Altiste Island

Ursoid tribes from the northern tundra made their way south, either on melting glaciers or on walrus skin canoes, depending on the legend. It was not longer after the dawn of the First Age and settled the island they called Vhalt Eztay Juldiz (meaning black soil island). Approximately 1,000 years after it was first settled, the Elves of Hvel’Luthnor discovered the islands after following the oceanic leylines to them. The Ursoid tribes had developed rotating agriculture and basic metalworking but were largely considered inferior and were conquered by the dragon lord house of Kronkinfae during the start of the Hvel’Luthnor golden age. 

A series of fruitless rebellions in the later half of the first age lead to an event known as “the night without darkness” as the forces of the elves systematically destroyed and burned the leaders of the various Ursoid tribes, burned their symboldry, and destroyed every vestige of independent tribal culture. It is no longer known what the names of these tribes were or what their practices were, so complete was the cultural genocide. This event marked the end of the Fal’kaleth War, which united all the tribes of both Altiste island and neighbouring Oskila island in a bloody and simultaneous revolt. 

Human and mustelin slaves were brought in shortly afterwards, and while they were just as prone to rebellion, they were significantly less organized and easier to control. Mustelin especially grew to be favoured slaves by the elves of Altistedrel as their swimming skills made them ideal fishers and divers. Diving being a specially useful skill due to the value of the magically enlarged pearls found only in the coastal regions around the northern islands as well as the somewhat less valuable iridescent seashells and peridot gems. Humans were used more for agricultural labour on land as their larger size made them more useful for producing traditional elven crops. 

In recent times, the ruling class of Elves have become more fearful of the fact that they are incredibly outnumbered by the Lesserkin population and fear a bloody Marecean style revolution. This has unhelpfully led to even more repression of the Lesserkin population. Altiste is now a powderkeg, ready to go off at the next reasonable opportunity and despite the suspicions of the elves, it is the often overlooked mustelins that are positioned to lead the way. 

The mustelin of Altistedrel and Oskiladrel have taken advantage of being so often overlooked and have formed secret trans-oceanic smuggling networks that have allowed contact with mustelin populations on the West Ciradon mainland and with Leide. The flow of goods has allowed the slaves to secretly arm themselves, even now modern weaponry has made its way to the furred paws of Karis Lo’Pawdric’s Altiste Free People’s Front.

This section is work in progress. 

Officially named "The Colonial Rukesate of Altiste island and its surrounding islets", The Rukesate of Altiste is often referenced in tandem with the Rukesate of Oskiladrel because of their extreme similairities and each has been known to copy the successful practices of the other. The Capital of the Rukesate of Altistedrel is Alistedel port, a large fort and port town located on a hill overlooking the only naturally formed harbour on the entire island and includes the largest shipyards on the two islands, primarily for repairing and doing upkeep for Imperial Luthnori naval vessels. 

The Current Rukesa of Altiste is Velirus Kronkinfae, a bookish and magically inclined member of the Kronkinfae family who has largely continued the practices of his predecessor without much attempt at implementing new policy. He is technically subservient to the Dynastic Colonial Oversight Committee but that institution has no real power over the governance of the colony due to the pressure on behalf of house Krokinfae to keep it lightly regulated so it can continue to serve as a training ground for their young nobles. 

There are two notable political organisations on the island, the Altiste Free People’s Front (AFPF) and the Preservers of Order (PO). The Humans and Ursoids have largely been unable to to maintain significant organised political presences but the largely mustelin population has been able to organise effectively and on Altiste island most political activity is concentrated in the AFPF. They operate a very sophisticated smuggling operation as well as a network of secret weapons caches and informants, all in service to their larger political goal of throwing the Elves off the islands.

The PO however is a Elven Paramilitary force led by Captain Zythonus Filavini, a veteran of the War of Dawn. Filavini and the PO’s primary activities are spreading anti-human propaganda among the elven population, lynching suspected Voskgardian sympathizers among the Human slaves, and instilling fear into the lesserkin population with raids. While this is technically illegal the Rukesa has made no moves to stop these actions, which Filavini has taken as an endorsement.

The Colonial Rukesate of Altiste is somewhat behind the technological level of the Three Dynasties due to being a colony, but they are largely tied to their mother country’s military, industrial, and social development. Though notably Altistedrel is especially repressive towards Lesserkin populations and socially resistant to change. The economy of the island is entirely dependent on resource extraction and plantations for its wealth as the elves make up the upper and relatively small skilled worker classes of the island. 

Including the majority of skilled labourers, though some slaves are taught crafts in order to better benefit  their masters. However, mustelin smuggling routes have allowed pearls and gems to be smuggled out of the islands and the money gained from their sale is used to purchase and smuggle modern firearms in. A secret that has so far been kept from the Elderkin by largely pushing the smuggling through the often treacherous Quickwave Cove on the northern, icy coast of Altiste Island. 

This smuggling centre has also become an ad hoc armoury, maroon town, and centre of resistance. Relying on subtlety and the unthreatening stature of the Mustelins to disguise rebellious acts.

The Elves of Altiste cling to the practices of Luthnori culture as they heavily identify with their homeland to gain a sense of superiority. Earlier and more determined Rukesas waged a brutal campaign to remove as many cultural practices from the Lesserkin populations as possible. While they are encouraged to adopt elven practices, it is not pushed with nearly the same rigour as the elves view their culture as a point of superiority over the lesserkin and are far from keen to share it. Even the symbol that adorns the official flag of the Rukesate has lost its meaning. 

The orange symbol on the Altiste flag is believed to have meant to represent the native coral reefs though the significance is unknown. The cultural context has been so completely eliminated that the symbol is seen to represent repression in the eyes of the Lesserkin instead of the symbol of their homes. This corruption of culture represents a pattern, even the names of the islands are elvenized versions of the Ursoid names of the islands, with Vhalt Eztay became Altiste. However some common practices have developed among the slave populations as the poor conditions have produced their own necessity. 

Scrap quilting has become a common practice among the Lesserkin as they often take any bit of cloth they can get to warm themselves against the freezing winters. These quilts often hold geometric patterns and even scenes in the most talented quiltmaker’s creations which can be used to signal messages between slaves without their master’s knowledge. One common signal is the 3 striped line quilts, they are hung on the bannister of slave shacks horizontally to indicate safety and vertically to indicate danger. 

More complex ones can signal the opening of secret clubs, gambling dens, moonshining bars, but they can also hint at the smuggling of goods. Call and repeat working songs have also become a common feature on both islands, and can similarly be used to speak in code among the various slave communities. The single most common symbol however is the red, orange, then yellow half circle above a blue rectangle, which represents a sunrise on a new day. This isn’t used for code but rather to signal intent, as this is the symbol of the revolution. 

For even in the far northern islands the story of the war of dawn is known to the Lesserkin, and here it sparks hope in the oppressed masses that one day the Elderkin might yet be overthrown.

 This section is work in progress. 

• Altiste was created by Sorcerer chap.