Chitine (Grand Duchy of)
Location: Continent of Brun, northwest of Leeha. NW
Area: 4,988 sq. mi. (12,920 sq. km.).
Population: 7,000.
Languages: Alphatian, Heldannic.
Coinage: Alphatian Standard: crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp).
Taxes: 25% of yearly income.
Government Type: Grand duchy, member of the Kingdom of Alpha, member of the Norwold Confederacy.
Industries: Military, agriculture, mining.
Important Figures: Ney (Archduke).
Flora and Fauna: The plains are lightly covered by evergreen trees, mostly pine, which become even rarer in the hilly and mountainous regions to the west of the duchy. As the duchy rises into the Icereach Range, trees are slowly replaced by shrubs, then hardy mosses until the altitude becomes too great for any plants to survive. Horses are bred for the knightly order; mountain goats, mountain lions and snow apes inhabit the Icereach Range. Frost giants or white dragons living in caves in the mountains beyond the border of the duchy occasionally attack despite their being regularly driven away by the duke's knights.
Coats of arms: Duke Ney: A six-branch black star (center) surrounded by four silver-red swords pointing to the corners, background green (upper quadrant), blue (bottom quadrant), yellow (left quadrant) and white (right quadrant); Duchy of Chitine: Two red diagonal lines, silhouette of a white sphinx (top quadrant), background green (top quadrant), blue (bottom quadrant), yellow (left quadrant) and white (right quadrant); City of Furmy: A six-branch black star (center), two red circles (top left and top right sextants), background green (upper sextant), blue (bottom sextant), yellow (bottom left sextant), white (bottom right sextant) and black (top left and top right sextants); Knights of Chitine: A black shield (center) behind a white circle, four red swords pointing from the corners to the circle, black background. The duke may also carry Alpha's banner when leading the armies of the king into battle as Ericall's general.
Further Reading: CM1 Test of the Warlords, previous almanacs.
Last Year's Events: None to report.