The Verdenes

The Verdenes, also known as Sammichian Verdenesia, is an island chain in the western Shire under the control of the New Sammichian Empire. The Verdenes is comprised of four main islands; Kaava, Lavfe Nu, Koha Nu, and Avfra, along with several smaller islands. The bulk of the land is protected by the Empire as the Verdenes National Park, while Koha Nu is the chain's largest and only town. The islands are known for their lush rainforests, exotic plant and animal life, unique Verdenesian culture, and the active volcano, Mount Poon. The population of the Verdenes is roughly 1,200 people, and its current Chancellor is Kora ne Mokae.

The Verdenes was first inhabited by ancient Enpeecees, with evidence suggesting an Enpeecee presence on the islands since around 4,000 PRY. Secluded and isolated, the Enpeecees developed a unique culture focused on harmony with nature and all life. Their practice of leaving a very small footprint has made them difficult to study today, but it is believed that they thrived in peace for centuries and remained untouched by the empire of Xamichia. The islanders were discovered by the outside world in 1777, by the Paarsdam explorer Willem van Verden. The city acted as a middleman for trade between the Verdenes and the rest of the Shire, until King Phemenses IV of the Kingdom of Fulfwotz seized the islands and expelled the Paarsdamer merchants in 1863. The Kingdom soon mounted a mining operation for the untapped veins of silver on Kaava, effectively enslaving many of the natives in the process. Under King Drefnex, the natives were freed, but had still had no choice but to work in the mines and for very low wages.

The exploitation of the Verdenesian natives lessened as King Sammich entered power, and a number of public works projects were launched in the early 20th century; however, the Kingdom tightened its grip on the islands as tensions mounted leading up to the First World War in 1927. To avoid inciting revolt and discontent, the Kingdom kept the Verdenesians and many other territories ignorant of the war and what was occurring. In order to boost morale on their side, the Liberators devised a plan to liberate the Verdenes from the Kingdom in what was expected to be an easy operation; however, Overtaker spies discovered the plan and ambushed the Liberators upon their arrival on the shores of Kaava and Lavfe Nu. Reinforcements were sent, and the Overtakers did not allow the Liberators to retreat. The Battle of the Verdenes ended up being one of the bloodiest and largest conflicts of the war, with over 180,000 deaths combined and a Pyrrhic victory for the Overtaker forces. There were also mass civilian casualties, leaving the entire island of Lavfe Nu depopulated.

In the Treaty of Niflheim in 1929, the Verdenes remained a part of the newly-formed New Sammichian Empire, largely due in part to the brainwashing of native children fostering loyalty to the Empire and the belief that had the Liberators not invaded the islands, they would have been left alone. In 1932, the Verdenes was given a Chancellor and its people formal Imperial citizenship. It survived the Second Plague, remaining almost completely unaffected due to both physical and self-imposed isolation. The Serene Republic of the Verdenes was formed following the collapse of the New Sammichian Empire in 1972 and the creation of the Fulflet Union. It remained independent until 1974, when Fulflet forces asserted control over the islands. It became a primary weapons testing site for the Fulflet Union, and in 1976, the Ender Bomba, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created, was detonated in the ocean surrounding the islands.