Difference between revisions of "Islands of the Topazial sea"

Revision as of 07:46, 5 June 2010

The vastness of the Topazial sea is punctuated with 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

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 seafloor 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 spectacle to the people on land.

Chioita city

Danger: Very Low
Inhabitants: humans

Home to several thousand humans, Chioita City is a surprisingly successful port city in 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, neither relies on stealth, magic, guns or impenetrable walls for its defense. There just isn’t enough man-power or technological/magical sophistication for that kind of defense. The residents of Chioita City have instead opted to survive by 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 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 extremely good taste. They are found only near the Shillapo Kelp, and thus can only be caught by humans or small mermaids. Over the years, the humans have worked to farm these fish some as well, by 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 fishes 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 Island is home to the Island’s colony of Harpies. These Harpies have migrated over from other Islands in the Topazial Sea. Until now, they had been hopping from island to island, moving as food became plentiful or scarce. Over their lifetimes of living on islands in the Topazial sea, these Harpies have developed a real taste for fish. The waters around Shillapo Island teem with fish of all kinds, so food is usually pretty easy for them to come by. Combine that with the nearby human city that will often give them rare fish to eat, and it is unlikely that this group of Harpies will be 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 aren’t above eating humans on occasion. It would still be very 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 a couple of local predators on a personal basis.

Island of tranquillity

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: Under construction

Island of Infinity

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: Under construction

Danger: Normal
Inhabitants: mermaids, estuarine mermaids, jade 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", it's 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, it's 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 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 southeastern 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.

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 to small to be home of giant predators, beside some rare harpies sometimes perching themselves onto the highest trees. The Torkudas itself is largely peaceful and don'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. The Threnos island belongs to Melancholy-Melody13