Nation Spotlight: Isle of dreams

History

The Isle of Dreams was a protectorate of the Astorina Imperium since the foundation of the empire. It was ruled by the Mestori family for the century before the breaking, and was rich in pearls from the shoreline, as well as other gemstones from the central mountains of the isle. Many noble families had holiday estates on the island, though they hired groundskeepers to battle against the jungle trying to reclaim the manicured fields of the estates.

When the Raging storm formed during the breaking, the island was trapped in the eye of the storm. The seas raged against the coastlines, and the winds would occasionally rip along the island as the eye shifted and moved without warning. The safest places on the isle were now inland, despite the uncharted depths of the jungle being a mystery.

The Mestori led their people inland, and made contact with small hidden tribes of lost ophiduans. Some of these ophiduans had preserved ancient druidic traditions, and shared them with the desperate humans. The ophiduans and humans banded together against the dangers of the forests and the elements, and it is an alliance that exists to this day.

For two centuries, the storm ravaged the island, converting lush tropical jungle into sodden, marshy mangroves, except for the centre where the survivors huddled. Vicious predators from the sea migrated inwards, and found rich hunting grounds in the mangrove lakes and swamps. The heightened state of adaptations from the curses of Garnaea and Ithiriae have allowed strange and dangerous new beasts and monsters to breed almost unchecked. The survivors were pushed ever inwards, and eventually were forced to take shelter in the mountains themselves, carving tunnel systems as a natural defense against the dangerous weather and the new beasts.

The new society began to value those that could control the weather and those that could shape the earth and stone of the mountains, as well as those that could hunt and grow crops in the hardy areas that could still be cultivated. Druidic traditions are strong on the Isle now, as well as Kineticists and Shapers amongst psionic disciplines.

Eight years ago, the Raging storm dissipated. Although storms are still frequent, the island is no longer cut off from the rest of the continent by sea travel. In the last few years, the inhabitants have begun to branch out, reclaiming land and territory ceded to the storm and beasts. Some have even begun to travel to the mainland, and some people of the mainland have begun to travel to the island too.

Culture

Out of necessity, the culture of the Isle is one of co-operation and toil. Idleness is frowned upon, as expecting others to do your work for you weakens the chances of survival overall. After a few generations, the humans see their ophiduan brethren as equals, and the ophiduans have learned a respect for the humans ability to adapt and survive. Many ophiduans alive remember the time that humans came into the deep jungle, and over time have developed an attitude akin to a mentor and pupil towards the humans. Humans outnumber the ophiduans 3 to 1, but both factions see the benefits of co-operation still.

Life on the Isle was harsh and cruel for 2 centuries, but now, in the last few years, the survivors have made serious inroads back into the wilds, and in just 2 years an expedition re-discovered a large noble estate, and haveused it to create a small settlement, and now use it as a base to re-establish contact with the world. The rare visitors that have started to come to the Isle find that the inhabitants are direct, forthright, and hardworking, and care little for frivolity or luxuries.

Languages and names:

Most people of the isles, regardless of race, can speak both Imperial and Ophiduan, and have begun to teach themselves Polyglot to begin to establish trade with the mainland. Names follow both ophiduan and Imperial standards, but many imperial names have sibilant sounds added after the influence of ophiduan language. Some ophiduans have even taken to Imperial "ncknames" given to them by their human allies.