Yaszuma

Yaszuma is a Japanese inspired multicultural constitutional oligarchy in the northwest of Eldham created to unify the Yaszumatti people and their counterparts. The nation runs under a core Yaszumatti territory governed by the central government, while local governments run the relatively autonomous provinces. Our national identity is of unity and collectivism towards the prosperity of Yaszuma as a people and a nation. From our capital city, which floats high among the clouds, to the beautiful seas of Osziro and mountain tunnels of Tetszo, no two areas of Yaszuma are precisely alike - just as no two citizens are the same.

Culture
Yaszuma’s culture is what the nation is mainly known for especially art, architecture and writing as they are the core of Yaszumatti society. Artisans of all kinds are greatly respected and hoped for within Yaszuma's borders. Art defines the environment we live in, with our environment defining ourselves.

Main Racial Groups
There are fourmain people groups in Yaszuma as of now: The Sky Elves, the Tetszo Dwarves, Poklatti and the Yaszumatti Humans. These four races lived in unison and helped shape Yaszuma to what it is today.

Umarín
Main Article: Umarín

The Umarín are an elven group that split from the Celestial Elves hundreds of years ago. They created and adapted to live in the sky islands of Eldham and acquired a sometimes more sapphire-toned skin along with a shorter stature compared to the Celestial Elves. They are the smallest of the three main racial groups of Yaszuma, barely holding 10% or so of the nation's overall demographic composure, nearly all of them living in Umakwa and making up more than half of the city's population.

The culture of the Umarín places great emphasis on equality between social and racial lines, which they deem only achievable through respect. They serve Yaszuma as advisors, librarians and other scholarly practices but don't hesitate from involving themselves in other aspects of the state such as the now rising army.

One of their elven adaptations is hermaphroditism, the ability to change biological sex at will. This caused Umarín society to ditch any aspect of gender or gender roles, preferring individual gender expression than any kind of strict rules defining how everyone needs to look. This is why Umarín fashion is the most elaborate and diverse of any of the other races in Yaszuma.

Tetszotti
The Tetszotti are Yaszuma's dwarven race. They are the predominant species in Tetszo province and differ in appearance and attitude to any other kind of dwarf. They sport many other hair colors, elaborate facial hair designs and tend to incorporate greenery along with fierce armor into their daily outfits.

Like the Umarín, the Tetszotti initially arrived in Eldham at a similar date, choosing to call the large Tetszo mountain range their home. At first identical to any other kind of dwarf, after discovering Tetszo's beautiful underground ecosystem, they grew attached to it and began throwing away the industrial and polluting lifestyle of most dwarves.

Today they keep the same attitude as other dwarves when it comes to labor and wealth, but prefer to achieve equal amounts of wealth through greener means. They still operate vast smitheries and forges, but never forget to plant shrubbery and trees nearby in order to absorb the pollution. They can be described as the workhorses of Yaszuma, carrying the nation's industrial might on their backs and helping fund the state's military the most.

Humans
There are two distinct kinds of humans in Yaszuma, each growing separately from one another. The Kaszatti were one of the original species to form one of Yaszuma's predecessor states, while the Pirutti are the newest race to be incorporated into the Tszunare Yaszuma.

Kaszatti
The Kaszatti are the largest racial group in the Tszunare Yaszuma, originating from Kaszara province where they formed the Kingdom of Kaszara hundreds of years ago. They are industrious people and renowned woodworkers and fishermen. For centuries they led a pescatarian lifestyle that eventually grew to influence the other Yaszumatti races to adopt fish into their diets.

Poklatti
Main Article: Poklatti

The Poklatti are a mixture of anthropomorphic fish species that live in the sea south of Umakwa. While they technically don't lie within Yaszumatti borders, they are officially considered as being a part of the state. The Poklatti's underwater kingdoms and city-states are all claimed under the Yaszumatti Poklarai protectorate.

They can vary in color highly depending on the part of the ocean where they originate from, they must keep themselves damp and wear glass tanks on their heads for them not to dry out and suffocate when on land.

Kaenatti
The Kaenatti are the smallest minority within Yaszuma, only residing within the Kaenarai sanctuary in Tetszo province. They are an anthropomorphic species of toads-like people. They are known for being great builders and to be some of the most well composed individuals within Yaszumatti society.

Architecture
Yaszuma is a cultural melting pot, blending traditional state buildings with the old teachings of dwarven architects in Tetszo and the ancient blueprints of long lost temples in the rainforests of Osziro. The federation emphasizes the preservation of knowledge and beauty of every culture situated within the state's borders.

Umakwa
Umakwa is a sky island chain and the capital city of Yaszuma. It's the largest chain of sky islands in Eldham and is the most defining landmark in the lands of Yaszuma and the region of Katsura as a whole.

The sky islands of Umakwa are distinctively much bulkier and larger than the rest of Eldham's sky islands that sport much more serpentine and slim shapes. The islands themselves are mostly flat but have been designed with jagged and overgrown stone edges that extend several meters into the air at their peaks. The true reasoning behind these structures are unknown but several theories exist linking their creation to security or safety reasons.

Bamboo is overall the most common plant in the city, huge bamboo fields once spread across the islands, now reduced to only roadside planters and in royal gardens. Spruce trees are the most common type of tree across the islands, accompanied with various other forms of greenery and even with the eventual pond which holds many different kinds of plants and even animals.

Junicism
Main Article: Junicism

Uma Atai
Main Article: Uma Atai

Other Accepted Religions
The Tszunare is notoriously strict with its policing of foreign religions, only allowing two other religions to operate freely within its borders. This is mostly due to them being seen as supplements to Eriszetsu rather than a completely different set of beliefs.

Zenkoism
Main Article: Zenkoism

Zenkoism is the only religion other than Eriszetsu to naturally appear in Yaszuma. Zenkoism has since its early creation spread to cover many different countries within the north of Eldham. Currently the largest Zenkoist shrine in Eldham can be found in Osziro, the temple of Tenko.

It worships the two deities of Naomi and Sadao and preaches inheriting the teachings of elders and prides itself on learning. Due to its nature as a religion that can coexist with other religions, the Tszunare considers the practice of Zenkoism as completely acceptable.

The North
Main Article: The North

The North is a mysterious and apocalyptic cult founded by Matriarch Snaer following their mysterious appearance under Umakwa. Snaer has garnered a reputation amongst the religious scholars of Eriszetsu as an incarnation of a long dead spirit that has appeared in the material world in order to revive itself within the spirit world. Due to this, the religion is allowed to be practiced freely, it's seen as a long lost part of Eriszetsu that is actively being revived by Snaer.

The largest centers of the religion can be found in the shrine of Anemoi and Snaer's house in Umakwa.

Government
The government of Yaszuma is called the Central Government and is laid out in the constitution in Section 2 [Central Government].

Lord Regent
The Head of Yaszuma and the Central Government is named the Lord Regent, the Lord Regent is in charge of making decisions regarding Yaszuma’s wellbeing, alongside being the face of Yaszuma internationally. A person gets elected to this position, but once they become the Lord Regent there are no further elections unless they are Impeached, or Resign. The Lord Regent also chooses the members of the Central Government (except for the Speaker).

Speaker
The Speaker of Yaszuma represents the people within the Government and is their voice. The Speaker acts to counter any ruling that the Lord Regent might make that would be seen as harmful to the citizens of Yaszuma. The Speaker is chosen by election every year, but a previous speaker may get reelected multiple times.

Provincial Government
A Governor is given the title Lord upon their appointment and is in charge of ruling their respective provinces. They are at liberty to instate any system of ruling within their province, but must not contradict the Constitution of Yaszuma. Each Governor is appointed by the Lord Regent and stays in this position until a new Lord Regent is put in power, they get voted out by a no confidence vote, or they choose to step down themselves.

Lord Commander
The Lord Commander is in charge of all military related decisions and activities. They are in charge of ensuring that Yaszuma has a strong and united fighting force in the event of wars. The Lord Commander is also able to instigate military related diplomatic talks, albeit at the consensus of the Central Government. The Lord Commander is appointed by the Lord Regent and is in charge of this position until a new Lord Regent is put in power,  they get voted out by a no confidence vote, or they choose to step down themselves.

Kaike
The Kaike is in charge of all finance related decisions and activities. They are in charge of ensuring each province pays its taxes and that Yaszuma has a growing economy. The Kaike is appointed by the Lord Regent and is in charge of this position until a new Lord Regent is put in power, they get voted out by a no confidence vote, or they choose to step down themselves.