Fun fact; There is a direct duality, a parallelism between the six Elemental regions of Okoto, and the six districts of Xia in Bionicle: RaE! Each one corresponds to its other island counterpart, respectively, with Xia’s districts being a ‘dark mirror’ of the role the Mega-Villages serve on Okoto as well! Specifically, the Mega-Villages and their respective regions are synonymous in these dualities…
Stelt parallels the Vuata Maca; The Macans grow flora, crops, and food, and Stelt is where nutrition and crops are mechanically-grown and hoarded within greenhouses and facilities! The Gukko Airforce acts as the primary means of transportation for people and goods across Okoto, and Stelt does the same with its Chutes for Xia! Trade and Okoto’s economy is facilitated by the Gukko Airforce, while Stelt is the main heart of its economy, with black markets, banks, smuggling, all that stuff going on.
Tametru’s parallel to Tawahi is obvious; They both start with Ta and are adapations of Fire-related locations in G1. They’re both the hottest areas of their respective islands, and use that heat to melt down materials and reforge them into stuff. Weapons are made here, amongst other metallurgic tools.
Now, despite its heavy reliance on water and its presence… Voymari is actually meant to mirror Marn! Yes, water is a big deal and Voymari has a few shipyards, but its primary export and industry is mining; Just as the people of Marn specialize as tunnelers due to their subterranean location. Voymari relies more on mining and changing the landscape than anything else, deals with minerals in the air, and so it’s just naturally more suited for the element of Earth.
Zakaz and Levato go hand-in-hand. They’re both located in vast, barren deserts and rely a lot on scavenging. They have naturally brutal conditions, but also have entertainment; Levato specializes in the arts, in sculptures, as well as board-games, and sports like Kolhii. Zakaz’s entertainment comes in the form of brutal gladiator matches and races, but it also has its own sports like Akilini, and of course theater productions, studios, and casinos as well.
Nynrah goes with Kiniga! This one is less obvious, and that’s my fault; I never DID make my own separate post detailing Kiniga, but I may do that soon! I think I’ve finally begun to figure it out, so look forward to that…! Anyhow, Nynrah was and in some ways still is the sector of education, and Kiniga is where a lot of schools and textbooks are located! Medicine and healing is a big deal in Kiniga, and in Nynrah, the Nynrah Ghosts work specifically towards the anatomy of others and how to alter it. Water is the stuff of life, and it can sustain it… But with Nynrah, it was used to carry chemicals, mutagens, and Visorak into the bodies of others, horrifically transforming and distorting them.
Finally, Artidax is the direct counterpart to Kokoro! Both involve knowledge and information; Kokoro stores past texts, deciphers them, and reads the stars. It is well-versed in the lost traditions and ancient culture and religion of Okoto. Artidax’s computer-banks store vast quantities of information, and both areas value the power of the mind and ‘thought’. Artidax’s satellites can read weather patterns just as Kokoro reads the stars, and it relays information and decodes data transmissions, just as Kokoro interprets past texts and forms predictions, and then brings that information to the rest of Okoto through the Gukko Airforce. Both have arctic locations in the north; Or at least Artidax did, but most of the snow and ice has melted. Some of it still remains, however. Finally, while the Region of Ice hosts another race of sapient beings, the Frostelus, Artidax hosts sapience separate from humans in the form of AI!
Additionally, each Xian District in RaE has the same symbol as their corresponding Metrus from Metru Nui, you can probably guess which is which at this point. As G1 fans may have noticed (so basically, 99% of the Bionicle fandom), I took a LOT of inspiration from Metru Nui’s industrial, hi-tech city setting! If Okoto adapts the mythical, island parts of Bionicle, I wanted Xia to be an adaptation of the futuristic, sci-fi part of it, its later years; This includes the Bara Magna saga as well, which is somewhat represented in Zakaz and its Baran Desert. Naturally, Xia’s G1 namesake itself, as well as the districts’ namesakes, played heavy roles in influencing the island and its landmarks and locations, to varying degrees.
Each district also takes heavy, direct influences in terms of aesthetic, function, and appearance from locatons in other forms of media as well! Stelt is based off of the images we have of Xia in G1, specifically its polluted air and its dark, mechanical skyline. Its whole deal with trade is also from G1 Stelt as well. It probably has the least fictional influences, in all honesty.
Tametru is based off of G1 Ta-Metru obviously… But a lot of it is also inspired by Hotland from Undertale! In fact, everytime I think of Tametru, Another Medium plays in my head… Hotland is almost entirely responsible for my conception of Tametru as a location, not gonna lie, and I personally consider Another Medium to be my ‘theme song’ for Tametru! I love that song…
Voymari is actually based not only on Mahri Nui (specifically with the Fields of Airweed and the semi-aquatic setting), but also the look of its towns and the skyline and shipyards come from Corellia’s Coronet City from Solo: A Star Wars Story! Sue me, I thought it was a cool movie with lots of cool locations that visually inspired me… Also, the idea of ‘Saltlung’ comes entirely from the town of Stain’d-by-the-sea from All the Wrong Questions.
Zakaz is… literally just Bara Magna from G1, combined with Mad Max. Not much else to say here, honestly, other than that it also some adequately-developed cities and small nations, kind of like how G1 Zakaz had some urban areas before Spiriah ruined everything. Like G1, Zakaz has a LOT of conflict, and the Skakdi as well to boot!
Nynrah started off as Fallout’s post-apocalyptic wasteland, but then it was combined with a lot of Resident Evil after I got into the series and realized just how well it fit; Specifically, the whole situation with Raccoon City and monsters roaming about the streets. In all honesty, Resident Evil’s monster aesthetic and whole corrupt scientist group schtick has overtaken as Nynrah’s primary influence. There’s also just a LITTLE bit of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, believe it or not. I went with the fact that G1 Nynrah had the Nynrah Ghosts, who are very science-oriented, and worked from there.
Finally, Artidax is a combination of the aesthetic of Blade Runner and other cyber-punk settings, but is also blatantly ripped from Sanctuary Fortress, from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes! Brilliant game… Fun fact, Artidax was the last district to be planned and designed by me, by a LONG shot. For like three years, I didn’t even know what Artidax was supposed to be, what its function was, what it looked like; All I knew was that The Mountain existed within it, and that was about it. And even then, it wasn’t like I intended for The Mountain to have anything to do with Artidax’s lifestyle, as well! Occasionally, I even entertained just giving up and making The Mountain take up the entirety of Artidax…!
But, I held on; I waited for inspiration, and lo it came to me with Sanctuary Fortress! I love Metroid Prime 2, it’s a great game and you should seriously play it! Metroid’s hi-tech, mythical settings are VERY conducive to Bionicle in general, and I have much to thank Retro Studios for their creative influence on me! Once I saw that mountainous region, with the hi-tech facilities of drones and computers, with coding that seemed to come from the skies… It all came into place!
As you can probably tell, the Artidax District bears the least resemblance to its G1 namesake. The G1 Artidax was known for having a bunch of volcanoes and being where Makuta Miserix was imprisoned. I sort of tried to maintain that spirit by making the Artidax District mountainous (and mountains are basically sauce-less volcanoes), because I already had the heat and molten theme with Tametru. Mostly, I just took the name of Artidax because it was an island location in G1, and I needed a name for the final Xian district.
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In one particular forest of Airweed, rumors of a beast dwell. According to these fables, this beast hides in the fields of Airweed, stalking the workers and Hydruka who come in for the harvest. And when one detracts too far from the group… The Beast snatches them and devours them alive! The tale sprung when a worker named Reysa and his Hydruka lost track of time and stayed past the designated safety hour. One worker who had been close to the Airfields swore that they had heard a scream. Later that evening, many questioned where Reysa had gone, and had assumed that he must’ve returned after the tides rose; Unless he drowned?
They got a grim answer when someone found what seemed to be Reysa’s hand amidst the Airweed. Ever since, hysteria struck the workers as they claimed that some Beast dwelled in the Airfields, likely coming in from the tide to devour everyone. As days passed, more disappeared. Others swore they saw something in the airfields stalking them, one even ran from something massive that chased them!
The rumors of the Beast spread, and the overseer got exasperated and dismissed such claims, even when workers began to strike, unwilling to work with such a predator breathing down their spines. To prove his point, the overseer ventured into the airfields with some hired guns to comb the area, sure that there was no beast.
He never returned, and soon another overseer came in. She let the tales of the Beast run rampant with apathy, not caring for those who quit in fear- There was always some poor, jobless schmuck to take their position, after all, and so the mysterious disappearances continued…
Located within Voymari, this massive underground vault-system is lined with protosteel to ensure that nothing can damage or penetrate the bunker. The Archives consisted of several of these indestructible vaults and bunkers, all contained within one massive, mega-bunker in the rockier areas of Voymari. Its Protosteel walls’ insides are lined with powerful energy-grids and fields designed to detect and disrupt even the likes of an Intangibility Kraata.
The Archives serves a simple purpose- The preservation of important specimens, information, data, and other worthwhile things from Xia. Multiple specimens of just about every known Xian species can be found here, perfectly preserved within stasis for scientists and Nynrah Ghosts to observe, as well as extract a few precious DNA samples from. Quite a few species, once-thought extinct, barely cling to life in the form of what few specimens are kept alive within the Archives.
Not only that, but the Archives holds physical records of just about all data and information in Xia that is normally found within Artidax’s databanks. Meant as a backup in the event of Artidax’s downfall, this vast library of physical records holds countless transactions, records, and news sources, and would be a precious source of knowledge for many; Alas, underneath orders from Dume, such resources are heavily restricted and kept from public sight. Not even PDFs and the like are allowed.
Physical contracts and constitutions are signed and preserved on display within the Archives. Notable artifacts, trophies, and keepsakes of Xian past are kept here by nobles that wish to preserve them for all time; Indeed, quite a few aristocrats have placed items of their own within the Archives. A few have even ‘donated’ the perfectly-preserved bodies of loved ones, or even themselves, hoping to keep them around for all of eternity. Some aristocrats, not trusting the banks, have also placed large quantities of their gold and wealth within vaults and safes in the Archives.
Just about every major Xian power has a hand in stake in the Archives, and everyone agrees that it is neutral territory that absolutely must not be compromised, at any costs. The Archives is patrolled only by Vahki units, with the most up-to-date, advanced AI, software, and firewalls to prevent hacking. Such units are constantly on the lookout, with enough to keep an eye on every possible square-inch of the Archives, at all times; If one Vahki was to be compromised, all others would be alerted. Additional Vahki units are also contained as backup as well. Cameras are set up everywhere, and nothing can be removed from their technological vaults without the action being recorded.
The thick, protosteel walls of the Archives are meant to block off any and all transmissions, and are designed to withstand the power of numerous Xian Hearts detonating at once. Everything is surveyed, cleaned, and pristinely maintained- Despite being incredibly dark inside, not a single speck of dust is to be found. The inside of the Archives is sterile, and any and all living things are to be killed off- Highly-toxic, gases regularly flow through the inside of the Archives, with all items inside protected by their secure containers and Trydahk Pods. Laser-grids and deadly traps can be found on every corner, and passwords and DNA tests are heavily involved for every step of the process.
The Archives has two main points of access to the outside world; One is a broad-casting tower built into the side, able to receive and transmit messages. It is not connected to the main camera-systems and other security features of the Archives whatsoever, for safety. The other is the main entrance, the only other aspect of the Archives accessible from the surface. This heavily-guarded gate is coated within thick walls of protosteel and constantly on-guard by numerous advanced Vahki models and Exo-Toa Kraahkan. Power for everything within the Archives comes entirely from Lightning Kraata that have been completely conditioned and robbed of any thought whatsoever, ensuring that not even Kratakal can compromise the energy source.
Entry into the Archives is incredibly strict. Regular Xians and most aristocrats are not even allowed access within the Archives- They can only arrive at the entrance to drop something off, and that’s it. The only exceptions are the highest, most powerful amongst the Powers That Be…
Even so, if one were to approach the Archives, they must first bypass the massive gates and force-field surrounding the entrance. A person will be inspected to a full body-check and inspection as they enter and exit; Such a body-check is extremely thorough and leaves no room for error whatsoever. Items to be deposited, or withdrawn, are carefully scanned multiple times throughout the procedure. No exceptions are to be held, and everything within the Archives themselves are handled carefully by mechanical porters.
Potential threats are scanned for underground through powerful seismic sensors. If there is even the possibility of a guest not complying, or a potential threat or breach in the distance, the Archives will go into lockdown as protosteel doors cut off all hallways within at various points. Lockdown will continue for twenty-four hours after the potential threat is dealt with, just to be safe. For miles outside the Archives, everything is additionally surveyed from the air by flying Scouters 24/7.
Once something is accepted by the guards, it is taken past the main gate and into a chamber to be analyzed, handled, and prepared. The item in question is subject to major scrutiny, and if its fully properties and abilities are not known, it can potentially be rejected as a potential liability to everything else within the Archives. In order to access the containment part of the process, items that are manually, mechanically shipped go through multiple gates that open and close right after the tramway. This open-closing system continues just about every step of the process. Regular screenings and inspections are held within the Archives. The complex programs for Archives Vahki ensures that they cannot develop any free-will to rebel with whatsoever. Maintenance is all done mechanically, manually, and on-hand. Any new guards are disassembled and inspected before being reassembled, to scan for any threats.
It is not an exaggeration to say that if the island of Xia were to be razed entirely, the Archives would be the last thing remaining. It is easily the safest, most secure location in all of Xia, and even groups such as the Dark Hunters are hesitant about attempts to infiltrate the area; Any and all attempted intruders will be subject to public torture of the most obscene and graphic variety as a warning, after they are of course interrogated for any and all information through Artidax’s mind-scans. It is not uncommon for some to attempt to protect themselves by going to the Archives to be preserved; But an eternal life in stasis there can hardly be called a life, no?
In terms of authority, the Archives is operated by Vahki; But these Vahki have no particular loyalty to Dume, with their programming prioritizing the protection and maintenance of the Archives over everything else. It is more or less independently-operated by these Vahki, with components and funding coming from all corners of Xian society to ensure its safety, creation, and operation. Their intention is to serve Xian society as a whole, and thus they make no exceptions for anyone, save for, again… The most powerful and secretive, amongst the Powers That Be.
For all of the countless security precautions and measures taken for the Archives, with not a single expense spared, there has not been a single breach in the entirety of the facility’s existence.
A ‘cursed’ land, the original home of the Skull Raiders, countless miles across the ocean from Okoto, and obscured by massive hurricanes, waves, and storms… This dark island, a counterpart to Okoto in some ways, is the polar opposite of that land. While Okoto is an island of life, of nature, and of spirits, Xia is the opposite- It is of cold machinery, of pollution and smog, and has no sacredness. Its population is cutthroat, greedy, and selfish, both out of a natural inclination towards such attributes, but also because the cruel environment of Xia necessitates such attitudes.
Believe it or not, Xia was not always the industrial land it is now, every square inch of land choked by either factories or urban cities, or clogged with polluted and razed rivers. Before its skies were darkened by the stench of smog and haze, it was once not too unlike Okoto.
In those older days, the tribes and kingdoms of Xia engaged in brutal warfare and conquest, lacking the ready resources and abundance of life that Okoto was blessed with. Perhaps if they had their own Elemental Deities, or a Great Forge to carve Masks of Power with, this wouldn’t have happened- Regardless, it was a horrific time. Tribes were taught to be selfish, to use every dirty trick imaginable. Massacres of innocent civilians were normalized, as was poisoning others during banquets and so forth.
But then out of nowhere, Xia began to take a new turn. As kingdoms clashed and battled, a new city emerged, wielding advanced technology in the form of factories and machinery. A new industrial age, a revolution of technology was introduced, one not necessarily powered by Life energy like the automatons of the Okotans. This industrial revolution favored maximum output, at minimal costs, and would do anything required to harvest the necessary materials. In particular, this industrial age produced weapons- So many of them, in order to profit off of the wars between nations.
Other kingdoms and tribes saw the advantages of this industrial nation, and learned its trade secrets before inevitably adopting them. Attention turned towards colonization, of harvesting natural resources in bulk and producing large quantities of products. And while this industrial revolution was certainly helpful for many, the greed and heartlessness of many Xians took it to unnatural steps. Labor and workers were exploited in horrific factory conditions, deemed replaceable and switched out after collapsing from exhaustion like yet another cog in the machine. Smog was pumped out into the air, turning it toxic, while pollution funneled into rivers and poisoned the surrounding nature. Forests and fields were burned down to make room for new machines, and the very land itself was over-turned to access its precious metal veins underneath- Metals such as the valuable Exsidian, or the indestructible Bohrok.
Several more centuries of this process happened, spreading across the island of Xia, until it became the brutal, technological industry it is today. Ruled by various corporations, dictators, oligarchs, and criminals, the highest class of Xia, those who control the stock market and own the higest shares, are known as the Powers that Be. They pass the laws, influence policy, broker between nations and take advantage of conflict, all in order to stockpile maximum amounts of capital in their insatiable hunger and greed.
Weapons are the go-to market for many Xian industries, and warfare is a natural facet of existence. Crime rates are high and rampant, as is poverty and ghettos. A major chasm is only widening between the rich and the poor, who enforce their dystopia with the help of the robotic Vahki, controlled by the dictatorial Turaga Dume. To survive, many have resorted to crime, mercenary work, and assassinations to make a living, with many criminals joining the infamous Dark Hunters, situated in the allegedly haunted Odina Fortress. Organizations such as Vortixx Industries, or the fabled Nynrah Ghosts exploit lives and meddle with them for material gain and/or knowledge, and a cruel cynicism has overtaken the Xians in order to ensure their survival. Attempts at revolution are pointless, fruitless, and futile.
Xia is divided into six districts, each serving a major purpose in its economy and the way life is organized. They are, as follows;
The Stelt District, where the Xian market is located and the vast majority of its population lives. The Stelt District is where shops, stock markets, banks, super-markets, and other ludicrous ventures take place. Ghettos are rampant here, and materials, products, and even slaves regularly pass through Stelt. The district is the center for all transport and commerce, with packages frequently shipped through the electro-magnetic chutes scattered throughout the cities. Stelt is the preferred homeland of crime lords and gangs, with the ludicrous black market and its smuggling rooted firmly here, and is the location of the infamous Odina Fortress. Land and real estate in Stelt comes at incredibly high prices, forcing most to live either on the streets or in crowded tenements. The primary bulk of Xia’s agriculture and livestock is grown and processed within air-filtered buildings to prevent smog contamination, although food and cleaning regulations are nevertheless suspiciously lax. Crops are almost entirely lab-grown within cramped, mechanical confines, with the only exceptions reserved for wealthy aristocrats at exorbitant prices. Stelt’s food production is intensely guarded, and many have died trying to break in to steal something to feed themselves and/or loved ones.
The Tametru District is the industrial, mass-manufacturing heart of all of Xia. Here is where the vast majority of mechanization and production takes place, with factories constantly active 24/7, grinding and smelting materials. Mechanical parts used in just about anything all come from Tametru. The temperatures are high from the massive furnaces constantly molten-metal being processed and refined into products, to later be shipped and distributed throughout Stelt. Weapons are frequently made, tested, and exported. While machinery has replaced many workers in Tametru, engineers are still prized and welcomed, as are individual guilds and blacksmiths. Smog is a constant presence in Tametru, even amongst other districts, and workplace conditions are especially hazardous thanks to the threat of heatstroke, factory accidents, and molten materials accidentally being let loose. While some factories are cold and abandoned, others have been reactivated by illegal bootleg operations.
The Voymari District is where most of Xia’s raw materials comes from. The lowest district topographically, this has enabled Voymari to be constantly washed over by a high-and-low tide, which over the centuries has contributed to the softening and eroding of the land. Combined with massive mining operations, Voymari is now a rocky, barren land that is regularly flooded by the high tides. Once the water recedes, miners flock in to harvest precious veins of Exsidian, Bohrok, and other ludicrous metals to be shipped to Tametru. A large population of orphans lives here, and salt-lung is a real and common ailment. The constant floods and tides make Voymari ideal for establishing shipyards, and many Xian nobles own extravagant, if impractical, ships and yachts from which they sail out of Voymari and into the oceans surrounding Xia for lavish parties.
The Zakaz District is where warfare and conflict truly shine. While the rest of Xia naturally flourished and developed, the desert conditions of Zakaz made it unprofitable and unwanted, resulting in the area lagging behind in terms of development and technological advancement. Zakaz is essentially where the ‘third-world countries’ of Xia exist, constantly fighting in open warfare and ruled by dictators who hope to join the Powers that Be. Machines of warfare and weaponry are constantly shipped here and utilized. The one truly neutral and safe place in Zakaz is Lake Tajun, the primary source of clean water in Xia. Zakaz is also home to Xia’s ‘entertainment’ sector, with gladiator matches being common. Disputes are often settled in these matches, as well as within brutal races and other competitions. Theaters and movies are produced within certain locations of Zakaz, most of them owned by the charismatic and unusual Kratakal, Xia’s top celebrity.
The Nynrah District was once the center of the fishing market, as well as the sector education, research, engineering, and science. Headed by the Nynrah Ghosts, an elusive organization of Xia’s most brilliant minds and researchers, it was at one point a prosperous district. But one day, a mutagen was leaked into the water supply, spreading rapidly throughout Nynrah and infecting the population, killing many and mutating others into horrific creatures dubbed as Vorox. Infrastructure collapsed in this outbreak, and as the Vahki scrambled to contain the chaos, destruction ensued that released horrific Xian bioweapons into the area. With the situation rapidly deteriorating and falling apart, Turaga Dume ordered a complete and total quarantine of the district, erecting massive walls around Nynrah to seal it off from the rest of Xia. Countless citizens and Vorox were trapped inside, and now the district is a post-apocalyptic wasteland of mutants and rejects. The Nynrah Ghosts continue to operate here from within the shadows, releasing experiments, testing them, and gathering test subjects from the unfortunate population as bands of Vorox war over resources and supplies.
The Artidax District is the AI mind of Xia. Here, massive servers, computers, broadcasting towards, and satellites are situated and launched regularly. A cold, sterile environment, Artidax is the very heart of programming, where code is sorted, machines are programmed, and the primary location of the Vahki Hives. Cameras are ever-present, turning Artidax into a Surveillance State underneath Dume’s command. Just about all internet and communication passes through the massive towers and satellite dishes present. Due to the massive heat expenditures of Artidax’s computers, the district was established in the frozen north, which eventually melted due to the massive heat pollution. In Artidax, computers sort through algorithms and calculate stocks, while Vahki and Exo-Toa gain sentience. Massive data-banks store precious information. Workers are constantly suited to prevent dust contamination of computer chips, and the district, while deemed ‘safer’ than the rest, is highly oppressive and quiet with eyes watching every step.
For your average Xian and more, Xia is a hopeless, heartless land. It is a cursed land, the soil awash long ago and even now by the blood of innocents- Perhaps this is the reason for Xia’s horrible conditions? Is the land haunted by massacres and bloodshed? No one can say for sure. All anybody knows for certain is that Xia is a horrible, unhealthy land, a disheartening fact that leaves many yearning for more. And to get more, most Xians will do anything to escape their horrific, squalid conditions.
For most, Xia is hell, and for the Okotans, it is even worse.
Xia boasts an incredibly proficient, lucrative industrial sector, constantly manufacturing everything from weapons, to basic household items. Metals and ores of various types make up just about everything, and almost all of them come from the mining district of Voymari, where the main bulk of materials to be processed are actually acquired.
During the early growing years of Xia’s industrial age, high demand was put on metals and other materials conducive for mass-manufacturing and selling. Attention was directed towards the region that would later become the present-day Voymari District, which was lowest in elevation compared to the rest of Xia and naturally had the most rainfall, rivers, and lakes. The natural presence of water, as well as various high-tides, helped to naturally erode the surface of the region, making the earth softer and easier to dig up.
Mining operations and industries were set up, as miners set to work tilling the soil and digging up layers of earth to access the precious metal deposits within. To aid in the erosion process, canals were dug, with rivers and lakes redirected to flow across areas and help wash them away. All of the constant water and mining efforts naturally resulted in mudslides that would often prove dangerous, swallowing entire villages or destabilizing them, but the booming Xian industry demanded more materials, and so mining continued as usual. Canals by the shore were dug to allow the high tide to come in and help wash away the earth itself, and large portions of the island were dug up and either dumped into the surrounding ocean, or onto towering, manmade hills and mountains.
As of the present-day, Voymari is a rocky, craggy, and mostly-barren district. The constant rainstorms and weather has resulted in some of Xia’s clearest skies, which are mostly covered and enshrouded in clouds; Still, it’s far more preferable to the smog of Stelt or Tametru. Scattered across Voymari and etched into the sides of cliffs and chasms are various mining villages and settlements, with massive drilling machines rolling across the landscape, miners following in their footsteps and scavenging dug-up materials.
In Voymari, countless mining businesses make a fortune digging up metals and ores, such as the luxurious Exsidian, or the invulnerable Bohrok, of which there is a readily-accessible supply of. Technically, all across Xia one could find the same materials, more or less; However, the rainfall, canal, and work of predecessors has left Voymari the most barren area and thus the easiest to dig up resources in, with much of the bedrock having been cleared in various places.
Aside from the aforementioned landslides, there are massive chasms and endless, shadowy pits, hollowed out by excavators and depleted almost entirely of the resources they have to offer. Many areas of Voymari are structurally unstable due to unregulated mining efforts, and settlements are carefully set up; Even so, it’s not uncommon for people to have to relocate after a few years. Some villages and neighborhoods have been bought out so corporations can drill in them, and the lower-class tend to live in the most structurally unsound parts of Voymari.
Obviously, mud, sinkholes, and other issues are a regular part of life in Voymari. Almost everyone is a miner, although there are a couple of fisherman and boating crews near the shore and major canals. The vast majority of Xia’s orphan population lives in Voymari, in-part due to a precedent established by a Xian noble who set up multiple orphanages in the district. Likewise, many Xians have reasoned that the cleaner air is healthier for young Xians, who can be exposed to the smog of Tametru and Stelt later in life; Likewise, Voymari isn’t lawlessly dangerous like Zakaz or Nynrah, and Artidax has too many fragile, delicate components to benefit from unskilled childrens’ hands.
Many of these orphans are unsurprisingly hungry, and tend to go homeless anyway, either cast out by the crowded orphanages, or else by choice; Child Services in Xia, like many other sectors, is abysmal. Roving crowds and gangs of these children often amass, scavenging across Voymari’s ghettos and picking up whatever they can find, even resorting to thievery, to later sell or benefit from. Unsurprisingly, there are those, such as the eccentric crimelord Karzahni, who take advantage of these disenfranchised children and induct them as gang members, servants, and even slaves.
Otherwise, most people live as miners, waking up early in the morning and working day-and-night in the muddy, wet, and often hazardous conditions of the mines. Most mines are open to the air, unearthed by massive excavation machinery while workers grind away with pick-axes and other tools, digging up ore deposits to be piled together, washed away at another site, and then shipped to Tametru for refining and processing. As always, pay is abysmal, but at the very least consistent- Usually. Mining accidents from rogue explosions, mudslides, sinkholes, and so forth are common, and sudden floods can come in thanks to the constantly-shifting landscape and various rainstorms.
A high-tide is prevalent in Voymari, one of massive disparity with its low tide. As it gets darker, the water levels will rise up enormously, engulfing lower-elevation areas such as mines and quarries. During these times, workers are supposed to leave before the water comes flooding in; However, poverty and poor regulations result in bosses and overseers who frequently overwork their employees past these designated safety hours. Miners will find themselves exacavating even as the water reaches their ankles, their waists, and even their chests. Particulalry wealthy corporations have resorted to using aquatic mining equipment to bypass this issue at night, but other small businesses simply push disposable employees to their limits.
Closer to the shore, there are fields of Airweed, a plant that yields a precious, valuable gas useful for a wide variety of products and applications. Airweed grows best in the unusual, high-tide and low-tide conditions of Voymari, and in the salinity along its coast; During the low-tide, it gathers in oxygen, carbon-dioxide, and other gases, and during the high-tide it synthesizes them within the water.
When the high-tide recedes, workers come climbing down into massive pits and lower-elevation areas to harvest the Airweed, aided by Hydruka, quadrupedal, domesticated crustaceans who have an affinity for being able to discern plants with higher yields of gas, versus the emptier ones. When underwater, they transport themselves by shooting air through their tails, the same kind found in Airweed (a portion of Airweed harvests are set aside for the Hydruka). Hydruka can also spew a poisonous, chemical compound of gases from their tail, manifesting as bubbles that choke and suffocate predators in the water; On land, this air easily disperses and is mostly harmless.
Hydruka typically scavenge across the ocean-floor for nutrients while also feeding on Airweed, and can breathe on both air and in water. Hydruka can be stubborn and unyielding at times, and some will even sit down and refuse to work all day, forcing a hapless worker to report the situation back to their boss. Still, their evolved senses tend to do better than most Xian tools, and are cheaper as well. Hydruka meat is considered to be peasant food, but some higher-ups and nobles find it to be surprisingly delectable.
Fun fact- In Voymari, there is a constant running-joke amongst miners all across the district of Morak the Hydruka. Morak will be blamed for a wide variety of things, from running late due to the unruly Hydruka chewing on a worker’s boots, to a slow day with little bounty due to Morak’s laziness. Some will complain of Morak’s incessant temper and snapping, or him eating too much of the feed, and others will even blame Morak for all of their life’s misfortunes!
The joke of course is that Morak doesn’t exist- At least, as far as anyone knows. Perhaps Morak really DID, and when the worker assigned to them frequently blamed Morak for their dilemmas, it was turned into an inside joke that spread across the district, with most not even getting it but still joining in regardless. Who can tell for sure?
Unearthed salt-deposits and the constantly-receding tides from the ocean that regularly seep in along the coast contribute to another dilemma; Saltlung, a health issue that comes when salt scattered in the air, especially after the tide has just receded, gets into people’s lungs and causes health issues. Many Voymari miners are plagued with lifelong Saltlung and other health problems, unable to get the healthcare they need. As always, no regulations exist to forbid employers from deploying workers into mines and Airweed fields as soon as the tides recede, so many have adapted by wearing specialized breathing masks. In some areas where the salt content in the air is high, people wear their masks almost all day long.
Due to the constant presence of water (also prevalent in Nynrah, but that district is too dangerous), many shipyards are also built along major coastal towns and canals. The fishing industry thrives along Voymari’s coast, and ships are built and have their seaworthiness tested out on the waves or in the canals. Many nobles will throw parties on lavish yachts along these canals and off the coast of Voymari; However, deliberate ignorance of proper safety procedures and building codes in order to have the most ‘beautiful’ ships and parties can result in ships being sunken by rocky waves or inconsistent tides.
Although Chutes are used to transport items and goods, some items, including particularly massive ones, are ferried along large canals on boats to their destinations. Fast-flowing rivers are frequently used to wash off collected ore deposits. Due to their connection to the coast, as well as the high tides, some sealife has gotten into the canals and can pose a potential problem for sailors. There are many reported incidents of sealife accidentally getting into areas inland, and being left stranded and floundering about when the high-tides recede; Workers in the Airweeds have often found various animals, from sharks to even giant squids, flopping about with the water gone. Tiny Gadunka regularly cling onto Airweed, snapping and pinching at unfortunate workers, but are more of a pest than an actual threat.
Voymari’s landscape is constantly-changing, ever-shifting as mining efforts relocate earth, new tunnels and canals are made, water floods areas and erodes them, mudslides and sinkholes occur, earthquakes erode foundations, and so on and so forth. There are few truly permanent settlements, save along the rockiest and stable foundations. Saltlung and drowning is common both amongst miners and sailors, the latter of whom encounter brutal storms and massive waves in their work. Mud and sludge is everywhere, caking everything, and the mining work is brutal and physically arduous.
Many have been worked to death in these mines, ranging from indentured workers to outright slaves. Entire chasms and pits will be filled to the brim with either salty or fresh water during the night, but then become almost entirely empty by day. Unstable earth can also lead to dams bursting as water floods areas, bringing in new sealife, or else destroying their homes as water flows to another place. Sometimes, secrets in the earth are uncovered after a mudslide, sinkhole, earthquake, or flood passes through…
As awful as it all is, there are SOME ups to living in Voymari; Again, the sky and air is clearer in Voymari, and its coastal areas and rivers boast some great seafood joints. Most sailors can only get scraps of what corporations take from them to sell in Stelt, but it’s better than nothing. Some lower-class Xians also get to work as bodyguards or servants in the luxurious yacht and cruise parties of Xia’s upper-class; It’s not ideal of course, but it’s definitely more fun and a lot safer than the mines and Airweed fields, and tips, dropped luxury belongings, and scraps are prevalent. Voymari also boasts a handful of lakes, rivers, pools, and beaches that are open to the public as well! Just don’t expect a lot of sunlight, and beware Saltlung…
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