Deimia

Level

**Deimia** is a medium-sized island that is roughly in between Andoras and Doras Edrossi, in the White Sea. The island's history is varied, ancient, and complex, although much of it has been lost to time. It has been a buffer zone between the two continents, and various cultures have attempted to claim it for their own as a vital chokepoint in controlling the seas; the most prominent being Thunders Shore, Edrane and Ceryne, all of whom currently hold land on the island. Currently, Ceryne and Thunder's Shore are tentatively battling over it in the Ceryno-Shoremen Border Tensions.

## History and populace

Deimia was first colonized by the Tegrushkin who left Tegrush due to their disagreement with the way of life that they had continued from their Koshtadic roots -- they, like the Koshtadic tribes who left early on to colonize Frostfall, believed that their traditional way of life was actually frowned upon by the gods and they brought the glaciation of Koshtahdivlann upon themselves. These Tegrushkin chose not to sail to Frostfall, thinking that they would be confused as invading enemies and would be slaughtered. Sailing south, they arrived at Deimia around the Second Era, colonizing the island which was then uninhabited by humans. Deimia has been home to several cultures over its history, but only four major ones remain; those being the cultures of Ceryne, the Shoremen, the Edranians, and that of the native Deimians, who are something of an isolated bunch and tend to stray away from the colonists who inhabit the island. In the modern day, they are almost completely unaware of their past, and as such have no idea that their history stems from a series of migrations from a land that is thousands of miles away from them, both literally and culturally.

Another thing that stands out about these Deimians is that they seem far more primitive than time would allow. Using technologies that were considered new in the Third Era, the Deimians do everyday tasks such as plowing their fields or catching fish with rudimentary contraptions that are weaker than their counterparts in Doras Edrossi or Andoras. This stems from a natural desire to be an isolated culture -- the Deimians do not condone war in any form, and will exercise all available forms of diplomacy in order to end hostilities. They are, in a way, very content with the way they live life, but also very vulnerable to the vices of advanced society and subject to their whims. The colonies that Thunder's Shore have are particularly renowned for mistreating the Deimians and viewing them as lesser humans, while the Cerynians choose to tax them at a higher rate than average as compared to a Cerynian citizen who lives in Deimian Ceryne, and so forth.

## Deimia's function as a chokepoint

Deimia has been seen as vital for millennia to any nation who wishes to rule the seas, or to make a transcontinental invasion easier. With its unique position proximal to Andoras and within a week's sailing distance to Doras Edrossi, any country that holds a port on Deimia automatically has an advantage when it comes to naval supremacy. The most notable examples of this are during the War of Buurza, when the Haajidi occupied the island and used it to stage attacks against Thyllanor. The war would have been over far sooner if not for the vestige of Haajidi power on Deimia, and it serves as an excellent defensive position as well; the entire island is well above sea level beyond the beach, and only a few ports means that landing anywhere else is risky, with rocky and shallow waters pervading most of Deimia's shoreline. This, among the island's exports of olives, fish, and wine, have led many to call it a jewel of the sea, and a necessary possession for anyone after control of Andoras, as Draegon I Dragomyr himself can attest to.