The Islands (Urcea)

The Islands is a term referring to the region of Urcea including the provinces of North Crotona, South Crotona, Tromarine, and Halfway. Consisting of some of Urcea's most geographically distinct and latest acquired territories, the Islands reflect a diverse array of cultural and historical influences with primarily Istroyan, Latinic backgrounds though significantly impacted by the influence of Audonian civilization. The Islands are occasionally claimed to be parts of Sarpedon along with Urlazio, but a majority consensus of scholars place Tromarine and Crotona in Levantia while placing Halfway in Sarpedon. The term the Islands sometimes is expanded to include Herciana, but as an overseas rectory of Urcea and relatively recent addition it is not widely considered part of Urcea proper; a small minority of cultural observers even include Talionia within the definition of The Islands, but as it is not part of Urcea it is not usually included.

Within Urcea, the islands were unified as a single entity under the Kingdom of Crotona, which existed as a crownland of Urcea from 1660 to 1892. During that time, the three islands became closely associated with one another not only administratively but also culturally and politically. Following the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892, the Islands took their current provincial form.

The Islands are commonly known for their ancient cities, some of whom were the first colonies of Adonerum and were important cities in early Great Levantia.

History
The Islands are relatively late additions to Urcea, with their incorporation beginning with the inheritance of Halfway by House de Weluta in 1474, although various city states on Crotona had been subject to client-patron relationships with Urceopolis at various times since 1098. The process of incorporating them was complete in the late 1600s, at which time all of the islands were added to the Kingdom of Crotona. Prior to Urcean involvement on the Islands, each island had very different histories. The feuding polities of Crotona and Tromarine were always considered part of the sphere of the Holy Levantine Empire while remaining distinctly outside of it. After the fall of Great Levantia, these islands were divided between many small states and city-states, gradually coalescing into in competition to the Odoneru trade dominance of the Creagmer republics by the late 11th century. Meanwhile, Halfway was the subject of major geopolitical manuevering in Sarpedon for much of the Medieval period. Its contemporary Occidental history largely beginning with the First Crusade, when it was taken from local Audonian rulers loosely affiliated with the Oduniyyad Caliphate.

Relationship with Caphiria
Between 1782 and 1943, Caphiria claimed all of the islands as "natural parts of Caphiria as insular regions of Sarpedon". Their claim was abandoned as part of the Treaty of Kartika. Accordingly, a Caphirian sponsored insurgent organization known as the "Provisional Government of the Province of Outer Urlazio" was active in the islands during the Second Great War. Though the organization never had wide support, it carried out various missions of espionage and sabotage on behalf of the Caphirian government. Its members largely abandoned the islands following the end of the war, though some remained and were subject to a long-running series of investigations which lead to a large wave of arrests in the 1960s.

Culture and society
The Islands have a decidedly more Sarpedonic cultural background both due to their history as well as the social traditions and mores that make the region unique. Like the rest of Urcea, the vast majority of Island region residents speak Julian Ænglish and are members of the Catholic Church. Unlike most Urceans, however, many residents of the Islands, and especially the people of Halfway and Tromarine, speak with a very distinct regional accent that includes pronunciations common to Istroyan people rather than mainland Levantines.