Island World

The Tetrachrome

Island World is a simulated world created by The subcreator, a human being from Planet Earth. Currently Island World has 5,000 years of history populated by humans and 1 billion years of natural history before that.

Island World is populated by two or four "races" of humans depending on how you look at it. The first race, the "First People" or "Old People", were created 5,000 years ago, and their creation is where the calendar starts. The second race, the "Second" or "New" people, was created 2,000 years later, and consists of three ethnic groups - the Whites, the Blacks, and the Creoles (some of which are mixed with First Peoples).

Overall there are roughly 10,000 people in Island World. 4,000 of these are white, 2,500 are black, 2,000 are Creole and 1,500 are First People. Men and women make up more or less exactly half of the population each. Although cultural differences sometimes some tensions and disagreements on the Island, there is no system of inequality or racial supremacy, and although the Royal Family is mostly white in descent there are many Black and Creole Aristocrats.

Although not everyone makes the same amount of wealth on the Island, all legitimate professions are seen as equally important and vital, especially in a world with a small population where everyone's work clearly and crucially matters. The Aristocrats live in larger homes than others, but are held and hold themselves to high standards of behavior and appearances. They are the only ones who (both men and women) wear makeup regularly, and they are generally expected to keep their schedules busy to serve the rest of the people on the Island.

The average lifespan of people in Island World ranges from 160 to 240 years, people age gracefully, and aside from common colds there are no major infectious diseases, although drug and alcohol use can cause cancer and cardiovascular disease in some people, as well as mental illness.

About a third of the population of Island World lives in the largest city and royal capital, Kingston, located on on a harbor which is part of the estuary of the Royal River, on the west coast of the island. The island is roughly a 33 x 33 mile square, and is more or less exactly 1,000 square miles. The innermost 18 x 18 miles consists of The Mountains, which ring a 5 x 5 mile Plateau with a semi-arid climate. There are 76 Communities on the Island, 24 of which are in Kingston, another 26 of which are the Towns on the island (which all have between 125 and 175 people), 16 are rural townships, and 10 are the First People tribal townships.

There are two high leaders of the Island - the King of the Second People and the Chief of the First People. Both "co-own" the entire island, and the King has supreme authority over the First People and the Chief over the Second People. However, in practice they do not act on their power much and the Communities are self governing in most cases. The King's niece, Melody, Princess of Norton, is the most beloved and admired person on the entire island, and is known for her kind heart and artistic abilities, and will someday inherit the Crown when the current King, Wirrod, tires of his station.

The western side of the island enjoys a Mediterranean climate in the lowlands, with warm to hot dry summers and chilly, wet winters. The eastern side of the island has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and brisk, wet winters where snow falls several times a year. The northern and southern sides of the island have transitional climates, where it gradually becomes more continental and summers become wetter as you travel to the east.

The Mountains reach heights of up to 3,000 feet, and the western outer side has oak forests, wineries and meadows in the lowlands and coniferous forests in the uplands. The eastern side is covered with deciduous forests and experiences a Humid Continental climate, though there are conifers above 2,000 feet. The inner side of the Mountains, surrounding the central plateau, are sparsely forested by juniper and Ponderosa pine. Snow in common in the Mountains above 2,000 feet on the western side, and above 1,500 feet on the eastern side.

There are four major rivers, one running west (the Royal River), one running north (the Humphries), one running south (the Portola), and one running east (the Ilahee). These rivers connect small brooks and creeks running from springs from the Mountains. The Plateau does not drain into the surrounding Sea, but rather into a small, 200-acre brackish lake in the very heart of the Island.