Goka

Goka

(Nation)

Alignment

Lawful neutral

Capital

Goka

Ruler

Lady Nai Yan Fei

Government

Capitalistic constitutional parliament

Adjective

Gokan

Languages

Tang, Draconic, Hon-La, Hwan, Kelish, Minatan, Minkaian, Nagaji, Samsaran, Taldane, Tengu, Tien, Vudrani, Wayang

Religions

Abadar, Daikitsu, Desna, Fumeiyoshi, Hei Feng, Irori, Lady Jingxi, Lady Nanbyo, Lamashtu, Lao Shu Po, Pharasma, Shizuru, Sun Wukong, Tsukiyo, Yaezhing

Images of Goka

Source: Dragon Empires Gazetteer, pg(s). 24 (1E)
Tian Xia World Guide, pg(s). 74-81 (2E)

Goka

(City)

Titles

The City of Wonders
Gateway to the West

Nation

Goka

Region

Wall of Heaven

Size

Metropolis

Population

300,450

Demographics

Humans (primarily Tian), empyreans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, aiuvarins, dromaars, halflings, kitsune, nagaji, samsarans, tengu, and wayangs

Government

Capitalistic constitutional parliament

Alignment

Lawful neutral

Adjective

Gokan

Ruler

Lady Nai Yan Fei

Images of Goka

Source: Dragon Empires Gazetteer, pg(s). 24 (1E)
Tian Xia World Guide, pg(s). 74-81 (2E)

Goka (pronounced go-kar) is a free city-state on the western coast of Tian Xia. Formerly part of Imperial Lung Wa, it broke free when the empire collapsed and is now enjoying a golden age of trade and prosperity. Goka is a vital port city that rivals Absalom and Katapesh in size and diversity, and serves as a gateway to Tian Xia for travelers from the west.

History

Control over Goka has switched between numerous governments over the years. Goka was founded in 313 AR by Xhai Xen Xiao, a brilliant visionary architect and priest of Abadar. Unfortunately, his brilliance brought him into conflict with his superiors and he was forced to flee Imperial Yixing. Shortly after Goka's founding, it was visited by the Empress Yin of the Yixing empire. When she was still young, her greedy advisors took her on a tour of the then-burgeoning settlement, hoping to persuade her to allow them to annex it. Instead, Empress Yin fell in love with the freewheeling spirit of the city and declared it as an independent city state, exempt from the rule of the Yixing. Unfortunately, Xhai Xen Xiao died a mere three years after this in 329 AR.

In 1310 AR, Goka opened for trade with distant Avistan, ushering in a new era of wealth and prosperity. After the fall of Imperial Yixing in 3076 AR, Goka went through a long cycle of foreign rule then self governance, always weathering the political situation of the time. Since the end of Imperial Lung Wa, Goka has become fully independent, and achieved a golden age as a free city. The Golden League made its way to Goka after its exile from Minkai in 4580 AR.

In 3080 AR, Que Yan Helian—a sky dragon in human guise and advisor to Jiao Deng Shu, lobbied for Goka to support Shu. Goka did so completely, becoming part of the empire of Shu upon its formation in 3101 AR. Goka remained part of Shu until its collapse in 4036 AR but was able to sustain itself independently, though the city considered its time under Shu to be marred by nepotism and mismanagement. Goka itself descended into a century of covert internal battling for power that ended only with the arrival of Nai Yu Fei and the Butterfly Blades of Lung Wa in 4150 AR.

After Nai Yu Fei communicated Lung Wa's demands that Goka either submit to Lung Wa or dissolve as a city-state, the Butterfly Blades committed what became known as the Scarlet Roof Tile Massacre, in which all of Goka's leadership were killed in the palace overnight. The killings cowed Goka under the new empire's control, and Lung Wa granted Nai Yu Fei the noble title of Lady and installed her as the puppet Empress of Goka.

Lung Wa funded its expansionist military in part through heavy taxation of Goka, particularly its tea, which bankrupted farmers and strained other parts of its economy. As teamakers organized toward a potential revolution, Lung Wa arrested and executed them as well as their patrons in 4332 AR.

Lung Wa itself collapsed in 4516 AR, and with considerable relief Goka reverted to an independent city-state under Empress Nai Zhu Chao and set about reviving its past glory and unique culture.

Geography

For Goka, geography is destiny. Goka is situated within the only significant break in the Wall of Heaven mountain range which is otherwise all but impassable. Goka is located on the Embaral Ocean and, as such, is the primary trade port for the distant continents of Avistan, Casmaron, and Garund. The mountains of the Wall of Heaven may loom large over the city but its fantastic skyline also draws the eye of those arriving by sea. Goka also controls significant amounts of land beyond the city's walls, including the town of Langkhu.

Goka boasts not one but two mysterious under cities. Over the four thousand years of its existence, Goka has built up an extensive network of buried chambers that stretch beneath the entire city and even beneath Xu Hong Bay known as the Undermarket. The deeper one travels into the Undermarket, the more dangerous it gets, as the black markets and illegal dwellings give way to cult cathedrals, haunted catacombs, and worse. Beneath even this lies a series of caverns that link to the Darklands and a hidden community known only as the Deepmarket.

Government

Goka uses a parliamentary form of government that includes two tiers of officials each containing 54 members; the Foundation Stones, which consists of nobility and other important figures who hold permanent seats, and the Ridge Boards, who are elected every 5 years and require recommendation. Ultimately, both of these bodies answer to Empress Nai Yan Fei.

As of 4724 AR, members of parliament included:

• Hao Jin
• Mina Helian
• Goten Muzoshi
• Jijigu

Inhabitants

Students battle for coin in an Alley Basher arcade.

The people of Goka are renowned as inveterate gamblers and this infuses every layer of society. Gambling opportunities range from low-stakes games of Tiam Jeuk all the way up to the decadent drake-racing favoured by the city's elites. Tournaments are a regular part of life in Goka as they give the skilled gambler an opportunity to engage in direct competition with their peers. The most famous of these tournaments, without a doubt, is the Ruby Phoenix Tournament.

Goka's inhabitants come from across Tian Xia and included Tians of every possible heritage. The main city is also home to a melting pot of other races including empyreans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, aiuvarins, dromaars, halflings, kitsune, nagaji, samsarans, and tengu. Beneath the city the Under and Deepmarket are also home to a wide variety of other inhabitants including caligni, a large number of ratfolk, xulgaths, and wayangs. Goka is home to a large number of cambions, particularly around the Scale district, and many fall into a life of crime as enforcers for the nearby wharf-side gangs.

Goka is home to a unique order known as the Butterfly Blades. The descendants of a tradition that dates all the way back to ancient Yixing, these skilled killers now serve Goka's ruler, eliminating threats with their namesake weapons and keeping the fractious nobility in line.

Religion

Goka has always had a problem with evil cults, in particular the cults of Fumeiyoshi, Lamashtu, and Lady Nanbyo, that seem to regularly spring up, making the city even more dangerous. The darkness beneath Goka is also host to Onmyuza, the so called "Dancer in Flesh", a kishin oni almost as powerful as a demigod. Onmyuza keeps a concealed complex somewhere below the streets of Goka and engages in acts of physical debauchery that would make even Goka's most jaded hedonists blanch in horror.

The founder of Goka was a priest of Abadar and his church has remained a prominent religion in the city. The largest Abadaran church also serves as the Grand Bank and is home to Hao Jin's legendary vault.

References

Paizo published a gazetteer of Goka in Ready? Fight!

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.