Magic Sorcery
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| Official Language | Latin, Japanese, Nauruan | |||||
| Capital | Oka Marae | |||||
| Empress | Sakura N. Kinimoto | |||||
| Foreign Advisor | Miyuki Chinchiro Madison Yuske | |||||
| Internal Advisor | ||||||
| Population | 3,000,000 | |||||
| Establishement | Colonization, 1695 | |||||
| Government Type | Free association | |||||
| Constituiton | Ratafied 1692 | |||||
| UN Status | Not A Member | |||||
| National Animal | Indian Elephant, Tibetan Macaque, Hare, Partridge | |||||
| Currency | Sickle (☽) | |||||
| National Map | ||||||
| Naval Craft Classification | MF (Magic Fleet) | |||||
| Internet TLD | ||||||
| Calling Code | ||||||
| Major Religions | ||||||
| National Anthem | ||||||
The Grand Pacificum of Magic Sorcery is a large and culturally rich nation. Founded by refugee settlers from Europe on a substratum of Polynesian native people and later receiving numerous immigrants from China, Indochina and Japan, it is a country of rich culture and tradition. Usually classified as an "oriental" nation because of its location, it is more than that; blending Tiki culture, Seapunk, Japanese culture and the style of 17th century European witches and wizards into a unique aesthetic, its main cultural distinction is that it is a land of magic. There are no divisions between the various ethnic and social groups and society is meritocratic, with the possible exception of the council, which, though formally elective, perpetuates the ruling position of certain families. Because of the nation's remoteness, the experience of its European settlers with Western civilization and the capacity of magic to achieve many of the feats of modern technology, culture has remained traditional and somewhat old fashioned.
Although a large portion of people from modern, enlightened societies will bluntly refuse to believe in magic at all, and brush off any assertions and even evidence of it with a smaile as superstition or trickery, some extreme conservatives who adhere to more traditional world views believe these assertions and instead criticize the wizarding community of Magic Sorcery for these practices. Religious wingnuts promulgating the view that God is exacting punishment on an evil people flood the internet after each of the extreme weather events that periodically strike the nation. Picketing of funerals by religious groups with tourist visas are a common sight. Despite its historic reliance on the supernatural, Magic Sorcery has begun to undergo modernization. Recently, a number of movie theaters have opened, and modern fashion is vying with robes and kimonos, which are worn primarily in rural towns and villages. In the heat of summer, modern outfits, such as a simple jeans and tank top, or a light, breezy kimono. Robes and kimonos are still uncontestedly preferred for festivals, such as the annual grand festival celebrations of arts, music and culture with its many booths, stage shows, prize-games and street food. Cuisine in the islands is varied, and few are picky eaters. Many culinary influences have been integrated, such as Takoyaki. Recently, American cuisine has also become widespread on the islands, just as it has spread globally. Owing to the wide practice of magic, stage shows in which people show off their flashiest spells are a common form of entertainment, as are theater plays, with or without magic, dance and music. Especially smaller towns often hold regular stage shows for the entire community.
Marriageable age in Magic Sorcery is 13, and same-sex marriages are legal. Homosexuality is culturally accepted in Magic Sorcery, thus it is more prominently seen in public, as few will feel the need to hide it. However, there is no distinct homosexual subculture, and homosexuals blend into the population. Acceptance also extends to other minority groups; therianthropes make up a substantial part of the population and are perfectly accepted. The government has traditionally been, and continues to be, natalist, encouraging the people to have large families. Child support has only been payed periodically in times of low birth rates.
History
Increasing witch-hunts in the 17th century stroke fear into the wizarding community, prompting wizarding families from all over the world to gather at a remote port and hit the seas for a long and rough journey that was only possible by the aid of magic. The ships and their sailors and passengers, many of them poor and simple folk, were hit by frequent storms. Some ships turned back and their fate and that of those aboard them is unknown. Reaching the sea of Mu, amirale Yukiko Mashimo discovered a small and rocky island barely rising out of the ocean. Although this was not yet a place for the exilantes to inhabit, she convinced the people to work their magic to terraform the rocky islet into a homeland. This time consuming process was made harder by the difficulty of maintaining the ships steady in the rough seas. After several months, the island had been expanded and made fertile, and the refugees began to settle. Initially conceived as a free association, the wizarding community found it prudent to elect from their number a council, and that council a chairman, to guide the affairs affecting the community as a whole. A marae was established as meeting place for this council. The nearby village grew into the de facto capital and was christened "Oka" for the cherry trees growing in the area. However, the strain of creating the soil of Magic Sorcery would claim the life of Yukiko Mashimo, the first archimagia, only a year later, followed by many others who had laboured in the endeavour. The position of the archimagus or archimagia then passed to the Katsuma clan, with the unanimous election of Noriyuki Katsuma, then lieutenant in the Magic Defense Force. A.M. Noriyuki Katsuma bestowed a title of inheritance upon his son and worked towards passing the title of archimagus in the family line. However, Katsuma's daughter Ayumi Katsuma, who was not bequeathed with any inheritance of function, murdered her brother, successfully framing a peasant for the deed. Because Noriyuki was unwedded and had no other heirs, the council prepared to elect Ayumi into the position of archimagia heir apparent. However, anxious to take the throne, she challenged her father to a duel, won and took the hat, ruling for ten years. Ayumi died in 1703. Her funeral took place during stormy weather, which prompted the many in the populace to opine that the gods were unhappy with the family. Despite the continuation of the Katsuma clan itself, it could no longer garner the necessary support for the hat to be passed on within the family. The Mashimo family made a bid to regain the presidence, relying on their reputation as founders and rulers of the nation. Mashimo scion Kazuu Mashimo challenged Katsuma heir, Kyo Katsuma, to a duel to the death and emerged victorious, and thus Kazuu Mashimo was next elected archimagia of Magic Sorcery. With the return of the Mashimo family into power came a turn towards conservativism in politics. In addition, Kazuu Mashimo was a strict abolitionist, having the people gather in the center of Oka City and stack their barrels of rum and ale, declaring them to be "an immoral and foule dram which deterres the moralitie of men" and had them then set alight, an event remembered as the Night of Barrel Bonfire. Kazuu Mashimo also outlawed tobacco, marihuana and virtually all other addictive or psychoactive substances. The Mashimo reign went on for another 100 years. The Mashimo lineage ended in 1803 and the council needed to choose someone from one of the other most prestigious wizarding families, the Kinimoto clan, the Li clan and the Honda clan. Lady Michiko Honda was elected and her seven children named as next in lineage, the heritability of the position by now having become established. Unlike most rulers, she did not actually live in Oka City, but continued to live in the same house boat in the cove which she had inhabited prior to her election. Another century would pass before the reign of the Honda family would come to an end, leaving the original families and one newcomer in the running. Yukiko Katsuma was next elected. However, her lover was the true power behind the throne, suspected to control Yukiko by means of a potion or domination spell. In response, the council elected Hiroyuki Kobayashi as archimage, which he remained for 50 years. In 1853, the position passed to the Kinomoto family. Sakura Kinimoto took the throne from her late father in 1999.