Part I - The Kathela Hills
A hilly-forested spur of the nearby Felsha mountains, the name originates from the native Kath tribesmen who still control the region. The salt route cuts through the southern fringes of the region and it is supposedly claimed by the Kingdom of Kaldor, being part of an area called Chelmarch. However, it is still largely untamed and in recent years the knights and fighting orders of Kaldor have utterly failed to bring it under control, getting significant resistance from the local Kath as well as rumors of occasional, often disastrous encounters with a dragon-like creature said to inhabit the region. Because of these such mishaps, a treaty has been made that states Kath are to not block any travel on the Salt Route, and travelers are warned not to venture into the Kath territory.
Part II - The Kath
A loosely organized tribe of wild and somewhat primitive humans inhabiting the above region, their numbers fluctuate wildly, usually low in winters and the following season and growing to full strength again by mid-summer. Kaldor has tried numerous times to bring the Kath to heel but usually fail as the Kath do not prescribe to the heavily-armored stand and fight methods favored by Kaldoric forces, instead preferring to use the wilds to their advantage and utilizing quick strikes and withdraws, and eventually seeking to surround or otherwise cut off the invaders from their escape routes so they can be more easily dealt with. In recent years, a agreement was came to between Kaldor and the Kath, stating that Kath Wouldn't block the travel on the Salt Route, but a warning was issued for travelers not to Step off the route into the Kath hills or face tribal law, usually by many spears.
The Kath are usually peaceful and keep to themselves, busying themselves with hunting and gathering, putting away supplies for winter and making sure their borders are respected by outsiders. They live a very spiritual life holding stubbornly to their totemic beliefs.
Part III - Kath Lifestyle
The Kath utilize a wide variety of tools in their often difficult daily lives. Weapons and tools are primarily of flint and fire-hardened wood, and while these implements may seem crude they are fairly effective. A flint dagger or axe-head will hold a keen edge if kept clean and will slice into human flesh just as easily as the animal prey of the hunt. They are however, not as durable and long-lasting as the iron and steel weapons of the Harnic races, nevertheless the Kath prefer them as they are relatively easy to obtain and replace and most Kath shun the heavy iron-clad ways of the nearby
Kaldorians, for spiritual reasons. Kath believe the crafter puts parts of themselves into what they create, therefore outsider tools although sometimes used are frowned upon by most in the tribe. Unless of course the crafter was a well respected outsider.
Kath daily lives often include a variety of tasks, many of which are for the betterment of the tribe as a whole rather than to benefit the self.. The Kath do their best to discourage the self-seeking adventurer sorts and try to make their young understand that the tribe will sink or float as a whole, not just based on the glory of one young warrior. For this reason, young hunters and warriors are encouraged to take part in mundane tasks such as the gathering of foraged foods and herbs for winter and the clearing of debris from the village, the building of huts, the preparation of skins and hides and those sorts of things, in addition to the expected hunting and patrol of Kath borders by the able-bodied young.
Kath religion is usually centered upon the worship of either The Spirits, a loose collection of spirit guides sometimes believed to speak through animals or other elements of nature. These represented in 6 totems, Wolf, Boar, Bear, Stag, Cougar, and the Eagle. In the past some Kath turned to following the Dragon an ominous beast that, is rumored to inhabit the Kath hills somewhere. Most Kath seem to now worship The Spirits as many of the tribe believes the Dragon has forsaken them. And other recent events disgracing those who had followed the dragon have made the religion non-existent, within the village. It should be noted that the Kath view things in a very tribal way, instead of thinking of the nearby
Kaldorians as a separate Race, they are viewed more as a different tribe.. much like the Tulwyn or Chelni are a different tribe, this seems to be in ignorance of the fact that Kaldoran society is not tribal at all.