The Legend[]
"Eons ago, it is said a world of fire invaded ours, from the oceans a great rift giving rise to a grand volcano. Kanaloa was born, and from its maw came beings of flame. Loa of anger and inferno, they descended on our ancestors, burning huts and razing our coconut trees. Great heroes rose to defeat the loa of fire, and ventured into the very heart of Kanaloa, sealing the rift, ending the attacks, and trapping the loa of Kanaloa in our world.
The loa were lost, without their home, and fought inward. Our ancestors saw humanity in the struggles the fire loa faced, and offered peace to any that would hear it. Many of the great spirits turned us away, but many more offered pacts to be free of their prison. Magic and artifacts from the depths of Kanaloa.
To this day, we fear and respect the loa, willing to help but ever wary of their burning temper."
- Lalotai Storyteller
The Seas and Shores of Lalotai
Lalotai[]
The beautiful island home of the islander people, Lalotai enjoys the beautiful tropical weather, with clear skies and seas surrounding it on all sides. The town of Lalotai itself was of decent size, a community of unity and family. Every villager helps each other, from husking coconuts and fishing for the whole village or repairing huts from fires (A constant issue). The people of Lalotai praise community above all else, and for that reason is ruled over a council of three. A chieftain, who handles stately affairs, a warleader who ensures Lalotai is safe, and a high priest whom focuses on relations with the loa.
As of 70IA, the general structure of Lalotai's governance has come under the dominion of Aetveris, a pact being formed after a number of years of prior negotiation and potential saber-rattling. While the people of Lalotai have been allowed to maintain their way of life, and the day-to-day ruling of the island still adheres to the council, the Crown is still expected to be shown due deference. This has, understandably, caused a noticeable amount of strife, as the long-time independent nation finds itself under the control of foreign mainlanders.
The religion of the Lalotai people is a complex system, having gods long before they met the loa. The islander people mix worship, venerating their unique pantheon of gods, but each member of the community can seek out a loa to worship and form a pact with them. The original gods must never be forgotten, but anyone can supplement their personal faiths with as much loa as they like. In fact, loa pacts can be seen as signs of status, as rarely do the council leaders not have personal pacts with various fire elementals.
The Lalotai are also very welcoming, eager to have travelers and trade visit, though they hold their island and homes with upmost respect, and expect visitors to do the same.
Kanaloa[]
Kanaloa, the Heart of Flame
Not a true city or settlement, Kanaloa is a oceanic volcano and neighbor to Lalotai, that has shaped much of the culture and history of the islander people. Once a rift directly into the plane of fire, it has become a hive of fire plane outsiders. Its size is akin to a massive city in diameter, though some say the caverns of Kanaloa reach infinitely downward into the core of this world. Many fire infused beings call the fiery prison their home, among them being: Azer, basic fire and magma elementals, Ifrits, and even some magma dragons.
Most are hostile, but unfortunately trapped due to the rift home being closed, and being flanked on all sides by water. Many of the inhabitants have circumvented this by forming pacts with the people of Lalotai, or any mortal they think can get them out of Kanaloa, and leaving is a good idea for many. Since the rift was closed, many a civil war has been waged within, factions forming and falling apart in the countless milennia, making Kanaloa often a constant battleground.
The Lalotai people will sometimes venture to Kanaloa to find 'loa' to parlay with, but only ever reaching the surface, and never braving the depths of the volcano. It is very much a dungeon of monstrous outsiders, happy to incinerate any who come to their dwelling.