Setward Isles

     In the realm of Untamed Empires, the Setward Isles lay in the ocean off the coast of the Old World. They would be like any other tropical mid-to-large sized archipelago filled with deep jungles, steep cliffs, and lush beaches if not for the water that surrounded them. Beneath the waves there were clues to the world of the Ancients and the time before the Pulse War. As elusive as these remainders were, they drew the attention of the Celestium Empires to this peaceful island paradise.

History

     In the years immediately after the end of the War, only a handful of survivors lived in the Setward Isles, scraping a desperate life of day-to-day survival. These people became the 'natives' of the Isles.

     In the New World, meanwhile, the survivors had an easier time of things and re-discovered some form of reasonable civilization within a few decades. They developed and filled the land as the population grew, then sought new territory. Nearest and safest across the treacherous ocean were the Setward Isles.

     New Worlders came in tall ships with white sails, intent on freeing the secrets of the great below… and filling their purses. The Artifact they couldn’t salvage, they broke down for the shining wonder-metal contained within: Celestium! Where they took from the islands, they left colonists to learn the rest of the islands’ many secrets. The longer they stayed, the richer their ports became. Sturdy churches grew where once temporary shelters protected the faithful and the towns grew further.

     Despite their new-found source of prosperity, or perhaps because of it, the Celestium Empires quarreled frequently. At home in the New World, or on a smaller scale on the Setward Islands, it didn’t really matter. Their constantly shifting alliances and internecine squabbles affected every place and level of society.

     There were others, less fond of such ideals, who only saw the wealth and the temporary pleasure it could bring. These pirates? flocked to the vast undefended trade routes, took their fill of Celestium, gold and gems, and retreated to the islands’ thousands of protected coves. The four empires did what they could to halt the popularity of the freewheeling, toothless lifestyle but in the end could only shape its advance through the introduction of letters of marque. One of these sheets was worth more than its weight in citrus, bestowing full plunder rights against its home empire’s enemies. Yet even with government approval, the golden age of piracy continued.

     By Yr208 the Isles were a major stopping off point for treasure fleets heading back to the New World. As such, you could expect to find plenty of pirates and occasionally visits from the mighty beasties of the deeps. It was a challenging environment for any sailor, so best to keep the cannons manned and the ship's best pair of eyes in the crow’s nest.

---

Content Type > Approved Content
Realms > Mortal Realms > Elements > Untamed Empires > Setward Isles
Features Of Realms > Geography
Features Of Realms > Culture