Lokradahl

*"The humid and swampy lands of Lokradahl have boxes requiring payment of their currency around every corner for virtually every aspect of living. You have to pay coin to wait in line to purchase something!"*

***- Marcario Moorehome, "The Monumental Land of Waesyn"***

**Lokradahl** is a country in Waesyn. It is located in northeast Waesyn and borders Nossia to its south, the Fortara the the southwest and Leta to the east. It Draywick ocean borders the country to the north and east. Lokradahl is comprised of five county areas with Kora Noosa being the largest and the capital. Lokradahl is known for being the origin and home to the Dahlians and the leaders of commerce in Waesyn.

## Etymology

### Toponymy

The name "Lokradahl" is shortened from the name *Lokradadahl* which means "land of the Dahlians." The Dahlians are a species of stout humanoids that settled what is now Lokradahl during some time in the Ancient Cycle. The Monumentals refereed to Lokradahl as *Dudahla,* meaning "Land of the Dahls." All the archaic names for the region suggest that the Dahlians were called Dahlian before the region was named.

### Glossology

As the name suggests, the Dahlian language, originated as the language of Lokradahl where it remains the principal tongue spoken by the population. It is comprised generally of short words with a heavy emphasis at the start of each syllable. indefinite articles are spoken without such a heavy emphasis however definite articles are emphasized just as much as any other word.

### Anthroponymy

Dahlian names are generally a single syllable and end in consonants. Great examples are; Kepp, Gunt, Grip, Nic, Yavv, Pik, Gem and Zeg. Despite names commonly being a single syllable it isn't uncommon for those who descend from a renown noble, entrepreneur or musician to have a second syllable attached to their name. This additional syllable is usually pulled from one of their parents, mentors or authority figures. Examples of this are; Osi, Olak, Zego, Ozan, Yati, Moxi and Birak. Dahlian names lack a surname but on occasion use the word "NanDi" between their given name and a parent or mentors name out of respect though this is rare.

The word Dahlian is used to refer to both the species and people from Lokradahl.

## History

Lokradahl was well-settled before the dawn of the Sotteran Empire in the First Cycle. They arguably have the most history regarding the continent of Waesyn as Dahlians are meticulous about keeping receipts on file. As such we know that the Dahlians have been partaking in commerce with species and peoples of Waesyn since the Ancient Cycle. While the information is proven to exist Lokradahl religious belief in Torathim doesn't allow them to share these receipts with business parties not involved with said transactions thus a large fraction of Waesyn's history is vaulted away.

During the Monumental Cycle Lokradahl was one of the few countries that didn't fear the Monumentals. In fact Lokradahl actively engaged with them diplomatically to partake in commerce and their relationship as business partners was so strong that Lokradahl declined to sign a treaty proposed by the Sotterans. While Lokradahl supported the Monumentals commercially-- they never took arms against the Sotterans. Inevitably Lokradahl withdrew their support of the Monumentals and instead began trading with the Sotterans right before the Monumentals defeat.

Since the First Cycle Lokradahl has been a trade partner with nearly every established area in Waesyn. The Sotteran-Monumental conflict would be the last time Lokradahl took sides in war and would trade with anyone willing to pay. This has only led to economic prowess for Lokradahl and ever since the Sotteran Empire began the construction of their roadways Dahlians have never stopped trading and making clients throughout Waesyn.

## Government

The Dahlian Authority of Commerce is the name of the government in Lokradahl. They are made up of many, many specific branches that oversee various aspects of life (though most of them revolve around trade.) The Lokradahl Commerce Authority and Lokradahl Trading Mission are considered the highest authorities in Lokradahl only answering to the Grand Koric and Board of Liquidation. The Grand Koric has to approve nearly all the decisions made by the Dahlian Authority of Commerce. While greed and selfishness are often considered respectful traits in various parts of Lokradahl the Grand Koric is expected to think with greed and selfishness not for themself but for Lokradahl as a whole.

Citizens of Lokradahl who live elsewhere in Waesyn are expected to have a license granted to them by the Dahlian Authority of Commerce if they plan to import and export goods from Lokradahl. Said license is taxable and license holders are subject to annual and random inspections from liquidators. If the liquidator suspects that the vendor is not paying the correct amount of taxes to Lokradahl or violates any other business protocols that must be followed while holding a license they may strip them of it-- which is one of the biggest taboos a Dahlian can carry.

## Military

Lokradahl has a quasi-military at best. They have guards in place to protect towns but they do not build an army to wage war-- only to protect merchants and commerce. The Dahlian Executive of government usually keeps up to date on military events throughout Waesyn but does not engage in ways beyond trade, however, if necessary some troops are deployable. Throughout Lokradahl's history the motto has been *"The best way to win a war is to win their wallets."*

Lokradahl's military does not rely on heavy armor or large weapons as Dahlians are not as hardy as many other races and usually move in small strike forces if possible. Simply weapons such as spears, daggers and crossbows are usually bought-- and the best are bought to make up for the lack of advanced training.

The exception is the Dahlian Liquidators who serve the LCA (Lokradahl Commerce Authority). Dahlian merchants throughout Waesyn as a part still expected to follow Dahlian Trade By-laws and code, especially if they want the LCA seal of approval on their business and want access to Dahlian trade-route and caravans. The By-laws are legal code that is expected to be followed and if they are broken Liquidators can strip a business of LCA goods, services, and officiality. Liquidators are expertly trained due to having to deal with various forms of delinquency and business owners who fight their authority. Though they are just as likely to take a bribe and overlook things as any other Dahlian-- which is almost expected.

## County Capitals

### Gren

Gren borders Nossia to the south and is the least humid area of all of Lokradahl. It still has many swamp lands like much of Lokradahl but due to the proximity to the burning lands of Nossia a forest of ash trees forms nicely in the area. As such Gren has many lumber camps and due to the quick-growing nature of the trees in the region they can supply Kora Noosa with plenty of lumber without Gren fearing deforestation. Gren also has a healthy amount of Dahlian military members in fear of the H'yuun to the south-- even though the two have had positive relations for two cycles.

### Kora Noosa

The capital of Lokradahl a full of sprawling urban areas. Kora Noosa is at the center of the wheel that is Lokradahl and is the production center for all the resources delivered to the area from surrounding counties. Much of Kora Noosa is comprised of production, quality control and shipping facilities. Many offices of commerce make their headquarters in Kora Noosa as well. The LCA (Lokradahl Commerce Authority) and LTM (Lokradahl Trading Mission) being the two most important groups that make up the government of Lokradahl are both located in the Lokradahl Tower of Commerce (Occasionally called the LTC) at the center of not just Kora Noosa but all of Lokradahl. The Grand Koric also resides within the tower and calls Kora Noosa their home.

### Lat

The Forest region is a pocket of humidity. As it is surrounded by the temperate forest of the Fortara, the taiga of Leta and the colder regions of Lokradahl (Nagus and Yoba) it is a low pressure zone leading to near constant rainfall. It is commonly believed that Lat is the native region to the Dahlians before they began expanding and eventually founded Lokradahl. While Lat has deep forests and a variety of wildlife it is well mapped and scouted by the Dahlians as it is a crossroads for commerce.

### Nagus

Nagus is the home to many harbors. While one would assume commercial vessels would be the focal point of a Dahlian port-- its main purpose is its proximity to oil. Oil, fish and pearls are the biggest resource Nagus has to offer and many boats are created strictly to farm these things. Ocean routes to Villia and Zuton do exist however the Draywick is a harsh body of water thus Lokradahl relies the most on land trade however a captain who makes massive trade profit and can tame the wild waters of the Draywick have great bragging rights across Lokradahl.

### Tovat

Tovat is a coastal cliff region that overlooks the rough waters of the Draywick ocean. Despite its proximity to the ocean Tovat doesn't have many harbors due to the stormy conditions of the Draywick and steep cliffs that border it. Tovat instead takes advantage of the stormy conditions to grow crops and develop farms. Tovat may be the most lax on the never-ending list of laws of Lokradahl with many facilities ignoring the required Hadron payment for virtually every aspect of life.

### Yoba

Yoba is built on mountains to the south that seperate Lokradahl from Nossia, Rhoda and the Fortara. Yoba is comprised of many mining facilities that focus on hadron-drilling and the occasional operation focused on precious metals. The work conditions in Yoba is one of the toughest in Lokradahl. Miners are often paid very little compared to others and the work is tough and is significantly risky. The owners of mining facilities are also said to be some of the most brutal Dahlians in all of Waesyn who have vast wealth allowing them to pay off authories from the LCA during inspection.

## Economy

The rich in Lokradahl are some of the richest individuals in Waesyn and the poor are the poorest-- with all sorts of economic status in between. Lokradahl is founded upon the social construct of gathering wealth and acknowledging you are only as valuable as the number of hadrons you have to your name. With the cultural obsession with wealth the economy in Lokradahl is generally thought to be quite rich and prosperous however that is typically just the government itself. Individual wealth in Lokradahl has varying levels however the lowest have a very difficult time generating enough haldrons to simply survive in a wealth-driven state.

Lokradahl has many, many exports and imports as commerce is it's specialty. Nearly anything can be found in Lokradahl and almost anything can be made there as well. Lokradahl natives who leave the country to make wealth in the rest of Waesyn often have support of the LCA and LTM and are granted certificates to grant entrepreneurs trade privileges to Lokradahl. Lokradahl still collects taxes from these individuals despite their business being inter-national however the access to Dahlian trade is often thought to be worth it.

## Culture

*"A Dahlian without profit is no Dahlian at all"* is one of the principles of Tora. As such culture is about gaining as much wealth and goods during your life time as you can. Even those who aren't particularly religious end up following this belief as ignoring to do so in Lokradahl would only make your life more difficult. The workload in Lokradahl is perhaps the most difficult in all of Waesyn which is perhaps why the Dahlian people are experts in leisure as well. Gambling, dancing, spirits, taverns, pubs, sporting events and games are all highlights of any town in Lokradahl. Even the smallest hamlet will have some sort of entertainment available. The most notable leisure Lokradahl has to offer is Dahlian music and performances. Lokradahl produces some of the most celebrated musicians in Waesyn as the instruments and music itself are very unique. The only way to gain social status in Lokradahl outside of wealth is musicianship.

Torathim preaches to *"Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity."* And all dahlians are raised with this notion. Parents still show some sort of love for their children and vice-versa but at the end of the day children are an investment and when an investment stops being lucrative it is often re-accessed or even abandoned.