Oskila Island

Ursoid tribes from the northern tundra made their way south, either on melting glaciers or on walrus skin boats, depending on the legend not longer after the dawn of the first age and settled first on Altiste island and then the island they called Ohst Khylah Juldiz (meaning long summer island). Approximately 1000 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 Alrunick during the Hvel’Luthnor golden age. 

A series of fruitless rebellions in the later half of the first age lead to the 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 that once inhabited Oskila 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 and 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 organised and easier to control. Mustelin especially grew to be favoured slaves by the elves 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 Uktivanian style revolution. This has unhelpfully led to even more repression of the lesserkin population. Oskiladrel in the modern age is 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 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 the Dobharcu KitNelly’s Oskila Revolutionary Army.

This section is work in progress. 

Officially named The Colonial Rukesate of Oskila Island and its nearby Atolls, The Rukesate of Oskila is often referenced in tandem with the Rukesate of Altistedrel because of their extreme similarities and each has been known to copy the successful practices of the other. The Capital of the Rukesate of Oskiladrel is Oskiladel city, The largest Luthnori settlement in the isles of the northern sea and a large port in its own right, it is positioned near the largest patch of pearl producing oysters in the region. 

The current Rukesa is Sunarion Alrunick, a swordswoman and veteran of the war of dawn who has actively encouraged human lynchings, which has caused the human population to be significantly smaller on Oskila island than Altistedrel. She 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 Alrunick 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 Oskila Revolutionary Army (ORA) and the Sentinel Legion (SL). 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 Oskila island most political activity is concentrated in the ORA. They operate a very sophisticated smuggling operation as well as a network of secret weapons caches, illegal gambling rings, and informants, all in service to their larger political goal of deposing Imperial rule.

The SL however is a Elven Paramilitary force led by Colonel Ilyvius Karonell, a veteran of the War of Dawn. Karonell and the SL’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 actively supported Karonell’s efforts, ensuring the cooperation of his armed forces in his terrorising actions and stopping all potential prosecution.

The colonial Rukesate of Oskiladrel 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 Oskiladrel 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 routing the smuggling through the dangerous and overgrown Ruby Mangrove atolls to the east of Oskila itself. 

Its twisting roots and choking vines make Elven exploration of the area difficult and therefore perfect for Mustelins to hide that which they don’t want the elves to know. 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 Oskiladrel cling to the practices of Luthnori culture as they heavily identify with their homeland to gain a sense of superiority. Earlier 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 gold symbol on the Oskila flag is probably supposed to represent some culturally important star though the significance is now lost. The cultural context has been so completely eliminated that the symbol is seen to represent repression in the eyes of the lesserkin instead of symbols 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 Ohst Khylah becoming Oskila. 

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.