OSBYLE
Proper Name: The Six Golden Thrones of Osbyle
Ruler(s): Fansten Kilgum of Ylerik, Ariella Suliit of Osog, and Thulik Minarsi of Perfin
Government: Oligarchy (Triumvirate)
Capitol: Ylerik
Major Towns: Huom, Niw, Nofuj, Osog, Perfin, Ylerik
Provinces: Six major islands, each ruled from it's major city; Killist (Niw), Budast (Nofuj), Osog (Osog), Warfin (Perfin), Tejy (Tejy), Osbyle (Ylerik)
Resources: Sunstones, spices, shipbuilding supplies, (other booty from plundered vessels)
Coinage: none. Osbyle uses the currency of her neighbors interchangeably.
Population: 180,000 (65% human Sn, 15% euroz, 19% hochebi, 1% other)
Languages: Suloise, Huunchan
Alignments: CN, TN, LE
Religions: Akwamon, Kord, Nomog-Gaeya, Norebo, Osprem, Syrul, Wee Jas, Xerbo
Allies: Huuncha League
Enemies: Zobolfon, Zofon, Niphon

Overview & History: Settled in the early days of the Imperium, the Osbyle Isles were first a major trading port with the Huuncha and Niphon, then a major source of wealth when the valuable sunstones were discovered on many of the islands, and finally as a staging ground for war with the Huuncha when it was learned that they had been raiding the Imperium's shipping in the area nearly since their arrival.

Always the picture of what a lush chain of tropical islands should be, the larger islands are dotted with plantations, most of which are given over to the cultivation of greyweed, an addictive narcotic popular among both humans and olves.

When the Twin Cataclysms struck, the Huuncha saw their chance to overcome the Coastlanders at last. The then Duchy of Osbyle was their first target, and it was quickly occupied by the savage hochebi reavers. Using these islands as a base, they struck at the ports along the mainland.

The mainlanders, though strained by the sudden influx of refugees over the mountains, were not stupid. They'd seen the lights that had burned away the core of their lands, and knew only too well that their enemies would think them weak now that their war with the Northmen had ended so badly.

The hochebi who occupied the Isles were not expecting the troops that appeared from nowhere on the very islands they thought secure; they were quickly overcome. Those who had sailed out to attack the mainland cheered to see their brethren sailing up behind them, but those cheers turned to curses when what they thought were their own ships raised the flag of the Suloise Imperium.

The leader of the soldiers who had camped out in the sunstone mines awaiting the inevitable invasion, one General Pasha Intilli, was granted the ducal title, since the hochebi had slain the prior duke and his entire family. The captured reavers were put to work on the island as slaves, and for the moment, there was peace.

It wasn't until 5412 SD that would see things begin to change in a major way. The coronation of the 802nd Sunelan Emperor-in-Exile was interrupted by his assassination, followed by the announcement of the secession of the Western Kingdoms. The Duke of Osbyle declared his intention to remain loyal to Sunela, only to be struck down by assassins in his own palace; his eldest son, Morne, assumed the throne and added his nation to the list of rebellious states.

By the mid 5400's, the civil wars have played themselves out between the factions, resulting in an uneasy truce between the four major domains (Sunela, Zofon, Zobolfon, and Osbyle). A Court of Regency is appointed from among the other nations to rule the Sunelan 'Empire' until the Emperor is old enough to assume the throne on his own.

The Regency Court maintained it's hold over the Empire for another 40 years, overseeing the unfortunate demise of princeling after princeling, while each member of the Council tries to improve his own family's connection to the Imperial Bloodline. This chain of events continues until the new representative from Osbyle pulls out of the consortium threatening to expose the others; then vanishes from the capitol after foiling an assassination attempt later that same night.

The other Regents move swiftly against Osbyle, seizing her ships in port and spreading word that those ships encountered at sea are to be sunk without quarter. In the dark years that follow, the ducal palace of Osbyle is burned, and the islands are left to their own devices as a second civil war breaks out between Zofon and Zobolfon.

As the mainland kingdoms spend the next several decades picking up the pieces, the Osbyle Islands become the domain of pirates and worse, as petty tyrants and pirate 'kings' each take turns staking their claims on the island chain. This state of affairs continues uninterrupted to the present day, where three of the most successful pirate captains rule the chain jointly, preying on the ships of any merchant house that does not pay protection (and occasionally even on those that do).

Despite the centuries of animosity between the Sunelan Empire and the Huuncha League, today's Osbyle is heavily influenced both by the culture and the population of the League. Hochebi freely rub shoulders with men and su-Kagar (half-hochebi), as well as representatives of several other races. The only unwelcome race are olves, as Niphon still considers itself at war with both Sunela and their former mercenaries (the Huuncha).

Conflicts & Intrigues: Osbyle has few major allies in the region, as the only safe ports of call lie either at home or among the Huuncha. Due to her unique position, she has a stranglehold on sea trade approaching Zobolfon or Zofon, though Sunela long ago retook and held the isles directly off her own coast.

Osbyle's anti-olven stance is a direct effect of the long standing conflict with Niphon; even though the two nations haven't been properly at war since the time of the Twin Cataclysms, tensions still run high between ships of both nations. Both the olves and their ruler (thought by many to be some sort of dragon) reputedly carry grudges for centuries, and are known to be infinitely patient in all things.