Ile-Ile
The Ile people are dark of skin and darker of hair, and many are stout and muscular due to the harsh environment they live in, even the elves. The Ile have large cities, and to an observant visitor, the six different tribes and their traits are clear in the major cities in Ile-Ile.
The Ile speak Inasoro , which is an interesting dialect that includes clicks, which are considered part of the phonetic alphabet. Their alphabet is similar to Takalah, since some of the letters and sound groups are also pictographical.
The Ile believe in lucky numbers, and 7 and its multiples are considered extremely lucky.
The Ile also treat twins as magical and good omens, even if neither twin possesses any magic from birth. Twins are called ‘Pogba’ and are more often than not treated very well in Ile society. Many twins get better education and opprtunities than most, and those gifted in magic from birth are often offered positions in orisha temples as arirans or priests.
Ile-Ile is a land rich in minerals, and many mines have opened up in the mountains and valleys of this region. The gems and metals they extract are one of their most lucrative trades, but more valuable is their Eidonite , more commonly known as Okan stones.
The Ile are very capitalist and are often known to people of other realms as cutthroat businesspeople but under all that is kindness and a value for community. Most Ile really just want to make an honest living and earn their keep, but with the Giltmans in charge it can be very difficult.
The Giltman Corporation
Owned by the Giltman family. The Giltmans are elven, most of them having dark skin and jet black hair and eyes. The family’s current leader and CEO is Geoffrey Giltman, a man in his late 500s. And his wife Anastasia, who seems like a sweet woman until she starts talking business. They have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.The Aurum Guard
The Giltman Corp does have a standing army of officers and they are often nicknamed the Goldmen for their golden-gloved hands. Officially, the goldmen are called the Aurum Guard, and they run the security force that keeps the Giltmans and their executives safe. and by extension, the rest oif Ile Ile.The Tribes of the Ile
The Ile have 7 main tribes: Igazi, Ore, Al'umma, Gaarii, Serandu and Xolisa.The Deities of the Ile
The Ile believe in a trio of sibling deities called the LametaIle Aesthetics
The Ile tend to prefer geometric shapes and bright contrasting colours. They also prefer stylised imagery, often exaggerating the features of what they are trying to portray. They also prefer metals or metallic colours incorporated into everything from art and architecture to their daily dress.Art and Architecture
In smaller Ile towns with large poulations of a specific tribe, it's possible to see each tribe's preferred architectural style, however in the big cities, these styles become more homogenous. Ile city buildings tend to be slightly domed, and they enjoy building taller buildings that seem to pierce the sky. A lot of their architecture incorporates things like Ile traditional art and sigils, wrought metal and clay-like textures. They also prefer to decorate with bronze sculptures in their typical exaggerated style. Most Ile city buildings themselves are white or terracotta brown, decorated with black iron details and banners of richly dyed textile. They also prefer planting hardy trees along the streets for shade.Fashion and Dress
The Ile have a robust textile industry, and they often are skilled in imbuing their textiles with magic. They also tend to dress in bright colours and cover most of their skin with fabulously tailored garments. Since the Ile are also mostly dark of skin and hair, as such, they enjoy wearing things that contrast their skin tone. Most Ile also have naturally curly hair that they often put in braids or twists, and then into elaborate hairstyles decorated with metal pins or other colourful jewellery. The jewellers of Ile are also highly skilled in glassworks and delicate metalsmithing, and so are highly sought after artisans for their decorative accessories. Some jewellers also create magic-infused bracelets or necklaces that fetch very high prices.Geography
The Great Plains of Ile-Ile
Ile-Ile is a land of vast and varying terrain, from the mountains of the Ezitso Range to the north and the desert to the east. The land is dry and warm but the Ile readily call this place home. The river systems that run through the continent provide fertile farmland and an excellent resource for the locals, and the majority of this continent is made up of the Great Plains. The land itself is quite stable, with earthquakes being extremely rare, but there are yearly floods near the riverlands that irrigate the soil. There are also 3 Great Lakes in this continent, so large that they each have tides. Ile Ile also has many towns that are connected by the Goldroad, constructed by the Giltman Corp for quick and easy access from one town to the next. Travellers can also take the railway or the airships that make trips across the continent from one major city to another. Although those means are usually reserved for those citizens with the coin to spend.Notable Cities in Ile-Ile
Igibori
A flat land with a single gigantic tree in the centre, one that houses a whole city. Ile myths say that this is the world’s first tree, which stands at over a kilometer in height, and has almost as wide a diameter. There are portions of the city within the trunk itself and more along the branches and within the canopy. Many of the houses and buildings within the city are built using materials found on and around the tree. This tree houses one of the largest cities in Ile-Ile, and is largely elven.Ukuthutha
Located in the canyons of Ile-Ile, Ukuthutha is a dwarven city known to be the oldest in the world. It’s an incredible mass of caverns and tunnels in the canyon walls and along the base of the canyons. The town is home to a few odd halflings and dragonborn, but very few humans or elves live here. It’s said that this city is the Ile’s gateway to the underworld.Makami
An Ore town that is home to more tieflings than most other places in Unomon. It’s common to send magically gifted twins to train to be priests or arirans. Or even to train them in the ways of magical combat.Oku Zorezo
A mining town, one of the largest on Unomon, and the largest in Ile-Ile. A place of equal parts magic and machine, this town is largely dwarven. Built in the Awonoko mountain, this massive town is entirely subterranean, with only the Tuka district built outside the mountain’s face.Omi Okun
The capital city on the western coast of Ile-Ile. A large city and the centre of trade for the Ile. This city, due to the close proximity to the Eidonite mines of Oku Zorezo, has a steady supply of precious minerals and metals.Erypos
Erypos is a city on the coast of Ile-Ile that is the most common port of call for ships coming from Ostrara. Erypos is colloquially known as Seawall since it is situated on top of a set of modified cliffs. The city itself used to stretch down to the water, but after the first two great waves destroyed a good portion of the city, efforts were taken to raise the entire city to a safe height.Yrasa
Yrasa is another city built into a mountain range. It is known as The place to go for artificing and magic items, as the artisans and master crafters there use the resources under the mountains themselves for their creations. The famous Ursula Romirth, one of the greatest artificers in Elyria, is based here.Crowell
Crowell is a smaller city, but a well known textile and fashion hub for the Ile elite. It’s where Kylie Giltman spends most of her time (and coin). This city is all glitz and glamour, with many of the wealthiest people in Ile-Ile splitting their time between this city and Omi-Okun.
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