Zescore

Zescore is a military island chain and a colony of Munijoch, used by the Munijoch Vanguard Force to test weapons and develop weapons as well. Despite the risks of being on the island, many people live on the island to escape the everyday life of the city. Zescore faces Antarctica in a wide "U" shape, acting as a land shield for Munijoch. Due to this, Munijoch has installed multiple defense canons on the island, facing away from it, to defend Munijoch from attacks south. Originally founded in 2006 for use in defense, the island now serves as a natural gateway for those wishing to enter Munijoch from the South, and as a result, the Munijoch government installed multiple military points for trade to go through and register within the country's arrival booklet.

While being technically part of Munijoch, Zescore still holds a degree of autonomy, such as possessing their own Navy, crafted from intimidating metallic and angular designs, meant to serve as Munijoch's metaphorical fangs. In addition to this, Zescore has the highest rate of military service in the entire Antarctic region, with 3/4th of the region in active duty, due to the island chain's military history. Multiple weapon installations exist in the island, cloaked by stealth technology. As a result, calling Zescore a state, a colony, a region, a military base or territory are all correct ways to address Zescore as an entity.

The island chain is referred as the "Land of the Midnight Sun" due to the effect the naturally occurring Zescorian amethyst has when sunlight hits, darkening the skies and turning the sun a purple color, reflected in the flag's colors.

Pre-Colonization
The earliest records of the island come from collections of pottery and ruins of basic huts strewn around the middle of the islands within the isle. It is hypothesized that they pre-date the colonization of Munijoch by a good fifty to one hundred years, due to the island chain being closer to Antarctica than Munijoch. It's also likely that the natives, unaware of the land nearby, created crude support struts and tools to carve and build homes on the sides of the mountains. Carvings and tools found at the sites also show that the natives that inhabited the island likely utilized the amethyst that grew on outcrops of the mountain as rudimentary gemstones to signify leadership. There are also rumors of a sect of natives breaking off and forming a group known as the Nightwardens to guard such gemstones and relics from other natives, creating a base of operation within one of the many mountains.

The island was almost completely and mysteriously abandoned (sans the Nightwardens) almost 200 years later, when the last natives left the island chain for Munijoch, likely in a rush to escape from something.

Reclamation
Following the migration of natives to Munijoch, nature gradually took the island over again. The remaining Nightwardens then went to work, creating magic runes and safeguards to prevent unwise treasure hunters from trying to claim the relics and gemstones hidden within their order. Additionally, they carved numerous statues, effigies of various figures (likely to deter would-be treasure hunters), as well as warnings to further deter others. Gradually, the order slipped into total secrecy, save for a yearly recruitment drive through trials that took place on Munijoch. For the greater part of 1500 years, the Nightwardens gradually built up and fortified their headquarters under the island, as well as recruited more and more members to guard the relics. They reached their peak in the 1900's, where cartographer and "president" Eric Slavistoski ruled and was subsequently assassinated by WhiteBlood insurgents.

WhiteBlood war on "heretical magic"
In 1910, the WhiteBlood government, ironically seeped in magic thanks to multiple attunements to The Infinite Engine, began to seek out and destroy what they called the "magic of heretics," which they believed sapped and corrupted the power emanating from the Engine. As part of their efforts, they sent psychics across the lands to search for magical sources so that they can be claimed by the WhiteBloods. Rather than try and fight, the Nightwardens offered the WhiteBloods a deal: let them continue guarding the relics and gemstones, and they will also guard any others that they find, no questions asked. Reluctantly, they accepted their bargain and sent all captured sources to the Nightwardens, most of which included High Penguin relics and stones that allowed them to prolong life or increase their power exponentially.

During this time, Zescore was beginning to experience a huge influx of military presence there, such as the creation of the City of Desolation, the construction of the Gate of Entry, and multiple military artillery installations on the island. The Nightwardens, concerned over the amount of militarization there, stood solemn, asking no questions per their agreement.

Economy
Zescore acts as one of the first stop for goods entering Munijoch, commonly being redeployed to cargo ships on the other side of the customs after going through screening and security checks by the government. In turn, a small portion of these products are distributed to the inhabitants of the island. Dense jungles populate the island, which are frequently cut down and used for trade in the Axle Powers. A large underground spring is found on several mini-islands on Zescore, pumped and used for supplying the country with water.

Military
Zescore has it's own military for use in defense of the Outer Munijoch Country Gateway. Their warships are commonly made with metal and include many weapons, some of which include spikes on the front, hidden guns, torpedoes, and anti-heatseeking capabilities, colored a dark purple to midnight purple, and equipped with stealth technology to cloak the ships. The jets are the same as the Foreign Vanguard Force's, and are frequently updated, with takeoffs from air strips that rise from the ocean from an underground depot. There is a strong military presence on the island, with several bases in and around the island, stationed strategically.

Transportation
Much of the island is stationed between islands, with little bridges between them. In turn, boats are common to use in transportation, with canals going into small villages and towns along the coast, and 4x4's used on the rocky terrain near the City of Decimation and the Gate of Entry. Biplanes are common too if you are looking to get from one point to another quickly.

Environment
Much of Zescore is made of solid rock, with portions in the island dipping into jungle basins with rivers, lakes, and caves leading into the underground. The air is moist, with frequent thunderstorms occurring and hitting Munijoch. Springs are common on the island, some leading to underground river systems that enter into the groundwater reserve. A lava lake is under the island as well, which is connected to Munijoch. Geographically, Zescore is the highest point in the underwater landmass of Munian Majora, making them a mountain chain of the landmass.

Trivia

 * Zescore is partially based on Hawaii.