HISTORY

Earliest human arrivals to this island were Mantaten hunter-gatherers fleeing the Sapoy migrations (ca. 10,000 years ago). It appears that they crossed the Mendosia Straits over a period of years, and in each case found the passage easy and enjoyable, leading perhaps to their ongoing affinity for water in all forms.

Once on the island they were relatively unaffected for many years by the increasingly bitter and bloody battles between the Mantaten and Sapoy races. Even during the Mantaten’s darkest hours they were afflicted only by an occasional slave raid or assault on a town for food or treasure. And then, as the tides turned in the war they were again ignored for the most part, except for visits from Lysturgian missionaries who eventually converted the entire population. So it was that the Mantaten tribespeople of Mendosia were relatively free to develop their own culture and ways unaffected by most of the mainland. The missionaries also gave the tribespeople a written script for their spoken tongue.

Mendosia offered limited resources of silver, copper and iron, but ample lumber and easy access to very rich fishing: the seabeds to the north, east and west of the island. However, the storms that violently erupt throughout the year (from the north in winter and the south-east in the rainy summer months) test the mettle of all who ply these seas. So it was that even in the Golden Years (ca. 4600 years ago) the inhabitants of Mendosia and northern Zakhara were noted for their prowess on the seas, and they were called the Sulosian Windriders. The city of Yanil in eastern Mendosia was a major port, and noted as one of the most beautiful cities in all of Trishore.

Just as their isolation had spared them from the worst of the Ylthic plagues, so too did it limit the effects of the wars that preceded Firefall, and that of Firefall itself. Although crop failures, diseases, terrible storms and other horrible disasters befell the inhabitants of the island, they were at least spared the total devistation that was wreaked upon much of the mainland.

Firefall and the subsequent centuries of hardship did have lasting effected never-the-less. Most coastal towns, including Yanil, were left high above and far inland from the new shores, and all contact was lost with the western “provinces” of the Sulosian Windriders in northern Zakhara (who rapidly reverted to barbarism). In effect, similar to he mainland, civilisation was lost.

Through the Grey Years, the Long Night, the Dry Years and the Race War Slaughter it appears that the Mendosians lived a simple, peaceful life with little interest in the outside world. Certainly they have no recorded interaction with any of the empires and states that rose and fell over the near 3000 years between the Elemental Wars and Firefall. However, in the late spring of 2822 Mendosian villages were beset by an evil menace that had never seen before: Mind Flayers. Seeking for help, some of their sailing ships were eventually able to contact the Talossian Union. The Union was impressed by the Mendosian ships, and sympathetic to their plight, but unable to offer any significant aid, stretched the limit as they already were. In fact, only a few decades later all contact was again lost with the Mendosian’s contacts on the mainland. Mendosian records show that the battles of the Elemental Wars were close fought and costly, but they too survived until the Midnight Sun. Whatever the outcome however, the mainland had been reminded of Mendosia, and life on the island would never be the same again.

In the exhausted peace that followed the Elemental Wars, most races and peoples turned inwards and licked their wounds for a while, regaining strength and numbers. However, in Mendosia, Ederwin of Thekhos was born [3052, died 3121] during this lull. A priest in the service of Lysturge (he died as the Legate in Mendosia), and the child of a modest but large fishing family, he recognised that Mendosia’s long years of isolation (albeit from chance as much as planning) were now over. While the Mendosians had no territorial aspirations (like their earliest Mantaten forebearers), he knew that others might. More importantly, the Elemental Wars had shown that only by working with others could enough knowledge be collected to defend against foes like the Mind Flayers. Thus, rather than looking inwards Ederwin and other like-minded leaders began to plan for the future. They encouraged the further development of their world-class ships, and promoted a vigorous and strong mercantile fleet. They leveraged the skilled fishers and sailors that already existed, and trained them be even better. They founded a system of rulership linking the church with the most gifted and intelligent lay-people in the land.

The gift of Ederwin of Thekhos was to lay the foundation of the Seaholders realm.

GOVERNANCE

The Lysturgian priesthood sponsors annual "Imloss" (examinations) for all interested candidates. Those with the highest marks receive extra training with an eye towards having them enter the government or as a bureaucrat, or advancing further in it. As egalitarian as this sounds, in practice it has not quite worked out as planned. Those already with wealth or means often receive coaching, and lower-class entrants are frowned upon as "over-reaching" themselves. Thus, literacy rates and change within the hierarchy is low despite the Imloss opportunity for all.

There is a ruling council of six bureaucrats with the highest Imloss scores. These ultimate leaders write the test every 3 years, but since their departments write the test, it is only rarely that one of the incumbants does not get the highest mark. These six leaders have final authority in all issues, but in cases of split decisions the Lysturgian Legate has the final "tie-breaking" vote. The ruling council members may worship any Lysturgian mythos deity, and an effort is made to replace any departing or deceased members to include missing representation (e.g. merchants, guild leaders, sages, mages, etc. that have scored well in the Imloss. At a minimum any candidates must have passed at least 8 of the 10 Imloss levels.

When a vacancy is declared a list of elgible candidtes is drawn up by the Lysturgian priests, and a selection is made by the remaining council members. In an effort to encourage council diversity and to help ensure it does not become merely an arm of the church, at least 4 of the 6 members must be women.

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