Origins and foundation
The city of Edymna and its homonymous island were colonized by the Pyrians in the 6th century BP, almost as the same time as the Prieneians were colonizing the
Island of Ikos. The original settlers were attracted by the fertility of its soil, and the resources present at the island as well as the trade opportunities with the elves to the South.
Mythology
Edymnans pride themselves on the heroic myths surrounding the foundation of their city. While most of the islands have no mythical founding myth, Edymna has. According to the oldest stories from generation to generation for hundreds of years, there was once a great famine in the city of Pyria, and the authorities and the population were so desperate that they decided to consult the famous
Oracle at the Temple of Orbaia in neighbouring Myron. There the priest, the hydormeneus consulted the goddess and he delivered the following message to the embassy of the Pyrians:
Take your people to the Southern Route, to the Source of Everything, my family will show you the place
Sanctuary of Orbaia by Callyxtus
So, the Embassy returned to the city and delivered the message of the Goddess to the people and the authorities. Then in a Assembly of the citizens it was voted that, if the goddess was right, then part of the city would have to be evacuated or find another colony elsewhere like they had done in the past, when they founded the colony of Corgis a century earlier. So, They held a sort of drawing or lottery, and those who drew a white ball would remain in Pyria, and those who drew a black ball had to prepare for the long sea voyage south.
Once the ships, the provisions, the crew and the settlers were prepared the Tyrians sailed southwards close to the coast. They stopped at Hystria to take more provisions for their journey, and they were told that a century earlier the Hystrians had founded the city of Pyria in the homonymous island, in case they need help on their journey, and towards that place they sailed where they were surprised by an storm (another version of the story speaks about monsters like giant squids). Because of this they strayed from their course and ended up in the city of Corgis, also a Pyria colony, so they were very well received by their southern relatives. They remained there for a couple of months and it seemed for a while that they were going stay in the city and forget the prophecy but, again, according to the myth, one of the members of the crew went to do a libation in front of the temple of Van, the god of the Sea, and when he was pouring the milk into the holy ground, it turned into blood, this was considered as a bad omen so the Pyrians returned to their ships, not before signing a treaty of friendship with Corgis that lasts to this day.
Upon resuming their journey they stopped at the
Island of Ikos where they asked the Calembrians and Dymalians if they could made offerings at the famous temple of Van, in order to ask the god for Forgiveness and for his protection. The expedition then resumed their journey but they didn't know where they should sail to, so a voice from heaven was heard who said: Follow me, and an eagle was seen flying above the ships like if it was leading them. The eagle is one of the animals associated with
Abbon Shabai, the god of wisdom and king of the gods, so they trusted the animal, and a week later they sighted land and great joy filled each of the families traveling on board.
The Pyrians then landed on the shore and the first thing they did was doing sacrifices in honour of the gods, the island seemed to be uninhabited aside of a lonely woman reclining against a large olive tree. A certain man by the name of Polipistes recognized who the woman was and he prostrated himself on the ground before her, shouting: Hail, oh most powerful lady, she who reigns among trees and beasts, blessed are we to be in your presence!, and in a second everyone could see her divine image, the woman was none other than the goddess Alara, the goddess of hunting, memory and magic.
Then she spoke the following:
Blessed are you, brave Pyrians, for you have endured many perils in your journey, but you've finally arrived to the place Orbaia prophesied. Before you is the primeval Olive tree, with which agriculture was taught first to the elves and then to the first humans. It will bear the first fruits that will nourish you and your children as you cultivate this new land reserved for you, the most intrepid of the Oronai.
That is why the symbol of the island and the city of Edymna,, displayed on many of the coins minted in the island, is the goddess Alara next to the primeval Olive tree.
There is also another myth related to the island. According to this story as the population of the island increased over the decades and centuries the sources of water became scarce, so some locals began praying to the god Van at his temple to send them rain or do some sort of miracle. As they were returning from the temple the god appeared to them, told them not to be afraid and then took a cane, struck a mountain and a great torrent of water gushed from the rock and became the River Tandreas, the most voluminous of the rivers on the Island, since then, the mountain from where the river originates is called Van's Cane.
Later History
Edymna also founded the port of Platessos on the Ailion River in the 440s BP, making it one of the last Oronai cities to be founded in Lower Oronia. A century later, in the context of the war between Corgis and Pyliene, the city and the island in general supported their Corgis kin, sending a fleet of 30 ships that even blockaded Pyliene's harbour before being severely damaged by a storm.
When the King of Oronia decided to end the conflict, the Edymnians immediately sent ambassadors to the monarch pleading for mercy and promising to cease hostilities. From that moment on, like the rest of the cities of Lower Oronia, they were ultimately governed by a representative of the King.
The island became an important source of recruits for the royal army, and also renowned for its athletes who won many competitions at
the Davidovian Games which is a great source of pride for the inhabitants of the island.
During Magas the Great conquest of the Sephenian Empire the Edymnians sent around 40 ships and around 2100 soldiers to join the Royal Army for the great expedition. And during the two centuries after this event, around 5% of the population of the island emigrated to the newly formed Oronai Kingdoms.
Layout
The layout of the city was planned using a grid iron plan with the main square and the marketplace in the centre of the city that is connected to the port by a wide avenue (which probably served as inspiration to the Archonisteion, the main avenue of
Boria on the Delta, founded some 800 years later). In this avenue you can find the famous Fountain of the athletes which commemorates the victories of the Edymnian athletes in
the Davidovian Games as well as multiple shops where you can buy many of the local products.
In the eastern part of the city you can find the supposedly primeval olive tree in a courtyard in front of the temple of Alara, this tree is also decorated with colourful ribbons and jewels surrounding its trunk. The olives that this tree produces is destined for the oil lamps of each temple of the city. On the opposite side of the hill where the temple is located you can find the city's main theatre. In the vicinity of this sacred precinct there is another famous monument of the city, the trophy commemorating the victory of the Edymnaians against an invasion attempt by the
Kingdom of Steplia in the 7th century AP. When it was built, it was decorated with the bronze rams from the enemy ships as well as enemy weapons, but some decades later the weapons captured from the Steplian soldiers were replaced by copies made of marble.
The city also possesses two gymnasiums, called the Old and New Gymnasiums respectively. The old one dates from a century after the foundation of the city and is the smaller of the two, and its exercise area is surrounded by a portico of granite columns. The New Gymnasium on the other hand, is much larger than the old one. Its walls and columns are made of marble and even has a swimming pool and a library. According to the city's constitution, the directors of the two gymnasiums, the gymnasiarchs, are responsible for the training of the youth of the city as well as the local militia, as well as for leading the militia armies in case the city is under attack or if the king demands the militia to join the Royal Army for a campaign. The gymnasiarchs are also in charge of organizing the athletic competitions during the many festivals of the city and they also hold an important position on the City Council.
East of the city, overlooking the entire valley where the city, on top of Mount Alicmon is the citadel of Edymna. This citadel was built in the 300s BP by order of the King of Oronia until he put an end to the wars between the cities of Lower Oronia, according to the chronicles, he left around 1000 soldiers there to protect the city and to remained the city's assembly who ruled the island. The place has also been the refuge for the population of the city in case pirates or enemy armies or fleets try to besiege or assault the city.
Economy
Edymna is not the wealthiest of the islands of the Archipelago in terms of natural resources, but the fertility of its soil and the trade (since the route from the kingdom of the green elves to Upper Oronia passes through this city) has made the city and the homonymous island very wealthy. The main exports of the city are, of course, olive oil and olives, sold in many of the markets of the Kingdom and also as far as
Boria on the Delta in the South.
The other things Edymna is famous for are its fruits, especially pears and tangerines, the latter being the most famous food produced in the island because of their taste and their wrinkled shape. They are highly appreciated in many places, for example in
Blati where they're known as "Little Cornelias" because they resemble a character for a famous comedy.
Population
The city has a population of around 30,000 inhabitants, while the rest of the island has a population of around 150,000 inhabitants. Most of its inhabitants are
Oronai Peoples but there is also a considerable
Green Elf community, mostly merchants. There was also an important
Tiefling of Light community on the island, especially in Edymna itself, but many of them migrated to
Boria on the Delta two centuries ago, though today you can still find them working as artisans near the city's main square.
Regarding the Oronai, a high percentage of the people of the island descend from the early Pyrians who settle in the island as well as from Other Oronai from Upper Oronia attracted by the wealth and opportunities that the island and the city offered.
Famous monuments
The most famous monument of the city of Edymna is by far the Fountain of the Athletes. The top of the fountain is decorated with a frieze supported by 16 columns; both the columns and the frieze are made of red sandstone. Above the frieze are16 golden statues of the goddess Pyria throwing arrows with her bow, symbolizing each of the victories of Edymnian athletes in the
Davidovian Games. Below them, in the frieze itself you could see the names of the victorious athletes inscribed on it as well as golden medallions with the portraits and names of benefactors of the city, including several Oronai Kings as well as Ikarian and
Blatian Emperors
The fountain itself is shaped like a staircase down which the water cascades. Local residents use the water for their homes or to cool off on hot spring and summer days. Furthermore, the fountain is a source of pride for the Edymnians, as it was financed by the citizens themselves, who chose to build it using the finest and most prestigious materials.
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