Dormoon

Dormoon is a province of the Sobrian Empire as of 487. It is bordered to the south and west by the Wowola Ocean, and to the north by ZesKoda Mountains and the regions of Bordun and Ckou, to the east by Zenaida. It is the westernmost known holding of the Sobrian Empire.

## Geography and Climate

Dormoon has a varied climate, with many forests and swamps spread around the entire province. Chief among these are the Sobos Forest, a truly massive stretch of dense forest in the western half of the region, and the To'K Basin, a relatively desolate swampland region located in the south.

In the far north lies the ZesKoda and Winter mountain ranges, together with the Protection Wall forming the province's northern border with the lands of Bordun and Ckou.

In the northeast of Dormoon lies the Lepus High Desert and the Kanoka River, a relatively arid climate that forms the eastern boundary with the province of Zenaida.

## History

### Ancient Civilization and Colonization

Ancient Dormoon was the birthplace of the Tabaxi Civilization, which predominantly inhabited the Sobos Forest. Little is known about this civilization, but it is implied that no proper state structure existed, or at least any with the ability to unify large swaths of territory under it's banner. During the Sobrian colonization of Dormoon starting somewhere around 300 this civilization was largely destroyed, with the remnants being subsumed into the expanding Sobrian Empire. The only surviving major Tabaxi settlement was that of Taurus, although existing in a state that many Tabaxi would view as a bastardization of the old Tabaxi way of life.

### Recent History

In 487, there were several major events that occurred in Dormoon: The Dormoon Railway Attack, the Battle of the Lepus and mutiny of the 42nd "Regiment", and the Tauruan Conspiracy. These events all occurred within just a few weeks of each other, and it is unclear what wider geopolitical effects that have been wrought by these developments, both in Dormoon and in the wider Sobrian Empire. However, these events are all symptomatic of a wider weakening of Imperial authority over the province of Dormoon.

## Politics

The politics of Dormoon are largely dominated by the relatively liberal West Voxon party, Three of Dormoon's four Senators belong to the group (the other belonging to the Indus), with the governorship held by the highly controversial Arin Monus, presumably also from the West Voxon Party. The political status quo theoretically leaves Dormoon in an advantageous political position within the Empire, as the governing coalition includes the majority of the province's Senators.

However as of 487, this status quo appears to be about to change dramatically. During the Coyote's raid on the Trans-Continental Railway that connects Dormoon to Sobrus, it was revealed that Governor Morus had sent official letters to the capital, informing them that Dormoon would not be sending additional troops to the ongoing Fourth Zenaidan War. The effects of the interception of these communications by the Coyotes have yet to be seen. With this information, it is possible that Monus is preparing to separate the province from the rest of the Sobrian Empire.

## Demographics

Dormoon is the ancestral homeland of the Tabaxi race, however they make up only a small fraction of the province's population. Even in Taurus, the "Last Tabaxi City", their population is estimated to only be around 20%-25% at most, with this minority suffering from widespread racial discrimination. In the rural areas of Dormoon's interior and the To'k Basin, Tabaxi communities still make up a majority, although these areas are implied to be sparsely populated.

Humans and Elves make up a significant portion of the population, even making up a majority throughout the Sobos Forest and Greenwave Fields respectively. This is a direct result of significant migration from eastern regions during the roughly 180 year-long colonization by the Sobrian Empire. Relations between the new and old inhabitants are implied to be rather icy, facilitating the formation and growth of groups like the Hands of Dusk, who in addition to their political goals, seek to eliminate and/or expel these groups of colonists.

The province is also home to a number of other immigrant races, largely concentrated along the coastline and the area around Taurus, with no one group forming a clear majority among them. In these regions it is possible to find sizeable groups of Aaracockra, Kenku, and Orcs, as well as groups of races that have immigrated from Kinu such as Lizardfolk, Dragonborn, and Kobolds. On the island of Selepoh, Lizardfolk even make up a majority, having escaped the violence in Kinu to found a colony.

## Locations

### Urban Settlements

#### Taurus

The city of Taurus, often referred to as the "Last Tabaxi City" is the province's largest population center east of the Sobos Forest and a significant trading hub, particularly in regards to livestock. While the vast majority of significant Tabaxi settlements burned in the wake of Sobrian colonization, the city of Taurus was able to survive owing to the existence of a rune that protected the city from harm. In 487, the Hands of Dusk cult attempted to destroy this rune along with the rest of the city, however this attempt was thwarted by local authorities with help from the Coyote Adventuring Party.

#### Lares

Lares is a city nestled between the Ivar Bay and the Sobos Forest, and is the Empire's westernmost significant urban center. Little has been revealed about the city at this point, although it has been implied that Lares is home to the activities of one or more significant organized crime groups.

#### Cortium

The provincial capital of Cortium is the hub of Dormoon's government and lies in the far northwest of the province, at the base of the ZesKoda Mountains on the banks of the Boros River. Having originally been built as a military encampment, the city was founded during the Sobrian colonization and is a smaller settlement than Lares or Taurus, likely due to the fact that only native Sobrians and their descendants are allowed to move there.

### Rural Settlements

#### Bitter Creek

A largely insignificant town owing to the Intercontinental Railroad's bypassing of the settlement, Bitter Creek exists as little more than a stopping point for overland travelers and merchants making rounds between the city of Taurus and destinations in the war-torn Zenaida. However, in 487 the small village became the epicenter of several major regional developments such as the Mutiny of the 42nd "Regiment", the Bitter Creek Railway Incident, and the Battle of the Lepus, all featuring involvement from the Coyote Adventuring Party.

### Other Locations

There are many more settlements and locations of interest in the province, however little is yet known about many of them. This category is to be expanded as new information comes to light and as new developments transpire.

## Trivia

* Trade networks between Kinu and Dormoon apparently formed before trade between Sobrus and Dormoon, implying that trade between the regions has been ongoing since at least the beginning of colonization, and likely much longer.
* Pre-Colonization Tabaxi largely did not eat meats (except for fish), owing to the danger of hunting in the Sobos Forest.
* Owing to a lack of Metal (and thus Metallurgy), Pre-Colonization Tabaxi lacked metal tools, saving the precious metal for items of special importance.