Pronounced: kay-nal islands
Capital: Anara
Founded: 622 post
Population: 168,000 human,
65,000 elf, 15,000 faerie kind,
14,000 mer, 3,000 other
Motto: "Prosperity for all"
Language: Islander
Religion: Varied
Wealth: Great
Motif: Bronze-age Egyptian meets classical Mayan. Religious society, centered around Rai and various nature and ancestor spirits.
The Kainal Islands (formerly called the Broken Lands) are home to many different and sometimes conflicting races and religions.
Somehow these radically divergent groups manage to work together, creating a cohesive government and a dynamic culture.
The first settlers of the Broken Lands were the mer. Making their homes in the shallow waters between islands, the Mer lived in small tribal
units. Over the centuries, elves, trolls, goblins, waterfolk, earthfolk, and faeries made their way to the area. While the waterfolk shared territories
with the mer, the other groups fought for usable land among the islands. Most tribes managed to carve out a parcel or two for themselves, and alternately warred and traded with their neighbors.
Exiled humans from the Zeahan Empire were among the last to arrive on the islands, and they eventually claimed their own island territory. More humans came from Kilmoor later, bringing the worship of dragons with them. Because the draconic tenets of Shal'ekk'niar were at odds with the local and long-established worship of Dalah, Deyeus and Aghali, Kilmoorian culture has never enjoyed much popularity in the region.
Soon, humans outnumbered the other races, but because they fought each other as often as the other species, they recognized no tactical advantage. Elves from Zeah attempted to create colonies within the area and met resistance from local warlords and tribes. Exiled nobles from far-off lands came to the islands and attempted to set up their own despot kingdoms, but none were able to gain a foothold.
That changed with the arrival of an elf king from Corvel.
Kainal fled from the fledgling lands of Kilmoor, disturbed by what he had seen there. Arriving in the island chain, he found tribes of humans, elves, and other races warring amongst each other - much like Seris. He also saw that, unlike Seris, distance made the concept of fealty to the Corvel crown impractical.
Kainal was fearful that the mixed races of Islanders would be set upon by the enslaving Kilmoorians and felt that they needed to band together in order to protect themselves from slave raids. However, he did not believe that a single power within the islands could hold authority for long - one or more of the many warring factions would overthrow whatever force claimed authority.
Using the lesson and example of Seris, Kainal offered his assistance to one of the elf tribes of the area. Though not well supplied, he did possess an impressive flotilla, and for this reason he was able to ally several tribes of elves and lead them against their enemies. The trolls of the islands were completely exterminated, tho survived in some ways in the half-trolls, called Trollkins; some goblins survived, albeit in very small numbers.
Kainal knew that the tribes he had united in victory would topple as soon as he withdrew his military might; no one individual would be able to maintain power among so many different squabbling groups. So he proposed a radical idea - he suggested that each group send forth a leader, and the combined council of leaders rule the island chain.
The first Island Senate was formed mostly of chiefs and leaders of the old tribes. Several clans had lost their chiefs in the wars of unification; the most influential remaining members of those tribes met to elect Senators from among their numbers. This concept of election soon spread to other tribes, and within thirty years, all the representatives in the Senate were elected.
Kainal spent twenty years mentoring the Senate, as they advanced from petty bickering to a stable nation that would endure without him. The Senate elected a Speaker to replace Kainal, and the elf king left, sailing to the south. Since that time, the Kainal Islands have remained stable, slowly evolving the eclectic culture and government for which they are now known.
The island chain, which had previously had as many different names as there were tribes and warlords in the area, was given a name that all agreed on, that of the great nation builder from Corvel. Henceforth the Broken Lands were called the Kainal Islands.
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