Miktar

Miktar is a district in Dorvik.

Geography


Miktar is located on the southeast coast of Dorvik. It shares its southern border with the Kirlawan province of Uwakah. The interior is thickly forested. It is the most isolated of the counties of Dorvik, as there are no favorable currents offshore. The climate is very cold, and snow is common from November through March.

History
Miktar was inhabited by the Dorvin people of Atria. Although nominally part of the Kingdom of Dorvik since the early 1300s, it has not participated much in higer levels of government.

In 2360, the Miktar-Kordusia border town of Theo was the location of the second outbreak of the 83F strain of Dundorfian Bird Flu. 14 people died in and around the town in quarantine Zone 21, and four more were killed in a car crash when fleeing the nearby city of Eth. But the worst damage occured when the flu spread to the city of Eth, where 38 people died and the city descended into rioting.

Demographics
Because of its isolation, some strongly religious people in Dorvik believe that its people are the most genetically pure Dorvins. (This belief is often in opposition to the pan-Dorvik heritage views of Lord Alexander Piso, a Miktar resident himself.) It is the most rural district in Dorvik.

People in Miktar are noted for their heavy accent, putting emphasis on "K"s, thickening "H"s and silencing some sounds, like "L". (For example, the phrase "Half of Miktar" would be pronounced "Khalhf off Mikktah".) However, this accent is being lessened due to modern communications.

Culture


People in Miktar are known for their cold reception to guests. Art is almost nonexistant, with furniture made to be simple and utilitarian. Diet is largely based on root crops like beets and green vegetables like kale, a major ingredient in Piso Soup, a local delicacy.

Economy


Miktar's economy has long been agriculture-based, with little in other areas of industry. However, mining, centred around Eth, has recently flourished, and there are several mines in the interior. Recently a large network of caves was found in inland Miktar which appeared to have a large quantity of opal in it. However, as this area is heavily forested and not easily accessible, the caves have not been explored fully, and the extent of the opal source is unknown. The area has also recently been opened up by rail links with Kordusia, via Bourg, which provide a popular vacation itinerary. Road signs, although officially supposed to have text in Lormann as well as English, only do this sporadically.