Uo

Governmental system: Religious democracy

Capital City: Uo

Technology: Medium – accepts some trade, but new technology is heavily controlled

Magikin Power: Extremely low

Creature Power: High – animal taming is highly regarded

Average Uon: Short and lithe with black hair tinged with red.

National Emblem: Sage branch on a pink background

The country of Uo is small and decently isolated, surrounded on all sides by mountains and low hills. It is a beautiful country heavily steeped in tradition, culture and religion. Their borders are strictly controlled, though some visitors and merchants are allowed through with proper approval via the trade nation of Jopu.

Geography:

As stated, Uo is a country ringed with mountains, creating a cooler valley filled with greenery, rivers and lakes. Life and nature thrive within, as does farmland (which makes up much of the populated landscape). Pink and yellow leaved trees are dotted throughout, alongside stretches of mangroves and waterfalls from the mountains above.

History

Uo today is a small fraction of what was once the Uon Empire, an expansive regime encompassing modern day Jopu, Tuinjan and Vusmal. The empire also had reaches into the Boundless Sands, and was one of the first societies to encounter the Soona people. During this time, the Uon were a more magical society, binding elemental magics to creatures they either tamed or conjured.

However, roughly a thousand years before the modern period, a sect of the Uon, wanting to expand their borders even further, took it upon themselves to attack the Soona without a full military backing. The Soona, knowing the ways of the desert, retreated and began striking the Uon Empire at key strategic locations. One of these locations, being modern Jopu, saw an opportunity and sued for peace with the nomadic people. The people of Jopu, unhappy with the ruling class of Uo, rallied and started a civil war within the territory.

Magic was flung back and forth in increasingly volatile ways, decimating the Empire and splitting it along geographical and cultural lines. The bulk of the Uon ruling class retreated into the mountains and held the line until a treaty was eventually ordained. Due to the influence of magic turning against them, the ruling class outlawed it in their new lands and, eventually, it faded into obscurity.

Religion

The Uo religion is heavily focused on maintaining a connection with nature and the natural balance of the world. Their pantheon is incredibly diverse, with unseen spirits being associated with unique landmarks and features. However, the key figures are the deities of all the natural occurrences, such as trees, storms, stone etc.

In ancient Uo, it was thought that magic was a way to prove connection to these things. However, in the modern time, magic is seen as a perversion – forcing man’s whims on the things ruled by the divine. Most Uon are vegetarian because of this, as taking life (unless your own life is at risk) is another such perversion.

The Uon faith is all encompassing throughout the nation, and its governmental figures are all connected to the church, voted in by the people through endorsement campaigns. Most Uon also cover the lower half of their faces in public, as it is believed only those within the church are allowed to speak freely.

Quirks

The Uo do not use paper in the traditional sense, but rather use a form of hard cards, which they file in books as pages.