[h1]Nation Name: The Confederacy of the Burnt Branch[/h1]


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[img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/489313974047735810/515235737382420500/Burning_Branch_Confederacy.png[/img]

[i][b]Type of Government:[/b][/i] Hegemonic Tribal Confederacy
	
	The Yutlao tribe rules with a light-touch from the capital, Aokki the largest city in the Confederacy, over the various other tribes and towns. News and proclamations travel slowly across these hostile lands and messages are regularly distorted by the staggeringly low literacy rates outside of the towns.


[b][i]Head of Government:[/i][/b] Speaker Acuru of the Yutlao Tribe


[i][b]Summary:[/b][/i]

	The largest tribes of the Confederacy controls what would be considered towns by more advanced civilisation as their personal domains, with a plethora of tiny villages and hinterland farms being associated with each of the towns. The tribes then send or permanently keep a representative in the capital, Aokki, to ensure that their peoples' needs are met by the Confederacy.

	The fractured natures and desires of the various representatives causes friction between the building blocks of the Confederacy, with pride and various feuds slow the processes of agreements and compromises to a glacial paces. One basic mechanism of the state though has always continued unhindered by these petty squabbles, the “Agrari” or “annual tithe” requires that each of the building blocks of the Confederacy, known as “Ixlaok” provide either people as labourers on the building or maintenance of grand projects or for wars over a specified period of time, if this isn't possible or desirable then a payment of goods or food is accepted instead from the “Ixlaok”.

	A Ixlaok is the largest scale political component the Confederacy and they consists of a single central town and an ever-shifting number of hinterlands villages that are under its protection and provide for the townsfolk. But a Ixlaok isn't formed solely on the basis of territory, it is in fact much more focused on familial bloodlines and ethnic or tribal groups as Ixlaoki are formed by “Khoko” which are smaller political units comprised of a series of interrelated families and familial units which unite together for strength and cooperation. A khoko is usual rather limited in their scale or size and tend to stay within their Ixlaok. As such a Ixlaok is formed of between five to twelve Khokoi ethnic groups which specialise in various trades or crafts.

	As part of their traditions, each Khoko pays and maintains a temple to their respective gods which can be as elaborate or simple as the Khoko can afford, with the wealthiest having carved vast temple-complexes out of the swamp lands for themselves. Each and every Khokoi though maintains a school-complex for their children with no standardised education system, sometimes inside the temples themselves or sometimes as separate entities. Here the next generations of the Khokoi are taught: the basics of fighting, about their religions, and some of the languages of the Confederacy.

	The only school not segregated by which Khoko you were born into is in the capital where any lizardfolk can attempt to join the “Yuknu”, the most prestigious school in the Confederacy. A students capable of entering is judged based on a punishing series of physical, social and mental trials. Those who manage to pass these trials enter the school become “Jothi” and are taught: law, linguistics, religion, music, art, fighting and how to be servants. Once they've survived their time in the Yuknu, the Jothi become indispensable for the Confederacy as they leave their training as strong and capable individuals who form a ruling elite which are usually sent back to their Ixlaoki to take high positions as rulers or state officials.

	Under the careful guidance and watchful eyes of the Jothi, the Confederacy have gained a stability and sense of purpose that drives the Ixlaoki forwards towards large-scale projects. The two most common being the construction and maintenance of a crude road system, along with an ambitious food storage and distribution network that gathers food in times of plenty and distributes it back out during times of need. Besides these beneficial programs, the Jothi struggle to convince their representatives to help with other larger projects of state, no matter how revolutionary or innovative it may be.

[hider=Economy]
[i][b]Economy:[/b][/i]

	The Confederacy's economy is heavily based in agrarian farming or swamp fishing with villages pooling their resources together and selling their excesses to the larger town-based Khokoi who don't have the space to farm for themselves. Most of the lizardfolk living in this lifestyle survive on simple subsistence agriculture supplemented by trading with the nearest towns quite happily. Those that live in the towns tend to work in one of the many small Khoko-run workshops that are in every town and produce much of the necessities of day-to-day life for both the agrarian and town based population.

	Each Khoko-run workshop, called “Aetheqa”, are based around large numbers of individuals producing the same goods as everyone else in the Aetheqa in single building or small confined area. These Aetheqa can vary based on the Khoko which controls them, ranging from comfortable places where workers can sit around and communally weave or craft items while chatting, to enforced labour camps used to create massive quantities of items for profit.

	Slaves are forced to do the most dangerous or laborious jobs, such as: quarrying, construction work, or logging projects with the occasional assistance from “Agrari” workers who volunteer to join the work crew. These jobs are difficult and have a shockingly high mortality rate for those that work there.

	Despite extended pressure over time the Confederacy has failed to standardise its currency across their lands as such it has a fluctuating number of coins and tokens that are used to trade in the different areas each having different values making travel across the land challenging. This problem becomes even more pronounced when traders leave the towns and travel to the various villages as each individual village may not only have their own bartering method or system of currency but also their own language or dialect.

	To ensure the sanity of long-distant traders there are counting houses called “Dalziz” in each of the Confederacy's towns which can convert currency and even offer basic banking services such as loans or deposits as well as providing translators for the many languages of the Confederacy. Even the Dalziz not standardised across the Confederacy and occasional disputes between them crop up over the validity of another's counting methods.[/hider]

	Main imports: Guns, Gunpowder, Iron, Steel
	Exports: Lumber/Timber, Fish, Poisons, Translators, Jade
	Industries: Large-scale farming and fishing, Cottage-industry weaving and melee weapon-making
	Technology level: 15th Century Aztec Empire (Pre-Spanish arrival). Large-scale organisation of the State. “Hegemonic” (indirect) rule over other tribes and states.


[b][i]Primary Species:[/i][/b] Lizardfolk

	Lizardfolk are tall humanoid creatures that look like a cross between a powerfully built human and a bipedal lizard. They have clawed hands, a long tail, and a toothy jaw and are usually between six and seven feet (1.82 to 2.13 meters) tall and they have a muscular tail which is usually between three and four feet (0.91 to 1.21 meters) long. They have green, gray or brown scales that cover most of their bodies with the exception of smaller and softer scales that cover their bellies.

	The species is naturally aquatic and can move almost as gracefully in water as on land. Their scaled bodies provide a streamlined figure in the water, while their powerful tails provide stability to their movements when passive or an extra boost of speed when swiped from side to side. Lizardfolk's lung structure differs from other humanoid species, as they have adapted to environments where air isn't always available. Not only do their lungs take a larger proportion of the space in their chest cavity, but they are also divided into six & five lobes rather than the human three & two allowing greater compartmentalisation and storage of air for greater periods of time.

	Due to these biological differences they can hold their breath comfortably for four times longer than an average humanoid, as such they are quite comfortable on land, in rivers or in lakes and while they are capable of swimming far out into oceans they tend not to stray from sight of the land.

	The species are omnivores with a noticeable preference for meat, with rumour suggesting specifically human meat. Though they will eat anything if it becomes necessary, to the point of having some eating habits during famines that they find normal, but other species find revolting such as culling the slave population and feasting on their bodies.


[i][b]Secondary Species:[/b][/i] Humans, Üarim, Goblins


[i][b]Population:[/b][/i]

	A population census hasn't yet been successfully completed by the Confederacy, but estimates vary from between fourteen and thirty one million inhabitants across the land. With the vast majority of the population being Lizardfolk and a small but noticeable minority of humans & goblins who inhabit the area as well.

[hider=Culture]

[i][b]Culture:[/b][/i]

	The Confederacy's society is surprisingly stratified between nobles and commoners, both of which are further divided into elaborate hierarchies of power based on social status, a Khoko's responsibilities, and power. Stronger Khokoi would dominate weaker ones socially and extract tribute from the weaker which creates a further stratification based on how strong or weak your Khoko is. Lizardfolk also create hierarchies inside their Khoko based on their ties: of blood, ancestry, faith or skill against others in their Khoko and these bonds create a strong sense of group amongst the Confederacy as they each knows their place in society and try to outdo the others around them.

	A tradition that dates back long into Lizardfolk history is that of mutual help and defence, as the swamps and jungles they live in are harsh environments that require constant cooperation to thrive in. This mutual cooperation was truly stretched to the limit during the Time of the Irzuco when all of the tribes came together to help their brethren and cousins. This war also spawned another central part of the Confederacy's culture, a strong distrust and fear of “outsiders”. While the concept of “Outsider” is very malleable and can change based on how well they know you, it helps to solidify the internal workings in favour of those who have lived and thrived alongside others in their Khoko and thus strengthening the Khoko.[/hider]

[hider=Religious and Other Beliefs]

[i][b]Religious and Other Beliefs:[/b][/i]

	The Confederacy is quite relaxed about the religions of their population. The people of the Confederacy worship a dizzying array of gods and pantheons, with a towns streets full to bursting with: temples, shrines, and alters to a staggering array of figures creating a riot of colour and fervour for all to see as these pseudo-religions compete to try and attract new followers with the most showy displays.

	As long as the people add “Srolzaxl”, the Patron God of the Yutlao Tribe, to their pantheon of deities they can worship whomever they wish. The Yutlao say that Srolzaxl fiercely grips domain over the passing of time and the rhythms of life in his claws, plucking those that don't worship him from the rhythms of existence and abundance to wander the lands of the lost forever.

	 Speaker Qathrit, the semi-mythical founder of the Confederacy, has also found a place amongst the religions of the Lizardfolk. A large minority of the tribes worship the Speaker as a divine figure and retell stories of his famous exploits and his skilled speeches around the campfires of the villages. Many of these stories have been inflated by time and repetitions. One story tells of how Speaker Qathrit lulled the jungle to sleep with only a few calming words so that his wife could sleep peacefully, not to be disturbed by the endless noises of the night time jungle when she was pregnant.

	Where stories of Speaker Qathrit are told, those of Hadyar Khus the Feathered also rear their ugly head. Tales of Speaker Qathrit defeating the near-automatons of Hadyar Khus are replete in Lizardfolk culture and the tales both venerate Speaker Qathrit and teach valuable lessons to the younger audiences.[/hider]

[hider=Location, Territories & Climate]

[i][b]Location/Territories:[/b][/i]

[img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506708314839580672/521002735286616087/Territory_Map_with_Cities.jpg?width=707&height=676[/img]

	The Burnt Branch Confederacy is location on the western side of the New World, in an area mostly composed of marshlands close to the west coast and steaming jungles further inland.

	Aokki, the capital is a city of mudbrick and stones dotted with canals and giant temples the resides next to the only lake in the Confederacy, Lake Dizarsi which provides a bountiful quantity of fish and sea(lake?)foods. The other towns are: Ortaz, Uttass, Iqagus, Irouzae, Yigzi, Drixu, Allusk & Yacesk are dotted around the Confederacy usually near rivers or water sources. The vast majority of the population live in either Aokki or one of other the towns.

	Each of the towns is supported by a plentiful number of villages, which are smaller concerns with a handful of wooden shacks on poles to keep away from the regular flood waters or jungle predators. These villages consist of two or three extended family groups that eke out a their subsistence living from the lands and animals around them.

[i][b]Climate:[/b][/i] Temperate Marshlands & Tropical Forests[/hider]


[hider=Military]
[i][b]Military:[/b][/i]

	As part of the “Agrari” each Ixlaok can be required to raise large part of their populations for military service as a levy for the state. The number of lizardfolk who turn up is entirely decided by their respective Ixlaok and the skill of the levied troops varies based on the training they received in their Ixlaok's schooling. Generally these levied troops are significant in number, but very poor in skill and training. Armed with basic iron or steel melee weapons and negligible armour they pose little threat to a skilled or trained combatant, their strength however is in guerilla warfare specifically in the swamps and jungle in which they were born and raised.

	Their natural affinity with watery environments and ambushing from high up in the trees allows them to inflict terrible damage to armies who don't know their lands as well as they do, but this leaves them ill suited to traditional line and musket warfare as they simple don't have the space to practice such things. As such the levies are usually only raised from a few Ixlaoki and only for a campaign or a single year and then they return home afterwards to their villages and lives to keep the population of the Confederacy stable.

	Rather than specialise in a trade or a craft, a handful of Khokoi in the Confederacy specialise in warfare itself. They train as small units from childhood to be incredibly skilled warriors who work as units of a few hundred lizardfolk at the will of their Ixlaok or whoever pays them well enough. These Bhask-Khoko (or war-Khoko) have formed a warrior aristocracy amongst themselves and are dedicated to fighting and either capturing or killing as their entire livelihoods. Capturing an enemy in battle is a quick route to admiration for these warriors as whoever was captured can either be ransomed back or sold as slaves.

	The final part of the Confederacy's war machine are the slaves who manage the logistics of a campaign army on behalf of their masters and carry the prerequisite supplies in vast convoys through the jungles. In particularly desperate situations the Bhask-Khoko may call upon these slaves to fight alongside them to try and tip the balance of a campaign or to preserve dwindling food supplies. In these desperate situations, the slaves are either used as bait to draw rash foes from advantageous positions or as waves of bodies that soak up ammunition that might endanger the more precious warriors.

	Despite their fearsome claws and strong tails, the warriors of the Confederacy still enter combat armed with manufactured weapons. Black-powder struggles in the damp swamps and jungles that the lizardfolk live in so they tend towards using simple and reliable melee weapons such as small axes or maces to hack at their opponents. Javelins are commonly seen as a secondary weapon and are usually thrown at the beginning of fights before the lizardfolk close in for the kill. Occasionally one of the javelins will be attached to a rope to convert it into a crude harpoon, these are used to drag unfortunate victims into the water where the lizardfolk thrive. Armour rarely used as it slows a warrior travelling through the thick forests or while swimming through the swamps, but crude reed or wicker shields are much more commonly used to protect Confederacy warriors.[/hider]


[hider=Magic Prevalence & Usage and Elemental Alignment]

[i][b]Magic Prevalence/Usage and Elemental Alignment:[/b][/i]

	Magic, known as “Kher”, is only used by about a quarter of the population of the Confederacy who are known as “Kheras” or “Magicians/magic users” and the knowledge needed to successfully use it is kept as a well guarded secret by the few Khoko that study it.

	The Lizardfolk are elementally aligned towards the concept of “Mind” and study this concept broadly across the Confederacy with the wielder being called “Kheras-Yuz” or “Mind magicians”. The kheras-yuz are most famous for their “Urzeri” network, a communication network that stretches across the Confederacy by using telepathic communication through blank masks worn by the kheras-yuz and forming a connection to another far off kheras-yuz who also is wearing such a mask. Anyone who speaks to one of these blank masked figures will have their facial features and words projected, or at least the recipient believes that they are, onto the distant blank mask and it even appears that the mask moves and speaks as they are despite the sender being many hundreds of miles away from them. The knowledge of this is tightly controlled by a few Khokoi who relay message across the Confederacy for a high price.

	On a more individual level kheras-yuz practice a more subtle form of mind magic. Fights between lizardfolk are stopped by kheras-yuz merely dampening the combatants anger to less deadly levels, construction plans or council suggestions are shown directly into the minds of those who would build or accept these plans, and unknown creatures are “read” to understand who they are and what they want. These practices are a known factor of life and are used regularly based on the level of skill the kheras-yuz possesses.

	While not aligned to the concept, a single Khoko in the western city of Drixu focus on the element of Liquid as their speciality. These “Kheras-Acotlu” or “Liquid Magicians” have plenty of practice in the swamplands they inhabit and have even had limited success building an aqueduct system in their town to provide fresh water for their people.[/hider]


[hider=History & Background Info]

[i][b]History/Background Info:[/b][/i]

	The western jungles and swamps of the New World have been inhabited by lizardfolk longer than any written record. As small isolated tribes they dotted the landscape that no civilised people would setting in for long and continued a savage lifestyle amongst the rich plethora of creatures which inhabited their swamps and jungles. It was in these simpler times that many myths and legends rose.

	It wasn't until a creature, damned by the gods themselves, rose from the deepest of sinkholes did the Lizardfolk know true fear. It moved through the night with a cloak of darkness shrouding upon its shoulders and a veil of tears upon its face. It's presence was marked by entire tribes vanishing from their villages without a struggle, their food still cooking upon the fire. The only sign left by each of the vanished tribes was a single granite statue in the centre of the village which looked identical the tribes Speaker immobile and terrified.

	The tribes became known as “The Departed” or “Irzuco” and as whole Ixlaoki vanished the remaining tribes gathered themselves together to find a solution. Scouts and hunters were sent across the land to discover the source of this disaster. Hundreds were lost.

	Nearly five long years after the Irzuco first began to vanish a single wounded scout returned to Aokki telling stories of a corrupted Mind magician of incredible power who was the cause of this problem. They were called “Hadyar Khus the Feathered”, a creature who's gaze turned people to stone and whose hair were venomous snakes. They had unleashed terrible mind magics upon the tribes that had vanished, turning the tribes people into near-automaton like creatures with no will or soul of their own.

	As this revelation spread throughout the lizardfolk lands so to did the slave armies of Hadyar Khus the Feathered as they began a campaign of devastation across the lands. Hordes of mindless lizardfolk who had once been cousins or friends slaughtered or captured anyone in their way and burnt the rest with soulless glassy-eyes.

	It was in this time that the semi-mythical figure of Speaker Qathrit appeared to aid the tribes in the time of greatest need to aid and unified the tribes. Though they didn't put their differences aside at his requests, they understood that they needed to cooperate and band together to defeat Hadyar Khus.

	The unification sparked a vicious civil war amongst the lizardfolk. Spirited guerilla raids were used by both sides to harass the other through the dangerous terrain and whole villages were slaughtered or captured in the war. Hadyar Khus' mindless forces regularly swept aside the Proto-Confederacies forces as they drove their way towards Lake Dizarsi and the city of Aokki but as they did the Kheras-Yuz were devising ways to undo Hadyar Khus' foul magics.

	As the slave armies reached the outskirts of Aokki the Speaker unleashed his most deperate plan to survive. His forces set fire to the surrounding jungle. Rolling smoke clogged the battlefield and waves of forest creatures fled from the fires into the slave armies lines. Ferocious and savage lizardmen stalked through the smoke attacking the Irzuco who mindlessly defended Hadyar Khus.

	The fighting was bloody with an entire generation of Lizardfolk dying upon the primitive weapons both sides wielded in brutal civil war. It is said that Hadyar Khus was defeated that day as the Kheras-Yuz stole his magic from his guards and poisoned weapons brought him low. As dawned rose the Battle of Lake Dizarsi had been won, but rumours spread of Hadyar Khus retreating to the sinkholes that spawned him. Speaker Qathrit stood up once more and spoke of how unity must be maintained to ensure their future survival. He spoke of the defeat of the foul Hadyar Khus and the misuses of kher and how it should be limited to prevent this happening once more.The tribes agreed to the Speakers plan, and the Confederacy of the Burnt Branch was formed.

	A great deal of time has passed since that invasion and the lizardfolk culture moves slowly. They have dragged themselves from the Stone Age at a remarkable pace despite their constant infighting. Will it be enough to resist the wandering eyes of other empires?[/hider]