Sarolasta

Sarolasta (Saxon: "Moonlight") is a theme of the Kiravian Federacy comprising an island chain south of Crona in the Polynesian Sea, centred on the main island of Grand Sarolasta and including five smaller island groups to its north and south.

Geography
Sarolasta comprises 25 major islands and hundreds of lesser islets and atolls too small to appear on most world maps, most of which are not permanently inhabited but may be visited by humans for traditional ritual or fishing purposes, or for military, meteorological, or conservation activities. The islands are delimited into five cardinal island groups (deva-èsoxoron), listed below in order from north to south:
 * Sarao (Saraö) - Four major islands
 * Marian Isles (Varyaīonya) - Twelve major islands, subdivided among three subgroups
 * Grand Sarolasta (Ambrisarolastaīon) - By far the largest and most populated and developed island, with outlying satellite islets
 * Songva-Ngatra (Songva-Ēngatra)  - Group of four major islands directly south of Grand Sarolasta's Tarunua Peninsula
 * Katorue (Katoruév) - Remote group of three major islands far to the southeast of Songva, with which it is culturally and historically associated.

The archipelago spans approximately 1,430 miles (1,243 ) from north to south. This is roughly equivalent to the distance from the southernmost point of Great Kirav at Point Prevalka to Glenross, Devahoma.

Straddling the equator, the entire archipelago has a tropical maritime climate, with high temperatures and heavy precipitation year-round. It is well-within the hurricane belt, and cyclonic tropical storms are a major natural hazard.

Pre-Colonial
The islands that would become Sarolasta began to be populated by ancient Polynesians around 2400 BC. Racially and ethnolinguistically, the first wave of Polynesian settlers were of stock. They were later partially displaced by a second wave of stock migrating out from what is now  around 1450 BC. Greater Polynesians would conquer and settle primarily in modern-day Svonga-Ngatra, Tarunua, and Leviti State, and explorers from Svonga-Ngatra would later sail south to colonise the remote Katorue archipelago.

Colonial
In 1564 AD, the Imperial Bank of Kintær's Austral Ocean Armada under the command of Levar Trimartolon anchored at Kapenga Island in modern-day Sarao, lingering for several weeks to make repairs, replenish supplies, and sample the local flavours. Trimartolon claimed Kapenga for the Marble Emperor but did nothing to secure this claim before continuing on his journey. Over the next several decades, further Kiravian expeditions were dispatched to the archipelago. Samarius Tulorikvan circumnavigated Grand Sarolasta and led an expedition that explored the coasts of eastern Tanimbar, Rakitea, and Tarunua in 1570. Kiravian colonisation of Sarolasta began in earnest in 1572 AD with the construction of a stockade by Ivo Siguatera on the site of modern-day Kanoka Point in Tarunua, followed shortly afterward by the establishment of Dun-Kurrengev by the Kerēgulan Merchants of the Tropics. The farming societies of the coastal lowlands were prolific producers of, both normal yams and the purple variety. The former were desirable as a nutrient-rich food source for oceangoing vessel crews and plantation workers in Vallos and South Crona, and the latter fascinated Kiravians with their rich and unusual colour, positively mesmerising these beleaguered sailors from a grey and hazy boreal homeland. … On non-company lands, on Grand Sarolasta Kiravian authorities implemented the iktarsér system, revived from the Kiravian fœdal era, designating colonial notables, servitors, and coöperative local chiefs or petty kings as iktarnur who were responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining order on behalf of the Confederation and Emperor. The indigenous population, in turn, was subjected to by the iktarnur to make the heavy tribute payments. Kiravian missionaries, particularly members of the, , and s, played a crucial role in the colonisation process. They engaged in extensive missionary activities, establishing churches and missions throughout the archipelago, and converting the local population to Christianity. This religious conversion became a cornerstone of Kiravian influence, intertwining spiritual practices with the dynamics of colonial rule. The rich imagery and pageantry of and strong social incentives to gain access to the colonial society's dominant institutions were major drivers of conversions, as were the humanitarian works of the missionaries, who were often the only Coscivians to whom the natives could turn to for protection from abuses and excesses on the part of other colonising forces.

On the outer islands, colonial rule was much more relaxed: the Kiravian presence in the outer isles during this time was not characterized by large-scale settlements or extensive colonisation efforts, unlike their endeavours in South Crona or on Grand Sarolasta. Instead, it was more focused on establishing a religious and cultural footprint in the region, oriented toward maintaining social stability and encouraging local loyalty to the Emperor in order to help retain strategic control of the islands and make them less likely to fall into the hands of rival powers. In the outer isles, as on the "Big Isle", the establishment of missions, though not without challenges, led to the conversion of local populations to Catholicism. The Kiravian influence in the outer isles during this period was largely centred on these religious and cultural undertakings, as well as the erection and garrisonment of defensive works. Missionaries also contributed to the documentation of the Songvangatan and Lesser Polynesian languages, creating grammars and dictionaries that remain valuable historical.

The superposition of Coscivian languages and literary culture, Coscivian Catholicism, and Coscivian customs (such as tuva) had a profound impact on Sarolastan society, shaping not only the religious and cultural landscape but also influencing governance structures and societal norms. The process of Kiravian colonization established a framework that endured for centuries, contributing to the complex amalgamation of indigenous and Coscivian influences that characterize modern Sarolastan identity.

Colonial Commerce
As the Age of the Sail unfolded, the ports of Sarolasta became wealthy entrepôts in the long-range trade routes linking Great Kirav to Audonia. Strategically positioned in the Polynesian Sea, Sarolasta's ports served as conduits for the trade of silk, spices, porcelain, and other luxury goods from Audonia, and the reciprocal flow of liquor, ice, asbestos, precious stones, glasswork, more liquor, and other manufactures from Kiravia.

Sunderance
After the Socialist victory in the Kiravian Civil War, Sarolasta remained in the hands of the Federalists and would form part of the Kiravian Remnant. Orthodox Marxism and Kirosocialism, with their urban-industrial proletarian focus and anticlerical tendencies, never caught on in the Catholic agrarian archipelago. However, in its weakened state the Federalist government of the Remnant feared that anti-colonial nationalism, liberation theology, and the designs of rival colonial powers threatened its control of Sarolasta. Sarolasta was now more important to the Kiravian overseas network than ever before: After Æonara and Kiravian Cusinaut, it was the Remnant's third most populous region, held important natural resources, and helped strategically maintain communications with Cusinaut and the Saxalins. The need to bolster Sarolastans' loyalty to the rump Federacy formed the impetus behind the Sarolasta Reform Act, which transformed the position of the Sarolastan provinces from a subordinate colonial relationship to one of integration into the National patrimony. Colonial governments were semi-democratised, greater authority was devolved to the provincial and local levels, a schedule for the admission of the larger provinces as full states of the Federacy was set. Perhaps most interestingly, the Act directed the Prime Executive to exercise Imperial prerogative in order to declare the majority of the native population as Coscivians. That is to say that native tribes who practiced monogamy and monotheism and adopted the Four Rites and Four Precepts were to be reclassified as Coscivian tuva. Their chiefs would be recognised as vassals of the Marble Emperor, and they would be enrolled in one of the Seven Nations and become Kotakoskem. The Act also removed a number of legal disabilities applied to the remaining non-Coscivian native populations.

Politics & Governance
Sarolasta is one of five themes of the Kiravian Federacy, the alongside the Kiravian Federal Republic, Lesser Kirav, Sydona, the Melian Isles, and the Overseas Regions. The states and territories that make up Sarolasta have, by compact, created a Commonwealth Council and President of the Commonwealth to exercise thematic functions. The Commonwealth Council comprises the ranking members of the state and territorial legislatures, as well as [relevant subset of cabinet officials]. The President of the Commonwealth is elected by [the Nigerian system] every 42 months and has some *pro forma* duties regarding the certification of electoral votes and thematic resolutions, in addition to serving as a public advocate for the people of Sarolasta.

Due to its strong adherence to Catholicism and demand for higher social spending and development aid, Sarolasta is a stronghold for the Caritist Social Union in elections to the Stanora, often electing candidates of a pronounced ideological bent that reinforce the fiscal left wing of the caucus. Indeed, during the Sunderance the Christian Democratic Party (predecessor of the CSU) vote was concentrated so heavily in Sarolasta that the CDP came to be seen as a de facto Sarolastan regional interest party.

Society & Culture
The majority of the Sarolastan population is of indigenous stock with some degree of Éorsan Coscivian admixture. 25-32% are fully or primarily of Éorsan Coscivian ancestry. There are many specific kolakoskem ethnicities formed by intermarriage between one Coscivian subgroup and one indigenous people, in a fascinating confluence of the Coscivian tuva system with indigenous tribal networks. The largest of these hybrid communities are the Paisonic-Aymang and Paisonic-Ailmao. The Éorsan Coscivian contribution to the Sarolastan cultural mélange is provided mainly by Paisonic, Lusan, Kastrovan, Eskean, Tebnan, Kerēgulan, Vèuskan, [the usual seafaring groups], Æonaran/Umcaran, and Westcoastmarine/Serradan Coscivians. There is also a degree of Tierradorean admixture in some kolakoskem populations.

There is a significant minority of Daxian and mixed Daxian-Polynesian descent.

1,896 ethnic Loa belonging to the Uelamanpu'ue Clan live in Sarolasta, mostly in Leviti.

Sarolasta harbours a singificant share of the Polynesian Sea Muslim diaspora.

During the exile period, the Federalist government implemented major reforms on Sarolasta to prevent rebellion. This included recognising all native and miscegenated communities practicing monotheism, monogamy, tuva, and [other key Coscivian hallmarks] as Coscivians and inviting their customary kings and chieftains to pledge fealty to the Basswood Emperor.

[Leftover minorities from other nations’ colonisation attempts?]

[Languages] [Creole languages]

76% of Sarolastans adhere to the Catholic Church, overwhelmingly to the Coscivian Rite. Minority Christian sects include the Coscivian Orthodox and Independent Orthodox churches, Æglasta-i-Xristul, and Mormonism. Some Kastrovans and Kastrovan-Kolakoskem are Insular Apostolic. Among the Farakoskem population there are minorities adhering to Ruricanism, Iduanism, and Komarism.

Sarolasta has a multiethnic Muslim community that includes Kebavem (Coscivian Muslims), Loa Muslims, members of the Polynesian Sea Muslim diaspora, and several dozen families of Zhuhen Daxian origin.

Social Organisation
The Polynesian population of Sarolasta maintains a fairly standard system of kinship, tribalism, and chieftaincy similar to other indigenous peoples of the region. The native system of tribes and chiefdoms has been partially absorbed into the Coscivian tuva system among those communities who were naturalised during the mid-20th century pursuant to the Sarolasta Reform Act.

Cuisine
The cuisine of Sarolasta remains fundamentally and predominantly Polynesian in character, with moderate influence from Farakoskix, Daxian, and Vallote cuisine. The staples of the Sarolastan diet are starchy tropical fruits and roots - chiefly, known to Coscivians as errūēln or "tree potato", as well as , the charismatic purple yam, and - alongside the main sources of protein, which are  and (of course). This nutritional base is supplemented by greens, a wide variety of tropical fruits (including pineapple, mango, banana, eddoes, dragonfruit, and papaya), spices, and rice (mainly imported). Many of these essential foodstuffs are or dried for preservation. Cooking traditionally takes place over an open flame or in an, though in modern times Coscivian=style charcoal stoves and modern gas-electric appliances are increasingly utilised.

Sport
is extremely popular in Sarolasta, and is played nigh-universally among males at every level from beachside pickup games to professional play. Sundays in Sarolasta revolve around Mass, large picnic lunches prepared by and enjoyed among extended families, and pro football. The archipelago is an enormous bench of talent, providing many players to professional leagues in Æonara, the Kiravian Mainland, and Tierrador. A regional professional league, the Football Championship of Sarolasta (FCS) meets the demand for high-quality ball in Sarolasta and its games are well-attended, though it is considered inferior to its counterparts in larger Kiravian regions, as the best Sarolasta-bred players tend to gravitate toward those leagues in search of better opportunities and higher salaries. Two college football leagues, the Landgrant League (made up of state universities) and the Catholic Collegiate League (made up of Catholic universities), play on Saturdays and are considered near-peers to the FCS.

Other sports populat in Sarolasta include and.

Kava
is widespread in Sarolasta and is an important element of native community life, conserved even among the more thoroughly Coscivised segment of the native population.

Extracted from the root of the kava plant, , the preparation of the kava beverage involves the manual grinding of the root with a volcanic stone into a powder, which is subsequently mixed with water. The resultant concoction carries earthy undertones and, when consumed during ceremonies, elicits a mild sedative effect, fostering a calm atmosphere and acting as a social lubricant. Given these properties, it should be unsurprising that the preparation and consumption of kava is a communal affair for Sarolastans, and has taken on ritual significance. The preparation process, involving the sequential grinding and mixing, serves as a tactile ritual usually performed by a small group, usually bonded already by kinship ties. The kava beverage is presented and blessed by a chief or elder, and then served at their direction from a communal bowl to drinkers from a communal cup, usually fashioned from a coconut shell. Drinkers are seated in a circular arrangement on pandan leaf mats, and customarily accept the cup with both hands, drink in a single gulp, and then clap their hands together once in appreciation. This ritual is repeated as the bowl is passed around the circle until the kava is depleted or everyone passes out. The consumption of kava is accompanied by social interaction, with participants engaging in conversation, storytelling, or traditional chants. The communal setting fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. The kava ceremony concludes with a formal acknowledgment or expression of gratitude. The elder may offer closing remarks, and participants may exchange farewells.

In Coscivian languages, kava is referred to using derivatives the Polynesian loans сакáуѵ or янгона, to avoid confusion with the common Coscivian каѵа.

Economy
Sarolasta has a middle-income,  economy. With the passage of the Common Market (Sarolasta) Act of 2024, the provinces of the Sarolastan theme form a with one another. Due to its special development needs, Sarolasta is administered as a distinct from the main Kiravian Customs Area (which encompasses the Federation, South Kirav, Èusa, and Atrassica). Although it is the least-developed part of the Kiravian Federacy, it has a stronger growth prospectus than many struggling industrial and agricultural provinces in Second and Third Kirav.

of educated Sarolastan professionals to other Kiravian regions and abroad has been a major drag on the region's economic development. This is a particularly visible phenomenon in the medical field: In Cascada State, Sarolastan-born residents account for 9.12% of registered nurses and 23.46% of licensed physician's assistants, but only 2.52% of the total population. To mitigate this, the Sarolastan provinces and members of the Federal Stanora are working toward a programme that will expand tuition subsidies in certain technical fields at Sarolastan, contingent upon students' commitment to work only in the Sarolastan theme for 10 years or else repay the cost of their education.

Agriculture
Sarolasta's equatorial climate, plentiful rainfall, and year-round growing season provide excellent conditions for tropical agriculture, almost all of which is concentrated on Grand Sarolasta and Songva-Ngatra. Storm damage to crops and agrarian infrastructure (especially drainage systems and mechanised equipment) is the primary risk factor for farming in the provinces, followed by pests and disease. Around one-quarter of the workforce is employed directly in agriculture, which underpins local economies clean across the archipelago. Maintaining stable agricultural incomes is a high policy priority for provincial and fedderal authorities, who consider rural conditions important to maintaining social cohesion and stability on the islands.

Much of Sarolasta's agricultural productivity is concentrated on large monoculture estates dedicated to such as, , , cane, nanners, oil palm, and coconut. These were traditionally owned by very wealthy Farakoskem settler families, but most are now either owned by or sell directly to corporations, such as Bay Orchards SAK (part of the BayTrade Group) and the KMT Group.

Sarolasta is a world leader in the production and export of. Tanimbar, Leviti, and Rakitea are the top producers of in the Kiravian Federacy, followed by the other Sarolastan provinces and Seváronsa. Tanimbar alone accounts for 46% of the national output.

Fisheries
Fishing has been crucial to livelihood of this island region from the arrival of the first Austronesian settlers to the rise of modern mechanised pelagic trawling.