Illica

"Illica is the most remote trading island in the Silver Sea"

- The Islands of the Silver Sea

Illica is an island in the Silver Sea, far to the south-west of Deltora and north-west of the Isle of Tier, and is home to three clans known as the Collectors. It is the most remote trading island in the Silver Sea and traders rarely visit. The island has many castle-like towers which the clans of the Collectors use as museums of objects collected over centuries by different generations.

History
Before the time of Adin, the island of Illica was known as a refuge for pirates due to its natural defences. However during Adin's reign as the first king of Deltora, piracy began to be stamped out in the Silver Sea, and the culture of Illica was forced to change. The three remaining pirate captains at that time, who were bitter rivals, retreated into three tall towers built in imitation of an older tower built by Bar-Enoch. There they hoarded their riches and styled themselves as wealthy collectors. With their absence, the crews of the pirate captains settled around the harbour and built a small town and conducted in trades such as shipbuilding and fishing.

Two Moons
Britta read of Illica in The Islands of the Silver Sea during her research in the Star of Deltora's reading room. Neither her or the other finalists knew much of the island, as its strange inhabitants warranted little trading.

The Towers of Illica
After leaving the island of Two Moons, Britta read about Illica in the book A Trader's Guide to Illica, discovering that Illica is a highly defendable round island, surrounded by high cliffs and hidden rocks. There is also only one way to access the one safe harbour, through a narrow gap in the cliffs. These defences made Illica a haven for pirates in the past. Britta also discovered how the island's culture changed after piracy was suppressed in the Silver Sea, and how the former pirate captains became the Collectors.

Language
The Illicans speak either a foreign language or several different foreign languages, although only one is known, which is that spoken by Suli the Needle. Some words of the language are halish, po, ingesni, se and soffa. The word soffa is a kind of blue dye, also called soffa blue, which has become very rare. Though most of the Illicans do not speak the common tongue of the world of Deltora, all of the Collectors, and some of the townspeople, do, though some of the townspeople only know a few words and are not very skilled in its pronunciations.

Architecture
Britta discovered while reading A Trader's Guide to Illica, that in the early days of the pirate kings, a defensive row of iron spikes was built in the harbour channel called 'The Jaws'. This barrier lies harmlessly on the seabed but can be raised by turning a great wheel and trap any foreign ship trying to leave or enter the harbour. This barrier is not openly discussed by the present-day Illicans.

Geography
Illica is a round island almost completely ringed by high cliffs and underwater rocks. Ships must pass through a narrow gap in the cliffs to reach the island's only harbour. At the top of these cliffs is green grass and the three large towers belonging to the three Collector clans.

Star of Deltora

 * Two Moons (mentioned)
 * The Towers of Illica
 * The Hungry Isle