Post by amisi on May 2, 2009 16:03:57 GMT -5
Name of Island: Yeste Island
Size of Island: Medium.
Location of Island: 6 miles north of the Ciudadela Queendom.
Inhabitants: An island primarily of civilians, though great swordsmanship can be found in citizens from all strata of society. To the people of Yeste, swordplay isn't meant to pointlessly spill blood in pursuit of wealth or fame; it's an art to be respected and honed to perfection over a lifetime. A master of nearly every style of swordfighting is resident on the island, though the majority of the natives prefer fencing above all others. The wealthy tend to dress in rich fabrics with stylish elaborate cuts, especially ruffles and bell sleeves on women and brocaded waistcoats on men. The lower classes, of which the middle class is a large part, imitate the clothing styles of the rich, though in less expensive fabrics. In Yeste, anyone physically capable of holding a sword is taught to use one to some degree, though even the most inept fighters have a blade of at least medium-to-high quality. It's common to see families with swords more valuable than their houses, not that a true Yesten would ever so much as consider selling their blade.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
The city Yeste spans the entirety of the island Yeste. Three small mountains dominate the center and southern portions of the island. Except for the mountains on the south coast, the island is ringed by white sand beaches. The southern harbor is carved into the face of the mountain, with long winding stone stairs leading down into the valleys and beaches, where the majority of the citizens live and work. The three mountains don't have individual names; every beach, mountain, pond, hill, and cliff is called Yeste. Not that the citizens couldn't think of any other names (though that may be part of the reason), but on such a small island the citizens saw little need for such differentiation. Businesses and homes are distributed evenly throughout the island, with some businesses even being run out of homes. The only type of commercial establishment that can't be found in the valleys are blacksmiths and other weapons makers, who work and reside on the mountain. One of the highest jobs in Yeste is blacksmithing; blacksmiths are often very rich. Other wealthy citizens tend to live on the mountain in large manor houses.
Flora and Fauna: Tropical fruit grows abundantly here, along with other lush green vegetation. Trees grow thick on the mountains; if one stands in the valley and looks up, the mountain appears to be a wall of trees curving up into the sky, with occasional mansions built into clearings. The animals are also tropical fare; the main pests are bugs (such as cockroaches, beetles, spiders, and scorpions) and lizards, which may be the size of a small dog or the size of a pencil eraser.
Island History: This island had a long history as an agricultural island, exporting fruit and carved wooden statues, until one man changed the course of the island's history. A young farmer's son, Clovis, was sent to receive an education paid for by his father's rich childhood friend. The entire community was excited for the young man, since such an expensive education was beyond the grasp of most citizens of Yeste. Clovis represented the hope that their way of life would be permanently changed for the better; he was meant to return to his home island and use his knew knowledge of the world to bring Yeste into the future. Unfortunately, he returned as an utter scholastic failure, he could hardly tell a plus sign from a sonnet. Thunderstruck, his father asked him what he had been doing in the ten years he had been away.
Learning, Clovis had said.
Learning WHAT, his father had cried.
Blacksmithing. That was it, then. On his second day in the Ciudadela Queendom, Clovis had chanced on a smithery and become absolutely enamored of the craft. The blacksmith who owned the shop was so impressed by the young man's fervor that he took him on as an unofficial apprentice, and for those ten years Clovis had sped through his classical studies to free up time at the end of each day to go work metal. Distressed, his father washed his hands of the situation, telling Clovis to do whatever he wanted with his life now that his biggest opportunity had come and gone. What did it matter now? So Clovis opened his own shop and began to make swords. Really good swords. Amazing swords. When Clovis' father's friend came to stay at his winter home in the Yeste mountains, he bought one of the blades and took it back to the Ciudadela Queendom. Within weeks, orders from Ciudadela began to pour in; and then orders from the Saint Reia, and then from the marines, and then throughout the Blues. Clovis was famous, a marvel, and aspiring blacksmiths began to come to Yeste in droves, seeking his guidance. As more blacksmiths took up residence on the island, knowledge of swordsmanship grew, and it became a national pastime. After Clovis died, the quality of the swords and the quantity of the orders picked up momentum as the other blacksmiths sprang into action to make up for the loss. This growth has continued to the present day.
Size of Island: Medium.
Location of Island: 6 miles north of the Ciudadela Queendom.
Inhabitants: An island primarily of civilians, though great swordsmanship can be found in citizens from all strata of society. To the people of Yeste, swordplay isn't meant to pointlessly spill blood in pursuit of wealth or fame; it's an art to be respected and honed to perfection over a lifetime. A master of nearly every style of swordfighting is resident on the island, though the majority of the natives prefer fencing above all others. The wealthy tend to dress in rich fabrics with stylish elaborate cuts, especially ruffles and bell sleeves on women and brocaded waistcoats on men. The lower classes, of which the middle class is a large part, imitate the clothing styles of the rich, though in less expensive fabrics. In Yeste, anyone physically capable of holding a sword is taught to use one to some degree, though even the most inept fighters have a blade of at least medium-to-high quality. It's common to see families with swords more valuable than their houses, not that a true Yesten would ever so much as consider selling their blade.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
The city Yeste spans the entirety of the island Yeste. Three small mountains dominate the center and southern portions of the island. Except for the mountains on the south coast, the island is ringed by white sand beaches. The southern harbor is carved into the face of the mountain, with long winding stone stairs leading down into the valleys and beaches, where the majority of the citizens live and work. The three mountains don't have individual names; every beach, mountain, pond, hill, and cliff is called Yeste. Not that the citizens couldn't think of any other names (though that may be part of the reason), but on such a small island the citizens saw little need for such differentiation. Businesses and homes are distributed evenly throughout the island, with some businesses even being run out of homes. The only type of commercial establishment that can't be found in the valleys are blacksmiths and other weapons makers, who work and reside on the mountain. One of the highest jobs in Yeste is blacksmithing; blacksmiths are often very rich. Other wealthy citizens tend to live on the mountain in large manor houses.
Flora and Fauna: Tropical fruit grows abundantly here, along with other lush green vegetation. Trees grow thick on the mountains; if one stands in the valley and looks up, the mountain appears to be a wall of trees curving up into the sky, with occasional mansions built into clearings. The animals are also tropical fare; the main pests are bugs (such as cockroaches, beetles, spiders, and scorpions) and lizards, which may be the size of a small dog or the size of a pencil eraser.
Island History: This island had a long history as an agricultural island, exporting fruit and carved wooden statues, until one man changed the course of the island's history. A young farmer's son, Clovis, was sent to receive an education paid for by his father's rich childhood friend. The entire community was excited for the young man, since such an expensive education was beyond the grasp of most citizens of Yeste. Clovis represented the hope that their way of life would be permanently changed for the better; he was meant to return to his home island and use his knew knowledge of the world to bring Yeste into the future. Unfortunately, he returned as an utter scholastic failure, he could hardly tell a plus sign from a sonnet. Thunderstruck, his father asked him what he had been doing in the ten years he had been away.
Learning, Clovis had said.
Learning WHAT, his father had cried.
Blacksmithing. That was it, then. On his second day in the Ciudadela Queendom, Clovis had chanced on a smithery and become absolutely enamored of the craft. The blacksmith who owned the shop was so impressed by the young man's fervor that he took him on as an unofficial apprentice, and for those ten years Clovis had sped through his classical studies to free up time at the end of each day to go work metal. Distressed, his father washed his hands of the situation, telling Clovis to do whatever he wanted with his life now that his biggest opportunity had come and gone. What did it matter now? So Clovis opened his own shop and began to make swords. Really good swords. Amazing swords. When Clovis' father's friend came to stay at his winter home in the Yeste mountains, he bought one of the blades and took it back to the Ciudadela Queendom. Within weeks, orders from Ciudadela began to pour in; and then orders from the Saint Reia, and then from the marines, and then throughout the Blues. Clovis was famous, a marvel, and aspiring blacksmiths began to come to Yeste in droves, seeking his guidance. As more blacksmiths took up residence on the island, knowledge of swordsmanship grew, and it became a national pastime. After Clovis died, the quality of the swords and the quantity of the orders picked up momentum as the other blacksmiths sprang into action to make up for the loss. This growth has continued to the present day.