Modan

A Safe Haven in a Dangerous Land

Modan is a settlement on the eastern coast of Udai, at the very tip of the Modan Peninsula, founded in 560 by the Half-Orc warrior and Marshal of the Revolution, Shatt Gunn.

Udai's Safest Land

The continent of Udai is known for the great danger posed by merely setting foot on it, which causes few to travel to it and even fewer to ever leave. This also creates cultures centered around the thrill of surviving and seeking out new dangers, particularly among the Orcs, who have taken the idea of dying and turned it into a challenge, to live a great life and die a great death, often in battle.

Shatt Gunn by genuinetrickster

However, this forces Orcs that otherwise would wish to live in peace to, instead, seek glory in battle, either dying or going down a dark path they could have otherwise avoided.

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Founding Myth

That was until the arrival of a Half-Orc who had been trained by the Guardian of Peace, Fepar Tilrak, to take over his position at the head of the Army of the Revolution to stop the tyranny of the World Court. Shatt was taught to seek out peace and fix the world as best he could.
In a dream while living in Bortan with his brother Nalrik Tilrak, Shatt Gunn saw a distant beach in his homeland of Udai. A beach he had visited as a child before he and his mother fled in fear from their home. The shores of Modan.

Morendyn Cobath by Jarhed

Shatt had feared the ocean after his father died in the sea, and so he never visited Udai again. It was only after conquering his fear after confronting the sea in dire circumstances that Shatt finally traveled to Udai, alongside Vodron Nutsk, the Hero of Hell Trickery, and Ha Kyung.
Here, they discovered the Revolutionary Bunker, where three rebels had been hiding from the Korvian King Tyrant and the World Court, enemies that Shatt Gunn and his allies were also after. These revolutionaries were Morendyn Cobath, Bhukk the Studious, and Anarchy.
Together, the group (alongside other allies) took down Tyrant, but as they did, they found that Udai was not only not safe, but that its danger perpetuated a violent culture that did not let people live how they wanted.
They needed a safe haven, and Shatt Gunn promised that he would create such a place.
Alongside Korvian refugees from Tyrant's kingdom, as well as some Orcs, Avians, and Mammen, Shatt's group met up with the citizens under the rule of President Enlightenment, Devils that had fled Hell. Together, this group decided it was time to settle, and Shatt's dream (as well as meeting his closest allies in that same land) solidified the location in his mind. Modan would be settled at the tip of the Modan Peninsula.

President Enlightenment by Jarhed

To settle on what shape the city would take, how it would be run, etc, a council of the greatest minds gathered in the anti-Tyrant group was assembled.
This group is the one commonly agreed to be the true "founders" of Modan, co-led by Shatt Gunn and President Enlightenment.
It consisted of:

• Shatt Gunn
• President Enlightenment
• Morendyn Cobath
• Bhukk Reed the Studious
• Vodron Nutsk
• Oraakil Mardaar

The only others considered to be founders are the two most important figures following the council: Murphy Law and Ogonn Ha. Murphy Law, the Structure Mage, was tasked with building the city itself, and he spent about a month using his magic to create every structure.

Ogonn Ha by RovaRed

Ogonn Ha was the first person to die for the protection of the people of Modan. He, alongside the rest of a group of mages known as the Weave Initiative (which included other founders like Shatt Gunn and Murphy Law, as well as Lorakaen and Finethir Shinebright, Orlayas Ojeux, Hameila Neconkus, Cousin Parry, and Kathleen Ramone), repelled an invasion on Modan not long after its founding.
However, this invasion was led by three very powerful mages and warriors, and it would have been impossible to fight them off as they were. It was only thanks to the sacrifice of Ogonn Ha that they were able to kill two of the three, and he weakened the third enough that the others finished him off.
This fight was not visible to many citizens, as they had been taken to shelters in the city for safety, but they did see the sky at the end. Ogonn's final spell was placing a sigil in the sky for all to see. A symbol... the Dwarven letters spelling out his name, made of flames, stretched out over Modan, so that all could know their savior in his final moments.

Murphy Law by Jarhed

Ogonn became known as the Hero of Modan, with him being eulogized as the "final unnecessary death" required to show the world why Modan was necessary. He became the symbol of Modan's defenses, the proverbial "protector of Modan" that all warriors who would go on to protect the city and its vulnerable citizens would use to show their desire to defend Modan.

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Government

The government of Modan is actually split in two, as there are two governing bodies that work side-by-side for the sake of their people.

Landmarks

Modan, as a newer settlement, has very few landmarks of considerable note. This, however, does not mean it is devoid of notable locations, as a matter of fact multiple were made in its founding that have stuck around.

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The Modan Stage

Built for performances from bards and any other show that would necessitate a stage, the Modan Stage is a proscenium stage on the edge of Modan. It was the site of the first Battle of Modan, and for that it is also a memorial for the Hero of Modan, Ogonn Ha, who died in the battle.

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The Hero of Modan Statue

A statue was built in front of a home initially meant for Ogonn Ha. After his death, that home was no longer occupied by him, but to honor his sacrifice and so everyone could see what was lost for Modan to be what it was, his old armor was turned into a statue of him for all to see. He sacrificed himself to protect the people of Modan, and he therefore became a symbol of what Modan exists for: to protect those that cannot protect themselves.

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The Wall of Law

A wall built around the city of Modan for its protection, with places for warriors to perch and attack any invaders. It has only one exit that overlooks the city itself, as the founders did not want invaders perching on the wall and attacking the city itself.

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Invasion Pier

The most vulnerable part of Modan, the city has an open beach and docks that are easily available to any invasion. This was not a great fear, as the city is mainly defending from Orcs who fear the use of boats.
However, the founders still made sure to keep the docks free of most residential buildings, so that invasions by sea wouldn't immediately lead to a slaughter and they'd have more of a chance to save their citizens.
Despite this, they cheekily named the docks after the certain future of armies invading from them, as a way to call attention to it without fear, but instead as a joke.

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The Revolutionary Bunker

Built prior to Modan itself, the Revolutionary Bunker was made to house the Army of the Revolution's Udai branch, the Modan Revolutionaries. It was surrounded by rubber and metal to protect it from the abilities of the Korvian King Tyrant, who could control the planet itself.
After Modan was settled, the bunker became a tourist destination, as the origins of the settlement itself and a remnant of its creation.
There are distinct rooms within for the three Revolutionaries that lived in it right at the end, two of which were major founders of Modan: Morendyn Cobath, Bhukk the Studious, and Anarchy.

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Walkeigh Mill

Technically multiple structures, mostly used for the windmill at the center of the city, where the flag of Modan is hung from. It is named as such because everything originally was within walking distance of the mill, aka it only took a quick "walkeigh" (the Orcs that named it did not know how to spell the word).
There are also other mills that some believe to be the Walkeigh, such as a water mill on the coast, a textile mill on the southern portion of the city, a sawmill at the western edge, and both a bark and cider mill to the north.
Therefore, even when the original Walkeigh Mill is too far away, everything is still close enough to be within walking distance to a mill, and so they are all called the Walkeigh Mill.

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Founding Date

560

Founders

• Bhukk the Studious
• Enlightenment
• Morendyn Cobath
• Murphy Law
• Oraakil Mardaar
• Shatt Gunn
• Vodron Nutsk

These split branches of the Modan government ensure a seperation of powers that keeps the people safe and free from tyranny and abuse of power from those in charge.
One branch is led by the President, a title that comes from Hell, and is traditionally held by a Devil, as the President is a position that has power over the actual legislative power of the Modan government, and also deals with all internal business. It is a more bureaucratic title, associated more with an intelligent and capable leader.

Bhukk the Studious by Jarhed

The other branch is led by the Chief, a title that comes from the title of the same name in Orcish and Draconian society. The Chief commands the defense force of Modan, and is also the face of Modan that runs all diplomacy and trade for the city.

Trade and Diplomacy

The Chief does not often make new deals, but instead helps to strengthen existing ties between Modan and their partners and allies. Trade agreements with the Korvians, the Kingdom of Man, Alzirgos, and the Mammen of Ruzrugh in particular are what keep the economy of Modan running. They also trade with local Orc tribes, hoping to sate them so they do not attack.
In terms of diplomacy, Modan does not have many alliances in the traditional sense. They are a place of refuge and safety, so they do not make alliances as they do not wish to send their soldiers, who otherwise defend the weak, to help in wars.
Instead, their trade helps them to keep other nations from wanting to attack them, and instead allows them to leverage their trade routes to convince these other nations to

Vodron Nutsk by Jarhed

send aid, troops, weapons, and other things necessary for protecting the city.

Natural Resources

Modan has fertile soil, making it an agricultural powerhouse in Udai and the world over.
Alongside this, there are an abundance of minerals around the city which are mined regularly and sold for a great profit.
Finally, Modan has access to lumber in the small forests around it, which they take great care to regrow, a practice that many Orcish settlements around them do not follow, making it a particularly special resource at the eastern tip of Udai and the Modan Peninsula.

Demographics

Modan has a large population. Within a hundred years of its founding, it was the fourth largest settlement in Udai, after the Korvian City, Ruzrugh, and Grandstone. Unlike those cities, its population is far more diverse, free, and safe to live.
The majority population is nearly evenly split between Orcs and Korvians, with Devils as a tertiary group following behind in population. Avians, Mammen, and other Beastmen make up small minority populations, and then various species that primarily live on Elone like Humans, Halflings, Elves, and Dwarves make up even smaller percentages of the citizens of Modan.

The False Settlement

To some, there is no such place as Modan. Instead, it is simply an unimpressive mill with few settlers trying to live as best as they can in a dangerous land. A place not worth attacking. A farm, named after its most prominent structure, Mill Walkeigh. It is named as it is because it is said the settlement can be traversed in its entirety in a few minutes, with everything in walking distance from the mill.
What kind of mill it is, however, is highly debated, with the most common answer being a windmill, which does stand in Modan, and has caused some unaware of what it is to attempt to attack it or flee from it, believing it to be a giant wielding a blade of some sort. Thus, Mill Walkeigh is said to have a giant guarding it, making it even less worth attacking.
Of course, Mill Walkeigh does not exist. It is a misleading name and story meant to send those unaware of the truth away from Modan, keeping people safe from the most gullible Orcish and Korvian warriors, of which there are many.
It is said to have origins in the drunk mutterings of the Village Chief of the Draconian village of Waire, Sinner Caerxan, when he was asked to help create a flag for Modan.

Historical Mention

Strangely, Modan exists in a few ancient historical texts, apparently with the settlement itself being predicted by Gok the Archmage, a famous mage and the right-hand of the mortal-turned-God Amukk. It was from the future site of Modan that Amukk launched his invasion of Heaven, killing the Nameless God after sailing from Modan to the God's temple.

Gok the Archmage by Jarhed

"And Gok, then, spoke with hesitant words to the gathered warriors of Amukk:
'One day, this land will be a haven for the weak, a refuge for those afraid of battle, and a hub of prosperity. The city of Modan will find itself where we now stand, yet its purpose will be fulfilled without the need for blood as ours needs now.'"

— Korras Commonbrush's 'Divine Scales of Justice.'

No one is certain how Gok knew of Modan's future, but the greatest guess is that he used some kind of divination magic to predict it. Why he predicted Modan of all things is anyone's guess, and some say Shatt Gunn knew of this, but Shatt was known to not study history and was said to not know of Gok's existence at all for the majority of his life. According to most scholars, Modan seems to line up to well to be a coincidence, but cannot be anything other than one in the context of what is known.
It could be a lucky guess, as Gok would be able to logically assume that, one day, someone would settle on the tip of the Modan Peninsula, a fertile land with a strategic position, but still things seem to convenient to be just a lucky guess.
Whatever the case, this only increases the mystery and adoration surrounding the ancient figure of Gok the Archmage, who is an enigma to even the greatest scholars that look into the legend of Amukk.