Dorniala is a small nation on the Axillary Ocean mainly comprised of almost a thousand square leagues of semi-tropical, forested wetland; a small portion of the Xtant foothills; and a very small arid area (see Basking Rock, below). The capital city and cultural center is Uvula; the only other city of note is Axillary City. The ruler is the blood-princess Carmel Feralia, who, incidentally, was known for her perspicacity in her youth, prior to joining the House of Woven Reeds.

The population is nearly ninety thousand humanoids, including Fengaks, Dwarfs, and Gelts, but not including the transient Midtown Elves, of which almost thirty thousand live in Uvula and ten thousand live in Axillary City.

The government is a hereditary plumbearchy, or government by anheirarchical advisement. Thus, Carmel Feralia is advised by Cardinal Dormonde, who is advised by Madame Arsine, who is in turn advised by "Big Jammy" Legula, the used-boat salesman over on Lumbar Canal. Ultimately, policy is guided by Mork'l the Red, a homeless Fengak who lives in the most deserted corner of Dorniala; while unusual, this seems to work at least as well as other systems of government.

For the most part, the citizens of Dorniala are sober, hardworking, competent, peaceable individuals--farmers, loggers, trappers, fishermen, and glass silk weavers. Their main flaw is a sense of "individualism" that consists of doing what they damn well please, to wit, exactly what their neighbors are doing. They will defend their so-called rights with excessive violence if challenged.

Fortunately, the tourist need not come into contact with the main part of the citizenry of Dorniala, as the region is primarily known for two things, both of which are best appreciated in the elegant, delicate capital city, also known as "The City of Stilts":

1. Fengaks
2. Fashion

Fengaks are a diminuitive, amphibious race of humanoids, formerly best known for their poisonous and/or gastronomic properties as well as their odd mating habits. However, they have recently become renowned also as merchants. Several matrilineal trading companies have expanded into international trade (e.g., the Barnacle East Isthmus Trading Company).

The city of Uvula derives much of its financial clout from the traders through taxation, although piracy seems to be a contributing factor as well. The Fengaks seem to tolerate the occasional boarding and raiding of their ships (e.g., The Ladies' High Seas Education and Adventure Society Incident of a.p. 1305).

The high terraces of Uvula are home to the greatest of the glass silk fashion houses (e.g., the House of Woven Reeds), of which the less said the safer.

Other features of note:

• Basking Rock.
• Holmes' Airship Retrofittery, Uvula. Freqented by many airships, including the Humorless, often after extensive improvements prove less than stable.
• Kitchens Cathedral, Axillary City. Both humans and Fengaks in Dorniala tend to worhip the sea-god Cake. Kitchens Cathedral displays the gilded utensils used during services. The cathedral also serves as a monastary and educational center, with students learning to fillet the wafer-thin disk fish used in service as well as studying the more esoteric aspects of pastry cream.

Submitted by Xaxrus, SDM.

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