Sokani Archipelago
Infusions: horse, turf
Four large, rich and grassy islands in the western Nidari Reach, which have a great deal of political, military, and trade influence. believed by local mythology to be the footprints of a gigantic horse who charged across the land long ago, they have an intense equine infusion that leaves an impact on the landscape, creatures and people. Their most iconic inhabitants, and the source of their import, are the Sokani horses that can run on water. They have been harnessed to carry amphibious cavalry, and to pull skiffs against prevailing currents. As such, they are prized far beyond even the Reach.
Politically, the ancient royal line of Sokani works to ensure their position within the politics of the Reach and its surrounds by constantly shifting alliances to ensure no party becomes dominant. They are particularly keen on placing and hosting ambassadors.
Deep in the central pool between the islands is a mysterious settlement sacred to the anglerfish-infused.
The Turf-Trolls are the oldest inhabitants of the island, and form the farming class of society. They have their own distinct culture, still unassimilated after thousands of years to before the horse-infusion of the area. They still used the old name for the islands, Skowan, and in many ways have their own distinct culture.
Majority of the population are serfs.
Turf-Troll Architecture: thatch or turf roofs, grass-bundle walls reinforced with wood and covered with mud. buildings are often semi-submerged, with roofs meeting the ground and dug-out doorways. houses tend to be dark, cramped, and humid, but warm and homely. sunning spots (raised earthen mounds) are used as community gathering spots."look half-consumed by the landscape."
Centaur Architecture: tall wooden posts support wooden roofs, often hexagonal. wooden slatted walls can be raised or lowered as required by the weather. furniture is minimal; storage is achieved by hanging ropes from the rafters. designed to minimise feeling of enclosure; walls only added where required. larger buildings can be formed of tessellated shapes; in wealthier cases, servants' quarters (for humanoids) are located above ground level, just below the shallow-pitched roofs. smaller "privacy shelters" exist away from the settlements (which tend to be quite spread out as-is) although the Centaurs are not a bashful people.
Sokani architecture: influenced by Alzig, based around the rounded arch. Often live communally in large circular buildings.
The Vonch:
The biggest festival of the year, and famous across the reach as the grandest driving-out ceremony of all, the Vonch is a sowing festival and takes the form of a grand party held in the largest hall or square in each area of the islands. After a month of abstinence for sowing. The ostensible religious purpose is to offend, enrage, frighten or distract the god playing the current role of Salt/Blight, with crude songs and poems, bawdy plays and sculptures, public sex acts, stunts of eating and drinking and combat and athleticism, preparing foul-smelling and –tasting food and drinks, and other general debauchery. This starts off going anticlockwise around the space, but inevitably order soon collapses. Immense amounts of alcohol are consumed, generally uncasked from the time the god was in the role of Sun, 10-13 years previously. Sun symbols, especially brass-backed torch-mirrors with fierce-faced suns on them. While outsiders are welcome, they are not accommodated, and community is the heart of the experience.
Questions:
- do Centaurs breed true? how many are there - just the 25,000-odd suggested by the demographics? what about horse-lords?
- where did the Sokani settlers come from? Giteri, Lacrestand? and when did this colonisation happen?
Geography
There is little climatic variation between the islands, which are uniformly wet, mild, and with moderate seasonality. Though the lands is small and rural, it is intensely farmed and has a fairly high population.
the majority of the land is fairly level grasslands, with sandy beaches and small copses. In the centre of the islands, the land rises into low, mist-shrouded mountains, with crags of exposed granite jutting from among the grass like horses' manes.
The archeplago is made up of four main islands, totalling some 200,000 square kilometres:
- Eblis (southwest): has the highest population of Turf-Trolls. It is also the most rebellious island, and for this reason is dotted with forts to help control the populace. The viceroy's residence, Shreetoi, is a great square fortress set beside a bridge over the Lort, the largest river on the island - a major impediment to movement for the water-shy Skowan.
- Oshoi (northwest): most mountainous. this island has a more intense horse-infusion than the others, with a higher proportion of centaurs and more equine elementals. the local horses tend to be more hardy mountain varieties then long-legged runners or strong drafthorses. the Viceroy's residence, Mistcrag, stands at the head of a long mountain valley that is otherwise unreachable. the valley is cultivated into a wonderful garden, with many Turf-Trolls employed as gardeners. it is comfortable and secure, but fairly isolated.
- Stoi (northeast): largest and most populous. it is also home to the largest city on the islands, Iero (pop. 50,000), as well as the largest military bases. it also produces the best horses for riding. the viceroy's residence, The Awl, is a complex in the middle of Iero, and is named after the tall and slender tower that is visible throughout the city. a giant bust of the current monarch by The Lightcager stands in the public-facing courtyard.
- Eloguin (southeast): smallest, flattest and wettest. instead of central mountains, has marshy/mossy fells. Has 15 gods rather than 13. generally thought of as a little odd/backwards/simple compared to the others. the Viceroy's residence, Epito Sands, is located on a rock amidst a large tidal-flats region, reachable at high tide only by ship or Sokani Horse. it is among the most impregnable of the palaces, but among the least comfortable.
- Shreetoi
- River Lort
- Mistcrag
- Iero - which coast is it on - inside or outside?
- The Awl: constructed between 260-210LF by Alzig glass-mages in thanks of support for the coup of the Alzig throne, a 150-foot tower composed of fine stone archways filled with large glass panels, with a bulbous base and a long, tapering tip that has no floor, into which items are winched on long ropes. this transparent structure has been put to many purposes over the years: an observation/spy platform; a place for the monarch to live where their health is beyond dispute; a display platform for wealth, messages, exibhits or entertainments; and to hold prisoners and show executions (this last being where the name "the awl" comes from - "skewered on the awl"). Upkeep of the large glass panes is very expensive, and in harder times they are replaced with oil-shell, fabric sheets, or wooden boarding. In this way, the Awl stands as a symbol of the state of the Sokani Crown itself. bamboo poles are used to clean the outside - are they Bamboo Dowo? long cleaning poles and anchors in the stone.
- Coursers' Court: a notable tavern in Iero, primarily serving the Shire centaurs that work at the docks. located in a smallish square near the seafront, the large establishment is formed (in the centaur style) from four interlocking hexagons in a triangular formation. the downstairs is a single level; drinks can be served, and payment taken, by means of platforms lowered on ropes from the humanoid-manned upper level. a far nicer establishment than the Dockers' meagre salaries can normally afford, it is run by the Coursers, an organisation of dockworkers who have connections with organised crime. the smugglers know that they need to keep the dockworkers on-side for their operations to function, and funding the Court assures their popularity. the entire setup emulates - in an inaccurate manner - the courts of the old horse-lords. proprietor is a 1-armed (or 3-legged?) centaur, a former dock-worker and senior Courser.
- Epito Sands
Fauna & Flora
iconic creatures:
- various horse-shaped elementals of water, stone, earth and plant - short-lived and transient
- water-running horses
- centaurs
- hippocamps
- dog-headed horses (whippets)
- tiny horse-mice
Alternative Name(s)
Skowan
Type
Archipelago
Location under
Included Organizations
Owning Organization
Related Ethnicities
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