The Dojo

The sound of clashing steel echoes throughout the arena, ringing to the cadence of the roaring crowd. Swords and spells dance across the battlefield in bursts of silver and gold, letting loose their ire as duelists flaunt their skill. Let the tournament commence.

The Dojo stands undaunted as a colorful crucible of combat, culture, and community, all united by one thing: Dueling. Located to the East of Bahp in the central ocean of Cier, the Dojo has become an amalgamous archipelago of different weather and geographical conditions to match the mingling of people from across both continents. Many visit the Dojo, not only to witness the fierce competition among their favorite warriors, but to revel in the region’s impressive bloom of cherry blossoms. The sweet floral atmosphere combined with the clash of warriors gives a thrilling sense of new hope and optimism throughout Cier.

The locals, while embracing a rather spiritual and enlightened nature, allow anyone to come and share their own philosophies. One could say the spirit of the Great Dojo Elders still live on within these new grounds, uniting the two continents once more as they are all recognized as Cierans, no matter their differences.

Under the fierce battles and bloodshed, a glimmer of hope blooms from the ashes of war.

Geography[]

The Dojo itself is located on a small series of islands in the middle of the known world of Cier called The Allied Islands, aka All Island. The main island consists of sheer cliffs, waterfalls, and lush green hills while the surrounding smaller islands differ widely in geographical themes. As the grounds for international competition and combat, the surrounding islands were made to be highly diverse, from cold icy and snowy tundras to volcanically active isles. Powerful earthen magic has molded and shaped both the ecology and weather of each island to better represent all the regions and themes in Cier.

Architecture[]

While the main Dojo island maintains a traditional form of oriental architecture, the marks of modernism can be found in the numerous high tech schools in the region. Being the center of fierce competition and combat, there is no shortage of schools of combat and training grounds within the mainland. The massive libraries dwarf all the other surrounding structures, filled with historical documents, duel records, magic archives, and scrolls. The buildings are generally a bit decrepit and humble, showing their traditional roots and age. However the Dojo holds providence over all of the other schools of combat due to its history and reverence.

Contrary to the mainland, the structures in the surrounding islands vary in design and technology depending on the theme and geography of the region they represent. Buildings from different Alliances and regions can be found dotted along the varying islands, all with their own unique designs and styles.

Technology / Wealth / RICE[]

With the surrounding islands representing all the regions of Cier and the mainland serving as a cross-continental rest stop between key trade routes, there is a wide range of different technologies and cultures within the Dojo. Because of the high volume of trade and the attraction of tournaments, wealth remains bountiful among the local community.

The Dojo is the only region with the legal authority to distribute the newly harvested enchanted RICE from Bahp to the rest of regions throughout Cier. Highly regulated by the Alliance and the Duels system, Duelists and warriors from all corners of Cier come in hopes to obtain the valuable resource for their home region, for themselves, or for other reasons.

Although forbidden, Duelists will often fight over or bet on their winnings from the various tournaments in the area. It isn’t uncommon for small cage matches being organised between duelists to bet money and RICE on grudge matches.

People and Culture[]

Most of the people in the Dojo consist of tourists and outsiders. A mix of cultures clashing on the grounds of battle, many flock toward the region in hopes of watching their favorite duelists in battle on the very streets they walk. Many are there to either improve on their own skills, study the history of Cier, or simply to witness the new spectacle of Dojo Duels.

Although modernized by culture, the locals in the Dojo still hold their traditional values. Many still being the descendants of the Great Dojo Era and the original elders, they hold great importance in remembering and recording the historical timeline of Cier. Massive archives recorded by the local elders fill entire walls and isles within the libraries. Because of the horrible events of the past and the Downfall, they find it essential to not repeat history and to end all future wars.

Government/Religion[]

The Dojo not only functions as a place for Duels, but also serves as a meeting place for allied regions to discuss important matters. Despite the power held within the Alliance, most of the representatives of Dojo do their best to solve dire situations through diplomacy. Preserving peace, rebuilding relationships between factions, and preventing future wars are common topics during most meetings. People will often see Dojo representatives bustling around the many Alliance buildings to discuss the countless events happening in other parts of Cier. Their other duties include organising official events, keeping track of current events, and keeping order on the mainland.

Because of the heavy mix of cultures within the Dojo, no one religion is dominant. The mutual respect of competition and skills in combat usually takes precedence over religious beliefs. There are of course disagreements and debates on which regions are more superior than others in regards to the people, religion, and duelists.

History[]

After the long wars between regions due to the controversial demand for RICE, a new Alliance was formed and RICE resumed growth and cultivation in the Bahp region. With so much demand and bloodshed between regions, the New Alliance established “The New Dojo” located on a series of islands in the middle of Cier deemed The Allied Islands (AKA Allislands). Working together with Bahp, the Dojo served as the new initiative for peace in Cier. The alliance would determine and carry out the fair distribution of RICE based on several factors, but old grudges and war between powers were still present.

To alleviate the chance of another all out war, the Dojo Duels and the Duelist System was established by the Alliance as a way to promote friendly international competition while providing a method to distribute Rice to every region. Although a very archaic system of distribution, the concept of Dojo Duels gained popularity and notoriety throughout Cier. Sentiment of war and greed turned into a great spectacle of healthy competition and rivalries between nations. For a moment, peace was achieved throughout Cier in anticipation of the Dojo Duels.