Invarlonna

Far from the reach of the Elves of Val'a the island of Invarlonna is a refuge for all banished from The Well. It supports many communities of Houseless Elves under and within its branches. Its position on the edge of the Bastinari Archipelago and the Eastern Cluster along with its independence makes it a perfect trade and resupply hub.

History

Before being claimed by Lord Yanindos and his followers, the island was a barren rocky outcropping considered to be a hazard to navigation.

Coming of Yanindos

Yanindos and his followers had been able to prepare for their Banishement, smuggling a Fecundheart from Darkwood all the way to the Broken Plains. Fearing the Elves would discover the plot, Yanindos pushed his followers tro travel to the furthest reaches of the Spheres. It took nearly five years, but when he sighted the island he decided it would be the place of his refuge.

Durnati Colonial Expansion

Initially, Yanindos was satisfied building his refuge in isolation. The tree was well cultivated and Yanindos Manor had been created. But he and his court bored over time. When the Duranti Empire came calling they were hungry for outside contact. Initially the Duranti Empire contracted with Yanindos to build a resupply port in the island's harbor. However, this also made Invarlonna a target for priacy and attack from neigboring nations. Instead of reneging on the agreement he leanded into it, expanding the harbor, commisioning the Root Forts, and inviting other Houseless Elves to settle.

Protectorate Era

When the Protectorate became independant from the Duranti Emperor with the signing of the Nexus Accords not much changed on Invarlonna. It was growing as a midpoint stoppover for ships following the wind from the Eastern Cluster to the Bastinari Archipelago. It expanded as a trade hub durring this time with the explosion of Nexus trade that occured following the end of the Third Nexus War.

Geography

Originally a small rocky outcropping in the edge of the Bastinari Archipelago on Thousand Seas, the island has been overtaken by the massive Invarlonna tree that gives the island its name. Both the seeds for an invarlonna tree, and the Fecundheart at its center were smuggled off of Val'a in the lead-up the the banishment The Well of Lord Yanindos and his followers. Through careful cultivation and the collective effort of dozens of Primalshapers the Inverlonna tree was grown to massive proportions, overtaking the island.

The Roots

Nine massive roots spread out from the trunk disappearing into the sea, sectioning off the island into separate areas of various sizes. Most of them hold fields for the cultivation of crops and herds to support the population.

Root Forts

Perched on the end of each root just before they descend into the ocean are squat stone forts that are used to defend the island and it's harbor. While seven of these are typically just lookouts to spot and signal incoming ships, the two on either side of the harbor are heavily reinforced and have a massive chain strung between them that can be raised to shut off the harbor. These forts are armed with ballista and trebuchets and held by elven soldiers drawn from all the communities on the island.

Market Town

Stretching from the harbor to the trunk, the Market Town serves as a cargo staging area and hosts many trading houses and Compact offices that manage trade through the port and beyond to trade between Bastinari Archipelago and the Eastern Cluster. Beyond the mercantile infrastructure, the Market Town also holds many entertainments for the clerks and ships crews that pass through. From bars and inns that dot the docks to the salons and cafes deeper into the town they make the Market Town a lively place full of news, debate, and entertainments.

Yanindos Manor

Lord Yanindos created Invarlona initially to be a refuge for Houseless Aged Nostalgists looking to recapture a fraction of their lives on Val'a. The manor is carefully cultivated to reflect a period on Val'a from before the Third Nexus War. Even as more Houseless Elves banished from The Well arrived newer styles have had no effect on Yanindos's refuge out of time. It's sweeping architecture is painted bone white to emulate the Havens created by Stone Boneshapers on Val'a. Powerful Primalshapers are relegated to manicuring gardens to make timeless never-changing tableaus.

To occupy his life Yanindos takes on wards from other noble families to educate them and create connections with other noble and merchant families. These wards are often attached to the merchant houses to teach them the ways of Thousand Seas trade. The combination of wealth, title, and close proximity to authority sets the wards apart from the rest of the population.

The Fields

Even though the limited arable land clutching the island is within the shade of the Invarlonna tree's canopy, with the fertility of the Fecundheart and careful cultivation by the Elven Primalshapers it produces enough food for the permanent inhabitants, but not enough for the entire island so it relies on external trade for most of its food.

The Trunk

Mounted in spirals that coil around the massive trunk are lines of buildings were the majority of the Elven population lives. These houses are partually buult, partially grown by Primalshapers.

The Boughs

Within the boughs of the Invarlonna tree, the Aiwenya and other flying Feraline Elves reside. They cultivate and harvest the fruits of the tree, and act as the island's primary guardians.

Fauna & Flora

Including the massive Invarlonna tree that dominates the island, nearly all flora and fauna were brought by Lord Yanindos or subsequent setters to cultivate the unihabitable rock that the island was before their arrival. Through channeling of the Fecundheart the Elven Primalshapers they were able to cultivate useful plants to feed them and to support small herds of meat and fiber producing animals. With the cultivation, the island has become waypoint for migrating birds and the island is regularly covered in birds from the Eastern Cluster and Bastinari Archipelago.

Occupants

Elves

While the leaders and owners of the island, the Elves are only a minority of the population. While they maintain the Invrlonna tree, and the land outside the Market Town, as with most Elven communities, the population is surprisingly low for what they produce. All Elves are either Houseless Elves or Newsoul Elves.

Market Town

Because of the advantageous position of the island, many Compacts and other organizations have offices on Invarlonna. Their staff make up a majority of the population, but they are not permanent residents, only living on the island for work. Because of the nature of their work, it is rare for the clerks to stay on the island for more than a few years at a time before being promoted in the Compact, reassigned to another island or ship, or retire.

Itinerant Visitors

As a busy trade port with a large harbor, a large portion of the population at any time is sailors on leave. While the bars and other entertainments keep them to the harbor, the Market Town attracts more than its fare share or them.

Government

Invarlonna is the personal domain of Lord Yanindos, the Market Town and harbor are available at his forebarence. While he is generally aloof to "mortal" concerns, he does dictate policy through his court. The court is made up of only elves and his wards, so the Compacts and other interested parties can only influence policy through cultivating members of the court. Yanidos belives that hand on experience is ncecessary to develop so, while they are treated as junior members, his wards are a part of his court and have political influence on th island.