The Discovery of Anscha

About 70 years ago, a cargo vessel belonging to the Eastern Atmoran Slaving fleet was blown far off course by an unforeseen storm, resulting in the fortuitous and accidental discovery of an uncharted island approximately a quarter of the size of Visland hold in a hitherto unexplored region of the northeastern Xataxic Ocean. This island was but one of several islands, which would later be called the Anscha islands (Anscha means “pearl”), that were considered anomalous by the ships navigational crews due to apparently being of tropical-temperate climates despite their northern latitude. Early observations of the islands indicated they may be rich in ores and minerals due to several geological indicators including the heavy presence of nearby volcanic activity, a survey of the general surroundings of the first island indicated it was the third largest among a cluster of about a dozen or so islands. Relatively early on it was confirmed that the islands were not only inhabited but relatively well populated by numerous native tribes. Contact was not made during this time, a rudimentary chart was made of the area and detailed logs were taken before the fleet charted a course back to the Atmoran coast to reveal its discovery. Immediately after making port in (city south of ayersbruk), Senator Kilvan was notified directly of her fleets journey and subsequent findings via a trusted courier. She hastily convened a meeting of the more influential members of the Atmoran Trade Syndicate and discussions began with regard to the likelihood and potential profitability of further expeditions to the newly discovered island system. An expeditionary fleet consisting of several East Atmoran Shipping company vessels set sail for the island, the intent being to make contact and trade with the locals while formulating a thorough assessment of the potential value of the islands and their resources. Shortly after the first landfall, contact was made between several fleet translators and the locals. After numerous failed attempts at verbal communication via dialects of Zariman, Estaran, and Atmoran, a signal based method of communication was established in the short term. The locals were described as being shorter on average than the crew, with darker skin ranging in tone from olive to light brown. Variance in hair color was reportedly non-existent amongst the islanders, all had dark black hair. Technology appeared highly varied by locality with most being somewhere between the late Stone Age and middle Bronze Age. A number of tribal factions held varying degrees of power in the islands and only a couple of them welcomed the explorers. These tribal factions were generally ruled by smaller tribes of nobility referred to as “Wahlu” or “Houses” (the translation of Wahlu to “House” or “Houses” is considered to be the most adequate translation possible in that Wahlu refers to a structure which is familial in nature, referring more to a social structure rather than a physical one), these tribes typically consisted of one or two families wherein titles were bestowed to a select few promising individuals each generation.

The tribe which held the most influence and controlled the greater portion of the primary island, called Iba’ahntur by the natives, summarily refused to communicate with or otherwise accomodate the presence of the explorers. This tribe which was called the “Mist Demon Tribe” was ruled by an especially powerful wahlu known as “The House of the Eternal Paragons” or the “Kayyi Adannu sa Wahlu”, literally meaning “The House of the Immortal Perfects”. The translators further clarified that the word “immortal” was used here by the natives to indicate the belief that the reign of The House of the Perfects was without end, not to suppose the actual members of the House to be actually immortal. Trade went well with the natives for a short while, steel implements were quite popular with the natives who gladly traded pearls and silks for them. After little more than a few months amongst the more hospitable tribes of southern Iba’ Ahntur, the House of the Paragons openly declared the the explorers to be “Sakaji” which in context translates as “bloodsucking sneakthieves” but is also their name for a grub-like parasite which feeds on blood. This outright denunciation of atmoran explorers rapidly broke most lines of communication and trade with the natives, with any contact on the mainland rapidly devolving into wholesale **** which claimed more than a few Atmoran lives. Only a few outer fringe tribes on other islands would tolerate the expeditionary forces afterward. One tribe, “The Red Fin Tribe”, seemed most eager to communicate with the expeditionary forces. This tribe was predominantly female which aided cooperation immensely, talks with this tribe revealed that a major contributing factor to the House of the Paragons influence over the region was their possession of an artifact of deep religious significance. The artifact is, according to the histories, a weapon of immense power retrieved from the underworld in ages past by a deity called “Ahntur”, the Chief deity of a small pantheon of local gods and protector of the main island. The Red Fin tribe also indicated that it did not worship this particular deity but rather a newer and more obscure oceanic deity“Saksaya”, and therefore that they owed no religious fealty to the Mist Demon Tribe of Iba’ Ahntur. Lines of questioning about the artifact and it’s non-religious significance yielded only a few irrelevant answers. Most available information on the artifact was steeped in religion and mysticism.

According to the legend, many generations ago a man by the name of Tarudesh fought in a Great War among the tribes. In those days there were many different tribes on Iba’ Ahntur, and the island was still very much unexplored. It is unclear how the war began but what is certain is that it was a war without mercy. Each tribe committed atrocities against one another and tribes from other islands began to make war with the tribes of Iba' Ahntur. These horrors troubled Tarudesh deeply and pained him greatly, for he was a warrior of noble character. After many long years of war Tarudesh lost faith in the judgement of his tribe and in the goodness of all men. He left his tribe under pain of **** and became a renegade warrior who refused allegiance to any tribe or wahlu thereafter, he was hunted by most tribes including his own and cursed by others as a coward. He wandered the great island alone, defeating those who chased him and searching endlessly for a place in which he might find peace. After wandering far into the winding mountain forests of the islands interior he reached an opening at the base of Mt. Wahziri, from there he descended into the mountains heart and wandered the underworld for a time. After three days in the caverns he returned to the surface carrying with him the artifact, a means by which he might bring the peace he sought. Thenceforth he chose the name Ahntur and he returned to the exterior of the island and single-handedly made war upon the great tribes of the land such that none could withstand him. The legends say that he called forth a dark fire from the underworld to smite his enemies and sunder their armies, even the bravest of men soon fled before him in fear of his godlike power. The many tribes who were overcome by him became one new tribe, The Mist Demon Tribe. Before long the other tribes either declared allegiance or surrender. Of the twenty eight major tribes that once existed only eleven survived the conflict, five of that number were absorbed by other tribes soon after leaving only six original tribes in addition to the new Mist Demon Tribe. Of the six ancient tribes, The Storm Wind Tribe, The Brazen Sun Tribe, The Tiger Wasp Tribe, and The Sand Snake Tribe swore alliance to Ahntur. Only the Grey Hand Tribe and the Tribe of the Hidden Shrine remained independent of Ahntur's rule, The Red Fin Tribe having emerged later from The Grey Hand Tribe.

Mentions of the “Underworld” led the translators to ask for further explanation, which led to the understanding that the word actually referred to the extensive cave systems underneath several of the primary islands. It was decided at some point that in order to further investigate the islands, and to ascertain their worth therefore, the explorers would have to gain access to these caves. To do this it became necessary to win the allegiance and compliance of the Red Fin Tribe. In order accomplish this goal the heads of the expedition arranged to meet several members of the tribes wahlu, “The House of Dreaming Oracles”. Many strange ceremonies and rituals were required in order to gain acceptance from the House of Dreaming Oracles, many of which required human sacrifice. Through bloodletting rituals acceptance into the tribe could be attained, but the blessing of Saksaya, and therefore the wahlu of the tribe, required male sacrifice by trepanation. Amongst the tribe every firstborn son was sacrificed to the deity, in a ritual held once every year. After the explorers agreed to sacrifice one of their male slaves to appease Saksaya, it was agreed that the tribe would allow the explorers to document the caverns on their part of the island. After the **** was delivered for sacrifice to the House of Dreaming Oracles, several skilled guides led a group of explorers “chosen by Saksaya” to several sizable caverns a good distance into the islands interior. The presence of both precious and semi-precious minerals and ores of numerous types was confirmed, and detailed logs were taken. The explorers spent a few years mapping the northern part of the island, among the valuable materials found in abundance were garnets, emeralds, tin ore, copper ore, calcite, exceptionally large pearls from an incredibly large indigenous species of clam, and an especially beautiful variety of jade. Regardless, the explorers failed to find any gold or silver there despite the presence of numerous favorable geological indicators. When the explorers expressed their collective disappointment at the distinct lack of gold and silver on the island the allied tribe firmly insisted upon the presence of precious gemstones and metals being more plentiful and various on the main island. By this time the expeditionary forces were quite understandably disillusioned with the idea of continuing their journey unnecessarily without substantial reason for doing so, and considering the likelihood of casualties if the expedition returned to Iba’ Ahntur it was decided that they would not idly trespass on the primary island. Instead the explorers bargained for proof, offering sacrifices if the tribesman could bring them samples of gold and silver from the mainland. The wahlu eagerly agreed to the proposal and sent outrigger canoes of their own with about two dozen female warriors to raid Iba’ Ahntur. This was a bold move which shocked the explorers, as the general consensus by other tribes thus far has been that the Mist Demon tribe was a **** not to be trifled with.

In a surprisingly short time the raiders returned bearing with them gold, silver and raw diamonds. The fact that any raiders returned with their lives at all was surprising to a good portion of the expeditionary ****, but to have returned with any spoils at all seemed a sizable victory. Though cast crudely, the ingots of gold and silver were of exceptional purity, in truth finer gold could scarcely be found anywhere. The potential of this find was immense, if properly exploited, mining operations on this island chain had the potential to break the Northern Mining Conglomerate’s near complete control of the mining industry thereby shifting more power in favor of the Atmoran Trade Syndicate. Not only did this discovery present a possible chance for a shift in economic and therefore political power in Atmor, the human and natural resources of the Anscha islands could even be able to elevate the economic influence of Atmor significantly on an international scale. Several male ****-laborers were hurriedly exchanged for the spoils of the Red Fin tribe’s daring raid, and all remaining personnel returned to Atmor immediately.