Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
The South Sea Islands
The South Sea Islands is a vast tropical archipelago covering over 150.000,000 sq kms (1:75 ratio land and sea). The region is a mix of high volcanic islands and tiny coral atolls scattered across the Great Ocean and separated from any other land by 3000 kms of open sea . Its Islands appear suddenly and can be easily missed by the unobservant explorer as mere specks on the distant horizon.
The volcanic high islands are blessed with good rainfall and tropical weather that promotes the growth of verdant jungle over much of mountainous interior regions. Island leesides can be quite arid however and may approach desert like conditions. Most of these islands also have gently sloping sand beaches and are surrounded by coral reefs resplendent with sealife of every sort.
The atolls are usually small flat coral outgrowths pushed up above the waterline. Most surround deep lagoons and have abundant sealife however the islands themselves are often arid and many lack any water at all. Very few plants survive other than native scrubs and of course the coconut upon which so many of the Islanders rely.
Reports also tell of many other islands across the vast expanse of the Great Ocean yet to be discovered or explored and of signs of turbulent volcanic activity taking place suggestion that new land is still being pushed up from the sea floor.
Political Structures
The South Sea Islands is divided into districts (often whole islands) occupied by independent clans lead by a council of elders and in most cases a hereditary chief (the Ariki (Overlord)) and attendant nobility (most of whom are related). Districts usually have a number of villages within their scope from which the Ariki may draw support
The Ariki vehemently protect the independence of their districts from encroachment from others through both military and political means. Equally there is internal vying for influence between themselves and the districts own nobility and this political dynamic is such that the influence of Ariki is constantly shifting and political savvy and intrigue are at a premium.
Some results of this political maneuvering between Ariki is the merging and division of districts through intermarriage, political expediency or military conquest and even the migration of junior nobility due to defeat after challenging the authority of their Ariki – this often being a major impetus to settlement of distant islands.
Certain of the very small islands and atolls are vassal states paying tribute to an Ariki on the mainland.
Culture and Belief
Whilst the people of The South Sea Islands acknowledge the greater gods most interactions are with the pantheon of local spirits and similar entities which inhabit the world, the greatest of these being She-Who-Eats.
Long ago the South Sea Islands came under the protection of Rongotakafiu and most of the main Island groups have a resident Marakihau (Merrow) which acts as protector of the Islanders keeping them free of Sahuagin and other attacks. In return for this the South Sea islanders make regular sacrifices to the Marakihau and have adopted the practice of casting the bodies of stillborn and miscarried children into the sea to be devoured. The South Sea Islanders believe that if this is not done then the ghosts of the unborn will return to terrorize the villages.
So far She-Who-Eats has not paid any great heed to this situation and Rongotakafiu and his Marakihau otherwise remain loyal supporters of the Great Megalodon.
Material Culture (Technology and Economy)
The people of the South Sea Islands maintain an advanced Neolithic technology and have no access or knowledge of metals and metalwork. Instead the peoples of the South Sea Islands use natural materials like stone, bone, shell, shark teeth, wood and other plant fibres for all their material goods. Fortunately the natural materials present more than compensate for the lack of metals. These include the Ironwood tree used to make clubs and Greenstone/nephrite jade which is slightly harder than equivalent weight iron and when available is used to make specialist tools and bladed weapons (effectively short swords). These materials – especially greenstone, obsidian and sandstone used for grinding are freely traded between islands and exchanged for masterwork items, pearls, turtle shell, mother-of-pearl and of course whale bone and pork on those islands were such meat is available.
Many of the South Sea Islanders are also cannibals and raids on distant islands for human flesh are not uncommon.
NAVIGATION
The Navigation ability of the South Sea Islanders is legendary and along with the techniques used to guide their double hulled ships across the Great Ocean is the most advanced technology maintained by the people of the South Sea Islands.
ps Navigator, Shaman and a 'Spirit Warrior' (PrC) classes to come
The South Sea Islands is a vast tropical archipelago covering over 150.000,000 sq kms (1:75 ratio land and sea). The region is a mix of high volcanic islands and tiny coral atolls scattered across the Great Ocean and separated from any other land by 3000 kms of open sea . Its Islands appear suddenly and can be easily missed by the unobservant explorer as mere specks on the distant horizon.
The volcanic high islands are blessed with good rainfall and tropical weather that promotes the growth of verdant jungle over much of mountainous interior regions. Island leesides can be quite arid however and may approach desert like conditions. Most of these islands also have gently sloping sand beaches and are surrounded by coral reefs resplendent with sealife of every sort.
The atolls are usually small flat coral outgrowths pushed up above the waterline. Most surround deep lagoons and have abundant sealife however the islands themselves are often arid and many lack any water at all. Very few plants survive other than native scrubs and of course the coconut upon which so many of the Islanders rely.
Reports also tell of many other islands across the vast expanse of the Great Ocean yet to be discovered or explored and of signs of turbulent volcanic activity taking place suggestion that new land is still being pushed up from the sea floor.
Political Structures
The South Sea Islands is divided into districts (often whole islands) occupied by independent clans lead by a council of elders and in most cases a hereditary chief (the Ariki (Overlord)) and attendant nobility (most of whom are related). Districts usually have a number of villages within their scope from which the Ariki may draw support
The Ariki vehemently protect the independence of their districts from encroachment from others through both military and political means. Equally there is internal vying for influence between themselves and the districts own nobility and this political dynamic is such that the influence of Ariki is constantly shifting and political savvy and intrigue are at a premium.
Some results of this political maneuvering between Ariki is the merging and division of districts through intermarriage, political expediency or military conquest and even the migration of junior nobility due to defeat after challenging the authority of their Ariki – this often being a major impetus to settlement of distant islands.
Certain of the very small islands and atolls are vassal states paying tribute to an Ariki on the mainland.
Culture and Belief
Whilst the people of The South Sea Islands acknowledge the greater gods most interactions are with the pantheon of local spirits and similar entities which inhabit the world, the greatest of these being She-Who-Eats.
Long ago the South Sea Islands came under the protection of Rongotakafiu and most of the main Island groups have a resident Marakihau (Merrow) which acts as protector of the Islanders keeping them free of Sahuagin and other attacks. In return for this the South Sea islanders make regular sacrifices to the Marakihau and have adopted the practice of casting the bodies of stillborn and miscarried children into the sea to be devoured. The South Sea Islanders believe that if this is not done then the ghosts of the unborn will return to terrorize the villages.
So far She-Who-Eats has not paid any great heed to this situation and Rongotakafiu and his Marakihau otherwise remain loyal supporters of the Great Megalodon.
Material Culture (Technology and Economy)
The people of the South Sea Islands maintain an advanced Neolithic technology and have no access or knowledge of metals and metalwork. Instead the peoples of the South Sea Islands use natural materials like stone, bone, shell, shark teeth, wood and other plant fibres for all their material goods. Fortunately the natural materials present more than compensate for the lack of metals. These include the Ironwood tree used to make clubs and Greenstone/nephrite jade which is slightly harder than equivalent weight iron and when available is used to make specialist tools and bladed weapons (effectively short swords). These materials – especially greenstone, obsidian and sandstone used for grinding are freely traded between islands and exchanged for masterwork items, pearls, turtle shell, mother-of-pearl and of course whale bone and pork on those islands were such meat is available.
Many of the South Sea Islanders are also cannibals and raids on distant islands for human flesh are not uncommon.
NAVIGATION
The Navigation ability of the South Sea Islanders is legendary and along with the techniques used to guide their double hulled ships across the Great Ocean is the most advanced technology maintained by the people of the South Sea Islands.
ps Navigator, Shaman and a 'Spirit Warrior' (PrC) classes to come
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