Aivolos, Kankou
"Από τις στάχτες. Γίναμε ανθεκτικοί, γίναμε δυνατοί και υπερηφάνεια." | "From the Ashes we grew Resilient, we grew Strong, and we grew Pride."
Aivolos is one of the Sovereign State of Kankou's smallest states, consisting of one primary settlement spread out over the coastal portion of the region and three main islands, all close enough together and with enough smaller islands between them to be easily traversed by small boats and ships alike. The settlement appears as many close-together limestone buildings with colorful rooftops and carved windows, mostly all of the same stone but accented with crafted cypress, fir, or redwood. Aivolos is a rustic port settlement with a rich history and bustling, diverse aura due to the many merchants, sailors, pirates, and travelers that come and go from many places near and far.
Though it is consistently kept as well as possible as to make sure the port is as successful as possible for economically important Kankoan imports and exports, the government of the country does not reserve much to any funding for the settlement and it is primarily expected to function on it's own– in a sense, there is an unspoken agreement that Aivolos' native culture, kept by the settlement's damaged, yet resilient native population, can generally exist without as much fear of being wiped out, acting as somewhat of a stronghold, so long as the port doesn't cease it's trade, taxes and resources are taken as the government requests, and the people of the settlement stay subservient with little to no funding they get. As such, the area is charming, yet below the surface, for residents of the area rather than temporary visitors, resources are tight, poverty is more common than not, and crime or rougher trades are no stranger to the streets. Gambling and street fighting, for example, are a common practice amongst visitors and locals alike. Aivolos' basic establishments, such as hospitals, orphanages, banks, jails, and schools are either very disorganized and underfunded or simply nonexistent. Proper schooling is very uncommon and instead communities or families educate their children to thee amount and specification they find necessary– the son of a carpenter, for example, would likely be primarily taught in that craft with little room for anything not applicable to the craft. Most young people have to learn the ways of the ocean, sailing, fishing, navigating, and so on, but other than that nothing is truly standardized.
The settlement of Aivolos has a long and rich history dating back millennia, far before the colonization and takeover of what is now known as Kankou. The native people of Aivolos, and Kankou as a whole, are known as Native Kankoans and appear as primarily tieflings, however some are an area-specific form of half-tielfing or human variant with lineage of intermixing. The natives of Aivolos are more present in their region and more maintaining of their cultural traditions than any other state with the exception of Okeanós Vounó, which is historically suggested to be a branch of the same ancient civilization. At the center of the islands that make up Aivolos is an ancient volcanic island known by the name of the ancient civilization of the natives that once stemmed from that central point, Théra. This island is said to have once been the center of a great society and thalassic power of tieflings, the ancestors of the current native residents of Aivolos. The crescent island, now abandoned completely, was said to have taken out the civilization by way of a volcanic disaster that caused the main islands that exist in the area today to be and any left remaining to be evacuated to. It is unknown if the volcano is still active or not and the details of the eruption, as well as much about the civilization outside some rare passed-down accounts from old Aivolos families, erased much of the Theran legacy and knowledge. Mostly, culture is what still remains, traditions of the native people being passed down and maintained and a specific unique temperament and set of ideals still existing in the community.
The residents of Aivolos tend to be prideful, resilient, festive, and communal. They tend to value community over bloodline, and it can be assumed that the reason they've fought and held off being wiped out by the Kankoan genocide in the last century is this sense of close community, their strong, tough willpower and being no strangers to fighting, and their pride and spirits kept up by festivals, traditions of celebration, and creative outlets. The residents are generally regarded by travellers as welcoming and warm, but bold and fearless– they're known pretty well to not be the kind of people you'd want to get into a fight with.
Though it is consistently kept as well as possible as to make sure the port is as successful as possible for economically important Kankoan imports and exports, the government of the country does not reserve much to any funding for the settlement and it is primarily expected to function on it's own– in a sense, there is an unspoken agreement that Aivolos' native culture, kept by the settlement's damaged, yet resilient native population, can generally exist without as much fear of being wiped out, acting as somewhat of a stronghold, so long as the port doesn't cease it's trade, taxes and resources are taken as the government requests, and the people of the settlement stay subservient with little to no funding they get. As such, the area is charming, yet below the surface, for residents of the area rather than temporary visitors, resources are tight, poverty is more common than not, and crime or rougher trades are no stranger to the streets. Gambling and street fighting, for example, are a common practice amongst visitors and locals alike. Aivolos' basic establishments, such as hospitals, orphanages, banks, jails, and schools are either very disorganized and underfunded or simply nonexistent. Proper schooling is very uncommon and instead communities or families educate their children to thee amount and specification they find necessary– the son of a carpenter, for example, would likely be primarily taught in that craft with little room for anything not applicable to the craft. Most young people have to learn the ways of the ocean, sailing, fishing, navigating, and so on, but other than that nothing is truly standardized.
The settlement of Aivolos has a long and rich history dating back millennia, far before the colonization and takeover of what is now known as Kankou. The native people of Aivolos, and Kankou as a whole, are known as Native Kankoans and appear as primarily tieflings, however some are an area-specific form of half-tielfing or human variant with lineage of intermixing. The natives of Aivolos are more present in their region and more maintaining of their cultural traditions than any other state with the exception of Okeanós Vounó, which is historically suggested to be a branch of the same ancient civilization. At the center of the islands that make up Aivolos is an ancient volcanic island known by the name of the ancient civilization of the natives that once stemmed from that central point, Théra. This island is said to have once been the center of a great society and thalassic power of tieflings, the ancestors of the current native residents of Aivolos. The crescent island, now abandoned completely, was said to have taken out the civilization by way of a volcanic disaster that caused the main islands that exist in the area today to be and any left remaining to be evacuated to. It is unknown if the volcano is still active or not and the details of the eruption, as well as much about the civilization outside some rare passed-down accounts from old Aivolos families, erased much of the Theran legacy and knowledge. Mostly, culture is what still remains, traditions of the native people being passed down and maintained and a specific unique temperament and set of ideals still existing in the community.
The residents of Aivolos tend to be prideful, resilient, festive, and communal. They tend to value community over bloodline, and it can be assumed that the reason they've fought and held off being wiped out by the Kankoan genocide in the last century is this sense of close community, their strong, tough willpower and being no strangers to fighting, and their pride and spirits kept up by festivals, traditions of celebration, and creative outlets. The residents are generally regarded by travellers as welcoming and warm, but bold and fearless– they're known pretty well to not be the kind of people you'd want to get into a fight with.
Demographics
Major Ethnicity Percentages
| Ethnicity | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Native Kankoan Tiefling | 18% |
| Native Kankoan Half-Tiefling | 18% |
| Native Kankoan Variant Human | 28% |
| Colonial Kankoan Human/Variant | 10% |
| West Kankoan Half-Sea Elf | 6% |
Minor Ethnicity Percentages
| Ethnicity | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Luquoian/Ybeli Human | 5% |
| Duul'so Drow | 5% |
| Ybeli Moon Elf | 4% |
| Elmsbraean Lineage Elf (Ybeli, Luquoian) | 2% |
| Various Half-Elves | 4% |
Government
Aivolos is under the control of the Sovereign State of Kankou and as such all major laws and orders come out of the Kankoan government, as well as taxes and resources being required to be given to said government. There isn't any force that controls crime very solidly in Aivolos, but the most present force would likely be credited to the Aspída Lodge rather than the government's Royal Marines. The economy and all essential functions of the settlement is almost completely grounded in the residents and their trades.
Infrastructure
The settlement consists of limestone buildings, small residential houses and villas, shoppes, and larger buildings that function as boathouses, community plazas, and the occasional rudimentary hospital, orphanage, or multi-family residence. The buildings tend to be of a thick, recognizable, unique white limestone commonly with more colorful rooftops in schemes according to the island, with accents of carved cypress, fir, or redwood. The buildings tend to be older, some centuries old, but due to their sturdy foundations build to withstand tropical storms and occasional earthquakes they are typically sound and sturdy despite the lack of funding towards infrastructure. The buildings are usually close together on the main islands surrounding the ports or plazas, connected by limestone pathways and natural smooth stone structures. There are no proper roads, as the civilization is an archipelago and relies on boats to go from island to island or to other parts of the area in general. There are occasional walking bridges that connect to the aforementioned paths, made of either the same limestone or thicker slabs of wood.
The ports connect to the area's many coves and many piers exist to dock, load, unload, and anchor ships. Ships and boats owned by residents are commonly kept in separate, less commercial locations when not in immediate use, such as in small inlets nearer to the resident's home, in home-made enclosures in the sides of cliffs or between rock formations, or in natural cave-like formations carved out by the sea in cliffsides, rock formations, inlets, and so on.
The ports connect to the area's many coves and many piers exist to dock, load, unload, and anchor ships. Ships and boats owned by residents are commonly kept in separate, less commercial locations when not in immediate use, such as in small inlets nearer to the resident's home, in home-made enclosures in the sides of cliffs or between rock formations, or in natural cave-like formations carved out by the sea in cliffsides, rock formations, inlets, and so on.
Assets
The most prominent feature of Aivolos is it's many ships and sea-based vehicles and structures. As such, it's a fantastic place for fishing gear, stocking up on sailing materials, and essentially any kind of sea-based goods imaginable. There are many small shoppes, merchant stands, and artisans around the settlement but none are very large and most are family/solely owned or very small in their staff. Aivolos does not boast many things commonly considered as "valuables", as the residents tend to live very day-to-day and most things of significant value would be in the possession of the government.
Geography
An archipelago in a circular/crescent shape surrounding a central (presumed dormant) volcanic island. The isles are primarily made of limestone and have many smoothed rock formations of this material. The larger islands have over time have developed a unique ecology with some trees/forestry, such as cypress and some redwood in the north, and some room for herding animals such as sheep on the larger hills and clifftops. The mainland part of Aivolos has a more prevalent forest in the north and in parts to the east, somewhat resemblant of Thalassia in Kípoli but far less tamed and with more wildlife and game, such as wolves, deer, and foxes. The ocean that holds the settlement is tropical in nature to the south especially and generally boasts a beautiful clarity and aquamarine color. The central isle of Théra is somewhat bizarre in it's formation due to the ancient erruption leaving a large crater upon it's main mountaintop and leaving behind unique volcanic rock and ash in it's wake– some of the beaches on this isle, for example, have a bizarre black sand made from shattered, smoothed obsidian. It is said that the center of the crater is an enormous plate of pure smooth obsidian, however the validity of this is unknown due to how little the island has been traversed due to being considered by many as cursed.
Natural Resources
- Fish
- Crustaceans, Shrimp, Squid, etc.
- Limestone
- Obsidian
- Sand/Glass
- Cypress
- Redwood (north/east)
- Sheep
- Pearls/Abelone
- Game (primarily mainland)
Alternative Name(s)
Isles of Théra
Type
National Territory
Population
≈ 12,000 (residents only; not including temporary inhabitants)
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Théran | Aivolán
Owning Organization
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments