Karta

Karta, known to outsiders as the Dark Kingdom of Clay, is the realm of the Shadowlands that belongs to the aboriginal people of Australia.

Geography
Separated from the other Dark Kingdoms by a vast stretch of the Tempest, Karta is almost completely isolated, allowing it for the most part to develop its own culture in relative peace. Even with the presence of the European settlers, Karta remains much as it always has. The vast majority of Karta's terrain is barren and desolate. Dead trees, rocky deserts, and dusty fields make up most of the land; the kingdom is largely covered in storms of the red dust that gives the Kingdom its nickname.

There are isolated settlements here and there, many retaining their appearance from when they were first settled. Some of them have loose connections to the Hierarchy of Stygia, but their influence only has reach within the cities. The aboriginals maintain a hold over most of the uninhabited land.

Population
The population of Karta is divided between the immigrants of Australia and the aboriginals. Most of the settlers are aboriginals who embrace the world of the dead as part of their cycle of life.

Of the aboriginals, the most famous group is the Children of Kurulba, a cluster of aboriginals that wishes for an alliance with the European wraiths in defiance of the old ways. They hope to acheive their goals by enslaving other wraiths and breaking the old customs.

European settlements
Within the settlements, many of the European settlers maintain the old ways from when they first settled the country. Regency and Victorian styles of dress and etiqueete strongly effect the society of these places. However, the past fifty years have brought immigrants from other places, and many of these wraiths have begun to challenge the old ways of these cities.

Dreamtime
Dreamtime is the true realm of the spirit; it is what the wraiths of the west call Transencdence. Many aboriginals view the Shadowlands as a sign that their ties to the living are too strong. In order to acheive Dreamtime, many aboriginal wraiths leave their old homes and lives behind, seeing them as a destraction on their way to their true home. They seek to resolve Fetters and such out in the wilderness of Australia, away from everything. Even the living aboriginals do not speak the names of the recently deceased to keep from drawing their focus away from Dreamtime.

Even though their issues must be resolved, the elders of the aboriginals believe to interfere with the living is to keep them from acheiving their true aims; therefore, meddling with the Quick is forbidden among the aboriginals. Many ignore this policy and do so anyway, hoping that passing on information to a family member or revenging their murder will help them in their quest.