Dragon Isles | Tyrrapedia: Encyclopedia of Tyrra

The Dragon Isles, sometimes called Ni'Wrad, is an independent city-state that rules a small archipelago off the northern shores of the Southern Sea. It is technically within the boundaries claimed by Stonegate, as it is in the extreme south of the Principality of Dylleria ? near the border with Willowdark, but it is considered a separate sovereign state. The Dragon Isles have a population of several thousand.

The Dragon Isles were first settled when settlers entered the Dylleria region in the early 500's. The settlers to the Dragon Isles actively avoided affiliating with the Stonegate government even loosely, seeing the several miles of sea between them and the Dyllerian coast as proof of their independence. While most of Dylleria made at least a token acknowledgment of Stonegate rule at some point, the Dragon Isles actively maintained their independence. When Stonegate expanded greatly and reorganized in 601, the Dragon Isles rebuffed renewed offers to affiliate with Stonegate.

Law and Government

The inhabitants of the Dragon Isles have a strong tradition of independence and refusing outside rule. The Dragon Isles also traditionally eschews complicated legal codes for simple codes of honor. Slavery of orcs, trolls, goblins, kobolds and other "lesser" (to use their local term) is legal in the Dragon Isles with a permit to own slaves. Necromancy and Chaos Magics are legal in the Dragon Isles. It is also considered a crime to be without honor, which includes breaking an oath.

The rulership of the Dragon Isles tends to change frequently, with each new ruler typically taking a unique title, from circa 602 to 603 it was ruled by Lord Protector Daelar Drae. From late 603 to late 604 the Dragon Isles were known as Ni'Wrad and ruled by Prince Regent Alejandro Sparras. Since late 604 it has been ruled by Shogun Ishi Zau'afin. Shogun Zau'afin has established a more stable government which has stood for several years. Shogun Zau'afin has brought much of his culture with him to the isles, such as referring to his knights as "samurai", and the traditional cultural emphasis on honor in the Dragon Isles has been emphasized even more.

Foreign Affairs

The foreign affairs of the Dragon Isles are complex. They are not a member of the Concordance of Avalon, and are not recognized by their closest neighbor of Stonegate. Stonegate has engaged in various diplomatic and trade negotiations over the years, but to little gain. They are recognized by the Territory of Willowdark and the Kingdom of Elan. The people and government of the Dragon Isles tend to be antagonistic to any outside party that does not recognize their legitimacy or that intends to impose their own laws or social order on the Dragon Isles.

In 604, during the reign of Alejandro Sparras as Prince Regent of Ni'Wrad, Prince Alejandro and his court visited Evendarr and were accused of several crimes, including "impersonating a noble title" and Evendarr made a continent-wide proclamation that the Dragon Isles are not a sovereign state and their titles are not valid. Evendarr referred to the Prince Regent as a commoner in their wanted posters, which combined with their public refusal to acknowledge the Dragon Isles only increased the enmity of the inhabitants of the Dragon Isles towards Evendarr and most of the outside world. The idea that Evendarr could proclaim who the ruler of another of a nation was or wasn't was a subject of great humor in the Dragon Isles for years after the incident.