Ismon (IS mon)

the Island Dwellers

An ismon is a Human that originated out of the Western Reach of Ethae (Anbar) sometime in the mythical past when the great forest Karasaanu covered the west. The people dwelt around the edges of the Elf forest. Ismon cultures of the ancient world were some of the most advanced of their time. While the Normon and Somon people were still living hunter-gatherer lifestyles, the ismon of Anbar lived on par with the elves in cultural development. It is these cultures that migrated across the islands of the Cota Ocean, colonizing many.

In the modern day the ismon are some of the most diverse people of Aldern. While many of these people, such as the cultures in the Craddle Valley, remain as they always have, those that spread western and in the Cota Ocean have transformed into their own people. Often this is due to encounters with other people, such as the dagmon of Dergonhad, or ages of isolations on remote islands.

A heavily debated topic among theJenuwan Order is if the Boon people of Na Boon should be categorized into the ismon ethnic group, or if a new 'mon' category should rise. For now, the categories remain, though many point out the concept is obsolete in the modern day. As such the Boon and their subcultures remain under the ismon ethnic group.

The Ismon skin tones ranging from a light olive to a dusky brown. Hair color vary depending of the region, while almost always black, darker shades of brown can be found among the population of many of the small southern island of Cota. Eye colors beyond brown, while not unheard of, are considered exotic and a sign of blessed beauty. These colors usually result in a mixed heritage family bloodline.