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[Lore] Stottinsberg Islands


RainbowFoxxy

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Stottinsberg Islands - Slave Islands

 

At the northernmost edge of Polyneighsia rests two islands taken by the caribou a millennia ago, Hidzume and Shika. These medium sized volcanic islands are the ancestral home of Polyneighsian deer. Though these natives cultivated their own civilization and culture, these were long ago lost under the hoof of the Whitescar nation. Though there are many tourist destinations among the islands of Polyneigsain, Stottinsberg is not one of them.

 

Because these islands are in a region further north than most other land masses in Polyneighsian they are quite temperate. Lowland scrub and grasslands dominate the landscape, dotted here and there with bogs and swamp land. The islands are both volcanic, though only Hidzume has a prominent volcano at its center. Ancient lava flows are responsible for the rolling hills that make up most of the island’s terrain. The ground is quite fertile due to this same activity, making the islands perfect for producing crops.

 

The native Polyneighsian deer are a hardy pygmy race, their diminutive two pronged antlers coming up no taller than the chest of a pony. Polyneighsian deer have rusty red hides and are covered from the back of the head to the tail with white spots. In the distant past this group had a thriving culture subsisting mostly of farming and tending bees. It has been a millennia since the caribou came to Hidzume and Shika, Though the deer tried to mount a front, there was nothing to halt the complete takeover by the caribou.

 

For generations the deer had lived, worked, and played in peace on their twin islands. Despite being separated by about a half a league of water, the culture between the two is consistent. Families often dispersed over both islands as travel between the two by hollowed-out trunk canoes was common. One chief, either male or female, resided over the deer population of both islands with leadership being passed through a single family line. This all changed with the coming of the Whitescar warriors.

 

From what little information can be gathered about the conquest, the caribou came upon the deer with a great show of force. The northern land had sights on the two islands as a source of produce that could not be grown in the frigid conditions of the caribou homeland. Hidzume and Shika would be extremely valuable assets. The deer had warriors but their blow darts and primitive fighting techniques wilted in the wake of Whitescar’s might. With a fighting herd of forty warriors the bou were able to quickly subdue the native race. Once in control, they were able to cow the deer into slave labor. Much of the islands were cleared for planting crops and maintaining bee yards for honey; the deer were put to work toiling on these new fields by day, and closely guarded in barracks at night. Since many generations have come and gone since the caribou invasion the Polyneighsian deer of today know nothing outside of their current state of enslavement.

 

By decree of the reform-minded High King Dragonsong, slavery is forever outlawed in all caribou lands. However, the slave-owning occupiers of the Stottinsberg Islands refuse to obey the High King’s will, instead casting their lot with rebels. And so the illicit rewards of slavery go to those who’d wage war to restore the old order of things in Whitescar. Despite their notorious reputation to the outside world, the caribou of Stottinsberg are actually subpar warriors; those most attracted to the prospect of lording over thralls lack the necessary skill in combat needed to obtain real glory on the battlefield. Of course this is by the standard of Caribou; the warriors of Stottinsberg have fended off internal rebellions and external attacks many times. Whether they could withstand a dedicated, full blown attack is another matter entirely.

 

As with most conquered groups, there are rumors of rebel deer who’ve escaped their captors. Along with its volcano, Hidzume also differs from Shika in that there is an underground network of lava tubes riddling the island. Long ago deer turned this cave network into dwelling places for riding out bad weather. The ruins of these dwellings are said to still exist, this labyrinth of tunnels providing sanctuary for a group of escapees. Some believe this to be a trap, and that the Caribou prepare these areas, foster rebellion, and gather all insolent deer in one place so as to smash the rebellion for another generation. Still others believe that in the tunnels, there exists a group that may someday ignite a rebellion...

 

~Annual of the Conquered

Professor Stormtail

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