The Kethari Dominion

Government

Theocratic oligarchy ruled by the Council of Seven Flames — high priests of each temple district. Succession determined by oracular augury using volcanic glass scrying bowls. The Flame-Speaker (first among equals) held veto power but rarely exercised it, preferring consensus.

Economy

Copper and obsidian trade network spanning the entire basin. Standardized weight system based on obsidian blanks. Major exports: obsidian tools, copper ingots, volcanic glass jewelry. Freshwater pearl diving was a state monopoly. Tax collection was temple-administered.

Technology

Advanced metallurgy — bronze production by -2200. Sophisticated kiln technology for pottery (reaching 1100°C). Hydraulic engineering for rice paddy irrigation. Obsidian knapping reached an art form — surgical-quality blades thinner than a fingernail. Limited astronomy focused on volcanic activity prediction.

Religion & Belief

pantheon

Seven volcanic spirits (the Flames) believed to inhabit Mount Serath. Each Flame governs a domain: forge, harvest, war, wisdom, healing, sea, and death.

practices

Weekly smoke readings from temple censers. Coming-of-age trial involves walking across cooled lava flows barefoot. The dead are returned to the volcano.

sacred sites

["The Throat of Serath (volcanic caldera)","The Seven Temples of Kethport","The Obsidian Oracle chamber"]

Family

Typology

Word Order

SOV

Script

Direction

Phonemes