Equatannia: Difference between revisions

=== Pre-Migration (?-1914) ===

Little is known about the inhabitants of the Starr Peninsula and Isles prior to The Great War Migration. Archaeologists have come to the conclusion that the earliest settlements were founded by dwarven nomads whose descendants are still present in modern-day Equatannia located in small communities of dwarves throughout the nation. These settlements traded among each other, proven by tool and accessory fossils, but were ravaged by rival natives on the eastern side of Irnac in the decades leading up to the Migration.

This migration of refugees and defectors arose from the violent beginnings of The Great War and began as a repetitive cycle of settlement and displacement for various groups fleeing from their home countries. These groups would flee invading armies into sovereign states that disallowed immigration, so they would be deported or detained. This cycle eventually led thousands of individuals from primarily the eastern continents of Urth to settle along the the southwestern coast of Irnac. A majority of these groups arrived using simple boats and rafts carved from local lumber, leading to many casualties during the trek.

 

It is believed that many of these caravans knew of the unclaimed native lands in the Equatannian area due to word of mouth transmission and ancient regional folk tales. Many groups set off on the journey with no solid evidence that the landmass even existed, yet the endeavor paid off. The first settlers arrived in the area of modern-day Equity Bay and quickly established the city that is the nation's capital today. Equaa quickly grew as hundreds of other transports arrived with those seeking asylum, and the citizens there welcomed them with open arms. Further north, smaller groups of settlers arrived quite later than those that had previously arrived in the southern portion of the peninsula. These groups populated throughout the area known as Freebelsta today, but quickly split off into six separate city-states due to ideological differences.

Equaa flourished from internal trade among spread-out communities as well as exporting olives, grapes, figs, and various other produce that are native to the region's Mediterranean climate. The city's officials quickly established a form of chiefdom government after uniting all surrounding communities under one sovereign. The head's of multiple prominent families living in Equaa voted to appoint Olympia Starr, matriarch of the Starr family, as the first Chief of Equaa in 1918. This boost in stability allowed swift economic progress and assisted in unifying the peninsula as one diverse culture. Equaa's government learned of the villages established to the north during several peace-seeking expeditions in late 1918 and early 1919. Chief Olympia Starr established friendly relations with the communities and began delivering supplies to ease their hardship that was rampant throughout the beginnings of 1919.