Varlande

## History

### Early Life

St. Varlent is an iconic figure of the past. The myths and legends surrounding him are sometimes exaggerated, but because of his detailed journal, his journey is known well. He began his journal in his 16th year (as part of his priestly training) and continued until his death. He left detailed notes of his experiences and his thoughts and projects. On his 29th year, he wrote that he experienced an enlightening, true and controlled opening of his sacred sight. From here, his projects started to blossom and his introspection into the world was profound.

### Sea Voyage

In his 31st year, a plague swept through the Boundless Plains from the north to the south. As he was on the coast, he escaped with his colleagues on a boat left behind in the shipyard. Their journey was rough, and after a month with no food, they prepared to die. St. Varlent's enforced fast gave him to the astral realm and he directed their journey to Varlande from there.

* St. Varlent brought a chemist aboard when he escaped the plague on Terra Firma. The chemist was relatively skilled, but lacked the knowledge of his master, who died from the plague. The chemist knows how to make important substances, including gunpowder.
* St. Varlent also brought a blacksmith who was trained in refining steel and making tools. He also knows how to make rudimentary guns. He is a smart man and will learn how to craft machines.
* Unfortunately, the boat builders all took the nicest vessel when leaving Terra Firma. St. Varlent was able to take a boat, but his crew lacked experience building boats. There is a carpenter on board that will know how to repair boats, but the islanders will not learn the skill for many years.

### Landfall

When they arrived, they were greeted by a tribe of villagers who fed them. St. Varlent's profound understanding of the human psyche led him to communicate with the villagers and secure himself as their leader. As was the villager's tradition, only the chief could have children, and St. Varlent chose to only mate with his wife, as he believed in monogamy and the family. As they were not villagers, his colleagues were allowed to have children, so they did. The villagers were displeased to have a custom that would result in their demise, so they decided to fight the Saints-men. St. Varlent was a man of god and abhorred death, and commanded that the villager men have their hands removed so they could not fight. The villagers lived as cripples to their wives and died of old age.

During their time, the villagers killed off several good hunting species and ran short of their food supply. From this, they learned how to domesticate fish. The bones of the extinct species can be found in some caves.

### New Government

Within the rest of his life, St. Varlent was responsible for instituting new social customs and structure that formed the government of Varlande. He organized the guilds and set up a legal system. He instituted a monetary system using skipping stones as the currency. He set up a system for improving their crops and animals. He also started a cartographers guild that mapped the island and the surrounding islands. Ship makers, construction workers, and smiths were trained by his wisdom. There were no warriors because there was no land to claim. His life brought peace on the island for 29 years. On his 67th birthday, he sailed out to the oceans and never returned.

Hundreds of years have passed since St. Varlent sailed away. The 1st of each year is called St. Varlent's Watch - to look for his return. Some of the priests say that he is sailing around the world and will return in wonderful splendor.

### Golden Age

Varlande experienced a golden age for 52 years and spawned trade, industry, institutions of education and morals, and focused strongly on myths and religion. The island experienced a large population boom after a biologist priest cultivated a plant that increased libido and virility. The villagers were intoxicated by the plant and had many children from it. The biologist went on to find many other interesting discoveries and started a culture of taking psychoactive substances. This caused a spiritual awakening with the general population, but also an embrace of darkness.

### Population Boom

The population boom was too much to sustain on the island, and the vices of drugs was causing chaos in the social structure, so the priests began to criminalize characteristics of drug users. Because a priest created the drugs, they could not criminalize use. However, they criminalized certain vices. General unrest resulted and people started to cause more problems. These people were taken to penal colonies and violent offenders were taken to death island.

Anybody who commits vice cannot have children, so more and more people are committing vice because the penal colonies have no enforced laws. The islanders who go to the penal colonies often get high and have sex and die from fighting and starvation. When the winter rains come, many die from exposure.

## Climate

The weather on Varlande is very rainy in the winter and hot and muggy in the middle of summer. The monsoons come after summer and last until spring. The rain often destroys buildings and sinks ships. As a response, citizens build houses on stakes and some live in house boats.

## Penal System

There are mainland jails and work-houses, indentured servitude, and island penal colonies. There are several islands that exist in the penal system, and it has been working well. Most of the men arrive on islands with a few others, and they die when the heavy winter rains causes the wildlife to flee.