Warka
Built on the ruins of Ancient cities carried by gargantuan constructs, Warka is a confederation of tribes on the western continent of the Brights in Astalia. It is nestled between Dhulwin to the north and the Verges to the south. It is a nation defined by its rural atmosphere, pastoral nomad lifestyle, and trade routes that crisscross the khanates within and the nations to its north and south.
Warka is a coalition of five tribes who came together in 3411 AR under one national government. One elected monarch and council of 99 rule federally, and each tribe has their own khanate (chiefdom) ruled by an overarching state governing body. Each khanate is named after a tribe, the tribes being the Harantsi, Dejad, Tolba, Unktu, and the Auxilium. The khanate governments are more powerful in their own regions than the loose federal government.
The two main geographic areas are the Milkweed Woods, a large, wild forest to the west, and the Unktu Plains, an expanse of rolling steppe hills that make up the bulk of Warka’s land area.
Warka is known for its large population of pastoral nomads that travel in the steppe as well as a highly developed merchant class that travel and trade (and smuggle!) across borders on long land routes. It is also known for its large cultural emphasis on education; nearly every person in Warka, rural or urban, is educated and literate, and education is sponsored and dished out by the large Warka Academy. Warka is known as one of the freest nations of the Brights, broadcasting its freedom of speech and of market, but less spoken about is the fact that Warka is heavily policed and has one of the highest incarceration rates of any nation.
((Click on the image to view it in full size.)) Map of Warka's lands. Khanates and their borders are in red, national borders are the red to the north and south. River in blue, coasts bordered blue.
Geography
Setting Mountains
The Setting Mountains are the western mountain range. These are forested, plateaued mountains that create cliffs at the sea’s edge, making sea trade on this side difficult (but not impossible).Rising Mountains
The Rising Mountains are the northern mountain range, which tend to be more arid and warm due to the residual warmth from Dhulwin’s Jemst desert. They act as a physical border between Dhulwin and Warka.Ouroborous Mountain
Ouroborous Mountain is a snowcapped mountain without a range in the northeast area of Warka. It is the tallest mountain in Warka and the nation’s starstone sits upon it.Milkweed Woods
The Milkweed Woods are the woods that make up the western portion of Warka, taking over hills and the Setting Mountains alike. This is an ancient forest that many spirits and people call home. Many thousands of years ago, during the time of the First Generation of gods, there was an entrance to the Feywild hidden in the middle of the Milkweed Woods. Sometime in the late days of the First Generation and the early days of the Second Generation, the entrance was closed and remains sealed to this day. Despite its closure, many fey creatures still reside in the Milkweed Woods today; though it is not as dangerous as the Feywild itself, some fey races (like faeries or eladrin) may find the woods more homey than other areas. Though it is quite easy to get lost or turned around in these woods, it is not a place uninhabitable; many wood elves, eladrin, and others have made their homes and towns within these woods.River Yeoman
The River Yeoman, or Yeoman River, is the river that runs along the southern border of Warka, being a geographic landmark to separate Warka from the Verges. It tends to be icy and cold and functions as a water trade route. Its many tributaries reach all through Warka.Starstone - The Sundial
The Ancients harnessed wild magic in starstones. The starstone located in Warka is a large jagged spire made of bismuth seated atop Ouroborous Mountain. In short, it controls time magic. It is referred to as “The Sundial.” The Ancients used this bismuth monolith to put reins on time magic, using it to maintain a worldwide cycle of twelve-hour days and twelve-hour nights and 365-day years. Originally the Sundial also assisted in keeping the seasons throughout Astalia in check. It affected the entire world. However, the Sundial has decayed at a faster rate than any other nation’s starstone. The time magic it once harnessed has now been loosened ever so slightly. As it has decayed, time has become more chaotic; it first began when the seasons began to go out of sync, but then gods and goddesses of the seasons manifested in this space and became the rulers of the seasons, picking up the starstone’s slack. But as the days go on, the decay worsens, and the area around the Sundial - particularly in Chalco and the Ouroborous Mountain - is affected by the chaos of unbridled time magic. For example, there may be two sunsets in one ten-hour span of time, or it could be darkness for far longer than even twenty-four hours, growing seasons may be ever so slightly out of sync, and, most concerningly, people around the Sundial continue to see glimpses - shadows - of the past. Only the area near the Sundial is affected by this decay; the rest of Astalia is in sync with the time magic of the Ancients, but the decay is spreading rapidly, and the Warka Academy is doing its best to research it in an effort to halt it.Structure
The government structure of Warka largely aligns with that of an elected monarchy. Warka is ruled by one main elected monarch, the Lord, who serves for life. Currently, in the year 6011 AR, the ruler is Lord Jaina Khutul, a human woman from the Dejad tribe, born in 5955 AR and elected in 5981 AR. After the death, stepping-down, or exile of a Lord, an election of all adult citizens of Warka is held to decide who should be the new ruler. Each Lord rules with the Council of Ninety-Nine, which is just what it sounds like - a council of ninety-nine leaders chosen by the Lords.
The federal government of Warka is generally weak. More political power is delegated to the tribes, whose governing bodies are called khanates. Each khanate has a ruler, referred to as a khan, and each khan rules alongside a small council. Each khanate also has a Court of the Circle - a judicial body that helps decide who has broken the law and dishes out punishments. Cities have smaller judicial courts as well, but the Court of the Circle for each khanate is the most well-known and handle the more controversial or interesting cases. More details about the government can be found under the Government section in this article.
Khanates & Tribes
The khanates of Warka are, essentially, the states or provinces of the nation. Each khanate originally developed from a tribal council, the tribe bearing the same name as the khanate. The khanates are Unktu, Tolba, Dejad, Harantsi, and Auxilium. These names can also refer to the tribes; the names are interchangeable. Each khanate has a small tribal culture at its core, a small portion of the population still practicing traditional culture, but not everybody in each khanate is heavily influenced by the original tribes. A decent part of each khanate believes themselves to be ethnically tribal but not practicing the culture. It is possible for anybody to be part of the culture by adopting tribal culture and being initiated through a series of ceremonies or by being born into the tribal culture. This means that not everybody who calls themselves Dejad, for example, are Dejad tribesmen, nor do all Dejad tribesmen share the same physical look or racial traits.Unktu
Full article: Unktu Ruler: Khan Gutren (she/her) Capital: Jontu The Unktu are the largest tribe in terms of population, and Unktu is the largest khanate in terms of geographic area. The Unktu are the largest tribe in terms of population, and Unktu is the largest khanate in terms of geographic area. The Unktu khanate is located in the center of Warka and takes up the bulk of Warka’s central geographic area. It is made up of plains, rolling hills, and steppe. Originally the Unktu were made up of humans, halflings, satyrs, centaurs, minotaurs, and firbolgs, but now nearly any humanoid race can be found here because of the amount of cultural diffusion that has occured. Many trade routes criss-cross through this easy-to-traverse terrain, though the hills may hide secrets and monsters. These trade routes have fostered cultural diffusion within Warka and across the Brights. Immigrants from the Gloom also traverse these routes, which run largely north to south, and the most trade occurs between Dhulwin, Warka, and the Verges. Trade routes that cross east to west within Warka help to facilitate internal trade and sea trade. The majority of regular folks in Unktu are pastoral nomads, herding yak, giant elk, oxen, sheep, or aurochs, some folks herding stranger animals as well. There is very little agriculture that occurs here and mostly the economy focuses on livestock trade and mining of minerals such as gold, iron, zinc, and copper. The Unktu region holds the capital of Warka, Jontu. Jontu is a center of Warkan civilization and education, housing the official headquarters of the Warka Academy. Residing here is the khan of Unktu, Khan Gutren (she/her), a wood elf from the tribe. Lord Khutul also resides here in a large palace in the center of the city.Tolba
Full article: Tolba Ruler: Khan Fascinarē (she/her) Capital: Calakmul The Tolba are the second largest tribe in terms of population, and Tolba is the second largest khanate in terms of geographic area. This khanate is located in the Setting Mountains, which is the westernmost mountain range in Warka, and in the Milkweed Woods, the largest forest in the Brights. The Tolba were originally humans, wood elves, eladrin, air genasi, and halflings who live in cliffsides, but now many different races can be found within the woods and mountains here. The Milkweed Woods, which take up ⅓ of Warka and almost the entirety of Tolba, are full of all sorts of fey creatures in certain areas. Watch your step (and your words) when you wander into these woods. Typically fey creatures reside in the deep inside of the woods, and the outside edges of the forests are safer and more predictable. Tolba’s economy relies mostly on logging and agriculture (on terraces on the mountains as well as utilizing slash-and-burn techniques) as well as silk production. The silk produced here is referred to as Brights Silk and shimmers gently in the sunlight. Tolba also produces a large amount of mead and wine. The capital of Tolba is Calakmul, a city located on a plateau in the northern half of the Setting Mountains. This city has many spires and rises above the rest of the mountains. There is a branch of the Warka Academy here that specializes in rhetoric, politics, and public speech. The khan of Tolba is Khan Fascinarē (she/her), a scholarly firbolg raised on the edge of the Milkweed Woods, who also resides in Calakmul.Dejad
Full article: Dejad Ruler: Khan Altai (he/him) Capital: Toboltrium The Dejad are the tribe that live in the northern Rising Mountains and the surrounding area, right on the border with Dhulwin. The majority of the population resides in the valleys of the mountains, building little towns or cities, while some few live on the mountains themselves. This area is more arid, and the western area of the mountains inherits some desert climate from Dhulwin’s Jemst desert. The Dejad tribe was originally made up of dark-skinned humans, gnomes, halflings, and wood elves, including goliaths and bugbears, but now any race can be found there. Many Dejad artisans focus on blacksmithing, forging (magical and mundane) weapons, armor, and any other metal implements like machinery or hooks or metal bows. This region is also known for its architecture, comparable to that of ancient Rome, decorated with realistic and sometimes slightly stylized frescoes visible on nearly every surface. Though the region produces many artisan goods, Dejad’s economy also relies on trade with Dhulwin. Dejad’s capital city, Toboltrium, is nestled in the safest mountain pass across the range and thrives on trade and cultural diffusion with the northern nation. Many immigrants and refugees from Dhulwin can be found in Toboltrium. Residing in Toboltrium as well is Khan Altai (he/him), a mild-mannered Dejad halfling who rules over the khanate.Harantsi
Full article: Harantsi Ruler: Khan Agmen (he/him) Capital: Tyumen The Harantsi are the tribe that resides on the eastern coast of Warka. The settlements there tend to be port towns or cities on the water, including several villages built on stilts out on the water. Originally, the Harantsi tribe were a coalition of seafaring humans, sea elves, tortles, and water genasi, but now any race can be found amongst the docks and salty waves of the Harantsi region. Found here are most of the villages, cities, and enclaves that surround the ocean’s coast. There are some ethnic neighborhoods of sea elves and tritons that reside under the waves, but the overwhelming majority of the population is housed on the surface of the coast. Their economy relies heavily on fishing, trade, and, of course, smuggling and privateering. One of the most common artisan jobs there is glassmaking; lots of odd glassware can be found in the cities of Harantsi. Villages, towns, and cities up and down the coast feature stained glass windows in their architecture, creating beautiful patterns that dance along the ground in the sunlight. These windows depict all sorts of stories, narratives, myths, legends, and just interpretive designs. The capital of the Harantsi khanate is Tyumen, commonly referred to as the “Stained Glass City” because of the sheer amount of stained glass architecture it has. It is a beautiful seaside town with many ports that trade with areas all over the Brights. The khan of Harantsi, an old retired tortle sailor by the name of Khan Agmen (he/him), resides in Tyumen. The Warka Navy’s headquarters are located in Tyumen and the Navy’s ships patrol up and down the Harantsi coast. The Navy is made up of folks who mostly belong to the Harantsi culture but many immigrants and folks from other nations and cultures work there as well. The Navy does its best to prevent privateering, piracy, and invasions, but as always, policing will not work as well in practice as it does on paper.Auxilium
Full article: Auxilium Ruler: Khan Wanderer (they/he) Capital: Toqtak The Auxilium are the tribe that resides in the southernmost portion of Warka, the Auxilium khanate taking up the southern peaks of the Setting Mountains and the bulk of the area around the River Yeoman. The southern area of Warka tends to be much colder than the central or northern areas, so Auxilium is a snowy, frigid land. The Auxilium were originally made up of humans, goliaths, wood elves and high elves, orcs, half-orcs, genasi, and other cold-adjusted races. However, any race can now be found here, and Auxilium now has a large population of Gloom immigrants due to its proximity to the Crater. Auxilium’s economy focuses on logging, mining, fur trading, and silversmithing. Artisans here create elaborate fur clothing fit for the cold, but Auxilium is most famous for its silversmithing of things like silverware, rings, necklaces, earrings, lip plates, clasps, belt buckles, etc. The Auxilium are well known for their wearing of lip plates. The capital of Auxilium is Toqtak, a city that straddles the River Yeoman. Half the city is on the northern side of the river and half the city is on the southern side, connected by a large elaborate stonework bridge. Residing in this city is Khan Wanderer (they/he), the master craftsman and scholarly half-orc who rules the khanate.Culture
Despite the fact that Warka is a coalition of five different ethnic groups, there is a shared overarching culture amongst the tribes. Warkan people believe that education and literacy are basic rights and do their best to educate those who need knowledge. Many Warkans believe that each person is valuable and everybody has a right to pursue what they want in life. Warkans also believe that time is a circle, being influenced by the effects of the bismuth starstone to believe that time is not linear and it folds in on itself or spirals quite often. Nothing is as it seems.
Warkan people often dress in tunics or flowy garments as common clothing and silk deels as fancier clothing. Jewelry is also commonly worn, including bracelets, bangles, gauntlets, earrings, necklaces, but also includes more extreme body modification, like stretching and gauging ear piercings and, more commonly, the wearing of lip plates, which started as an Auxilium tradition and has become a tradition of Warkans across the country.
Though Warka is considered a largely free nation due to its freedom of market and religion, it controls the thoughts and sentiments of the people through massive amounts of propaganda. Many propaganda posters can be found in the streets of any major city, stylized and painted to enforce the virtues of keeping the law and being an upstanding citizen, or to tell the police when you see a friend breaking the law. There have also been accusations that the Warka Academy has some bias to its education, not teaching the full truth about Warka’s misdeeds or illusion of a government lead by the people, but these accusations are often nipped in the bud. This propaganda is not fully harmful similar to brainwashing, but it is something that is not often talked about, or approached with much caution.
History
900 AR: Ancients harness wild time magic within a large jagged bismuth chunk, creating the starstone that holds this time magic and keeps it locked into a precise cycle of 24 hour days (12 hour days, 12 hour nights), 365 days, 28 day cycles for moon(s) (will elaborate on when we get the info for the moons), and precise cycles for the constellations. This effect was worldwide, affecting the whole planet and keeping it stable and protected.
600 AR: Ancients began building large cities to incorporate their population, and building them on the backs of constructs to move around from place to place. This was ideal for the geography of Warka, which was mostly continuously mountainous at the time, and these cities were able to carry themselves over said mountains. (There were ~15 cities, 5 large and 10 smaller, that were built on these constructs. Some ruins are still being uncovered today, after the aftermath of the Retribution.)
RETRIBUTION: Each city’s construct eventually fell in the chaos. These constructs were made with no combat capabilities, since the Ancients thought themselves immortal. They all fell after the Ancients, losing their harnessed magical abilities after their hearts (made of crystal, a theme) were shattered by invading forces. Now the corpses of these cities dot the landscape in the mountains and plains of Warka.
Many of the forests of Warka were leveled during this time - it used to be lush with trees, but no longer. Battles among Warka flattened most of the land as primordial and Ancient forces raged, levelling the once-mountainous region into mostly steppe (though, some mountains do still remain). The mountains were trampled and washed into hills, their jagged edges rounded out, becoming the rolling mounds of the steppe.
During the Retribution, the timestone took a slight amount of damage. This damage grew and festered like a wound over the next six thousand years.
1500 AR: The first settlers of Warka are created.
2000 AR: The first settlers of the land of Warka have, over time, established 5 tribes: the Tolba, the Harantsi, the Dejad, the Unktu, and the Auxilium. Each tribe is generally separate, living in their own areas of Warka in their own climates, practicing pastoral nomadism and hunter-gatherer traditions. The tribes continue to grow in population and eventually meet each other at the borders of their territories. Until the establishment of the country of Warka, these tribes generally coexisted, mingling often and skirmishing occasionally; the process of cultural diffusion continued until and after the establishment of Warka as a country, giving the tribes many shared cultural traits and similar goals and values (ripe for blending into one country).
2920 AR: The Warka Academy is established by Administrator Albitu (an elven woman of the Auxilium tribe). Originally called the Academy of the Circle, it was founded to analyze the odd affects of the starstone’s decay and its affect on time (which is viewed as a circle in Warka’s culture). Eventually the Academy branched out into different areas other than just time and magic after the foundation of Warka.
3411 AR: The five tribes unite into the nation called Warka. This event is called the “Coalescence,” the tribes being called together by Lord Khiltu (a wood elf of the Dejad tribe) and becoming one nation after a two-month conference. Lord Khiltu was instated as the first lord and overseer of the nation of Warka.
3411-Present: The tribes continue in their collaboration and grow in population. No terrible conflicts have occurred since the Coalescence.
5981 AR: Lord Khutul is chosen as ruler - her reign continues to the present day.
Demography and Population
Warka has a population of approximately 52 million people. Many of these people hail from the Brights, some from the Gloom due to Warka’s proximity to the Crater, and a lot of the families within Warka are long established, having lived in the country for thousands of years.
Many Warkans tend to be pastoral nomads, tribesmen, herders, or artisans who live with small family-based groups. These bands of travellers tend to be skilled in combat to fight off the dangers that a rural lifestyle holds. Despite the rurality of plenty of Warka's population, many folks also live in major cities that have been built up over thousands of years as centers of population, choosing instead to be scholars, artists, or writers. Though these cities are not metropolises, they are important and well-known locations within the nation.
Important Cities
These are the important centers of population and infrastructure within Warka. Many of these are capitals of khanates, but some are not.Calakmul
Calakmul is the capital of Tolba in the western Setting mountains. See here: Calakmul.Chalco
Chalco is a mostly-abandoned city at the base of the Ouroborous Mountain. Chalco used to be the capital city of Warka until the mid-4000s AR, but now it is a ghost town after starstone complications and a dwindling population. Though it is not a capital of any khanate or nation, it is still a Warkan city of note. See here: Chalco.Jontu
Jontu is the capital city of Warka and the Unktu khanate, as well as the seat of Warka's government. See here: Jontu.Toboltrium
Toboltrium is the capital of Dejad in the Rising Mountains to the North, settled in a large valley between two mountains along a trade route north to Dhulwin. See here: Toboltrium.Toqtak
Toqtak is the capital of Auxilium in the cold South. It’s located near the Crater and on the southern half of the River Yeoman, straddling the river. See here: Toqtak.Tyumen
Tyumen is the capital of Harantsi on the Eastern coast, right on the ocean. It is also known as the “Stained Glass City,” referred to as such because of the sheer amount of stained glass used in architecture there. See here: Tyumen.Important People
Historical
Administrator Albitu (she/her) (2801-3400 AR): A high elf woman of the Auxilium tribe who revolutionized education. She founded the Warka Academy, then established as the Academy of the Circle. Education becomes a founding principle of the Warkan general culture because of Albitu’s assistance. Lord Moltel Khiltu (they/them) (3009-3680 AR): First Lord that the five tribes were united under. A peaceful and decent ruler, often revered in Warkan culture, almost deified (but not quite). Lord Ajax (he/him) (5320-5399 AR): The worst Lord in all of Warkan history. A human. His reign was filled with chaos, comparable to Nero; he spent ridiculous amounts of wealth on himself, did not come to the aid of areas affected by natural disasters, defunded the Warka Academy, and several other things. He was assassinated in 5399, and many Warkan citizens say this was rightfully so.Modern
Headmaster Silas (he/him) (5904-present AR): A half-elven man of the Unktu tribe. He is in charge of the Warka Academy’s main infrastructure, helping organize research on the increasingly worrying effects of the decaying starstone. Lord Jaina Khutul (she/her) (5955-present AR): Current lord and ruler of Warka. She is a dark-skinned human woman of the Dejad tribe. She is level-headed and revered in Warkan culture, a good leader and an honorable woman. Khan Gutren (she/her) (5411-present AR): A wood elf woman from the Unktu tribe. She is currently the khan of Unktu. Khan Fascinarē (she/her) (5686-present AR): A scholarly firbolg woman from the Tolba tribe. She is currently the khan of Tolba. Khan Altai (he/him) (5935-present AR): A mild-mannered halfling man from the Dejad tribe. He is currently the khan of Dejad. Khan Agmen (he/him) (5960-present AR): A retired sailor tortle man from the Harantsi tribe. He is currently the khan of Harantsi. Khan Wanderer (they/he) (5950-present AR): A master craftsman half-orcish man from the Auxilium tribe. They are currently the khan of Auxilium.Government
The government of Warka is that of an elected monarchy that includes elements of a constitutional monarchy. Warka is ruled by one main elected monarch, the Lord, who serves for life. Currently, in the year 6011 AR, the ruler is Lord Jaina Khutul, a human woman from the Dejad tribe, born in 5955 AR and elected in 5981 AR. After the death, stepping-down, or exile of a Lord, an election of all adult citizens of Warka is held to decide who should be the new ruler. Directly under the rule of the Lord is the Council of Ninety-Nine, who are just what they sound like - a council of 99 leaders, chosen by the monarch, who help make rules and decisions for the federal government of Warka. Each leader, called a Councilmember, rules for life after they are chosen by the Lord, but can only be chosen if there is an open seat on the Council. This means that on the Council there are leaders who were chosen by the current Lord as well as previous Lords who have not served their full terms yet. These Councilmembers function as advisors to the Lord, but the Lord has full authority over them. Each khanate has a leader (referred to as a Khan) and a council of 24 that assist in decision making and lawmaking. The Khan and local council are elected similarly to the federal Lord and Council. They act as the executive branch of the khanate, voting on laws. In the event of a tie, the Khan breaks it. Each khanate also has a judicial court, referred to as the Court of the Circle. This is a court of twelve who are voted on by the population every two decades. They are the overarching judicial rulers of their khanate, but there are lower city courts under them that persecute criminals based on local laws. Khanate Courts of the Circle persecute larger criminal offenses that affect the whole khanate. The khanate Courts of the Circle come together with their Khan and council to create new laws and function as a legislative branch. These laws can be debated within the Council of Ninety-Nine if they are disputed or controversial. Warka works mostly as an elective monarchy, but also has a constitution. The constitution, written on steles placed in each major city, is revised every one hundred years at the Centennium Conference, a gathering of all government employees who come together and revise the old laws, edit precedent if needed, and adapt the rulings to the changing times. Historically, these have mostly been small changes; mostly the original constitutional law of Warka serves the population well, but a public revising and rereading of the law helps prevent rebellion or unrest and helps with transparency in the Warkan government. Despite the way the government is set up on paper, it hardly ever works that way in practice; the true seat of power is not in the Lord, but rather in the hands of the extensive policing force that enforces Warkan law. The law is heavily emphasized in Warkan culture and so is the enforcement of that law. Those with martial might have more power than those with the power of words alone; therefore, the military and police have the most power. The military and police are the ones who choose the Lords and khans up for election.Military
Warka’s military is less of a standing army and more of a functional policing force that can be mobilized for war efforts if the need arises. Since there has historically been no need for a traditional standing army, Warka has developed a way to keep its borders protected and to keep its internal affairs policed. The police especially attempt to crack down on organized crime (see link: Organized Crime in Warka).
There are two main police groups: the Circlekeepers and the Bloodwardens.
Circlekeepers
The Circlekeepers are the general militarized police force that oversee Warka. They tend to be small in number in the countryside and larger in number in the cities, since where there is more population, there is more lawlessness to take care of. They tend to be stationed on trade routes and are most known in Warka for enforcing the system of the chasqui, which are passport-like legal documents (forged on metal) required to pass through borders and pass along trade routes. They also investigate cases of things like murder, theft, robbery, stalking, assault, vandalism, etc…., but they are not known for their competency in solving such cases. Because the Circlekeepers have a large amount of militarized power, they would be the ones first called in to solve international conflicts if needed.Bloodwardens
The Bloodwardens are the secret police of Warka. Their true number is unknown - some say they number more than the Circlekeepers, but no numbers are confirmed, as the Warkan government generally doesn’t like to publicly acknowledge that the Bloodwardens exist. They’re most known for cracking down on smugglers and illegal trading rings, but they also crack down on anybody disobeying the law even in the slightest. They are known for their abuse of power and their ability to arrest people and just simply make them… disappear. Most people know of the Bloodwardens but only speak about them in hushed tones, lest one of them be listening.Religion
Warka tends to be very free and hands-off about what gods are worshipped. In major cities, temples can be found to many of the frequently worshipped First and Second Generation gods, as well as shrines to those less worshipped and even shrines to the Primordials or gods that are seen as evil. Nobody is punished for worshipping their selected gods.
There are many religious sects within Warka as well, most notably Those Who Weep and the prophets of the Sarcedos Hall.
Those Who Weep
Those Who Weep are a mysterious religious order who tend to live isolated in the old buildings of abandoned Ancient cities. They worship Okett and Interitus mainly, spending their time mourning and taking care of the dead, especially those forgotten. Sometimes small groups of Those Who Weep can be found on the outskirts of cities tending to cemeteries and burying the dead, or participatingin /leading funeral processions. They are honored and considered as high priests of the dead. Often they can be identified by the tattoo of the weeping eye of Okett on the center of their foreheads, but not every one of Those Who Weep bears this tattoo.Sarcedos Hall
The Sarcedos Hall was once a small group within the Warka Academy that studied prophecy and oracles over the ages, but eventually split from the Academy a few hundred years ago due to differences in belief - the Sarcedos began to believe in prophecy whereas the Academy wanted them to just study prophecy as a purely academic pursuit. Now, the Sarcedos Hall and its priests actively engage in prophecy interpretation and keeping, even housing a decent amount of prophets who can supposedly give accurate prophecies, though the accuracy of this statement is debated within the Warka Academy. The Sarcedos Hall mainly reveres Enki, the goddess of night and of prophecy, as well as Venificus and Arren. The Sarcedos Hall building itself is located a few miles from Chalco.Agriculture & Industry
Warka’s agriculture largely focuses not on farming, but on herding in the plains. People herd all sorts of different animals here, herding yak, giant elk, oxen, sheep, or aurochs, some folks herding stranger animals like lizards as well. There are some slash-and-burn farmers who reside in the Milkweed Woods and some farmers on the outskirts of cities who grow hearty crops like wheat and corn to help supplement the city’s food supply.
Warka also creates a large amount of artisan goods, including but not limited to stained glass, textiles (including expensive Brights Silk), silver products, weaponry, armor, paintings, and statues, as well as a decent amount of artificed creations made from Ancient artifacts.
Trade & Transport
Warka is crisscrossed by trade routes often tread upon by foot or by horse. Warka mainly carries goods northward to Dhulwin for easy transport, but trade routes run east to west as well to help facilitate trade between khanates. In southern Warka, merchants often travel on water routes via the River Yeoman. Eastern Warka is littered with docks and seaside towns that set their ships upon the waters of the Inner Ocean for trade. The western coast of Warka facilitates less trade because of the nature of its steep, plateaued terrain.
Smuggling is a large part of the trade in Warka. The Glooms and the Brights do not have particularly favorable trade agreements (with the exception of Threshold), so many smugglers bring their goods from the Crater up through Warka. There are also several caverns within Warka that, when navigated correctly, lead to Obsidi and Heliotros, where a lucrative smuggling trade between the three nations thrives.
Education
Main article: Warka Academy
Warka places heavy cultural emphasis on education. The Warka Academy was founded before the nation was, becoming sort of a cultural basis for the entirety of the nation.
The Warka Academy produces many scholars and is funded by the government. They provide decent education to anybody who desires it, either free of charge or for a low cost. The more advanced your magic is, the more expensive it may cost. The prevalance of this education runs so deep that even rural steppe nomads are literate.
Warka also contains a large amount of scribes to mass produce scrolls, texts, and copies. Scribes and teachers are two of the largest job categories in Warka.
Founding Date
3411 AR
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Demonym
Warkan
Government System
Monarchy, Elective
Economic System
Traditional
Major Exports
manufactured goods (stained glass, ornate silver items, textiles, weaponry
meats, milks, furs, & other animal products;
silver, bronze, coal, and lumber
Major Imports
fruits, vegetables, and agricultural products in general (from both the Brights and Gloom
raw metals (gold, iron, zinc, copper
precious gems from the Gloom (mostly smuggled)
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