To all of those who read this account,
What I am proposing to do, to the best of my ability, is to present a general historical record of the people, events, forces that forged modern Skulle Island from the ashes of a decimated world into a regional power. This record will be as complete as possible. However, with the presence of so many talented, inquisitive, and courageous Skulle Island citizens, It would take a whole life time to document every single important episode that has taken place upon these shores for the last century. Thus, I can only document, briefly, the people and events that have taken place which effects all citizens alike.
-James "Doom" Bourne
Cofounder, Skulle Island
Circa, 328 PA
The Ongoing History of Skulle Island
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After the Cataclysm
In the beginning, Skulle Island was nothing more than an empty patch of untouched wilderness that existed 120 miles off the southern coast of Australia. Having once been apart of the mainland, the Great Cataclysm, and its massive earth quakes, sheered the sea floor to such a degree that many patches of seabed had been pushed up above the sea level. Skulle Island had been virtually untouched burning the Second Dark Age of Man, mainly because it was of little significance to out side forces. There was little magical energy in the region and the seas separating the island from either Australia or New Zealand where too dangerous for any common explorer to cross. With these basic barriers in place, travel to and from the island deterred visitors for centuries.
With the lack of out side influences, Skulle Island became one of the very few untouched land masses on Rifts earth; allowing a variety of small to medium sized animal and plant life forms to thrive in peace for almost a millennia.
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The Coming of KK & Doom
After being inducted into the ranks of the Crescent Moon Alliance, Dimensional travelers Keith "Killer" MacLeod, James "Doom" Bourne, and their companion Assmuch soon set out to construct a base of operations. Since their first contacts on Rifts earth where in the human city of New Sydney, this uninhabited island looked perfect for their needs.
Over the following year, with the help of their other CMA team members, KK & Doom constructed their first base inside a thick forested region (later known as the Darkwood Forest). With each successive mission, the group became more prosperous (in money and possessions), and their base grow in size.
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Killshire
Some of the things KK & Doom brought back with them where not weapons and riches. Some groups of people where invited back to live on the island. The Scots where the first of such peoples. During a mission in northern Scotland, KK & Doom saved a small Scottish fishing community from the clutches of a rampaging demon. With their village in ruins and most of their population dead, KK invited the survivors to live on the island. Unsure of KK's decision at first, Doom went along with the idea.
The settlement they built in the southern part of the island was later named Killshire. After some training and education (these Scots had the equivalent of a 12th century education), the Scots became as well respected for their trade and handiwork as their propensity for drinking alcohol.
As time went on, Killshire grew as more 'rescued' races and people where invited to live on the island.
With the growth of the islands population, coupled with Doom's acquired techo-wizard and KK's stonemaster knowledge, the 2 decided that some sort of defense system was needed to protect the island from outside invasions. Thus, the creation of RIFTS earth's first 'programmable' PPE battery was created and James placed 8 story monoliths on each end of the island to collect random leyline energy. With the construction of KK's stone pyramid, the PPE energy was redirected from each monolith onto the pyramid site, thus creating a massive nexus point. James then 'programmed' in multiple offensive and defensive spells into the monolith system, and coupled with cloaking technology from his home dimension, made Skulle Island almost indictable.
When KK & Doom returned to their home universe, Killshire was a prospering community and Skulle Island was as secure a place to live as Chi-Town itself.
With the adoption of the Skulle Island Constitution in 215 PA, Killshire was allowed to govern itself by electing a counsel of advisers and a mayor.KK & Doom still held ultimate say in the governmental affairs of the city, but they usually went with what the counsel decided (they knew more about the day to day goings on than KK & Doom did).
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Time Distortions
After spending a few years in their home dimension (ending a system civil war doesn't happen over night), KK & Doom decided to return to Skulle Island. After loading up the starship "HITSTAR" with weapons, knowledge, family members (KK & Doom where married with children by now), they jaunted back to RIFTS Earth. Upon this return, however, they realized the true consequence of jumping between 2 deferent universal planes of exsistance...time itself runs differently in both.
For every year they spent in their home dimension, 20 past on RIFTS Earth. Fearing that Skulle Island may have been destroyed or invaded since their departure, the dimentional travelers cautiously embarked upon its shores.
However, this was not the case. Killshire, once being a small hamlet when KK & Doom left, had become a bustling center of technology and trade. The average education level more than doubled since they left in 215, thus the medieval setting had given way to a more 21rst century style. The population had grown exponentially to a point where other smaller towns where being built to meet the demand for shelter and services.
With the reappearance of the Founders, KK & Doom figured they could retire for a while. This however wasn't to be the case. (Read the 315 Chronicle for more details).
During the span of this year, James would die and be reborn, the Skulle Island Defense Force would be formed with a standing force of 50,000 soldiers, KK would become an Immortal, and the Great ISM Invasion would take place, destroying most of Killshire in its wake.
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First National Governing Bodies
SIDF operations turn off island with the first dozen platoons of specially trained soldiers. The best of this first crop became well decorated within their first year of active duty. After the 'honorable disbandment' of Chaos Inc. platoon, recruitment into the "Island Hoppers" Division grew dramatically (30% of current military strength is in this division).
On a more domestic side, this was the year that the Island had it first 'national' judicial and police bodies. Beforehand, these duties where left up to each individual city-state, but, with the growth in outside presence's and the island population in general, it became very necessary to have a universal body in each of these areas.
Thus the creation of the SI Supreme Council and SI Rangers where formed. The Supreme Council was to handle the legality of the lower court judgments and current city-state laws when in comes to Constitutionality. The SI Rangers became the ultimate civilian policing body with Island-wide jurisdiction.
With this new legal system, and the presence of the Yajah Warrior race, the creation of Purgatory Island was born. Since the Yajah religion and social climate centered around bounty hunting, it was decided that they move to an area all their own. With the recent acquisition of Hook Island (about 7 miles off the northern coast of Skulle Island), the Yajah agreed to move northward. Their liaison, Death Claw (one of the first SIDF Island Hoppers), coupled with SheriffAssmuch, came up with the idea that Hook island would be perfect for a prison facility. KK, hearing the idea, proclaimed "Hell, why don't we just give the bastards (convicted criminals) a choice; be publicly executed or a deal where if they can survive on Hook Island for 3 days, then they can be set free."
Liking the idea, James suggested it to Death Claw. A never ending supply of 'game', of whom included some of the island's most dangerous murders and thieves, sounded like a sweat deal, so Claw took KK & Doom up on the offer.
The Island has been since renamed Purgatory Island and the closest any convict has gotten to freedom was 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 36.8 seconds (out of 72 Hours).
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