Dyer island may be based on a real island and its history

As an Indian myself, I found that the story of Dyer island sounded very familiar. However, there is no such island near India. So, I did some research.

There is a real dyer island in Gaansbai South Africa, however, it is not the Dyer island the Blight's lore refers to. The real Dyer island in Gaansbai is a nature conservatory with only a few island inhabitants. The population mostly consists of farmers and fishermen.

The Dyer island in DBD lore is stated to be off the coast of India. There is no such island in India; however, the story of Ross island (Now known as Netaju Subash Chandra Bose Dweep island, named after the revolutionary leader Chandra Bose) fits the history of DBD's Dyer island. Ross Island was a colonial headquarters; it is an Indian island within the Andaman archipelago. It was established by James Pattison Walker in 1858 and was named after its surveyor, Sir Daniel Ross.

As British jails on the mainland of India filled with Indian revolutionaries, Ross island was used to collect and harbor more prisoners. The prisoners were forced to tear down the forests of Ross island and build lavish homes, churches, bakeries, water purification plants, sports facilities, etc. for the colonists. The British settlers called Ross Island "Paris of the East'. This was in stark contrast with the conditions in which inmates were forced to live: cramped, dirty, and ridden with diseases. Prisoners were also given little food or water.

The penal colony expanded across the archipelago; however, Ross island was made into a British administrative colony, thus is housed many of the British elite.

When diseases such as malaria hit, scientists conducted medical experiments on Indian inmates. A lot of the test drugs' side effects were serious, and they caused the test subject to become extremely angry and attack each other. Many test subjects attempted to end their suffering by hanging themselves; however, if caught, they were flogged, beaten, starved, and made to sleep in cages in the forest to be eaten alive by the mosquitoes. The prisoners were also often attacked by the native tribes of Ross island, some of which were cannibalistic tribes.

Thus jails closed in 1937, but the British continued to live there until 1941, after a severe earthquake hit.

The Japanese acquired Ross island in 1947 after an attack on the British base. The British eventually reclaimed it after WWII.

Japanese and British troops continued to live on Ross island until the late 1970s.

Today, Ross island is abandoned, but it is open to tourists.