Emperor Sagan
Lord Commissar
Fall of 1879
Nocturne Islands
In the northern sea, nearly a week by steamship along a lonely and dark stretch of deep ocean, sat a few small and moderate islands that were now home to a growing population of oppressed peoples from Adonia. Over half of the population were vampires, yet plenty of humans had come along, either loyal to various fleeing families, seeking distance from the chaos building in the homeland, or other various reasons that draw people away from civilization and to the frontier. More than a few werewolves - including a small band of Tsavanian refugees - had made the journey. The islands were not particularly resource rich at a glance. Poor soil made farming difficult, but the land made for fair grazing ground for sheep, goats, and some hardier cattle. The coastal waters were rich with fish, crab, seal, and whale - rich enough that two whaling stations already existed on the island, housing a semi-permanent population of nearly a hundred already. Many of these hardy sailors had opted to remain, already outcasts from the continent and finding the new arrivals a welcome addition.
Most of the forested islands were comprised of rocky fog choked hills, allowing for an invaluable source of lumber and respite from the sun. Most days were already cloudy and dim, making day time movement for vampires marginally less lethal, if transit was absolutely necessary. With a near split population, the sole large town - of the same namesake as the islands - was active regardless of the hour as the society of night and day intertwined. Several villages and townships over the past two years had already grown up around Nocturne and elsewhere on the main island, spreading the claws of the vampire nation wide across this land. The diet was rich for the vampires, with both animals and willing humans to feed upon through taxation - a process mimicked by those who had some familiarity with the Escarian paradise of La Cynge. For humans and werewolves, a lack of good vegetables and an overabundance of fish and seal would grow stale eventually, without some changes. Nocturne was one of the few places where meat was often on par, or even cheaper, than bread. Even the hardy Tsavanian potatoes seemed more luxury here than anywhere else. It would likely be a few more years before harvests could provide as they needed.
The sole governing body was left over to the newly created breakaway from the old church - the Church of the Holy Blood. Across from the cathedral still being constructed was a modest government house which managed all the affairs of the islands, with the full board being made up of church associates. The task of keeping the peace had been taken up almost entirely by one convent of nuns, who armed themselves to the teeth and were not afraid to crack heads if needed, though this was a blessed rarity as most concern fell upon the paranoia of invasion - that crusaders would land upon their dark shores and attempt to tear down what they had so proudly built. For this reason, the seas were closely watched, and already the nobility with strings still intact back home attempted to purchase old war surplus from the past Tsavanian conflict. Rumors were that a pair of ironclad monitors had been scrounged up somewhere and would form the first ever vampire navy in existence.
Rumors of an odd, monstrous white whale had emerged. This had driven one whaling captain to a frenzy and he pledged his life to hunting it. Others feared that the arrival of such a creature heralded the appearance of more dangerous sea creatures, though this had not been the case so far. Like a creeping wave from the old world, oddities began to appear in greater number here as well.
Going off the word of the whalers from their stations, a number of stone ruins found scattered along the islands were new additions and had not been there in the past two years. And not all of these ruins were empty. Dark-skinned elves, not unlike people one would expect to find Eshax, had emerged to alarm and shock at their surroundings. Many were friendly enough once the shock had began to dissipate, and they took to residing among the vampires as there was no where else for them to go. There were some... difficult rumblings within the church, as these particular elves seemed to have an affinity for magic not entirely deemed holy. While they wanted this to be a safe haven from the iron hand of the old church, they were also proud and staunchly in support of their own ways and saints. Dark magic would not be accepted... but perhaps tolerated. Still, these elves were few and far between, and the new church held everything in their hands.
With boatloads of refugees arriving like clockwork, and the mainland growing no more peaceful, Nocturne prayed that they would be strong enough to weather the coming storm.
Nocturne Islands
In the northern sea, nearly a week by steamship along a lonely and dark stretch of deep ocean, sat a few small and moderate islands that were now home to a growing population of oppressed peoples from Adonia. Over half of the population were vampires, yet plenty of humans had come along, either loyal to various fleeing families, seeking distance from the chaos building in the homeland, or other various reasons that draw people away from civilization and to the frontier. More than a few werewolves - including a small band of Tsavanian refugees - had made the journey. The islands were not particularly resource rich at a glance. Poor soil made farming difficult, but the land made for fair grazing ground for sheep, goats, and some hardier cattle. The coastal waters were rich with fish, crab, seal, and whale - rich enough that two whaling stations already existed on the island, housing a semi-permanent population of nearly a hundred already. Many of these hardy sailors had opted to remain, already outcasts from the continent and finding the new arrivals a welcome addition.
Most of the forested islands were comprised of rocky fog choked hills, allowing for an invaluable source of lumber and respite from the sun. Most days were already cloudy and dim, making day time movement for vampires marginally less lethal, if transit was absolutely necessary. With a near split population, the sole large town - of the same namesake as the islands - was active regardless of the hour as the society of night and day intertwined. Several villages and townships over the past two years had already grown up around Nocturne and elsewhere on the main island, spreading the claws of the vampire nation wide across this land. The diet was rich for the vampires, with both animals and willing humans to feed upon through taxation - a process mimicked by those who had some familiarity with the Escarian paradise of La Cynge. For humans and werewolves, a lack of good vegetables and an overabundance of fish and seal would grow stale eventually, without some changes. Nocturne was one of the few places where meat was often on par, or even cheaper, than bread. Even the hardy Tsavanian potatoes seemed more luxury here than anywhere else. It would likely be a few more years before harvests could provide as they needed.
The sole governing body was left over to the newly created breakaway from the old church - the Church of the Holy Blood. Across from the cathedral still being constructed was a modest government house which managed all the affairs of the islands, with the full board being made up of church associates. The task of keeping the peace had been taken up almost entirely by one convent of nuns, who armed themselves to the teeth and were not afraid to crack heads if needed, though this was a blessed rarity as most concern fell upon the paranoia of invasion - that crusaders would land upon their dark shores and attempt to tear down what they had so proudly built. For this reason, the seas were closely watched, and already the nobility with strings still intact back home attempted to purchase old war surplus from the past Tsavanian conflict. Rumors were that a pair of ironclad monitors had been scrounged up somewhere and would form the first ever vampire navy in existence.
Rumors of an odd, monstrous white whale had emerged. This had driven one whaling captain to a frenzy and he pledged his life to hunting it. Others feared that the arrival of such a creature heralded the appearance of more dangerous sea creatures, though this had not been the case so far. Like a creeping wave from the old world, oddities began to appear in greater number here as well.
Going off the word of the whalers from their stations, a number of stone ruins found scattered along the islands were new additions and had not been there in the past two years. And not all of these ruins were empty. Dark-skinned elves, not unlike people one would expect to find Eshax, had emerged to alarm and shock at their surroundings. Many were friendly enough once the shock had began to dissipate, and they took to residing among the vampires as there was no where else for them to go. There were some... difficult rumblings within the church, as these particular elves seemed to have an affinity for magic not entirely deemed holy. While they wanted this to be a safe haven from the iron hand of the old church, they were also proud and staunchly in support of their own ways and saints. Dark magic would not be accepted... but perhaps tolerated. Still, these elves were few and far between, and the new church held everything in their hands.
With boatloads of refugees arriving like clockwork, and the mainland growing no more peaceful, Nocturne prayed that they would be strong enough to weather the coming storm.
