Arya Voxus

I squinted against the sun's glare at the impossible beauty of the nation before me. Cities, forests, waterfalls: all perched atop floating, inverted mountains. Enormous chains, each link the size of wagon, connected the five islands as they drifted across the sky. People traversed the chains like simple footbridges, and my stomach churned as I contemplated a fall from this height.

— Woodwhistle, a kenku Chronicler of Veleda

Visual Interest Board

History

The first inhabitants of the freshly formed Arya Voxus were Avians, and the first gods, the Arya.
The present-day archipelago is made up of five islands: Soreph, Vokani, Opis, Xamil, and Udaru. They are connected with colossal chains to ensure the islands stay connected. Winged creatures may have been the first settlers on Arya Voxus, but because of its unusual level of inaccessibility, it also appealed to mages who wanted a place to test their mettle. Though there were clashes between the magic users and the native inhabitants, their uneasy truce turned to acceptance when it became clear that the magic users were more help than harm.
The islands of Arya Voxus were barren, so mages made the land fertile. Water was scarce, so sorcerers engineered a system of aquifers in the rock to collect rainwater. Under the care of the magic users, Arya Voxus became hospitable to life, benefiting everyone who called it home.
In time, technology and magic blended so seamlessly that Arya Voxus is the most technologically advanced nation in Evara. A number of key inventions came from the Voxians, including the printing press (which allowed broader access to literacy) and the airship (which permitted ordinary people to travel to Arya Voxus and beyond). Prototypes of the internal combustion engine are currently under development. The islands of Vokani, Soreph, and Xamil are known for their highly exclusive, exceptionally-regarded universities. For the majority of the islands, knowledge and manufactured goods are their key exports; raw materials and raw talent, their primary imports.

Geography

Originally, the islands were part of an undersea mountain range near Sirennea. The undersea range contains high densities of Gravity Ore, a unique combination of minerals and magic that makes it prone to floating. During the Age of Creation, widespread earthquakes rocked the land and sea. One powerful quake shattered the underwater range, and the broken mountains rocketed into the sky.

Religion

Five faiths dominate Arya Voxus. First, Adaration: The Creator’s spiritual drive to innovate resonates with the culture. Second, the Changing Sky, dedicated to the gods of the wind who protect the islands from danger and guide it around the globe. Veleda is revered for the gifts of knowledge she bestows upon the people of Arya Voxus. Her followers maintain research libraries on Vokani and Soreph, recording the major developments in technology and magic. The Ship of the Grand Macaque is popular in trade districts, and Auros is popular with the native Aarakocra population, who claim to be his direct descendants.

Politics

Arya Voxus is notorious for diplomatic clashes with nations situated on the earth, as the archipelago moves with the winds. At best, the floating archipelago is seen as a nuisance (blocks the sun, limits navigation by the stars, affects the tides, etc.), and at worst, its presence in the sky of another sovereign nation constitutes an “invasion.”
The individual islands of Arya Voxus largely govern themselves. Elected magistrates oversee the day-to-day running of government. The ruling family in Arya Voxus is a dynasty of aasimars, and the current monarch, Queen Melanine, has sat upon the throne for 250 years. However, the past decade of her rule has seen a state of civil unrest. The queen issues decrees and edicts seemingly without regard for the conditions in which her people live. The island magistrates are vying for more independence, even though the archipelago is literally chained together. As an island nation, overpopulation has become a real concern as Arya Voxus becomes an ever more attractive destination. A faction of witches and island natives speaking out against the industrialization of Arya Voxus is gaining popularity. On the surface, Arya Voxus is an energetic hub of technology and magic, but just below is a pot about to boil over.

Culture

• Old and new technologies are equally valued. Something is not automatically considered better just because it is newer.
• Social status is determined by:
  • Your title (royal > noble/university professor > island magistrate/school teacher > local magistrate)
  • Innate flight (races with innate fly speeds are considered higher status)
  • Magic ability (Alluvial is considered higher status)
• Voxian conceptions of beauty are birdlike.
• Avians native to Arya Voxus believe that they are the direct descendants of Auros, the Bright One. Though likely fictitious (or, if true, severely diluted), this shared ancestry gives the avian Voxians a common history to rally behind.
• All Voxian citizens receive free, formal education from the ages of 5-14 (or equivalent for their race). At 14, a young Voxian’s teacher will recommend a career path for the student. Parents and teachers agree on the life trajectory, and then it is the child’s duty to fulfill it.
• People in Evara typically have three names - a given name, a family (or profession- or trait-based) name, and a ‘true’ name. Voxians have four.
  • The fourth name is a ‘virtue’ name given to them when they complete their mandatory schooling. Sample virtue names: Art, Cantor, Eloquence, Fear, Glory, Music, Nowhere, Oeillade, Persepacity, Reciprocity, Seamstress, Quest, Random, Reverence, Storyteller, Temerity, Torment, Weary.
  • This name becomes a Voxian’s commonly used, legal name.
• Because Voxians live on a floating archipelago, the ability to walk in a straight line for long distances is a novelty. Overland or oversea journeys that last more than two hours are wildly exciting.
• Voxians view their nation as the center of the civilized world. They tend to think highly of themselves, and it is no small surprise, given that their nation literally flies above everyone else. They implicitly expect to be admired and looked up to, and implicitly dismiss the achievements or merits of other cultures.

"Rise Above"

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

The Commonwealth of Arya Voxus

Demonym

Voxian (Voxians)

Related Historical Events

• 700
  Printing Press

Government Type
Constitutional Monarchy
Common Races
Avian (Aarakocra, Owlin, Siren), Human, Kenku, Gnome, Elf, Witch, Aasimar
Common Gods/Religions
Adaration, Way of Wisdom, Ship of the Grand Macaque, The Changing Sky, Auros
Primary Industries
research, entrepreneurship, invention, magic