Oxana is an island within the Corvidan Archipelago, known for its culturally-dominant hereditary nobility and its longtime rivalry with its neighbor island, Iryna. The island of Oxana is roughly trapezoidal in shape, measuring approximately 50 chases along its longest axis and 36 chases along its shortest axis. It is the second-largest island in the Archipelago, only slightly larger than Septeiven but much smaller than the Archipelago's largest island, Ardenei. Oxana has sandy beaches on its coasts, with a gentle slope upwards towards a central mountain, although its height is not nearly as significant as that of Mount Septeiven. The island's interior is mostly forested, with most large settlements located along the coastline.
Oxana was initially settled in the early 200s, quickly coalescing into an aristocratic state led by a distinct noble class. These nobles met periodically in a Parliament of Lords to adjudicate disputes between nobles and coordinate military actions. The Parliament was presided over by a President, the most senior noble in attendance who ensured order and discipline. Over time, the position of President grew in importance from an administrative formality to a head of state with jurisdiction over the entirety of Oxana. The President's noble estate expanded into a walled complex larger than most of the island's major cities (with the exception of Oxana City, the island's main port). This Presidential Palace remains the administrative center of Oxana government, in addition to housing the President, their family, government bureaucrats, and domestic workers. Outsiders can only enter the Palace during certain hours, and are restricted from certain areas.
The noble class is defined by their ownership of land and their secondary names, both of which are passed down to their heirs through a complex system of legal contracts. Nobles have certain obligations to the larger political entity of Oxana, and in turn can claim certain rights and privileges. The most significant of these privileges is taxation: nobles have broad authority to collect taxes from the common folk living within their territorial boundaries, handing over the majority of earnings to the President but retaining a percentage relative to their hierarchical status. The President then uses that money to fund various public services, infrastructure, and (historically) military operations. Because land is a direct signifier of social status, acquiring more land by any means necessary is the primary concern of all nobles. This has contributed to frequent infighting between neighboring noble families, and much frustration for the common folk living within contested areas. Residents of each noble's territory experience wildly varying quality of legal protections, law enforcement, taxation rates, etc.
The strictly-enforced hiearchy of the noble class allowed for a level of centralized control uncommon in the Archipelago, and by the 500s, Oxana was feared by its neighbors as a formidable military and political power. Anxious to expand their territories further, the Parliament of Lords authorized an invasion of Iryna. At the time, Iryna was a small city with a bustling mercantile port, but was not considered to be nearly as socially-advanced as Oxana. The Oxana military began sailing warships into Irynian waters, hoping to intimidate the Irynians into immediate capitulation. They were surprised when Iryna responded with force, and even more so when after a series of fierce battles, Iryna emerged as the victor. Although they lacked the organization and experience of the Oxana military, Iryna had the advantage of talented mages and a strong desire to protect their home. In 522, a peace accord formally ended the war. A system of Champions was established to prevent further bloodshed; each island would nominate a Champion to serve as their representative in times of conflict, replacing standing armies with a single individual deemed to be the island's most proficient arcane combatant. The position of Champion continued to be culturally important to both islands, and even adopted by other islands within the Archipelago. The conflict became known as the Champions War for this reason, and was the last major military conflict in the Archipelago's history.
In the aftermath of the war, Oxana's territorial aggression turned inwards. All of the nobility's resources had been poured into the war effort, with very little gain to justify their sacrifices by the war's conclusion. In desperation, the nobility responded by invading their neighbors, in a last-ditch effort to replenish their families' wealth. The ensuing civil war devastated an already-weakened society. The President was forced to assert unprecedented political authority to quell the conflict and prevent complete destruction of the Oxana government. Oxana's recovery was agonizingly slow and never fully restored the island to its former glory. Its nobility remained culturally dominant, but their authority was greatly reduced, turning them into de facto local figureheads for state government. Meanwhile, Iryna experienced explosive growth that quickly made it the undisputed center of cultural and political power in the region.
In modern times, Oxana and Iryna have become reluctant allies, and even collaborators on projects such as Oxana City's subway system, directly inspired by the Irynian subway, and installation of IrynaNet cores, allowing magitech devices to communicate between the two islands. Travel between the islands is frequent, for recreational, commercial, and emigration purposes. Oxana and Iryna also coordinated in the criminal investigation of former Irynian Governor Reiner, eventually resulting in Reiner's arrest by Oxana authorities in 1020.