The Ivory Kingdoms

[Vutall]

The Ivory Kingdoms
Located south and west of Rokugan, the Ivory Kingdoms are a sprawling, shifting mosaic of hereditary monarchies, religious territories, and city-states supposedly united under a single ruler, the maharaja. In reality, this ever-changing patchwork of political entities, upon which is superimposed a complex and equally inconstant montage of cultures, religions, and languages, mostly pays only lip service to the maharaja’s rule. The result is a long history of strife, ranging from subtle intrigue to open warfare. Various ethnic, cultural, and religious groups rise to great power and prominence before succumbing to both internal and external forces and enemies and then falling back into obscurity. Currently, the Ivory Kingdoms are enjoying a period of relative stability and peace, but all know that this is unlikely to last.

Geography
Geography affects the locations of settlements, agriculture, transportation, and just about every other aspect of a civilized society. The following sections describe the geographical context of the Ivory Kingdoms.

General Geography
The Ivory Kingdoms are broadly defined by an expanse of gently rolling plains, bordered on three sides by the ocean, a massive mountain range to the north, and by thick, swampy forests to the northeast. Where the northern borders are not defined by rocky mountains, the fertile plains give way to salt flats, which themselves finally dwindle into the rocky barren wastelands and desert of the Burning Sands. The central interior of the Ivory Kingdoms is dominated by the Sonagiri or “Golden Mountain,” a massive plateau thrust out from the northern mountains until it ends at a mountain range that dominates the center of the Ivory Kingdoms region.

Little is known about the lands beyond the northern mountains, a range known as Shaktimaan Deevaar, the Mighty Wall. The tremendously rugged terrain, extreme altitude, and hostile, rapidly-changing weather means the Shaktimaan Deevaar is effectively impenetrable. This has benefited the Ivory Kingdoms, as invasions from the north have been confined to entering through the salt flats that exist where the Shaktimaan Deevaar ends, themselves little more hospitable than the mountains

On the eastern border, however, the situation is very, and grimly, different. The terrain in the northeast is low‡lying and poorly drained. This, together with a generally warmer and wetter climate, has resulted in a lush expanse of thick, tangled rainforest. Unfortunately, this region of rainforest separates the Ivory Kingdoms from the southernmost reaches of the Shadowlands, the evil realm encroaching on the southern border of Rokugan. This has spawned a nightmarish realm indeed—to the Ivory Kingdoms, this is the haunted realm known as the Ghostlands. South of the Ghostlands, on the Ivory Kingdoms’ eastern coast, a great river irrigates the land of a host of independent cities and villages, many of which are rich with trading partners from foreign lands.

The southern tip of the Ivory Kingdoms is defined by a great swampy delta, sheltered on one side by a small mountain range and on the other by a thick man‡grove forest. This is the domain where the naga serpent folk are most numerous, and where their culture dominates. Due to the rich and fertile soil in and around the forest that lines the western coast and wide south-flowing river, many kingdoms have built themselves up in this region, making the interactions between the naga and humans one of cordial allies rather than insular neighbors.


Rivers and Other Water Features
Drainage through large stretches of the Ivory Kingdoms is limited, resulting in wet, low-lying lands, particularly at the southernmost coast. Many of these wetlands host small lakes, and act as the source of a number of sluggish, winding rivers. These are dwarfed, though, by three great rivers traversing the Kingdoms. The Himapaat, or Snow River, rises in the mountains lining the southern edge of the Sonagiri plateau, flows northward across fertile plains of the plateau itself, then tumbles down a long series of majestic waterfalls and torrential rapids into the southern lowlands. Another river descends from those mountains, the Heeratand. This river, slow-moving and wide, meanders southward through broad, fertile flood‡plains to the ocean. An immense delta completes these great waters’ journey to the sea, with dozens of shifting watercourses winding among boggy islands thick with reeds, grasses and mangrove swamps. Amidst this delta rises the ancestral kingdom of the naga, giving it a reputation of mystery and magic. A third great river, the Nadati, rises in the Shadowlands-haunted forests of the Ghostlands on the Kingdoms’ northeastern margin and flows south through a fertile plain, emptying into the ocean on the Ivory Kingdoms’ rockier eastern coastline. The Pillars of Purity keep these waters from spreading Taint to the rest of the Ivory Kingdoms ­

Climate
Climate varies greatly across the Ivory Kingdoms. Overall, warmer and wetter weather prevails in the south and east, with a steady progression to a drier and cooler climate as one proceeds north and west. Accordingly, the southern Kingdoms are generally tropical\ hot and muggy through most of the year, and particularly wet during the monsoon season in the summer and autumn, when frequent, drenching rainstorms roll in from the ocean. To the east, this heavy precipitation combines with the persistent heat and poorly drained topography to promote lush growth in the Ghostlands’ rainforest.

Away from the ocean, the amount of rainfall diminishes. The Sonagiri plateau still receives considerable amounts of rain, but only a fraction of that drenches the southern coastal plains. North of the plateau, rainfall becomes infrequent, relying on rivers flowing through the Shaktimaan Deevar and Sonagiri to provide irrigation. Unlike the physical features that define the Ivory Kingdoms’ other borders, the point at which rainfall becomes so scarce that no crops can be reliably grown is effectively the northern border.

Vegetation and Wildlife
Just as the climate progressively varies across the Ivory Kingdoms, so too does the vegetation. Along the seacoast, and particularly in the great delta of the Heeratand River, saltwater marshes and swamps are common, lush with grass, reeds, and thick, tangled stands of mangrove. Ferns and flowering plants such as orchids, hibiscus, and myrtle are also common.

West of the great delta, and northward along from the coast, mangrove gives way to a more varied array of trees, including many different types of palm, as well as teak, mahogany, kapok, gum and rubber trees, and a riot of vines, ferns, and flowering shrubs. Similar trees make up the Ghostlands, but unfortunately, most of that area is polluted by the malign influence of the Shadowlands. The result are trees and plants that are corrupted and twisted into baleful and sometimes even malign versions of their original types.

North of the Sonagiri plateau, the character of the vegetation changes again, with plants tolerant of drier conditions—mainly various types of grass, but also cedar, acacia, ash, eucalyptus, and some pines becoming common. In the far north, beyond the salt flats, these give way to patchy, scrubby grass, heat‡hardy plants like agave and yarrow, and even some types of cactus

While the staple crops of the Ivory Kingdoms are predominantly rice, wheat, and millet, many of the wild plants above have been cultivated. Sugarcane, cotton, tea, and many types of fruit are also grown, while pine and cedar in the north, and teak, mahogany, and bamboo in the south, are harvested for their lumber

A strikingly diverse array of animals and birds is native to the Ivory Kingdoms. Notable among them are elephants, monkeys, several species of great cats such as tigers and leopards, rhinoceroses, boars, and several types of wild cattle. Some of these creatures are of great cultural significance in the Ivory Kingdoms.


Culture and Politics
It would be a monumental task to list and describe every ethnic, cultural, political, and religious group in the Ivory Kingdoms. Not only is there a large number of them, but many of them overlap in all but relatively minor ways. Moreover, they change over time, many of the smaller ones appearing, evolving, and disappearing in a complex response to events in the Kingdoms. This repeating cycle of rise, unification, stability, stag‡nation, fragmentation, and fall not only is a fundamental characteristic of Ivory Kingdoms society, but also has been a major driver of social change throughout their history.

That said, there are ­depending upon who is asked) eight to ten major factions or kingdoms, each united by some combination of geography, culture, politics, and religion. Each is nominally ruled by a monarch known as a rajah, but over time, the actual leadership of these kingdoms has varied between individual sovereigns, ruling councils, religious leaders, and even, in a few cases, mercantile guilds. The multitudinous smaller factions are likewise led by various individuals and groups, some of which are dynastic, while others have assumed leadership through great charisma, clever scheming, or even outright violence.

Ruling over all of these various factions—at least, in theory—is the maharajah, a supreme ruler with lordship over the entirety of the Ivory Kingdoms. In the closest Rokugani analog, the various rajah are similar to clan champions, while the maharajah corresponds to the Emperor. However, the Empire’s Celestial Order offers much more detail and clarity regarding the social hierarchy than does the Ivory Kingdoms’ caste system, so what is a clear lord-vassal relationship in Rokugan is much more diffuse and fractious in the Kingdoms.


Commonalities
Despite the complex and fractionated nature of the Ivory Kingdoms’ political and cultural landscape, there are some definite points of commonality among the Kingdoms.

Foremost among these is language. There is, in fact, a multitude of languages and dialects used throughout the Ivory Kingdoms it is claimed that in the great city of Bhavyatapura alone, one may know a hundred languages and still meet those whose tongue one cannot understand. However, there is one common language, Ivinidi, that is spoken by virtually everyone in the Ivory Kingdoms, at least to some degree. While Ivindi has numerous regional dialects, an ancient and standardized written form is used for most important religious and political documents and texts

Another commonality in the Ivory Kingdoms involves spirituality. While the people of the Ivory Kingdoms practice a multitude of religions, all generally recognize some aspects of the natural world as spiritually important. For example:

-The tallest of the mountains bordering the Sonagiri plateau to the south, known as Divyagiri, or Heavenly Mountain, is recognized throughout the Kingdoms as a sacred place. Variously, divine beings dwell upon its summit or deep within it, or it forms a passage to the Heavens, and only those pure enough of spirit being able to climb it.

-The three great rivers—the Heeratand, the Himapaat, and the Nadati—all play a central role in the spiritual life of the Kingdoms. One prominent belief is that because they both flow from the mountain range surrounding the Heavenly Mountain, the Heeratand and the Himapaat represent the divine and secular journeys of mortals through life respectively, with one leading toward a region of mystery and the other toward the heart of civilization. Meanwhile, the Nadati, which rises from the Ghostlands and must be constantly purified by the Yodha, metaphorically represents the separate path of constant struggle against evil and temptation.

-Elephants are treated with great respect, and even reverence, throughout the Ivory Kingdoms. They are sometimes used both for work and for war, but their handlers insist the beasts are invited to do so and may refuse if they wish. Likewise, tigers are revered for their power, agility, and cunning, and they are widely seen as the embodiment of an ideal nature that humans can only aspire to achieve.

-The Ghostlands are reviled in virtually every corner of the Ivory Kingdoms. Again, details differ from place to place and faction to faction, but the Ghostlands are generally seen as the realm of evil itself, as a place of entry into it, or as a cautionary reflection of it in the mortal world


Important Factions
Currently, there are five Ivory Kingdoms factions that have risen in prominence and power above the rest. Given the history of the Kingdoms, this is unlikely to last, of course: some or all of these will eventually decline, new ones rising in their place. These most influential factions are:

-The Sheelavaan of Bhavyatapura are currently enjoying a period of relative unity, thanks to a somewhat shaky alliance among the most powerful of the district factions in the great city. It would be overstating things to say that the entire city is united behind these factions, but the ruling council they have formed represents a sufficient aggregate of wealth, power, and influence to give the Sheelavaan of Bhavyatapura a great deal of sway in Ivory Kingdoms’ politics.

-The Mukka, or “Fist,” is a fundamentalist religious group intent on spreading its particular beliefs throughout the Ivory Kingdoms and beyond. The most devoted adherents of the Mukka are generally found among the lowest-ranking social caste. They see the growing influence of the Mukka as a way of improving their lot in life while remaining devoted to most of the more widespread religious beliefs in the Kingdoms—albeit a harsh and uncompromising interpretation of them.

-The Saamrajya, an ancient, hereditary monarchy, is believed to be one of the oldest—perhaps the oldest—of the Ivory Kingdoms, and the only one that remains substantially unchanged from its earliest days. Most notably, the rulership of the Saamrajya has remained in the same family throughout its entire history. The Maharaja, the titular leader of the Ivory Kingdoms, is also the ruler of the Saamrajya.

-The Tajir, which translates simply to “Traders,” are a relatively new faction that consists of a number of wealthy merchants and mercantile houses. They have united under a samaaj, or guild, that leverages the members’ collective wealth and commercial relationships to influence Ivory Kingdom politics. To date, they have been so successful that the Saamrajya is rumored to have entered into secret negotiations with the Mukka—two groups that should naturally despise one another—to find a way to blunt the burgeoning power of the Tajir.

-The naga are an ancient species of serpent folk who predate the rise of human civilization. In Rokugan, the naga are little more than myth; in the Ivory Kingdoms, however, they live openly and, generally, in harmony with their human neighbors. While naga can be found throughout the Ivory Kingdoms, their ancestral seat of power rests at the heart of the swampy delta which the Heeratand becomes. This city—which would be barely recognized as such by most Rokugani—rests above and below the surface of the swamp, with fortresses of hardwood and coral and buildings too tall and narrow to have been constructed by human architects. They are a powerful faction in their particular areas of interest, but these areas usually have little to do with human affairs. Only when human activities begin to intrude on the naga do they speak up—and the people of the Ivory Kingdoms, regardless of their particular culture or politics, generally listen and then accede.


Specific Regions
While many regions in the Ivory Kingdoms could be considered of great interest and potential importance, there are two that are particularly prominent.

Layout
Located in the midst of the fertile plains atop the immense plateau known as Sonagiri, Bhavyatapura is a huge metropolis that has, over the course of many centuries, absorbed a variety of smaller cities, along with many towns and villages. It extends for many miles along the great river known as Himapaat, and for many miles back from both banks of the river.

There Is No Map
Given its size and complexity, it is not feasible for there to be an accurate map of Bhavyatapura. It is an extremely crowded and urban environment, and a person would be very unlikely to ever see more than a small and localized part of the city at any one time.

One striking attribute of Bhavyatapura is the extent to which it works as a city, despite its monumental size and chaotic nature. Rokugani cities work as well as they do because they are generally quite orderly and very heavily regulated—and yet, cities in the Empire are still rife with crime, strife, and corruption. Bhavyatapura is far larger than any Rokugani city; moreover, being a largely incidental merging of preexisting settlements, it is generally much less orderly and organized, with no lack of criminal enterprises and corrupt officials. And yet, despite its apparently chaotic character, Bhavyatapura is actually a stable, very cosmopolitan, and extremely prosperous city. It is the most important center of trade in the Ivory Kingdoms, and the constant movement of wealth through the city gives it enormous political clout

The people of Bhavyatapura have found solutions to the unique problems they face. For example, following a series of devastating outbreaks of disease, the city authorities eventually determined that the culprit was contaminated water supplies that affected entire neighborhoods. Accordingly, over one hundred years ago, a series of strict protocols intended to safeguard the security and cleanliness of water supplies was enacted, and a system of sewers was constructed to channel waste into the Himapaat well downstream of the most heavily populated portion of the city. There have been no significant outbreaks of disease since.

While the size and population of Bhavyatapura have been estimated by the appropriate authorities among the Sheelavaan, it is unlikely that they could ever be determined definitively. Not only are the boundaries of the city somewhat unclear, but there is no effective way of conducting an accurate census of such a large population of disparate people.

Since Bhavyatapura has essentially accreted over time from numerous preexisting settlements, the city has no clear division into areas or quarters the way Rokugani cities do. For example, a Rokugani city generally has an area in which most samurai live; another devoted to temples, shrines, and other religious buildings and activities; another focused on commerce; and so on. Bhavyatapura, on the other hand, has at least ten important centers of religious observance in different areas, six having been incorporated into it from cities it absorbed and four having developed in the years since.

Instead, the most important subdivision of Bhavyatapura is into districts known as Nirga. Each Nirga roughly corresponds to the former boundaries of a large town or city that has been absorbed into Bhavyatapura. These predecessor cities were surrounded by walls built for defense and for controlling access and trade. Most of these old walls still remain in place, dividing Bhavyatapura into the series of Nirga that figure so prominently today. It is generally accepted that there are fifteen Nirga, but even this seemingly simple figure is controversial disputes over the exact boundaries of some of the Nirga mean that, by some reckonings, there could be as many as twenty-one or as few as ten. However, the ruling council of Bhavyatapura currently recognizes fifteen, regardless of the ongoing debates


Culture, Religion, and Politics
Like the Ivory Kingdoms as a whole, Bhavyatapura has no singular, unifying culture. The closest the city has to its own culture is the concept of the Sheelavaan, a collective term that describes all who live in the great city. In theory, at least, the Sheelavaan recognize Bhavyatapura as their home, a place with a unique identity that sets it apart from the rest of the Kingdoms. Simply living in a particular place is a rather thin sort of “culture,” however. Like the Kingdoms, Bhavyatapura is a massive, complex, and shifting montage of many cultures, languages, and religious beliefs. The population groups based on these commonalities tend to concentrate themselves in certain parts of the city. or example, residents of one neighborhood may all speak a language that originated in the eastern seacoast region of the Kingdoms, while the adjacent neighborhood may be characterized by adherents of a religious sect from the northern barrens. That said, there is a great deal of overlap and mixing. Moreover, over time, groups tend to wax and wane in numbers and prominence; some eventually disappear altogether, while new ones appear. Given this, it is more accurate to think of the city not so much as a single entity, but rather as a microcosm of the Ivory Kingdoms

Defense
Despite its wealth and its prominent place at the center of Ivory Kingdoms affairs, Bhavyatapura has not been subjected to any significant sort of military threat in at least several hundred years. This is in part due to its location on the Sonagiri plateau, whose restricted approaches make it relatively easy to defend. A more imposing obstacle, however, is the sheer size and complexity of the city. It is doubtful that any power in the Ivory Kingdoms—much less any nation in a more distant part of the world—could raise, deploy, and maintain an army large enough to avoid simply becoming swallowed by Bhavyatapura’s immense urban sprawl well before gaining any significant control. In fact, the greatest threat facing the city is actually a natural one;the Sonagiri plateau is given to periods of seismic instability, such that earthquakes sometimes do major damage that can be difficult and time-consuming to repair.

The Ghostlands
The Ghostlands, the Shadowlands-Tainted region that borders the Ivory Kingdoms to the northeast, represent an enduring and egregious threat. In the same way that Rokugan must contend with the ongoing menace of the Shadowlands on its southern border—mainly through the ceaseless vigilance and efforts of the Crab Clan—so, too must the Ivory Kingdoms deal with the incessant peril of the Ghostlands. As is the case for Rokugan, a malign will drives baleful powers and dangerous creatures intent on destruction. The Yodha, a supremely militant faction devoted to protecting the Ivory Kingdoms from the Ghostlands, believe that the ultimate power facing them is a profoundly vile and powerful being known as the Queen of the Rakshasa. To what extent this entity is different from Rokugan’s nemesis, the Dark Kami known as Fu Leng, is unclear. One common point that is notable is that the spiritual corruption known as the Taint functions essentially the same way in both places.

The Terrain
The Ghostlands are a truly forbidding place. Fetid swamps and thick stands of overgrown, sharp‡edged elephant grass soon give way to gloomy, tangled rainforest. As in the Rokugani Shadowlands, the plants, the water, and even the land itself are hostile to anyone brave or foolish enough to dare confront them. Trails lead to deep, hidden pools and caves, vanishing behind those following them. Water is murky, polluted, and foul smelling. Leaves and vines pluck and grab, jabbing and slicing at flesh, the vines’ keen thorns glistening with toxic secretions. Even the air is a danger, sometimes becoming so hot, humid, and stale that simply breathing is a struggle. What makes the Ghost‡lands worse than their Rokugani equivalent, however, is density of their vegetation. If the Shadowlands, as bleak and barren as they are, are a dangerous place, the Ghostlands are even more so because of their closed and tight nature. It is rare to be able to see more than a short distance into the thick, brooding rainforest; it is, therefore, much easier to be taken by surprise and ambushed by the horrific creatures lurking here.

Creatures of the Ghostlands
The types of creatures that are spawned by the Ghostlands reflect the most inimical aspects of the Ivory Kingdoms cultures. Some high sages say that the terrors of the Ghostlands mirror those that spill from the mind, and perhaps it is so.

Foremost among the creatures of the Ghostlands are the rakshasa. These terrifying creatures, which at first seem to analogous to Rokugani oni, are actually shapeshifters, capable of assuming the form of essentially whatever they wish. This makes them truly dangerous foes. Fortunately, they are relatively rare, but the Yodha nonetheless devote a great deal of time and energy to ensuring none of these horrors are able to get loose in the Ivory Kingdoms.

A multitude of other evil creatures lurks in the Ghostlands as well. Although none are as singularly dangerous as the rakshasa, they still pose a major threat, particularly if encountered in numbers. Examples of such monstrosities include:

-Aleya: Ghostly lights that can appear as campfires or torches, which lead those duped into following them to their doom.

-Pishachas: Flesh-eating demons with bulging veins and protruding red eyes, that are said to have the ability to become invisible and to possess the weak willed, driving them to increasingly disturbing behavior.

-Bhoot: A generic term that can include a number of different evil creatures and spirits, but is used by the Yodha to refer to any that tend to be encountered in groups—sometimes very large groups.

-Vetala: Malign spirits that inhabit and reanimate corpses, in a way similar to powers ascribed to the corrupted Rokugani elemental spirits known as kansen.

Nishi dak: Foul creatures that can call out in a voice well-known to the listener, leading them to some lonely place before attacking in their true and horrifying form.

-Baak: A monster that lurks in deep pools, ambushing those who come too close, pulling their bodies into the dark water and then emerging to take their place.

-Boda: A shadowy entity that attacks sleeping people, paralyzing and then strangling them

Thwarting the Ghostlands
Just as the Crab Clan protects Rokugan from the Shadowlands, so the Yodha protect the Ivory Kingdoms from the Ghostlands. Skilled and powerful warriors who are well versed in the lore of the Ghostlands, the Yodha maintain a ceaseless vigilance over the malevolent, haunted rainforest. Unlike the Rokugani Crab, they do not maintain belts of continuous fortifications; instead, they deploy forces into the Ghostlands from relatively secure strongpoints, tracking, stalking, hunting, and killing the realm’s evil denizens before they can threaten the Ivory Kingdoms. Over time, however, this has led to a schism among the Yodha:

The Yodhaviya are those Yodha who maintain a watch over the Ghostlands from outside the haunted realm. This was the original approach to their protection of the Ivory Kingdoms; detecting, and then containing and destroying, infiltrations from the Ghostlands. To this end, they maintain a series of redundent fortresses on strategic sites, communicating among them with a sophisticated system of messengers and visual signals. The greatest of these is located on the Nadati River, where ancient stone columns known as the Pillars of Purity stand. By some mechanism that remains a mystery to the Yodha, these enigmatic columns remove the Shadowlands Taint from the water of the Nadati River as it flows past them. Despite many years of intensive scrutiny and study, the effect of these columns—which appear be made of unremarkable sandstone, albeit carven with inscrutable shapes that may be a long-lost language—has never been replicated. The Pillars of Purity, which are considered to be most sacred, seem to be the focus for periodic attacks by rakshasa. Whether these vile creatures seek to destroy the pillars to facilitate spreading the Taint, or for some other nefarious purpose, remains unknown.

-The Yodhaniya are those Yodha who have chosen to effectively take the battle into the Ghostlands. The Yodhaniya spend much of their time in well-protected bastions and camps inside the forest, mounting patrols to seek out creatures of the Ghostlands and destroy them before they can pose a threat. The Yodhaniya were born from a small group of Yodha who, almost two hundred years ago, watched in helpless horror as a massive and unexpected incursion from the Ghostlands plunged into the Ivory Kingdoms, doing enormous harm before finally being stopped. Determined to never let such a powerful threat again gather in the cover of the rainforest, the Yodhaniya entered the Ghostlands and established themselves there, focused on preventing them from being able to assemble serious threats to the Kingdoms in the first place

While both groups of Yodha share the same ends, an acrimonious debate rages between them. The Yodhaniya believe the Yodhaviyaare too cautious and hidebound by tradition, because they only deal with threats from the Ghostlands when they present themselves. Meanwhile, the Yodhaviyasee the Yodhaniya as reckless, even irresponsible, needlessly exposing themselves to the spiritual corruption of the Ghostlands while expending effort and blood that would be better employed in accordance with tradition.

Fortunately, the Yodha have access to two powerful substances, both of which are invaluable in their battle against the Ghostlands:

-Throughout the Ivory Kingdoms, gold, when subjected to the proper rituals, has the power to channel and amplify spiritual powers. When used with coral, it can also be used to purify food and drink of Taint. The Yodha are able to craft talismans of gold, and even incorporate it into items and armor, such that it provides an effective shield against the Taint of the Ghostlands.

-Coral, when properly consecrated, is as inimical to the creatures of the Ghostlands as Rokugani jade is to creatures of the Shadowlands—and perhaps even more so. However, coral is rare, is difficult to obtain from where it occurs in the ocean, and must be subjected to complex rituals in order to be fully effective against the Ghostlands’ denizens. When properly prepared, however, items and weapons made of or containing consecrated coral are able to inflict grievous harm to even the feared rakshasa.