Nila

A powerful kingdom that has grown markedly from the point where the first Makkali travellers arrived in the Archipelago. Nila is a remarkable place, in that it hosts the fiercely dominant and dogmatic Terehvani faith, whose strict precepts prohibit contact with artefacts of the Ancients. This attracts varied folk from all over the Archipelago, who are fearful of the reckless and sometimes disastrous effects of interactions with Ancient Structures - folk who are welcomed with open arms by the original Makkali settlers. Nila is governed by the Planestrider Dynasty, a noble family that has led the Makkal since before they arrived in the Archipelago.
The architectural styles favoured by the Makkali travellers are based on designs that were popular on their homeworld, millennia ago, and are well suited to the hot and humid climate of Nila. They favour brightly painted wooden structures, usually with tall peaked roofs that catch as much wind as possible, to cool the entire structure. Most houses are also built on stilts, providing safety from pests and smaller creatures, and the area under the house is often used as a shaded patio during the day. Natural fibres are often used to create the necessary waterproof roofs, and many different leaves, grasses and reeds are used - as well as wooden tiles. These houses can be sprawling affairs, connected by elevated walkways and patios, and are therefore most popular in villages, where they have the space to do so - and indeed, the Makkali have relatively few densely populated urban areas. Very few Makkali structures are left bare, and paints and lacquers are very popular, as are carvings depicting a huge variety of scenes, from landscapes to myths, and it is not uncommon to see their flowing script adorn lintels and pillars. While wood is the most common construction material in Nila, there are excellent stonemasons among the Makkal, and many larger structures such as Shrines, market squares and palaces are built from a large variety of local stone, often decorated with fine wood panelling and paint. Nilan cities are sprawling affairs, with vast parks, orchards and even farms incorporated into the city’s layout, and while some towns and cities are planned on grids, this is fairly rare, favouring instead an organic approach.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Neighboring Nations

• Bakish