Kais Termina

Kais Termina (Classical Terminan: Termīnia [teɾ'mi:nɪa]) is a trade town located in the Icesteel Province of the Arcadian Altanate and is the Provincal Capital of the Icesteel Province. Before joining Arcadia, Kais Termina served as the refuge of lost 'nomads', where they could find a home and piece together the Mystery of the Landings. The town was originally founded by player goodnoodle808 and acts as the hub of the Icesteel Province, located in the Arcadian Altanate, not far from Midnight Grove, Spadecrown and,now an outpost of Kais Termina, Stormblade's Keep. The mayor, as of writing, is Noodle who originally hailed from his old homeland and gained the title after Kais Kogong joined the Altanate on August 31, 2021. Other notable inhabitants from its past includes Walrus Man, the heir and owner of Charmont and a promising enriching man in Termina.

Founding
Following the pre-server events, Noodle and Walrus man found each other on an Alathran island. Bewildered of where their location could be. The two recruited others, such as Stormblade, Loki and Specz. These no-longer nomads donated sweat, blood and tears to construct the foundations of Kais Termina. Although, the work was astonishingly faster and less painful due to Noodle's mysterious building powers. The powers including time-enhancing spells casted by Specz and money coming in from Tyler (Walrus Man) made the start of Kais Termina a breeze. Things would only go up from here though.

The settlement eventually attracted the attention of Pitru Punstraia, who jumped at the thought of uniting it under The Sublime Arcadian Altanate. Arcadians soon agreed and joined under the Treaty of Icesteel.The nation envisioned a city that would be a hub not for warriors and barbarians, but for constructors, sorcerers, and philosophers. The town began expanding as construction of the Elder Plans began.

Early Expansion
The two Historical Elders of the metropolis-including Noodle and Tyler and a respected higher up of the town, Specz- designed architectural masterpieces, as their crowded town homes were becoming a little worn. Noodle constructed his presently unnamed Cathedral-Fort, Walrus Man crafted St.Basils Cathedral, and Specz built The Arcane Manor, a castle with the main function of hosting Specz Arcanes' magical experiments. Soon after, the highly respected Stormblade created the towns barracks and military grounds. Kīgamotūgwo built the Brew Brothers and a cafè, although his work was more used in the philosophical field, working on documenting the language, creating music, anthems and poetry.

The Sugarcane Farm
Meanwhile, Noodle peacefully constructs the biggest sugarcane farm on the server. This was in hopes of economic growth for the highly respected town. The townspeople, however happy, were poor. No one had a stable income and people would run random arons to hold up the magnificent yet monumental and pricey projects. Noodle wanted to change this, and swiftly. With the use of tradesman and the stressful need of sugarcane by Alathrans, they would soon, with a little bit of work and luck, become economically proud.

Accession to Arcadia

The Treaty of Icesteel was planned out by Pitru Punstraia and was immediately accepted by the new Holy Senate of the Sublime Arcadian Altanate. Not only would this boost the economy, the Altanate was so greatly looked upon by the town and forever would be. This would be the best offer accepted by the Terminai people, creating opportunities of wealth, leisure and health.

Future Plans
A Large Military project was undertaken by Stormblade next to St. Basils Cathedral in order to add military strength for Termina. Planned structures are being constructed around the town, The Arcane Manor, St. Basils Cathedral and The Mufijo Cathedral. Stormblade is currently constructing wonderful hills and pointy mountains. Loki adds shops, such as Termania's very own: Brew Brothers, and Icesteel.Co. Selling alcohol, pricey gems, common stone and mysterious runes towards the people of Alathra.

The Icesteelian Kogongi People:
Pre-server, the ancient people lived closely south of the current Kais Terminan land, however Kais Termina was non-existent and unborn. The people were about the only people on Koganon, and ultimately Alathra. A mythical blizzard swept away all crops, and frozen all water. Collapsed all shelter and killed all animals. Therefore, they ventured west, giving them new fields to discover and new opportunities to explore. After completing the fields of knowledge, adventurers of the tribe went to check back on their holy land, checking if it was habitable. Instead, they found Kais Termina, a busy city bustling with trade, life and love. After returning and telling the tribesman, they and their leader, Kīgamotūgwo Gusisena, went to negotiate with the people. They arrived and met up with the founders, Noodle, Specz and Tyler. In the end, the Terminan people were interested about the Icesteelian Kogongi people and was eager to merge. With two clashing, yet similar history and culture, the two made the Termanai People, inhabitants of the Icesteel Province and of the town, Kais Termina. They taught eachother all of their knowledge, Specz finding eager and promising young sorcerers, Noodle finding keen hopeful builders and all the while, Kīgamotūgwo Gusisena, finding amazing astronomers, leading the stars and watching the planets. All Icesteelian childeren had a future, and it was because of these people, directing the metropolis. These people would thrive, and ultimately become Arcadian and proud to be Arcadian, but mostly: Proud to Be Icesteelian.

Religious Practices
Kais Termina is one of the many towns that practices the Mufijo faith. They have a large church located in the Eastern region of Kais Termina holding a Chubo replica inside the church. The Mufijo Church of Chubo of Kais Termina (Classical Terminan: Sejakē jo Mufījo Termīnia jo Subope) is one that hold great significance in the culture of the citizens. Along with the practice of the Mufijo faith, the native Icesteelian had their own religious practice related to Naism. They believed that the world was created by the void and everything within the natural realm was related to the creation of the void. A common saying among the native Icesteelians is, "The void created everything and can destroy everything". When the Icesteelians made their way to Kais Termina, the older generation kept their old Icesteelian faith, but with the new generations being born, there is a spike in the worship of the Mufijo faith.

Art & Humanities
Kais Termina is a hotspot of magic, literature, science, and music. Many of the people within Termina have a strong love for music, creating the Terminan Orchestra (Saspa’ōgwo jo Termīnia ). Many of the arts such as literature and magic have flourished with the arrival of the Icesteelians. The traditional craft of the Icesteelians is now taught within the classroom in the castle along with astronomy and brewing. The people also brought a renessance of literature with the introduction of new books, passed down from the tribes and their many oral stories that were written down by Specz. Specz would go on to teach the young population a collection of magical tricks, however, the Terminan children didn't harness the energy needed to fufill the spells.

Languages
In the province of Icesteel, there is a language family that has flourished in isolation. The language family diverged from Proto-Kogongi around 2,000 years ago. The people moved south into the fields and meadows of what is now the Icesteel Province and Northwestern Lydonia. The people in these regions were hit by a climate disaster that turned the area into a snowy tundra dotted with sparse trees and shrubs providing berries and fruit only once a year. By the time the Icesteelian people adapted to the new climate, they had divided into two areas and two languages, Western and Eastern Icesteelian. By the time that the Icesteelian people were taken from their homes, the languages were divided into 4, Terminan, Qemandar, Kumatarian, Kumeterian. Centuries passed and the Icesteelian tribes returned to their homeland and were lead by Kīgamotūgwo Gusisena. They went to a town called Sūrare’askē and were offered refuge, but were kicked out once day broke. They called the Icesteelians crazy and primative when the Icesteelian Councilmen told them that another blizzard was coming. After leaving Sūrare’askē, the Kumateri tribe left and went to the fields above Kais Termina. The Eastern Icesteelians made the trek to Kais Termina and were welcomed with open arms and a place of refuge. 50 years after, the Kumateri tribe joined into the town of Kais Termina. The peoples language merged with each others along with the influence of the lingua franca, Arcadian and the related language of Kogongi. Many words were imported and the grammar changed. Old Terminan is a language of harshness, while Classical Terminan is one of pristine and peacefulness.

Instruments
Mejagwo (Icesteelian Flute)

This traditional instrument is similar to the Irish flute. It has 6 holes and comprised of the native Tadīb (Terminan Maple) wood. The instrument is painted black and connected with wooden lengths within the flute. The instrument is usually in the key of A, but with some length variation it can be made into other keys. The Mejagwo is largest at the head (top) end, tapering down to a smaller bore at the foot (bottom). This has the effect of shortening the flute for a given pitch. Traditionally, the instrument would be used to help in healing practices by the shaman of the tribes. The Terminan people believed that the flute would enhance the spell that is being cast. Today, the flute is played within the Terminan Orchestra and in bars and taverns across Icesteel.

Kītara (Icesteelian Lyre)

The Kītara is an plucked string instrument containing a wooden frame made from the Tadīb (Terminan Maple) wood and 11 strings. The instrument is played upright with both hands making a buzzing sound that is repeated throughout the duration of the song. The instrument would be decorated in jewels such as gems and imported gold. The Icesteelian people believed by playing the Kītara, you could access the void and hear it speak or bridge the connection between the living realm (Sēke) and the dead realm (Dobukē). Thus, this instrument was only played at funerals and the Night of the Soul's Return (Dōtaja).

Naīpa (Icesteelian Reed Flute)

The Naīpa is a reed flute that has a very unique sound. The traditional Naīpa has 7 holes, each one representing an aspect of life. The Naīpa is made out of the Kasba plant (Ice Starlight Reed). The kasba shoot is left to dry by a fire and then coated in a hardening liquid (Wisuīki). This instrument is thought to re-animate life within deceased or non-living things. It is also thought to have the power of mind control. Learning this instrument is one talent that is highly regarded and rewarded across the Terminan culture.

Tabel (Icesteelian Drum)

The Tabel is a basic frame drum beaten with a hardened stick with the top of it covered in Kaseka (A cloth made from the fibers of the Kasba plant). The drum consists of wooden frame and a special type of plant leather, made from the grinding of the Hūna leaves. The drum is used in traditional ensembles as well as the modern Terminan Orchestra.

Edul (Icesteelian Guitar)

The Edul is a recent addition to the Icesteelian ensembles. This instrument is based off of the Kogongi Guitar. The Edul has 11 strings, a pear-shaped body, and a decorated hole in the middle. The instrument was a sign of the First Renaissance within Icesteelian culture. Recently, there has a been a decline of interest in the Edul due to the revitalization of the traditional Icesteelian music.

Atislu (Icesteelian Cello)

The Atislu is a bowed string instrument made out of Usīna wood. The instruments consists of 3 strings with a hollow frame and a bow made out of Kaseka strings. The instrument is used to invoke emotion among the audience, giving it a human voice characteristic. The Icesteelians believed that this instrument could be used to see the future, due to it being made out of wood from the Usīna tree, which was believed to have metaphysical properties. The instrument was used as a divination tool and the player of the instrument would fall under and play a melody that would be interpreted by the psychic. If played in a major (happy) melody, that would lead to a positive outcome and if played in a minor (sad) melody, they viewed that as a negative outcome.

Traditional Notes
Each of the notes in the Icesteelian scale represents an aspect of life. Hō represent grounding, balance, and the earth. This note is used to tune the ensembles. Ne represents love energy. This note is used within love songs and jigs. Du represents death and the afterlife. The note is used in funerals and death festivals. Ka represents happiness and passion. This note is used to release happiness and used in dances. En is a sad and dreary note. This note is used on stormy days and mourning. Ti is an ascension point and used in divination. This note is used to foresee the future and the "magic" note. Ha is a note that represents cohesiveness and unity. Typically this note is used in every piece as a starting note.

Geography and Ecology
The area of Kais Termina was once a vast meadow plain filled with flowers, shrubs, tall grass and sparsely populated trees. A climate disaster struck and turned the area into a cold tundra with bushes, sparsely populated forests, and flowers. This forced all the plants to adapt to the sub-zero climate. The trees went from a deciduous to coniferous trees and the shrubs only produced fruit once a year. Many of the native animals died under these conditions and the ones that survived has a thick fur coat and thick skin. Due to the climate disaster, the native peoples to change their vegetarian diet to one consisting of tubers, meat, and berries.

Plants
Aquatic Plants

The aquatic plants of Kais Termina are sparse. The only plants surviving are reeds and kelp. One of the reed plants is the Kasba (Ice Starlight Reed). This plant is used by the Icesteelian people as a medicinal plants used as a gauze and the drug properties as a hallucinogenic. Wirsuka (Ice Kelp) is the most widely grown plant across Icesteel. The Wirsuka leaves are dried out and eaten. The water of Kais Termina is a frozen ice on top of the rivers and lakes, not allowing many plants to grow.

Shrubs and Berry Plants

The shrubs and berry producing plants are the most common among the Icesteelian surface. The Hūna Berry Bush is the most bearing species of berry bushes, producing a red, sweet berry. This berry is used to make a special type of wine called Kwaha. Ferns and bushes cover the ground under the snow. The Tusuma Fern is one of these. They are a tiny red fern that grow up the sides of trees and building, causing a problem for Kais Termina homes as they would rot the wood. The Bubetuma Berry Vine (Glow berry vine) is also a common site across Kais Termina. The vine has been cultivated to create a sustainable food source for the people of the Icesteelian snow plane.

Trees The two tree types that are in Icesteel are the Usīna and Tadīb. The Usīna tree is a type of spruce tree that grows to be 40-50 feet in height and able to take a heavy blanketing of snow from the cold and brutal Icesteelian blizzards. A very notable characteristic of this tree is the weeping needles of the tree. The bark of this tree contains a certain medicine that alleviates pain, so the blue-gray bark is usually brewed and drank as a painkiller.

The Tadīb tree is a combonation of the common maple tree and a coniferous tree. The leaves do not fall off in the winter and are a dark red all year round. The bark of this tree is somewhat soft, allowing the native people to collect the sap contained within the tree, giving them a natural sweetener that is used in coffee and tea across Arcadia. The tree has a network of roots connecting it to the other trees, allowing them to communicate and send nutrients to other trees. The tree usually grows 25 feet in height and has a wide trunk. The leaves also contain a medicine that treats bowel irritation and diarrhea when brewed.

Animals
Mammals There are very few animals that can survive in the cold and harsh Terminan landscape. One such animal is the Terminan Reindeer, Tasōjehdi. They are just like the reindeer you would find in any tundra, but with the exception that they are found with a reddish tinted coat. The males of the species lose their antlers in the fall and grow them back in the late spring. Females of the species keep their antlers all year long. The reindeer were domesticated by the Terminan people and they were used to pull cargo across the snow and females were used for their milk to make a special Terminan cheese.

Another mammal found in the Terminan tundra is the Terminan Yak, Musmus. This yak is also found with a reddish tinted fur. Some of the more special ones have a white coat, but all keep their horns in the winter. When the yaks outgrow their horns, they shed them, and they are used to make horns. The yaks fur is used to make coats for winter, when the yaks are not able to pull anymore. The last creature that is unique to the Terminan landscape is the Terminan Horse, Tasōge. This horse is descended from horses brought onto the continent. The horses adapted and grew longer hair and slowly had every horses fur white, gray, or bay. The horses are short and wide and are used for transportation, milk, and their meat. It is a tradition to give girls a horse when she turns 14.

Amphibians

There is only one amphibian found in the Terminan waters, the Terminan Wood Frog. The Terminan Wood Frog is a grayish frog found in the Terminan Rivers and Lakes. This frog freezes itself in the winter and returns from its frozen hibernation when the river unfreezes. A funny game that Terminan children is that they suck the heads of the frogs and when they wake up, they throw them at the other children.