Okimate of Roanoke (Mundus Novus Map Game)

The Okimate of Roanoke is a sovereign state and maritime republic located along the OTL Outer Banks of North Carolina in a region called Oskan'nisinik (Algonquian for 'shell on the ribs'). Its republican territories include Roanoke Island, the mouth of the Roanoke River, with Hatteras and Kinnakeet being fiefs. Though it is ruled by an elected official known as a Menatona, Roanoke is de facto controlled by a military leader or ''Okima. ''This general is in charge of keeping the peace and ensuring the vital trade that keeps Roanoke's government afloat thrives. This can range from protection to roughing nobles up to establishing trade posts to assert Roanoke's hegemony.

Though noble families and dynasties rise and fall like the tides, the title of Okima has been held by the Machk dynasty for the past three centuries. The Machk family rose through a sudden increase in warfare and strife following the transition of the Outer Banks from a freshwater lagoon into a brackish ecosystem, which caused a massive migration of people away from the region. Though this transition in ecosystems was traumatic for most of the Outer Banks, Roanoke was able to survive and thrive in this new ecosystem.

Geology
Due to its location, Roanoke is a highly-defensible position, allowing it to maintain its territory against encroaching kingdoms from the Inner Banks or from attacks outside of the OTL Carolinas. Furthermore, this wide range of miniature ecosystems allows Roanoke to maintain large metropolitan areas while feeding them at the same time with aquaculture, agriculture, or trading. The region itself is dominated by swamps and forests, which provide the Okimate with a natural defense from inland attacks. Furthermore, the barrier islands typically take the brunt of storm surge during hurricanes, which, while felt to a certain degree inland, allows the Roanoke heartland to be protected from the most dangerous aspect of hurricanes. Additionally, these barrier islands allow the Roanoke to control certain key points of shipping, allowing for easy patrols and controlled access into and out of the region. However, this has a two-fold effect, and Roanoke has been blockaded before with only a finite amount of directions in which its fleet could travel.