Difference between revisions of "Islands of the Topazial sea"

Revision as of 15:53, 23 July 2013

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The vastness of the Topazial sea is punctuated by many small isolated islands, and most of the activity going on in the sea occurs around them. Many of these islands are like little worlds unto themselves, with their own rules and particularities.

Shillapo island

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: humans, sea krait nagas, harpies, mermaids, sea apes, cayugahs

Shillapo Island is a moderately sized, crescent-shaped Island located in the Topazial sea. The island can roughly be divided into three geographic regions. A tropical forest takes up the northern third of the island, and is filled with a surprisingly diverse amount of creatures and many different kinds of fruit bearing trees. Starting at roughly the center point of the island is a mountainous region that runs south and over to the eastern edge of it. Below that is an open, grassy region that makes up the southern third of the island. Tolem Bay is the body of the water making up the inside of Shillapo Island’s crescent shape, and Chioita City is built on its shores. What makes the island so special is how the sea-floor rises up to a higher elevation in Tolem Bay, which is also carpeted with a species of giant kelp that the island gets its name from.

The Shillapo Kelp is a massive variant of the common underwater plant, and grows all along the bottom of Tolem Bay. The kelp forms a veritable forest, and reaches up about halfway to the surface of the water. While harmless to smaller creatures, Shillapo kelp is very irritating to larger ones. Almost immediately upon contact with it will the victim begins to feel a very unpleasant itching and stinging sensation that only gets worse the longer they are exposed to the kelp. This natural barrier works to keep most giant aquatic predators out of Tolem Bay. Every now and then, a particularly determined giant mermaid will attempt to rush through the kelp, or to find a path through it, to catch something to eat, but most find it best to avoid the inconvenience altogether. Shillapo kelp comes in a wide variety of colors and the usually crystal clear waters of the bay show off a beautiful sight to people on the surface and in the water. At night, the kelp will also shimmer and glow in the moonlight, most likely a defensive warning to keep away nocturnal creatures, and an incredibly beautiful and reassuring spectacle for the people on land.

the Tolem bay at night

Chioita city

Danger: Very Low
Inhabitants: humans

Chioita flag

Home to several thousand humans, Chioita City is a surprisingly successful port city on the west-central portion of Shillapo Island. The city is completely self-sufficient and gets most of its food either from the nearby forest to the north, or the abundant waters of Tolem Bay, which teems with fish and sea creatures of all kinds. It’s an important port to humans on nearby islands, and is often visited by people who take up the dangerous life that is navigating the Topazial sea. Chioita City, unlike the large human settlements on the mainland, relies not on stealth, magic, guns, or impenetrable walls for its defense; there just isn’t enough man-power or technological/magical sophistication for that. Instead, the residents of Chioita City have opted to survive with the only realistic means they have, by trying to have a good relationship with the local predators. With the defensive barrier of Shillapo kelp found in Tolem Bay keeping out most seafaring giant predators, the residents of Chioita City have really worked over the years to try and be on good terms with the only two species of predator that can get to them: the local colony of Harpies in the nearby mountains, and the Sea Krait Nagas who regularly visit the island, and are able to climb up on land, bypassing Tolem Bay and its kelp barrier altogether.

Their main trade is the Cayugah, a special kind of fish found in Tolem Bay. This fish, which grows and reproduces fairly rapidly, can reach lengths of up to 9 feet, and is known for its delicious taste. They are found only near the Shillapo Kelp, and thus can only be caught by humans or small mermaids. Chioita's inhabitants have become expert at farming these fish and collecting their eggs. They raise the fish in the city until they are larger, and then release them back into the bay to reach their full size. This has increased the overall population of these fish by quite a bit. When it’s time to give away some of these fish to a Sea Krait Naga, or a harpy, they will even go the extra mile by preparing the fish with all kinds of seasonings and spices to make it taste even better. The people of Chioita City have used these fish, as well as being as friendly and helpful as possible (Chioita City is known far and wide for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere), to forge a relatively stable relationship with the local Harpies and Sea Krait Nagas. Some of the city’s more industrious/braver residents have also thought up other services to provide to the predators, like making accessories and jewelry for them. Sea Krait Nagas in particular really enjoy this, and will bring things they collect (boat anchors, pearls, gems, etc) to Chioita City to be fashioned into jewelry and accessories.

Outside Chioita

The Eastern Mountain range of Shillapo is home to the island’s colony of Harpies. These Harpies have migrated over from other islands of the Topazial sea, hopping from one island to another, as food became plentiful or scarce. Over their lifetimes, they have developed a real taste for fish and the waters around Shillapo Island teem with fish of all kinds, so food is easy for them to come by. With the nearby human city that will often gift them specially prepared cayugahs, it's unlikely to see this group of harpies leaving Shillapo Island anytime soon. The Southern grasslands are an open, grassy region that takes up the southern third of Shillapo Island. It is a favorite hangout for Sea Krait Nagas visiting the island, who use the wide, open spaces to stretch out, relax in the sun, and enjoy the pleasant sea breeze that usually blows across the island. While these harpies and nagas won’t bother Chioita City itself, they are still predators and aren’t above eating humans on occasion. It would still be ill-advised to go up into the mountains, or walk around in the grasslands to the south alone, unless you have a very good reason to do so, or know some of them personally. It's interesting to note that several nagas are known to offer transportation from Shillapo to the mainland, in exchange for a substantial and specially prepared cayugah meal.

Threnos Island

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: mermaids, estuarine mermaids, nekos, humans, miaxi, serpent flies, fairies, seagull harpies, giant green catfishes, alga peparis, mirror fishes, seaweed snakes, ichthys, Water elementals, water sprites

A large island located in the middle of the Topazial Sea. It is very lush and covered with forests and rivers, all connecting to the great Emerald river that runs across the land. Also known as the "green island", its a very damp place where the land vegetation often blends with the green algae that grows on every surface. Even the waters of Threnos are tinted emerald green, full of harmless microscopic algae. They also give the waters a slight but distinct taste, as well as healing properties. The well-named Emerald river itself is a sight to behold. It's not very wide but its rapidly flowing waters stretch in many different branches in all directions, creating intricate and complex circuits. Humans fish in it for the delicious alga pepari, but the area is very dangerous and many end up in the stomachs of giant mermaids instead. The shores of Threnos are a wide expanse covered in a lovely golden sand with patches of a particular species of giant seaweed that can grow very large. Because Threnos island isn't as large as the mainland, its predators are generally smaller as well. For instance, most mermaids don't reach more then 50 feet long, and dryads usually only reach heights of 70 feet. They have evolved though, so that their maws and throats are somewhat stretchy, still allowing them to gulp humans and small creatures down with ease. Threnos fairies also cannot grow past human size, but can still use shrinking magic.

Izatem city

On the northern shore of Threnos is a busy port where merchants and sailors sell many exotic goods, from rare aquatic life they have captured, to the many treasures the island provides, such as its healing waters and algae. The people of Izatem are cautious when it comes to technology, and don't use much of it, relying more on magic instead. Izatem is a strange sight to some, with many different species, from nekos, to ichthys, miaxi, or even some fairies, all mixed together. The city is very accepting and welcoming of all species in general. You can still get eaten but it's very rare.

The Miaxi hive

A very old miaxi hive is located on the south-eastern part of the island. The humans and the bee girls have had a treaty of friendship for a very long time, probably helped by the fact that the miaxi queen doesn't have much of a taste for humans, but absolutely LOVES the taste of giant catfishes. Thus, every week the people of the island catch the queen one or two of these large fish, and in return get miaxi honey and, of course, aren't preyed upon. This friendship between miaxi and humans is stronger than anywhere else in Felarya, and it's not rare at all to see a miaxa in humans town of Threnos. Harming a miaxa without a very good reason is a very serious crime there. The offender is likely to be taken without delay to the hive and be fed to the queen. Several times in the past have the bee girls have helped defend humans towns against predators in a feeding frenzy, and the humans have also done the same for the miaxi hive.

Forget Me Not Island

Danger: Hazardous
Inhabitants: Succubi, fairies, arboreal frogs, oozes, slimoids
Characters : Alice

An island south of the continent covered by a thick and lush forest, and dangerously steep cliffs dropping off into the sea below. The beaches on the island are small and few, the weather around the island is for the most part tropical; very hot and humid. A rich fauna inhabits the place, among the giant thick trees covering the island. A wide river runs through its middle, separating the island in two. The massive bridge spanning the river is the only way to safely cross the swift and treacherous flows.

Like its name implies, the island has a mysterious power over the memories of sentient beings. The Forgetful Forest on the western side of the island is often blanketed by a dangerous fog that has the power to steal away peoples memories leaving a person dazed and confused as to where they are or even who they are. Some predators are unaffected by the power of the fog, like some races of fairies or beings such a succubi and angels or various animals who take advantage of it. The eastern side of the island is free of this deadly fog, but here strange bubbles can be seen, aimlessly floating about. They seem to be somehow made from the lost memories of people who fell prey to the forgetful fog. Why and how these memories get trapped inside these bubbles that seem to glow a faint rainbow color is unknown, but they can be just as dangerous as the fog, as those who touch one will be overwhelmed by the memories trapped inside the bubbles, and will be left dazed and vulnerable for long minutes, becoming a sitting duck. The bubbles don't burst by running into something like a tree and seem also naturally attracted to sentient beings. Some believe the reason for that is because the bubbles not only carry memories but also emotions and, like people, seek out the company of others.

Moreover, if one of these bubbles was to exist long enough without bursting, it would then liquefy and turn into a slime fused with the emotions of the person's memories, essentially becoming a slimoid; a living and sentient body of slime taking the shape of a person. The personality of the person who's memories were trapped inside the bubble would be reflected in the new slimoid. In some case, they would be so similar to the person they were based on, that it would almost be as if that person had been re-born.

Torkudas island

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: podmaws, arboreal frogs, starkala bugs, harpies

A small island that can be seen at times, slowly moving between Shillapo island, and the Torpaline coast. Roaming would be more accurate, as the island is actually an enormous aquatic Torkudas wandering the zone. A lush vegetation grow on the shell of the Behemoth, with massive trees and thick shrubs. It is said that they roots dig deep into the Torkudas itself and that they form more or less the same entity. There is a small but thriving ecosystem there, with a large variety of colorful birds and many arboreal frogs. The island is too small to be home to any giant predators, beside some rare harpies that sometimes perch themselves on top of the highest trees. The Torkudas itself is largely peaceful and doesn't pose much threat, unless you stupidly dive and swim in front of its maw... However, harm the trees of the island and you will face its formidable wrath.

• Credits to Rcs619 and Tora044 for brainstorming and coming with many ideas to develop the Shillapo island, to Jirokatsu for the Forget me not island concept, and to to Melancholy-Melody13 for the Threnos island.