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The High Kingdom of Iceberg Description: A harsh, unforgiving land, Iceberg breeds some of the strongest people in Ishgar. The country has a long, nigh endless history of warfare and turmoil, and yet its inhabitants take pride in living in a country that no enemy has ever truly conquered. A land that values heroism and martial glory above all else. From the early wars of the humans against the elves - completely destroying the Icebergian elven nations - to their wars against the oppressive dragons: It's said that the first Dragon Slayers were taught in Iceberg, by the Dragons supporting coexistence with mortals. Even the mighty Sevese empire of old couldn't completely annex Iceberg by force, and the icy country retained much of its freedom as part of the Empire. Localization: Iceberg is located in the north of Ishgar, sharing land borders with Seven, Bosco, Stella, Joya, Bellum and Perengrande Kingdom from west to east. Politics: Compared to many of its neighbours, Iceberg is a Confederated Elective Monarchy, formed by a decentralized group of Holds each lead by a single Jarl, from which a High King is elected for life. When the King passes away, the Jarls gather in the moot to elect a new High King: Any uncontested King will typically be succeeded by their heir if they have one. Due to the vast stretch of land and limited communication each Hold during the harsh winters, each Jarl generally enforces their own laws with little interference from the High King, and even the Jarls have little say in the individual tribes scattered across the land. Iceberg is a member of the Magic Council, however, they're instinctively wary of mages, and as such, no Light Guilds are allowed to operate in the country. Slaves, known as Thralls, can be taken from plundered lands, however, the trading of those slaves is frowned upon. Each man or woman who takes thralls is beholden to care for them as one would a tool. Iceberg has icy relations with all of its neighbours due to the prevalence of raiding and pillaging, however, it has a warm, close relations with the local Dwarven Kingdoms. The humans of Iceberg have an old, close bond with the Dwarven Kingdoms, closer than any other human nation, as Icebergian culture proudly displays that Dwarven influence in its architecture and smithing techniques. However, Icebergians are distrustful of elves, with whom they share a bitter history. Economy: A mostly vertical country, it's widely considered the largest country on Ishgar in surface area, a rugged land of ice and stone with some of the tallest peaks in Earthland. Iceberg's economy is relatively small, due to a lack of population and arable land, as well as its cold, inhospitable nature. However, the vast mountain ranges hold untold riches: This makes Iceberg is a massive exporter of metals, minerals and other rare earths. Due to its Fjords, it also has the longest coastline in Ishgar, so fish is plentiful, if difficult to export. Culture: Icebergians value strength and independence above all. A proud people, they're instinctively wary of outsiders, however, the vast majority of people accept anybody who embodies the stout spirit of Iceberg, regardless of race. Their social hierarchy is simple and divided between three distinct classes. Jarls, Karls, and Thralls: Nobles, citizens and slaves. Despite this distinction, high social mobility and meritocracy means a Thrall can earn his freedom, and even become King if they prove their worth. As inhabitants of such harsh lands, hospitality is paramount. From the larger cities to the isolated tribes and villages, any Icebergian will offer shelter to a traveler caught out in the cold. However, the kindness and camaraderie they show to one another contrasts with the ferocity they show to outsiders. Tough and fearless, Icebergian raiders travel far and wide in search of new lands and populations to plunder, in hopes of building up their own resources to last the next winter. They admire strength of body and spirit, though tend to be wary of magic. At the same time, Slayer-type magics, particularly Dragon Slayer, are generally admired. Religion: Most Icebergians follow the Nordic religion, a polytheistic faith which believes the world is divided in different realms held in the branches of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, and is ruled from the realm of Asgard by the divine Aesir, the race of the Gods. Uniquely among other religions, Icebergians believe heroes who die in valorous battle are carried by the Angelic Valkyries to the realm of Valhalla, where they'll drink, feast and celebrate for eternity Language: The country's official language is Icebergian, from the same language family as Boscosi and Caelese. Due to the far reaching influence of Icebergian raiders and conquererors, many languages from Ishgar have Icebergian influences and loanwords. Icebergian itself has some influences from the Dwarven language and their Iceberg specific dialects. Locations
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