Vallos

Vallos is a region and subcontinent located west of Sarpedon, of which it is a part. It is bound by the Polynesian Sea to the south and west, the Odoneru Ocean to the north, and the Tainean Sea to the east.

Vallos

Location of Vallos (green) in Sarpedon
Countries	Burgundie Cartadania Loa Republic

History

Pre-arrivals

Humans settled Vallos at some time around 12,000 BC according to archaeological evidence, a relatively late date of settlement for most parts of the Occident. The earliest settlers exhibited a relatively similar material culture to contemporary residents of what would become Pelaxia, suggesting a westward migration at that time. The Neolithic revolution occurred on Vallos to a limited extent, as large urban cities did not develop, but farming of local grasses and other flora made settled farm life viable. About forty percent of people in Vallos adopted agricultural lifestyles by 2000 BC. Society continued to develop, with indigenous prehistoric reaching its apex with the shark pottery culture, a material culture so named for the use of both shark teeth and bones as a crafting material in addition to the use of shark-related motifs on pottery. The shark pottery culture reached its peak around 1800 BC, just prior to the arrival of the first Heaven Ships and later arrival of the Polynesians. Archaeologists have uncovered several urban centers of around a thousand people all along the eastern coast of Vallos which were likely fishing centers and the source of shark material. Shark pottery culture continued its existence following the arrivals of foreign culture groups, although archaeologists classify much of it as "late shark pottery" due to the introduction of foreign innovations.

Besides their material culture, virtually nothing is known about the indigenous Vallosi. With limited technological advancement relative to the arrivals and no system of writing, much of "pre-arrival" Vallos was lost within generations of the arrivals of the foreigners. Genetic testing suggests most people in Vallos have less than ten percent DNA from the original indigenous, suggesting near-total displacement by intermarriage and later waves of colonization.

Polynesians

The first Polynesian people likely arrived in Vallos in around 1500 BC. These first arrivals are believed to have sailed the Polynesian Sea from Peratra and other islands along the way which Polynesians had settled earlier. Unlike the earlier indigenous peoples, significant amounts of information have survived in the way of myths and legends. Literary scholars and historians surveyed all Polynesian-descendants in Vallos in 1978 through 1981 to collect all legends and oral traditions, then compiling the most plausible elements known as the "Vallosi Saga." The Saga details the arrival of the Polynesians, finding local agriculture which suited them, and a violent response by the natives once the Polynesians were found picking food in their fields. The first arrivals retreated. At some later point, a large fleet (for its time) of Polynesians came and killed many of the natives living close to the southwestern coast, taking their women as their wives and taking control of their farms. Most historians, even those not involved in the project, accept the Saga as a relatively plausible series of events. Beyond the "first conflict" depicted in the Saga, the presence of a small Polynesian settlement encouraged more arrivals. The relationship between the natives and Polynesians appears to have been mostly characterized by conflict, with significant devastation and demographic displacement occurring. Based on genetics, it appears many refugees - especially women and children - fled north in the wake of the growing series of Polynesian colonies in southern Vallos.

Heaven Ships

Further information: Heaven Ships

Heaven Ships brought Cronan peoples from the ancient forebears of the North Songun civilization to Vallos at some point prior to 1000 BC, though it's unknown exactly when the first Heaven Ship arrived. Cronan settlement in Vallos likely occurred in series of stops and starts, with individual villages being established one at a time with the arrival of different ships. Based on genetic evidence, it appears likely that intermarriage started almost immediately, such that a sizable population of Cronan-descended peoples lived on the north coast of Vallos by 850 BC. Evidence also suggests that, though Cronan traditions would become dominant due to cultural advancements like writing and other factors, most of the people living in the region prior to the Latin arrival were, genetically, majority indigenous. This fact speaks to the relatively small number of arrivals on the Heaven Ships, and also suggests a very small survival rate. Ships from Crona would continue to intermittently land until around 200 BC, bringing additional Cronan cultural developments and Cronan genes into the north of Vallos. By 500 BC, the first signs of a distinct Tainean culture - Cronan cultures blended together with indigenous influenced introduced - are evident in the archaeoligcal record. Few tribes and indigenous polities remained by this time period, and by 100 BC it appears they were either conquered or integrated within the growing Tainean world.

Warring states period

The arrival of three separate groups of settlers established an extremely large range of polities throughout Vallos by 1 AD, with Tainean and Latin polities being roughly equal in number and Polynesians ruling the south in larger realms.

Culture

Vallos has a diverse array of cultures and was called "at the same time a crossroads of the old and new worlds and a rich tapestry of three different cultural traditions" by P. G. W. Gelema. The three main cultural influences in Vallos come from the Occident, particularly Latinic-descended traditions of Burgundie and mainland Sarpedon, from Polynesian people who populate the southern tip of the subcontinent, and Cronan people who have settled the subcontinent at various points since the first millennia BC by means of the arrival of Heaven Shipss.

Tainean people

Tainean people is a term used to describe the descendants of ancient Cronans who settled on Vallos, establishing unique cultures.