apart and declared them unified under one banner: New Caledonia.
Note: When creating a character from Old Caledonia, the fighting is to be vaguely referenced. The main emphasis of the story is to have them come to Nova Scotia and begin to rebuild their lives. If you would like to have a specific aspect reviewed or added into the notable events section of the war, please discuss with Leadership first!
1.1 Notable Events
- Their enemies attacked Old Caledonia in pieces so that it took the Clans some time to realize that it was a concentrated attack. Many of the Clans came together to create their own forces in an effort to drive off the attackers -- though ultimately these all failed.
- Iomair declared that Old Caledonia was defeated by sending messages as far as possible to alert all fighters that the time to abandon their homes had come. How your character receives this message is up to you!
1.2 Notes on Old Caledonia
The backstory attached to Old Caledonia is purposefully built with some vagueness to allow for your character to interpret or interact with the story as you see fit without focusing so much on the nitty gritty detail.
- In Old Caledonia all of the clans lived on one large territory which was then split by borders into their respective clans. All families within the clans have varying levels of traditionalism, just like us!
- Your character could have left Old Caledonia at any time. The war of course was the catalyst to everyone leaving, but your character could have left for any multitude of reasons!
- The old territory is located somewhere in Manitoba. Travel time from there to Nova Scotia is roughly 18 days -- so keep this in mind if your character is adventured east towards Nova Scotia!
2. Loner Band
New Caledonia began its time in Nova Scotia as a group of refugees who had managed to find safety in a piece of land that lay just beneath Mount Oromocto. Tamlin acted as the group's Pathfinder and scouted ahead to assure that they were not being followed and would remain safe. On April 26th, 2019, Tamlin and Iomair were finally reunited. Tamlin was able to scout out land for their first camp, and so it was that New Caledonia was founded with humble beginnings as a Loner Band.
As time went on, the Caledonians were joined by others who were drawn to their story. As a Loner Band, New Caledonia was made up of: Iomair and Vodeva Nartholiel, Athras Eryn, Tamlin Anor, Fennore, Aerin Galenas, Arran Fir-Chlis, Aidan Loch, Bellad Songthorn, Salka Huxley, Ánh Thị Linh, Gunner Wilds, and Valerian Hollybriar.
As their camp grew in numbers, Iomair sent Tamlin to scout for new land. The High King asked Athras Eryn, a druid from Taur to be appointed as their Lord-Regent. Athras came from an old family, and the Eryns were well respected members of their clan. Iomair was keen to utilize his cunning as they ushered in a new age. It did not take long for Tamlin to locate a suitable swatch of land for the Loner Band to move to; in early June, a pale horse lead them to what would become the Realm that they now call home.
Soon after, Tamlin disappeared, but the Kingdom of New Caledonia continued to flourish and grow in number.
2.1 Notable Events
- The Foundation of a New Home — Tamlin brings Fennore to meet his King, and she agrees to stay amongst them and help where she can.
- the return — Iomair and Athras are reunited and discuss the future of their remaining refugees.
- and if there is more to your story — As the Band begins to swell with new members, Iomair calls a meeting for his people.
- strange bedfellows — Athras sets about finding new land for their bustling group, and members of Caledonia move camp for the time-being.
- but if we're strong enough to let it in — Iomair calls for an informal 'pot-luck' to provide some much-needed camaraderie and entertainment for the group.
- And there is a sign, an alignment, a cry — The Band moves again, this time into what will become the City Square of the new Realm.
3. New Caledonia — Year I
Now established as a proper pack, New Caledonia continues to greet new members and thrive in Cape Acacia. However, mere months after its founding, Iomair's wife, Vodeva, mysteriously disappears; similarly, strange goings-on plague the fledgling pack in the form of mists in the Enedwaith and bloodied messages in the City Square. After almost of month of absence, Vodeva resurfaces in mid-November, but with no memory of what happened to her. While relieved, the Caledonians are equally as wary and nervous about what may lurk just beyond their borders.
Following this, the winter ushers in a particularly harsh blizzard; a winter that Caledonia is not entirely prepared for. However, it is at this time that trade relations with a nearby pack, Salsola, begin to take shape. Iomair calls for the Realm's first Court, in which this new friendship is finalized — Salsolan delegates take part in the merriment and gift the Realm with a variety of new goods to tide them over, as well as new horses to stock the Rhovanion. Of note at this event is the Duel of the Sun and Moon, in which Kalypso Savoy and Toraberā Tanaka take part; to Kalypso's dismay, however, the Lord-Regent had other plans for how the Duel would inevitably turn out.
On February 6th 2020, a sizable earthquake rumbles across 'Souls and is felt all throughout the Realm, causing damage to the City Square. Members of another pack, Casa di Cavalieri, venture over to help with the repairs.
In March, Casa holds a Tournament for the surrounding packs (barring Salsola), in which many Caledonians make the journey to represent their Kingdom favorably. While no member takes first place in the variety of events, they succeed in bringing visibility to the pack's neighbors.
In April, at Calan's prompting, New Caledonia begins construction of its own dye mill. Members carry out various tasks to expedite the process, and by the end of it, it is Calan's hope that this new location, nestled in the town of Haven, will put New Caledonia on the map. Additionally, strange plague doctors make their rounds in 'Souls this month, peddling 'cures' for a disease they claim will sweep through the land. Of note, Kalypso, Toraberā, Calan, and Bellad trade for various provisions with these doomsday folk.
In May, another earthquake shakes up 'Soulsland, and Calan leads a group of Caledonians to Amherst to survey the damage. They learn that Biff's Bar, a local staple, has closed its doors in the aftermath, and the city is a shadow of its former self — meaning the Realm must look elsewhere for traveling tradesmen and the sort. Caledonia's first guilds also form around this time: Limthoron, which focuses on fishing, and the New Caledonia Trading Company. Another pack project is initiated in mid-June, the Louisbourg Stables, which continue construction until August; it will provide respite for the numerous horses and livestock that roam free in the Rhovanion.
In early July, it is discovered that the Lord-Regent, Athras, has disappeared. High King Iomair calls a meeting with his Nobility, the Malcrin, to debrief them of the situation, but this does little to quell their fears, leaving much to speculate about with one of their leaders nowhere to be found.
3.1 Notable Events
- city of the dead — A distraught Iomair reveals Vodeva is missing, and a gathering crowd discusses plans to find her.
- Black Honey — Arran, Athras, and Nkechi Ndaiye find foreboding idols in the Lochlan Glas.
- like silence but not empty — Daisy Parhelion and Fennore discover an alarming message scrawled in crimson letters.
- the winds of thor are blowing cold — Willow Cormier and Fennore are greeted by pools of blood at the base of trees in the forest.
- But the wind, yes the wind, keeps howling — Percival Parhelion and Salka Huxley investigate oddly-constructed scarecrows that have appeared in the Enedwaith.
- moon and back — The old bell tower in the City Square, long thought to be in disrepair, begins to chime at odd hours.
- I'm Just Getting Started — Close combat competition; Hibiki participates.
- An Arrow to Pierce the Sky — Archery competition; Kadir Ahearne and Fennore participate.
- A fine test of strength and speed — Hand-to hand competition; Inara Ailurus participates.
- Gonna Ride 'Till I Can't No More — Horse racing competition; Kadir Ahearne participates.
- Down and Dirty — Mud wrestling competition; Avery Knight participates.
- [M] hide from the sunshine — (Unofficial) drinking competition; Calan Brecours participates.
- They took me down this road — Scouting the location
- I could show you what you wanna see — Leveling the foundation
- He who asks for much has much to give — Hiring the team
- blessings of earth, blood, and bone — Old rituals
4. Year II
As the first-year anniversary crept ever closer, the High King and Fennore came together to readjust the Realm's hierarchy in the wake of Athras's absence. They reorganize the Masters of the Realm and divide the Kingdom into specialized Districts, therein appointing Councilors that would govern each District and oversee their respective Guilds. As a result, New Caledonia sees its first Councilor, Fennore, who presides over the District of Lanya.
For New Caledonia's birthday, Iomair calls for a Feast to bring his people together in fellowship and celebration. At dawn, willing participants engage in a "Unicorn Hunt" (the part being played by Toraberā's poor mare, Jolie), and Lomasi Redfeather is awarded the grand prize of a custom horse blanket, courtesy of the new dye studio. At high noon, the Feast begins, and pack members arrive with all manners of tithes and dishes to share with their packmates; they celebrate well into the night.
As summer cools into fall, the Realm also sees many of its numerous puppies beginning to wreak havoc (as well as puppies can manage), and still more refugees from the Old Realm find their way to the new, some more accepting of these unfamiliar changes than others. Just as the year prior (though perhaps on a lesser scale), there are strange phenomenon that occur this October, but they mostly take the form of relatively harmless moths! It wasn't so fun cleaning them from the Square, though.
With the Call to Court on the horizon, the High King and his Councilor reconvene again to discuss the uppermost crust of the Nobility — and they decide, with Fennore's prompting, to fill the void Lord Athras left behind. Forgoing her Councilor position for the next qualified Caledonian, she fashions together the title Isiltári from Old Caledonian lexicon and joins Iomair at his side as his right hand, officially becoming the Realm's subleader. Together, they organize the upcoming Court and invite their Salsolan benefactors once more, and the night goes by much smoother than the previous winter. Still, nevertheless, the night does not progress with a fair amount of mischief and merrymaking...
Late February sees the Realm's first official wedding, the union of Councilor Kalypso and High Lord Toraberā. However, the afterparty gets a tad too rowdy, and disgruntled Caledonian, Wither Rose Soul, seizes and opportunity to attack the Lorn Priest, Rand Coara, whom she has been sleeping with and subsequently manipulated by. While she doesn't succeed in killing him, as was her intoxicated intention, she does earn her place as the Realm's first criminal and is held in the Underthing until early summer, wherein she is exiled for refusing to admit guilt or apologize.
April brings with it an opportunity for Caledonians to travel to the Thistle Kingdom, Salsola, and offer their wares; it doubly serves as proof that the once fledgling Realm has grown far past the struggling loner band of refugees and wanderers. Their traders are guarded and escorted by the newly-formed fighters' guild, Wraith's Teeth. Later in June, the Valar entrusts a caravan of Caledonians with the task of establishing an outpost in Portland; the estate they find and claim for themselves is christened the Citadel, and they begin the arduous task of renovating the space and making connections in the city for the good of the Realm.
4.1 Notable Events
- they will stare unbelieving at the last (unicorn) — Unicorn Hunt
- where through the clouds a path is torn — Feast thread
- how to move upstream — Woodsmoke helps Daisy Parhelion and her cat, Eddy, clear moths out of her home.
- did you see the words — Fennore and Arran Fir-Chlis talk in the fog and reflect on the prior autumn when their Queen disappeared.
- foreign hands — Vodeva is caught in a moth storm, and a young Page, Sólveig Dawnrunner, comes to her aid.
- Main Thread — Iomair and newly-appointed Isiltári, Fennore, welcome their guests and initiate the annual Duel. The Sun and Moon, respectively, are played by Émeraude Brecours and Maethriel Cirith.
- Summer's in our basement now — Diplomat Percival meets the Equinest of Salsola, Grievous Eternity.
- enjoy it while it lasts — Frankly insulted by the way New Caledonia has strayed so far from the old, Rand Coara is silently fuming until High Lord Toraberā decides to give him something to really complain about.
- Interesting people lead to interesting times — A youngster from Salsola, Azalea Eternity, meets the bickering pair of Dorian and Valkyrie Savoy.
- Not Really That Tiny of a Dancer — Hokori Tanaka convinces resident Underthing shut-in Jasper to dance with her.
- how it all works out — Kalypso Savoy and Iomair lead the trading venture to Salsola.
- Stairway to Heaven — The members of the caravan arrive in the Thistle Kingdom.
- more of a knot for one's destiny to cling to — Percival Parhelion meets O'Riley and Igor to facilitate a fishy trade.
- but they'll see straight through your charade — Sólveig Dawnrunner meets with Argive Hemlock... and learns that he isn't who she thought he was.
- When you trade tyranny for tyranny, you're on the losing side — Sólveig Dawnrunner meets Casimir Soul and his cousin, Lyra Salcedo.
- in spirit divided, now reunited — Azalea Eternity and Saga D'Angelo meet during the trade event.
- it comes full circle — Kalypso Savoy and Grievous Eternity meet to discuss horses.
- in the lion's claws — Saga DAngelo meets with Azalea Eternity and Aani Aston-DNoires.
4.2 Storylines
The Legend of Altuan
April 2021 finds that a black bear has awoken from his slumber and has chosen New Caledonia as his home. Evidence of his exploration was found all through out the River Valley and the shadows of The Teeth. Few have been able to spot him, for despite his great size it’s as if he is a ghost.
The Realm has bestowed a name upon the mysterious giant, Altuan. He is a striking example of his species, a burly, mean looking bear who has lived many seasons. He has a set of scars that lace his tan muzzle and ears that are notched and marked from defending his territory. He has a thick pitch-black pelt that has turned blonde about his shoulders and is missing two of his claws on his left paw from escaping a trap in his youth.
New Caledonians were able to interact with Altuan however they wished! What resulted is laid out below:
- what's a bear? — Ingvildr Knight and Bellad Songthorn encounter a secretive Altuan.
- oh, bother! — Woodsmoke seeks out Altuan after finding evidence of his foraging.
- forfeit tomorrow — Indis and Gwaun Fir-Chlis trade stories about finding bear tracks.
- kings not need their voices to be heard — Gwaun encounters Altuan face to face and is the first to speak with him directly. The old bear seems kind despite his suspicions of luperci, and Gwaun offers to bring him food.
- like a river runs — Ingvildr and Indis go for a hunt in the mountains and come across signs of Altuan.
- pure as we begin — Gwaun and Athalie Savoy share stories — though Gwaun chooses to hide his knowledge of the big bear.
- drawing lines in the sand — The Wraiths Teeth make an attempt to strike a deal with the bear — a deal that is ultimately successful.
5. Year III
Just in time for the annual Founders Day celebration, a building in Haven is renovated and christened as the Realm's new tavern and local rest stop for weary Caledonians: the Brass Potato. Other projects are initiated in the summer as well, including the construction of a cookhouse in Haven and several corrals in the Rhovanion for livestock and horses to roam in safety.
As in past years, Founders day is celebrated with a feast; and, later in the evening, a special grand opening celebration at the Brass Potato. Ambrose Rose find the time to write a song about the occasion, and such a tune is often heard resounding in the tavern's walls to this day. The night ends rather bombastically when a stranger slips into the territory and causes a scene at the Brass Potato. Though it raises suspicions, the stranger is quickly forgotten, the threat having seemingly been dealt with as soon as it appeared.
Later in August, several Caledonians travel to Del Cenere Gang for their first annual Lancaster Stockshow, partaking in events, mini-games, and the livestock auction.
Autumn sweeps over the Realm in relative quietness as the celebrations peter out; however, the residual warmness from these events is not bound to last.
October seems forever destined to put the Realm and its people on edge. Though unlike the previous fall, the strange aura in the air is more sinister than ever. In the dead of night, a building is set on fire in the heart of the Square; Caledonians work quickly to douse the flames with water and snuff it out at its base with dirt. Initially, no one comes forward with any knowledge of the event, but several parties begin their own investigations into the matter, as it is discovered that the source of the fire was no mere accident.
Later in the month and creeping into November, eerie symbols, letters, and medallions are found throughout the Realm. It is uncovered that several young members of New Caledonia have also been lured outside of the territory to an camp in Gaspesia, though it is unclear what exactly transpires when they are gone. Many of the youth are left with nothing but hazy memories — and wooden, tear-shaped medallions enclosed in their palms.
5.1 Notable Events
- an undying memory of home — The feast!
- to heal my heart and drown my woe — An after-party at the Brass Potato.
- [m] heirs of fire — The pack is summoned to put out a fire which broke out the night of October 5th.
- charred secrets — Woodsmoke and Arran investigate the fire. There is discussion on interviewing other members of New Caledonia on what they saw.
- wake me up when it's over — Iomair and Celaeno Bonecarver investigate the fire the morning after it burns out. They discover a broken bottle, broken window, and char marks that seem to determine that the fire was set elsewhere and then thrown through one of the cabins windows.
- never leave these eyes — Rand and Valkyrie discover an odd letter floating about the Square.
- up from the catacombs — Fennore, her son Rohan, and Celaeno meet to discuss the fire in further detail while Celaeno shows off her home.
- you said, "this i do for you" — In the wake of the fire, Rand is presented with a newcomer to New Caledonia, Éna Lanthir, a face from his past.
- soldier, poet, king — Iomair meets with the members of The Wraiths Teeth Guild in order to ask for their official assistance with investigating the fire.
- embers burning bright — Naomi Stryder seeks out Bellad to make sure he's alright after his traumatic episode during the fire.
- all the trees stood like skeletons — Percival finds a gruesome display - an eye painted in blood in the Silver Strip. He is joined by Yuki Tanaka. This isn't the first time New Caledonia has been painted...
- my life is but a heartbeat away — Rand discovers a crudely painted eye with Delphine la Weir.
- all the ghosts come sing along — Percival, Arran, Aenan, and Éna discover what appears to be an endless amount of trees marked with eyes.
- beary important business — Valkyrie, Gwaun, and Toraberā speak with Altuan, whose den has been vandalized.
- let me tell you this, it's a warning — Valkyrie and Gwaun are lured by a siren song to the camp.
- and you, the meek and mild: what have you to hide? — Rand discovers Rabbit holding one of the odd letters and jumps to conclusions. Hulda Moreau and Aidan Loch come to his aid.
- show you a world apart — Delphine la Weircomes across Silivren Garwaen, one of the members of the camp.
- in my chest of hollow bones, let the spark catch and burn all to ash — Delphine la Weir and Yuki can't sleep and encounter one another, deciding it best to accompany each other and investigate.
- got me in chains — Yuki is sedated by Silivren and Tigraine's tea and wakes up at their camp, disoriented and confused.
- i appeared in a world of dreams — Rohan Heartsong, by far the youngest to wander into Silivren's trap, is drugged and meets another member of the camp, one far more intimidating than the rest.