ferrerochrome
The Shamanic State of Haraya is a small country that occupies a narrow strip of land between the Sea of Sulu and the eminent mountain range of Madja'as. Her territory traces the profile of an ancient seahorse that perished on the western edge of Panay, when the island was still a fist-sized pumice that rode the froth of the primordial ocean - or so an old epic says. The national flag draws inspiration from this cherished myth.
Unlike her neighbors, Haraya was able to keep her sovereignty intact from the imperial ambitions of the region's colonial powers, but not without the obligatory shedding of blood:
Led by powerful shaman-warriors who forged alliances with wandering parties of Chinese exiles, Moro raiders, Dutch corsairs, renegade friars, and forest Elementals, the confederated Harayan tribes of Panay defended their solitary shore from violent attempts at invasion by Qing pirates, Conquistadors, the American Empire, and the Philippine Republic.
By taking in these unlikely allies & seamlessly integrating them into Harayan society, the country was spurred into rapid evolution that culminated with what became known as "Pax Haraiana," a golden age of economic vigor & strong international relations supported by top-tier education & a formidable military.
But a new form of evil is rearing its head, this time from within, and threatens to unravel the fabric of Haraya's very existence...