The South Sea Islands

Time is not measured in traditional ways, but their tech is neolithic

Aidan Thompson-McTaggart

For thousands of years, the islanders of the Southern Sea have prospered in relative isolation, developing a vibrant shared culture of navigators, traders, storytellers, hunters, weavers, and healers. They worship the sea as a mother goddess, and shaman-like 'listeners' and 'speakers' play a significant role in society by coordinating the worship and embodying the power of the ocean. The islands are dominated by the wealthier, semi-agricultural peoples of the coastal plains, who maintain robust inter-island connections across which trade goods and stories are constantly swapped.

There also exist smaller populations of semi-nomadic mountain people, who are somewhat cut off from the broader culture, with unique lifestyles and religious practices. In recent centuries, the islanders have had their lives disrupted by violence — first there were the raids from the neighboring Teklatesh Flower Xings; then the internal Clan Wars for political dominance; and now the colonialist invaders of Fareau, an industrial civilization from far across the sea.