Old Empire, The Ruined Coast

At the southern end of the Iron Coast lies a rocky island named Ild. The small kingdom is separated from the mainland by a treacherous channel of water called the Ildi Strait. Ildyr are notorious for gathering on the northern slopes of the islands to watch ships navigating the channel. A visitor to the island, Çorm of Fvēher, wrote in his 9th century journal that the inhabitants cheered and reveled as ships crashed into the straits hidden hazards, and in the morning they gathered on the pebbly beaches to pick through the flotsam. In the time of Çorm, the low-tide beaches were strewn with the barnacled ribs of shattered ships.

Government

• Type – Dekàli Monarchy (Throne of Cups)
• Ruler –
• Capital – Town of Fel Fàradān
• Cities – Fel Fàradān (2,700)
• Calendar – Dekàli Reckoning (DR)
• Festivals –

People

• Population – Ildyr (650 DR)
• Races – (Yrūn 98%, other 2%)
• Ethnicities – Ildi
• Languages – Ildic, Old Oðic, Trade
• Religions –

Trade

• Currency – …
• Imports – …
• Exports – …

Regions, Geographic

• Devouring Stones
• Ildi Strait

Regions, Political

Cities, Towns, and Villages

• Town of Fel Farádān

Landmarks

• Kry Dràvar. Kry Dràvar is a cliffside castle that overlooks the Ildi Strait. The main tower is one of the tallest Yrūni structures in northern Teréðor and contains a large lighthouse chamber equipped with six foot crystal lenses. The interior of the Beacon Chamber was sabotaged centuries ago, and the tower has been dark ever since. The Throne of Cups resides within the castle, though the King of Ild rarely visits the desolate fortress.

People

It is believed that the Ildyr have lived on Ild since before the Old Empire reared its head in northern Teréðor. It is possible that they are one of the only surviving remnants of the Alùrin Invasion, a great migration of displaced people that may have been fleeing the growing influence of Andùl Illyra to the east. The native language of the island is Ildic, a tongue that has evolved considerably over the centuries.

An interesting aspect of Ildi culture is the idea of episodic marriages. Within Ild, each marriage is given six years. At the end of that period, the marriage is reevaluated and either re-pledged or dissolved. The presence of children have some impact on this decision. A curious side-effect of episodic marriage is that not all marriages are expected to produce children. Lesbian and gay marriages are not uncommon or discouraged. Many foreigners familiar with this phenomena unfairly brand the Ildyr as sexual deviants.

History

The early history of Ild is largely unknown. The Ildyr do not appear to have generated (or kept) any written records before the introduction of Old Oðic sometime in the last 500 years. A handful of travelers and historians have visited the isle over the centuries. Their observations are consistent. The Ildyr claim to be an independent kingdom ruled by a Dekàlas-styled monarchy. There have been only two dynasties of record, the first lasting only five years. It seems that following the Second Acèntyri-Dekàli war, the Ildyr produced thousands of barreled depth-charges which were scattered for miles around the island. After claiming a number of Eylfi and Acèntyri ships, the island was invaded and the king executed.

One of the more interesting chapters of the Occupation occurred on Ild, but the details of the Ildi Rebellion is lost to time. Oral tradition states that the Ildans rose up against their Occupiers, overthrowing the provincial government and placing a new king on the Throne of Cups. The tales do not explain how the small population succeeded against the imposed government where other kingdoms and territories (up to that time) had failed miserably. Some Oðári scholars have suggested that the manufacture of depth charges on Ild suggested a relationship with the Ordùs Oðdnur (i.e., Order of Iron Death). It is possible that the Order, operating secretly out of Kyrm Oryroð, supplied the island with weapons as a test case for their own planned rebellion. While possible, any details of the Ildan Rebellion are conjecture.

Time Line

Dynasties

Nomenclature: Ild Dekàlic: Ild (place), Ildi (pertaining to), Ildyn (resident), Ildyr (people)