Ishara

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Basic Information

Far away to the south of Sweetwater in barely charted waters is the island nation of Ishara. Nation is, perhaps too strong a word for this amalgamation of the disaffected and dispossessed. Ishara is more of an experiment, and a relative newcomer in the global politics of Promise. The small country has become a haven for those disillusioned by the current governments of Promise, and most especially with the Church of the Creators that so dominates the rest of the known world. Ishara, while scattered and fractured gathers under a banner proclaiming absolute freedom. Though it would be hard to find any real consensus on what that means from one Isharan to the next. It is a wild land with a wild people. While some pockets of civilization exist, most of the people of Ishara are a savage bunch.

Geography

Ishara is small. A land made up of eight islands. The three largest islands are Alergina, Brunous, and Nigren. Most of the nation's population lives on these three islands and it is on these islands that all of the country's meager agriculture can be found. The other five islands, Hagga, Forrig, Brobdin, Inchis, and Glamour Knoll (Pryholt) are largely uncharted and populated by brigands and pirates. Not that the other islands are not populated by brigands and pirates, but there is less variety on the smaller isles. There may be other islands hidden in the mists of Ishara, but these are the largest and most well known. The largest island, Alergina, is home to a live volcano known to the locals simply as The Old Man. Smoke pours constantly from the caldera and a system of underwater volcanoes in the area keep the islands of Ishara swathed in an almost constant fog. Only the greatest or most foolhardy of sailors dare navigate the islands on any but the clearest of days.

Government

Survival of the fittest is the rule of the day in Ishara. The strongest, the smartest and the sneakiest have the run of the islands. What you can take is yours. For as long as you can keep it. There seems to be some sort of rule of honor, in that there is a 'right' way to scheme, murder, and mutiny your way to the top of the heap, but that code is more of a guideline than any sort of solid rule. "Take what you can and give nothing back!" would go on their coat of arms if they were cohesive and could find someone who could write. Small towns and budding cities are often claimed by powerful clans. A clan is sometimes a family, or simply a crew under the banner of a powerful leader. But make no mistake, the rulers of Ishara are more cunning beasts, than wise beings.

Nobility

Most Isharans are Isharans because they are trying to escape the nobility and civilization itself. But there are a few beings of note and leaders of powerful clans.

The Lockedjaw Clan

The savage and cunning Lockedjaw clan of Crocodiles is the de facto leader of Ishara, by benefit of being the scariest monsters in the islands. Alic Lockedjaw, the current Matriarch of the clan, is the worst of them. Clever and cunning, her political machinations have kept her clan on the top of the heap for the last two decades and cemented their place for decades to come if her successors play their cards right. Not that it looks like she is going anywhere anytime soon. She encourages uprisings in her own ranks and puts them down herself. Permanently. Lockedjaw is one of the two families to own large watercraft. They number several large galleons in their fleet and even a pair of slow, heavy Ironclads!

Ashtera

A family clan of Sea Snakes known for their subtlety and craft along with their seafaring savvy. The Ashtera clan maintains their power by the fact that no one who challenges them manages to outlive their challenge by much more than a few minutes. They are masters of poisons and alchemical nastiness.