Living on a volcanic island that is still somewhat active, is in itself a difficult feat and some would say just an eruption away from being eradicated. But the people in Quelppi doesn't seem to have the same view on the matter. Their ancestors came to the half-moon island long ago from Seiwania and they made the island their own.
Nowadays the island itself is part of the country Seiwania, but the people have their own leader on the island, making it a small state of Seiwania.
Life on the volcanic island
Life here has not been easy, as the place is still active and some bigger eruptions have been recorded throughout the history of the settlement. Most notable was the eruption that happened around 300 years ago, when two new islands rose from the ocean. It is believed at one point the main island connected to the mainland of Seiwania which is how the tribe managed to migrate there along with land-dwelling animals.
Plantlife and animals are sparse, and they can change within a few hundred years, as seen with one of the smaller islands. Most animals that inhabit the islands are birds of various species, and tortoise-like creatures.
Though volcanoes and their nature are destructive, they can bring lots of good things to the ecosystems around them. Magma contains a lot of nutrients, and when broken down into soil it fertilizes the ground. The first tribes to arrive at the main island had already been living around the shores of Seiwania, and thus, seeds and plants were brought with them once they got there.
Agriculture is something the islanders are pretty good at, and they have a lot to plant and grow every season. A special type of melon, originating from the mainland is grown in the fertile soil and has been modified through selective growth by the islanders.
The melons are an important part of life and can be found in many of their foods and drinks; melon tarts, melon wine and melon jam.
Traditions and culture
Meat isn't something that is eaten that often, and mostly only if the animal it came from died of a natural cause. Not many animals live permanently on the land, so it has always been important to the Quelppians not to kill them.
So their food is mostly the things they grow on the island, seaweed from the western shores, and processed things like bread, wheat, oatmeal things similar to that.
Because of their way of life, and their love for nature and the animals they share the island with, they have a very special bond with the native birds of the island. Whenever their build or make a change to the island, it is with the birds in mind. All houses have a bird floor - like a small apartment for the birds on the roofs, that they can use during mating season.
And in return, the birds bring gifts to the Quelppians - it might just be a dead bug or a pretty rock, but it is always something the bird has found and shares with their bird-family - the people that live in the same house as the birds.
Trade
A trading route has been established many centuries ago between Quelppi and Kei Waho. Timber, leather and mead is some of the more popular goods they get from Kei Waho, where as they sell a lot of their melon products and also their plant woven baskets and carpets the other way.
