Izuria: Allied Continent, the Empire of the Seven Continents
Izuria is one of the seven continents that make up the Empire of the Seven Continents, the setting for the Imperial Saga. The Empire is composed of seven continents, three of which are considered allied, and four of which are considered conquered. Check out the Imperial Saga hub for more details about the series, the characters, and the world!
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Basic Information
- Capital City: Izutlatan
- Population: 23 million
- Discovered in 53 AE
- Joined the Empire in 56 AE
- Represented by Emmett, advisor to the Emperor
The government is based on democratic principles but utilizes an oligarchical system. Different Houses within the society can be elected to hold a specific domain of power; for example, mining, smelting, money minting, farming, and more. Each House is only allowed to have one domain of power at any given time. While having said power, the House can act as they see fit within that domain. However, the population can, with a sufficiently large majority, call for a vote of who shall have power over the domain in question.
All Imperial citizens living on Izuria are eligible to vote except for members of any House that holds a domain, regardless of whether it is the domain being voted on. In order for a House to be eligible candidates for an open domain, they must give up their current domain, making it a significant since they’re unable to vote in any of the elections.
Volcanic Activity
The string of mountains known as the Zultlane Volcanoes contains several inactive volcanoes, and three active ones that have erupted within the past 500 years. The capital city is positioned near the base of the most active volcano, Mount Talzar, which has regular, minor eruptions every thirty-one years. Occasionally, an unscheduled eruption will disrupt life and foreshadow a change in Izuria’s fate. The last irregular eruption was the year that the Emperor appeared on the horizon with his dragon knights.
The Izure People
The Izure share most characteristics with those from the other continents except Kaehlar, with the biggest difference being their hair, which spikes upward like flickering fire and has a texture halfway between hair and flame. Their hair ranges from red to gold with occasional white. Having deep red hair with gold or white streaks is very stylish, and some will use chemicals to temporarily dye their hair to achieve this look.
Certain Izure are born with the ability to manipulate bodies, both their own and that of others, shifting energy in order to heal injuries. These shaman are highly valued outside of Izure, but on the continent itself, they’re reviled because of their traditional association with Xandra, the Water Goddess who brings destruction.
Citizens of Izuria are full Imperial citizens and can move freely between all of the continents. Many live on Alongra, intermarrying as their physical traits become more and more muted.
Theme Song for Izuria
Lyrics and art by ChatGPT, music by Suno, arranged by Anne Winchell
A Brief History
Izuria had a tumultuous history before joining the Empire. Throughout history, the population has divided itself into Houses, originally based on the tribes that people lived in. Given the small size of the continent, there has always been close contact between the Houses, each of which traditionally led separate nations. Life was characterized by near-constant war and violent volcanic eruptions. The massive eruption of Mount Talzar in 7 AE obliterated Izutlatan, spilling lava, blanketing the region in ash, and blotting out the sun for nearly two months. The peak of the volcano was gone when the smoke cleared enough for people to make it out. Peace lasted for nearly twenty years as people regrouped and began rebuilding the city. In 53 AE, a vicious war had entangled most of the Houses in one way another, making it their first continent-wide war. However, a strange airship appeared with enormous, fire-breathing creatures flying with it.
Most of the Houses interpreted this as a sign from Izut, and when Mount Vuskar began an unexpected eruption, the signs became clear. The Emperor approached House Vatsa first, but soon had spoken with all of the House leaders. He offered a way for the continent to unite under his leadership while still maintaining control and power, just over goods and governmental functions instead of land. Over the next three years, the various Houses joined with the Empire. House Vatsa joined first and was given mining as its domain, a domain with outsized influence due to Izuria’s vast network of mines and the prominence of metal in the culture and in eventual trade with the rest of the Empire.
Only one House resisted, House Ilsukar. While many in the House supported joining the Empire, the leader, Lord Treza, refused to even consider giving up power. Tragically, Lord Treza fell off a bridge, a type of death known as ponseruption that is extremely rare. Within days, his successor and the rest of the House agreed to join. In 56 AE, Izuria was fully integrated into the Empire.
Izuria’s history since joining the Empire has been generally quiet except for one incident known as the Vatsa Upset in 213 AE, when House Vatsa began a formal process to withdraw from the Empire based on their religious beliefs. They had always been uncomfortable with the fact that Emperor came from across the water, since everything beyond the horizon is considered the domain of Xandra, the despised water goddess. Most leaders in the House kept the objections of the people quiet, but in 213 AE, the people pressured their newly chosen leader, Lady Zolska, to reclaim their independence.
After negotiations between the Emperor and the advisor for Izuria, the Emperor agreed to let the continent handle things on its own. Shortly after that decision, the people of Izuria began to be inundated with messages calling for an election for House Vatsa and their domain. Despite House Vatsa’s immense popularity, over the course of a month, public opinion flipped, influenced by messages from public figures and repeated exposés of Vatsa mismanagement in the media. Enough votes were gathered to hold an election less than two months after House Vatsa’s initial declaration. Due to the immense power that the mining domain holds, over half of the other Houses decided to put themselves forward as candidates, therefore giving up their domains and opening them to their own elections.
The cascade of elections completely reshifted the balance of power within Izuria, with those Houses more closely aligned with the Emperor gaining substantially more power than those who weren’t as enthusiastic, even though the Emperor made no public statements regarding the elections other than that he trusted the Izure people to do what was right for them. House Vatsa did win the final election, held for the minor domain of guano farming. Despite its unpleasant reputation, this domain does have influence with foreign trade, being closely associated with Estova, as the guano is traded as fertilizer for Estov farms.
House Vatsa was forced to accept their new domain, since it had been decided by the will of the people and not the Emperor. Lady Zolska was unceremoniously kicked out of leadership, to be replaced by her niece. Just under ten years later, Lady Zolska suffered from ponseruption, falling off a bridge in the Inzadia district.
Izure Spices and Dzinari Crabs
Izuria is well-known for its unique spice, created from the Dzinari crab. The Dzinari spice is a popular export, though most people refer to it as an acquired taste. On Izuria itself, Dzinari crab eggs are a delicacy, though they need to be eaten immediately and, as a result, cannot be exported.
Unlike most crabs, Dzinari crabs lay only four to eight eggs at a time and protect their eggs until they hatch, with both parents switching nest duties. They build nests near bodies of water and are frequently found on the coast, but smaller populations live near the bases of the various volcanoes by small lakes and streams. These volcanic Dzinari tend to be larger and have a stronger flavor. They seem to have a good sense of when eruptions will occur, and the migration of crabs to the coast is a sure sign of imminent eruption.
While there are still significant wild populations, Dzinari crabs have been domesticated and are raised in coops that consist of a small pond for the nests themselves and plenty of dry land in nearby pastures to roam. Crabbers, as those who raise them are known, have learned that taking one or two eggs from a nest won’t bother the parents, who have become docile enough to gently push out of the way. As long as the parent crabs have at least one egg in their nest, they’re content.
Theme Song for the Fire God Izut
Lyrics and art by ChatGPT, music by Suno, arranged by Anne Winchell
Religious Beliefs
The Izure are a highly religious people, though those who leave Izuria tend to be less rigid about their practices. The central god is Izut, the Fire God, who represents life and the future. According to the Xutalan Scrolls that survived the massive eruption of 7 AE, the world was made entirely of water in the early days of the planet, and it was utterly devoid of life. Xandra, the Water Goddess, ruled over a world as empty as her heart. Longing for companionship, she took a ray of sunlight and concentrated it into fire, seeking a brother to brighten her days. The fire erupted into Izut, and he was aghast at the emptiness of the world. Against Xandra’s will, he created the land of Izuria, made from fire to keep the water away.
Although he wanted to create a people from pure fire, he didn’t have the strength to create such holy people. Instead, he resorted to trapping water within bodies of fire, a balance that he vowed he could someday shift to being pure fire. He filled the land with ways for people to shift the balance into them, giving them fire to heat their bodies and the sulfuric breath of the volcanoes to fill their lungs with fire.
Xandra, upon discovering life in her formerly pristine world, was furious. She vowed to turn his people to water in order to extinguish the fire in their souls and force them back into nothingness. She blessed several of the Izure with the gift of healing using the energy from the bodies of themselves and those around them, letting them draw on water to subdue the damage caused by Izut’s fire. These people became known as shaman, and face a difficult life as outcasts in society even though they possess the ability to save lives and spare suffering.
Izut vowed that in time, the people would become fire and become gods like him, and it is the duty of all people to create this future by absorbing as much fire into themselves as possible. Upon death, the fire in their souls enters Izuria itself, which in turn allows children to be born with their balance shifted towards fire. While there is no afterlife and a person stops existing at death, their fire lives on, and it is vital to the Izure that they follow Izut’s future, because giving in to Xandra’s water will result in the people sinking into nothingness.
The Izure believe that all suffering is a gift from Izut intended to bring people closer to pure fire. Resorting to the cures offered by the shaman lessens Izut’s influence and is considered blasphemy. However, enough people are willing to go against Izut’s will in order to save themselves and their loved ones that the shaman have always had a place in society, no matter how low. After unplanned eruptions, there are often purges of shaman, but the group always survives, and always regains their relative safety.
Today, the Izure people attend biweekly ceremonies with their communities in which they dedicate themselves to the fire, pledging to accept the pain that Izut gives them without resorting to shaman. Despite this, shaman are still widely used by all but the hardcore believers. In some areas such as the Kladix district, many of the practices worshipping Izut have been weakened. Shaman are tolerated, and the biweekly ceremonies are something that people try to attend when they can as opposed to something required. Shaman who choose to leave Izuria are celebrated and can easily gain high status and wealth using their healing skills.
One of the rites of passage that young Izure endure is the running of the coals, where they run a course consisting of strips with heated coals. Those who aren’t able to get across all of the strips are traditionally banished to live with the shaman, though in recent times they are merely shamed and humiliated but are allowed to remain with their families. A final strip is offered for those wanting to truly dedicate themselves to Izut which involves running across coals for a full thirty seconds. Some Houses require this holy course for the person to hold a position within the House, but this is becoming less common.
In 309 AE, a new religious leader began gaining influence, preaching hardcore beliefs. They continued to build a faithful community that culminated in a midnight attack on shaman across the continent in 316 AE known as Fiery Purge. Thousands of shaman were killed over the next three days, and the Emperor moved quickly to evacuate as many shaman as he could, given their privileged position outside of Izuria. Dragon knights were called in for the first time to restore order. The religious leader was allowed to live, but was stripped of all power, and their name and all identifying features have been removed from historical accounts. Oddly, the leader died from ponseruption a few years after the purge.
Theme Song for the Water Goddess Xandra
Lyrics by ChatGPT, art by NightCafe, music by Suno, arranged by Anne Winchell
Created by ChatGPT and Adobe Photoshop