#makeaworldinpublic

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Make a world with me (Part 3)

Part one

Part two

@saqvobase suggested having the islands be on megafauna! Which opens up a whole load of possibilities. You have the classic giant turtle situation, which is cool but I think I want to go a different route.

Maybe a different kind of shell, like a sea snails mollusks. Barnacle-like entities which stay still and don't move but can create very turbulent seas during mating season. (This might be too gross)

Or maybe it is unknown that a creature was even involves. Part of a mystery. An island which vanished in the middle of the night and no one knows why or where it went - only for it to turn out that the creature it was on woke up and ventured out to the sea. Maybe it didn't go out to sea but down into it, or left broken buildings and pieces in its wake so that the other nations think that it sank and allows for an myth like Atlantis. Maybe another island lies on the skeletal remains of a long-dead Levithan, it's body bringing a bounty of fish and nutrients like a whale fall. If they dig deep enough under the thin layer of top soil they will hit the layer of bone. Maybe the body is finally only now finished providing for the area, with even the marrow stripped clean and many of the species that the locals rely on are starting to leave the area.

Or maybe an island is an dormant or abandoned hive structure, and these human-sized eggs are about to hatch. Maybe the islands are a series of giant eggs, and the entire populace lives unaware that when they hatch, these creatures are going to be very, very hungry.

Maybe all of the above along with natural geographical features like as @thecrazyworldbuilder suggested like volcanic activity or river deltas which make the maps weird and funky and a little unexplainable. I'm thinking that their might be a mountain range as well, which has valleys dipping under sea level or rock slides with huge chucks falling off and being washed down to form rocky isles.

I said in the last post about the idea of some of the Greek myths being brought along by a classical student, so for a naming system I'm thinking of naming the inhabited and known islands after Greek nymphs and rivers after Potamoi.

Thinking about the geography of each island isn't a bad idea either to help better inform how I build up the cultures living there. I want to keep the islands small and the resources tight to encourage tension and a strange combination of conflict and co-dependance between the islands. I'll probably do a bit of research into the myths and try and tie the islands loosely into them, but I'm not going to be too stringent about that.

The Islands

Alseid - Lots of groves, small lakes and one large river. Several towns, a city and one of the largest populations in the Islands.

Anthousai - Isle of flowers. Fields of flowers used all across the islands for perfume, food (think rosemary), and medicine. These flowers look like hyacinths.

Auloniad - The mountainous island. Lots of snakes. (Eurydice was an auloniad, so maybe do something to do with the 'underworld' here.)

Aurea - Also mountainous, but less so than Auloniad, this island is known for high cliffs and beautiful vistas.

Crinaeae - Lots of small springs or hidden sources of water instead of one large river results in many, many small settlements rather than a large city.

Daphnaie - The seat of the Laurel Crown and home of the largest city, and largest navy of all of the islands. Tries to exert its power and rules on the other islands.

Dryad -'The Crown's shame'. Covered in an oak forest. Many have tried to settle there but none have succeeded for unknown reasons, which is galling to the government on Daphnaie as it is quite close to them. Currently there is a small settlement in a harbour.

Eleionomae - Very wet, mostly fresh-water bog. People here mostly live on floating homes even inland because of the constant risk of flooding.

Epimeliad - Home of apple orchard and shepards. Epimeliad has a small city and something akin to a royal family of their own, although they have much less influence that Daphnaie. Epimeliad has many allies through trade and patron many groups looking for new islands and 'safe places to land' on the mainland. This is why Daphnaie has never invaded.

Hamadryad - Thousands of butterflies migrate here once a year from the mainland to mate. The island also has several monkey colonies who steal from and torment the villages that have been set up here in the last ten years. There was an older settlement here, but a sickness swept through and killed almost all of them forty years ago. The small few survivors moved to other islands, and their children made up the main contingent of new settlers.

Hesperides - The most easterly of all the islands, the sunset isle; When the sun sets on Hesperides, it sets on all people. The mainland, and the monstrous megafauna that roam it, can be seen from its beaches. There is a pilgrimage many people take to do just this. The main religion of the islands started here and the main monastery is located here. The singing priestesses often mentor for singers from all over the islands who wish to master their craft.

Hyades - The rainy island. Amazing farmland, surrounding by thriving sea life. This could be on the skeletal remains discussed above (fish and nutrients from the bones making the farming so good).

Lampas - Known as 'the funeral isle', and sometimes more optimistically as 'the exploring isle'. This small island is where most travelers go before heading off towards the open seas or towards the mainland to try and find new places for people to settle. Home of witches, which can give protective charms and read the future of those venturing out for a cost.

Leimakid - The island of meadows and pleasure. Legend says that the three warring nations came to fight on the shores of Leimakid and the island was the so beautiful that all the warriors dropped their weapons and refused to stain it with blood. It now houses the 'seat of peace', where nation leaders meet for negotiation under the watchful eye of a the 'peace-keepers' sent by the religion.

Leuce - The 15th island. It is an island with many white/silver popular trees. The duel nature of the leaves of this tree (dark on one side, light on the other) make it the source of many myths and rituals. The trees are planted along beaches to strengthen sand dunes and prevent erosion. This is a contest nation, where individual strength is more highly valued than anything else. It is where the Games take place once every three years to determine the fastest, the strongest, the best that the islands have to offer. It is also where the Funeral Games take place for recently deceased royalty.

Limnad- The lake isle. One of the largest islands has three large lakes for which is is famous. Farmers here are trying to develop new farming methods and trying to cross breed and encourage crops to grow more calorie-rich versions. Think of it as doing to the turnip-like crops what people have done to potatoes.

Meliae - Known for its honey and development of medicine. No nation dare attack this small nation, for every other nation would turn on them and destroy them.

Melinoe - The nightmare isle. This tiny island was once the home of a small monastery. There was a raid from unknown raiders. No one knows exactly what happened but everyone of the raiders and all the priestesses were killed. Any crew who lands there feels ill and are plagued by night terrors until they leave. Rumor says that one priestess survived and that it was her that killed all of the men in fury, and that she still roams the island, killing any man who dares step foot off the beach.

Minthe - A mostly barren isle, rocky and mostly soilless, living here is extremely difficult. The island is good for growing some herbs (such as mint) but it hard to live in, which is why Minthe only has a small population despite it's size. The people here mostly take their living from the sea. A place nobles of high rank are often banished to.

Naiad - Known for its waterfalls and the migration of fish that swim up them once a year to mate. There is a large number of deer, wolves and bears on this island.

Nephele - the peninsula. This is the only place where it snows. This stretch of land has mountains to the North which block it off from the rest of the mainland. Living here is difficult, because the dangers that invest the skies, but not impossible - at least that is the mantra of the three new settlements trying to take root on the coast.

That's it for now. I'll continue this next post and then jump onto something else once I have a bit more to play with.

I'll probably have to do a post on each individual island and the culture that lives there but I am quite happy with what I have so far. I may run out of nymphs before I do islands but that is a problem for another day.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Epimeliad - the Shepherd's Isle.

One of the islands closest to the coast, and also one of the largest islands, Epimeliad has a surprisingly small population. The large spaces here are perfect for small cattle and large sheep, both of which are important for their hides and wool. This is what is mainly used all over the islands as a source of cloth. Other fabrics exists, such as a type of linen, but these are the most hard-wearing and reliable sources.

The wool and sheepskin is the reason that Epimeliad is very rarely attacked by any other nations. Sheep are rare on the islands and having access to wool is more important than any other resources invading might offer for now. Epimeliadians have made it quite clear throughout their history that they will kill a herd rather than have it taken by anyone else.

There is a breed of rabbit on another isle that is causing concern in court, are their fur is similar to wool and they require a lot less land and food to keep. Some have suggested large-scale assassinations of the animals take place, while others have tentatively put forward the idea of buying some of investing in purchasing some of the small beasts. Neither idea has gone down well in court with the Shepherds.

A 'Shepard' is the head of a Epimeliad family, as every family has at least three sheep- one male and one female. This is a man, in the tradition of this isle, and the title is inherted by his oldest son.

Some shepherds tend to their small herd themselves and live in little more than a hut. Others live in great manors and might never have actually touched any of their hundreds of sheep themselves. There are other types of families and professions in Epimeliad, but only Shepherds own land.

Epimeliad families are small and spread out, with more land being given to animals than people. There is a small city and something like a royal family, but most families here are related. It is very rare for any outsider to be allowed to live in Epimeliad and even rarer for them to be allowed to marry. This has caused something of an issue for people trying to find someone that they are unrelated to for marriage. Records are extremely important here and every family has a sheep-skin transcript of their family tree, along with a entire population cenus taking place once every ten years.

The children and grandchildren of any Epimeliad person who left home are allowed to move back and marry if given permission from their closest family still living on the island, or the royal family themselves.

Match-making is a vital job in this region and involves a lot of paperwork. As a result many people do not meet their spouse until the day of their wedding. Women marry into a man's family here. Men are allowed to only have a single wife their entire lives, unless given express permission from the royal family for another one. Women are allowed to have two husbands, should the first one die, but must remarry another man from their late husband's immediate family.

Excess children (counted as five and above) are considered as gifts to the temples and are not allowed to marry or have children unless their leave the island. The temples here are required to care for the elderly who have no children of their own, or whose children left the island. The variety of temple size and position in society differs greatly, with a temple inside the royal court being one of the most influential voices on the island, to tiny enclaves in the outer city and countryside which cares for the poorer folk.

Tourists are welcomed onto the island, and in the city their are 'locked gardens' where exist houses whose entire purpose is to extend the gene pool of the island. Everyone visiting the island may visit such a place (although most men only get to do so once). These were opened roughly 70 years ago. Before this foreigners were completely banned from stepping foot outside of the walled-off docks and families were dying off due to the lack of unrelated suitors.

The women who work their are treated well and considered as distant members of the royal family themselves, and harming or humiliating them is usually punished by banishment or death. Locals are forbidden from touching them. Once a woman in such an establishment has two healthy children, she is retired to being an entertainer at court and no longer provides other services.

The children are held in reserve, given an excellent education and are rewarded out in marriage by the royal family. They are married to important trade allies, dignitaries from other islands or to houses which the royals want to honor or any family which cannot find any suitable unrelated spouses for their children (although this is becoming rarer). They have very little to do with their mothers, having nannies and teachers from a young age, but the maternal relationship is encouraged after their mother is retired into being en entertainer.

These entertainers are singers, dancers, poets, but also socialites, mathematicians and philosophers and follow their own hierarchy. They are considered to be the most powerful women in the country other than the Queen-mother and Queen-consort and they too have very valued voices in court. They fall within the remit of these two women, with the Queen-consort given preference and the royal men are forbidden from speaking with them other than in a governmental meeting. They have no vote and cannot own land, but are considered advisors of the court. They are not allowed to marry or to leave the island unless travelling with the Queen-mother or Queen-consort as companions.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Eleionomae: The Floating Isle

Back to on my worldbuilding kick again.

The island itself isn't unanchored, despite what the name implies, but most of its flat land is made of coastal bog. This bog is fed solely by rainwater, and makes up most of the island.

Eleionomae is called the floating isle because those that live there do so on 'floating' homes that rise and fall with the floodwater. The material used to make these homes is treated specially to survive the acidic water, but even then it may only last up to ten years. These homes lay on top of the stone pillars and columns driven into the earth to make a foundation for the settlers.

There is a single mile to the west and three to the South where the bog does not extend. This arable land is used for farming, with several large farms. For the harvest everyone from the inland wetland comes out to help. They get fed in return for this and also sheltering the farmers during any raids - which are still common.

The houses are connected via small bridges and walkways. The cabin there are small and mostly suited to smaller families, which are encouraged due to how hard and labor-intensive it is to expand the settlement. The largest of these walkways is in the center of the town and is where any family expecting a child may live until the child is five years old. Not every family takes up on this offer, some preferring to stay in their own structures closer to the edge.

There is also a temple, on 'the dry', where the settlement was first founded. The people were driven into the bog by raiding parties, and there found a nature kind of safety and protection. It is easy to be sucked into the mud if you do not have the specialized stilts or the boats (the use of each depending on the level of ground water).

The loss of food during the raids is minimal and, despite all appearances to the contrary, the people here are not poor. The peat that they harvest from the bog itself is sold in many ports, places that do not wish to burn precious wood in the winter to keep warm.

Hardy, tough clothing with feather ornaments is the fashion here and the diet of wheat is subsidized by eggs from the 'ducks' of the wetlands, of which varieties of semi-domesticated and wild are penned in large enclosures with netting over top to stop them flying away. Some high perches and other things are placed in these pens so they can fly to escape any predators smart enough to find a way in.

Children do not go to a school, as such, but are housed together during the day in the innermost section of the town, with the mothers of the youngest and the elderly of the town keeping an eye on them. Tradesmen take turns to show up and teach them how to do simple tasks and, when they are older, those same tradesmen bid for appendices to the family of the children. You may a baker in one building showing a group how to weigh ingredients on one side and a roofer explaining why the type of mud you use for thatching is important on another.

Although most people here are illiterate, there is a need to communicate (for trade mostly) with other islands via letter writing, so a Master chooses three children at age five to learn to read. The families of these children are given a generous stipend but it is set and no bidding war can occur for a talented child, so sometimes parents try to avoid their child meeting with the Master. These children will go on to the governance of the town, as well as appointing Faireoir, the watchmen.

These children spend most of their time either in the tower (the single stone building in the town and the only one above two stories high) learning from their Master, in court or sitting in on political meetings. Sometimes dignitaries or tradesmen get a bit put out by having to conduct their business in front of a gaggle of children and young people but it is a large part of the culture. Once a child turns 16, they may start to join in on committee discussions about matters but do not get a vote until they are awarded one by the elders - only fifty of which exists. A person must retire their vote at fifty. The Master is often a person who has done so.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

I have named the world!

So I still exist and am still going. Just at a much slower pace. My mother-in-law broke her ankle so I have even less time than normal to work on this for a while.

But! I have decided on a name for the world. I wanted something tied to Greek myths about home and sanctuary and all that, but a little but dangerous. So when I looked up gods and goddesses of salvation and the like and found the below, it seemed perfect.

Soteria (from Wikipedia)

In Greek mythology, Soteria (Greek: Σωτηρία) was the goddess or spirit (daimon) of safety and salvation, deliverance, and preservation from harm (not to be mistaken for Eleos). Soteria was also an epithet of the goddesses Persephone and Hecate, meaning deliverance and safety.

- Pausanias, Description of Greece 7. 24. 3 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue 2nd century AD): "[In Aigion in Akhaia (Aegium in Achaea)] they also have a sanctuary of Soteria (Safety). Her image may be seen by none but the priests, and the following ritual is performed. They take cakes of the district from the goddess and throw them into the sea, saying that they send them to Arethousa at Syrakousa (Syracuse)."

- Pausanias, Description of Greece 7. 19. 7 & 21. 7: "Eurypylos [the hero of the Trojan War] opened the chest [containing a sacred idol of Dionysos], saw the image, and forthwith on seeing it went mad. He continued to be insane for the greater part of the time, with rare lucid intervals … There is a sanctuary [in Patrai in Akhaia (Patrae in Achaea)] with an image of stone. It is called the sanctuary of Soteria (Deliverance), and the story is that it was originally founded by Eurypylos on being cured of his madness."

Soteria was depicted as a woman wearing a laurel wreath crown, a symbol of victory.

Seeing as how this world was supposed to be a safe haven and instead was fraught with dangers, having it be named for this Goddess seemed perfect. As a world, Soteria will be a home, but that doesn't mean she won't hurt you. I also have a royal family with a Laurel Crown so that nailed it.

Last part It will lead you to all the other parts. I've to run now, byyyyeeeee

(I still have to rename and reorganize all of these)

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Make a World with me Part 8

Part 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7

I think after I hit Part 10 I might make an index post and just update that inside of linking each part on each post.

Thanks to @conalnghing and @lilidkwhatimdoing for inspirations.

Back to the islands! Decided to name all the provinces here after types of lilies because that's how I roll.

Crinaeae

DO NOT APPROACH Crinaeae from the West.

The colossal coral reef that spreads out from the island towards the sea seemed at first like a boon to those who wished to settle here. It's huge size and spread housed thousands of species of fish and sharks that were too small to pose any real danger to a large group (although even those first travels were cautious of the venoms and poisons that might be present). The larger, more dangerous creatures of the sea could not come near the island, as the could not fit amongst the pathways and tunnels that the coral made.

One of the newer settlements, only 80 years has passed since people first came to the island. Not that many hadn't tried to land there before that. Most of these boats tried to land on the sandy inlets on the West of the island and were sank or stranded by the hidden coral, blue and grey and glass-like species under the waves along with the bright oranges and pinks.

It was only after a group of travels, mainly from Alseid, were trapped in a storm that blew them to the South of the island (where they quickly had to make land while in the eye of this storm) that a safe way to the island was discovered.

They quickly discovered the dangers of the reef. While it provided a plethora of food and other resources, some of the species of marine life were more dangerous than anything seen elsewhere. There are settlements near the reef, mostly researchers and brave souls who dive out in the reef to explore and catalogue the things that live there. There are also Reliefers, which will be discussed in detail further down.

Some of the things there are wonderous, and extremely valuable. Others could be used as weapons, or as additions to weapons to make them even more dangerous - such as spines from certain fish attached to blade tips and the thin trailing tentacles of smaller jellyfish wrapped (carefully, with thick gloves) around the top of a staff.

There has only ever been one successful raid on Crinaeae, and it was led by a former resident that had been banished. They discovered another safe place to land to the Northeast and had destroyed eight small settlements with their knowledge of the defences used by the villages before being killed by their own son. The son is now the leader of the Northern Province. Banishment is no longer an option for punishment in Crinaeae, being replaced with the death penalty.

There are no real named settlements in Crinaeae, most groups of people being far too small and numerous. Instead the island, which has hundreds of small springs that form into one solid river, are divided into five provinces. All of these provinces are run by councils like in Alseid, although unlike Alseid there is no need to be from a heroic family history. Instead there is a complete vote every five years (under an agreement with Alseid that this will be reconsidered as people begin to make a name for themselves).

The Western Province, Amabile, is where people are attempting to farm. So far, very little seems to grow well on the sandy soil of Crinaeae, but efforts continue. Most of the food comes from fishing, and birding. Most animals native to the island are quite tiny in comparison to most places in the world, almost none coming above the knee. The natives have discovered a type of turtle which lays often, much in the same way as chickens, and are trying to find the best ways to sustainably keep the creatures. There are also some boar-like creatures that they may start to domesticate.

The Southern Province is called Lily. It is the oldest and greatest province of the island. This is where almost all trade from outside the island comes. Most food here comes from trade, although there is some gardens and farms being attempted on the roofs of the wide buildings here. While all of the provinces are separate and self-governed, Lily is the one with the most power and influence.

The inland province, Ciliatum, has hardly any people. It doesn't often rain in this part of Crinaeae, with most rain falling on the coasts before coming inland. A few orchards are doing well around some of the many underground springs, but it is not enough to sustain many people living here all of the time. Most residents of this province will spent the summer on other parts of the island, doing seasonal work and saving money to go home from the autumn. Cider is the main export.

The Northern Province, Nanum, is beginning to rival Lily in terms of power and wealth. They have successfully managed to negotiate trade deals with some other nations, although some argue that they are not following Alseid traditions and cultural expectations. This is not surprising, given that this is where most settlers from elsewhere decided to settle.

In contrast, the Eastern Province, Auratum, is tiny. It only has a few dozen settlements with most staying as far inland and away from the reef as they can. There are two settlement at the coast, studying and mining the reef for resources.

All of Crinaeae follow a similar training tradition with their children as Alseid, although they are not sent to a city. Those with the most promise are returned to Alseid to join their forces after finishing training. They are not given a choice. This is causing a lot of resentment towards the mainland from those born on the island, who see it as stealing their best. Others train for defence as well, but most of their training is focused on what Crinaeaens consider to be the true enemy, the reef itself.

At the end of their training, they will all complete a dive at the reef. Most of them will never venture near it again. Others will become forgers for the weapon smiths or maybe researchers. Only a very few become Reliefers.

A sign language has developed here, which is taught to every child, so that people can have complete conversations underwater. Many people are missing limbs because the most effective and life saving way to treat certain stings and bites is to remove as much as you can closest to the wound. Knowledge of the written word are falling off on this island, which is causing some concerns.

Along with the many dangerous species of animal that inhabit the reef, the coral itself can be deadly. There are many that should never be touched with bare skin, and a type that grows in the shape of a hole, growing large enough for a man to swim in, mistaking it for a tunnel. Inside the 'hole' are many growths that look like fish and clams. Once someone enters, a net-like mouth closes over the hole and whatever has been lured in is devoured. This net-like structure is easy to cut from the outside, but it tougher and harder on the inside. For this reason is it forbidden to dive alone.

This is not the most dangerous coral of the reef. The title belongs to the Glass Coral. Almost invisible in the sea water, this coral sticks to whatever it attaches to. If that is an animal, it then begins to burrow into the creature slowly and uses the digestive track of that creature to gather more nutrients for itself. Victims are frozen, mouth open and snapping at anything that passes, as the coral devourers them - a process that can take weeks. It is unknown whether the person remains lucid during this time.

Cutting the sticking part away from the victims main body has some success but sometimes the coral continues to grow inside the body, and there have been instances where entire families have been lost to someone who had been 'saved'.

Which is why Reliefers exist. Before every dive team required a Reliefer. Their job is simple. If someone gets touched by Glass Coral, they kill them. However, there are now more dive teams than there are Reliefers.

A certain star fish has been found that eats Glass Coral, and a certain dye brings colour to the transparent branches for a few weeks. However, both are rare. The starfish only seems to be in one small section of the reef, that is hard to access, and return there after a few months of eating the Glass Coral. The dye is from a plant that only grows on Anthousai and has to be traded in, growing more expensive all the time. Efforts are being made to try cultivate both.

These are not going well.

______________________________

Things are a bit hectic here at the moment so there will probably be a slow down on how often I can post these for the next bit.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

I'm not marking this as a part because I really do think I have to go back and rename bits and make an index post that I can just link to instead of linking every post to every other post.

Daphnaie

Daphnaie is quite a small island, and most of it is taken up by the city, Laurus.

Laurus is the biggest city in all of the known lands. It spread out in winding paths between the farms. This is because this city originally began as three, which grew out towards each other. These former cities have now become sections of Laurus.

Old Laurus The seat of government and where the Palace lies. The Palace is surrounded by a mile of farmland in a circle before the rest of the city is allowed to begin. There used to be homes and houses just outside the Palace itself, but these were destroyed in the name of defence so that the view of the watchmen atop the walls were unimpeded.

Nobilis Closest to the ocean and home to the Navy, Nobilis is a bit more cutthroat than elsewhere on the island. Although they may be considered pirates elsewhere, those who live here are quiet strict about what behaviours they will allow to happen around their own families. This has the highest density of men on the island. Arguably more defended that the Palace itself, Nobilis is where outsiders may come into the city, although they will not find much welcome anywhere unless they come with a boat full of gifts for the city itself and keep their visit short.

Azorica Although still 150 years old, Azorica is the youngest of the main cities. This is where most of the gentry and merchant class keep move to or send their young sons to for their education and 'betterment' in hopes of attraching wives from reputable families.

Families follow a material bloodline in Daphnaie, with children taking their mother's family name and their father choosing their first name. This, along with the high death rates among young men through raiding and official naval deployment means that sons are seen as somewhat more disposable that daughters. Women are allowed to serve in the navy, but only if they are not the only daughter in their family and have their mother's permission.

No one on the island is allowed to have a slated roof, and many buildings are man-made mounds where the earth grows over and around them. These buildings are almost all found in the 'joining' roads, which lead from one of the three main sections of the city to the others.

Cattle-like animals live freely in the city and it is a great offense to cause them any harm. The streets are wide to allow their passage. a city 'farm' may have several dozen 'houses' living inside its boarders and is separated from the main paths by gates and stone fences. All people must walk along the inside or outside of these fences unless on a 'main' pathway made of stone in order to maintain the grass the cattle feed on.

Other, bigger buildings may have terraces or flat open spaces reachable by an inner stairs instead of a slated roof and these require a lot of maintenance to avoid flooding and structural damage caused by rain. However, rabbit, pigeons, small gardens, bars and restaurants are almost always on these rather than inside a building, with a few exceptions.

Everyone is expected to grow some kind of food or raise some kind of animal for meat. Pickling is a national pass time, with several festivals dedicated to it before and after winter. There is a large ceremony to honour the person who has produced the most food for the year, and people who have come up with clever things. Fishing is highly controlled. 'Hunters' (most often raiding parties) often travel out to other islands to find food and valuables.

A keen observer might note how ingenious some of the people here are about how to generate and store food. A keener one might note the desperation behind these ambitions.

The simple truth is Daphnaie is running out of room.

There are too many people and most often not enough food to feed them all every day.

The government of the Laurel Crown, worn by the Queen Apollonia, is working hard to try and resolve the issue.

There is a push from the government to praise and encourage Explorers. Anyone studying food and trying to increase yield or find new things to eat are given grants and rewards. They have the largest navy in the world and are close to going to war with several other islands to serve several purposes ; gain new land, conquer land which they can then tax for food, reduce their own population and develop/test techniques and weapons to fight some of the more dangerous things on known but uninhabited isles.

There are social aspects to this as well. Large families are seen as unseemly. Having more than two children is very much looked on poorly, which results in many children (mostly boys) being abandoned to the naval headquarters soon after birth. These boys will never know their family and have no family name. They receive of the name Apollonia as a last name, indicating that they belong to the queen. They are given a name by the 'quarter master' and are raised with the understanding that their life belongs to the navy, and they will most certainly never receive a high rank in such (of which a few exceptions).

The population is beginning to age here, with the biggest age group being in in their 30s and 40s rather than younger, which might have dire consequences down the line.

Daphnaie has several colonies but is very hands off with them, only insisting that they must send taxes to Daphnaie and will be defended by their navy if attacked.

______________________________________

I'm still going with the islands and have a few ideas for characters and such now. Like for Alseid, I am thinking I might have a story following a boy go through his training. For the other islands, I could have a Reliefer going out to kill someone who has been caught by the Glass Coral or a poisoner with a limp hiding what they really do from their family while trying to complete covert missions. I might have a teen becoming an Explorer and leaving their home because yes, it is going to be dangerous, but so it their home.

For Daphnaie it could be one of those abandoned boys trying to make enough of a name for themselves to be allowed to marry, while his friends talk about retiring to other colonies.

The world is starting to inform stories, which is great!

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Make a world with me Part 6

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 3.5, Part 4, Part 5

Auloniad

The mountainous isle, Auloniad is very hard to raid. It is also one of the smallest of all of the settled isles. There are only a few spot that are safe to land on the island, broken off from the peninsula Nephele by a deep valley channel. There are ruins in this channel, suggesting that once this valley was not engulfed by the sea and separated.

However, all of these places to land are cut off from the rest of the island but one where tunnels and paths have been cut to allow human travel. They are also very likely to be the den of sea snakes.

Snakes in general seem to love Auloniad and these, along with other poisonous beasts and the birds that eat them, are the main concern and danger for the people who live here.

There isn't a lot of space for people on Auloniad, with arable land being sparce and foraging being so dangerous. Fishing is limited, as nets are all but useless given that one sea snake in a catch can poison the entire thing.

There are mines on the island, but they are small and ill-equipped. Trade is limited as well due to the small nature of the inlet to the one landing spot.

It rains often, but storms are rare and the main danger is a unusually high tide that might bring the sea snakes by their feet.

In the past others have tried to siege the people here by blocking this port, but failed. The people here are quite used to living here, and can live for some time by hiding in the mountains and eating the miniature goats, quail and fluffy rabbits they rear for meat and clothing. Much longer than any invaders could last after there food supplies run out (or are spoiled by a sea snake corpse hidden among them).

Despite this, Auloniads are very welcoming to strangers. They have to be. Most children here are sent off when they become adults to live elsewhere. They are the most likely of any of the nations to become Explorers.

Poisoners from other isles often come to Auloniad to study, and this is permitted and encouraged. Sometimes military groups from other nations will come to Auloniad on survival training, landing in the main port to learn as much as they can before travelling to one of the lesser, isolated ports.

All outsiders are introduced to every family in Auloniad in hopes that they will remember their children later on when their parents sent them out into the world for their 'Seeking'. Everyone is sent out at fifteen and they are not allowed to return until they are twenty one. Most do not come back at all, but some do and are welcomed back with great love.

It is a folk tale that the god of death brought a man to Auloniad to seek his death wife. The man was said to be the cleverest in all of the lands and had challenged the god of death in order to return his lover back to life. But when he found her he mistook the shadow of her hair for one of the island's snake and struck her with his sword. The god of death took pity on him them and gave to him a son and daughter, but forbade them from leaving the island, which was the founding of this nation. Men would come to court the daughter later, but the son tried to leave to find a wife. He drowned, but some myths have him meeting a mermaid under the water, marrying her and becoming a protector of their waters.

There are no feasts on Auloniad par one. Most auloniads will get married elsewhere - even though they often find each other on other isles. However, there is a communal wedding day here as well. The flowers are not held in the hands but are arranged as if climbing up the brides' arms and into their hair. Men only have to wear a new cloak instead of an entire new set of clothes and offers are made to the sea and to the mountains to safe-guard them from harm.

There are dozens of unnamed villages in the mountains of Auloniad, but only one town worth mentioning - which bares the name of the Island itself. There is a small village in a valley near the centre of the island named Death's landing, and this is where most religious events take place. This is where naming days, weddings and funerals happen and is home to the only temple on the island (although their are hundred of small shrines to all kinds of gods.)

Auloniad is incredibly beautiful, full of thousands of streams and waterfalls that come down the mountains and amazing views. A rare artist is sent to Auloniad by their patrons to produce works of rare worth - although most go to Aurea.

Last names on Auloniad are quite important to avoid inbreeding so children carry a family name for both their mother and father, focusing on the material line. For example: Behi Navic Riten (f) and Diece Imer Aper (m) have a child. That child will be called Orene Aper Riten.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Make a world with me Part 3.5

Part One , Part Two , Part Three

Just jumping right in today as I don't have much time!

More of the Islands

Oceanids - is the name given to a series of tiny islands that are so close you can swim from one to the other. Coral reefs, beaches, raiding parties and pearl diving are what this area is known for. Only the clams are as big as a train car and can fight back so its done in groups with strong spears. The pearls vary wildly in size, from as small as a pinky nail to as large as the torso of a big man. Most of these clams have lots of little pearls and the diving only happens once per year, although groups practice their diving every week in a religious mass-like ceremony as a community. Sharks are always a worry.

Oread - Oread is mountainous. Monstrous birds are known to fly here while chasing prey. This prey is the flying mounts of its people and are incredibly sacred. When a larger bird comes to hunt, the people gather to kill the treat. Oread is sizable, but not large, and its might comes from its aerial capabilities. Many other nations wish to use these flying mounts, but they are incredibly hard to breed and to train. Their diet is specialized (think hummingbirds) and so far recreating their food source else where has proved almost impossible. I can't decide whether to make them little dragons or pterosaurs or more bird/bat-like creatures.

Pegaeae - Known for it's many hot springs their supposed healing properties. There are also many caves in and around Pegaeae in the land and in the seas around it. The caves in the sea are the home are many dangerous eel creatures which make the transit to and from this island treacherous. Only the most desperate travel here.

Pegasides - The flying mounts of Oread can also be found here. In fact, they originated here and their droppings as they flew over other islands spread their food source to the only other island able to naturally grow it. Unlike Oread, most of these creatures here are feral and dangerous. Those who are tamed are smaller and do not belong to a single person but to a village which their pack protects. (Think of wolves compared to dogs).

Pleiades - Legend says that this was the birthplace of people, or that the earliest of people fled here from the mainland, only finding safety by following the stars at night. This is the Southmost island and the star 'Artemis' will always point to Pleiades. It's main city, New Ithaca, holds a great library and has travelling warrior historians whose missions is to gather all the histories of all people and return with them.

Potamides - The Oracles isle. All those said to be prophets have been born on Potamides. This tiny, remote island is often attacked by more powerful nations who do not want a new prophet to change the status quo and it's tiny population spends much of their time hiding. However, with much warning often these attacks are foiled or other allegiances are temporarily formed to protect the isle. The government here use these oracles in other for the nation (and them personally) to profit. Some prophets run away to live freely with the witches on Lampas rather than be locked away and guarded in the 'gardens' of their main city. There is a dedicated elite force - the Pythia - whose job is to 'protect' the oracles who often are sent out to find them and drag them home.

Semystra - Semystra was once a large city and holy temple until a volcano erupted and rendered the isle in two. The channel that now exists between the two halves are now often the route for ships that wish to use the safety of it to travel but do not wish to step foot on the 'cursed' isle. A small number of people live here but are seen as cursed by the other nations which refuse to engage with them. If they travel out, they have to hide their origins just to get other people to speak with them.

Thriae - The people of this island have a secret. The majority of their wealth comes from the mines and subterrain tunnels that naturally occur here. The amber-like gems are highly valued. However, the people here are unaware that this substance is not a gem, but the other shell of a large hive structure full of the termite-like creatures they sometimes have to defend themselves from.

I think that's it for the general over view. I'll start to deep dive into the cultures of each island a bit more after this. I've made a obsidian vault folder for this as well, to help keep it all together. I have some ideas for short stories in some of these. A poisoner girl from the flower isle, a warrior historian following a raiding party to record the damage they are doing and finding them waiting for him, a runaway oracle heading to Lampas and the person chasing them, etc.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Hamadryad

Closer to the equator of this planet than most other island, Hamadryad is a rainforest. It is one of the largest isles, but has the most predators and dangerous terrain. There is a single settlement here, which is currently being re-established after being abandoned due to an illness that killed most of the people living here. Those that survived fled to other isles, where they often faced persecution and superstitions of being cursed. The small contingent of descendants remaining have decided to return. Even before then it was common for younger people to migrate elsewhere in order to better their lives.

A tiny number of people stayed behind and are cautious and weary of those returning, many of whom call themselves Hama even without even their grandparents ever setting foot on the island.

This is an insular culture whose festivals and religions are based in the yearly migration of thousands of butterflies which descend from very high altitudes to cover the island and lay their eggs. The butterflies pollenate the flowers of their crops and bring large harvests, and are followed by flocks of birds which are easy to trap or hunt. The butterfly eggs also cover many of the trees bringing lizards and 'jumping' fish into the rivers which fill the nets of the settlers.

At other times of year, river fishing and nuts make up the majority of the diet of the people here, as this island does not experience any winter. It rains very often, and two layers of large nets cover the streets between houses, the run off of which goes through gutters into a charcoal basin to filter it and provide drinking water. It was (unknown to all but the perpetrator) the unintentional poisoning of this system that led to the sickness that killed most people here. The new arrivals have their own way of gathering water, finding wells amongst them, so the danger is lessened by this.

Snakes, large hunting cats and troops of monkeys are the main source of danger for anyone venturing into the jungle. Other dangers such as poisonous insects, lizards, amphibians and a species of small bird with a venomous oil coating its feathers exist, as do sudden unseen drops in the undergrowth, quicksand and other dangers of the terrain.

The settlement, like most others, is on the coast. It lies in a natural harbor where their are also small sharks, sea snakes and other water-based predators along with porpoises and seals. A section of the harbor is given over to fishing weirs.

I really have to go back and add a lot of these to the index and start making a map. I have a few small plots brewing. Mostly involving the poisoner's apprentice and her 13 year old would-be escort/protector. He might actually be from this island, and have people consider him unlucky or cursed or something. I'm thinking the last of us/Logan/Seirei no Moribito kind of vibe to them.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Melinoe and other stuff

I'm back! My relation is healed and no longer requires my care. I have my house back. I have my peace back. I have my time back. Ish. I mean, I still have two small kids but what are you going to do?

But enough about that! Islands!

Melinoe - The Nightmare Isle

This is important about this post : I don't usually give trigger warnings (I probably should but usually the stuff I post is vague enough that I don't think it warrants it). This island is not that.

Nothing is depicted in detail, but it is mentioned.

Trigger Warnings! include rape, pregnancy, abortion, and other things related to maternal health.

Now that's done, let me explain a bit about what's going on. Most of these islands don't reference people or their stories overly much because I'm more interested in establishing resources, geography, governing bodies and things that I feel will later inform character-driven stories. That's not the case here. This island is so shaped (literally) by the stories of the people who landed on it that it is impossible to separate them.

___________________________________________________________VisVisible from the capital city of Daphnaie, the oaken forests of Melinoe could be used to make many ships for the finding of new islands, or for building materials. Unfortunately no one will go near it.

The first to travel to the island were a group of religious men and women, although over time it became a sacred place for the woman.

The forests here are not natural, having been planted by Saint Serena. Saint Serena came to the island following the death of her mother, who became pregnant at an advanced age and did not live through it. She gave up the riches and prestige of being the heir to a noble family to devote her life to the care of women.

The trees she planted are grave markers. Following one particular vicious raid and harsh winter that cost the lives of many children, she invited women to come to the island with the ashes of the children and plant a tree for them. This practice is still maintained on some parts of the mainland.

Saint Serena also began the process of taking in girls who found themselves pregnant with an unwanted child, or women like her mother for whom the pregnancy was too dangerous to continue. Once there the women were given several options, one of which was to give their child to a tree (aportion) and another was to gift the child to another family.

It was around this time that men became forbidden from setting foot on the island. This was mainly done for safety concerns following men trying to prevent a woman making a decision, or force her into one.

Sometimes the women wished to stay on the island and keep their children or leave them there in safety. This was allowed, however young boys had to be sent from the island to a monastery in Laurus (where their mother might go with them or write to them). From there they would receive an education and be allowed to do anything with themselves that a young man may wish.

Over time the trees grew and so did tensions with the government, who wished to use these resources for their own gains. This idea was met with outrage from most of the populace, who saw the trees as a memoriam to their children. However, there was a small number not opposed to the idea who pointed out the lack of resources and space for their living and future children.

In order to promote this idea, chastity was promotes amongst unmarried men and women. Prison sentences and mandatory naval service are all punishments dulled on young men found to have 'besmirched' a woman's honor. However, as Daphnaie follows a Maternal line succession, any woman found guilty of such are given fines (sometimes high enough to be the ruin of their family). The hope was that, in making such things seen as immoral, eventually the public favor might turn against the island.

The next step was to replace it as a pilgrim destination with the new, inland cathedral. Money and stone was poured into this project, art was commissioned from all over the islands and every possible thing was done to encourage people to visit the site.

This worked to some degree, as the number of young women travelling to the island dwindled.

However, there was another problem. For a short time, Melinoe was known as the isle of the 'Second Sisters', as it became quite a trendy place to send the daughters who were encouraged not to marry or have children. Another abbey was built near the cathedral, which offered an attractive alternative.

Meanwhile the nobles involved in government, both men and women, starting talking about the waste of the islands resources. They whispered about the selfishness of the nuns who lived there, and the disgrace of the children born there to their noble friends. Who, in turn, spoke to theirs.

The plan was to shut down the island, declaring it full of trees and to make it a national monument to deceased children for a decade or so, at which both a 'disease' would strike that meant that they would have to fell some trees to preserve the rest. Then a few more. Finally it would be turned into a proper lumber camp.

This might have worked, had it not been for a man named Andrew Cannatta. Cannatta was never meant to be a part of a big family in Daphnaie. He was from another island, and married a second daughter and took her home as a business transaction between the two families.

However, an accident tragically took the life of her older sister and sister's husband. This made his wife the heir to the family and they had to travel back to Daphnaie to take over.

There's was a contentious marriage with both spouses feeling that they should be the one in charge of their business and estate. They had a single daughter and, while Andrew wished for a son, his wife refused him and stated that her duty to their family was complete.

Andrew picked out a husband for his daughter that both mother and daughter opposed in order to favor a business deal of his own. He had the man kidnap the girl and force a child on her, thinking that she would be forced to marry him afterwards. He was mistaken.

His wife had them both arrested and, despite his objections, divorced him. She brought the girl to Melinoe. He never found out what happened there, but his daughter later took on the role of head of the family, married and had three other children. He never met any of them, having been disowned. Both men were forced into naval service, where a friendship between them blossomed.

The man was a family of nobles who were privy to the gossip but not the plan. Both men wrongly blamed the island's existence for their downfall and formed a raiding team to kill all of the women living there to make way for the government to take it over. They imagined that they would be discreetly rewarded for these actions and Andrew even believed that they might force his daughter to welcome him back into the family, or turn over the reigns of it over to him.

They arrived on the island. The woman fought back, but they were less in number and had children to protect. Some children died, but most of them fled on a boat with a nun named Sister Lennara. One child got lost in the tress while they were running away. She ran back to try and safe the elderly mother superior, but did not make it in time.

The men, drunk on their victory, cut down a tree in celebration. It was a symbol of all of their plans coming to fruition.

Nature cares not for the plans of men.

There is a lichen that grows on this island that can be found no where else. This moss was sparse and dependent on small bushes and exposed rocks that dotted the island. It may have gone extinct if not for Saint Serena and her planting of trees. Now the lichen is everywhere, growing on all of trees of the sprawling forest that the island has become. When this lichen is cut, it releases a spore. This spore causes hallucinations.

The men, coated in blood and adrenaline from killing the nuns, turned on each other with astonishing speed. They fought, they screamed and ran into the sea. The last one cut out his own eyes and died bleeding on the beach.

Sister Lennara ran through the city as soon as her boat arrived in the harbor, screaming about the attack. The fishermen responded faster than the officials, and they arrived at the beach the next morning to the scene and bodies on the beach next to the felled tree.

None of them dared to step foot off their boots. Not when the ghost of a prestress watched them from the tree-line with haunting eyes.

This was actually the child that had gotten lost in the trees. Having been born on the island and often exposed to a small amount of the lichen spores made her more tolerate of their effects. She knew that they were never to go near fallen trees, and was waiting for the wind to carry the spores away while the fishermen watched her. After they fled on their boats away from the 'cursed' isle, she starting dragging the bodies of the nuns and children to a place to burn them. When this was done, she planted their ashes with acorns, as was the tradition. She left the bodies of the men for the sea to take.

She remains there still, the grand daughter of the man who wanted to destroy her island, acting as a silent protector to those buried and growing there.

_________________________________________________________

It's good to be back.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Make a World with me

Part 2: The Discovery Myth

Making a new world in public!

Read the first post to find out what we have so far: https://www.tumblr.com/alwayslosingtheplot-blog/749995149029933056/build-a-world-with-me?source=share

I'm going to have to name this thing eventually, but I don't think we know enough about it yet.

In the last post I mentioned that I didn't want to do a creation myth for this world. I wanted a discovery myth instead.

(I have made a few creation myths in my other things. I have a goddess singing herself to nothing to create everything else. I have a little golem guy making everything else from mud and sending them on their way, quite happy to be forgotten once he keeps getting to make his little things.) I want this world to be something found instead of something made for people. Because obviously, it wasn't. It is so hostile to the tiny people hanging out in one tiny area trying to cling to life. So why are they there?

The myth I think is going to be along the lines of:

Our ancestors fled their lands, fled from the great fires in the sky and the death it rained. They fled through the wizard's gate, while he would would save them stayed behind to face the dragon's flame. Once here they had to flee again, from the land of beasts and teeth until they found us a home here on this Elysium of islands.

So what's the origin of this myth?

You know that quote:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

-Arthur C. Clarke.

That.

A meteor's flight plan means it will hit a planet (Earth), but humanity has 50-100 years of warning beforehand. So plans are put in play, one of which is a warp gate. A portal to another world that should place people in a world not unlike our own at a good point in time. Only there is a miscalculation means that people arrive way too early or way too late and the world is close to uninhabitable. The running on arrival, the destruction of most of their equipment and the danger and deaths until they reach the safe haven of the islands means that most of their knowledge is lost. The higher levels of oxygen needed to sustain the larger life forms might also have negative outcomes for the first few generations of people such as shorter life-spans (even if they had their genes somewhat altered in advance of travelling).

One of the people happened to be a Classical student and referred to their travels being like the Odyssey, which gives me an idea for naming conventions for the islands.

(This also means that I can divorce the names a bit more from their actual origins and have a bit more creative freedom with that stuff)

What we have so far, the short version:

Everybody lives on a series of islands off the coast of a Pangea-like, monster-filled continent and have a myth about their ancestors running from fires in the skies and monsters before settling there.

And that's it for this post! I think this gives it a bit of Pern or Shannara feeling so far. After this post I think I will start on the islands themselves, the cultures there and all that. If anyone wants to join in and make their own world, I'm made a tag you can use for it:

#MakeAWorldInPublic

[lilidkwhatimdoing]

This is fucking wonderful omg 😭

Make a World with me Part 8

Part 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7

I think after I hit Part 10 I might make an index post and just update that inside of linking each part on each post.

Thanks to @conalnghing and @lilidkwhatimdoing for inspirations.

Back to the islands! Decided to name all the provinces here after types of lilies because that's how I roll.

Crinaeae

DO NOT APPROACH Crinaeae from the West.

The colossal coral reef that spreads out from the island towards the sea seemed at first like a boon to those who wished to settle here. It's huge size and spread housed thousands of species of fish and sharks that were too small to pose any real danger to a large group (although even those first travels were cautious of the venoms and poisons that might be present). The larger, more dangerous creatures of the sea could not come near the island, as the could not fit amongst the pathways and tunnels that the coral made.

One of the newer settlements, only 80 years has passed since people first came to the island. Not that many hadn't tried to land there before that. Most of these boats tried to land on the sandy inlets on the West of the island and were sank or stranded by the hidden coral, blue and grey and glass-like species under the waves along with the bright oranges and pinks.

It was only after a group of travels, mainly from Alseid, were trapped in a storm that blew them to the South of the island (where they quickly had to make land while in the eye of this storm) that a safe way to the island was discovered.

They quickly discovered the dangers of the reef. While it provided a plethora of food and other resources, some of the species of marine life were more dangerous than anything seen elsewhere. There are settlements near the reef, mostly researchers and brave souls who dive out in the reef to explore and catalogue the things that live there. There are also Reliefers, which will be discussed in detail further down.

Some of the things there are wonderous, and extremely valuable. Others could be used as weapons, or as additions to weapons to make them even more dangerous - such as spines from certain fish attached to blade tips and the thin trailing tentacles of smaller jellyfish wrapped (carefully, with thick gloves) around the top of a staff.

There has only ever been one successful raid on Crinaeae, and it was led by a former resident that had been banished. They discovered another safe place to land to the Northeast and had destroyed eight small settlements with their knowledge of the defences used by the villages before being killed by their own son. The son is now the leader of the Northern Province. Banishment is no longer an option for punishment in Crinaeae, being replaced with the death penalty.

There are no real named settlements in Crinaeae, most groups of people being far too small and numerous. Instead the island, which has hundreds of small springs that form into one solid river, are divided into five provinces. All of these provinces are run by councils like in Alseid, although unlike Alseid there is no need to be from a heroic family history. Instead there is a complete vote every five years (under an agreement with Alseid that this will be reconsidered as people begin to make a name for themselves).

The Western Province, Amabile, is where people are attempting to farm. So far, very little seems to grow well on the sandy soil of Crinaeae, but efforts continue. Most of the food comes from fishing, and birding. Most animals native to the island are quite tiny in comparison to most places in the world, almost none coming above the knee. The natives have discovered a type of turtle which lays often, much in the same way as chickens, and are trying to find the best ways to sustainably keep the creatures. There are also some boar-like creatures that they may start to domesticate.

The Southern Province is called Lily. It is the oldest and greatest province of the island. This is where almost all trade from outside the island comes. Most food here comes from trade, although there is some gardens and farms being attempted on the roofs of the wide buildings here. While all of the provinces are separate and self-governed, Lily is the one with the most power and influence.

The inland province, Ciliatum, has hardly any people. It doesn't often rain in this part of Crinaeae, with most rain falling on the coasts before coming inland. A few orchards are doing well around some of the many underground springs, but it is not enough to sustain many people living here all of the time. Most residents of this province will spent the summer on other parts of the island, doing seasonal work and saving money to go home from the autumn. Cider is the main export.

The Northern Province, Nanum, is beginning to rival Lily in terms of power and wealth. They have successfully managed to negotiate trade deals with some other nations, although some argue that they are not following Alseid traditions and cultural expectations. This is not surprising, given that this is where most settlers from elsewhere decided to settle.

In contrast, the Eastern Province, Auratum, is tiny. It only has a few dozen settlements with most staying as far inland and away from the reef as they can. There are two settlement at the coast, studying and mining the reef for resources.

All of Crinaeae follow a similar training tradition with their children as Alseid, although they are not sent to a city. Those with the most promise are returned to Alseid to join their forces after finishing training. They are not given a choice. This is causing a lot of resentment towards the mainland from those born on the island, who see it as stealing their best. Others train for defence as well, but most of their training is focused on what Crinaeaens consider to be the true enemy, the reef itself.

At the end of their training, they will all complete a dive at the reef. Most of them will never venture near it again. Others will become forgers for the weapon smiths or maybe researchers. Only a very few become Reliefers.

A sign language has developed here, which is taught to every child, so that people can have complete conversations underwater. Many people are missing limbs because the most effective and life saving way to treat certain stings and bites is to remove as much as you can closest to the wound. Knowledge of the written word are falling off on this island, which is causing some concerns.

Along with the many dangerous species of animal that inhabit the reef, the coral itself can be deadly. There are many that should never be touched with bare skin, and a type that grows in the shape of a hole, growing large enough for a man to swim in, mistaking it for a tunnel. Inside the 'hole' are many growths that look like fish and clams. Once someone enters, a net-like mouth closes over the hole and whatever has been lured in is devoured. This net-like structure is easy to cut from the outside, but it tougher and harder on the inside. For this reason is it forbidden to dive alone.

This is not the most dangerous coral of the reef. The title belongs to the Glass Coral. Almost invisible in the sea water, this coral sticks to whatever it attaches to. If that is an animal, it then begins to burrow into the creature slowly and uses the digestive track of that creature to gather more nutrients for itself. Victims are frozen, mouth open and snapping at anything that passes, as the coral devourers them - a process that can take weeks. It is unknown whether the person remains lucid during this time.

Cutting the sticking part away from the victims main body has some success but sometimes the coral continues to grow inside the body, and there have been instances where entire families have been lost to someone who had been 'saved'.

Which is why Reliefers exist. Before every dive team required a Reliefer. Their job is simple. If someone gets touched by Glass Coral, they kill them. However, there are now more dive teams than there are Reliefers.

A certain star fish has been found that eats Glass Coral, and a certain dye brings colour to the transparent branches for a few weeks. However, both are rare. The starfish only seems to be in one small section of the reef, that is hard to access, and return there after a few months of eating the Glass Coral. The dye is from a plant that only grows on Anthousai and has to be traded in, growing more expensive all the time. Efforts are being made to try cultivate both.

These are not going well.

______________________________

Things are a bit hectic here at the moment so there will probably be a slow down on how often I can post these for the next bit.