The Charr

The United Clans of the Charr
Motto	Strength; Wisdom; Honour; Faith in the Gods of Fire.
Anthem	March of the Titans
Capital City	Lion's Arch
Region	Gholgoth
Language(s)   - Official   - Unofficial	Charrian Tyrian
Government   - Clan Leader	Clan Leader Council Clan Leader Bonfaaz Burntfur
Formation   - Tribal Confederation   - Human Tyria   - United Clans	134 B.C. 123 B.C. 1305 A.D.
Area   - Area   - % water	11,261,262 km. sq. 13%
Population   - Charr (2007)   - Human (2007)   - Total (2007)	4,523,520,000 340,480,000 4,864,000,000
National Religion	Charrian Fire Worship
GDP (FY 07/08)   - Total (NSD)   - Per Capita (NSD)	$215,466,438,983,386.00 $45,228.05 (Gholgoth 1st)
Gini (2006)	0.46
HDI (2005)	0.74
Currency	Charrian Gold Coin
National Animal	Devourer
National Tree	Great Wreshtakena
Time Zone	TST +0500
Internet TLD	.ucc
Calling Code	+789
International Abbreviation	UCC
Naval Craft Classification   - Military   - Civilian	- CWS   - CCS
Honoured Warriors   - 'Destroyer of Demons'   - 'Protector of Honour'	- Teerf Burntfur   - Bonfaaz Burntfur
National sport(s):	physical combat, fencing, assorted tests of physical strength
Stats: NS NSEconomy NSTracker Sunset XML

The United Clans of the Charr is a powerful coalition of Charr clans which has dominated the large island of Tyria and some small surrounding archipelagos since the early 1300s. Until recently the United Clans were extremely xenophobic and isolationist, but under the leadership of one 'Bonfaaz Burntfur' these policies have been changing. The United Clans of the Charr is now an economically powerful entity, renowned for its surprisingly high civil and political liberties, but lacking in religious freedoms.

The nation is particularly renowned for being home to both Charr and humans.

Demographics

Species and population

The population of Tyria according to the last national census was recorded as 4,864,000,000. This includes the two sentient species in Tyria; Charr and humans. Charr are in the overwhelming majority, with an estimated 4,523,520,000 (93%) of the population consisting of them, with the remaining 340,480,000 (7%) being humans. It should be noted that due to the nomadic and anti-government nature of many Charr, these figures may not be entirely accurate.

It was in recent years that Bonfaaz Burntfur made an amendment to the Sacred Scrolls of Law to grant humans equal rights in Tyria. Previously, the entire population (which at the time numbered just under one million) of humans were permanently imprisoned, which began when the Charr overthrew the human invaders of Tyria several centuries earlier. Despite significant animosity, the law has been upheld successfully, and humans even have a representative in the Council of Clans.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy varies wildly between locations and species. For modern Charr, living in cities and making full use of available medical facilities, females will typically live for 100 years whilst males will live for 75 years. Human males living in similar circumstances will live for 80 years, and females for 85 years.

However, many Charr in particular tend to live nomadic lifestyles, rarely visiting cities or settling down in one place. Their lifespan varies significantly depending on where they tend to roam, whether they sustain any injuries, and whether they can find enough food and water.

Gender

Charr have a gender ratio favouring males, at roughly 1.11. Many female Charr die during childbirth due to the difficulties involved, which is thought to be the primary reason for this imbalance. It may also be caused by a failure on the part of males to report the existence of their mates on the census. The concept of a 'sex change' does not even exist in Charr society. Tyrian humans do not have such an imbalance, and their gender ratios are more-or-less equal.

Urban versus rural population distribution

It is estimated that 55% of Charr live in towns or cities, with the rest being either nomadic, professional hunters living in isolation, or herders. There are entire independent clans living traditional nomadic lifestyles without so much as a tent to their name, and they are allowed to do so without resistance from the government.

Humans are much more biased towards urban life, presumably because the powerful and hostile wildlife of Tyria would preclude their survival in rural areas. Almost 97% of all humans are believed to live in towns and cities, and hold down more modern jobs in the service and industry sectors.

Culture

Charrian culture is a rich and deeply rooted one, based on millennia of traditions surrounding the concepts of honour, competition and demonstrations of strength, pack loyalty, connections with nature, and religion.

Charr remain tied to their packs (or families) from birth until death, although packs can become merged during a joining ritual between a male and a female. The pack plays a key role in Charrian society, and many different rituals revolve around it ranging from the minor (weekly hunts for food) to the major (marriage, various religious rituals, and coming of age ceremonies). In modern industrial times packs are not as closely knit as they were in the past, when entire packs would live together permanently in the same house (or roam together in a nomadic existence), and Charr can leave to live alone or with their mate if they so choose. Despite this, a Charr that does not visit his clan regularly is frowned upon.

Charr culture is heavily dependant upon their relationship to the natural world. In spite of the practical implications, many Charrian cities have large areas that are completely unpaved, so that Charr can remain connected to the 'true ground'. Indeed, there is often so much plant life growing naturally in metropolitan areas that it is difficult to tell whether one is in a city at all. Most Charr hunt for their own food at least once a week, usually with the rest of their pack. For many Charr the idea of a holiday involves living in the wild, naked, isolated and without equipment for a week is appealing. The industrialisation of Tyria has been met with strong resistance from large swathes of Charr.

Strength, honour and courage are key tenants of Charr society, dictated both by their culture and their religion. Charr believe that life is a battle of supremacy, and whether one is gifted with immense strength or supreme intelligence one must use one's gift to achieve some measure of good in the world before death in order to prove their superiority. This is one reason why the Charrian legal system allows for vigilantism to some degree; Charr must use their sense of honour and morality to maintain honourable behaviour in their immediate vicinity, and they may issue personal combat challenges to any who they find committing dishonourable acts. Honour is clearly a concept of great importance, and Charr believe that all sentient creatures are born honourable, and although one can become dishonourable if one commits such acts, Charr do not believe that dishonoured souls are irredeemable. The soul of a dishonoured being can be cleansed completely instantly if they die in combat for a worthy cause, for example. Only Charr females are incapable of gaining honour, regardless of whether they perform honourable acts or not. It is for this reason that Charr have difficulty dealing with human females.

Informal challenges are much more common than honour challenges, however. These allow Charr to compete with each other, either on friendly or hostile terms, to challenge both their own abilities and those of their opponent. The victor gains honour and respect, whilst the loser gains knowledge. Losing such a challenge is not considered dishonourable, only a learning experience. While traditionally these challenges involve a test of physical abilities, if not in combat then in some other way such as running, in recent times intellectual challenges have also become common. Charr believe that the gods gifted them with both great physical and mental strength, and it is just as honourable to use either one.

Due to their beliefs in strength and honour, the concept of welfare is not a pleasant one to Charr, and is notably absent from the government budget. Although the helpless must be protected from the dishonourable, giving them charity in the form of handouts would be an insult. Individual packs may choose to support their less fortunate members, but the government keeps out of such issues. By the same token, though, it is unlikely for anybody to encounter a beggar in any Charrian city.

Religion

Charr follow their own distinct religion, which has only recently been termed Charrian Fire Worship. They believe that fire is the form the gods choose to take in the mortal realm, and for that reason call them the Gods of Fire, or the Fiery Gods. Fire is simultaneously the giver and taker of life, and the basis for all technology, and while it can allow itself to be tamed, it can choose to run rampant irrespective of control efforts. For Charr, it is compulsory to follow the tenants of Fire Worship even if they do not believe.

The human population of Tyria does not follow the same religion. They follow a religion called Tyrianism (as it was humans who gave the island its present name), which is based almost entirely off the Ancient Greek polytheistic religion, although the names of the major gods have been changed. The majority of humans are followers of the Great God Balthazar, who is comparable to Zeus/Jupiter.

Language

The official language of the United Clans of the Charr is Charrian. Humans are physically incapable of speaking Charrian, due to vocal cord inadequacies and an inability to manipulate their mouths and tongues in the same way as Charr. Likewise, Charr are physically incapable of speaking any human languages for much the same reason.

It is a highly gruff, visceral and complex language, and because some words can consist of many different sounds at the same time, such as growls, roars and complex sounds generated with the mouth and vocal cords, it is difficult to learn. The written form is even more complicated, as it consists of a variety of pictographs which can represent anything from an object to a phonetic sound.

The humans of Tyria speak a language that closely resembles Ancient Latin. Indeed, it differs very little from the language of the Romans, which strongly suggests that their ancestors arrived on Tyria from somewhere in the Mediterranean.

While humans cannot physically learn to speak Charrian, and Charr cannot physically learn to speak Tyrian, both have successfully learned to understand the other's language. Whilst a conversation between a Charr and a human may be in two completely different languages, each can understand the other well enough.

When dealing with outsiders in informal situations, Charr will typically recruit the services of a Tyrian human to translate for them. The Tyrian human can understand Charrian well, and yet unlike the Charr they are physically capable of learning to speak other human languages, making them ideal as translators. In more formal situations, however, such as high-level international meetings, Charr will prefer to make use of expensive and sometimes inaccurate artificial translation devices. While these are far from flawless, they remove the security implications of having another speak on one's behalf.

Sports

Charr do not engage in competitive, structured games in the way that many cultures do. Rather than watching others play games, they prefer to challenge one another to test and improve their own abilities, to gain honour, and to simply enjoy themselves. Physical combat is the most common form of challenge, and while such a challenge will certainly earn some spectators from the immediate vicinity they hardly make national television.

There are some organised marathons that are moderately popular, however. Due to the size and weight of an average Charr, they are more suited to brute force than stamina, so it is considered a great achievement to be physically capable of running long distances without tiring. There is an annual ten mile marathon through Lion's Arch which does receive media coverage and spectators.

Tyrian humans are fans of a purely human-organised sport based off the ancient Roman Harpastum ball game, which receives extensive coverage by human media sources and is possibly the first example of a commercialised sport in Tyria. It even has a small Charr following, emphasising its popularity.

Due to the lack of any widely recognised sports, the United Clans of the Charr are yet to have won any international sporting competitions.

Literature

Charr authors in history were uncommon, and did not really appear at all until after 1305 A.D.

Most Charr who did put pen to paper generally wrote about real battles that they had taken part in. These are considered stories rather than true attempts to document history, however, as the author tended to exaggerate the odds, dramatise the details and elevate heroes of the battles to almost godlike levels. Identifying these authors is difficult, as many of them attributed the battles, and therefore dedicated their documentations of such, to the gods and the heroes involved rather than signing their own names. "Slaughter of the North", one of the earliest written tales which details the Battle for the Great Northern Wall, is a prime example of this type of writing.

It wasn't until after the mid-1800s that writing works of imaginative fiction became more common, and have continued to do so until the present day. While most Charrian novels focus on tales of honour, strength and self-sacrifice, key components of their culture, tales of drama, fantasy and even science fiction occasionally reach the best sellers charts.

Jeerkesh Hazelfur (1926 - 2001) is regarded as one of the greatest authors of Charrian history, having written novels on a wide variety of themes.

Since the equality laws were passed, Tyrian humans have begun to make an impact in the literary world as well - unsurprisingly their novels are more popular amongst humans than Charr.

Music

A variety of musical genres exist in Tyria; classical, battle and ritual are the three most popular amongst Charr. Music in general is not nearly as commercialised as the rest of the world, but it is growing in popularity and a number of companies do make a decent turnover from marketing it.

Classical music is not all that different from the rest of the world, with a variety of string and brass instruments. Charrian classical music can cover just as wide a range of subjects as any other, but they tend to focus on epic battles and have a unique focus on percussive instruments. Large numbers of Charr are keen fans of classical music, and concerts are held quite regularly all around Tyria.

Battle music is perhaps the second-most popular genre in the country, and is generally identified by a fast, methodical beat reliant on percussion and horn-type instruments. Commercialisation of this type of music is not common nor encouraged, as it tends to be a deeper expression of personal emotions than most types of music, and many believe that it should only be heard 'live'. Themes tend to be primal, and some foreign visitors may think of it as a bizarre cross between marching and tribal music. It is fairly common for Charr to be capable of expressing themselves with this style of music, at least at a basic level, and it is played at a large number of coming of age ceremonies.

Ritual music is very similar to battle music in instrumental style, but it is played at a lower tempo and exclusively at ritual ceremonies and religious gatherings.

Because there is so little commercialisation of music, there are not many individuals who could be identified as 'pop stars' as such, although the Lion's Arch Orchestra is a highly popular classical orchestra that tours Tyrian cities every year.

Cinema

Despite being aware of the technical details of creating 'moving pictures', the concept of cinema is a new one in Tyria that was only introduced to them when total isolation came to an end. Already numerous Charr and humans have risen to the challenge of creating movies and they have seen some success, but as with all new concepts it may take some time before movies see any widespread popularity. Low-budget depictions of great battles have already been released, and have ironically seen more success abroad than at home. Nevertheless there are many new movies in production, and it is a rapidly growing industry.

Visual media

Art

Tapestries are one of the most common forms of visual art in Tyria, and they can depict anything from individuals - male or female, honoured or unknown - to abstract concepts or, most commonly, depictions of great battles. The use of paint and canvass has only really begun in later years, and in modern times is most common with human artists. Sculptures of the gods in their mortal forms are quite common, with one in almost every Flame Temple, but sculptures of people and places are far more rare.

Many of the better known works of art tend to reside in the Capitol Building, and includes such things as an enormous mosaic on the floor of the main hall showing the Great Northern Wall in tatters, numerous portraits of honoured warriors, and a large tapestry depicting a civil war that took place in the late 1500s. The Lion's Arch Museum contains a number of other renowned works, and is open to the public.

Broadcasting

Television and radio are not quite as popular as forms of entertainment in Tyria as they are in other parts of the world. Radio stations are almost entirely regional, but the main television channels are:

• Charr News Broadcasting - 24 hour news channel, with nightly features and short documentaries.
• Tyrian Airwaves - a variety channel, focussing mainly on news and some sports, it has begun trying to appeal to both species.
• Challenge - the only dedicated sports channel, it tends to appeal more to Charr than to humans and covers a lot of fighting matches.
• Fire - a station dedicated to covering the Charrian religion, though it is only live for five hours a day in the evenings.
• Channel One - a relatively new station which was established specifically to appeal to humans.

Many rural areas have no reception and cannot receive any television signals. Satellite and cable services are not popular, and all standard television signals are still analogue. Digital uptake has been fairly slow.

Print

Newspapers are by far the most popular way for people of Tyria to keep track of the news, with circulation of the most popular national newspaper, Tyrian Times, numbering in the billions every day. The Tyrian Times is specifically marketed at Charr, as do most publications, with separate editions for humans. This is primarily due to the difference in language, and the content is generally the same in both editions.

While there are no tabloids as such, some publications are more biased and informal than others.

Education

The education system as a government institution is relatively new in the United Clans of the Charr, and it is only available to male Charr. Despite this it is one of the most highly funded of all public services, and the United Clans have invested considerable time and manpower in trying to build a modern and sophisticated education system. The process of modernisation has been considered a success as in recent years a knock-on effect has been observed in high-technology industries and the rapid growth of tertiary industry in general.

It is not compulsory for pups to attend, and parents can choose to place their pups into education at any age they choose, and to pull them out when they decide it is necessary. Female Charr can only attend specialised preparatory schools which teach them proper behaviour and control, and skills that are necessary for parenthood.

A majority of Charrian pups now attend the full schooling system. The rest are mostly home schooled, primarily due to being born to nomadic parents.

Primary education

• Ages 5 to 10

Primary education is an institution designed to educate young pups in the basics of reading, writing, mathematics, religion, honour, and physical activity, as well as being introduced to basic scientific concepts. They are also taught to comprehend Tyrian as a second language, and how to defend themselves in unarmed combat.

Secondary education

• Ages 10 to 15

Armed with the basic skills and knowledge they learned in primary education, previous subjects are studied in more detail and whole new fields of study are introduced to them. They are also presented with the full sacred texts of their religion, with the aim of fully understanding the gods. Science is covered in greater detail and the students are encouraged to develop critical and reasoning skills, and to take charge of projects and work in teams. Honour, challenges and mating practices are all covered in this tier of education, and the option to learn Charrian martial arts is open to all students.

Tertiary education

• Ages 15 to 18

No longer pups, Charr males can choose to attend tertiary education of their own volition, with no involvement from their parents. Tertiary education allows students to undertake more specialised studies in complicated fields, and it is considered necessary for any form of employment beyond herding or hunting. Successful completion of tertiary education earns the student a certificate for each of the fields he chose to study.

Advanced education

• Ages 18 plus

Charr who undertake this level of education tend to have a drive to succeed in an intellectually demanding career with good prospects. Successful completion of advanced education earns the student the Charrian equivalent of a degree or higher, and much more expansive career options than their lesser educated peers. Although not generally thought of as reputable institutions, in more recent years Charrian universities have become much more internationally recognised for excellence, although this rarely matters as foreign students have no desire to study at them and Charrian students do not intend to leave their homeland.

Economy

The economy of the Charr is powerful and robust. The Charrian government has traditionally maintained a position of non-interference, hoping that industrious Charr will retain the honour code they are expected to live by in all matters. For the most part this has been a successful policy; the economy of the United Clans is highly diversified and has become one of the strongest (per capita) and stable in the entire region. Businesses do not suffer from punitive government taxation and legislation, and yet still tend to take responsible stances towards issues such as the environment and business ethics of their own accord.

The automotive industry is a dominant force in the marketplace. Charrian manufacturers have little foreign competition within Tyria and thus continue to dominate the market completely. The automotive industry is presently the primary export of Tyria. Arms manufacturing has also become a major export, as highly durable and ruggedly powerful Charr weaponry becomes more desirable overseas. Thanks to government efforts in modernising the education system, high technology industries have seen a particular surge in recent years.

Industries such as healthcare and transport are privatised, and always have been. Due to the historical and cultural tradition of independence and freedom that Charr demand, government taxation is as low as it can be and only such critical services as the armed forces, education, civil protection and the like are government funded.

Income disparity is quite high for a developed nation and poverty is moderately high as well, but it must be remembered that due to many Charr refusing to give up their traditional nomadic lifestyles, a large proportion of these are deliberately self-imposed.

Government

Charr are renowned for being against big government. They prefer to explore their primal nature without over-regulation from a burgeoning national entity.

Country name

• Conventional Long Form: United Clans of the Charr
• Conventional Short Form: Tyria
• Abbreviation: UCC

Government type

• N/A -- No Comparable Human System (closest comparable system is a republic)

Capital

• Lion's Arch

Administrative divisions

The Charr government is highly decentralised and could be described as a confederation. The nation is made up of numerous clans, which are conglomerations of allied tribes, and each of these clans holds a certain portion of territory and population. Those clans determined to be too small to be considered major clans will generally fall under the jurisdiction of the closest major clan, and will earn their say through representation in local clan governance. There are seven 'Major Clans', sixteen 'Minor Clans', and sixty-one 'Independent Clans', all of which are spread across four recognised 'regions'.

Major clans

The clans listed below are large enough or hold enough territory to be considered major clans. Each of their elected clan leaders holds a place on the national Council of Clans and thus earns a say in national affairs. The list below is in order of strength, with the strongest first and the weakest last, and their respective clan leaders are also listed.

• Clan Thraktok – Clan Leader Bonfaaz Burntfur
• Clan Zukatha – Clan Leader Klarr Viletooth
• Clan Rrawfur - Clan Leader Vatlaaw Doomtooth (replacing deceased Reekfar Torus)
• Clan Heerkak – Clan Leader Drub Gorefang
• Clan Rooarfaa – Clan Leader Jaw Smokeskin
• Clan Uthur – Clan Leader Blade Bloodbane
• Clan Yathkavish – Clan Leader Burr Mankiller

Regions

There are four recognised geographical ‘regions’ in Tyria, which are identified as such primarily for government issues. These regions have no government of their own, nor representation in the Council of Clans.

• Ascalon
• Kryta
• Northlands
• Orr

Dependent areas

These two regions are considered ‘dependent areas’, as they are governed by no major clan and lack sufficient populations to be considered major clans in their own right. As such their domestic affairs are governed by direct democracy, orchestrated by the Council of Clans.

• Island of Skulls
• Cartha

Independence

Originally Charr were independent but divided for thousands of years before being subjugated by humans. A long-standing unified Charr nation did not occur until the immediate aftermath of the Great Tyrian War, in 1305 A.D. The United Clans of the Charr has existed, uninterrupted, since this date.

National holidays

Charr celebrate two national holidays, both of which are recognised as work-free days in addition to the seven ‘labour days’ interspersed throughout the financial year:

• 1st July is the 'Day of Flame', a spiritual event with roughly the same comparative importance to the Charr as Christmas Day is to Christians.
• 30th December is the 'Day of Rest', a celebration of a years’ long, hard work.

Humans celebrate one national holiday, which differs in date and name depending on which of their gods they worship.

Constitution

The Sacred Scrolls of Law is a legal document ratified in 1305 by the Council of Clans, the Society of Flamekeepers, and the Allied Armies of the Charr. 'Clan of Humanity' added signature in late 2004. The document details the responsibilities and powers of the Council of Clans, the procedure required for domestic interclan issues, and the basic laws and tenants each individual Charr must live by (mostly regarding issues of honour, such as making stealing illegal, stipulating when it is right or wrong to kill another Charr, proper manners when dealing with the mates of other Charr males, etc). Being signed by the government, the church and the army makes the document legally binding, spiritually binding and honour binding, a tactic which has ensured the document is upheld to this very day, as it would be a very serious thing to breach.

Legal system

Laws are primarily dictated by the Sacred Scrolls of Law, and any additional laws are considered ‘fluff’ unless demonstrated to be absolutely necessary. Judges and juries are in place in the few courts located around Tyria, and they are required to use common sense and legal precedent in determining sentencing – as well as considering honour and other such cultural issues. It is overall most easily compared to English Common Law, but even this would be an inaccurate description.

Suffrage

Charr males have the right to vote for their Clan Leader at the age of fifteen, provided they have completed their coming of age ceremony beforehand. Charr females are not permitted to vote. For humans it is a different story, with both males and females being eligible to vote from the age of fifteen with no coming of age ceremony taken into account. Once eligible to vote, one is considered an adult, an honourable being and in general, a free spirit.

Executive and legislative branch

The position of head of state and head of government is combined, and although technically elected into office by the rest of the cabinet, the position of Grand Clan Leader generally goes to the strongest major clan of the time – as it is believed that only the strong should lead, and only the strong can keep the clans united. Although officially known as the Grand Clan Leader, the head of state/government tends to remain known as a simple Clan Leader as Charr are not fond of elaborate titles. The current Grand Clan Leader is Bonfaaz Burntfur.

The cabinet is known as the Council of Clans, and currently consists of the seven democratically elected Clan Leaders from each of the major clans. The Council of Clans is most closely compared to a federal government, in that it can effect nationwide changes, but has no right to interfere in the affairs of individual clans unless they are in direct breach of the Sacred Scrolls of Law. Indeed, even in such matters as war, individual clans are not technically obligated to commit their portion of the Charrian Horde (armed forces), and must be convinced into supporting such an action by the Clan Leader proposing it. However, all clans will generally commit to an effort considered to be of vital importance to Tyria. Even without the support of all clans, a majority vote can see a decision being passed, although only those clans in support of the issue are obligated to contribute towards its completion.

Judiscial branch

The Council of Charr Elders is the highest Court of Appeal. It consists of honoured warriors from all walks of life, usually priests, soldiers or ex-government officials, whom are typically appointed by the Council of Clans, with input from the Society of Flame Keepers.

International organisation participation

The Charr, being xenophobic and generally disinterested in the affairs of outsiders, are members of only one alliance at present, which is Gholgoth. The Charr judged Gholgoth to be the only organisation with any semblance of honour or strength. It was Bonfaaz Burntfur who ended Charrian isolation and worked to gain UCC entry into Gholgoth and onto the world stage, despite significant opposition from Charr who would rather have remained isolated, in particular from Clan Leader Reekfar Torus (now deceased).

For much April and May 2007, Clan Leaders were debating their continued membership of Gholgoth. Certain acts committed by Automagfreek which are considered to be highly dishonourable according to Charrian custom were frequently cited. However, it was the departure of Crimmond from Gholgoth which sparked the particularly fuelled discussions that engulfed the Council throughout most of April and May, a nation seen by many as the only real ally the Charr had in Gholgoth. Additionally, the failed anti-slavery wars were almost universally regarded by the Charr as a politically motivated vendetta on the part of Damien Dreadfire veiled under the guise of honour, something which is considered to be extremely dishonourable.

Towards the end of May 2007, the debate finally began to lose momentum and became a secondary concern, until Automagfreek launched an unprovoked invasion of British Londinium. Clan Leaders were harshly reminded of the dishonourable tactics Automagfreek is renowned for adopting during warfare, and the debate was refuelled and set back into motion.

The continued membership of the UCC in Gholgoth has now (temporarily) been settled; in June 2007 Bonfaaz Burntfur held an emergency Council meeting in light of threatening actions on the part of Questers, made his case for remaining in Gholgoth, and successfully achieved a positive vote from a majority of Clan Leaders. For the time being at least, the issue has been shelved.

Flag description

The UCC flag is an ancient hand drawn map of Tyria by ancient Charrian explorers, believed to be the first complete map of the island drawn since the formation of the United Clans. It is particularly important to the Charr as it represents the unity of the Charrian clans, as the map lacks any borders.

History

While the United Clans of the Charr itself has a history dating since 1305 A.D., there were numerous important events leading up to its formation that occurred long before. Historians generally agree that, while a dark time for the entire Charr race, the most important event in the history of Tyria was the human invasion of 123 A.D. This event shaped the future of the entire Charr species for centuries to come and ultimately gave rise to their most prosperous years.

Pre-Human Epoch (< 123 B.C.)

Historians largely agree that the Charr are undoubtedly the native sentient race of Tyria. Not only are they unique to the island, but Tyria is the only place on Earth where any fossils charting their evolution have been found. Although the Charr are certainly not the only unqiue species native to the island; its isolated nature has given rise to a variety of unique families of creatures, some more impressive than others.

There is evidence to suggest that a unique family of human-like creatures began to evolve in Tyria early on in Charrian development. The native lifeforms probably killed them off before they could evolve beyond the early stages, however. Dangerous animals such as Devourers and Drake present a large problem even with modern-day technology, so Charr are the only known sentients with sufficient natural armament who could have have stood a chance of naturally evolving on the island.

Early Charr were very aggressive, and much larger than modern-day Charr, though even in their early development the concept of family was important. They often banded together into larger tribes for the purposes of self-defence, trade and conquest. Small clans began to form some 100,000 years ago, solely for protection against the aggressive animals which surrounded them. Occasionally these clans would wage war against each other, and some clans grew much larger as they enveloped smaller ones. This continued for tens of thousands of years, with the Charr mainly being stuck in a technological 'rut'.

Towards the end of the Pre-Human era, the Charr had built up some large towns and even a few cities, and a few clans had established themselves as dominant. Though they were smaller and less aggressive, they still had nothing impressive in terms of technology. In the few years before the arrival of humans, several Charr clans allied to form the Tribal Confederacy, which was a short-lived alliance but the largest Tyria had seen at that point.

Unfortunately, Charrian historical in this epoch is scarce, as Charr seemed to rely on oral history in the form of battle songs to remember their past. Essentially the only documentation that has been found are a few short stories detailing critical inter-Charr wars, and religious documentation.

Human Epoch (123 B.C. - 1305 A.D.)

In 123 B.C., huge wooden vessels appeared on the horizon, on a course heading straight for the island. They were recorded as colony ships, designed to 'land' on the island and be dismantled to quickly build up small settlements. Small human settlements began to spring up all around the southern coast, and it wasn't long before the two sentient species collided. Due to the cultural and linguistic similarities that have been found between these humans and Ancient Rome, it is believed that they may have begun their journey from the Mediterranean. Why they set off on such a journey is still unclear, but many historians assume that they believed to be on a divine quest, guided by their gods.

According to early records recovered from an ancient Ascalonian library, upon encountering the Charr for the first time the humans immediately assumed them to be some kind of demons that needed to be contained or destroyed. They quickly assumed that this was the reason their gods had lead them to the island, and they immediately began to attack the Charr. Although hand-to-hand combat with a Charr was almost always fatal for a human, armour or no, their technological advantages and structured armies were sufficient to push the Charr back. Within a few years, the Charr clans had been scattered, the Tribal Confederacy disbanded, and the entire species was essentially penned-in to the North.

Great stone walls were constructed over a period of several years to make sure the Charr stayed where they were 'supposed to be'. These walls were later updated in 1106 to become enormous fortifications (renamed 'The Great Northern Wall', which was considered to be the ultimate defence against the roaming bands of Charr to the north), which were the most advanced of their time. Most of the wall still remains intact to this day, and is of great cultural significance to both Charr and humans.

After 500 years of settlement, humans had infiltrated nearly every area of the island. Some of them took abandoned Charr settlements and rebuilt them to 'human' standards, and developed them into vast cities. Lion's Arch was one such city, which is the modern capitol of Tyria. Under human rule, the island became a single nation, which they officially Christened 'Tyria'. Time took its toll on this nation, however, and it was only two centuries before three distinct human nations formed in its stead -- Ascalon, Kryta and Orr. Although these three nations were allied at first, by 800 A.D. they were enemies, frequently at war with each other. They developed their technology at roughly the same pace as other advanced human nations on the planet.

Throughout this time, the Charr were fenced-in to the north. The Northern areas of the island were the least habitable, being volcanically active and home to some of the fiercest predators on the island. Unusually, it appeared as though the Charr reacted positively to their hostile environment. They began to learn from what technology they saw the humans using and develop some of their own. Survival against the elements became a challenge that they believed sorted the weak and dishonourable from the strong and courageous warriors. Fighting the vicious predators such as bone dragons and rock demons became an initiation ceremony. And all the while, their hatred for the humans grew - as their notably anti-human literature of the time demonstrated.

Some Charr were taken as slaves, to be used for manual labour in mines that humans could not have survived. This did not always go well, and by 1156 A.D. enough technology had been developed for all three human nations to outlaw the practice - slavers recorded in their logs that Charr slaves required too much manpower to control and frequently caused more casualties than mining itself, and often wrote letters to their leaders recommending the abolishment of Charrian slavery.

A particularly devastating war between all three of the human nations in 1289 A.D. gave the angered Charr the window of opportunity that they required. The Charr clans began to meet frequently, and forged a strong alliance which they called the 'United Clans of the Charr'. Technically speaking, each of the three human nations was vastly superior in terms of manpower and technology to this new alliance of Charr, but this did not seem to discourage them.

In 1295 A.D., with the human nations still ravaged by an ongoing war, the Great Northern Wall was suddenly smashed apart by a series of enormous catapults, followed by attacks from captured and trained bone dragons. As the Charrian Horde broke through the wall and defeated its guards, their first target was Ascalon, a human nation which had suffered the most from the war. After a series of concentrated assaults on their surrounding outposts the Horde made a thrust for Ascalon City itself, and captured it quickly. Once they were in control of the Ascalonian mines and industrial infrastructure they were able to advance their military significantly, and pushed on to the neighbouring nation of Orr.

With the sudden collapse of Ascalon, the nations of Kryta and Orr faced a shocking reality of the true capabilities of the Charr. They quickly signed a peace treaty and united against this new threat, but this alliance didn't come soon enough to save Orr, whose forces were still returning from the Krytan front lines. Using human technologies to fuel their armies, the Charr Clans smashed into the weakened eastern defences of Orr, slaughtering their entire garrison and seizing their capitol in a lightning strike that shocked the leadership of both nations. The reinforcements that had been sent from Kryta had not even entered Orr territory by the time the Charr were in total control of the nation.

Kryta now faced a battle-hardened army of enraged Charr, who were now in control of two whole human nations as well as their original territories to the north. The reinforcements they had sent to Orr were intercepted, taken by surprise and slaughtered, leaving Kryta with a severely reduced military capability. When the Charr Hordes finally smashed into Krytan lines, it was a matter of weeks before Kryta was engulfed by the new Charr nation.

Few humans survived the Charr onslaught, or 'The Great Tyrian War'. Mostly women and children, whom the Charr refused to kill, along with a few non-military men who had surrendered. A headcount conducted shortly after the war had ended revealed that merely a few hundred thousand humans remained on the island, from a population that had numbered in the millions. As a form of retribution and a final dishonour for their enemy, the Charr voted that these humans were to be locked away for the rest of time. All of the Charr clans, major and minor, agreed with this course of action.

Epoch of the United Clans of the Charr (1305 A.D > Present)

With the end of human dominance over Tyria, and the Charr now in control of everything, they set about establishing a nation that they hoped would last forever, and be capable of preventing a repeat of history. Each of the major clans were awarded territory, determined by their size, strength and their accomplishments during the Great Tyrian War. This would form the basis of 'local government' - each clan was responsible for their own people, and for maintaining settlements and other public facilities within their own territory. They would also be required to merge their armies into a singular national military should the need arise. This system has existed, with only minor changes, until the present day.

For nationwide decisions, the 'Council of Clans' was formed. Each of the major clans' leaders would discuss whatever issue arose, and vote on a course of action. Whichever clan leader controlled the strongest clan would be made the Leader of the Council. All this meant was that if a vote was a tie breaker, the Leader would get an extra vote. Additionally, the Leader of the Council would speak on the behalf of the United Clans.

Each individual clan took a different approach to electing their leader. Some went for the traditional 'whoever wins the fight, wins the clan' method, which was far too unstable and eventually changed to more conventional means. Most simply went for the general election route. Contrary to most democratic systems, there was only an election if the people called for it, otherwise, the leader would continue to serve uninterrupted with no time limit on his term.

With their nation firmly established, the United Clans began a series of reformation procedures designed to 'Charrify' the existing systems. The Council joined forces with the Society of Flame Keepers and the Charr Horde to draft the 'Sacred Scrolls of Law', which were designed to make sure that the new nation was respectable and stable. The signature of the Council Members made the laws legally binding, the signature of the Society of Flame Keepers made the laws spiritually binding, and the signatures of the greatest Charr warriors of the day made the laws honour binding. The intention was to make the Sacred Scrolls not just a series of laws but a sacred document that appealed to every side of a Charr's spirit, with the aim of making them harder to break.

The Council also made it a point to continue to develop Charr technology, determined to prevent a repeat of previous events. They managed to keep on a par with European development for the most part throughout the centuries, despite the two never coming into contact. Although they missed the 'nuclear revolution', and are only now beginning to investigate nuclear power, for the most part modern Charr technologies are equal to most modern human technologies. Recently, the Council of Clans even agreed to fund a project to put the first Charr into space.

Over the past 700 years there have been several small-scale civil wars, but these can be put down to tradition and culture rather than a sign of decay in the United Clans. These conflicts test the honour and capabilities of the Charr warriors, giving them vital combat experience and identifying shortcomings in the armies, and are often prearranged by those involved.

It was several years ago that the current leader of the Council, Bonfaaz Burntfur, finally ended the isolation of Tyria, which had been in place since the birth of the UCC. By reaching out to 'outsider' human nations and even signing an alliance with an organisation known as 'Gholgoth', Bonfaaz Burntfur brought the nation to the international stage for the first time in its history.

In addition to his foreign affairs reforms, Burntfur was also the first Council Leader to end the 700-year persecution of the humans. By the late 20th century, the Tyrian humans numbered just under 1 million, having been kept under strict breeding controls. Burntfur initiated a program to free the human race from their imprisonment and grant them equal rights in the eyes of the law. He made an amendment to the Sacred Scrolls of Law to ensure that few Charr treated them with disrespect, enacted a series of reforms to give the humans educational support and allow them to become productive members of society, provided them with government-funded housing and benefits until they could afford to pay for their own survival, granted them religious freedoms, and even allowed them to form their own clan based in the Ascalonian Wastelands, to give them to gain a political say. Although these controversial reforms were met with hard resistance at first, many Clan Leaders and Charr in general have come to support the move.