Cliffton

Cliffton is one of the many provinces (archonates) that comprise the High Kingdom of Daelyria. The capital city of the archonate is the sprawling city of Aeryon located on the coast of the province, the city is a merger of the former cities of Klerkenshoop and Silverhill. The current archon/governor of the archonate is Nitro Silverhand, previously Broyo Silverhand. Cliffton borders the the archonates of Greater Halond, Illeryon, Astor and Kyydrosil.

Cliffton was a subregion in the previous Mithran Archonate of Magna Ataraxia and gained its current borders during the years of the Helmian Federation. The archonate is dominated by the Silverhand family, whose members hold nearly all positions of power within the province.

Geography and Climate
Cliffton is a region dominated mostly by plains and wooded hills, although much of the nature along the coast has mostly been cleared for the urban sprawl of Aeryon. The snow covered lands surrounding Ryseria and Arendon is referred to as the Interior while the area around Aeryon is refferred to as Cliffton Proper. The chunk of the province that extends down the coast is referred to as the "Cliffton Trunk" or "Clifftonic Cloak", although the locals of Aeryon sometime refer to it crudely as the "Clifftonian Dong".

Cliffton is a notoriously cold region, with much of the cold coming from the Cliffton Peaks mountains and the even colder Archonate of Astor to the north of the province. The coastal region is mainly rainy but warmer than the interior, reaching a peak temperature of around 27 Celsius and a low temperature of -2 Celsius. While in interior, the land surrounding Arendon and Ryseria is extremely cold and covered in snow nearly year round. The temperature in the interior reaches a peak of 17 Celcius and a low of -22 Celcius. As mentioned earlier, the coastal areas around Aeryon (referred to as Cliffton Proper) is much warmer, this is due to warm winds coming from the sands of Axum in Northern Alamayn, but much of the warm air is blocked by the island of Jardine and also blending with the colder winds coming from Astor.

Cliffton's population is mostly concentrated in the lordship Cliffton proper throughout the many districts of the city Aeryon but notably the districts of Silverhill and Klerkenshoop. The interior is sparsely populated

Government
Outside of the basic political structure that every Daelyrian archonate follows, the province also has other significant positions within its administration as well such as the Keeper of Culture, Harbourmaster and city level positions such as the adminstrators of the districts of Aeryon.

Demographics and Culture
The two largest demographics in Cliffton are the local Clifftonese natives and the descendants of Kastollian settlers. Daelyrian humans also have quite a bit of presence in Cliffton Interior, they first migrated from the area that now makes up modern-day Illeryon into the Clifftonic Interior where they built minor camps and settlements. Noxnorric humans are also present to a certain degree in the northern parts of the archonate as a considerable amount of Noxnorric Humans migrated due to a harsh winter (even by Astor's standards).

The Clifftonese, the largest demographic in the region, are found from the interior to the coast. The descendants of the Kastollian settlers are the second largest demographic and are found primarily on the coast, particularly in the District of Klerkenshoop and Silverhill within the provincial capital of Aeryon. Although some isolated Kastollian communities are also found elsewhere within Cliffton Proper and very minor groups in the interior. The Daelyrians in Cliffton are the third largest demographics and are grouped together with the "North-Illeryonic" group of Daelyrians. They are found almost exclusively in the interior, although it has been observed that a significant amount have began moving into Aeryon. Finally, the Noxnorric Humans are found in the north of the province and are the smallest demographic with their numbers dwindling as the years go by due to a majority of them migrating to Sovdal as the city is being reconstructed. Another noteworthy demographic are the "Barkfolk", sometimes called "Tree people" or more rudely "Leaf Buggers"; though they are now extinct. They first lived in areas found around Cliffton Proper, particularly on the land now known as "Hera's Glade" (Hera Iceborn Silverhand's private estate) was previously a major habitat for the Barkfolk; but upon being driven out by humans they lived in the mountains, forests and caves of the interior.

A brief history of Native Clifftonian culture
Native Clifftonian culture is still existent, however it has almost been entirely obliterated by the Daelyrian and Clifftonic-Kastollian cultures. But what scholars from both Cliffton and Duskyon have gathered, the original cultures of the Clifftonians before the arrival of Daelyrians and Kastollians were mostly based on Noxist patheons. These deductions were entirely correct, with Gilrochian and early Clifftonian Records claiming that one Vriabœrn initiated the Clifftonic Migrations into the Helmian subcontinent, some 50-80 years after the Noxist Migrations. The Clifftonic tribes followed some unknown sect of paganism before one Fyydir Gilroch had his followers convert to the Noxist religion. The Clifftonic people (In a modern context, referred to as "Clifftonese") then began to spread out of the Clifftonic Lowland Marshes and into Cliffton's lush and wild hills and plains. Cultivation of various grains, and the breeding of the Clifftonese stallion became important to Clifftonese agricultural life during the time between the Clifftonic Conversion and Astorian Invasion. When the Astorians brutally annexed Cliffton, The Clifftonese were forced under Astorian rule, with the native Gilroch Dynasty being expelled to nearby Sovdal. This process kick started the decline in native Clifftonese population, as the Astorians occupied Cliffton Castle, renaming it to the city of Rosehill. The native Clifftonese were apparently very skeptical of their new Astorian overlords. Duskyonian scholars believed that the origin of "Clifftonese Skepticism" came from their time under Astoria; Astoria at the time was the home to many religions both tiny and large in following, the Clifftonians believed in only one unifying religion and came to detest Astorian rule. Such was the Clifftonian's spite that when Astoria was dissolved to form the High Kingdom of Arcovel, celebrations broke out in cities across the archonate. This unification between Daelyria, Kastollia and Astoria brought the first Daelyrians into the area and the Silverhand family also first governed Cliffton at this time, rather than just simply living there. The Silverhand family brought the Domussist faith into province while the Daelyrians brought Draconism. Clifftonese culture at this time would shift towards Domussism as because of the formation of the hybridized Clifftonic-Kastollian culture group, and Domussism being monotheistic religion, gained droves of converts in the archonate; the arrival of the first small bands of Kastollians also furthered the spreading of Domussism. In current times however, upon witnessing the actions of the Dommusists first hand, from their bloody crusades, the Noxist genocides and the demolishing of Noxist icons in Sovdal, many Clifftonese renounced their faith but kept many traditions and beliefs they had adopted from the Domus' teachings which would then be mixed with Kastollian and Daelyrian culture.

Native Clifftonese beliefs and traditions
Clifftonese natives have been falsely assumed to believe that humans are superior to nature and simple animals. The mindset of "Cliffton for us", a belief held by Clifftonians that humans had every right to bend nature to their will, is falsely agreed to be the most important core belief held by the Clifftonian population. This belief was an unfortunate result of the cultural and religious mixing of the region, and the Domussist prophet Lightfish Demus whom was a controversial figure which promoted religious/cultural genocide of native Helmians and human superiority. This belief was even spread to the second wave of Kastollian settlers that came to the area by the prophet Lightfish Demus. From this belief is why nearly half the coast is covered in urban sprawl and why the estates system was even conceived in the first place, to give humans the mastery over nature. Although nowadays, with the Second High Kingdom of Daelyria now ruling over Cliffton, this mindset has been considerably pushed back and Draconism has been making quite a rise in the province. Clifftonese culture in modern times is defined by skepticism towards the central government in Frostarhc, an increased appreciation for nature and an unyielding belief in the indomitable human spirit. Native Clifftonese also have a great love for the underground, in fact it is said that Clifftonese are the second largest demographic behind dwarves in the number of underground dwellings. This is evident through the many underground facilities and public amenities seen throughout Cliffton. This love for the underground isn't even a recent phenomenon, but rather an ancient one as a large ancient Clifftonian camp was found beneath Hera's Glade in Cliffton Proper. The alleged love for the underground is however a modern misconception about Clifftonese culture, with the alleged camp discovered under Hera's Glade having been the ruins of the Noxnorric community of Bekiw Lor in southern Cliffton.

A brief history of Kastollian Settler culture
Despite their substantially later arrival into the area, they had grown to become the second largest demographic in Cliffton. Kastollians first came to Cliffton at a time when the land that now make up the district of Klerkenshoop was still known as the "Painfield ruins". The first wave of Kastollian settlers were led by Broyo Fireborn Silverhand and were mostly drawn up from the city of Meteora and the coastal town of Azuirs. By this time, the Clifftonians under Miksa Iceborn Silverhand were well established in the city of Silverhill (formerly Rosehill); the natives welcomed the Kastollian settlers as they had hoped that the Kastollians would bring much needed economic exposure to their businesses and industries. The Kastollians chose the site of the Painfield ruins to build their city.

The Barkfolk
Stay tuned

Clifftonian Myths and Urban Legends
Ever heard of the Basedlander? It is believed that he is living among us