"that crisis was Joal, a shadow of an empire dwindling as night fell all around it. Joal’s island states had once been as vast in power as they were in their sheer size and sprawl over southern waters. Much had changed over the centuries."
Joal is a continent and collection of island states located southwest of Dirthe and the Morouse Seas. At the start of Killerjoy, it is independently ruled by a much-hated emperor.
Background[]
Centuries ago, Joal was a major power in the world, once rivaling the Dominion. After losing a major war against Genith, Joal slowly declined in power, likely due to the empire's prejudice of mettle. While Genith colonized and improved modernization with the infusion of mettle in transportation and construction, Joal stayed stagnant in its refusal to accept mettle as an acceptable resource. According to legends, there were many more island states near Joal that were swallowed up by the sea, similar to islands disappearing in the Mavarice.
Over the last 100 years, many of the Joalish people have fled the island states to find better opportunities in Dirthe. Many of them have been families with children who can use mettle, hoping to protect their lives from Joal's "Sano," an order of fierce warriors dedicated to eliminating mettle-users they call purists.
In general, many Joalish people are superstitious of mettle and monsters, likely due to a long cultural history of anti-mettle anti-religious sentiment. The continent is also known to be filled with dangerous monsters that have drifted up to Dirthe for unknown reasons. At some point, the Joalish emperor even built a trap-filled maze in the madlands as a wall to keep themselves separated.
Despite this, the Joalish emperor has laws in place to keep peace between them and Genith, including a maritime law that requires Joalish ships to help save shipwrecked sailors of other countries. There is a Joalish ambassador in Carver, for example, who claims he wishes for good relations with the Foundry.
Characteristics[]
The people of Joal are known to have almond eyes and a range of skin tone from years of mating with other nations. They're also known for having darker hair, sometimes brown, and inking their faces with various markings.
Current Events[]
The first character we meet in Killerjoy is Bomie Ono, a half-Joalish caretaker living in one of Dirthe's colony cities. It's revealed through her that the Joalish people live in squalor compared to Genith-born and Dirthe-born. Joalish migrants have largely fled the island states due to the emperor's poor rule over them. Also, Joalish refugees have begun to seize Genith ships in the Morouse Seas. Eventually, a coup is staged against the emperor led by one of his generals, Absalom Wren.
In Carver, a sect of Joalish migrants start calling themselves revivalists in response to Absalom Wren's "Insurrection." Taking orders from the masque leader, Illum Nairo, the revivalists help deal with the looming gargoyle threat by starting riots and chaos throughout the colony city. They also help Nairo and his masques defend his hideout from Silver One, Demaro Jun, and their group of lords and proxies.
Locations[]
Joal is made up of one large mainland and several smaller island states under the emperor's rule.
Cities[]
- Tenin
- Jento
- Kromea
- Watte
- Kikkon
- Yon
- Omynath
- Nith
- Greel
- Oku
- Minraz
- Brellum
Notable Settlements[]
- Ayzen Castle
- Southmarch
Island States[]
- Elleyenia
- The Alkes
- Miya
- Enma
- Hikar
Miscellaneous[]
- Kuyon
- Weeping Man's Bay
- Bay of the Old World
- Imperion Bay
Quotes[]
"Unlike the Genith-born and Dirthe-born, the Joalish workers had to stay in halfhouses further away from the railings. Attle had been at Delmontpelier long enough to know that the separation was not true to what the overseers insisted. It wasn’t about a difference in language. Most Joalishmen were practically born knowing the Genith language."
"Joal is a mere crumb of this once elegant regime you refer to as a crawler nibbling at our ankles." ― Gentina Mildren
"New Garden has more islands than Joal has island states. So why do we fear Joal more than New Garden? The answer to that question is dangerous. It forces the questioner to admit that she hates what she doesn’t understand." ― Unknown
"[They believe] that the Gentins of old stole their authority over the civilized world and squashed their fragile empire after it had worked so hard to liberate them. Even today, the Joalish people would like nothing more than to see an end to Gentina Mildren and the Fens who could point to her successor." ― Rove Austra
"The island states were small, except for the mainland, and scattered like ants across the Joalish waters south of Dirthe. Some islands had been swallowed up into the sea over the centuries, or so the legends said."
"Love of the people, love of Joal! Love of the end of our toll! Love of our action, and Absalom Wren! Love of the beginning, love of the end!" ― Revivalists' Chant