Yakala
The Secluded Druids
Yakala is less a nation and more a collection of people, all of differing faiths, traditions, livelihoods, and skills, held together by certain shared views, an ancestral home, and a common purpose. This purpose is to maintain both their long held traditions by protecting the forest from both internal and external threats, while never desecrating the forest itself. This is manefested in that of the Convocation of Order, a collection of the leaders of the most prominent and infuetial tribes residing within these borders. Welcome to the Forest of the Moon, as we take a dive into what makes this pseudo-nation tick!
Structure
Yakala manages the many differing cultural systems within the seemingly infinite different tribes roaming the Forest of the Moon through that of the Convocation of Order, a council of all the major leaders held yearly and in times of conflict to maintain the peace and sanctety of the people within the sacred forest. Outside of this single alliance, all structured government is handled by individual tribes within the forest, and can vary immensely depending on area, if there is any at all.
Culture
Yakala, in a gruesume simplificiation, has a culture revolving around the cyclical nature of the world around them. They perceve and understand concepts like life and death, light and dark, and other such cyclical concepts by nature. However, this is an oversimplififcation, and in reality Yakala is one massive allience, and the different cultures are as varied as the flora and fauna within the forest around them.
Public Agenda
The one major long term goal held by the Convocation of Order is to maintain and protect the life within the Forest of the Moon, including both wildlife and people themselves. This mostly just means maintaining strong borders, and practicing sustainable resourse management within those borders.
Assets
The strongest Plant magic weavers known to Elmeron, strong plant based alchemy (which can be applied to healing and combat), Star (Ancestral) divination
History
Yakalan history begins like all others, a slow process of evolution leading to the formation of first familial groupings, then shifting into full tribes. Because of the amount of resourses flowing through the Forest of the Moon, these tribes were drawn to this location, and as the population within this forest rose, so did the compition, and a slow build up was set into motion leading up to a era of war and strife. This is known as the Yakalan Dark Age, which reigned for nearly three hundred years. This time was one of constant conflict and survival of the fittest, with many tribes who did not even speak the same language fighing to the death over the resourses around them. To be seperated from the pack would mean death.
However, this was not sustainable, as many realized that this fighing was both destroying the forest and themselves, and the Dark age came to a close with the formation of the Convocation of Order providing much needed unity in a time of bloody ruin. Under this rule Yakala would enter into a golden age of prosperity and friendship, and while squabling still occured, and even minor conflicts, these were brought before the Convocation and comprimizes would be reached, peace restored. However, Ra'akar would soon cleave a rift into this era of peace. After an ill-conceved anexation attempt by Ra'akar, they were forcefully driven back with the appearence of four plant Elementals created in the act of reaclaiming the forest, marking the area as the Haunted Forest. This act has stired up long buried conflict between the tribes of Yakala, which now
However, this was not sustainable, as many realized that this fighing was both destroying the forest and themselves, and the Dark age came to a close with the formation of the Convocation of Order providing much needed unity in a time of bloody ruin. Under this rule Yakala would enter into a golden age of prosperity and friendship, and while squabling still occured, and even minor conflicts, these were brought before the Convocation and comprimizes would be reached, peace restored. However, Ra'akar would soon cleave a rift into this era of peace. After an ill-conceved anexation attempt by Ra'akar, they were forcefully driven back with the appearence of four plant Elementals created in the act of reaclaiming the forest, marking the area as the Haunted Forest. This act has stired up long buried conflict between the tribes of Yakala, which now
Demography and Population
In regards to population and spread, Yakala, while possessing a population of nearly 150k, the sheer size and intricasies of the Forest of the Moon allow for seemingly endless space. Tribes have been known to live less than a few miles away from eachother but never once interact over many decades.
Thanks to advanced healing and medicinal practices within certain tribes of Yakala, the average life rate of people within this nation is far above that of the outside world, anywhere from 60-100 years.
Territories
First and foremost the Forest of the Moon represents both the lands and border of Yakala, however they also hold control over the Haunted Forest, the Dark Forest, and the southern end of the Basin.
Military
There are a few tribes who dedicate their lives to protecting the forest, whether that is from internal or external forces is dependent upon which you look upon. If war were to arise, these would be the first to rise to the call, and the ones to lead the charge.
Technological Level
Yakalans, while behind on metalurgy, masonry, and general technological knowlage, possess an intimate knowlage of many different types and styles of magic, along with some of the most advanced medicinal practices known to Elmeron. They also have an immence amount of knowlage of the world around them and the cycles within it. This includes knowlage of the lunar cycle, the Soul Cycle, even the fact that within seemingly non-living organisms, like trees and grass, there lies a tiny spark of a soul within.
Religion
Because of the massive cultural and religious distances between different tribes, the Convocation of Order must remain impartial to avoid conflict. However, the two major religions within Yakala are that of Selenox, deity of the moon, the stars, fog, and light in the dark, and Sylvantium deity of nature, life, death, and in general cycles.
Foreign Relations
To put it simply, Yakala has sequestered itself into its forest after the Conflagration of 273. They especially hate Ra'akar for commiting this act, however because of this they refuse anyone. The one exeption to this rule is The Verdent Isles, who were once part of Yakala in a time long past, now seperated and developed seperatly. However, with the advent of seaborn trade, they have reopened relations, although strained.
Laws
While the majority of laws are handled individually, some are important enough to be inforced by the Convocation of Order, known as decrees by Yakalans. Some prime examples of these are: No murder with punishment of death, Never allow outsiders within the forest illegally with punishment of deportation, No war between tribes as disputes between them are handled by the Convocation of Order with punishment of dissolution.
Agriculture & Industry
The various different tribes produce a number of unique resourses found no-where else in Elmeron, including all number of unique plantlife, crystals, wooden weaponry, alchemical mixtures, and much, much more. It's because of this that they are capable of living secluded from the outside world as they are currently.
Trade & Transport
Because of the nomadic nature of the peoples within Yakala, most trade and trasport happens spurattically whenever two tribes run into each other. However, there are certain tribes who stay in a similar area, or have a permanent settlement they inhabit part of the time, and these locations are usually known as trade points for when specific items or needs need to be met. The most prominent of these is the Order of the Silver Lily, who practice the most advanced alchemy in Yakala, and use it to produce advanced medicines, and has thus become the trade center of Yakala. However, outside of small trails reminicent of deer trails, small paths of little more than slighly compacted underbrush, in locations that are commonly traversed by tribes.
Founding Date
496 B.R.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
The Forest Dwellers, The Fey, The Misty Tribes
Demonym
Yakalan
Ruling Organization
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Barter system
Gazetteer
The Forest of the Moon, The Haunted Forest, The Pink Lake, The Dark Forest, The Southern Spine.
Currency
For most tribes, none.
Legislative Body
The Convocation of Order, however they hold little political control over the tribes as a whole.
Executive Body
Different depending on tribe.
Deities
Location
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Comments