Nobles:

• Trend focused
• Socially aware
• Polite
• Scheming
• Gaudy

Lower Class:

• Hard working
• down to earth
• Community focused
• Ignorant of high ranking politics
• Simple

There is a distinct divide in the way Callorians live based on there economic class. The upper class of Callora almost entirely land owners who rarely need to do anything themselves to make more money. This started with the first nobles appointed by Avir (friends of his), and continued down the line until all the land worth owning was owned by someone. Because taxes on their land formed the entirety of their income, the upper class Callorians took to showing off to each other just how much money they had from their lands. Just owning land wasn’t enough, land close to the castle in the center of the city became most valuable, then it became about having multiple stories, then the exterior, then the gardens… The competition between the grandest and most current nobles is fierce and constant. The crown encourages this off the record, the frequent clothing and goods fads that the nobles go through keep the economy thriving.

Nobles are generally good to those who live on their land. There’s always the threat of a family moving to another noble’s territory, and the more skilled peasants on one’s own land the more money the noble can keep in his own theoretical pocket; but the most important reason the nobility treat their people well is so that they don’t look bad when compared to how other nobles treat their peasantry. The crown also secretly propagates this trend, early Callorian kings treated people well and keep the nobility from getting too corrupt via being the defacto trend setter. The fact that this trend never changes is a conscious decision on the part of the Callorian royal family.

Nobles in Callora tend to be swept up in political games and the current trends more than the actual goings on of the world. The royal family places into this as well, some more so than others. The royal family is at the center of all trends, and anything they do becomes popular with the nobility. Some Callorian kings have milked this for attention and to expand the royal treasury, others have used it to enact sweeping policy reforms by getting the trend nobility to think it’s the newest trend. Nobles that see through this guise are quickly brought into the fold and if they choose not to support the royal family the trends quickly turn against them until the noble is driven to bankruptcy and social suicide, returning their lands back to the royal family who appoint a new line of noble in his place.

The life of a noble is controlled by the trends, but some things remain constant. Balls and house parties are a given, unspoken requirement for every noble house. Any noble who doesn’t host others at his or her home must have something to hide and becomes the talk of the town. Miserly nobles don’t tend to do well, due in some part to social judgement but also because they’ll be unable to keep up with the ever changing trends without spending a fair portion of their income.

Nearly all of the nobility lives in the center of town, surrounding either Rosin’s Castle or the Royal family’s home at the center of each other town in Callora. These areas are more well maintained as part of this. Nobility has every option to live on lands they own, but the royal family technically owns all land in the upper district and living in either the lower class areas or outside of town where they own land is judged heavily by the rest of the nobility. It’s not uncommon to have vacation homes outside of town, manors to visit in the summer or to hide children away at during events, but if one does not have a fine home in the upper district they’re quickly shunned out of all social circles.

Between the nobility and the lower class are Knights. The Knights of Callora are an organization overseen directly by the Callorian royal family. Originally formed as a sort of private army for the royal family in case of revolt, the concept of the chivalrous knight who lives and dies for his lord spread through the nobility’s grape vine and the Knights soon fell into that role. Knights of Callora serve King before all else, but nobles who sponsor homes and perks for a knight tend to gain the loyalty of the knight. This practice took off and most knights outside of the capital spend their time in service to a noble rather than the King.

Knights are mostly independent, seniority and experience being the only ranking between those knighted by the King. They have squires which serve under them, at the most half a dozen who are effectively servants of the knight. Squires sign on with a knight hoping their master will sponsor them for a full knighting, as a reward for peerless service. Many squires give up before their knight considers them worthy. Callora’s royal family tends to test sponsored squires heavily so knights are reserved about sponsoring their squires until they’re sure that the squire will succeed. A failure by a squire is a black spot on a knight’s record.

The Knights of Callora have a code of conduct they follow. They do indeed serve the Callorian royal family to the last, and unofficially the nobility (particularly the one paying the knight’s bills) as well. They serve the kingdom, expected to right crime when it is found and serve as a role model for all people’s. They are to be peerless warriors, able to be called to defend against invaders at a moment’s notice. Much like the nobility, other knights tend to keep the knights generally on the same page. Older knights enforce the code on younger ones, and by the time the younger knights are mentoring the next generation the values are well ingrained in them.

The peasantry of Callora live detached from the whirlwind of trends and intrigue that plague the upper class. In fact, the peasantry actively avoid it as much as possible. The lower class take their mentality after Helmann Sige, not Avir Callora. Many of the lower class people in Callora are content to get by, supporting the noble whose land they live on and making a comfortable life for them and their family. Any who truly feel like social climbing must do so as a knight, a concept that turns plenty off from the idea.

Nobles are usually far too preoccupied with their games and events to deal with day to day matters on their lands, so the people living on a given nobles land will frequently elect a sort of mayor who can manage the interactions with noble and any peacekeeping needs. The title is informal and only to make everyone’s life easier, so the position is more of a civil servant than a leader. That said, the ‘mayor’ is given a salary by everyone in the noble’s lands for their work, meaning the mayor doesn’t have to hold down another job at the same time.

The lower class work a variety of labor jobs. The highest majority of lower class workers are farmers, either livestock or tending fields. Other positions for a Callorian could be working in processing of foodstuffs (butchers, granaries), woodworking, smelting, glass blowing, and other crafting professions, cooking, bar tending, and various other professions. There is a wide variety of roles a Callorian can perform, though every role tends to either create something or serve someone. If someone shows true talent for the arts, be it sculpting, culinary work, or clothing design it’s normal for that person to be elevated to the top of the lower class pecking order. The artisan will have much more pull with the noble controlling the lands they live on, provided they continue producing new work for the noble to boast about. It’s entirely possible for the artisan to fall out of favor with a noble, but clever ones convince another noble to take them in based on their earlier works.

Most craftwork jobs take place in the city itself, but one notable exception is gristmill work. A smattering of windmills dot Callora’s farm lands and they grind wheat with wind.

The lower class doesn’t have a set day of rest, most workers are given two days off a week but they’re different for every family unit, and rarely back to back.

Despite being the ‘lower class’, Callorians tend to get along swimmingly. Each Callorian city bustles with activity in the evenings, children playing and adults frequenting taverns. Callorians have a strong sense of community and everyone knows everyone in the area. Callorians don’t put too much stock on whose land someone lives on; having a Lord is expected and it has no more impact than a landlord. There’s little in the way of parks and recreation in the lower class areas so children get everywhere, on roofs and walls, in back alleys, and so on.

There’s speculation with how easy going the citizenry is of Callora, an invading force would be accepted immediately. There’s a fair dose of national pride in the common folk, but they’re used to a group over their heads and don’t stress it too much.

A Callorian can leave their family home as early as 14. When moving, the first step is to find a place that will allow you to work. Once you have a potential job lined up, the noble owning the land the job is on (or more likely, a book keeper for him) can be contacted to find a place to live. Especially when moving to a new Noble’s territory, this isn’t a choice and the new tenant will be assigned a location. Having prior experience in a field that’s in demand in the new territory, such as being an expert baker, can offset this. Over time, a Callorian can move into different areas within the same territory for more space or better location, if a place opens up. ‘Ownership’ of businesses such as taverns and workshops is more being the manager than owning. If one wants to ‘own’ a tavern, they must work at a tavern and be appointed to be take over by the old ‘owner’ when they move on from the position.

Callora is an agricultural hub for much of Aurii. Callora has more farmland than any other nation and grows anything they can. Vegetables and fruit are abundant and available, as is wheat. Hunted and gathered food stuffs such as berries, mushrooms, and non livestock animal meat are far rarer (and of course, always in style for the nobility). Callora has many beef, chicken, and pork farms which make up much of the meat choices for the standard Callorian. Beer was first brewed in Callora, and there’s an annual festival celebrating it.

Education is managed by the royal family itself, usually by a second or third prince. The royal family works with Dwyr on ensuring schooling covers the latest in skills so that the lower class don’t fall behind the rest of the world. This, like many other royal family programs, stays quiet in regards to the rest of the nobility. Mandatory education ends at age 14 and is given to both genders. There are two continued education paths in Callorian, both particular restrictions. A finishing school exists in each Callorian city for girls both common and noble (though often the nobility have their own finishing school as well), which is a two year curriculum on being a proper lady. The second option are colleges which available only to the nobility, unless a noble so chooses to sponsor a gifted Callorian from their territory, which is allowed but comes with heavy stigma against the sponsored person. Callora has a few different colleges, the majority leaning towards the arts.

An exception to the two continued paths is being found magically talented. Anyone with magic talent is trained for four years (age 14-18) at the Magicians Academy in Rosin. The royal family sponsors this school to encourage more people in the nation to embrace magic, and increase their own magical talent. The Magicians Academy has a few teachers from Dwyr and communicates with the Dwyr universities, keeping it mostly up to date on current magic study. Coincidentally, the fail out rate is fairly high. Graduates are offered a position in the Crown Magicians if they wish to use their talents for combat, or can work for the Academy producing tomes, instructing, and generally making use of their talents. The royal family is very good to those who work for the Academy, and much like becoming a knight it can really improve quality of life. Many graduates from out of Rosin do return home, making use of their abilities to garner favor with local lords closer to home.

Due to the kingdom neighboring Dwyr, Callorians have been familiar with magic since early in it’s adoption. Lower class Callorians saw little use for magic, and didn’t take too much interest in the craft. The nobility was unwilling to invest the time away from their busy social lives to study the art. For a good while, the only magic one might see in Callora was a mage using their craft for parlor tricks and attention. Since the formation of the Magician’s Academy, the occasional healer or magician graduate might be found in a Callorian city but magic arts aren’t terribly common. However, due to the royal family’s sponsorship and acceptance of the Academy, magic is accept as normal in the kingdom.

Callora’s military has bases in each city, and the soldiers there are expected to serve as the police force for the city. The military reports to the royal family, not the nobility, and enforce the rules of the crown on both classes. Jails on are maintained on base, and for most crimes there is a set punishment in place by the crown. For any crime that needs further deliberation, such as pre meditated murder or other extreme crimes, the criminal is brought to the Castle in Rosin to be judged by the King. The King has sole judgement on the punishment, ranging from banishment, indentured servitude, or even death.

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Note: Rating represent Callorian owned assets, not the Alliance’s

Callora’s military assets are at a minimum, originally put together for internal policing more than anything else. Before the crusades the standing Infantry saw little actual combat and spent most of their time carting drunks off to jail. Even after the Crusades, Callorians looking to serve the the crown as troops are rare. The tried and true goal of every foot soldier to be selected to be a squire of knight, which opens up the door for the squire to maybe become a knight himself. Knights themselves are the bulk of the Callorian’s fighting force, all trained in mounted and unmounted combat. Lances and swords are the weapons of choice for the knights, bows are seen as cowardly for a knight to wield. Knights social standing depends on their combat achievement so they frequently train, more so than the standing military. While they frequently compete off the battle field for the adoration of the nobility, Callorian knights are loyal to one another when fighting and work together well.

Callora has a magic college in Rosin which has produced the Crown Magicians, a small unit of combat mages. Most mages in Callora are not interested in using their abilities for combat but a small group do practice combat magic and answer only to the King himself. The Crown Magicians don’t hold a candle to Dwyr’s magic users and the unit tends to stay in Callora, to prevent against magical internal attack.

Callora’s Navy exists mostly to defend fishing ships and trade routes from pirates. During the Crusades there was a large push to increase the Navy, as Eraian ships sailing around to the northern shores of Callora were the only way Callora could be directly attacked. Most of these ships didn’t see action, the Crusades being mostly fought on land, and now Callora has a surplus of combat ships available for use. This has worked out well in regards to the Alliance, both Dwyr and Torshan rely on the Callorian Navy for protection of their own ships.

• Rosin: The capital city of Callora. Rosin is built expanding out in a circle from the Royal Castle. It has the largest upper class district of the Callorian cities. It’s home to the Magician’s Academy, located very close to the castle. Rosin’s upper class is very active, always doing their best to impress the Crown.
• Caford: The second city formed in Callora. Originally starting as a port town, the port serves as a mid point between upper and lower class districts. Caford is more packed in that Rosin, though not to the point of overcrowding the population. Dock work makes for a good career in the lower class. The noble maintaining the dock district is the defacto head of the social circles of Caford.
• Hylley: A smaller town nestled in the Llynfall Mountains. Hylley is characterized by a river that comes down the mountain side and into town, there are many stone bridges forming walkways across this river as it breaks apart inside city limits. Hylley has a smaller number of nobles than the northern cities, and tends to be fairly peaceful. It’s more spread out than Rosin, and lends itself to frequent festivals.
• Anwood: A town formed on the western edge of Callorian territory. During the Crusades, Anwood suffered damage from Eraia invaders. As the town was rebuilt, an emphasis on military made it’s way into the redesign. There’s a western wall to Anwood and there are multiple military bases throughout the city. More knights live in Anwood than anywhere else. Due to the damage, Anwood is the smallest of the Callorian cities and has the fewest nobles. Anwood has a larger portion of farms than the other cities.

Callora sees many people from out of Kingdom, particularly from Dwyr and Torshan. Theanovians often visit as well, and Eraian/Wynnite visitors are far rarer. The crown has no policy against travel in and out of the Kingdom, though the border shared with Eraia is heavily policed and typically closed to travel. Eraians looking to enter Callora must do so via Theanovene.

• Wynne: The nobility tend to think of the Wynnites as wild people. They’re novel and interesting, but not someone you want to invite for dinner. Wynnites also carry a reputation of being dirty and rude. The lower class see Wynnites as experts in hunting and gather and people who live freely. There’s some admiration that comes from that, but Wynnites also live a chaotic life to the typical lower class Callorian, not one to be envied.
• Dwyr: The nobility appreciate Dwyrian intellect and poise. While never the life of a party, Dwyr guests can always be counted on to act appropriately. Having friends from Dwyr is a show of intellect between nobles. The lower class find Dwyr to be particularly stuff nobles. While the education level isn’t bad in the lower classes, Dwyrians who do visit Callora don’t tend to get along with the simple life style the lower class enjoys.
• Torshan: The nobility tend to think of Torshonians as wild ruffians who exist to overthrow things. Torshan’s cycling leadership and chaotic, down to earth life style is the anti thesis of all nobles. The lower class find Torshonians to be excitable neighbors who always throw a great party. Torshonians often get drinks bought for them in a tavern in return for stories and good cheer. Torshonians are often sought out by new craftsmen looking to learn from the very best as well.
• Eraia: Both the nobility and lower class have not forgotten the threat of the crusades. Eraia is a mysterious being, a group of people who want to force their ideals on the nation. In person, Eraians tend to be treated with mistrust and disdain. Talk of Lylalel is a quick way to get thrown out of a building.
• Theanovene: The nobility has a love hate relationship with Theanovene. Theanovene provides them endless new goods and things to brag about, but there is always a small voice that reminds them that Theanovene broke ties with the Royal Family. (The royal family has long given Theanovene it’s blessing.) Generally Theanovians are seen as welcome and almost part of the Alliance. This is entirely true for the lower class who have no bones to pick with Theanovians.

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