Inishmora
Overview
High Level Overview of the place
History
Inishmora is an island that combines the concepts of modern day Ireland and Scotland into one large island, with the highlands of Socheim and the lowlands of Labrador. Inishmora has been a free kingdom in its own right since 2000, prior to which it was a part of the vast Kingdom of Imajicka, which incorporated Alba, Inishmora, Malay, and off and on through history also Doomstadt. That kingdom was dissolved after a rather dramatic chain of events: The King returned from a long crusade, but was actually an evil Lich that had to be overthrown. After he fell, there was a war of succession that was bitterly and brutally fought between Helena de Wight and Ollana du Vane. Helena, like Richard before her, was into the whole Undead thing, and had to be vanquished also. Two big wars in as many years.
After Olanna wont he throne, she declared the Kingdom of Imajicka to be too large to hold together, and split it off into it's three component parts at the time, Alba, Malay, and Inishmora - Alba she ruled herself until being assassinated a few months later, leading to further political turmoil in Alba.
Inishmora scutted about for a bit trying to sort out a King, but they got it under control.
A little more detail into the history of Inishmora itself... First Scoheim:
Prior to being annexed by Wales and named the duchy of Schohiem, this land was the mountainous highland region of the Island of Inishmora. It was a land of proud warriors and talented poets and started out as a land ruled by warring clans. These clans preyed on each other and foreign travelers for centuries.
In 894, clan chief Donald MacGillevry came down from the highlands and united the clans. He then led an invasion of Labrador to the south. After securing the conquest of what was later the duchy of Labrador at the battle of Connacht in 909, King Donald turned his eyes to the southeast. He bought ships from the hated barbarian raiders to the north and sailed for Alba.
King Donald's ships landed in the harbor south of the cliffs of Dover and he began his march inland. The clansmen, including a horde of barbaric highlanders, made it as far as York in central Wales before being turned back. The battle beneath the walls of York was beyond belief. After the three days the siege was done, the surviving clansmen fleeing back to their ships at Dover, but the walls surrounding York were no more.
When King Edward II of house Van Dance invaded in 1146, the clans once again joined to fight for their freedom. The Welsh outnumbered the clansmen and were far better equipped. King Edward‟s army marched steadily across the highlands winning battle after battle. At one point in the war it appeared as though the clansmen might actually be able to beat the Welsh invasion back. In 1153 the Nuada executed a perfect ambush at Sterling Bridge in central Labrador.
Unfortunately for the Inish, the battle at Sterling was not enough to stop the armies of King Edward and in 1157 King Duncan Stewart was killed in battle. After his death, the clan chiefs began to squabble for the throne. The decision was taken out of their hands when Angus MacDonald betrayed the other chiefs to the Welsh. MacDonald was named Duke of the newly absorbed duchy by King Edward II.
Then... Labrador.
The area that was once the Duchy of Labrador was settled by the remnants of a nomadic tribe of barbarians called the Nuada, who once roamed most of the continent. These people were fierce warriors and very clan oriented. Over the years, most of the Nuada grew more settled and eventually lost their barbarian ways. Only small pockets of the original barbaric Nuada still exist today.
After almost 1000 years, the people of Labrador had formed clans, towns, & villages. In 870 the barbarians of Foehammer attacked Labrador and began an invasion. From the ashes of southeastern Labrador a hero arose. A man named Finn Mhic Cumhail and a small band of warriors led a series of raids on northman camps that eventually led to their retreat from Labrador.
The lowland Inish have never been a particularly strong nation of people. The greatest leader in their history was King Brian Boru. Legend has it that the ancient kings of Labrador were chosen in a very special way. Unlike the successions of modern monarchies, the kings of Inishmora were chosen by a stone. On the plains of central Labrador stands Tara hill. On this hill is a sacred stone called the Linn Fial, the Stone of Destiny. The legend says that when the true king of Inishmora touches the stone it will sing forth.
When the highland clans invaded in 903, it was King Alastair Brennan who led the clans against the invaders. After a mere 6 years of bitter conflict, King Alastair bent the knee to the Schohiem king after the battle of Connacht. The Labradorans were integrated into Schohiem with a surprising ease. The two peoples has always had much in common, and the average peasant is not overly concerned with who his king is.
Today Labrador is a memory lost in the mists of time. After they were conquered by the highlanders, the entire island once again became known as the nation of Inishmora and the people, both highland, and lowland have become fully integrated.
Geography
Lay of the Land
Map
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Organization of the Land
How the power structure is divided regional (i.e. Duchies, Baronies, Lordships, etc.)
Culture and Customs
Culture found in land
Social Structure
How the society is structured
Predominant Races
Which races make up the majority, or the power structure
Reaction towards Minority/sidelined Races
How the land treats minorities
Interaction with other Cultures and Countries
who are external friends and foes
Religions
what faiths are present, what are the views on faith
Holidays and days of Celebration
What days matter to the people
Major modern events
What events will have shaped the experience of characters having grown up there
