The Island State of Néa Avgipolis

Known History

Dates will be recorded using NA - Néa Avgí, based on the Year in which New Dawn was founded

Founding of New Dawn (0 NA)

The Population of New Dawn has only settled this location for only a blink in the eye of history. Their people were driven from their lands by a catastrophe that happened even earlier. Living as Nomads for the better part of a century, they finally fled across the sea from the West.

While they managed to land on the greater continent, they struggled immensely to set a foothold down, the local fauna and flora things they had not needed to contend with near as much on their home continent. Their  outposts on the greater continent never amounted to much, so they focused more inwards to their island, gathering the Paliápétra, or ‘Old Stones’ that are scattered along the island, and used them as the building blocks of their new city.

Early Years (0-17 NA)

Much of the early years of New Dawn are a story of scraping by, and survival, making due with what was provided to them on the isle. As mentioned prior, building settlements on the mainland proved too difficult for the ramshackle assortment of refugees that came from the West. The attacks from hostile fauna, uncivilized humanoids, and the tribal elves of Truinnsear made all but simple scouting, or resource gathering trips hellish.

Much of the first three decades was dedicated to establishing the proper borders of the settlement of New Dawn. There were other populations on the isle, chiefly a smattering of goblinoid tribes, and a small tribe of Lizardfolk that frequented the northwestern coast. While the goblinoids were all but driven from the isle, an uneasy truce was met with the lizardfolk.

The Early years are ended, roughly coinciding with the completion of what is considered the Old City, around the Temple of Dawn, and the Hall of Council. The population mostly had permanent lodgings, and food was able to be stockpiled in greater amounts, that allowed for more than just a sustenance lifestyle.

Growth and Prosperity (18-162 NA)

The next several decades were ones of prosperity and growth for New Dawn. Slowly but surely they managed to conquer most of the island, driving the local goblinoid population to extinction on the surface. Trade started to grow more and more with the local lizardfolk tribes, their aide regarding knowledge of local flora and fauna invaluable for the Navigni

Stagnant Period

13 Year’s War

Still under consideration

Geography

The isle is just over 3500² Miles in area, separated from the mainland by around 10 miles at its closest point. On a clear day you can see the island from the Mainland, and barely make out the natural port where New Dawn is Located. It is much more easy to see during the night, thanks to the ‘Lights of Dawn’

The Southeastern Side of the island is at a much higher elevation than the northwestern side, the South east having Sea cliffs mostly, while it slopes out into rocky, then sandy beaches as you head Northwest. Middle of the Island is a mix of mountains and fertile, but narrow valleys

The island has a limited supply of fertile land, and New dawn has exploited it to near its Maximum. Trees are an uncommon sight on the island, many having been chopped down for more field lands. There are still groves which tended to bear valuable fruit and some other products. Most wood is imported from the mainland through expeditionary sources. 

Resources

Paliápétra 

The “Old Stones” that litter the island. Massive, ancient cut stones of varying sizes around the island, some still remaining in rough structures, others scattered and fallen. The smallest being around the size of a large Sheep, while the most massive being the size of a small house.

Whilst over the last three centuries or so of building their city of New Dawn has used up most of the easy to access stones, surveys of New Dawn say that they have only scratched the surface, and many more may be buried under thin layers of dirt, sand and loose stone, or be on the nearby sea floor. Enough to rebuild New Dawn twice over, if one could only reach them.

Ocean Resources

Unsurprisingly for an island, fishing is one of their largest sources of food, though there are many other resources gathered from the sea as well. 

Fish, lobster, crab and other mollusks, as well as some sea plants are harvested for food. 

Shellfish are also harvested alongside coral for jewelry crafting.

In the see there be monsters. Chief among them the Drákon. The Drákon are a very large source of resources for the people of New Dawn. Originally a complete terror to those who first sailed to the island centuries ago, with technology and tactics, came a way to reliably capture and kill these behemoth monsters of the sea.

The primary way of hunting Drákon, often involves luring them in from the more open ocean, to shallower waters. Inlets around the island, both natural and artificial are used to ‘cage in’ the creatures, allowing ship’s to more easily surround and kill the great beasts. Using strengthened ropes lashed to great harpoons on land, they have even managed to occasionally drag the ocean beasts up on land where it’s mobility means nothing.

Drákon are harvested for near every part. Meat is eaten, the scales and chitin are made into armors, claws and teeth made into weapons, and bones are used in construction.

One of the most valuable parts of the Drákon, is the Oil one can harvest from it. Other sea creatures have this oil, but the amount that can be harvested from a Drákon makes it the most reliable source. See ‘Kaí’túvlo’.

Agriculture

The land immediately around the city of New Dawn is not particularly arable, and quite rocky. Much of the original tree cover on the island has been removed as well due to initial over-harvesting of trees, to try and create more farmland.

Much of the arable land lays along the rivers and streams coming from the mountains. The larger tracts of land are used as a mix of grazing pasture, and for the growth of grains. Smaller plots are used for the growth of vegetables, with a priority of yield amount over variety. 

Some of the most important plots are those of the fruit bearing trees, as years of time and effort must go into them, and even the guidance of magic can only help so much for their growth. The Babau Palm is also a keystone crop upon the island, and are fundamental in the creation of Burn Bricks.

Livestock

The ability to keep livestock on the island is limited, due to there only being so much grazing land. Almost all their livestock they keep are animals they brought with them when they fled their western homeland, but some new creatures have entered the fold over the last 3 centuries

Goats and sheep are among the primary livestock, chiefly raised for their Fleece and Milk, only butchered once they have had a reasonable lifetime of production.

Domestic fowl are raised for their meat and eggs.

There has been some success in the creation of Fish farms in larger bodies of water around the island, though this is still outstripped by the Fishing industry.

The strangest of the livestock are what are locally known as Sávran by the locals. The reptiles are descended from the wild local stock of monitor lizards. Originally eaten centuries back as a last resort so they would not eat all their limited livestock, they have become an integral part of most meals for the Navigni. These creatures have been raised into two types.

Fa’vran (Farm Sávran) 

These ones feed primarily on vegetable matter supplemented with fish diet, raised for their meat, skin, and other butchery resources, in addition to their eggs. These range from 5-6 foot long, and weigh 150-200 lbs. Their scaly skin is often a uniform grey, though more brown or black strains are raised as well. 

Its meat is described, ‘like that of Poultry that has a hint of the sea, with a somewhat chewy texture.’ The meat is rarely ate in large chunks due to this ’chewy’ nature, and thus is often shredded to be added to mixtures of grains and veggies.

The’vran (Thekret’s Sávran)

These Sávran started from a strain raised by Thekret, an eccentric half-elven wizard who lived away from the City, and often made long trips to the mainland. Curious to see if there was a connection between the Sávran of the island and the much more variant reptilian beasts found on the mainland. Two decades after Thekret’s last trip to the mainland, and everyone in New Dawn thought him dead, he returned. Upon his boat were a variety of wondrous reptilian creatures, all descendants of the original Fa’vran, bred in experiments with the Continental fauna.

These reptiles vary in size from small breeds barely a foot long often kept as pets, to the enormously long ones, stretching upwards of 25 feet in length, used as beasts of burden and guard beasts. Their scale density, colour, and even things like horns, frills, and feathers can all vary as well depending on the breed. Breeding The’vran has become a lucrative profession. 

The City

"Néa Avgipolis"

Built upon the ruins of an island simply called "Paliápétra", or "Old Stones". The exact creators of this place are unknown, but this ancient settlement, built partially into the Ocean cliff, with a massive natural harbor, was a godsend for the Navigni. Many of the Buildings had started to wear away and topple, but enough remained for the people to properly set up a life here, and over the decades, they slowly managed to rebuild using the massive cut stones. They started with a simple wall on the one side, to make certain their city would be safe from intrusion, but as their safety on this island became more assured, they began making larger and larger structures, doing delicate chiseling to mold them into beautiful building fronts and towering statues.

The city is currently home to around 40,000 citizens, which is lower than at its height, but has remained a fairly stable population for many decades. 

The Lights of Dawn

Around the city, one can find several lighthouses set up. These lighthouses even extend to several points along the island, as guiding beacons for the ships that ply the waters for fish. However these places serve more purpose. They are both shrines, and defenses. Each of the Lighthouses is manned by an appointed priest, attended by lesser clerics, or the occasional divinely appointed mage. 

When danger nears, from these lighthouses shine the ‘Light of Dawn’, said to be able to sear at those that threaten the people of New Dawn, from great distances. At Night, these Lighthouses are bright enough to be easily seen from the coast of the mainland.

Demographics

"Navigni"

Originally, they were called "Navigare" or 'Those who travelled'. Their origins are a bit misty, like many of those from that tumultuous time in the past. Over the generations, this word got slowly bastardized with the name of their new city state.

Its rough meaning now, by their reckoning at least, is "Those seeking the Dawn". They are chiefly of human stock, with a sizable halfling population among them, all from their distant western homeland.

“Klimákthropoi”

The name that the Navigni gave the Lizardfolk, roughly translating to ‘Scaled Folk’. Often shortened to simply ‘Klimák’. One of the original inhabitants of the island which New Dawn is seated. The original tribes of these folk were found chiefly along the Northwestern beach coasts of the island. The scale patterns and colourations of these lizardfolk vary greatly, though there is a unifying feature among them, that being around the head, neck, or shoulders, they bear a striking patch or band or yellow to orange scales. These scales are considered the pride of the Klimák, using oils and such to keep them polished and gleaming. This, may in part be what allowed them to integrate so well despite their starkly different culture, as the Priests of new dawn, saw these 

Cragscale

Named not for their actual scale colour or texture, but for their adept climbing ability, surprisingly well suited for the warm to cool mountains and valleys across the island. They have a heartier physique, and are physically stronger than the average lizardfolk, with their scale’s tending towards tones of grey with green.

Marshwalker

A strain of lizardfolk that actually comes from the mainland, but was quickly integrated into the populace of New Dawn after discovery. These stealthy swamp dwellers were indispensable in the 13 years war.

The Faiths

New dawn Follow many of the Gods of their old continent still, but put a particular preference in those that represent the sun and the dawn especially. The dawn is a symbol of new birth and strength of will over adversity of the ‘dark times’.

Klimák Pantheon

The Klimák of New Dawn follow a much more Animistic faith than the Navigni. The only consistent deities among the Lizardfolk are Semuayna, and Quekalla, who are seen as the Progenitor Deities of the race. Elsewise, Lizardfolk faith is more one of venerating spirits of the land and its beasts, following a plethora of minor gods representing these aspects of the world.

(Work in some Syncretism with New Dawn’s Deities. Mention the Night Serpent.)