The Islands of the Octagyain

"Taking from the weak is fun - taking from the strong is my job"
Bruler Gurfaaust - sea captain 577 A.D.

Kingdom Crest

Description

The Islands of Octagyain population is all, for the most part Bugbears. The largest population of them in the world. These Bugbears are highly intelligent and wise. They are not your average run-of-the-mill Bugbear. They have longer life spans than the rest. They live for centuries, and that is not uncommon. They actually have a civilized culture as compared to the other Bugbears of the world. There are no cities in the sense but a seaport on the tip of the central largest Island facing the northwest. This seaport hails by the name of Zoso.

The Bugbear pirates, cutthroats, buccaneers, privateers, and sea merchants, sailors of all kinds use Zoso for a docking station. The climate of the islands is odd that it is a bit warmer than most northern territories. This cannot be explained but the Bugbears do not complain too much about it. Some believe it is because the underdark has great furnaces that keep the islands warm. They still have four seasons but the winters are not so brutal as compared to the rest of the north (it still snows).

Zoso

Zoso is a trading market for the entire Island chain. All the tribes have a part in the goings on in Zoso, with two tribal leaders from each tribe on the council of twenty. The arguing and bickering runs amuck in their meetings but they seem to have a very strange understanding with each other. They are all lawful evil tribes that inhabit these Islands.

Zoso is mainly lawful evil in alignment contrary to other Bugbears who are all chaotic evil. The council is over seen by The Bugbear-king, who rules these islands with an iron fist. He is over 9 feet tall and the strongest Bugbear in Octagyain. The others tread softly when approaching him. The King is the wisest, most intelligent and by far the toughest Bugbear. He is accompanied by the "one hundred".

The one hundred are the most intelligent and strongest Bugbears on the island except for the King. They have immense respect for the king and will die to protect him or be killed if they fail. The one hundred are volunteers and selected personally by the king very carefully. The king is also a priest of high stature.

There are Humans that live in Zoso also; they are mostly liaisons for the Bugbears and their paid very handsomely. The Octagyain Bugbears have many resources and frequently use them. Bugbear elite bodyguards protect the humans in Zoso. The Bugbears think that humans can be the key to there survival.

The council of twenty choose the bodyguards and are very careful at doing so. The Humans teach young Bugbears to read and write common and other languages, math, history and many other subjects. The teachings are mandatory for all tribes and are strictly enforced. The council sees to this matter with the utmost importance. There are roughly four hundred humans and fifteen thousand Bugbears that inhabit these islands.

The humans have forty bodyguards each and sometimes do not see eye to eye with each other. The bodyguards are some of the most intelligent of their race and their stature in society is extremely high. The humans also try to manipulate the lesser Bugbears and use them for covert operations, as long as the King does not hear about it, they are relatively safe. The Octagyain Islands and Zoso are a force to be reckoned with. They have multiple conspiracies going on at all times. They are a true Lawful Evil society.

Geography

The bugbears live in tribes throughout the Islands. Ten tribes inhabit these islands in ten villages. They mostly consist of pirates, buccaneers, privateers, sea merchants and seaman for hire and some raid war ships on the high seas all over the world. These Islands use the seas for survival. They are avid treasure seekers and boast great hordes. There are also great underground caverns and caves on these islands that go into the underdark for miles. There are no mountains of large proportions on these islands just a few hills scattered here and there. Small forested regions can also be found strewn about the upper hillsides.

Justice System

The council of twenty makes all the rules and regulations for the entire island, but not before passing these rulings by the king, who always has the final say about anything going on. Petty crimes are handled by bugbear guards, which usually means a good beating or a day of hard labor. Major crimes often end up having the criminal exiled or killed, whatever is more expedient.

Military/Forces

The king's militia and men at arms include a total of 5,700 individuals, with at least 30% of them being able to take the high seas, which bugbears often do. Seeking out defenseless merchant ships or weak war vessels to loot and take back home for their king and his pleasantries.

Notable Legends & Lore

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