If possible I would like to claim the island nation of Kano Country located in the West Blue.
The nation would be located far to the South West of the West Blue near the section of the Red Line that is closest to the entrance to New World.
The Island will be a multi seasoned island consisting of four seasonal sections and a fifth centralized section where the capital city is located.
These regions of Kano are as follows:
Xuan: The Northen Most region of Kano in a constant state of Winter. The religious backbone of Kano the harsh mountains that make up this region are home to many temples and the monks who reside within them. The harsh cold enviroment of thise region is as beloved by the monks as it is disliked, the cruel cold making for a difficult place for them to survive but at the same time the isolation from the pleasures and distractions of the more populated regions allow them to hone their bodies and their faith in hopes of one day reaching enlightenment.
However, the temples are not the only places those wishing to get away from society can go in Xuan as the region is also home to a profitable mining business. Everything from coal to precious minerals can be found within the snowy mountains of Xuan and due to this miners willing to leave it all behind find themselves in a good position to make decent Berri.
Those are few and far between however as the majority of miners in Xuan are made up of criminals exiled to the region to be used for slave labor, working away their scentences one sing of the pickaxe at a time.
Being the Northern most region it also provides Kano with its greatest natural defense. The coast of Xuan faces outward into the West Blue and as a result were it a less hostile environment it might look like a good place to invade the country from. However due to the coastline being made up of tall rocky cliffs and the harsh cold weather of the region discouraging the majority of people from venturing there at all, Xuan provides Kano with a natural defense against those who might seek to attack or harm the nation in any way.
Zhu: The exact opposite of Xuan, Zhu is the summer region of Kano and the home of the grand majority of its agriculture. Mostly made up of small villages surrounded by large fields of farmland and rice patties it is considered the flattest region of Kano as a result, able to walk miles and miles in a single direction without facing much of an incline or decline in the roads which often run along side these long stretches of farmland. As a result of how flat the land is, irrigation is a common sight in Zhu, bamboo is easily accessible in this region and thus is often used to channel water along paths where it is needed the most.
Cold winds from the North in the later months of the year mix with the hot air of Zhu, leading to its rainy season being around the times of late December through Febuary. During this time Zhu can see a lot of flooding, turning the normally hot and dry region into a wet and humid swamp for a couple of months out of the year. Even so, like the people of Xuan those residing in Zhu are hardy people, quick to adapt, collecting water from these flooded areas and storing them for later use during the drier months of the year.
Though Zhu is made up mostly of bamboo forests and farmland along the coast there are several bustling port towns. Zhu's coastal towns are known for their markets, excellent places for trading and buying goods being exported from and imported in to Kano. It is also within these coastal towns that Kano's Navy ships reside and thus are also home to many Kano Navy soldiers who have made their homes there to visit during their shoreleave.
Qin: The Eastern most region of Kano Country, Qin is the Spring region of the nation filled with vast rolling hills and lush forests. It is the second largest region of Kano and the place one is most likely to see the grand majority of its fauna. As such, the people of Qin are known for helping to provide meat for the rest of the nation, the region is filled with skilled hunters and trappers and though the region is filled to the brim with wild life both docile and dangerous, hunting for sport in the region is strictly illegal for anyone but the royal family of Kano themselves, not wanting to upset the delicate ecosystem of the region by allowing animals to be killed for trophy hunting but rather every animal hunted in Qin must be prepared for food, inedible parts being sent to other regions for be used for other objects such as medicine.
As it is the most lush and vibrate region of Kano Qin is also the place in which most medicines are produced, doctors from all over the country visiting or making their home in this region in order to gather the many medicinal plants and animal parts within it.
Though some might consider Qin a paradise it should be noted that no such thing exists. The rainy season of Qin is all year 'round. Beautiful clear skys one day and torrents of rain the next and vice versa which can quickly turn off many from the idea of living in the region. But the people of the region know very well the patterns and have adapted to the regions difficult to predict weather.
Along its coastline Qin is home to Kano's shipyards, the high amount of high quality lumber all across the region made setting up shipyards in Qin a no-brainer for the nation's many shipwrights. Though many are privately owned it is also here that the Kano Navy's government owned shipyards can be found in this region and have first pick of any lumber collected in the region.
Bai: The Western most part of Kano and the autumn region the place is home to many cities often centered around places of learning. Colleges teaching everything from science to medicine to artistry and music, the region is an inspiration to all with the bright autumn colors and temperate weather in comparison to most of the other regions it is considered the most populated region of the country and were it not for Hua it would likely be considered the cultural epicenter of the nation of Kano.
Though it might not be considered the cultural epicenter it is most certainly the home of Kano's greatest scientists who often double as professors at the many colleges in Bai these people are responsible for most if not all technological or medical advancements in Kano.
While the law attempts to keep these practices as ethical as possible and the government of Kano would never openly condone the use of it, human experimentation is known to occur within the region, typically these experiments are done on slaves bought from neighboring countries and traveling slavers criminals are not immune to finding themselves of the medical table. In fact, the underground labs of Qin is the most likely place to find someone sentenced to death rather than any six foot grave.
The region of Bai is where the majority of Kano's navy and land based army are trained. The warm days and cold nights allow for diverse training and the calmer waters surrounding its coastline make for easier time training men and women who may or may not have been out to sea before.
Hua: The center of Kano, a small circular region cutting into all of the others it is the only region on the island known to experience all four seasons throughout the course of the year and it is also home to Kano's captial city of Tian, literally meaning Heaven. It is considered the cultural center of Kano and it is the home of the five great families of Kano each family being placed in charge of one of the regions with the royal family among them in control of Hua where the Palace of the Jade Emperor and Empress are located in the center of Tian.
Though servants are housed within the region the majority of those living in Hua are among the upper class of the nation, being related to one of the four families or having earned their way to the top through smart business or other backroom deals.
Even so, Hua is not closed off to the less fortunate, each season festivals are held in Hua, specifically in Tian, which invite all to come and enjoy the festivities and meet with the Emperor and Empress. Most come for the food, music, fireworks, parades, and dancing but these festivals are also held to give the common folk a chance to voice their concerns to the rulers of Kano themselves. People from every region are encouraged to speak about their worries and troubles directly to the Emperor and Empress themselves so that they might be dealt with or dismissed depending on the whims of the royal family.
The four families that make up the ruling families of Kano are known as the Si Xing or The Four stars of Kano and the families that make up the Four Stars are
Beifang Family: The Leaders of the Northern region of Kano and in charge of collecting taxes from the temples and running the mines of the region. Their crest is that of a Black Turtle
Zhuque Family: The family in charge of the Southern Region of Kano who are responsible for trade, import, and export, as well as distributing the food grown in that region to other regions of Kano and collecting taxes from the populace in that region. Their crest is that of a Red Phoenix.
Qinglong Family: The family in charge of the most Easter region of Kano and they are responsible for distributing the meat, hides, and bones collected from the animals hunted in the region to the other regions of Kano as well as responsible for distributing the medicines created there to clinics and hospitals throughout Kano.
Qinglong family manages the lumber business in the region as well as the government owned shipyards.
The Qinglong family is the most closely related to the royal family, having branched off of the family centuries ago.
Their crest is that of an Azure Dragon.
Baihu Family: The family in charge of the Western most region in Kano who are responsible for mantaining the education within their region, science, medicine, and the arts fall within their domain and must be upheld to a standard that the royal family deems satisfactory.
The Baihu family is also responsible for the upkeep of the military training outposts as well as keeping the soldiers in training there fed and clothed.
Their Crest is that of a White Tiger.
Huang Family: Not part of the Si Xing themselves the Huang family are the royal family of Kano. They are responsible for public relations and foregin affairs as well as keeping watch and ruling over the other four families, often picking members of those families to marry into the Huang family to keep the bloodline within the five noble families of Kano not to let it be tainted by that of outsiders.
Their crest is that of a Golden Dragon.
Relations
Beyond its borders Kano has a good relationship with the World Government, paying Heavenly tribute in the form of raw materials and precious minerals for Marine protection Kano also provides aid to the World Government through the use of privateers waving the flag of both the Marines and of Kano helping to patrol the waters of the West Blue for pirates, slavers, and other criminals that might later become a thorn in their side if left unchecked.
As a result these privateers are given special privileges as "legal" pirates, being allowed to expand Kano's territory throughout the West Blue by raiding non-world government affiliated islands, taking them over for their resources which they in turn share with the World Government.
I hope that is enough to show that I've thought this out and am serious about claiming Kano Country.
