Mesollonia (pronounced mess-oh-LOW-nee-ah), once a base of high importance during the Zakynthian Crusade, now serves as an Iomedaen holy site and the location of her high clergy.
Geography, flora, and fauna
Mesollonia is one of the larger islands in the northern Sea of Ersas. Like many islands in the Ersas, it is quite pleasant, with sandy beaches and a temperate interior. The island rises to a peak in the middle, like many of the mountainous islands surrounding it.
The island enjoys a pleasant climate. Temperatures are generally mild throughout the year, though it does sometimes snow in the winter. The weather of Mesollonia can be rather variable - while often sunny for long stretches at a time, occasional storms bring heavy rainfalls and lightning.
The remaining forest cover of the island primarily consists of cypress, olive, and pine trees. These get more dense farther inland, alongside ground cover of shrubs, wildflowers, and wild berry bushes.
Animals native to the island include goats, cats, a unique species of pygmy elephants, and a large variety of birds, both migratory and permanent inhabitants. There are few notable magical beasts that reside on Mesollonia, besides those serving as familiars.
The island is hallowed ground and is kept quite safe. As a result, one can freely wander the island away from the Stronghold and not face any threats, barring accidents and the like.
History
Demonic invasion
Following the destruction of the Volaterraen era clock in Y5050, planar boundaries between the Material Plane and the Abyss intersected in eastern Thadria. This provided a means for creatures from either plane to pass into the other, something the demons of the Abyss began to do in great numbers. The city of Volaterrae, Tages, and Tarchon were quickly overrun before the demonic horde spread to much of modern-day Ertan and northwest Thadria.
Zakynthian Crusade
The Zakynthian Crusade was called in Y5051, an effort by the Iomadean clergy to counteract the demonic invasion. The Stronghold of the Light was quickly constructed on the formerly sparsely inhabited island of Mesollonia to serve as a base of operations and staging grounds for the crusaders arriving from across the world.
In Y5096 the Zakynthian Crusade was declared victorious as the last of the major planar rifts were sealed. Smaller rifts and some demons would exist for longer, and a small number even to present, though drastically reduced in threat. The Stronghold was maintained as a monument to those that fell in battle and as a holy site to Iomedae.
Demographics
The population of Mesollonia today is quite small, but includes individuals from across the world - many accomplished devotees of Iomedae relocate to the island, often later in their lives. As such, the racial demographics of the island is highly diverse, and include individuals of any number of races. The ages of the inhabitants of the island skew older - there are proportionally much fewer children and families than might be found elsewhere.
Culture
Religion
As might be expected, effectively all the inhabitants of Mesollonia are followers of Iomedae. The Stronghold of the Light is considered an important pilgrimage site for followers of the Lady of Valor, and especially for her paladins and warpriests.
In addition to private prayers, the inhabitants of the Stronghold attend regular church services and sermons on Sundays. Usually given by the Keeper of the Light, these sermons can often last for half a day or more. Religious services are usually held in Celestial.
Traditions
Special occasions on Mesollonia are almost always tied to important religious events. The week-long event of Armasse is observed beginning on the 16th of Irorus. Elsewhere, churches of Iomedae use this week to train commoners in martial techniques and ordain new clergy. Because there are few commoners on Mesollonia, and few people who are not already in the clergy either, this week is instead dedicated primarily to mastering martial pursuits and quiet contemplation of Iomedae’s holy texts.
18th Abadius and 9th Neth are both special occasions in Mesollonia, as they mark the days the Zakynthian Crusade ended and began, respectively. These days are marked with events to honor those that died in battle against the demons.
Fencing and swordsmanship practice are common activities on the island of Mesollonia. These are seen not only as recreational but also as devotional, and as a required activity to maintain one’s faith.
Languages
As a matter of practicality, the most used language on Mesollonia is Common - with inhabitants hailing from a variety of regions, it would be difficult to effectively communicate otherwise. However, visitors can expect to find people fluent in a number of languages, even if they don’t speak them regularly. Hellean and Thadrian are also often used in day to day conversations, though with less regularity than Common.
Occupations
The population of Mesollonia is quite low. Almost all the inhabitants are clergy of Iomedae, alongside a small number of commoners who work in maintaining the Stronghold and life on the island. Those not associated with the church mostly work on the docks or fields - all tasks within the Stronghold, even the most menial, are performed by members of the church. Besides members of the church with crafting skills, the island is not home to sufficient numbers of skilled craftspeople, and as a result is reliant on goods and services produced off-island.
Travel
Mesollonia sees a regular but slow trickle of immigrants, the vast majority of which are clergy of Iomedae. The population of the island is relatively stable, however.
All travel to and from the island is by way of the docks outside the Stronghold. Besides a handful of footpaths, there are no roads on the island besides those in town.
Architecture and urbanization
The Stronghold of the Light is the only major settlement on Mesollonia. The Stronghold itself, the castle, sits on a high point by the sea, overlooking the town where most of the island’s inhabitants live. Despite its age, the Stronghold has been carefully and dutifully maintained and is in excellent condition. Inside the Stronghold is a grand cathedral, living quarters for the Keeper of the Light and a handful of other important clergy members, military fortifications, and the tombs of the first faithful of Iomedae to fall in the crusade. Buildings in the town are mostly constructed of plastered and whitewashed stone, of the style common to Hellean island settlements.
The Stronghold is full of religious artwork of varying mediums, including paintings, engravings, decorative windows, and others.
Food and cuisine
The Stronghold’s inhabitants maintain small farms where they grow olives, wheat, grapes, fruits, and vegetables, as well as keep small herds of livestock. These are frequently insufficient to feed the population of the island, causing imports to be relied upon. The foods and farming practices of those living on Mesollonia are very similar to those of people residing on other Hellean islands.
Magic
Magical practitioners on Mesollonia include the majority of the island’s population. As they are clergy of Iomedae, this magic is usually divine in nature, though there are some that are capable of arcane magic as well.
Education
Education on Mesollonia is almost entirely religious in nature, and mostly given through sermons. Effectively the entire population of Mesollonia is literate, as that is required to read Iomedae’s holy texts.
Government
Mesollonia is effectively a sovereign state under the control of the church of Iomedae. The island is led by the Keeper of the Light, who is considered to be the highest mortal authority among Iomedae’s faithful. The Keeper of the Light is a position one holds for life, or until voluntary retirement, at which point the regional high clergy of Iomedae convene to elect a new Keeper. The Keeper both governs the day to day operations within the Stronghold of the Light as well as serves as a religious advisor to the high clergy of the Lady of Valor.
The current Keeper of the Light is Caria Trianus.
Though they generally have quite good relationships with their neighbors, Mesollonia maintains a strict policy of neutrality - while the devotees of Iomedae may choose to involve themselves in conflicts elsewhere, they do so with the understanding that Mesollonia will not intervene. Conversely, the island has an understanding with the regional churches of Iomedae that they will come to its assistance if the Stronghold is attacked - something that has not happened as of yet.
Though as devout followers of Iomedae this is a rare occurrence, any legal infractions by Iomedaens on Mesollonia are handled by the church. Foreigners or members of other faiths who step afoul of the law are returned to their place of origin.
Economy
Mesollonia produces very little that is not used directly by the Stronghold. The orchards and farms have little excess, and in fact often do not produce enough to feed the island’s inhabitants. Imports of food, raw materials, and finished goods are relied upon heavily. Funding to pay for these materials are acquired through donations from churches of Iomedae around the world.