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Map of the Empire

Fon
Formally known as the Empire of Our Master's Fon in the White Oak, Fon is a small empire quite far out from the central continent. The empire spans a quartet of islands, named Fon Gotto, Fon Milikin, Fon Alad, and Fon Mar.
Fon Gotto contains the capital and not much more, as it is the smallest of the islands. Fon Milikin and Fon Alad are primarily agricultural, and are almost uninhabited except during the hot season. Fon Mar is an odd mix of mining, forestry, commercial centre, and uninhabited land.

The Empire of Fon recognizes the High and Low Imperial languages, and many of the educated in Fon speak this language, although the language of Fon is significantly different. The educated in Fon are many, and most know four or five languages. The primary reason for this is not for trade, however. It is for learning magic. Most of the educated of Fon have a high magical aptitude, and even some of the uneducated and untrained have weak magical powers they have practiced. In fact, any person wishing to become a citizen of Fon is welcomed, if they have any magical ability, speak three languages, and contribute a small donation to the Empire. Citizenship of Fon is not exclusive with many other nations, and several notable citizens of nearby nations are Citizens of Fon.

Government
The government of Fon is a fairly loose one, given its socialist Empire. The empire has always, for their history, provided enough food for its people. The portions are plenty, and fed people are happy people. The Emperor lives in luxury, but not in excess; there is little waste on vanity in the empire, and centuries of living without vanity has made it a foreign concept.

Way of Life
There are two distinct castes. In the lower caste, people choose to be trained in the crafts and abilities necessary to sustain the empire, such as carpentry, stonemasonry, and paper-milling. Much work stops for the hot season while the workers temporarily work as gatherers. Members of the uneducated caste may become members of the educated caste in the same way that foreigners may become citizens of Fon.

In the educated caste, the people study, practice, and perform. They continue to contribute to the Empire, but in less active ways. It is common for a member of the educated caste to leave Fon to learn a language and magic elsewhere. Magic is taught in very many languages in Fon. Magicians educated in Fon are very well trained, and very well respected. Many members of the educated caste are dedicated to refertilizing Fon Milikin and Fon Alad, and have caused an underground/undersea stream to flow from the Mar Flies' pollen depository back to the two farm islands. A recent operation has constricted the Mar Flies' flight path to only two thin stretches of Fon Mar. Most members of the educated caste, however, spend much time learning, and then leave, either returning to their original homes, or hiring themselves out to whomever has money.

The soldiers are all members of this caste, and to become a soldier in Fon is extremely difficult. A knowledge and mastery of destructive and defensive magics are required, as is physical stamina, strength, and weapons training. The soldiers of Fon have been feared for a very long time.


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Fon Government
Island of Fon Gotto
Islands of Fon Milikin and Alad
Island of Fon Mar

Sickle Root and the Mar Fly
The agriculture of Fon is almost entirely Sickle Root. Sickle Root is a weed that grows thick as grass on the islands of Fon Milikin and Fon Alad. It is hardy, and will come back year after year, even if uprooted. (No uprooting of a plant is ever complete, some segments remain, and like legendary trolls, a Sickle Root will grow from any detached part of a Sickle Root.) Sickle Root takes eight months to go from seed-root to full bloom to harvestable. Sickle Root earned its name from its edible root and its sickle bloom.

The bloom of the flower has an awful smell that wards away all but the hardiest of pollinators. The omnivorous Mar Fly will approach the Sickle Root and this is why Fon Milikin and Fon Alad are mostly uninhabited; the Mar Flies are aggressive and may kill an unprotected person. Cloth covering is enough to convince a Mar Fly that you're too tough to eat, but that cloth must cover every bit of yourself. And you may wonder why they are called Mar Flies? On Mar exists a tall mountain, and it is cooler at the top. The Mar Flies prefer cooler temperatures and Sickle Root. The Mar Flies fly from Mount Orange Morning Sunshine (on Mar) to Fon Milikin and Fon Alad every day for their meals, and otherwise remain on the top of the mountain. If they encounter any living thing on the way they attack, so a large swath of Mar is uninhabited.

During the hot season, the Mar Flies do something akin to hibernation. "Farmers" from Fon Gotto and Fon Mar then swarm Fon Milikin and Fon Alad and quickly pull up all of the Sickle Root. The flowers are separated from the root, and the flowers are all left in a pile in the centre of each of these islands. When the Mar Flies emerge from their sleep, they hungrily swarm the island, where they feast on the detached flowers. And then the remaining roots begin to grow, and the process repeats. Finally, Sickle Root is a large delicacy in many kingdoms, as it has a wonderful taste and smell (unlike the flower), is very filling, and is very nutritious. Almost a miracle root, Sickle Root sells expensively on any market upon which it is found, and goes quickly. The government of Fon retains the funds thus gathered, with which they purchase food for the people of Fon.