Editing Ilkara

'''Location'''

The island of Ilkara is located near the center of the Northern Seas (which the Ilkarians call Vor Azula -"calm blue waters" or "calm sea") north of the [[Aertepia]] coast. The island is a large fertile volcanic island with a large variety of natural resources.  The city of Eributal is located off the main island of Ilkaria on a the smaller island of Udago just to the north of Ilkaria.  The various Ilkarian city states also have trading outposts on the Artepian coast to the south and the ''Isinnian coast'' to the north.  These outposts trade Ilkarian goods for furs, leather and other goods produced by barbarian tribes located on either coast.



[[Image:Mapofilkara2.jpg|frame| '''Map of the Island of Ilkaria''']]


'''City States'''

[[Hellianoptis]]: (Pop: 8,000) Located on the southwest coast of the Ikaria the city produces a brilliant Indigo dye and ''Jingu'', fermented fish sauce.


[[Atolianoptis]]: (Pop: 9,000)


[[Indari]]: (Pop: 8,000)


[[ Eributal]]: (Pop: 9,000)Is the only city not found on the main island.  The cities major export is blue glass that exists only on the island of ''Udago'' where Eributal is located.

 
[[ Elabnon]]: (Pop: 8,000)A military-religious order  "The Sons of Uru" recently deposed and replaced the cities monarch and have thrown the city into turmoil with their brutal and oppressive rule.









'''People and Culture'''

Local legends say that ancient Kromori ("savage men", also commonly used as an insult) settled the island when the Gods were young. The Gods gave these Kromori the gifts of agriculture, writing and bronze smelting. After recieving these gifts they abandoned the ways of their Kromori ancestors and became the Ilkara. Above all else the Ilkara revere intellect and a quick wit. As such all learned men and traders who drive a hard bargain are highly esteemed. This combined with their sailing capabilities explains why they have become prominent explorers and traders. Ilkarian men are often very tall and thin, even those of great strength, while women are slightly shorter. Skin color is a dark mahogany and hair is black and curly. Common eye colors are brown and green.







'''Language''' 

Ilkarian is the only language spoken and there are no known or acknowledge dialects. Ilkarian is also has an alphabet that developed out the need for quickly recording trade contracts and debts. The Ilkarian alphabet consists of 31 letters and has been in common use for approximately for 170 years.  Before the modern Ilkarian alphabet was developed, Ilkarian scholars used what is now known as the Archaic Ilkarian alphabet. This alphabet used a series of written characters that were originally pictures of animals and other objects and each pictograph stood for a specific object or concept.  As the writing evolved these characters became highly stylize.  Eventually Archaic Ilkarian contained so many characters that it took a decade or more to become an literate scribe. The new Ilkarian script is far easier to learn and is now the preferred method of writing.  The Archaic Ilkarian script is still learned by historical scholars who are still working on translating the numerous ancient texts that are written only in Archaic Ilkarian.

[[Ilkarian Dictionary]]





'''Architecture'''

The majority of building are made of stone and mortar construction and covered with plaster inside and out.  House types differ by social status and wealth.  Poor residents of the city have a one room dwelling with access to a covered roof and a cellar for storage.  The roof is used as the main activity and sleeping area except when the weather is to cool or raining. Wealthier citizens such as craftsmen and artisans usually have a two story house with a work shop or store on the bottom level and living quarters on the second floor along with a covered rooftop.  The wealthiest citizens and nobles of the city live in multi-story houses that have a courtyard with greenery and a pool that collects water that is stored in a cistern. Generally these houses are two stories but some of the larger homes can be 3 or even 4 stories high.  

It is common practice for wealthier citizens to hire painters to create fresco paintings on the inside walls of a home.  These painting are often scenes from mythology or landscape paintings.





'''Clothing'''

The Ilkarians love bright colors as a general rule and dress accordingly. It is common among tradsmen and merchants to attempt to look older and overweight than they really are.  This is an attempt to appear wise and wealthy. The common dress for male citizens is the ''Hurkit'', an ankle length robe dyed with inch wide, alternating vertical stripes. These stripes come in various colors and color combinations, with white (undyed) as one of the colors is the most common among the poorer citizens, as it is less expensive.  During cooler weather men often wear a knee length sleevless tunic over their ''Hurkit''.  This garment is called a ''Jhon'' and is a single solid color. 

Rural peasant men wear plain white or brown kilts or ''Khee'' and headbands while working in the fields or tending to their herds.  On special occasions they wear a knee length tunic or ''Jhon'', of bright colors tied at the waist with a belt or sash. 

Women both urban and rural wear long light weight dresses tied at the waist with sashes and scarves to tie back their hair.  They often mix and match as many bright colors as they can afford.  

'''Footwear''' - for both men and women of all social ranks are simple leather sandals.

'''Jewelery''' - is a common addition to the dress of both men and women of all castes (with the exception of priests and soldiers).  Ear-rings, worn in one of both ears are common among both sexes and nose rings are common among women. Gold bracelets and anklets made of gold, silver and other precious materials are commonly worn by women as are 9 to 20 ft. beaded necklaces called an ''Amjin'' . These necklaces are made of wooden, baked clay, glass, amber, jade and a variety of other precious materials, depending on the wealth and status of the owner.
   




'''Hair Styles'''

Commonly men of Hellianoptis and surround rural areas wear their hair short and shave off facial hair.  Women wear their hair long and tied back or covered with a scarf. Soldiers and priests can be easily identified by their unique hair styles.  Soldiers shave not only their faces but their heads as well.  This custom is common among all Ilkarian soldiers regardless of their city of origin.  Ilkarian priests grow their hair long and keep them in dreadlocks and grow their beards long.   




'''Sports and Leisure'''

The Ilkarians engage in a variety of leisurely pursuit partially based on age, gender, and social status. But music, theater, story telling and puzzles are popular with nearly all citizens regardless of age, caste or gender.

''Habra'' - is a military training sport and style of martial arts practiced among the warriors of Hellianoptis and other Ilkarian cities.  Fighters are pitted against each other in a circle six feet in diameter and if either fighter leaves the circle or is knocked out of the circle they lose the match. Punching, kicking, kneeing, elbowing, throws and grappling moves are all allowed.  The only moves not allowed are head-butting, biting and the gouging of eyes. Though meant primarily a means of training soldiers matches are occasionally held in the public market after the market is over.  Often these matches draw large crowds and heavy betting.

'Dice games are common among the lower classes as a means of gambling and these games are often conducted in taverns and inns.

Board Games are common with the upper classes as a way to pass an evening. These games include ''Camtusa'', a game that is much like chess and ''Yre'' (Chariots), a board game in which players roll dice and move their pegs around a race track made of small holes and obstacles.

Public Debate is a form of entertainment that all people enjoy.  These debates are often held in the public square, Library or one of the cities shrines.  The topics can vary widely and often do not particularly matter as long as the debate is spirited and someone goes home looking like a fool.









'''Domesticated Crops'''

Grapes, Lemons, Almonds, Olives, Eggplant, Beets




'''Common Herbs and Spices'''

Lavender, Cloves, Saffron




'''Domesticated animals'''

Horses - There are no native Horse breeds on the Ilkarian islands but over the last hundred years or more the Ilkarians have imported various horse breeds from the mainland and have succesfully bred a small hardy cross-breed of horses that are now used for pulling chariots and as pack animals.

Oxen, 

Dogs - The original breed of dogs that was brought to the Island when it was first settled.  These dogs were used to aid in hunting animals. When the Ilkarians began to practice agriculture and herding some of these dogs were trained to herd and protect livestock from predators.  Currently dogs are fairly rare on the Ilkarian islands.  They are no longer used for herding or protecting livestock since there are no longer any predatory animals on the island.  Dogs are primarily owned by the wealthy and are used as guard dogs or used for tracking in the leisurely sport of hunting enjoyed only by the wealthy. 

Sheep, Goats and Bees




'''Naming conventions'''

Among the Ilkarians a persons family name is more important than their own. When greeting another person the family name is given first, then one's own name.

Male names often end in: lav, dana, ago, cant, kal, ava, ael, hos, terk, iak.

Female names often end in: alia, ania, agia, ami, iel, eza, hyphia, ora.







'''Creator/s:''' Kirk Smith



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