Maroka

To the far north, beyond the northern frontier of Molokkai, lies the mighty empire of Maroka. Through conquest and unification, the Dominion of Maroka has risen to rival the expanse and power of Argania. What sets Maroka apart is its matriarchal society, always ruled by a queen, known as The Dark Queen. Her seat of power is the Obsidian Throne, a symbol of ultimate authority and prestige. No man has ever sat upon it since the dominion's founding. The capital city of Maroka, Negral, stands as the crown jewel of the empire. A sprawling mega-city of immense proportions, Negral's Gothic architecture elicits both awe and a sense of foreboding in those who behold it. Maroka reigns over the frozen north and the boundless plains, having conquered fierce barbarians and the indomitable plains nomads who roamed the sea of grass. Furthermore, Maroka tamed the surrounding In'gknell and Themagian forests, bringing the fey people under its rule. The conquered lands have pledged unfailing loyalty, unifying under the supreme rule of Maroka. In recent times, Maroka has directed its focus southward, seeking to extend its dominion over Molokkai and incorporate it into the empire. However, the efforts of Maroka have been thwarted on several occasions by Argania, with the assistance of one of their heroes known to the Marokans as The Devil of Argania, but referred to as Sord the Harbinger. The ongoing struggle between Maroka and Argania has created tension and a sense of unease, as Maroka strives to expand its influence and Argania resists its advances. Marokan society, despite its matriarchal nature, still retains traditional gender roles within households. Men traditionally hold positions of authority within families, but there is no prejudice against women, who are considered equal to men. The typical Marokan is well-dressed, preferring ornate and monochromatic dark-colored attire. They exhibit refined manners and behave as proper nobles—disciplined, polite, and somewhat aloof but pleasant in their interactions. The citizens of Maroka are hardworking, with many engaged in various occupations and businesses. Those who are unemployed receive pensions from the state. Marokans embrace egalitarianism, with lowborn and highborn individuals deeply respecting one another and holding their peers in high regard. Above all, the Marokan people love and adore their Queen, seeing her as a caring ruler who has taken excellent care of them. While slavery still exists in Maroka, it does not follow the traditional concept of master and slave. Slaves in Maroka are not subjected to indentured servitude but are paid wages (below the minimum wage) for their services. Slaves are individuals who have been convicted of non-violent crimes and, as a means of atoning for their transgressions, are "bonded" to a master who utilizes their services until the terms of the bondage contract are fulfilled. Marokan society has a hierarchical structure, with the lowest tier consisting of Tenants, followed by Citizens, and the highest tier being Nobles. All are under the rule of the Dark Queen. The Queen's children, whether sons or daughters, hold the same rank as nobles but reside in the Onyx Temple alongside her. Daughters are known as Princesses and are potential candidates for the throne, while sons become Comtes or counts, occupying military and political positions within the empire. Outsiders view Marokans with suspicion and fear, perceiving them as being aided and protected by some sinister deity, given their wealth and power. The country itself is shrouded in darkness and mystery. The Verdian Elves, in particular, are desperate to gather information about the capital, but their attempts at infiltrating the city have been unsuccessful, leaving them to observe from a distance. The elves of Verdfia seek to uncover Maroka's secrets, including the source of its wealth and whether the empire has been influenced by dark powers or an evil deity. In the eyes of the Arganians, the discovery of another human kingdom in the north was a surprise. While Maroka initially opened trade relations with Argania, they refused diplomatic ties, raising suspicions among the Arganians. Even the reclusive Elves have an ambassador in Argania, but Maroka did not establish such formal connections. Trade between the two nations flourished for a while, but tensions escalated when a confrontation occurred within the Molokkian border. Marokan forces were planning to assault Tarak, the mountain city, using multiple attacks as distractions to draw away most of Molokkai's troops. However, a group of Arganians, pursued by the main Molokkian army, managed to break through the Marokan lines, resulting in strained relations. Maroka subsequently ceased trading and threatened to attack convoys entering its borders. The situation remains tense between Maroka and Argania, with the potential for further conflict on the horizon.

History

Earliest records according to Marokan Archeologists indicated that people started to settle in the far north guided by the high races as early as 1219 BGR based on archeological evidence found at each cities across the north. Early written records only appeared after around 230 BGR records of the complete establishment of settlements on known Lodestones were recorded. These settlements became independent kingdoms after the Great Revolt when the high races withdrew from the continent to their place of exile. They became warlike and the north was became a brutal land of conquest. Around 1024 AGR explorers from the well established empire of Argania reached the north after barely surviving the journey through the Molokkian badlands. These intrepid adventurers was led by Siegfried Baldr. The Arganian emperor Matteo Visorio Alestra I ordered and funded the expedition he called the great push forward, that aimed to claim the northern portion of the continent. Siegfried left Argania with a literal army of the best and brightest adventurers and explorers accompanied by the defunct Arganian Inperial Expeditionary Force. The journey was so perilous that only a quarter of them arrived in the Norther territory. The explorers started to create a settlement in a heavy forested area that seemed peaceful enough despite the lack of a lodestone. They founded a small town and soon came into contact with the natives, some peaceful other times violent. 1054 AGR, Sages found an artifact that may explain why the area was devoid of major monster attacks, the Obsidian throne. They did not know the name of the region but named it Mare Rockas, Land of one river. Overtime Mare Rockas became bastardized as Maroka. Siegfried grew to hate the Arganian empire, he did have his prejudice towards it as he views the emperor and his family as a festering wound that would soon consume the empire, rotting to the core and suspected that the expedition was a farce to get rid of him and his compatriots. Soon it gave birth to Baldrism ideology, they believed that the south and north is one and needed to wait out for the poisons of the Nobility down south to fester and once they are unable to function, they will unite the two halves. 1080 AGR Seigfried's capital was built called Negral, now hailed as a king. However he failed to produce male heirs causing great discord and a rebellion broke. He had seven daughters and they competed to take his throne. One daughter of Seigfeid, deciphered the Obsidian throne's runes and gained great powers, founding the long rulership a Female led domain, combining it and Baldrism, came the concept of the Dark Queens. In 1121 AGR, Using the Dark Queen's new powers, Negral began their expansionism aiming to unite the savage north under the leadership of a so called Dark Queen. 1601 AGR, the Dark Queen Alenistra Medinah, finally conquered all of the northern borders uniting it into what is now known as the modern Maroka.