Caelmere

Caelmere (formerly Ingmar) is a semi-autonomous northern region within the Aurelian Dominion (formerly Orland), known for its highland geography, distinct cultural heritage, and long history of resistance and reclamation. Once an independent kingdom, Caelmere has been repeatedly conquered, liberated, and reabsorbed over the course of its history, with its modern identity shaped by both resilience and adaptation.

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Geography

Caelmere lies in the northern highlands of the continent, bordered by the North Sea to the east and the river Vireth to the south, which marks its traditional boundary with Orland. The region is known for its mist-covered valleys, black pine forests, and steep, weathered ridges. Its harsh winters and rugged terrain historically provided both isolation and protection.

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History

Kingdom of Ingmar

The region was originally known as Ingmar, a sovereign kingdom founded around the early 9th century. Its people, the Ingari, developed a unique dialect, oral tradition, and clan-based governance system. Ingmar was known for its warrior kings and its deep reverence for ancestral lore.

Conquest by the Divine Empire (1685)

In 1685, Ingmar was conquered by the southern nation of Orland under the expansionist rule of the Divine Emperor, a figure who sought to unify the continent under divine right. The conquest was marked by cultural suppression, temple burnings, and forced conscription.

Restoration Under King Adonis (1686)

A year later, King Adonis of Orland (himself of disputed mixed heritage) reversed the annexation after a successful uprising, declaring Ingmar “free once more.” The kingdom was re-established and ruled independently for several generations, though tensions remained.

Gradual Assimilation

Over the next two centuries, through political marriages, economic dependence, and renewed military conflict, Ingmar was slowly reabsorbed into what became the Aurelian Dominion. Its name changed gradually in official records — from Ingmar to Caelmere, likely derived from the old words cael (high) and mere (boundary or lake).

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Geography

Today, Caelmere is a duchy within the Aurelian Dominion, ruled by a Governor-Duke appointed by the imperial crown but advised by a local council of hereditary stewards and elected trade representatives. Many Caelmerians still refer to their homeland as a “kingdom,” particularly in rural areas.

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Culture

Language & Identity

While official business is conducted in the Aurelian tongue, the Caelmeric dialect of Old Ingari is still spoken in northern villages and preserved in ritual and song. Caelmere is famed for its epic poetry, funeral laments, and symbolic embroidery, often centered on themes of memory, betrayal, and resistance.

Religion

Caelmere hosts a syncretic blend of imperial faith and pre-conquest animist traditions. Sacred groves, cairns, and moon festivals remain widely practiced in rural regions, despite formal disapproval from the imperial clergy.