Güney
Güney for being the largest island has often been overlooked by the visitors to the Isle. From the south, it appears to be a barren and desert-like island and to the north an impenetrable jungle.
The first inhabitants of Teranda as Güney was once known were the simian race of the Hadozee who found the jungle environment perfect for their homes. These large creatures were joined by the first of the Ornhini to break away from the Elven nations. These elves arrived not from the sea but by the fey pathways that exist across much of Teranda with its deep forests. The Ornhini found the Hadozee to be fighting a losing battle against the Tasloi and Arcanea that also called the forest home and were quick to jump to their aid. The war amongst the vines was fought over many years and some within the Ornhini consider this battle to rage to this day as rumors of the Arcanea and their experiments continue but eventually the Hadozee and Ornhini had gained control of enough of the forest to establish settlements amongst the trees.
The inner crater remained empty, Varisian explorers that visited mostly considered the area to far from common trade routes. The Shallow Sea or Bay of Güney is particularly treacherous water being filled with both reefs and a popular breeding ground for larger and dangerous marine fauna, leading to many exploration vessels never making it to the land they could see on the horizon. The song of communion drew the Varisians into the great crater, far removed from the sea they found the windswept plain to be the perfect location for the grand temple of Bejarano and his followers most attuned to air and light made their home within the crater.
With the arrival of the Sea Gypsy and then Shets'doma pilgrims established coastal settlements thinking the island at first to be uninhabited. Shets'doma adventurers quickly discovered their mistake as they explored into the jungle and discovered a hostile Ornhini, suspicious of outsiders. An uneasy truce was formed but it is still rare to meet an Ornhini from Güney traveling amongst the Isle but more common within the Seelie and Unseelie realms. The Hadozee, a curious race, found the Shets'doma fascinating, less structured than the Ornhini and willing to travel, they became quick friends and it is now common to see Hadozee crew on Shets'doma vessels.
The cataclysmic explosion of Teranda wrote by Lady Shindarel during the Song of the Xeng destroyed much of the island's southern region including most of the crater. The debri from this explosion created a large shallow sea to the southeast of the island that linked it with the great continent of Thothia. Since that time this sea has become the breeding grounds for much of the mega-fauna to be found in the seas and oceans of Alphatia and Thothia and has also seen a large migration of intelligent sea-life.
With this new safer sea came the Thothians. A number of traders braved the crossing and began to establish small outposts on the now open inner crater wall, finding conditions similar to their southern homes. The Thothian Lord and his fleet made use of this passageway establishing himself on Trenaja, eventually creating the Blood Reef between the two islands. The Garundi less war-like and more mercantile found the Varisians and Shets'doma to be willing allies as they established themselves on the southern isle. It was only after they had established towns along the southern coast that the differences between the groups began to show. These representatives of Thothia had far more support from their southern tribes and quickly dominated the southern trade pushing out the Guney Tuomi reducing it to a fraction of its original size. The Garundi are now firmly in control of the inner side of Guney and looking to expand. The north finds small tribes of Shet'doma and Hadozee leaving in small towns and villages. Throughout these villages, poles have been erected and ropes hung allowing the Hadozee to swing and fly over their Shet'doma neighbors. The tops of these poles are often adorned with relics of Hadozee travel or markers of the different clans, the use of a good telescope can often allow the visitor to know which communities exist above them, along with the house markings of the Shet'doma around them. Music is common and in the early evening, the howl can be heard as the clans communicate across the entire Güney coast.
The first inhabitants of Teranda as Güney was once known were the simian race of the Hadozee who found the jungle environment perfect for their homes. These large creatures were joined by the first of the Ornhini to break away from the Elven nations. These elves arrived not from the sea but by the fey pathways that exist across much of Teranda with its deep forests. The Ornhini found the Hadozee to be fighting a losing battle against the Tasloi and Arcanea that also called the forest home and were quick to jump to their aid. The war amongst the vines was fought over many years and some within the Ornhini consider this battle to rage to this day as rumors of the Arcanea and their experiments continue but eventually the Hadozee and Ornhini had gained control of enough of the forest to establish settlements amongst the trees.
The inner crater remained empty, Varisian explorers that visited mostly considered the area to far from common trade routes. The Shallow Sea or Bay of Güney is particularly treacherous water being filled with both reefs and a popular breeding ground for larger and dangerous marine fauna, leading to many exploration vessels never making it to the land they could see on the horizon. The song of communion drew the Varisians into the great crater, far removed from the sea they found the windswept plain to be the perfect location for the grand temple of Bejarano and his followers most attuned to air and light made their home within the crater.
With the arrival of the Sea Gypsy and then Shets'doma pilgrims established coastal settlements thinking the island at first to be uninhabited. Shets'doma adventurers quickly discovered their mistake as they explored into the jungle and discovered a hostile Ornhini, suspicious of outsiders. An uneasy truce was formed but it is still rare to meet an Ornhini from Güney traveling amongst the Isle but more common within the Seelie and Unseelie realms. The Hadozee, a curious race, found the Shets'doma fascinating, less structured than the Ornhini and willing to travel, they became quick friends and it is now common to see Hadozee crew on Shets'doma vessels.
The cataclysmic explosion of Teranda wrote by Lady Shindarel during the Song of the Xeng destroyed much of the island's southern region including most of the crater. The debri from this explosion created a large shallow sea to the southeast of the island that linked it with the great continent of Thothia. Since that time this sea has become the breeding grounds for much of the mega-fauna to be found in the seas and oceans of Alphatia and Thothia and has also seen a large migration of intelligent sea-life.
With this new safer sea came the Thothians. A number of traders braved the crossing and began to establish small outposts on the now open inner crater wall, finding conditions similar to their southern homes. The Thothian Lord and his fleet made use of this passageway establishing himself on Trenaja, eventually creating the Blood Reef between the two islands. The Garundi less war-like and more mercantile found the Varisians and Shets'doma to be willing allies as they established themselves on the southern isle. It was only after they had established towns along the southern coast that the differences between the groups began to show. These representatives of Thothia had far more support from their southern tribes and quickly dominated the southern trade pushing out the Guney Tuomi reducing it to a fraction of its original size. The Garundi are now firmly in control of the inner side of Guney and looking to expand. The north finds small tribes of Shet'doma and Hadozee leaving in small towns and villages. Throughout these villages, poles have been erected and ropes hung allowing the Hadozee to swing and fly over their Shet'doma neighbors. The tops of these poles are often adorned with relics of Hadozee travel or markers of the different clans, the use of a good telescope can often allow the visitor to know which communities exist above them, along with the house markings of the Shet'doma around them. Music is common and in the early evening, the howl can be heard as the clans communicate across the entire Güney coast.
Geography
Güney is the largest island in Alphatia. Dominating the Southern seas this giant ancient volcano suffered a cataclysmic eruption that tore away much of its south-western side creating a giant shallow bay. The remaining crater edge forms an imposing wall of rock, the highest in Alphatia that creates an island of two distinct regions. The outer side of the crater, from the west around the north and to the eastern side is a lush rainforest with large trees that travel well up into the mountain range. Small towns and villages have created footprints along the coast where land has been cleared for farming. These communities connect with the mountain's and its cities through the many rivers that descend from the mountains down into the forest. In a few cases, keen pathfinders have created roads along these rivers making for easier transport of materials.
The inside of the crater in contrast to the luscious outer is a dry and arid environment. A number of large rivers flow down from the mountain producing lines of vegetation when one looks at the inner crater from the bay. Along these rivers, towns and cities have been built by the Garundi tribes that dominate the inner crater of Güney. The rest of the inner crater shifts from rocky deserts to grassland, with strong winds blowing in the evening from the sea.
Natural Resources
Glasswork
Swords, Varisian weapons
Fishing, Grains and crops along river deltas
Metalworks, armour and weapons from the spine
Jungles provided medicines and strange alchemical components
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