Isoka
Isoka is the regal monarchy of the dragonborn. It is a fairly new government, only about a century old, but it has grown quickly as a prominent figure in Hillit politics. Isoka has a powerful military, a protective treaty with Irita, and a complex royal bloodline. It tends to revere the Cycle pantheon above all else, except for the Sun.
Isoka is known for producing powerful warriors and honorable adventurers. The culture is focused on honor, respect, and loyalty to the crown. It does not produce many products of its own other than its blacksmithing, so it relies heavily on trade. There are many mountains, marshes, and rainforests across Isoka.
Isokans are incredibly loyal to their king and country. For them, the monarchy is one of the most important aspects of their lives. They tend to dislike excessive shows of magic because they fear the corrupting power of the greed of the arcane. Isokans tend to wear gold, red, and copper clothing with bold geometric patterns.
Isokan dragonborn live tolerably with lizardfolk tribes in their marshes, subservient kobolds, and occasional goliath herds. There have been some clashes between the dragonborn citizens and other races, but they aren’t commonplace.
The relationship between the dragonborn elite and the lizardfolk tribes is a multi-layered one rarely observed by outsiders. Lizardfolk help keep dangerous animals and unlawful bandits in check far from the dragonborn civilized outposts. Lizardfolk craftsmen help make some widely-admired bone art and totems that Isoka uses for international trade. In addition, lizardfolk shamans help keep the primal spirits of the rough Isokan landscape calm and appeased. Lizardfolk generally are a positive support for the dragonborn.
However, many dragonborn find lizardfolk embarrassing on the international scene. Lizardfolk psychology is fairly alien to many outsiders with their lack of empathy towards ‘normal’ emotional expressions. Dragonborn have learned how to communicate effectively with lizardfolk, but few others have. When lizardfolk interact negatively with outsiders, the dragonborn feel that any embarrassment and insult is a loss of prestige for the Isokan nation.
Demography and Population
Isoka is predominantly a dragonborn society with kobolds as a lower class of citizenry and lizardfolk below them. In the heart of Isoka is a massive mountain range that has a few herds of goliaths.
Isoka has two distinct regions: the norther homeland and the southern colonies. The Isokan homeland hsa approximately 8,790,000 citizens and the Isokan colonies has approximately 6,950,000 citizens.
The Isokan homeland has approximately the following distribution.
- Dragonborn (55%)
- Kobold (20%)
- Halfling (10%)
- Lizardfolk (5%)
- Goliath (4%)
- Kenku (3%)
- Minotaur (2%)
- Changeling (1%)
- Dragonborn (50%)
- Kobold (25%)
- Halfling (10%)
- Lizardfolk (5%)
- Yuan-ti (3%)
- 2% each of the following: Goblin, Goliath, Hobgoblin
- Kenku (1%)
Territories
Isoka has two primary territories: the homeland in Forcun-Laianith and the colonies in Oini.
The homeland is wealthy, well-defended, and the largely ancestral home of dragonborn. Clans, defined as lineages, rule various states in Isoka. There is a somewhat contentious region on the official border of Isoka and the Goldenwood where unofficial border skirmishes take and lose territory. The other neighboring homeland region with Yaiel has recently been annexed by Isoka.
The colonies of Isoka were once massive deserts, but have recently become more grassland and occasional woodland with the ending of the Boiling Sea. This investment has paid off -- the lands are proving fertile. There were ancestral lands of yuan-ti, which have been displaced to make way for the colonials.
Isoka's homeland is approximately 2.15 × 1012 fl2 (200,000 km2). Isoka's colonies are approximately 1.61 × 1012 fl2 (149,000 km2).
Military
Isoka's military is massive and a key element of its economy. A significant portion of industry, infrastructure, and cultural energy has been dedicated to maintaining the Isokan military.
Every adult citizen of Isoka is required to participate in the military for a minimum of three years, but most continue their tenure past it for a few years more. The military offers education, training, and purpose.
The military runs drills and different states will have mock battles between them for honor and prestige. Strategists earn their accolades in these mock battles by being able to effectively show their ability to adapt to new arenas and scenarios. This has become a significant entertainment industry for the citizens. Newsletters, bards, and even magical retellings are popular for crowds. A good illusionist can make a decent living recreating theatrical displays of these conflicts with commentary. Sometimes, a well publicized war game will draw a live crowd to watch and cheer for their favorite side.
Isoka's land forces are their primary center of power. The majority of citizens participate in ground forces when they join the military. Most non-dragonborn are delegated to logistic and less honorable tasks, like maintaining camps, cleaning, or cooking. Dragonborn from respected lineages are often identified as officer worthy and promoted swiftly. The training for magic users, especially sorcerers, leans towards flexible battle magic and tactical spells. Utility magic isn't a priority, nor is the rigorous study of sorĉadology, neviditajology, or other fields of arcanum. Discipline, tactics, and strict authoritative hierarchies are a priority for all in the military.
Naval forces are often more neglected by Isoka. Naval victories aren't seen with the same romantic image as land victories, so their popularity is lesser. The navy has a slightly different culture too -- it is just as authoritative, but there is more room for self-expression in the ranks. In addition, the naval forces are more tolerant to other races. Halflings, lizardfolk, and even kobolds have been known to make notable sailors.
The Isokan military has been sent on warring campaigns to the southern Insulo de Pordoj to defend United Halla Alliance territory. This is considered a great front to earn honor.
Technological Level
Isoka has a complicated relationship with magic and arcanum. In general, Isokans distrust most arcana. They view it as shortcuts to hard work and would rather value mechanical technological developments rather than artifice. This is sometimes in conflict with the Isokan valuing of sorcerous bloodlines. Isokan dragonborn nobility and houses are characterized by powerful sorcerers. The aristocracy is defined by the amount and strength of sorcerers within the house. The more magic a house can evoke, the higher amount of prestige it has as a baseline. There are few other magical traditions, like banner bards or priests, that are respected. Wizardry, druidic traditions, and warlock pacts are distrusted with some citizens insisting they are not an honorable route to magic. The most powerful sorcerers, bards, and priests have studied at the local Universitate campuses.
The Isokan industry has worked on optimizing its mass production of arms, armor, and tools. Watermills are common sources of mechanical power in the Isokan industry.
Religion
The Isokan spirituality is centered on the devotion towards destiny and place in life. The Cyclical pantheon provides a stark perspective of life, death, and rebirth that the Isokans use as a motivator. When Alapi places a dragonborn soul into the world, Isokans believe she does so in hopes that they achieve a bountiful and honorable destiny. The quintessential dragonborn Isokan of the Cyclical faith would live their entire life so that Yayisa would record their glory for eternity. Even when reborn and their soul forms a new identity, the actions of every dragonborn rest eternal in the tome of life.
Isoka also holds honor towards Allathra, the sun god. In Isokan culture, Allathra's militaristic and authoritative role as the god of warrior emperors is emphasized. Koren, the demiurge of war, and Lomani, the demiurge of rulers, are especially revered. Often, prayers towards Koren and Allathra are said before battle and Lomani priests oversee the rituals before most political events. The Morningstar, the demiurge of victory, is an elusive entity in Isokan culture. The Morningstar is the most frequently honored divinity in the daily life of an Isokan, but direct prayers are considered temptations of fate and hubris, and thus dangerous.
Contrary to what many other civilizations might assume, Isoka is not part of or particularly reverent towards the Aži Court. Many dragonborn do not hold dragons in noble esteem. The Great Father Jalal has a particularly strong love-hate relationship with Isoka. In the past, Jalal used to advise the emperor and was a respected advisor to the empire. In more recent generations, though, Jalal's advise has been frequently dismissed. In the last decade, Isokan respect for Jalal has fallen.
Foreign Relations
Isoka is respected and, to some degree, feared on the international scene. Many strategiests and tacticians agree that Isoka has amongst the greatest military power in the United Halla Alliance. Irita and Isoka have a long history of respect and support -- when Irita dissolved its own military, Isoka acted as the strong right arm to Irita's diplomatic left.
Isoka has more tension with its two neighbors -- the Goldenwood and Yaiel. The Goldenwood is growing over its historical borders into Isokan territory, which the high emperor considers a very passive and subtle invasion. Border skirmishes have been escalating. Yaiel is different -- the alliance of halfling kingdoms and farming communities have a long history of military tension. In the last decade, some kingdoms have 'defected' to become feudal states under Isoka. Officially, no declarations of war or wrongdoing have been declared, but many civilizations feel that Isoka conquered them.
Agriculture & Industry
Isoka has a strong industry centered around supporting the needs of the military and high emperor. The production of weapons, armor, vehicles, and even animal training is considered respectable professions. Agriculture, on the other hand, is often considered below a dragonborn's honor to perform. The slow, dirty task of tending to plants is usually relegated to those of a low rank or non-dragonborn citizens. The recent annex of a few Yaiel kingdoms has introduced the highly efficient halfling agriculture to enrich the Isokan food supply.
Isoka has a good animal husbandry industry. War drakes are bred and trained to act as mounts for cavalry warfare. Horses, oxen, and other beasts of burden are also trained frequently in Isoka.
Isoka has a robust musical heritage and is known for its quality musical instruments.
Trade & Transport
Isoka has a few highways connecting major cities to each other with the capital as a nexus. Isoka has grown to rely heavily on the Iritan Ethereal Translocation Network for most of its more casual transportation, but large troop movements depend on this highway network.
Isokan lizardfolk tribes create marvelous bonecraft, which is popular as a decorative element in home and fashion for Isokans. Roads do not do well in the lizardfolk wetlands, so the lizardfolk will often journey to the nearby dragonborn communities to sell their wares instead of the dragonborn seeking out the lizardfolk.
Education
Isoka uses the Stoa to educate its adolescent citizens. When the citizen is an adult, they are enlisted into the mandatory military service. The service furthers their education in history, traditions, tactics, and the arts. Magic is taught in familial traditions and refined at Universitate campuses. High ranking generals and strategists also refine their trade at the Universitate.
Infrastructure
Isoka has a robust aqueduct network in its major cities, connecting communities to central wellsprings. Infrastructural artifice, like those produced by Irita, are usually avoided by smaller communities. Only major cities will resort to them as a necessity to their quality of life, but it isn't praised.
There are numerous networks of minor roads connecting farms, settlements, towns, and cities. The southwestern wetland, which holds lizardfolk tribes, have very little established Isokan infrastructure.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
People's Empire of Isoka
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Isokan
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Unitary state
Currency
Isoka follows the Standard Currency model.
Major Exports
Isoka exports armor, arms, musical instruments, and bonecraft.
Major Imports
Isoka imports raw materials, such as ore, clay, and wood, to use in its industries. Isoka also imports a significant amount of food.
Legislative Body
Isoka has a supreme high emperor and king (formal title Shahanshah) who establishes all laws and has the final say in all diplomatic matters.
Judicial Body
Isoka has many tiered courts of laws with the highest being supported by the Arbiter's Outpost, and the highest being overseen by the high emperor himself.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Location
Official Languages
Comments