United Isles of the Glittering Sea

The islands seem to float on the sea, insubstantial and shrouded in the morning mists, but as the ship drew closer, they materialized into solid shapes. Chalk cliffs and wide sandy beaches caught my eyes, set against the sea of endlessly color, a happy rest after weeks of sailing. Land at last.

General information

Language: Common, Bekish, Dernish, dwarvish, elvish, gnomish
Demographics: Primarily human, some elves and dwarves. There are also a number of other races that have come as traders.
Major settlements: Port Rissan is the largest city, and it is also where the Council of the Isles meets. There are a number of other cities and towns on the islands, though they are politically less important than Port Rissan.
Major allies: The Autonomous Duchy of Dern, the Realm of Telysa, the Princedom of Etharia, the Kingdom of Hrotha
Major Rivals: The Empire of Midea, the Kingdom of Bek

Government organization

Leader: High Chancellor Telesphore Bellamy
Secondary leader: Speaker of the Council Amanda Marin
Governmental bodies: The Most High and Honorable Governing Council of the United Isles of the Glittering Sea, often simply called the Council of the Isles is composed of delegates from its member states who make policy decisions for the Union.

Military

The Isles of the Glittering Sea only have a standing navy, which constantly patrols the western seas against pirates.

Economy

Major imports: alcohol, magical items, weapons, metal, cheese
Major exports: spices, woods, silks, animals, feathers, finely worked stone, art objects, rum, fruits
Smuggled/illicit items: alcohol, certain animals, books
Food: A lot of fruits and fish

Religion

Main Deity: Rayna and Phaerean
Secondary Deity: Irdal and Reia

Art, Architecture, & Literature

Main literary figures/works: themes in island literature include travel tales and sea voyages. There are a lot of tales about cities being destroyed by sea monsters such as the Kraken.
Art styles & motifs: art from the Glittering Sea is typically in a flowing style with undulating lines and many colors, reflecting the natural world. Many paintings are of seascapes, clouds, mountains, and smoke
Defining architectural features: most buildings are built slightly raised on stilts to prevent flooding and water damage, as most buildings are made of wood. In the cities, stone might also be used.

Geography

Major cities: Port Rissan
Major geophysical features (rivers, lakes, mountains, etc): Mount Royale towers above the cliffs and the wide harbors of the main island, breaking up the flatness of the sea. Other islands have smaller peaks. The sea around the Isles can be treacherous because of the strong currents and rocky outcroppings that tend to be exposed at the lowest tides. I
General climate: the climate is warm most of the year, although during the winter, awful storms batter the seas.