Nations of the Golden Sea

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Nations of the Golden Sea

The Golden Sea is an inland sea bounded by the continent of Rubena. The Veasna Strait connects to the Northern Ocean. When the Vannan Empire was founded and expands their controls stretching from Vannan Island to shores of the Golden Sea, the Golden Sea began to be called Vannan Sea by the people. Their empire was entered on this sea and all the sea was full of commerce and cultural development. For the first time in history an entire sea was free of piracy. For several centuries the Golden Sea was surrounded on all side by the empire. The empire began to crumble and collapsed after it was invaded and destroyed by Noushans. The north-eastern, eastern and southern regions are still heavily depopulated, slowly recovering from the War. The only major island itself is Vannan Island positioned two hundred kilometres off the western shoreline. Ships tends to avoid the area since dark mists is ever present with mysterious flash flickering within it, day and night.

Taking up the mostly western shorelines are the two most powerful realms. Arjunan Empire and Sitaran Empire.

Arjunan Empire

After the fall of the Vannan Empire, many nations took advantages of power vacuum and took possession of these lands. However, a brilliant mercenary captain named Arjunan had a religious experience when fighting Noushans in employ of Vannans. Surrounded by deaths and ruthlessness by both sides, he promised his soul to anyone who can keep him and his men alive. His wishes was granted by mysterious deity named Shreya. He and his company managed to retreat from last major battle in the South toward the border. He was again then hired to fight another battle against someone else. Within generations, his descendent managed to crave an empire that spanned south-western region of Rubena and eventually took control of southern half of the Western coastline. It spanned from western shores of the Golden Sea to southern and western coastlines of Rubena, covering all of Nikhil lands apart from Sitaran Empire which they oppose vehemently.

They tend to be short and dark whose society's viewpoints are based around Castes. Women tend to wear garment called sari while men tend to wear kurta. Once there are countless deities in the Arjunan Empire but strict religious laws banned just worshipping them. The worship should be devoted to Shreya instead. Refusal tend to be fatally. Currently, the lands once ruled by Vannan Empire where the worship of Twin Deity of Sea are very common, are under heavy persecution by strict enforcement by Gods Watch.

Sitaran Empire

The sole survivor of the Nikhil nations after the arrival of Arjunan Empire overwhelming all other apart from them. Sitarans were one of main rival of Vannans and was able to assuming control of the northern half of the western shorelines. Unlike under heavy oppression by Arjunan Empire, religious tolerance are common. They wear same clothings as people within Arjunan Empire. Indeed, this is because they are of same people named Nikhil. With sole exception of the shorelines that once under control of Vannans in which they speak Vannan. They all speak Nikhil. It borders Arjunan Empire all the way to the western coastline of Rubena. As the Tuncayan realms do not want to see their lands invaded by Arjunan Empire. It is heavily supported by them.

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Tuncayan Realms

Long time ago, when Tuncayans was heavily threatened by the rise of the Noushans on the continent of Omid. Among the bloody conflicts between ancestors of Tuncayans and Noushans, the Oracle of the Holy Order of Taner knew they was doomed and at that time for the continent of Omid, Rubena was unknown. As last act of desperation, they took all their knights and soldiers along with the clergy and their families and fled westward, trusting in the power of Taner to lead them to new lands.

On it long journey, they encouraged many problems, and still, after hardship, they finally landed on the far north-western coastline of Rubena. Praising the Taner, they named the site of their landing as "Taner's Gift". They established a theocratic state, Holy State of Taner reigned by Oracle but ruled by the Grand Master of the Protectors. Beginning from northern port of Tanerhaven, it stretched from western and northern coastlines of Rubena to the Golden Sea.

But such as vast State could not last as the conflicts with Nikhils and rising Vannar Empire came to stalemate and it warlike people turned to itself, each desiring personal power. Among the hundred year rebellions and massacres, eight states risen from the ashes, only the smallest of them named Kingdom of Derya bordered the Golden Sea.

Holy State of Taner founded itself heavily reduced to over a tenth of the size it once was but Oracle still wield influence over the entire Tuncayan Realm within it churches and Protectors. During the War, seeing that Noushans approaching their borders did two things, first, personal plead from the Oracle generated mighty army whose aim was to drive out Noushans and secondly, sent out ships to west to find new lands.

They found it, another continent, named Burcu and Tuncayan Realms on the western and northern coastlines of Rubena have been very eager in their exploration. It is hard to say what greater danger that their ships face, storms or attacks by other Tuncayan ship belonging to other realm.

Men tend to wear tight fitting tunics, the men also wore undershirts and briefs covered by a sleeveless jacket and an additional tunic. Stockings completed the ensemble. Men's clothing also consisted of cloaks with a round opening that was slipped over the man's head. Such cloaks were worn over other clothing as a type of "jacket".

Women's clothing consisted of "kirtles", which were tunics worn to their ankles. These tunics were often worn over a shirt. When the women were in public, they often topped the tunics with an even shorter "kirtle." Married women wore tight-fitting caps and nets over their hair, which was wound in a "bun" on their heads. Other women wore veils over their hair, which was left either hanging loosely, or braided tightly.


Derya

Derya is small but wealthy kingdom that prospered from trade routes from the Golden Sea into inner lands of Tuncayan Realms. It King during the War saw an chance to expand his border to the north-western coastline and entered among the War, fighting their ancestor's ancient enemies. The Blessful Army, inspired by Oracle's plead certainly helps as fodders in battles with Noushans. Derya managed to capture few Vannar cities, saving them and opening their links with the Golden Sea.

Seeing potential in these rich cities, the King agreed to respect their small measure of autonomy and reaped rewards as results.

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Vannan Realms

Shards of once vast Vannan Empire that spanned the whole of Golden Sea, they risen from the ashes of the War. Indeed, all these cities once settled as colonies from Vannan Island in the distant past, before conquered by the Vannan Empire and lastly, rebuilt by survivors of the War. They covered the southern, north eastern and eastern regions. The following nations in the south that washes upon Golden Sea, Phirun, Sothy, Chantrea and Dara. On the northern shores, however, there is Pich, Samnang and Chenda.

There are various difference between all these nations but they all have two things in common, they share same cultural background and religion. Their clothings tend to be loose fitting. Both men and women typically wore sleeveless tunics. The women’s tunics were usually ankle length, while the men’s were shorter. For the common person, the color of cloth was plain. Richer people had their clothing dyed in various colours. They tend to wear jewellery. Women favoured long hair, it is sign of nobility to have longer hairs. Only slaves have shaved hairs.

They often mourned the "Golden Age" before the terrible war that virtually destroyed them as unified political body. Still, that does not stop them to dream.

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Tirtan Jungle

A massive jungle that lined three thousand kilometres eastern shores of the Golden Sea. The islands off these coastlines are haven for these ships since there are often dastardly stories on what happen to these ships that dared to land onto these shores.

The native population within the Jungle worshipped Tirta as God and Goddess and tend to take terrible revenges on the strangers. Still, there is a safe place for the foreigners, the River itself and the City in the deep Jungle where there are trades between them.

From them, great and valuable goods such as drugs and species are sold for great profits for outside merchants. The entire population of the Jungle worshipped Tirta as Goddess. Her symbols is the purple and black tigers.

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Kingdom of Harta

A country located in Veasna Strait. The Kingdom includes the island of Harta, northern and southern shorelines of Veasna Strait and many smaller islands within the Golden Sea.

Prior to the War

Vannan traders have been meeting Tirtans on island of Harta without a formal permanent settlement. Founded by merchant adventurers from Vannan Islands, Harta quickly developed into an trading station at the farthest eastern extension of the Vannan civilisation. It was a natural post first for the trade of the Tirtan Jungle, second for the trade of the Golden Sea, ringed with Vannan dominated cities, and third for trade from the impenetrable Omid continent. It prospered for three centuries before the arrivals of Noushans.

The War

When Noushans arrived at the gates of the city, they began the siege. Noushans took the city on fifth day and executed every soldiers that fought them. Even worse, people of Harta were ordered to evacuate and assemble outside the city, where they were killed and pyramids of severed heads raised as the symbol of Noushan victory. The survivors managed to flee and went into the Tirtan Jungle which they managed to remained hidden for another twelve years, occasionally attacking occasional scout forces that went up the Tirta River .

As the first major city to fallen to Noushan, they made it as centre of command for their armies and bit by bit improve ruined city of Harta. At the end of the war, they absconded from the city, leaving behind over three hundred burial mounds on the island, graves of their officers who died in the War.

After the War

On hearing that Noushans left the continent, the leader of the survivors knew that they must take Harta back before any other realms attempt to seize it. Cautiously, with help from Tirtans, they arrived at the harbour of Harta and to their delight, it was empty and they settled. The leader, knowing that the Vannen Empire no longer exist and declared himself as King, ruler of Harta. His direct descendent still rules the Kingdom. To thanks Tirtans for their aids and supports, he ordered a contribution of large temple to celebrate the glory of Tirta with two large statutes of black and purple tigers. Thus putting Twin Deity of Sea and Goddess of Tirta on equal footing and to this day, honour them equally. The allowance of Vannans to accept another deity is hard but doing so, it opened up floodgate for other temples to be built spanning from Nikhil Gods to Taner.

Overtime, the Harta wishing to control both sides of Veasna Strait went on to take control of the three different Northern cities individually and peacefully. The control of Southern cities was proving to be difficult as four southern cities was settled by Kingdom of Chantrea. It took an expensive war to conquer them and assimilate them within the Kingdom.

With the borders of Harta far away from the island itself, the Kingdom prospered very well from everlasting flows of trade. Across the Golden Sea, the City of Harta became legendary for it wealth and richness. Still, to defend themselves from piracy requires a considerable fleet.