The Silk Isles call their land Hunan (WHO-nan) meaning lordly or elegant land, and themselves Hunanese (WHO-nan-ease). Although silk goes to the rest of the world only from the Silk Isles, they have no more idea how it is produced that anyone else. The Silk Isles are in the Silken Sea.

Mages bring silk to Hunan, using magic to transport themselves. They say that the silk comes from the Dragon Isle (Hunlung), which is east of the Silk Isles, but they might be wrong. Mages who want to establish an Enchanted Entry on the Dragon Isle must be carried there by another mage: there is no known way to get there without magic.

Mages allow a Range of 60 kilometers on their Teleport spell, which works, but might not be a true reflection of the distance, if some other magical effect is at work. Certainly mages who have flown 60 kilometers east have been unable to find Hunlung.

The silk is given to the Emperor, who is the only one who has the right to sell it, but in return he makes rich gifts to the mages.

The Silk Isles are ruled by a Warlord, in the name of the puppet Emperor. Since in theory it is the Emperor who rules, the Warlord’s position cannot be inherited, so is always filled by the strongest and most intelligent of the nobles.

This is a feudal society, with each rank owning allegiance and service to the rank above it. The basic ranks are: peasant, Azurai warrior, Azurai Lord, Provincial Azurai, Warlord. Crafters are priests, and not included in the line of command: temples have their own pyramidal status. The despised Iza are so far below the bottom of the social scale that they are not considered.

Foreigners are disliked and avoided. This includes the Iza (filth), or aboriginal inhabitants. Their touch is seen as pollution, and they are restricted to the dirtiest and most demeaning jobs (such as dying cloth and cleaning sewers), then accused of being smelly and dirty. They are sometimes called Hairy Iza, because Hunanese have little or no body or facial hair, and male Iza have.

There are no slaves in the Silk Isles, although the Iza are in a very similar position, without hope of freedom.

All nobles, in theory, trace their lineage back to the Azure Dragon Emperor, who led the Hunanese to the Silk Isles, and ruled them there (they say) for a thousand years of prosperity. Then he was called to Brokk to fight in the war against the mages, and has not returned. In fact, any prosperous man can marry his sons to the daughter of an impoverished noble, and see his grandsons become lords.

Marriage of an Azurai (AZ-your-eye), as the nobles are called, to a woman of lesser lineage is frowned on, and happens rarely, but nobles’ daughters are more readily sold to lower class rich men.

Peasants farm. Noble ladies run their households. Azurai fight: to defend their honor, to increase their lands, or just to keep in practice.

Azurai Lords own the land, and have the right (and duty) to administer summary justice to their peasants. The Lords employ lesser Azurai as warriors and police.

The Azurai are divided into the Five True Houses, with a constantly shifting network of alliances and feuds between them.

It might seem at first as if this were a barbaric society, and the Azurai can certainly be cruel and sudden in their actions. They are also cultured men, who appreciate good art, and who spend much time in complex social and religious rituals, such as the tea ceremony.

All craftsmen are priests of Fodu, and cannot be executed without a trial. Crafts are highly esteemed, and very sophisticated. The major fields are ironwork (especially sword making), pottery, weaving, calligraphy, gardening, poetry and the stylized No theatre.

Most crimes are punished with death: beheading on the spot, or hanging. Azurai warriors deal with peasants; their temple punishes crafters.

Cleanliness is obligatory: people have a bath at least every day. The rich soak in chin-high steaming hot tubs, the poor have a communal cold shower, or swim in a river.

Earthquakes are common, and are said to be the Azure Dragon Emperor fighting evil spirits.

The Silk Isles hate foreigners. They will only trade with Sung. They export their famous silk, and also delicate porcelain dishes. Their major imports are gold, silver and gems.

Like the Sungese, Hunanese peasants have learned to make the most innocent farm implements into a deadly weapon.

Since the Silk Isles have hardly any contact with the mainland, the country should be peaceful. In fact it is constantly riven by faction fights between Azurai struggling to be Warlord, or feuding with each other.

The Azurai also fight when and where the Warlord commands: they bring their warriors and peasants to the battle. He uses battle to keep the relative status of the Five True Houses balanced: with his own House most powerful, of course.

Rice is the staple food, though noodles are also popular. Food is expected to be fresh: fish is often eaten raw, steaks cut off the still living fish in front of the diner, since that is as fresh as food can get.

Little meat is eaten, and dairy products are not known, except for a soft cheese made from asses’ milk. Iza drink soured goats' milk, and eat goat meat when they can, which is held to make their breath offensive.

Rice wine is the usual alcoholic drink, often warmed slightly, but tea is drunk after the main meal, and during religious ceremonies.

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