Huofeng Province

Huofeng Province  is one of the constituent regions of Kun-Lai Province  and the primary holding and traditional homeland for the Great Firewind Dynasty as ruled by Firelord Yulan  of the Firewind Clan. The name originates from the ancient pandaren word for "Firewind."

Primarily, Huofeng Province is broken into five geographical and political divisions, broken up into the five cardinal directions, East, West, South, North, and Center. The largest holding and capital, Firewind Palace and its surrounding city known as Fire's Blossom, makes up the Center Division. The other four divisions have historically been locally ruled by their respective clans, although due to the long-tradition of the bureaucracy in Huofeng have been occasionally run by non-clansmen.

Geography
Huofeng Province is a landlocked province nestled within the Kun-Lai mountain range. Huofeng Province, as its ancient name roots would imply, has unusual weather conditions for its elevation and geography. Huofeng Province due to its connect with the Fire Spirits of Pandaria is in a state of eternal summer, instead having conditions similar to southern Kun-Lai bordering on the Vale. This has allowed the pandaren of Huofeng to live with little concern for the outside world for millenia.

The East Division is predominantly made up by a low-lying river valley, split in half by the Golden River. There the major city of Whitewine provides the bread basket of Huofeng. The Golden river then runs into the Golden Lake, which makes up the predominant center of the province. Off its northern shores is the Firewind Palace and Fire's Blossom, the largest settlement in Huofeng Province. To its south of the lake is the South Division, the capital of the marshy lands of the South Division. Fishing is prevalent within the South Division due to the marshy conditions and abundant freshwater. The Western Division, a drier land dominanted by spires of rock and crag, is historically well known for its mining. The North Division is predominantly mountainous, and begins to shift from cool summery conditions to more mountainous cold conditions.

Huofeng Province is bordered to the Northeast by Zouchin Province, bordered to the North by the Peak of Serenity, to the South by One Keg, and to the Southwest by Mount Neverest. The Valley of Emperors can be found to the Southeast, and Mogu'Shan Terrace to the east.



History
Early History

Historically, Huofeng Province has existed in a realm of isolation from the rest of Pandaria. Originally planned as a mogu construction for which the mogu to store their secrets and weaponry, the mogu brought five enslaved families of pandaren to the area to begin work on this project. However during mid-construction the Pandaren Uprising began and the pandaren builders revolted and took control of the great Mogu vault, turning it into a livable palace and soon converting their family slave camps into towns. Conditions were brutal in the cold weather, and the workers, no longer provided with their mogu masters foods, had to seek other ways to sustain themselves. The land being cold and mountainous, farming was impossible. Faced with either death and unable to leave the horrid conditions, the early pandaren of Huofeng prayed. A miracle then happened as the Stonesummit Clan was able to commune with the pandaren fire spirits. Soon after, the Firewind Clan met and communed with the fiery son of Xuen, Chongli. Chongli and the pandaren fire spirits in exchange for their devotion and respect to the ways of fire gave the five major clans of Huofeng each a sacred fire. These sacred fires soon ignited the five large eternal pyres in Huofeng, which turned Huofeng Province from barren wasteland into a cool summery paradise. As well, Chongli bestowed upon the Firewind Clan the title of Firelord, to continue to teach his lessons and ways so that he would not have to. The pandaren fire spirits meanwhile continued to commune with the Stonesummits, forming the first early priesthood.

During the Pandaren Empire, the Province saw the rise of the Firewind Clan to take control of the Province in full. As the Pandaren Empire reformed and moved away from feudalism into a meritocracy based around the bureaucracy, the other four clans saw their power dwindle as only the Firelord remained an inherited title, an unusual relic of the old feudal system of the early days of the Pandaren Empire that still remains to this day. The province instead was broken into five administrative divisions, each run by their own respective magistrate under the Center Magistrate of the Center Division.

Late History
After the fall of the Pandaren Empire and Pandaria shrouding in the mists, the Province decided to close its gates to most travel, and began a period of isolation until the reign of Firelord Taizong.

Of late Huofeng Province has seen a return to glory, no longer hidden in the shadows of Pandaria. Under the reign of Firelord Yulan, the province has grown in prosperity, as well as expanded influence upon neighboring provinces. As well, the lands are now nominally that under the Alliance.

Clans
Huofeng Province is dominated by five major clans, the premier clan being that of the Firewind Clan. The Clan and family life is very prevalent in Huofeng. Although not all pandaren families in Huofeng are members of these clans, they do dominate the political and cultural life of Huofeng Province. Each of the five major clans have their own sacred pyre, where their dead are cremated so as to keep the Sacred Fires of Huofeng to burn eternal. Due to this tradition smaller clans and families in Huofeng will often have their own pyres, however they exist only out of tradition and do not keep Huofeng safe from the cold climate. Each clan has its own traditions and superstitions, as well as what it is often best known for.

Firewind Clan
The Firewind Clan makes up the premier Clan of Huofeng. The Clan head is known as the Firelord, and also rules Huofeng Province and The Great Firewind Dynasty at large. Their clan predominantly lives in the Center Division of Huofeng in Fire's Blossom and the Firewind Palace grounds. Historically the Firewind Clan also is head of the Firewalker Monastery, an extension of the Firewind Palace grounds, however there have been exceptions to this when the Firelord was not a Firewalker. Despite all this the Clan is spread throughout Huofeng Province, as well as now in Zouchin Province and Stormwind City. The clan is best known for its well-educated scholars, artisans, politicians, and officers, as well as martial artists.

Stonesummit Clan
The second most powerful clan of Huofeng, the Stonesummit Clan is predominantly nomadic, and makes up almost the entire population of the North Division. Historically based out of the Stonesummit Basecamp, the Stonesummit Clan has been the predominant source of Firespeakers in Huofeng for generations. Often a local community's shrine throughout Huofeng will be run by one of their Clan members. The Stonesummits are also tasked with guarding the Shrine of the Red Tiger, where Chongli resides in the North Division. As well as being spiritual leaders, the Stonesummit Clan due to their nomadic lifestyle also make excellent hunters, scouts, and Court Sentinels in Huofeng Province.

Coldkeg Clan
Predominantly located in the West Division, the Coldkeg Clan for generations have been considered the premier source for weapons, metalworking, and soldiers. Due to their clan's heavy mining background, the pandaren of the Coldkeg are reknowned for their size and strength, as well as their ability to both smith and wield a sword. The Coldkeg Clan historically makes up a large portion of the most talented soldiers the Firewind Guard has ever seen. Coldkeg Nook, their major settlement, reflects their tradition of steel and fire well, being a town of smoke and fire crammed into a nook of a mountain near their historical mines.

Lotusbreeze Clan
The Lotusbreeze are considered one of the smaller clans. Predominantly fishermen, the clan is rather small and quiet, althogh has produced some great pandaren. Decidingly living a slower lifestyle than the rest of the province, the Lotusbreeze take great pride in their leisure pursuits, and as well have great prominance in the delightful spots that make up the South Division, including the Firewind Grounds, a Hot Springs resort, and the delightful lake beachside fishing town of Lotusbreeze Village.

Whitewine Clan
The largest clan in number, the Whitewine Clan makes up many of the common folks that farm the fertile Golden River Valley. Settled in the second largest town of Huofeng Province called simply "Whitewine", the Whitewine Clan is well reknowned for their farming and brewing. This clan historically has maintained the bread basket that Huofeng Province has needed to survive.

Politics
Huofeng Province is dominated heavily by the bureaucracy of the old Pandaren Empire administration. The Firelord of the Great Firewind is the highest position within the province. Although the title of Firelord is inherited, the five major division's respective Magistrates make up the pre-dominant political scene of Huofeng Province. Appointed by Provincial Examination and approval of the Firelord, the government of Huofeng is strongly tied to merit.

Economy
The economy of Huofeng Province has been historically agrarian. Exporting its fine liquor, millet, porcelain, and craftsman goods, Huofeng was reknowned for its metalworking. Many Shado-Pan often preferred to use a weapon from Huofeng Province. As well as crafts, Huofeng Province soon saw itself in later years as a den of vice due to the expanding power of the Lotus Group. A criminal organization within Huofeng, the Lotus Group has expanded several rain opium dens, casinos, and smuggling, as well as control of most trade in the Province.

Under Firelord Yulan, the province has begun to industrialize, increasing outputs of porcelain and weaponry, as well as modernizing the military and infrastructure within the province, and beginning studies of Dark Iron and Gnomish transportation systems.

Culture
Huofeng Province has several unique traditions only existing there in Pandaria. Besides the veneration of ancestors, Huofeng Pandaren are well known for their cremating of the dead in their sacred pyres. It is said that the only way for a Huofeng pandaren to pass through the Tan-Chao is to be cremated in these pyres. As well as veneration of the White Tiger, the pandaren of Huofeng also venerate the fire spirits, their religious Firespeaker leaders essentially an organized shamanist religion based around the element of fire. As well, the pandaren of Huofeng Province are well known for their cuisine, reflecting the mountainous tastes of kafa and goat meats, with simple seasonings and often fermented variations. Due to their relative isolation the pandaren of Huofeng also have their own dialect of Pandaren known as the Huofeng Dialect, which is mutually unintelligble with Standard Pandaren. However since the reign of Firelord Taizong Standard Pandaren has become the common second language of the people, and with Firelord Yulan the introduction of Common became prevalent amongst the officials. One of the most well known past times in Huofeng Province is known as "Huo Qiu", a ball game similar to rugby where a ball is set on fire and must be carried to an opposing goal. Rather than be timed, the game is broken up by when the ball explodes.

Demographics
The majority of the population are pandaren drawing family ties back to the original five clans, however many new pandaren immigrants have come to the province, most notably from Shen-Zin Su. As well, the north contains the Gal-Salkhi tribe of yaungol, which usually hold a tenuous peace with the local pandaren. Mountain hozen as well settle in the north center, and grummle traders often travel through the province to sell their goods.

Education
Education in Huofeng is not mandatory, however in order to be part of the administration one must join one of the five major clans through either honor or the Provincial Exams. Education in Huofeng is based around the "Eight Pandaren Arts", which include study of rites and customs of Huofeng and its religions as well as philosophy, music, calligraphy, culinary arts, riding, martial arts, and mathematics.