“The ocean is my sister, a sister of watery depths and beauty. She is the soul of this world, the keeper or our oceanic brethren. She flows over mountains and to the depths of the trenches just the same, reaching around the globe in a strong embrace.”
- Hoku Ikaia, the Liberator
The Islands were originally settled by the Megaladonian people. They were later annexed and known as the Hayling Province under the control of the Cinder Confederation. This changed when the Kuokoan people grew tired of being under the control of the greater Confederation government’s power. During the 437th Volandrian Hexadiel the Hayling Province put forth a group of Megaladonian champions that had trained their whole lives to win the Hexadiel. After succeeding the Hayling government’s Head of State moved all of the Confederation’s border troops out of the Isles, allowing the people of Kuokoa to prepare for their separation from the Confederation. They built up a powerful navy and defensive force while the Confederation was busy attempting to oust the Hayling Head of State. This army managed to repel the Confederation forces that tried to invade after the ousting, which the Confederation Legislature had sent to put down the "illegitimate government." The Kuokoan Revolution lasted from 7883-7887.
A long war ensued where the Confederation only reclaimed a few islands before their people turned against the war and they withdrew, granting the revolutionaries respite. Though the Confederation refuses to acknowledge the revolutionaries as a legitimate government and “allow them to rejoin the Confederation,” trade has since reopened.
After the war various individuals attempted to seize total control over the Kuokoa Isles. After ousting these individuals the Islands all gathered together and formed a tribunal.
This Tribunal currently rules on major decisions that affect the Isles of Kuokoa as a whole. Each individual island is able to set their own government. These governments range from pure democracies to monarchy rule. They are responsible for handling day to day and island specific problems. Large or multi-island issues are dealt with by the Tribunal.
Each Isle with over 5,000 people in their population has a representative in the Tribunal. Smaller islands may also form small collectives with each other to reach this threshold to acquire representation. Every five years a new representative may be selected by the people.
The capital city is on the large island of Coralis, and shares the name with the island.
The primary languages of Hubranch are Common, with other major languages in the province being Primordial.
The Reef stretches all the way from the coast of Volandra over to Xuc’tor and is the main source of revenue for the Isles. This acts as a natural barrier against the sea, providing calm waters across the entirety of the Isles on all but the stormiest days. Corals within the reef contain a minor ingredient that can be used in the creation process of many nautical themed magical items, though their harvest is carefully monitored and policed in order to keep the reef self-sustaining.
As the civilizations along the Kuokoa Islands and Ocean’s Edge have grown, so too have the armadas of pirate bands plaguing these waters. From the tip of Elmhan Trench all the way down to the Precipice of Ferocity, this strip of water has become known as “Reaver’s Run” due to the vast amount of thievery and waterborne wars.
Coralis favors these pirates, as they are good for business, but the newly-forming cities along Ocean’s Edge are less than pleased and frequently have to call for aid to fend them off.
Many of these pirates have congregated into organized gangs that post up in various settlements along the coast. One of these gangs, the Krakenguard, has gained a lot of notoriety for harassing the coasts of Kearloch. The leader of the Krakenguard, Captain Eris Jocasta, has proclaimed herself the Pirate King, but has said that she will give the title to anyone that can find her treasure hoard or beat her one-on-one. It is a title she has yet to lose.
There are, however, other crews the Krakenguard must compete with. The Iron Sirens, the Crossbone Raiders, and the Stryder Gang, to name a few. One of them in particular has a certain rivalry with the Krakenguard. It is a crew composed entirely of undead called the Black Shiver, and they are headed by a fearsome captain named Merry Dagon. His ships in particular are notorious for their harassment of the Ocean’s Edge settlements.
Cinder Confederation (The country that had taken over the isles)
Coralis (The main island and capital city of the Kuokoa Isles)