Kamaran

From its earliest days as a land of warring tribes, through the Unification of the Three Sisters and countless reigns of noble Empresses, to the new threat of the Cuulminakra, the fertile islands of Kamaran have held testament to both innovation and tradition. The clans of mantises that populate the islands maintain a delicate balance, a dance in which every mantis from the lowliest merchant to the Empress herself must play a part.

Governance

Kamaran is a highly matriarchal society. Most power is consolidated within the serrated arms of the female orchid mantises. The vast majority of power technically belongs to the Empress, but she chooses to allow most clans to self-govern. If they abuse this right by rebelling against her, she may revoke this right and take control of their provinces, in rare cases allowing her own family spirit to subsume that of the rebels. The Empress, after all, bows to the power of the family spirits that bind themselves to each clan of Kamaran. These spirits are localized gods, bound to the clans, with power that both draws on and seeps into each clan.

The family of the Empress enjoys the protection of Kamaran's strongest spirit, and in turn, lesser spirits rule the various provinces of the islands. Each clan consists of a central family of nobility and those they lead, but they are all considered to be under the protection of the family spirit. The leaders of these clans are known as Matrons, usually the eldest female member of the clan's noble family. The eldest male member gains the similar title of Master. While a Matron handles social, political, and economic matters, a Master takes care of military matters. The Master of the Empress's clan is the General, commander in chief of all of Kamaran's military forces.

The people of Kamaran defend their territory with lethal precision. Each noble family organizes a militia within their territory, mostly made up of the male warrior mantises. Many of these militias can be found patrolling the canals and moats that make up borders between territorial divisions. Oftentimes, members of a patrolling unit will make use of their inherent gift of telepathy, so that they may receive orders without tipping off the enemy.

Social services often lie in the hands of the clan's noble family. Influential noble families can usually afford private tutors for their nymphs, but the general populace generally does not receive education, rather taking on apprenticeships as soon as they are old enough to help out. When education is an option, orchids are favored, though military schools do exist in some territories for the benefit of young warriors.

Economics

Kamaran is a wealthy nation, which shows even in the variety of coinage they utilize. Each clan mints its own coins, though they all bear the same blend of gold, silver, and copper, the shape of an eye and a hole through the middle so that they may be worn to show off great wealth. Kamaran has gained this wealth through extensive trade with the nations of the Royal Hexagon. The islands have much bounty to offer: algae and seafood both farmed and gathered, art and luxury goods, tropical fruits, rare metals, cherry wood, and of course their namesake, orchids. Orchid pollen, bulbs, seeds, blooms, even extracts such as vanilla have made Kamarani merchants very wealthy.

Most of Kamaran's wealth lies in the hands of its noble families, although there is a significant part of the population serving as a class of craftsmen and artisans. Military members can vary wildly in economic disparities, depending on the clan they serve as well as their origins. With an abundance of goods in most, if not all, provinces, the amount of internal and external trade brings Kamaran to a flourishing status. Merchants can often be seen leading boatloads of goods through the extensive canal system from one province to another, hoping to make a fortune.

Social Relations

Most Kamarani are mantises, and they intend to keep it that way. Due to their sea-based isolation, they don't see many insectoids of other races, and as such are prone to prejudice. Regardless, they know that you don't get to sell to someone you hate, so they keep their opinions to themselves for the most part, although they have gained a reputation for looking down upon races without psionic abilities, and it is very difficult for an outsider to make their way in Kamaran. Those who do often find themselves serving the mantises; rarely will an outsider ascend to a position of power.

Each clan of Kamaran holds a somewhat strict class structure. On top is the family spirit, followed by the Matron and Master. Then come the nobles, then the artisans, then the farmers, then the merchants - shamed for leaving their families and their spirits behind to travel to distant lands, but recognized as needed in modern society. On the bottom of the ranks are those mantises who are exiled from the Orchid Isles, the Nameless: those who have committed a crime so great, it can only be rectified by the family spirit stripping away one's name and leaving Kamaran forever.

Social mobility is rather difficult, due primarily to the fact that most of Kamaran's lands and spirits have been claimed. Those who wish to found a new noble family often make use of mainland colonial holdings, where space is less of a luxury, and must spend a significant amount of time and effort with rituals that will coalesce a new family spirit. Existing noble families also establish offshoots in colonial territory to expand their own influence. Nobles in Kamaran serve both as leaders and clergy, tending to the family spirit and ensuring prosperity for the entire province.

Kamaran's military tends to be seen separately from the rest of its class constructs. Most militias are seen as extensions of the noble family, and the warrior whose family is wealthy enough for him to become a wandering solider for hire shares status with his employer. Another exception to the standard class structure is the Tanpo, a member of the family chosen, often but not always in secret, to enforce the will of the family spirit outside the borders of its province or cultural norms - for example, if a militia has become corrupt, a Tanpo has authority to heal the poisoned tree. One family may have many Tanpos, and they do not carry the same social stigmas as merchants for leaving their families behind.

Orchids hold the social and political power of Kamaran. The Matron is the ruler of a province; the Master's power depends solely on the Matron's. While warriors are not seen as lesser, their duties to Kamaran mean they are not necessarily as valued within the family, and will often be married off to other families to establish alliances. Families of all classes are headed by orchids. Orchids traditionally have more financial power as well; some particularly traditional clans have passed laws that no warrior may handle money. Wandering mercenaries, often seen as clanless, tend to be the exception.

Cultural Influences

Kamaran places a great deal of emphasis on its military; after all, its male population are known as warriors. Law enforcement comes in the form of family militias, with wanderers and Tanpos serving as independent forces. These militias tend not to spread beyond the bounds of their province. To enter the territory of another family spirit would be seen as disrespectful at best and an act of war at worst. Military forces often accompany shipments of merchandise, for protection. As such, Kamaran's merchant fleets and navy are deeply intertwined, and it's rare to see one type of ship without the other close behind. At other points, the naval fleets may be dispatched to hunt down privateers, forces working with the rebellious Pirate Queen. These ships are the strongest in Varzzen, equipped with cannons and the newly developed gunpowder.

Kamaran's army and navy are vital for keeping order, serving as a career path and inspiration for many a young warrior. Most, if not all, warriors receive basic combat training. They are taught that threats both mundane and arcane make the military a necessity. Even orchids are accepted into the military as tacticians and intelligence officers.

A local militia is always available, making crime difficult to get away with in a Kamarani province. The militia is seen as an extension of the noble family, so their word is very often law. They even serve as intermediaries between common folk and nobles. If a militia unit becomes corrupt or arrogant, a Tanpo may be sent in to set things straight.

The ways and traditions of the family spirits are known as Hanabira No Teire - Petal Tending. In the eyes of the average Kamarani citizen, the spirit and the mantis are in a symbiotic relationship, each protecting and nourishing the other. The Empress, as keeper of the most powerful spirit, is a religious leader as well as a political one. Each mantis can feel the presence of the spirit through their various psionic gifts. The mantises do not see the influence of the spirits as invasive, rather, they view it as a guiding light, loving, helpful, and communal.

The spirits are tended and appeased through rituals and ceremonies, going back to the very beginnings of Kamaran itself. Many rituals take the form of quiet meditation and psionic prayer, or involve grace and tranquility in some form. Shrinekeepers tend to small shrines dedicated to the family spirit, leaving offerings and prayer in exchange for the ability to channel more of the spirit's power. Many merchant vessels contain shrines and bring along shrinekeepers so that a family spirit may always be with its family, even while they venture abroad. Tanpos are given more direct power from the spirit, often only for a short while but sometimes for many years, some long-serving Tanpos even have the ability to confer their power onto a younger successor.

One of the largest ceremonies is the Ceremony of Names. Every year, on the vernal equinox, every manis in Kamaran marks themself a year older. In each province, the entire clan gathers together, bringing any babies born over the course of the year into the presence of the spirit, which gives the babies their names. A baby who, for whatever reason, is unable to attend the ceremony, is known as Unnamed and is seen as an ill omen. On the other hand, a truly heinous crime may warrant the stripping of a mantis's name, rendering them Nameless and an exile from Kamaran. Other ceremonies honor the deceased, whose souls are absorbed into the family spirit.

Mantises are curious about other religions, but do not often follow them, seeing it as an abandonment of the family spirit in favor of one that has no direct contact with the mantis. They interpret other gods not as rivals to the spirits, but as particularly powerful family spirits - including the Radiant Cocoon. Most Kamarani view the Cocoon as a powerful ancestor, worthy of respect, but a distant figure not who does not pay attention to its followers. Most honor the Cocoon, but few worship it directly. Some shrines dedicated to the Cocoon appear throughout Kamarani territory, and the Pupa Monastery worships the Cocoon as their chosen family spirit. The Monastery has long been seen as neutral ground where no other spirit may interfere, and though their rules are strict, Nameless often come to the Monastery in hopes of redemption.

Art is intimately linked to spirituality in Kamaran. Often times, the rituals of a specific family spirit will involve some form of creative work: A communal painting ritual; a mosaic expanded over the course of generations; telekinetic art with paint, ribbons, or motion; dances where the entire clan moves in intricately choreographed motions. Aside from the spirits, many ways of life include some form of artistic expression. A large part of the education of noble orchids is calligraphy, making every sentence into a work of art. Farmers beautify their fields with colorful flowers and patterned rows. Soldiers embroider their uniforms and create tassels and talismans for their armor. Each work of art is a way to further beautify and strengthen Kamaran.