Seom Islands

The Seom Islands are an archipelago straddling the border of the Southwestern and Northwestern Regions. They are among the southernmost territories controlled by the Empire of Wamato, with only the Manmosu Islands lying farther south. The archipelago consists of thirty islands ranging in size from more than 1,700 square miles to less than thirty. The largest island, Gyeongseong, serves as the cultural and political center of the Tammura Prefecture, which governs the archipelago.

Although the Seom Islands have belonged to the Empire of Wamato for centuries, they have never been fully integrated into Imperial culture. Their distance from the rest of the Empire is one factor, but the attitude of the ruling Yanjin toward the native population has also played a significant role. The Rengo, the islands' human inhabitants, are treated as second class citizens, while the non-human Chilseongsin are regarded as livestock, owned by humans and forced into labor. Over the centuries, several rebellions have risen against Wamato rule, but none have succeeded in driving the Empire out. The legal and practical divisions between the Rengo and Chilseongsin have also hindered unified resistance. Many Rengo have adopted a belief in their own superiority, and the Chilseongsin, after generations of enslavement, find it difficult to place their trust in any humans.

Points of Interest

The largest city in the Seom Islands is Daeryeon, known as Higashiyama to the Yanjin, located on the eastern coast of Gyeongseong. It is one of the largest cities in the Great Ring, with a population of more than 10,000, and serves as the capital of the Tammura Prefecture. Daeryeon is also one of the busiest ports in the Empire. Many ships seeking to trade with Wamato make their first landfall here to obtain the documents required to travel deeper into Imperial territory and reach ports such as Ryūguchi on Kojima. The Sanjudo lighthouse marks the harbor entrance at Daeryeon and is the tallest structure in the archipelago.