Island of the Volcano God

This is the Island of the Volcano God. It is an island of harsh winters full of blizzards and fog that last the entire year. Barely anything can grow there, and people live mostly on fishing and hunting the few animals that can survive there. But even then, it's not enough for the few tribes of savages to survive. Most of the island's inhabitants have either died or fled, but the remaining savages live only for one thing and one thing only: the adoration of the Volcano God.
At the center of the island there is a massive, semiactive volcano. It has a slow flow of magma all year long, with many vents spewing smoke and ash. The heat of the magma makes the surrounding area momentarily liveable, and the tribes will fight to the death to occupy the closest areas to the magma rivers, to avoid the murderous cold. However, once every year, all tribes, no matter their feuds and fights during the rest of the year, they will reunite at the coast and sail to hunt the most dangerous game. They will pirate upon trading and fishing ships to capture as many prisioners as possible, and once their priests deem they have enough, they will go back to the island, make the prisioners march to the top of the main vent and make them jump. They believe that guarantees the volcano enough life to survive the entire year, but they have to be careful. If the sacrifices aren't worthy, the Volcano God will be wrathful and ignite, filling most of the island with lava and ash, destroying many of the hunting areas and driving away most of the fish.
== History ==
This island, known as Kurotowa by the natives, is mostly shrouded in mystery. What little history of them is known is due to archaeological remains found on the island, or foreign nations' archives mentioning them. Most scholars agree that Kurotowa was settled around three thousands year ago, and different migrations occured up until a millenium ago, each one of them adding different aspects to their culture and traditions.
The people that migrated to Kurotowa are theorized to have done so from Zemyland, perhaps being a sister people to the Hyperboreans and the Kentgorodians. These fierce and war-like people eventually settled into many different tribes, each vying for control over different areas of Kurotowa. But they all shared one common belief: that the volcano at the center of the island was a sacred site, home to the great deity of fire and creation, who triumphed over the rest of the gods.
As the tribes grew in strength and number, they began to develop a primitive system of government, with chiefs, high chiefs and priests ruling over their respective territories. The priests, in particular, held great sway over the people, serving as the intermediaries between the mortal world and the divine. They would perform rituals and ceremonies at the volcano, offering sacrifices to the gods in exchange for their blessings and protection.
The island's' history is marked by a slow, steady growth in population and the size of the chiefdoms, which grew to encompass large parts of the island. The Kurotowans did not stay isolated for long, however, as the growing reputation of the island led to many pilgrims and scholars who sought to learn more about the volcano people and their connection to their deity.
These foreigners, although met with suspicion, were allowed to live with the Kurotowans. Their writings have since become the most valuable source of information on Kurotowan traditions and religious practices, and continue to be studied to this day. One of those scholars was the mad Ilya Antonya Zapalovidakuvna of Zapalovach, who claimed preposterous things, such as the locals being able to touch flowing lava with their bare hands, or being able to drink it. HIs foundings, if they can be called as such, have since been debunked.
Not all interactions with the outside world were benevolent, as the Kurotowans have faced many raids and invasion attempts by foreign powers, particularly by the new Zemylander nations and some Marquisates. Even though none of these invasions were succesful, it has lead these tribes to a life of hardship and constant war, with many of them either dying, or fleeing towards greener pastures to the south. The remaining Kurotowans have been hardened by these conflicts, and have developed an immense distrust and hatred towards outsiders.
== Government ==
There are six tribes in Kurotowa, each one led by a High Chief and controlling parts of the island, with the exception of the land around the main volcano in the center of the island, which is only inhabitable certain times of the year. Apart from the High Chiefs, Priests of the Volcano God also hold significant influence within the people, as they are responsible for interpreting signs from the Volcano God and determining the appropriate sacrifices to make in order to keep the island safe.
Even though these tribes are in almost constant warfare, there is a degree of inter-tribal cooperation, as they all, once per year, join their forces in order to hunt game and capture prisoners to offer up as sacrifice ot the Volcano God.
== Geography ==
The Island of the Volcano God is a land of stark and rugged terrain, dominated by towering mountains and sprawling glaciers, which give way to vast stretches of black sand beaches and rocky shores. The island is also home to numerous hot springs, geysers, and volcanic craters. It is evident why the Kurotowans thought of this land being the home of the gods.
The interior of Kurotowa is extremely harsh, with a vast network of glaciers forming icy valleys and towering peaks, making survival even harder for the few people that make it their home. 
The central volcano's countless eruptions have shaped the island over the centuries, spewing forth rivers of lava, ash, and smoke, which occasionally making the interior of the island easier to live in.
Despite the harsh conditions, the island is not entirely barren. Along the coast, there are small pockets of verdant greenery, where hardy grasses and shrubs cling to the rocky soil. These oases provide vital sustenance for the island's wildlife, which includes hardy species such as snow foxes, owlbears, fur seals and ice wyrms.
On the island's interior one can find a large, sprawling forest, one of the few surviving ones in Kurotowa, where no humans are to be seen. Instead, they are home to a fearsome predator, known as the Snow Tiger, a ferocious feline that's almost as large as a brown bear, and is known to hunt boars, deer and hares that inhabit the forests.
== Economy ==
The Kurotowans sustain themselves almost solely on fishing and hunting, as the extremely harsh envinronment makes it difficult to grow corps or raise livestock. 
They also exploit what little the land provides them with, harnessing the geothermal energy for cooking and heating, as well as using obsidian in order to create tools, weapons and decorations.
The Kurotowans very rarely trade with the outside world, especially nowadays, but when they do, it's mostly offering animal furs and obsidian, in exchange for wood and food.
== Religion ==
The people of Kurotowa hold a deep reverence for the Volcano God, who they believe controls the forces of nature and can bring both destruction and fertility to the land. According to Kurotowan tradition, the island was formed by the fiery rage of the gods, creating a land of molten rock and ash. It was said that the gods would come to this island to rest and meditate, drawn by the raw power of the active volcano at its heart. The Volcano God, who is to remain unnamed, reigner supreme over the other gods, enslaving them and establishing the volcano as his home and throne, where he still resides today. They believe that without sacrifices, the Volcano God won't be appeased, and in turn will punish them by letting the harsh blizzards freeze over their homes.
Despite their devotion to the Volcano God, the islanders also believe in the existence of other spirits and deities, such as the spirits of the sea and the wind. These spirits are believed to be closely connected to the Volcano God and are often called upon in times of need or to offer thanks for blessings received.
== Demographics ==
Scholars estimate that no more than ten thousand individuals, all human, occupy the island, with the population potentially being larger in the past. 
The locals of Kurotowa have a persistent rumor about an elusive humanoid roaming the mountains and glaciers, known as the Yeti. This creature, covered in thick white fur, shares similarities with creatures found in southwestern Giantstep and Changrila. Despite its frequent appearances in Kurotowan folklore, no outsider has ever sighted the creature, leaving its existence in doubt.
== Society and Culture ==
The Volcano God worshippers on the island have a complex system of laws and customs that govern their daily lives, known as the Hapu. The Hapu system is based on a strict division of labor and social hierarchy, where each person has a designated role and status. At the top of the hierarchy are the priests and High Chiefs, who are responsible for maintaining the order and administering justice. They are also the only ones allowed to communicate with the Volcano God and conduct the yearly sacrifices. Below them are the commoners, who are further divided into different classes based on their professions and skills, each with their own rules and restrictions.
Breaking the Hapu could result in severe punishment, such as exile or death. For example, only certain individuals are allowed to approach the sacred volcano, and anyone else who tries to do so will face severe consequences. The Hapu also determines which individuals are allowed to join the tribes in the annual raiding, or which ones are allowed to offer themselves in sacrifice.
The Kurotowans have a rich oral tradition, and their history, myths, and legends are passed down through storytelling, as no form of written language is known to occur. Very few of these legends are known outside of their communities, as entrusting them with foreigners is considered a grave sin.
== Foreign Relations ==
All forms of foreign interactions between Kurotowa and the outside world come in the form of raiding.Every year, the Kurotowans engage in raiding neighboring lands, such as the Land of Fit and Ness, the real Glutton Island, and the Orange Marquisates, as well as passing ships to acquire prisoners for their sacrifices.
As a result of centuries of raids and invasions from neighboring lands, particularly Zemyland and the Orange Marquisates, the volcano islanders have developed a deep distrust and hatred towards outsiders. Long gone are the days where scholars and pilgrims would find themselves living alongside the Kurotowans, even if it were for a few days.
Recently, rumors have spread that merchant clans from Zapalovach and nobles from the northern Orange Marquisates are funding an expedition to conquer and civilize the Kurotowan tribes.
== The odd Journey of the mad Ilya Antonya Zapalovidakuvna to the Lands of the Gods ==
"None knew of a way to the domain of food, but apparently there was a way of off this island. One would have to hide among the raiders from the island of the Volcano god." That island is mostly forgotten by theo utside world, but apparently once per year their divine opens up a path for them to raid the lands of Fit, Nes and even gluttony. As such if I spent a year among the volcano worshippers I could get to the food island.
I need to remember to remove this from the final draft. This is not a secret which should be spread far and wide.
Getting to the eastern shore I hid in a supply depot among piles of meat. Some other's wishing to get of off this island did same. This explains to me now how the starved volcano dwellers manage to raid an island full of men which would rip trough fully armored knights with their bare hands.
The denizens of Fit and Nes get rid of all the wildlife on the eastern shore. they prepare ample rations and tie up some criminals meant for execution. All this is considered no more than payment for a ride off the island for those hiding among the supplies. Survival on volcano island is supposed to be hard as such I smuggled out a juvenile Muneyek with me. It's a being which rewards you with cheese if you defeat it in a kicking contest, an easy win if you kick it in the balls. (redact last sentence, and rewrite to extenuate my great kicking skills).
Perfect to grill over some lava.
The volcano dweller arrived just in time. We could easily hear them celebrating on deck and feasting. Upon arrival it was time to get out me and the other muscle heads rushed out and beat up the full volcano men. I said goodbye to everyone and flexed my muscles. They flexed theirs back and swam into the ocean; their divine bodies ready to carry them back home better than any ship.
Spent the last months among other muscle-monsters I had not noticed how my body had changed. I was near 3 heads taller than before and if still in Zapalovach would have become a prized mercenary by virtue of my sculpted body itself, or a prized concubine for some oligarch with a weird fetish.
The island of the volcano god was a barren place. Those living here did so for millenia. I had become an object of constant hunt not just because I was a heretic and outsider, but because the muneyek was the only real source of food beyond fish on here.
I had spent my days in a cave near the coast. It was hot and humid. The ocean water would flood it in the morning cooling it, but covering it in mist and would retreat in the evening when the volcano would heat the cave once more.
It was uncomfortable, but it was just a year. I kept up the training regime from the land of the muscle in case I needed to fight the locals, but they were mostly too preoccupied with survival and lets say the few incidents that did occur were transformed into Mossovy looking death-altars to scare off those too confident in themselves.
The locals possessed a unique blessing of being able to handle the golden lava of the volcano akin to water as well as transpose their blood into it at will. As such most of the buildings on the island were made by scooping up lava with your arms and piling it up like mud as it cooled and solidified.
A highly valued material locally was obsydian. Blind men without teeth would look for lava as clear as water and then would swallow it and blowing out bubbles of it which would soon harden to obsydian vases, pots and decorations. I have also observed that the prized obsydian daggers the locals use is what the glass blowers poop out after making the utensils.
Considering some oligarchs loved to use them as kitchen knives the expression 'shiteating grin' takes on a new meaning.
I also had observed their burial rituals which is just throwing dead people in the volcano and saying prayers and their festivals which is the same, but the people are alive. In general this was a rather drab and boring place full of tribes to poor to even squabble much.
At last, I managed to leave this pit-stop of a divine realm to get to food island."
Category:Geographic location
Category:Giantstep
Category:Divine realm