Lantak

Lantak is the third-largest island in the Kapuluan Archipelago. It lies at the southwestern-most edge of the region, closer to the Sabu Islands than to most of Kapuluan's other islands. Over the millennia, Lantak has been part of several nations, including serving as the seat of the most powerful empire of the ancient world. It was the primary rival to the Empire of Muria during its rise and was ultimately destroyed by the sorceries of the Nakaal a century before humans ever came to the Great Ring.

The island's population is diverse. The majority are humans of Pulawan and Tagápulo descent, but approximately forty percent are Bakunari - Kikipua descended from the ancient race that once ruled the region. Prior to the invasion by the Tagápulo Empire, the island was divided among several smaller nations. The Pulawan held the northeastern portion of Lantak across three polities, while the southeastern third belonged to the Bakunan Confederacy, which also included the Sabu Islands.

In 3608, the Tagápulo Empire launched a campaign that conquered the Pulawan kingdoms and drove the Bakunan Confederacy from the island. The Confederacy was eventually reduced to a protectorate of the empire, retaining only the Sabu Islands as their own.

Since then, Lantak has grown into one of the most important provinces in the Empire. It has traditionally been associated with the emperor's eldest daughter, who is granted the title of Lakanlalawigan at birth - paralleling the relationship between the Lalawigan ng Nipa and the emperor's eldest son. Princess Liwayway visits the island several times a year to fulfill her ceremonial duties, and she has cultivated many friendships in the province with those who quietly support her as her father's heir, should the question of succession arise. She has a residence in the island's largest city, Pantalan Reyna Bata, which is also the capital of Lalawigan ng Lantak. The name means "Port of the Princess" in Pananalita.

Notable Spirits

The god of Lantak is among the oldest in the Southwestern Region, with worship dating back to the days before Muria. The Bakunari name this deity Aokin, the King of the Seas. Aokin manifests as a vast serpent with legs - a creature the Bakunari call a lóng - capable of swimming through both water and sky. Most of the time, Aokin slumbers in a palace beneath the island, but can be roused to action in times of great need.

Aokin prizes beauty and wealth, and is said to have amassed a vast collection of pearls, coral, and precious art within this undersea palace. On sacred days, the Bakunari seal works of art - especially calligraphed poetry - into weighted, waterproof jars and sink them into the sea around Lantak, where they are gathered by Aokin's servants and presented to the god as tribute.