Zhi Nakiwá

zhi Nakiwá

Country
Local name	zhi Nakiwá
Capital	si Shawéna
Largest city	si Shawéna
Official languages	peküzhí Nakiwá
Demonym	uzhí Nakiwá
Government	Absolute monarchy
Currency	no Ödéga

zhi Nakiwá is an country in Ñavutlama. It consists of the zhí Nakiwá archipelago from the middle of the island of ka Bidetí southwards. It is the most industrialised region of Ñavutlama, with a particular focus on gemstone magic since its rapid industrialisation under the rule of Queen sha Osiwéa. The capital and largest city of zhi Nakiwá is si Shawéna.

History

First settlement of the archipelago

The zhi Nakiwá archipelago has been inhabited since roughly the year 500, when the uzhí Nakiwá first arrived in small boats. They settled on the islands and practised small-scale agriculture. Magic used during this time was a limited natural source magic.

Attempted Cjëmta invasion

Around the year 1100, an invasion force by a Cjëmta group from the mainland attempted to take over the islands. The islands united under the first queen, Queen sha Yagikéwa, who led the effort to force the invasion force from the island. After the Cjëmta invasion threat was gone, Queen sha Yagikéwa passed the islands to her daughter, in a pattern that continued until the arrival of the Adcovtle in the 1480s.

Contact with Covtle and magic ban

Trade relations with Covtle began positively, with new magic items becoming popular among the upper classes. However relations quickly deteriorated when Naþad Adpaltlon attempted to conquer zhi Nakiwá in 1549. This led to the Adcovtle being expelled from the islands and further contact being forbidden. Several attempts were made by Covtle to reestablish relations, but none of these efforts succeeded and all efforts stopped after the Ice Dragon Winds began in 1615.

In the years after the expulsion of the Adcovtle in 1549, zhi Nakiwá became very isolated again. Queen sha Bokonená banned the use of all magics except the limited natural source magic that was used before the arrival of the Adcovtle. A search was put out for illegal magic items. The vast majority of them were found and destroyed by 1615.

Isolation, farming, and artistry

Life in zhi Nakiwá remained relatively stagnant for the next few centuries due to the magic ban. A large majority of the population continued to subsistence farm or fish. Arts, however, flourished in this period, especially painting.

Return of Covtle and reversal of magic ban

The Adcovtle returned in the year 1934. They were immediately banished once again. However, during the next 20 years they conquered the i Gashíkü peninsula (known in Covtle as the Paltlon ini peninsula) and the ka Nomödá islands (known in Covtle as the Tepliata vewiþ), both to the north of the zhi Nakiwá archipelago. In 1956, they launched an attack on ka Bidetí, the northernmost island of the archipelago, and seized control of it in two months. Alarmed, Queen sha Osiwéa ordered her advisers to do a review of what went wrong in the war. The result of the review was a recommendation that there be less limits on magic to allow for greater military and economic strength.

Queen sha Osiwéa ordered a report from her advisers on the usage of magic in Covtle. The resulting report took three years to complete, included a period of travel in Covtle, and was noted for its thoroughness. Queen sha Osiwéa decided to completely reverse the gemstone magic ban and order the construction of a Tower of Knowledge (known as a ki tódo) in si Shawéna to educate students in gemstone magic. She also imported technology such as the steam engine from Covtle.

Recent history

By the 2010s, zhi Nakiwá was the most industrial region of Ñavutlama. (The peküzhí Nakiwá term for Ñavutlama, ka Yöméta, only refers to the mainland, excluding zhi Nakiwá.) In 2029, they launched an attack on the Wiþi Empire to capture ka Bidetí back. The Wiþi Empire, fearing another Wàmèrì war situation, quickly signed a treaty to end the war and split the island in half, which is how it is to this day.

Culture

zhi Nakiwá is relatively culturally homogeneous, although there is some slight variation north-south. Uzhí Nakiwá religion is centred around worship of sha Badiwéo, the protector god of zhi Nakiwá. The queens are thought to be related to sha Badiwéo, and rule with almost absolute power. Artistic pursuits are considered important, and things are expected to serve both practical and artistic purposes. Social class is mostly just a divide between the royal family and everyone else. Uzhí Nakiwá culture is slightly matrilineal, but mostly only in the royal family, and gender does not play a large role in everyday life. There is very little immigration from other parts of the world.