Islands of Sina Una

Gentle waves rock the wood beneath your feet as you stand at the prow of your boat, hand shielding your eyes from the brilliant sun cresting the distant horizon. Golden rays of light catch and dance along the turquoise sea, and the ocean wind whistles in your ears. In the distance, you can see the silhouettes of islands rising from the morning mist. Some bear towering peaks of verdant green, brushing the clouds themselves and thrumming with wildlife, while others are shrouded in molten blankets of ash gray fog, the hunger of a volcano rumbling deep beneath the earth.
Sand crunches against the hull as your boat arrives on a beach, and along the shore, you see so many others like you: voyagers, whispering gracious prayers to the spirits of the sea and sky; merchants, laden with baskets of mango, rice, and spices; warriors, bearing the blades of tall wooden shields of their ancestors. Each, in their own way, carrying forward the rich and vibrant legacy of the islands around them.
Found in the center of the Thunder Ocean, seven islands sit together, each with its own thriving settlements and rich histories to share. These are the Islands of Sina Una. The seven islands are as follows: Timanduk, Kandaya, Puthawanan, Nasirakna, Adlawadto, Talunan, and Kotabalon.

Mortals of the Islands

Government and Law

Settlements are often headed by an individual known as a datu. To be a datu is first and foremost to be a charismatic leader; datus are given the power to establish rules and lead communities in exchange for providing the necessary protection and resources to survive. A datu, in this way, is akin to nobility in the islands. Many datus also have vassals known as timawa, warriors who loyally defend a datu and enforce their rules in exchange for a share of the datu's patronage and social status. The datu of a village can usually be identified by their house, a large hut called a torogan that stands elevated above the ground by massive pillars of wood.
In larger settlements composed of multiple communities, there sometimes exists a higher leader known as a rajah. The communities' individual datus each pay tribute to the rajah, who in return provides the datus the space and resources for their communities to thrive. Common folk rarely interact with a rajah, instead maintaining loyalty solely to the datu they follow.
In most cases, leadership is passed down hereditarily; though sometimes, a datu themselves will choose their successor regardless of blood relation. Datus often do not rule for the entirety of their lives. It's common for a datu's children, upon coming of age, to take up the mantle of leadership and relegate their predecessor to an advisory role. Former datus usually become part of an elder council, which serves to advise the current date about laws and other political matters.
Because of this, laws in communities primarily develop from the traditions handed down between generations. Written legislation is rare, as most laws are seen as an extension of the natural relationships that permeate society. Recognized crimes in the islands include theft of valuables, murder, poisoning livestock or crops, and using unnatural or eldritch magic against a fellow individual.
When a crime occurs in a community, the datu acts as a judge, listening to witnesses to produce a verdict. an individual proclaimed guilty in penalized by a hefty fine set in accordance with the grievousness of their crime; such fines are too large to be paid by the usual means of coin or trade. Should killings be involved, compensation is expected in the form of blood prices placed upon the offending individuals' heads.

Commerce

Trade is an integral part of daily life. Every settlement has different resources; some have access to richer fields for farming, while others are closer to iron deposits or bodies of water for fishing. Thus, communities rely on traders and merchants to obtain goods that would otherwise be unavailable to them. 
Some merchants only travel within the boundaries of a single island, following the rivers and trodden paths. Others prefer to command large outrigger boats, laden with cargo, and sail across the vast oceans to sell their wares. Though none of the trade routes across the islands have been extensively mapped, enough individuals (local and international) have traversed them over the years to demarcate them well. 
Most markets do accept the common coins made of copper, silver, and gold, but many will also often directly barter in goods and services. There is also a system of credit and debt in the islands. If an individual cannot afford to pay the full price for something, most merchants are happy to arrange a deal for future payment. And for those who find themselves unable to monetarily repay debt in time, many offer the option to clear these dues through acts of service. 
Given their position in the Thunder Ocean, the Islands of Sina Una interact with foreign nations across multiple continents. Port Nyanzaru, Stormhome, and Regal Port are where most of Noyatu's traders embark to trade with the Islands. As for Oprynkyst, Calimport, Port Damali, Dementlieu, and Athkatla have routes that pass through the collection of islands.

Island	Largest Settlement
Timanduk	Kaylahon
Kandaya	Pahigna
Puthawanan	Himpapawiran
@Nasi