Esfarren (Es-'far-ehn)
Esfarren is an Archipelago united under the Empire of Esfarren, and is made up of 6 major islands, and a large number of smaller ones. The group of islands sits off the western coast of Dendarra, with some of the further islands actually off the edge of the "known world" map to the west (more sea in that direction). The population is is estimated to be between 10 and 12 million souls. Despite a few large, important, urban centers, the majority of the population is feudal/agricultural, with a clan based local infrastructure. The culture is fairly closed to outsiders, is structured both around the local family/clan, and the imperial court politics in different measures. The logistics of this balance is hard for outsiders to fully diagnose. The religion practiced by Esfarrens is one of the few in the Balliston that is not a part of the Church Universalis. It is primarily animistic, and is centered around ancient border sacrifices, and holy sites, which are demarcated by the use of symbolic "gateways." The population is highly religious, bordering on superstitious, with the many myths and customs often dictating daily decision-making and action. Local storytellers, known as "Ri'ado" (or literally "readers") exist within this this social and religious structure, and keep the myths and practices of the culture integrated into the daily lives of the population, to a breadth and degree that the many temples and priests would not otherwise be capable. The culture struggles with the dichotomy of animism against the feudalist order. Monks, Shogun, and Samurai abound, but so does the commoner who must exist in this climate, and the struggle between serving the spirits of the land (and therefore the priests/monks) and serving the sword of their local lord is common. The culture of Esfarren is patient and values skill and work that will extend beyond one’s self and outlive the artist.
Politically, the capital is Ojikunja, which is located on the Island of Kanjuhama. The Emperor lives in Ojikunja, and his council, which is made up of the highest ranking fuedal warrior-landlords, meets in the temple-council chambers in the center of the city on a monthly basis. The population speaks the language of Falhamman, which is written in a cuneiform-style writing system, and is syntactically similar to Talanth, but is phonetically very different and linguistically unrelated.
The scenic rice fields and volcanoes of Esfarren, along with its fascinating and relatively unexplored culture make it a desirable location for any historian from the eastern kingdoms to sojourn.
Type
Archipelago
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Related Ethnicities