Island of Ikos
The Island of Ikos, located in the North-Western regions of the Thyssalis Sea, famous for its fairly good and sunny climate, its main export, honey and the renowned archers and skirmishers that the island produces.
The island has two main rivers, the Sikadmos in the South East, and the river Aphys in the north of the island. The Eastern side of the island is the most fertile for agricultural purposes while the eastern area is intended for pasture for goats. Ikos has two main cities, Calembria in the North-West and Dymalia in the South-East, in cape Hyalis.
Most of the soil, of volcanic origin, is very fertile and that allowed the Oronai on the island to cultivate many plants like vineyards, lettuces, and orange trees.
Geography
Ikos island, alongside Tyria and Edymna is part of a wider archipelago of three islands situated in Lower Oronia, near the border with the Elves. Ikos is the largest of the three. The island is divided from north to south by a small Mountain range called the Akopis Mountains. In the Middle of them lies the main Sanctuary dedicated to the god of water and the Sea, Van.History
The island of Ikos was colonized by Oronai settlers from the city of Prieneia in Upper Oronia in 510 BP. There, the Prieneians founded two settlements, Calembria in the North and Dymalia in the South. The two settlements grew quickly in population and size, with waves of migrants from Upper Oronia. In 431 BP both Calembria and Dymalia were granted the status of cities by the Oronai King. During the war between Corgis and Pyliene the two cities on the island remained neutral, but when the Corgisians tried to invade neighbouring Tyria, the representatives of Calembria and Dymalia in a joined assembly voted to ally with the Pylienians and mustered a fleet that blockaded the Delta. When the Oronai king Archelaos V came personally with his army to the region in order to solve the dispute between the two cities once and for all, the Island of Ikos as well as the other two islands of the archipelago, submitted to Royal Authority. Ikosians played an important part in the 4th Sephenian war two centuries later when they repelled several Sephenian raids and later crossed the Thyssalis Sea to help the besieged cities of Stympone and their mother city, Prieneia. Centuries later the Ikosians also took part in the conquest of the Sephenian Empire by Magas the Great that saw thousands of Ikosians migrating to the newly conquered territories where they populated the many oronai colonies that appeared after the conflict. In the late 7th century AP severe droughts and years of famine led to many young Ikosians of military service age left their native island to seek a better life in the armies of the Oronai Kingdoms. Since then Ikosian skirmishers and archers can be found in the armies in the kingdoms of Brire, Steplia, Stormitia and Sylvania. In the 8th century AP both Calembria and Dymalia grew inside and were expanded by several Oronai Kings. The harbours of both cities were expanded and embellished (a monumental arch in the harbour of Dymalia was built with marble from quarries in the mainland, for example). This expansion was due to the increasing wealth because of the increasing trade with the Kingdom of the Green Elves and with Steplia and the Elvish-Oronai Kingdoms.Main cities and places of interest
As it has been said, the Island of Ikos has two main settlements, the cities of Calembria in the North and Dymalia in the South, both colonies of the city of Prieneia. Both cities possess important trading ports and dockyards for the Oronai Navy. Dymalia is the biggest of the two cities, located in a very fertile plain. The city contains multiple monuments, like a joint temple of Tyr and Godyna and its theatre dedicated to the later. Calembria on the other hand had a very famous port since almost the time of its foundation. In fact, it is the oldest of the two cities. It was a safe port for trading ships that crossed the Thyssalis Sea from north to south. The city was also home to an important library and an school of rhetoric and philosophy. But aside of the two main cities, the other great and famous building of the island is the temple of Van in the middle of the Akopis Mountains that is home to a very famous festival which brings together people from both cities, and where Games are held in honour of the God that include banquets and athletic competitions. The temple has thick porphyry columns and a a frieze depicting Van helping sailors reaching the island safely. The priests of the temple serve for a period of one year and are chosen from among the citizens of both cities on the island.Economy
The economy of the city is mainly focused on fishing, agriculture and trade. Wines from the island began to be exported to the former territories of the Sephenian Empire after the oronai conquests. but they're also very appreciated in the mainland, especially in the coastal cities of Lower Oronia. Also related to wine are the famous kylikes or drinking cups made of a special yellow clay that are famous through the Oronai world. Oranges from the region are also exported to all corners of the Thyssalis Sea. And it is said that every inhabitant of the island drinks at least one glass of orange juice a day. This fruit is also associated with the goddess Godyna as they symbolize sweetness and beauty, and, according to oronai mythology it was the goddess herself who planted the first orange tree in the island, and that those delicious fruits were supplied to the heroes fighting in the siege of Dorstulon during the time of the heroes. But another sweet food is produced in the island and widely exported (perhaps its Ikos's most famous export), honey. Not in vain, the emblems of Dymalia and Calembria are related to honey and nectar (the bee for Calembria and the Hummingbird for Dymalia). Honey is widely used in the civilized world to make food sweet and to prepare desserts. The areas close to the Akopis mountains are the main producers of honey, both in the western and the eastern sides of the chain. Each month, thousands of pots filled with honey cross the seas to make the world " a bit sweeter" as the locals funnily say. It is also said that the sweetness of honey is like the character of the inhabitants of the island: peaceful, open and welcoming to everyone that come to the island in peace.Symbols of Calembria (left) and Dymalia (right) by Callyxtus
Archer's island
Give a bow or a javelin to an Ikosian and he will conquer the worldIkos is renowned for its archers and skirmishers, renown across the Oronai world and beyond. Ikosian archers have their bows made of goat horns and, contrary to the archers of surrounding nations, like the elves to the south, they were the first ones to realized that wearing a helmet and light armour was something important on the battlefield. Ikosian archers also carried a smaller version of the hoplite shield as well as a sword. Ikosian youth specially from rural areas are also used to hunt deer and wild goats using javelins and slings, a very useful skill that allows them to shine once battle is called. Ikosians from middle and lower classes all are well trained in the use of these weapons while the upper classes of the city fight either as cavalrymen, or hoplites. This is due to a law made by the King of Oronia and approved by the joint assembly of the two cities of the island that required every commoner to be trained as an skirmisher and to join the call of the King if war was declared by or upon the Kingdom of Oronia.
Government
Due to their common origin, being founded by the same mother city, Prieneia , and the good relations between both settlements and its citizens, both cities conduct the exterior policy of the island, the relation with other Oronai cities and with the King, jointly. When messages for the King or other Oronai city arrive to the island that need to be discussed, each city sends 20 representatives that represent both the cities and the villages under their sphere of influence in the island, to the Sanctuary of the God Van, where they held the "Insular Assembly" on the hill west of the temple. But concerning issues related to the government and political life of each city, both Dymalia and Calembria are autonomous, having their own city councils like the rest of cities of the Oronai world. But another example of the good relations between the two main cities of the island , is the fact that their citizens have double citizenship, they are citizens of their respective city and honorary citizens of the other, this means they can settle in the other towns freely and once they do that, they become part of the political assembly of those cities and have the same rights as the citizens who were born at that city. Both Ikosian cities have also an special relation with their mother city, Prieneia, they sent envoys to this city of Upper Oronia to take part in the festivals in honour of the God Van, patron of the city and of the Ikos Island, symbolizing the bond between Prieneia and its colonies. Prieneians also sent ambassadors and athletes to the Games in honour of the god Van that are celebrated each summer on the island, in fact there is an old treaty signed in the late 4th century BP, engraved in stone next to the temple that reads :(...) And she shall not raise in arms against our mother city, we will receive their ambassadors as members of our family, our own kin, they shall suffer no harm, and we shall come to their aid in times of need, and their citizens would be free to travel across the island and settle here, for their blood is the same as ours, this we promise in front of our Lord the King, and being witnesses, the Gods in the Heavens and the ambassadors from the neighbouring islands and cities on the mainland (...)
Festival of Van
The main religious festival on the island, near the temple of the god of the sea, Van, this is the occasion where the inhabitants of the island celebrate their union and friendship but at the same one compete between them in the athletic competitions to see which one is the best. It is celebrated each summer during the final week of the 7th month of the year. The athletic competitions and the spirit of the games resemble the old The Davidovian Games. Not only the two main cities of the island sent athletes to the games, but also all the villages and towns of the island. Each one of these settlements send around 20 athletes for the event, competing to bring glory to their homes and to honour the God of water and the Sea who has made this island safe and prosperous! The main events of these games are the Armed race in the stadium south of the temple, archery and javelin throwing. The winners are offered a laurel crown and a coffer of gold coins, but most importantly, their names are engraved on the platform where the altar is located, where they will be remembered forever, and a bronze bust is placed on the avenue next to the stadium and another in their hometown. At the end of the game the traditional banquet is held where roast meat is distributed to the athletes and the public, coming from the animals offered as a sacrifice to the god for the prosperity and unity of this particular island society.
Alternative Name(s)
Island of Honey
Owning Organization
Mmm, honey and oranges. I bet they have some yummy desserts.
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