Picta

Picta is the country north of Araluen, and it is home to the wild tribes of the Scotti who live in the southern regions.

Geography

Picta is a country to the immediate north of Araluen. To the north of Picta is the Western Ocean. To the east is the Narrow Sea and across this sea is Gallica. To the west lies the Endless Ocean. There is a small mountain range in the midsection of Picta and a mountain range that separates it from Araluen.

In the west of Picta flows the Craiskill River, which flows into the sea next to the Mull of Linkeith.

Climate

Picta is a very cold and bitter place much like Norgate Fief in Araluen. The northern section may not have a lot of inhabitants, as a majority of the Scotti live in the southern section.

Government

Picta is controlled by various clans and there is no centralized government. Each clan is controlled by a warlord; for example, Caleb MacFrewin controls the MacFrewin clan. It seems that these clans live peaceably together since there has been no mention of civil war.

Military

Each clan has its own armies and generals.

Rank

Warlord: The senior leader of the clan who has total control.
General: The military leaders of a clan. There are two types of generals. A higher rank and a lower rank or general of the second. These generals are identified by blue stripes on their faces.
Common Soldier: These are the regular fighting men of a clan. They have blue paint around their eyes.

Diplomacy

The Scotti have mixed feelings against Araluen. Some Scotti clans are friendly to Araluen and may come to help during times of war like in The Burning Bridge, some are hostile like the three clans (MacFrewin, MacHaddish, MacKentick) that had ambitions to invade Norgate Fief.

They also have good relations with the kingdoms of Hibernia and Celtica, as they were a triumvate in the past.

Religion

The Scotti believe all kinds of spirits and demons, the most dangerous one being known as Serthrek'nish. The only thing that keeps him at bay is a ring of ash. Malcolm uses this creature to frighten General MacHaddish into telling him the plans of the Scotti in The Siege of Macindaw.

Trivia

Picta is based on Medieval Scotland since Scotland was north of England just as Picta is north of Araluen.
The Scotti write in Scottic Runes; as almost no Scotti can read or write, there also aren't many outsiders who can read them.