The Azura

South of the Province of Izchak, across the dense growth and voracious predators of the Drowned Forest, lies the rugged and lonely jungle sea stacks of the Fractured Isles. Here, the Isolationist Azura have lived for millennia, governing themselves and minding their own business. They keep a sharp and watchful eye on the waters around their secluded homes, knowing that any day the races of the world will navigate far enough south to make contact and bring the peoples of the Fractured Isles into the world, whether they want to or not.
The Azura are a race of anthropomorphic birds that developed their civilization, customs, religion, and military apart from any influences in Faelon. Though there have been points of contact between the Azura and other factions, only the Izchaki lived to tell the tale - a mythical war now enshrined by the Izchaki Stone Watchmen Gaura.
The Azura speak a language that sounds much like Izchan. However, given their different physiology, many of the phonemes in their language have been changed, as well as stresses and articulation.
Until recently, the Azura were isolationists, living their lives and minding their own business. Traazorite expansion to the south of Ryshael has finally forced their hand. Now, after a millennium of hiding and thriving among the lush sea stacks of the Fractured Isles, the Azura have revealed themselves to Faelon.

Mythos and History

The Azura culturally remember a time before they were Azura and identify with the Izchaki people that lie across the Drowned Forest to the north.
This identification does not run both ways - the Izchaki of the coast call the bird people Chugabru, and recount a war where the Chugabru invaded southern Izchak but were repelled by the warriors of the Stone Watchmen Gaura. This same Gaura still today watches and protects the southern coastline of Izchak, ever watchful for the return of the Chugabru.
As for the Azura, their mythos intertwine with that of the Izchaki until the time of Skyfire. According to the stories, they were people of the coastlines, fishers, farmers, and craftspeople of an Izchak that is quite different from the province today.
For them, Skyfire heralded disaster, not salvation. The same fire that crashed into the western mountains of Izchak and distracted Jalik Gamash tore their world asunder. The karst underpinnings of the coastline collapsed after pieces of the meteor struck and set off earthquakes and tsunamis across the region.
Much of what is currently the Drowned Forest was once vibrant coastal lands where the Azura lived. Thousands died in the ensuing natural disasters, and thousands more were stranded at sea far from a new coastline, clinging to rugged sea stacks that had survived the catastrophe, though their survival was going to be short-lived with little to eat and no way to rejoin the new coastlines to the north.
They cried out to their god, Jalik Gamash, but he was not listening. Though they knew no other gods, they cried to those that may exist. They promised fealty and worship to whatever deity would save them.
And they were answered.
A great storm blew in from the west. These storms were common during the rainy season in Izchak, but this one was different.
A great raven appeared in the sky above the shattered coastline, riding on the edge of the powerful storm. The survivors saw the Storm Raven and believed their deliverance was at hand. They were correct, but their salvation was not what they thought it would be.
As the storm raged around them, they were gripped by sudden and painful changes. They grew feathers, rudimentary wings, and beaks. Their bone density lightened and though limited, found they had the power of flight.
The transformation was painful and terrifying, but as the storm diminished the Raven circled back, heralding the end of the storm. It roosted on the highest of the Sea Stacks in the west and stayed there for some time.
The people of the surrounding Island stacks looked on with fear of the giant bird, but those on the Storm Raven’s perch learned from Kybela Loowa, the Storm Raven. She gave the survivors great wisdom and the strength to govern Her new people.
The Azura, as the survivors of the great skyfire call themselves, had been given everything they needed to survive in the new environment. Azura means Feather Blessing in the Izchan language, and the feathers and ability to fly were indeed a blessing.
The Azura busied themselves building their civilization again. It was a slow process, but their bird natures allowed them to survive while they built a culture that blended both their Izchan and Avian elements.

Demography and Population

The Azura had been one culture before, but the disaster that brought about their rebirth and the isolation of living on different sea stacks separated by miles of ocean and dangerous brackish forest set them back to square one. As they adapted to their new bodies and new ways of life, the Azura culture was born and formed from the early interactions of those isolated and disparate survivors.
It was at this time that many of the Azura began the desperate journey north to the Izchaki coastline, hoping to reunite with their people. The ensuing war killed many of them, and the disappointed survivors knew they would be on their own from now on. Though their losses were great, it was this experience that provided fertile ground for the birth of the Azura culture.

The Desee

As an outsider, one may look at Azura culture and see a caste system, loose as it may be, that governs their society.
Learned Faelonians may be familiar with the caste system of Symidia, and know that it bears little resemblance to the cultural phenomenon known to the Azura as Desee.
A Desee is an expression of cultural identity and drive that divides the occupations and obsessions of the Azura people. Each Azura can choose their Desee, though many stay in the one they were born into.
There are three Desee that hold together Azura society: The Priesthood, the Military, and the Providers.
Those Azura that had spent time with Kybela Loowa when She roosted on their sea stack learned much from her. They formed a religious order based on the wisdom and direction of the Storm Raven.
A group of nine female sages formed the Honay Gan, the Cloud Mothers. They led a group of priests, the Fy Iznojin, to guide the Azura to freedom and prosperity. They began to spread across all the sea stacks, bringing with them the wisdom and direction of Kybela Loowa and establishing order among the Azura.
Other Azura believed it was only a matter of time before the Izchan people came to destroy the Azura because of their differences. These were survivors of the war with Izchak and they would not forget how they were treated and hunted for nothing more than their appearance. They formed the Kybela Izabichil, the Storm Riders, and defined themselves as defenders of the Azura and the divine justice of Kybela Loowa.
A third group decided they needed to get on with the life they had been given. This group considered themselves blessed for a reason and decided to live every day in light of that.
They set about turning the rocky soil into arable farming ground, learning to craft for a race that had both humanoid and bird qualities, and figuring out how to live as Azura. They called themselves the Loowa Raha, the Raven Blessed and were content to lead productive but quiet lives providing for the Azura.
The Azura civilization slowly began. Each group developed laws and cultural norms, but as the culture grew these three Desee lived very different lives.
Each Desee demanded influence and rights, and when fighting broke out between the Loowa Raha and the Fy Iznojin, it was decided that for the sake of unity, an intermediary was needed. This was the birth of the Gan Aye Loowa, the Mother of Ravens, and the beginning of a renaissance for the Azura people.
Today, the Azura are spread across the numerous sea stacks that are still standing after the numerous earthquakes and tsunamis that rocked the region.
Villages and cities are numerous among the isles. Cities usually occupy the highest points on the stacks and are religious, governmental, and trade centers. Cities are gathering places for all three Desee. Smaller villages dot the landscape around the stacks, clinging to whatever ground they can be built on, and usually a collection of Loowa Raha
Craftspeople tend to collect in the cities, though a fair few still live in the sleepy villages clinging to the steep slopes of the stacks. Most of the usual crafts are represented, and in their isolation, the Azura have developed a truly unique aesthetic for their goods.
Far more Azura live in the rugged and at times vertical countryside than live in the cities. The Loowa Raha, as the agriculturalists and laborers are called, live mostly here, contenting themselves to simply live and produce the goods that make the Fractured Isles a place of self-subsistence. Of course, the other two Desee have representatives in every village and town, but outside of the larger cities, their influence is felt less.
The cities are places of great bustle. There is industry, trade, crafting, and the busyness of government and military centers. On the whole, Azura cities are less populated than towns in other Kingdoms. Azura don’t like to be crowded, and cities are more open and spacious than their counterparts on Ryshael and Isarshael.

Political Structure

The government of the Azura is complicated. The Fractured Isles is a large place spread out over many islands. Travel between them is often dangerous.
Despite their appearance, the Azura are not a unified people. They live very different lives that are dictated by not only their Desee but by their location. With such a splintered geographic area, it is only natural that the reach of the government depends on how close to one of the larger cities an Azura lives. Those Azura who live far from the cities are guided by the cultural norms of their Desee.
The government of the Azura people is a Theocracy. When the Storm Raven landed on a pinnacle and roosted there, it was said she imparted the wisdom to lead the Azura to the Fy Iznojen and specifically to the Cloud Mothers.
From that day, the Cloud Mothers spoke on behalf of the Storm Raven and dictated Her wishes to the rest of the Azura people. The Fy Iznojen made sure that the words of the Cloud Mothers were obeyed and became both a priestly and administrative class.
However, governing a people is not easy, and although the other two Desee revered the Storm Raven and her representatives, when there were problems, they felt as though they had no voice in the matter.
Things came to a head when open fighting broke out between the priests and the agricultural class over offerings to the priests. The military was afraid of standing against the priests, fearful they would lose The Storm Raven’s blessing. When they sided with the priests the Loowa Raha rose against them as well.
An arbiter was needed. The Loowa Raha demanded representation. The Cloud Mothers sought word from the Storm Raven, praying for a month for Her return to guide the Azura. Riding on the wings of a powerful storm, She appeared. She roosted exactly where She had when she saved the Azura.
This time, she invited representatives from the Loowa Raha and the Kybela Izabichil to join the Fy Iznojen for her wisdom. Nine days later the storm subsided and the Kybela Loowa left Her roost, disappearing into the clouds.
When the representatives for each Desee emerged from the mountaintop, they formed a new government. It was still a Theocracy led by the Fy Iznojin, but now a new figure, an arbiter, would represent the combined wisdom of the three Desee. This was the Gan Aye Loowa, the Mother of Ravens.
The Gan Aye Loowa would be chosen every year from a different Desee. She would join the Cloud Mothers to discern the will of the Kybela Loowa but would come from the viewpoint of a different Desee that would change every year in a scheduled cycle. The first Gan Aye Loowa came from the Loowa Raha.
The representatives that sat in the presence of the Kybela Loowa assured their respective peoples that this was Her will and that from now on their way of life and point of view would be represented.
The people accepted the wisdom of the Kybela Loowa and from that point forward the Azura have been at peace with each other and happy to live under the rule of the Fy Iznojin. The Gan Aye Loowa has unified the people, settled the Desee into their roles, and given each Azura peace to move forward in common purpose.

Lintawa

Trickery and cunning as a whole are rewarded in Azura society, especially among the military and religious castes. The more cunning an Azura is, the higher they are likely to rise through the ranks of their respective Desee.
This doesn’t necessarily hold amongst the Loowa Raha, who mostly apply their cunning to their craft and pay little attention to the affairs of others. Those Loowa Raha that do try to dominate their neighbors and compete with their wily nature enjoy a complicated reputation.
While they are admired for their intelligence and wile, they are generally seen as someone who will rock the boat and not work for the good of all.
Because the Loowa Raha see themselves as the foundation on which the rest of Azuran society is built, those who would disrupt that balance are called Lintawa or Contrarians.
Many folk heroes from the ranks of the Loowa Raha are Lintawa or have stories with prominent Lintawa in them. Times of civil unrest are often precipitated by a Lintawa or a group of them that have banded together for a mutual cause.
The military and religious castes often won’t negotiate or deal with the Loowa Raha unless they are represented by a Lintawa, for they don’t believe anyone else is capable of the complicated thought that negotiation takes. Every Gan Aye Loowa coming from the Loowa Raha has been Lintawa.

Crime

Crime is an interesting concept to Azura. Not all crime is considered bad, and in some cases, having a crime perpetrated against an Azura is a sign of the victim’s weakness, not the criminal's deviance.
For instance, thievery is not looked down upon in Azuran society. It is an accepted principle among the Azura that if you have something of value, it should be guarded. If an Azura allows something to be stolen, they didn’t treasure it enough and it should go to a new owner who will treasure that thing sufficiently.
This tradition is exemplified beautifully in the Azuran holiday of Albooa Ranz (lit. Purpose Again) where Azurans leave something of value that they no longer wish to possess in the atriums of their domiciles. Neighbors are expected to come into their houses and take this item for themselves, but they must also display it in their atrium and let it be taken by others. This goes on until nightfall when large communal feasts celebrate community and sharing.
Albooa Ranz is celebrated by the Loowa Raha riotously but seldom by the Fy Iznojin who like to pretend they are above such things or that they have nothing of value that could be so carelessly given away.
The Military promotes a lack of personal possession and instead celebrates Nabartek (Loosely translated togetherness), a celebration of the military solidarity that has protected the island for many ages.
While the idea of thievery doesn’t strike the Azura as a threat to their civilization, the idea of murder certainly does. Nothing riles the feathers of an Azura more than one of their own physically harming or killing another. Death is the providence of Kybela Loowa, the Mother of Fate. It is anathema for one of her children to take such things into their hands.

Territories

The Fractured Isles is a large area of variously-sized sea stacks surrounded by mostly shallow waters and mangrove forests. The Azura populate these sea stacks at almost every level, though they are more careful around shorelines with mangrove forests, as the alpha predators who live there make no distinction between Azura and other tasty morsels.
The Fractured Isles is divided into six regular Prefects or Ikretay and the Capitol Prefect. Each of the Ikretay has a regional capital, an Azu Onoz. From the Azu Onoz, the Fai Iznojin lead the Azura in worship of the Storm Raven, conduct the business of the Azura, and keep the traditions and stories of their people.

Loowa Zonfa

Located on a massive mountain, Loowa Zonfa is not only the Capitol City of the Fractured Isles but also the religious and cultural center of the Azura people. Sitting atop the mountain sea stack is the Eleka Aye Kaybelatee. The Temple of Storms is the Azura’s holiest place and marks the peak where the Storm Raven landed and taught the Azura after the Feather Blessing.
The rest of the city spread down the side of the mountain, is a collection of religious schools, temples, shops, and homes where the religious, military, and political elite make their home. The base of the mountain, near the sea, is home to the Loowa Raha dedicated to crafting, fishing, and more everyday pursuits.
The mountain is divided into zones. The higher the zone, the holier it is and the fewer people are allowed there. The highest zone, where the Eleka Aye Kaybelatee is built, is only accessible to the Honay Gan, a purified group of attendants and scribes, the Gan Aye Loowa, and the Goynasala or Thunderblade, the head of the Kaybela Izabichil.
In many ways, the division of Loowa Zonfa reflects the cultural and social life of the Azura. The Loowa Raha occupy the lowest levels. The Military has fortresses and garrisons on the next level. Temples, Government buildings, bureaucrats, and scribes occupy the next level. The final and highest level belongs to The Temple of Storms and is mostly off-limits to the uninitiated.

Afthal

Afthal or High Rock constitutes the northwest area of the Fractured Isles. The land here is tall and mountainous, remnants of the Skyreach Mountains that survived the meteor strike and subsequent earthquakes. Of all the Ikretay of the Isles, Afthal is the highest and most rugged.
The main sea stack islands include Loowa Aztaf (Ravenclaw), Halazu (Big Feather), Bichata (Shadow Rock), and Honay Telnoo (Cloud Fort). The Azu Omoz of Afthal is Terezchayl (Beautiful Peak). It sits on the second-highest peak in the Fractured Isles. From the temple atop the peak, an Azura can see for miles.
Most of the cities of Afthal are along the coastal areas. The western side of the Ikretay is farmed for fruits, but fishing has always been the most productive resource there.
The island of Honay Telnu has been taken over completely by the military, the Kaibela Izabichil. From Honay Telnu they patrol the western seas, the easiest route an enemy could take if they wished to invade the Fractured Isles.

Zernoot

Zernoot or Skyland covers the southwest area of the Fractured Isles. Here the Skyreach Mountains taper off to lush tropical foothills and finally lowland jungle that ends abruptly at precipitous cliffs off of which pours beautiful waterfalls.
The main islands of Zernoot include Dinet Dir (Iron Island), Urna Shad (Blue Coast), Zala Chana (Dinosaur Den), Paleesha Hala (Dark Rock), and Eztani (Barren). The Azu Omoz of Zernoot is Halapee (Tall Cliffs) situated on the very southwest corner of Urna Shad. A massive waterfall flows through the city and off the cliffside. The city is built down the side of the cliff as well, following the water on its trip to the sea.
The Northern sections of Zernoot are sparsely populated, but the lower the elevation the more villages and farms appear. Mining is common where the mountains begin to round off into the foothills. Dinet Dir and Eztani are both in the northern area of Zernoot.
On Urna Shad and Zala Chana, large pockets of jungle are punctuated by villages and their surrounding farms that grow fruit, wet grains such as rice, and buka, a fruit that is dried and then ground and used in a hot drink. The further south one travels in Zernoot, the more jungle has been cleared for agriculture.
Paleesha Hala is nearly completely covered in a thick jungle with a double canopy. There are few villages there but those that do exist harvest the raw materials to make Azura rubber and also raise buka.

Honayfa

Honayfa or Cloud Throne encompasses the north-central areas of the Fractured Isles. The western side of the region is mountainous and covered with thick jungle, being one time the foothills of the Skyreach Mountains. The southeastern sea stacks tend to be less forested and lend themselves to agriculture.
The main islands of Homainfa are Zzareecha (Heaven), Lap Rizta (Cliff Edge), Paletora Uhanooba (Lost Shore), and Bernbelech (Green Valley). The Azu Omoz of Honayfa is Enut Rizta (Land’s Edge). It is situated on the Northern Coast of Lap Rizta and sits above the mangrove forests that cover the shallow seas between the Fractured Isles and Izchak.
Honayfa has a larger population than its western neighboring Ikretay. The mountains give way to more arable ground, giving room for small villages and farms throughout the many island sea stacks. The northern sea stacks are less populated, although the military has many forts along the jagged coasts that overlook the mangrove forests below.
Agriculture is the main occupation on the islands of Zaricha and Bernbelech. The Azura cleared a lot of jungle to make their small farms where they grew rice and kept orchards. The western side of the Ikretay has rubber and buka farms.
Paletora Uhanooba is mostly wild. It is an upland jungle punctuated by towering cliffs that lead to the mangrove forests below. It is still prowled by the dangerous predators that called this land home before the meteor. Azura Izahin or hunters keep the wild zarn from the cities. They are not eradicated, but they are kept in check. In the Azuran religion, all things are kept in balance.

Pochoontee

Pochoontee or Dawnspires encompasses an area of the south-central islands of the Azura. The western islands are covered with forested mountains, while the northern sections of the Ikretay are upland jungles punctuated by cleared farmland. The southern islands are very wet and lend themselves well to agriculture. There are swamps wherever the ground levels or water can pool. The cliffs along the southern coast are known for their beautiful and impossibly high waterfalls which run off much of the daily rain the islands receive.
The main islands of Pochuntee are Risabich (Gray Shadow), Faybiztap (Windwhisper), Urna Ayzkal (Blue Lake), and Zenirbich (Rain Shadow). The Azu Omoz of Pochoonee is Bernbakerz (Greenspine). It is located in the high forested ridges of western Faybiztap. Bernbakerz is a monastery retreat and training area for those that wield the Ragatay, the feather magic, that is holy and unique to certain members of the Fay Iznojin.
Faybiztag lies in the northwestern section of Pochuntee and is mostly forested hills. It is mostly wild and desolate.
The island of Risabish lies west of Faybiztag and takes its name from the daily storms that go south of the island. They are seen but very rarely felt. As a result, there is much less rain on Risabish and agriculture is difficult. Herding of small zarn is the main economic venture there.
Urna Ayzkal is the crown of beauty in Pochunte and lies along the southwest coast of the Fractured Isles. The Island has sweeping hills and receives lots of rain, so the runoff collects in a large lake that sits right on the high coastline. Several waterfalls sweep off the lake over the edge of the cliffs and tumble to the ocean below.
Zenirbish is the southernmost island of the Fractured Isles and receives the most rainfall. Precipitation is a daily fact of life for the Azura who live here, and during the rainy season there can be large-scale flooding. Any level or low-lying area is swampy at the best of times. Wet crops are grown in this region, and some commercial crustacean farming can be found here.

Bilzeena

Bilzeena or Silversky lies on the northeast side of the Fractured Isles. Its shores are almost covered in the great mangrove forests. They have even traveled in between the sea stacks and occupy most of the watery areas between them. Most of Bilzeena is likewise covered in thick jungle with few cities save along the coasts and towards the southern sea stacks of the region.
The main islands of Bilzeena are Beztorfay (Swiftwind), Setik Booseta (Quiet Pillar), Risa Booseta (Grey Pillars), and Bazchak Pazto (Forest Shield). The Azu Omoz of Bilzeena is Ennut Rizta (Land’s Edge).
Ennut Rizta sits on a pinnacle on the northeast coastline of Risa Buseta, an area of the Fractured Isles where large pillar mountains rise out of the forest below and dominate the landscape. These mountains are called the Enloowa Panat or Raven’s Loft. Ennut Rizta occupies the tops of several of these pillars. Half temple complex and half military fortress, Ennut Rizta is easily the most important city of Bilzeena.
Bazchak Pazto acts as a buffer between the coastal islands and the inner sea stacks of Bilzeena. It is almost completely covered with jungle with very little population.
Setik Buseta is on the western side of the Bilzeena Ekretay. It overlooks the Mangrove forest that spreads out to the north across the shallow ocean.
Beztorfay is a large island that lies south of Risa Buseta. Many storms coming in from the sea crash into its shores. Beztorfay is known for its fishing. The mangrove forests that cover the sea around the Fractured Isles start to taper here, as the sea gets deeper and they cannot grow. As a result, Beztorfay has one of the best natural harbors in all of the Fractured Isles.

Reechra

Reechra or Field Blessed lies on the southeastern side of the Fractured Isles. Mostly, the jungles are thin in these lands and the ground is perfect for farming. Most agriculture of the Azura is done here, and the population is higher on these islands than in any other territory. The southernmost islands of the Reechra Ikretay are notable in that they have almost normal shorelines on their southern ends and with very few exceptions aren’t raised above the sea level. These areas represent the natural southern coastline of Izchak before the meteor strike.
The main islands of Reechra are Belak (Peace), Buha (Little Waters), Bernbicha (Green Shadow), Zirbala (Circle Rock), and Dinet Bichi (Iron Sands). The Azu Omoz of Reechra is Ureeko Richa (Golden Fields) located on the Island of Belak. Ureeko Richa is a very large city, spread over several runs with fields and villages surrounding it. The area around Ureeko Richa is one of the best agricultural areas in the Fractured Isles.
Belak is the southernmost island in Azura Territory. Its rolling fields, small forests, numerous lakes, and quiet shores make it one of the most beautiful places in the Fractured Isles. Farming villages and monastic retreats dot the countryside.
Buha is on the southwestern side of Reechra and hosts a large highlands region. They share a border with the rainy areas of Gochunti and so have lots of rain that falls in the highlands. This precipitation then drops into lower elevations via hundreds of small streams. These streams have become a water supply for orchards and other agriculture on the island.
Bernbeecha is also on the western side of Richra just north of Buha. The highlands of Bernbicha are taller than its neighbors but tend to take the shape of wide spires rather than hills. These strange almost vertical mountains have forests and are each an ecosystem in their own right. Small villages adorn the top of these mountains which are usually perfectly flat. These villages are some of the most remote and sheltered Azura on the Islands. They are often very independent and quick to anger when it comes to their beliefs and way of life.
Zirbala lies in the center of the region and is an almost perfectly round island that juts up out of the sea. It is almost bereft of life and bowls slightly to a small lake in the center of it. Mining is done here.
Dinet Beecheei is in the north-central of Richra. It is taken up by an active volcano. The island is defined by its black sands and active lava flows that run to the sea.

Religion

Religion, like every other aspect of Azura culture, is very complicated. Religion is the domain of the Fay Iznojin and their army of scribes and administrators. It makes up the third and most powerful of the Desee. Their very word and decree are considered straight from the mouth of the Kybela Loowa, the Storm Raven that saved the Azura from a slow and terrible death afterward.
The key to the Azuran religion is Ozzan or balance. Balance leads to Ozzen or Harmony. These principles were taught by Kybela Loowa when she alighted on the high peak of the Fractured Isles during the storm that brought her to the Azura people.
Kybela Loowa perched there for weeks after she granted the Azura their transformation. While there she gave her audience everything they would need to flourish as a people after Her salvation.
The Azura that were in her presence were thereafter considered Fay Iznojin, or members of the priestly class. They undertook the task of proclaiming the wisdom of the Kybela Loowa to the Azura people and codifying Her words into a religion, government, and way of life.
The first Fay Iznojin elected from their number nine Cloud Mothers, or Honay Gan, to lead them and be the final arbiters of the words of the Kybela Loowa. These high priestesses serve a lifetime appointment. Their succession is determined by sitting Honay Gan, each of which chooses and grooms their replacement when they ascend to the Kaybela Loowa.
Before the Gan Aye Loowa, the Mother of Ravens was appointed as judge between the three Desee, the word of the Honay Gan was absolute. They spoke for the Kybela Loowa, and only they had Her wisdom.
When civil war threatened the Azura the Honay Gan consulted with Kybela Loowa for a solution. The Honay Gan, and for that matter, any Fay Iznojin, can ascend the tallest pinnacle they can find and commune with Kybela Loowa during a storm. The Azura believe that Kybela Loowa speaks most clearly through storms, just as she did when she saved the Azura people.
Although the Fay Iznojin carry the weight of religion and government in Azura culture and are powerful Desee in their own right, religion plays a limited role in the day-to-day life of the Azura. The temples of the Azura are beautiful marvels of engineering and design, they are never full of the faithful worshipping their savior Kybela Loowa.
For Her part, Kybela Loowa does not require the thanks of her people at all times. It is enough that Her people have followed her teachings and structured their culture and civilization accordingly.
Such is the nature of Kybela Loowa, who does not relish mass worship nor the lifting up of Her people’s voices. Instead, Kybela Loowa, a goddess of fate, would rather the faithful turn to her in everyday life. Whenever an Azura is faced with a choice, they are commanded by the Fay Iznojin to let fate decide. Every Azura carries a fate chip or block with them, flipping or rolling it to allow Kybela Loowa to determine their path forward.
This makes the Azura an interesting culture, in that when faced with a decision there is no research nor thought put into the matter. An Azura will simply pull the appropriate agent of fate from a special pouch they carry and let Kybela Loowa decide.
This does not mean that the Azura reject education or academics - quite the opposite. They will simply not let knowledge determine decisions for them - that is the domain of Kybela Loowa, and their worship to Her is to follow through with Her decision.

Geography

The Fractured Isles are as isolated as you can be in known Faelon. They are sea stacks made of Karst Limestone. They have varying heights, from sea level to nearly a run high. They vary in width widely as well, with some so large it would take days to cross on foot, and others that could be traversed in an hour.
Some of the sea stacks are covered in the same jungle that covers much of Izchak. Some of the stacks have appreciable farmland on them, spread over whatever flat surfaces the Lura Raha could work. Other areas are rocky pinnacles that can only be accessed by an Azura in flight.
The oceans surrounding the Fractured Isles are perilous. Most of them are very shallow, having been little more than the bottoms of caverns that collapsed in the meteor strike or the earthquakes that came after. All of them are rocky, with numerous sharp rocks just below the surface of the water that could easily sink a ship.
In the years that followed the disaster a vast mangrove forest grew up between the main continent and around the isles. These thick forests grow wherever the sea is shallow enough to support trees. While it is wondrous for the biodiversity of the islands, between the forest and the reef-like rocks it makes sailing ships between the continent and the islands nearly impossible.
This geographical isolation works both ways. While some Azura could fly off of the island and onto the mainland, they don’t due to the reception they received when they tried to reunite with the Izchan.
On the other hand, neither the Krai Jan nor the Traazorites that followed have been able to investigate the islands at all given they couldn’t get boats to it. Occasionally a Daklos scout will fly too close to the islands only to disappear and never find its way home.
The flora and fauna of the islands also add to its isolation. The mangrove forests that surround the Fractured Isles are overrun with giant saltwater parthgakas, shallow water monsters such as the Isklazarn, and even more dangerous predators that swim around the island. Populations of larger zarn were killed off long ago by the Azura, but smaller zarn are very common. They act as pets and even herd animals for the Azura.

Military

In the time before they became known to the world the Military - Kybela Izabichil - was a patrol and emergency strike force that roamed the outer perimeter of the Fractured Isles keeping a watchful eye for any interlopers that would destroy the Azura’s ages-old peace.
When an enemy - anyone that was not Azura - was found, the Storm Riders would attack without mercy and leave no survivors - no one to report that they had been set upon by giant birds that spoke with the tongues of men.
Normally, the Drowned Forest would do their dirty work for them. The Fractured Isles were far off any map and only the Empire-minded Traazorites would encroach on the area with any regularity. The endless mangrove forests covering the shallow oceans between Izchak and the Fractured Isles are full of voracious predators.
Only the smallest boats can fit through the maze of trees, and these boats are easy prey to the monstrous Parthgakas and other creatures that hunt the Drowned Forest.
Industrious Imperials and tenacious dolphin ships that managed to find their way around the Drowned Forest were hunted and attacked the Kybela Izabichil. Once an enemy was found, Strike Forces of overwhelming superiority called Akeen - Hunting Packs - were directed at the enemy.
This tactic worked for generations. Now, however, the Kybela Izabichil is in a state of transition. The military is scrambling to increase its numbers to see to the defense of the Fractured Isles that they are certain will soon be tested.
They are also aware that they need to project strength to the world and know of no better way to do that than to send out mercenaries to show just what the Azura are made of. These small groups of fighters called Akeem from their uses in the past, have gone out into Faelon to find work for other governments and mercenary armies to show the world that the Azura are not to be trifled with.
Azuran tactics are complicated. They use their speed and weapons to overwhelm an enemy before they can bring their weight to bear on them. Azura are not resilient creatures by nature, but they are fast and cunning.
Their ability to fly short distances, a blessing from Kybela Loowa, is used to its fullness in combat, where it is combined with Azuran weapons and tactics to make a formidable foe that uses fluid formations and tactics to best an enemy quickly.

Agriculture and Industry

Being a formerly isolationist people, the Azura economy was developed to take care of itself. The sea stacks and surrounding waters provided all the Azura needed, and what they didn’t know about, they didn’t need.
The Fractured Isles are brimming with natural resources. From mineral deposits and precious gems to family farmland and waters teeming with fish, the island provided everything needed by the Azura.
Farming and animal husbandry are common occupations by the Loowa Raha, with tropical fruits, wet grains such as rice and row crops commonly planted and harvested. Because of the tropical climate, farming is year-round and harvests bountiful.
Fish is a favorite of the Azura and any body of water is fished by them. Crustacean and fish farming are even becoming prevalent in the southern Isles where the drowned forest never took hold and such efforts are safer.
The craftspeople of the Azura are second to none, though they have adapted to creating goods for a species that shares both Chaler and bird traits.
Even then, the Azura have created an aesthetic and style to their jewelry, pottery, baskets, and other goods that are unique in Faelon. Their goods, just now coming to market, are eagerly sought after by consumers and collectors alike.