Kina Vora
"You better keep your pockets lined when dealing with the Voran; you never know when you'll need to buy your way out of a tough spot." -Voran smugglerA vastly untamed jungle surrounds the few civilized pockets throughout the recently established colony of Kina Vora. The land is dotted with ancient temples and populated with exotic animals, making travel through anything but the established routes perilous. The corrupt local government, under the auspices of the Republic of Saloria, continues to enslave the native goliath population, making use of forced labor to strip Vorthal of its natural resources.
Geography
From the Lieori Mountains, Kina Vora appears to be an endless green canopy reaching over the horizon. The jungle trees stand hundreds of feet above the thick vegetation growing on rolling hills with basins that fill from the buckets of rain that falls in the region each day. The Great Vorthali River follows the terrain north-east, flooding the flatter regions during autumn months, and spills with a massive delta into the East Sea. The coastal areas are largely flat and less forested, instead holding large sandy beaches or lush grasslands.Demographics
Although not considered Voran citizens, due to their enslavement, goliaths make up a sizable portion of the Kina Vora population, nearly 50 percent. The majority of Vorans are either elf or human, although there is a significant dwarf minority.
Class division is a significant issue in Kina Vora, but has proven difficult to address because of corruption on almost all levels of the colony's government. Perhaps worse is the enslavement of the native goliath population, the legality of which is currently being questioned in Saloria.
Government
Kina Vora is assigned a governor to "overlook the development of the local population and responsible extraction of local resources for the greater benefit of Saloria". Loose interpretation and blatant ignorance from the eastern republic resulted in a government that enslaves the local goliath population in "re-education internment camps", in which they are worked in mines or lumber collection. The current governor, Dria Virhan, has been accused many crimes including rigging local mayor elections and murder.
Industry & Trade
"You're complaining about latrine duty like you would rather work in the mines." -Salorian Knight to a Voran GuardThe main exports of Kina Vora are gold, silver, and lumber. The slave labor used by the Voran makes these trades particularly lucrative because of the dangers involved with each; in the forest, the normally reclusive dryads will often become violent due to the rapid destruction of their home and the mining will occasionally rouse a Vorthali Worm. Salorian law prevents Kina Vora from trading its mineral resources, but instead may send them to the homeland for compensation. While skilled labor, such as smithing or carpentry, is always in high demand, the extreme use of slaves has reduced jobs for unskilled labor to nearly none, the few available being provided by those who are against slavery. Most Vorans work as clerks, merchants, or in the hospitality industry.
Guilds and Factions
Governor's Elite Guard
The governor's word is law in Kina Vora, and when he needs his law enforced, he calls upon his Elite Guard. These Salorian soldiers are notorious for corruption, letting smugglers work in the shadows in exchange for coin and harassing legitimate merchants for not paying a "protection tax". In reality these guards are as corrupt as the governor they answer to.Wayfinders
The Wayfinder Guild in Kina Vora is the only one on Vorthal, and has only recently opened. The guild has expanded quickly, however, due to the high demand for safe passage through the Vorthali Forest, both by Voran transports and civilian merchants.History
The first ship from Saloria to land on Vorthali shores did so in 1214 just north of the Vorthali River delta. After establishing a small sustainable camp, Vora, they sent their fleet of four ships to return to Saloria. Those who stayed explored deeper into the grand forest and encountered the native goliath population.
The relationship between goliaths and Salorians was terrible from the start. The old goliath tribes were notoriously territorial, in constant competition with each other over superfluous land, and the Kiihap did not appreciate foreign beings on their shores. They raided the then unsuspecting Salorian camp during the day, something the new settlers were greatly unprepared for, given their previous understanding that lands south of Raadosenn were uninhabited. Even still, the tribals were outmatched by Salorian steel, and though the sailors' loses were few, Saloria never forgot this first impression the goliaths made.
Vora slowly expanded into the massive forest, acting as a port for future expansion projects and as host of the many loggers who had found a new source of exotic lumber. Soon a group of explorers would find the Great Vorthali river and follow it to its springs, discovering in them gold. Vora already had the characteristics of a labor camp, but the finding of gold resulted in the small settlement exploding outwards, building as quickly as new hands could arrive.
Camps would need to be built closer to the gold's source, but first the native population and their frequent raids would have to be quelled. The Saloria Navy transported 8000 men led by General Felund Lopsi, who quickly deployed his soldiers to the outskirts of Vora. The goliaths knew the terrain well and had the advantage of how to fight in the thick jungle, but the veteran Salorians and their advanced weapons proved to be decisive as Lopsi pressed his troops from village to village. Any goliath left alive was taken captive, moved towards the labor camps, and forced to aid in everything from construction to mining, logging or farming, depending on the camp.
Recently, the freshly constructed strip mines have undergone several riots and escape attempts from the goliath population, albeit unsuccessful.
Type
National Territory
Population
~150000
Inhabitant Demonym
Voran
Location under
Owning Organization
Cities
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