Iskan Federation

The Iskan Federation is a democratic society based in the far northeast lands of Cy'ǧetauria. The physical inability for its people, the Iskans, to perform magic meant that they had to work for themselves to survive, focusing primarily on technological development to better push against the world and eke out a place to survive. Its capital city is Ikrel.

### Pre-unification

Two parts of Iskan society - its family system and its general distrust of outsiders - come from the period of preunification. During those times, the harsher environment compared to the modern day meant that as much energy as possible had to be devoted to providing for oneself and their family. Outsiders, even other Iskans, were wildcards; providing for them was just as likely to result in betrayal in the back rather than mutual assistance. As the disorganized tribes began to unite, however, hesitance to accept foreigners remained.

### Modern society

#### Distrust towards foreigners

Even after unification, strong familial bonds and a distrust for outsiders remained. The modern concept of *izetza* formed; translating literally to “intruder”, it is used generally to mean “foreigner” instead. *Izetza* within the Federation are treated coldly at best, although outright violence is uncommon. However, non-Iskans typically cannot get much support in Iskan society, as they do not fit within its somewhat rigid social structure.

#### Ideological shift

Shortly after unification, the concept of turning on other Iskans due to resource shortages faded as food supplies grew and the environment mellowed out. Various governmental systems were attempted before the modern Federation formed, which decentralized the government of the whole, although foreign distrust and the family systems remained in place.

### Culture

#### Family units

A remnant of pre-unification times, members of a family live in communal housing and support the family as a whole. Families are incredibly important to Iskan society, as they provide work, housing, food, and many things essential to life. The term *izetza iska*, “foreign Iskan'', evolved from both the concept of families and the term *izetza*. *Izetza iska* are essentially struck from family history as ever being part of it and must rely entirely on themselves. Due to the importance of many of the benefits provided by families, such as housing, *izetza iska* often have trouble finding jobs or support on their own, with many becoming criminals or vagrants.

#### Influence of art and religious belief

Many forms of art are relatively unimportant to Iskan society compared to other nations and cultures across the world. The belief is another holdover from pre-unification scarcity; visual forms of art such as sculpting were seen as wasteful, a sentiment carried into Iskan architecture. Less expensive forms of art, such as writing, are relatively widespread, although music is somewhat stagnant due to the precise material and manufacturing needs of many instruments. However, due to the widespread reverence of ancestors, wealthy families often commission paintings of them, which are displayed in the family's home. Painting is typically done by a member of the family or a family friend who discovered a skill for the artform in their spare time; painting as a career is considered wasteful.

Religion has little influence on society. Time spent on prayer and the creation of idols was considered wasteful; however, after unification, various small-scale folk religions appeared. Said religions were not widespread, typically remaining confined to one or two families at the most. The non-uniform nature of individual beliefs makes it difficult to make blanket statements, but worship is typically performed in dedicated buildings attached to the family complex.

#### Architecture

Iskan architecture is often seen as drab and ugly, as it prioritizes function over form. Family houses are 2 to 3 floor buildings not too dissimilar to apartments. Private rooms connect to communal dining and break areas. Different families construct different attachments and expansions to the family home; a popular choice is connecting storefronts or workshops to the compound to reduce travel time. In those homes, its inhabitants can work, eat, and sleep in one area, only leaving to restock on supplies such as food.

#### Color-based discrimination

Due to the spread of shades possible in an Iskan's fur, there have been stereotypes formed based on them. Fur stereotyping is not widespread, although it still happens; for example, some jobs are said to hire more based on fur color.

* Beige-orange fur, the most common, is correlated with complacency.
* Red fur, which is far rarer, is associated with intelligence and emotional coldness. The stereotype is likely based off of many Iskan military and political leaders having red fur.
* White to light gray fur is said to show luck, both positive and negative. The slang term "whitefur" is often invoked when something either highly positive or highly negative has occurred.
* Dark gray to black fur is often linked to kindness and empathy. The stereotype likely stems from how darker fur stands out from Cy'ǧe environments, meaning that Iskans with darker fur would need to cooperate to survive.