SosIwa

Those descended from Iwa, found in the grand mountains they call their homes.

Riddled with tunnels and flush with mines, the mountains of SosIwa ring with music by design. Through the Fengs and through the air, the Dwarven voices can 'ere be heard. Yet the machinations that occur beneath the stone, the shufflings of clans that claim the gods as their own. These are the mountains; ancient and strong. And those of SosIwa claim their heritage as their bones. For the seas they crossed and the lands they bartered. Till a millennia of dwarven strength has music brokered.
From the point of Raknar Feng's triumphant claiming of the Mountains and the solidification of the identity, the dwarves of Ithungsida have held their connection to Iwa tight. Going so far as to embrace Raknar's stumble of calling them the "Ones from Iwa" and accepting it as their identity. While many modern dwarves live outside of SosIwa, all are welcome in the mountains. For even with the homes they lost, they gained something new and good.
SosIwa remains on the bleeding edge of transportation technology; having been the first to embrace the Ancient Trains, and a large promoter of the Modern Trains. Those rails that operate in the SosIwa-controlled mountains are among the safest, with sighting towers that keep eyes out for errant Dragons and Bulette. This has made SosIwa a master of inland transportation, capable of moving people across the nation in days or weeks at the maximum, and without the reliance on costly magic.
However, the clans of SosIwa are thought by some to be the reason that advancement has been stymied. With their fixation on the DraKaise-Stricken and focus on familial honor, the clan system demarcates the divide between an open vista of new ideas and where old traditions may turn to folly. Each clan battles for supremacy not on a field of war like the Great Dukes of KravMaw, or on a court like the ministers of Renai, but on a chessboard smothered by coal, where no pieces are different and the blades that slash make no sound.

Government

The Clans constantly draw the tides of power back and forth as they listen to the secrets that the Callers present them, while the DraKaise Battalion redirects those efforts that would disrupt that process.

The Many Clans

The leading figure of SosIwa is a figurehead, something that allows the nation to call itself a monarchy, but that largely is inconsequential to the running of the nation. The true powers reside in the many Clans of SosIwa that drive and shape the politics of the mountain nation. These clans act as Social, Governmental and Familial groups all wrapped into one construct. With the honor of each family member contributing to the standing of the Clan in respect to the others.
Of these clans, the highest represented clans are those that hold the values of MasToch, the Dwarven Flame first and harken back to the first dwarves that settled the land with Raknar Feng when he first made his way into the lands. The others jostle and find their moments in the spotlight, but these 14 retain the highest positions.

The Callers of Iwa

The Callers of Iwa hold the highest non-governmental titles in the land of SosIwa and act as Seers of the past. With blessings from Chando Meywa, MeyGana, Rogalev and the stolen secrets of MerGus, the Callers act as guidance counselors that instruct things at the highest possible level.
They act as clerics, priests, teachers, guides. They are respected across the lands for their in-depth training and understanding of the lore of the world. They uncover secrets and truths of the lands that others may never have even thought of, while they hope to maintain the relations of the world and are trained to have a deep respect for the processes that have made the world as it is. The Callers of Iwa specifically are those callers that have proven themselves right again and again and who have a connection to the very landscapes of history. These advise the clans as to the actions they can take and the potential consequences of them.

The DraKaise Battalion

A mainstay of Dwarven culture in Iwa, the DraKaise are those that hold an affinity for DraKaise, those that are impacted by it's presence and driven to wanderlust. The unluckiest of these are those labeled as "DraKaise-Stricken" and cast out of their homes to avoid damage to the clan. These are often left with no choice but to go to the Battalion to seek out a calling there. However, many choose to find the Battalion on their own and seek out the promise of an exciting and adventure-filled life that it offers.
But Battalion members lead a treacherous life. One filled with travel and hardships as they criss-cross Ithungsida helping those people who cannot help themselves. Finding the ways to make the world a better, safer place.

BEYOND THIS POINT IS AN UNFINISHED WIP PARTIALLY COPIED FROM Forkden FOR FORMATTING!

Foreign relations

Because of SosIwa's Unique political landscape, the one thing that the current figurehead of the Country stands for is their approach to foreign politics. They approve or disapprove ventures with foreign countries and other items such as trade and major changes to the status quo. Unfortunately, due to the ever-changing nature of the figurehead, this means that it is difficult for other nations to stay acquainted with the current leaders.
This has lead to a few examples of current strained relations;

Military

The initial dwarven settlers on the Fourth Fleet were all military of some fashion, and with that came plenty of expertise on the subject. They were capable and well-armed. This has stayed true through the millenia, with some of the fiercest warriors coming from the mountains and fighting battles. However, a key understanding that the dwarves hold is that there is no true benefit to meaningless war. If a war is needed, it will be fought, but if it is pointless, then all it leads to is ruin,

Geography

Location and borders

SosIwa technically covers the Feng Mountains, with three massive cities that make up the vast bulk of the Dwarven population on Ithungsida.

Climate

The Southern Floodlands are a warm landscape covered with warm gusts from the southern waters of the Vhaskus ocean. The Summers are long, the winters mild and the rainfall inconsequential in comparison to the floods. Most of the storms that wreak havoc up through Forkden and into KravMaw originate in the peninsulas or the Islands of Esplorzeni.

Economy

Forkden has a vibrant economy spread over several major facets, including, but not limited to; Agriculture, Animal Handling, Construction(Stoneworking, Metalworking, Mechanic

Agriculture

Agriculture contributes a lot to the domestic economy of Forkden, with the Highlands producing large quantities of food through large farms and herds of cattle and goat that are grown for slaughter. This food is largely collected and used domestically, that is, sent to the many walled cities over being exported to Renai.

Animal Handling

The lands of Forkden are well-known for their animal export. From the best adapted and strongest horses in the land of Ithungsida, to a disease-resistant Breeding stock bulls that are exported to the Middling Plains to help strengthen their cattle stocks. Fish Farms are also a common sight off the shores of the Alma Bay or the Highland Beaches, the extreme amount of fish available makes it a constant thing to be exported after preservation methods are undertaken.

Construction(Naval and Aerial)

Labor Laws, the prevalence of Slave Labor, and the massive centralization of much of the population in the cities makes a necessity for jobs that don't have much relation to food production, and labor can be difficult to attribute when your space is limited. The many companies have taken advantage of this and turned Forkden into a powerhouse of construction and export. From the massive Naval fleets that Forkden maintains to the Airships that can seemingly only be built in these regions.

Transportation

Forkden primarily uses manually powered ships and airships with their surplus of willing and usable labor. However, in recent years with the advent of Bulette Engines and similar, the benefits of manual power have began to falter and wane. This has led to a reduction in jobs as companies have began to renovate and retrofit airships like the Togasei - BS44 to the Hongden - BS42.

Entertainment

The Loxodon of the Highlands maintain their oral myths and chants that echo through the passage of time. This has brought a large feeling of using entertainment for instruction and learning. Stories have morals, plays have meanings, and lessons can be learned from everything. To be an entertainer in Forkden, is to bring your voice and memory to the dark depths of the walled cities, to ride the waves of the oncoming floods and to entrance your listeners with the truths you impart on them.

Health

To live in SosIwa has a few points on

Education

Learning what cracks stone, what hammers fall in the correct direction and how best to learn the secrets of the elders is a major focus of education in SosIwa.

Architecture

While Renai has hefty wooden buildings, and Forkden has bulky stone, the Dwarves of SosIwa are the masters of building. Their cities are masterwork creations that have been carved and recarved, often straight from the rock. This has lead to a large view of construction and architects as being a very prominent and important part of society.

Religion

Religion in SosIwa is a mark of the innate influence Iwa still has on the community and culture of the nation. Specifically in the manner that the worship of the gods is a highly regimented and specific affair. With In-depth rituals that outclass all other interpretations of Ithungsida.

Clan Worship

The most common representation of religion in SosIwa is demarcated by the prevalence of Clan Sponsorship and Worship.
Each clan chooses two gods that are the metaphorical leaders and guides of the clan. Generally, one is always MasToch, the Dwarven Flame, while the other can be any deity in The Pantheon.

Music

Water Drumming

The splashing, clapping, chants that ring through many of the rivers and landscapes of Forkden are known as Water Drumming. This is largely a rural tradition, said to have been invented by migratory Human tribes that began walking back to their yearly homes while the yearly floodwaters were still flowing out to the oceans. On these walks, they would sing and chant histories and songs as they made their way home. During these walks, children playing in the waters found that they could make noises and sounds along with the chants.
In time, these children's noises and chants transformed into something entire villages could take part in. With up to hundreds of people singing together and performing intricate musical performances. However, it has also been reduced to official performance groups of 6-10 people that perform in specialized waist-high basins in cities and areas across Ithungsida.
While the practice originated in the depths of the Southern Floodlands, cities like Izala and Aegis have also adopted this form of music making with native groups performing in their own fashions and incorporating anything from magic to other instruments into the performance.

Demographics

Racial groups

Humans, Dwarves, Goliaths, Aarakocra.

Major cities

Iwate, Iwasunna, Iwaki.

Spoken Languages

Common(Official), Dwarvish, Undercommon.

Patron Gods

MasToch, the Dwarven Flame, Rahz-Pluoht, The Fiery Blade.

Geology, topography and hydrography

The terrain of SosIwa is predominately found in the midst of the Feng Mountains, with massive city construction projects defining the routes that rails will soon take. The mountains themselves support an endless variety of animals and minor societies that interact with the clans of SosIwa. Avalanches and minor earthquakes are common disturbances.

Climate

Humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dsb) with hot summers and cool winters.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Controlled Territories

• Black Feng Mountains
• Crystalis Ravine
• Feng Canyons
• Feng Mountains
• Iwaki
• Iwasunna
• Iwate
• Iwate Sea