The settlement of New Arba is a small frontier settlement on the island of Kvult. Established by Arbos worshippers seeking refuge following the Night of Red Leaves, the settlement has evolved into a haven for refugees of all kinds.
History
On the night of 14 Octral, 5E 71, the town of Hallowside erupted in chaos. The town's xenophobic leader, Vaermosse Oridove, had incited a riot that saw thousands killed or displaced, in an event that would come to be known as The Night of Red Leaves. Among the escapees was an orc man named Leoren Cassius, a former member of the D'Nalsi Empire's Red Crest. He had grown up alongside Vaermosse's rise to power, and had witnessed firsthand the town's downward spiral into isolation. Leoren had hoped that Imperial intervention could help undo the damage its new leadership had caused, but in the aftermath of the War of 46 Days, it was clear that any further intervention would be fruitless. In the end, he was forced to give up on the town that had been his home, but he refused to abandon those who were cast out alongside him.
During his time in the Red Crest, he had learned of an island far to the north known as Kvult. During the First Era War, the island had been corrupted by Glimmerhall sorcerers in a campaign against the native orcish population. Leoren had felt a strong connection to the island and its history, and believed the survivors could start a new life there. At night, he saw visions of the land, brimming with life and free of the pain that they had suffered. Despite the warnings from sailors telling of a dead island, Leoren and his followers were determined to reach the island at any cost. Those that ferried them refused payment, an act of generosity that Leoren promised to repay in kind.
When they arrived on the island, they found a mostly barren landscape, save for a single tree. The tree bore a handful of apples, but the surviving settlers were able to cultivate what little they had been given into a flourishing harvest. Leoren believed the tree was a sign that Arbos had blessed the survivors in their pilgrimage. The settlers named their home New Arba, in honor of their god.
By 5E 244, the settlement of New Arba had grown substantially, with a handful of additional settlements taking root across the island's southern shores. Despite their initial success at cultivating the land, the corruption prevented the colony from proplery flourishing. The nearby Sestarian Union sent delegates to New Arba, in the hopes of forging an alliance. The Union had hoped to expand onto the island, but did not want to forcibly lay claim over territory that was already colonized. The settlement's minister, Loughlin Cassius, was encouraged by their advisors to accept, though they only did so on the condition that New Arba would remain neutral in matters of war. The Union's leaders agreed, and together, they established the nation of Verdancy.
