Post by Monica on Jul 21, 2009 15:04:37 GMT -5
Until 400 years ago it was believed that the four Islands were the only land in the world. Boats were made to travel between these islands, and the cities on them grew. In fact the cities grew so large that there was little room for anything that wasn’t part of the city such as farms and the “uncivilized” races. The people ate mostly fish, but even all the fish they could catch was enough to feed the people of these “floating cities,” as the islands were sometimes called.
So a few brave (and arguably crazy) people went and built bigger boats, insisting that if there was land here, then there must be lands elsewhere. And so they went, and after a while it started to become quite popular. People became determined to find other lands, the cities were becoming even more overcrowded and there was even less to eat. For at least two generations, they found nothing. A few claimed to have found mystical lands where strange beasts walked the earth and chased them away, but they were mostly hallucinations. Eventually, the people of Albin had perfected their craft in boat making, and combined it with the spellcraft of a few willing Elves of Rivinnia and finally made a ship that was strong enough to haphazardly find its way to the continent that is now called New Albin. Soon after, the other outlaying lands were discovered, and colonies were established.
The colonies remained relatively the same ever since, they used the land’s natural resources and fertility. The people spread out, and it is still almost completely rural. The only real colonial cities are the ports, where ships now come and go daily. Life in the colonies is not any easier than the overcrowded cities, though. They border on unexplored territories, and often come into conflict with the native peoples (so called “beast” races) Sometimes the people in the colonies work with their neighbors, trading for goods and helping to eliminate mutual threats.
The islands have gone through many governments in the past centuries. Sometimes they are all led by one king, sometimes they are separate and have little to do with each other. Often it is something in between. This has left the cities rather similar to one another, but there are enough differences for them to often dislike the other.
Forty years ago, the Reign of Blood began. Historians do not know how it started, but in six months, all four islands were at war. Alliances changed swiftly, lands were conquered and re-conquered twenty times over. New enemies and sides were born overnight. Things flip-flopped like a fish out of the water and for thirty years there was no clear winner. But slowly, a true victor arose, and out of the pools of blood the group known as the Davins won. There was a year of steady peace, with only one or two outbreaks of battle, and a few months ago Melkar was crowned King. King Melkar was completely unheard of until recently, he was no great warrior of the Davins, nor of some noble blood. But it has been said that he is a good man, and as good a King as the Davins could have picked. If anything good came out of the Reign of Blood it is that all the fighting and killing rapidly decreased the floating cities’ populations, though they still depend on the colonies for much of their food and other raw materials.
Since the King has been crowned, you have seen fliers and heard announcements from town criers that King Melkar wishes anyone looking for adventure and glory to find their way to Salamar in three months time, where the King has chosen to set his throne.
So a few brave (and arguably crazy) people went and built bigger boats, insisting that if there was land here, then there must be lands elsewhere. And so they went, and after a while it started to become quite popular. People became determined to find other lands, the cities were becoming even more overcrowded and there was even less to eat. For at least two generations, they found nothing. A few claimed to have found mystical lands where strange beasts walked the earth and chased them away, but they were mostly hallucinations. Eventually, the people of Albin had perfected their craft in boat making, and combined it with the spellcraft of a few willing Elves of Rivinnia and finally made a ship that was strong enough to haphazardly find its way to the continent that is now called New Albin. Soon after, the other outlaying lands were discovered, and colonies were established.
The colonies remained relatively the same ever since, they used the land’s natural resources and fertility. The people spread out, and it is still almost completely rural. The only real colonial cities are the ports, where ships now come and go daily. Life in the colonies is not any easier than the overcrowded cities, though. They border on unexplored territories, and often come into conflict with the native peoples (so called “beast” races) Sometimes the people in the colonies work with their neighbors, trading for goods and helping to eliminate mutual threats.
The islands have gone through many governments in the past centuries. Sometimes they are all led by one king, sometimes they are separate and have little to do with each other. Often it is something in between. This has left the cities rather similar to one another, but there are enough differences for them to often dislike the other.
Forty years ago, the Reign of Blood began. Historians do not know how it started, but in six months, all four islands were at war. Alliances changed swiftly, lands were conquered and re-conquered twenty times over. New enemies and sides were born overnight. Things flip-flopped like a fish out of the water and for thirty years there was no clear winner. But slowly, a true victor arose, and out of the pools of blood the group known as the Davins won. There was a year of steady peace, with only one or two outbreaks of battle, and a few months ago Melkar was crowned King. King Melkar was completely unheard of until recently, he was no great warrior of the Davins, nor of some noble blood. But it has been said that he is a good man, and as good a King as the Davins could have picked. If anything good came out of the Reign of Blood it is that all the fighting and killing rapidly decreased the floating cities’ populations, though they still depend on the colonies for much of their food and other raw materials.
Since the King has been crowned, you have seen fliers and heard announcements from town criers that King Melkar wishes anyone looking for adventure and glory to find their way to Salamar in three months time, where the King has chosen to set his throne.