Copoa
“Copoa”(kʌpoa), officially the “League of Copoa” is a sovereign archipelago nation off the south-east coast of Solum. Its borders extend the entirety of the Cupric Sea, and is ostensibly a vassal state of Vedea.
Copoa's terrain is chiefly volcanic tropical islands no larger than 10 miles in width. Copoa is a monarchy with no permanent fixture capital, instead its power projecting from an enormous floating dock on a permanent voyage around the island chain. The country's largest static center and primary commercial hub is Vallensport; other major urban areas include [Nameable Town F].
Inhabited since the peak of the Elyran Empire, Copoa was settled by Elyrans during the Age of Solitude and became independent after its collapse. Initially ruled by a collection of nomadic sailors the country would eventually forge into a monarchy under The Sailing Prince. The nation saw itself reform into a piracy capital for some two hundred years under the initial influence of Oyiba Nina, and its return to tranquility after the Slaughter of Vallensport. Recent events have seen the solidarity between Vedeans and Copoans come to a summit with the marriage of Sebastian Tusveld, the Sailing Prince, and Lily Voight, Daughter of the Vedean High Arcanum. Rumors have spread about the potential for a Vedean and Copoan unification, though neither governing body is willing to comment.
Geography
Landscape and Rivers
Primarily volcanic islands jutting from the Cupric Sea, the Copoan Islands are famed for their deceptively large mountains and dense rainforests. While possessing few permanent rivers the nation receives ample rainwater and implements numerous collection techniques.
Climate
Copoa has long been considered the 'Cupric Shield', blocking the Vedean coasts from the brunt of the Unbound Sea's wrath. Its eastern islands are known for powerful Summer storms that have all but proven Copoan sailors to be some of the most skilled under perilous conditions.
Nature and Wildlife
The wildlife of Copoa primarily subsists of perennial exotic bird populations and several species of wild boar. Its jungles are known to contain several dangerous insects (scholarly definitions aside) that have recently become a prized alchemical ingredient in the Brassic Isles. Its oceanic fauna prove to be more diverse, its shallow and warm waters supporting a myriad of sealife. The Copoan Crab is of particular note, a shallow-water crab known for its violet blood possessing healing properties.
History
Indeed in the past the Copoan's had a king, more commonly known as the Sailing Prince, but the weathering of time has reduced Copoa’s monarchy to little more than a cultural icon. For centuries the Sailing Prince acted more as a pirate lord, venturing from isle to isle claiming taxes and pressing islanders into service of the warfleet. The cycle of islands became clockwork to the fleet, and eventually the inclusion of the Vedean coast skyrocketed the wealth of the nomads to incredible levels. Oyibo Nina, the Sailing Prince of the Venom Skua was considered one of the fiercest Copoans of her time, opting to break the cycle of the warfleet and venture South. In 35 EC the Venom Skua was sighted off the coast of Ryesden, and the following two weeks would see the city pillaged to the last conduit before Oyibo vanished once again. The Venom Skua would reappear three years later, this time off Braunleigh and her name borne by a warship tenfold its former size. It too would be sacked and Oyibo would return to the cycle of the warfleet, now in her sailing palace and enacting a brutal rule over the Copoan isles until her death in 57 by poisoning.
The following years would see the Venom Skua renamed to the Osprey Palace, its renaming starting a still seen tradition on the ascension of a Copoan monarch. Ulo Nina, Oyibo’s heir would begin the domino effect that ultimately resulted in the pacification of Copoa. While the warfleet would continue to raid the coasts of Vedea, the Osprey Palace would continue its cycle through the isles in honor of its former captain’s life. At the conclusion of Ulo’s mourning voyage the warfleet was recalled to the isle of Vallenset, and its captains forced to swear fealty to Ulo by gifting him a third of their plundered Vedean goods. Ulo would last six days as prince of the warfleet before being stabbed and thrown overboard in the Cupric Sea. His daughter, then eight, was named Sailing Prince and the Osprey Palace would continue its grieving path until her twenty-fifth birthday when she would ascend to its helm. Now disarmed, the Sailing Prince would act as a cultural leader of the Copoan isles and the deck of its flagship turned into a floating port.
The warfleet, now under the command of Anso Govind, resumed its campaign against the Vedean shores. Vallenport would become the de-facto seat of power for the Copoan Islands, the armada continuing its raids along the Vedean and Elyran coasts under the command of the admiral. This would continue for the better part of two hundred years until 221, when the Vedean government officially declared war on the Copoan Isles and set its fleet upon Vallensport. The admiral at the time believed this to be a non-issue, the Vedeans were able sailors but still pale in comparison to the Copoans who were born on the sea. The Vedean's would unleash fifty Cutlass, seaworthy constructs, with the instructions to destroy Copoa - and six days later not a single beating heart could be found on Vallenset. The admiral’s fleet was captured or burned, and the Sailing Prince was reinstated as the leader of Copoa before the Vedeans returned to the mainland.
The following hundred years would be rocky, but forgiveness is the way of Copoa, and the mending between the two nations would begin. In the fifty years prior to this writing the Copoans and Vedean’s have developed one of the strongest alliances in all of Solum. The marriage between the current Sailing Prince and Vedea's First Daughter suggests the unification of the two nations under the Vedean banner once and for all.
Governance
Since the ultimate destruction of Copoa's military institution the political nature of Copoa has all but faded from memory. While a vague national identity remains, most Copoans feel more kinship with their local islanders than they do with the full chain. A sense of national pride typically spikes during and after a visit from the Isle of the Swan and the grand feasts and celebrations that occur. Recent Vedean political activity in the region has seen many islanders support official incorporation into its governing body, though independent factions do appear.
Law
Like their neighbors, the Copoans have primarily operated on a system of fines and exile for most of their history. After the pacification of Copoa things returned to a previous norm, the usage of elders and wise folk to lead the islands in times of trouble. When Vallensport repopulated, and [Nameable Town F] became sizable populations the Copoans adopted a demi-democracy in mimicry of their Vedean neighbors. The mayors of these two towns typically handle small matters as needed, and elect a small set of judges to help in assistance. With the looming vassalization by Vedea, the expectation is that Copoa will receive several members to elect to the High Chamber, though the implementation of Scribes remains uncertain.
Military
While the Floating Prince still maintains a small protective force during the voyage, Vedea has taken over the patrolling of Copoan waters for dealing with Venom sailors and other pirates. In the wake of the Edosian Civil War, the Floating Prince granted the Vedean government access to a bulk of the warships that had previously acted as the royal guard, as well as assisting in the construction of twenty more ships to add to their fleet. In exchange, the Vedean navy furthered its patrols of the Copoan Sea and now maintains two vessels guarding the Floating Prince. How this will change with Copoa becoming a vassal remains unknown at this time.
Notable Treaties
The Swan Song Marriage
In the hundred years since the Slaughter of Vallensport, Vedea has tried in earnest to repair the relationship it has with the neighboring island nation of Copoa. Wounds were slow to heal at first, and the Copoans met Vedean attempts at reconciliation with uncharacteristic coldness. The newly crowned Sailing Prince refused the Isle of Swan’s annual visit to [Nameable Town G] for some thirty years before his untimely demise in a storm off the coast of [Nameable Town F]. His heir, Sovanna Tusveld, inherited the Isle of the Swan and the march towards friendship between the two nations began as Vedea assisted in her repairs. For the last fifty years the two nations have grown ever closer, Sovanna even going so far as to add Braunleigh onto the Swan’s route.
It was there that Sebastian Tusveld met Lily Voight, and their relationship blossomed into one of romance. In 519, the Sailing Prince and Lily were married on the deck of the Isle of Swan just off the coast of Vallensport. Recent rumors suggest the final vassalizing of Copoa to Vedea, garnering it the name of the Swan Song Marriage.
Guilds and Organizations
Court of the Sailing Prince
The deck of the Isle of the Swan now acts as a forum of sorts, a performance space for crafters, artists, poets, and writers to present and discuss their trade. Faces come and go, some electing to stay in the host of the Sailing Prince for years and others passing through to meet like-minded folk to venture out into the world with. Those who have spent time in the bars, craft spaces, and smoky stages that fill the hull of the Swan are considered to be part of the Court of the Sailing Prince. For many Copoans it is considered standard affair to spend time as part of the court, but outside the isles it is considered the mark of a well-to-do artisan to have spent time in its company.
The Violet Opera Company / The Emerald Opera Company
The Court of the Sailing Prince is well known across the world, but the ability to encounter its craft-laden halls is a rare opportunity for few and an impossible one for most. In 449 the Sailing Prince announced the creation of the Violet Opera Company, a fleet of mercantile vessels built from his own coffers and tasked with traveling north along the East coast of Solum. Every port they encountered would become an extension of the Swan itself, and for three days the shining ships of the Violet Opera Company would perform the latest and greatest of the Swan’s artistry. These performers become exceptionally well known along the eastern coast of Solum, some rising to local fame and settling down in the cities they perform, the purple sails of the Opera Company disappearing on the horizon for another year. The Opera Company has been seen as far north as Dawnward, and in recent years another faction has formed from the fleet bearing vibrant green sails and disappearing across the Unbound Sea to perform. The Emerald Opera Company is currently based out of Fort Ophelian in Qairus and returns to Copoa once every five years.
The Venom
See Also: Elyra
Copoan skill at sailing is regarded as some of the finest in the land, rivaled only by the Jarl’s Navy in the Brassics. With the dissolution of the warfleet many mercenary sailors continued their work on Elyran vessels now plundering other Elyran settlements and periodically testing the waters of the Cupric Sea. The discovery of Summum opened up a unique opportunity for this lineage of sailors used to the brutal waters of the Simmering Sea. Illegal goods, bulkage of weaponry, and even the odd person seeking escape to (or more frequently, from) Summum blossomed into a thriving black market industry. While by a technicality the Venom is an Elyran syndicate, the Copoans found in its ranks still declare their heritage of piracy, and the reincarnation of the Venom Skua now lurks the waters of the Quillic Bay.
Economy
The people of Copoa reflect the isles themselves, as they too are constantly in a state of change. Sinking below the waves or emerging from the magmatic belches of Elyra’s furthest volcanoes, the islands stand elegant and beautiful against the drab Unbound Sea. Primarily due to the shielding of other isles, Vallenset and [Nameable Island F] have historically acted as the core trade hubs of Copoa. On the shores of Vedea at [Nameable Town G] the colorful sails of Copoan vessels can be seen every afternoon setting out from Vallensport, their goods arriving just in time for the night markets to open and the Copoan merchants to be besieged by gleeful buyers. In more recent years, Delset Isle has also blossomed into a primary trading port, its shores settled by the Stormseal and allowing Copoan goods to spill into Celenis and neighboring Krell.
People and Society
Copoan society is one of leisure and convenience. When faced with an immovable object, a Copoan could be found in a day or two with a sturdy hammock attached to it and a few pieces of art to liven the damnable thing up. The folk of Copoa live and breathe the salt spray air of their namesake isles, and while some may stay still for years at a time the yearn for new horizons is inherent to Copoan living. Always seeking new techniques and taking risks, Copoans push the limits of every craft to their absolute edge. When Copoan goods arrive on foreign docks they are met with puzzled interest, rapturous glee, or revulsion. The merchant will be jubilant regardless because she knows in five years they will be a main staple of this city’s style.
Norms
The ultimate nature of Copoan society is to embrace change and forgive the past, for one can only know the true shape of their soul if it has tried many forms. The average Copoan will leave their home island shortly after maturing, and won’t return to its shores for fifty to sixty years, if at all. In the first few years after leaving, a Copoan will typically find themselves in the vortex of ships trailing in the wake of the Isle of the Swan. A massive Junk bearing vibrant purple sails and a six-craft dock off its starboard side, the Isle of the Swan and its visiting ships are the true cultural center of Copoa. It is here, in the court of the Sailing Prince that most Copoans will find their life’s calling, and eventually venture away from the Sea of Songs.
Language
Copoan language is colorful and gentle, known for its ease of listening and extremely rich vocabulary. Many poets have opted to learn Copoan to better understand the complex and elegant verses that pour forth from its isles theaters. Were it not for the vibrant sails, a Copoan vessel would be easily identified by the chorus of song pouring from its sailors - so much so that foreign ports have given them the moniker of “Siren Fleets.” Early interaction with their Vedean neighbors proved difficult because of this. The Vedeans, while certainly no stranger to the arts, found the poetic wandering of Copoan to be difficult to interact with. Likewise, the Copoan’s found the dichotomy of Vedea’s gorgeous visual arts and their blunt language to be almost comical, referring to them as ‘rock-tongues’.
Culture
Among the Copoans, storytelling, singing, whittling and glass making are common, while mainlanders often tend gardens, take up painting, knit or crochet, or take up more traditional crafts as a hobby or side business. As such it’s rare that a Copoan doesn’t have something occupying their hands in the “between moments”, that life affords them.
While Copoa is an often politically overlooked nation of Solum, the Cupric Sea and the Copoan Isles are a cultural powerhouse of Solum: producing vibrant pottery, poetry, literature, and glassware that are praised across the entire continent for their quality. Many a epic work of song and verse was sung and penned upon the waves of ships plying the Cupric Sea, such that it is often referred to as the "Sea of Songs" by the more poetically inclined
Clothing
Similar to their mainland counterparts Copoans opt for loose fitting hot weather clothes to protect themselves from the harsh sun while remaining cool. Traditional clothing saw little outside of natural colors, but trade relations with Vedea has seen an explosion of colorful textiles emerging from Copoa.
Holidays
The conceptualization of holidays is somewhat difficult for Copoans, unsure of why a celebration should only occur periodically instead of as frequently as possible. That said, Copoa has fully adopted The Ember Light's holidays, as well as Vedea's Shimmering Night. A visit from the Isle of the Swan or the departure of a friend is also grounds for celebration.
Literature
In similarity to their true "sister-nation" of Thetlin, Copoa opts more for a rich oral history as opposed to one of writing. Vedean inclusions in the region has seen many oral traditions converted into text for printing, a fact that some islanders find uncouth.
Nation Info
Official Name: The League of CopoaCapital: Vallensport
Population: ~150,000
Government: Monarchy
Leader: Sebastian Tusveld
Leader Title: The Sailing Prince
Demonym: Copoan
Major Exports:
- Glass
- Fish
- Pottery
- Textiles
Military
- 10,000 Combatants
- Warships
- 1 Capital Ship
- 20 Warships
- Various Technicals
Breed Distribution
Religion Distribution
- 60% - The Ember Light
- 20% - The Tower
- 15% - The Highlord
- 5% - Other
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~ Dylan Thomas