Writer & Illustrator

Andustava is located on the east coast of the Cold Lands, north of Dakhosam and south of Thinavaru. 45 years before the events of Ink Adept, there was a bloodless revolution and the country became a democracy. The king wanted to step down, but the people allowed him to keep the title. Since then, he and his descendants have lived a transient life on boats, waiting for their country to need them again. The current monarch of the Republic of Andustava is Sayyida Al-Hurra, the Pirate Queen.

Inspiration for Andustava came from: Iran, Korea, and Bangladesh.

Once thought uninhabitable, the northern deserts were a testing ground for the Taellori remnant that fled there during the Cayori invasion. Those who survived were hardened by the experience. While little is known about their history for the past 1000 years, the Empire has prospered and is a major power, threatening the Cayori Alliance of Nations. Rumors surround the so-called Immortal Emperor, the man who led the Taellori from ruin into prosperity, but no southerner has ever seen him and lived to speak of it.

Inspiration for Bui-tara came from: Tibet, India, Mongolia.

The site of the final battles in the Cayori war of conquest, Dakhosam has retained a warlike heritage. The land is treacherous and cold, steep mountains plunging down into the stormy sea. The land was divided by Zain the Conquerer and given to his most faithful generals--partly as rewards for their service, partly for defense against possible invasion from the south, and partly to keep any of the generals from rising against him. Their descendants have continued to split the land, forming the innumerable Khanates.

Inspiration for Dakhosam came from: Norway, Japan, New Zealand

A volcanic archipelago off the coast of Andustava, the Isles have a rich history almost completely isolated from the mainland. Trade existed during Taellori times, but once the Taellori Empire fell, so did communication between them and the islands. When the Cayori took over, they reinstated trade routes and now there is plenty of cultural mixing. Traditionalist people of the Isles worry their culture and traditions will be lost, as the Taellori was.

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Inspiration for the Isles came from: Indonesia, Japan.

As the Cayori expanded westward, they came to the high slopes of the Antamak Mountains. These mountains form the outer edge of the Cold Lands. Beyond is hundreds of leagues of trackless desert and nobody has ever returned alive. Despite the danger, the mountains teem with adventurers--trappers and miners, mostly. A few settlements have sprung up, and the land was designated the Protectorate of Plaenhari.

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Inspiration for Plaenhari came from: Tibet, Pakistan.

Life in Sayakhun has remained unchanged for almost 7,000 years. Long ago, the Taellori ruled over the entire Cold Lands, but then the empire mysteriously declined until only roving nomadic clans were left, isolated from one another. When the Cayori invaders landed, the Taellori were overwhelmed and pushed further and further back into undesirable lands. Now, the Sayakhunii are all that remain of the ancient Taellori culture.

Inspiration for Sayakhun came from: Mongolia, Native American plains tribes.

The largest and richest of the Cayori nations, Thinavaru sets the standard for prosperity and wealth, but also in orphans and poverty. There are more wealthy in Thinavaru than anywhere else, but there are also far more poor and wretched. The capital city, Al-thina, sits nestled among cliffs by the sea, protected by treacherous reefs that deter any would-be foe from attempting invasion by sea.

Inspiration for Thinavaru came from: India, China.