Jungle Tribes

The Jungle Tribes are a collection of 8 city-states located in the southeastern coast of the Sea. They are located on various chokepoints along the rivers that flow towards the Further Sea. Their main economy is entrepot and taxing passing ship traffic. It is later discovered that there is in fact another way around the tribes, which hurt their economies to some extent. But they were able to weather it out because they are already large and value-adding. They trade with the Cathrabe Empire, and resupply on their way on Midway Island. The eight city-states are Zeus, Siberia, Parrotville, Pandaville, Ocelottown, Byzantium, Seatown and Bambootown. There is a fort on the hill next to Pandaville whose control oscillates between Pandaville and rebel pirates.

The tribes have expanded in recent times, coming into border skirmishes with each other. Even though they are competitors, they still rely on each other for trade, and are overall not too hostile towards each other. The tribes have joined together to form the Council, including the Greater Fortress and Boatpeoples as observers. The Council is held in the fort previously controlled by pirates. Meetings occur on the roof due to its perceived tallness and seclusion from all other territories. The funicula built for diplomats and politicians was built by an engineer who studied in Cathrabe. The central 3 tribes in the Council are Parrotville, Pandaville and Ocelottown. Zeus and Bambooville also hold important positions in the council. Its first resolution was declaring the rest of Saklin Island to be in Siberian possession, instead of either Zeus or Ocelottown. This decision was made to balance all the powers, an overarching theme in Jungle Tribes diplomacy.

The middle 2 islands have been developed jointly by Ocelottown, Parrotville and Pandaville. Division of the land between them was done by the Council. Based on the argument that the Gorged island is the home island of Ocelottown, it is given more than its share, which angered Parrotville and Pandaville. Mountlake Island was also divided between Parrotville and Pandaville. Pandaville quickly consolidated its gains by terraforming, although Parrotville holds the right to fight for the mountain of the Greater Fortress. Whether the Boatpeoples have the right to land/use the land near the lake is a major legal dispute now. This involves the greater question of the status of the Boatpeoples, and to an extension the Greater Fortress. The pirates of the Greater Fortress have tried to legitimize their actions, become more like a city-state and become a part of the system. Zeus expanded by advanced explosive terraforming methods. Parrotville also quickly expanded its borders to the colony of Byzantium, which unilaterally and significantly reduced its size, causing rocketing tensions between the 2 states. Both states want the control of the water passageway. The Colony of Isni and Canali was established by Byzantium before this. The tensions remained high and a month-long stalemate ensued. Parrotville couldn't force a deal because it would lose status in the Council, and Byzantium is too weak to offer much resistance. Other states wouldn't interfere fearing that helping either side would bring trouble. In the end, Parrotville offered a very huge compensation for land, regular payments for the passage of the canal and guarantee of unrestricted and prioritized passage of Byzantium ships through the canal. The dispute was set aside for the time being yet anti-Parrotville sentiments run high. The Boatpeoples remained a separate ethnic group free to travel between Parrotville, Pandaville and the lake. But while they are on the soil of a certain state, that state's laws apply, with some exceptions.