Chandrasma Archipelago
In moon's embrace and petals pale bloom blossoms of a thousand tales.The Chandrasma Archipelago, often simply referred to as Chandrasma, is a remote chain of islands found in the warm waters beyond the Sunari Wilderness of Xin-Jiyu. It is home to hundreds of islands of varying size that once formed the southernmost tip of the Sunari itself prior to the events of the Worldrend. The archipelago has a tropical monsoon climate, rarely experiencing temperatures below 15°C even in the depths of winter, and enjoys a consistent wet season from mid-autumn to early winter.
Priestess's Peace by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
While not all of the archipelago's islands are inhabited, they are all considered part of an island alliance known as Sahasridvipa. The largest of these islands, Nishamani, is home to the head of the Chandravamshi - a nomadic religious order whose only known holdings are within Chandrasma, and which was named for the archipelago itself.
The Utsutrija are said to have been born to the archipelago as gifts from the world and guardians of their fragile sands, and have rarely drifted far from their peaceful island homes. Perhaps, though, they do not stay out of desire, but by necessity. The storms and rage that sweep across the island chain make sailing perilous even on calm days, as the sea can shift from mirror-smooth to stormy swells in an instant.
Regrettably, those that do leave are rare to return. Either they fear a repeat of their flight, or they cannot return for the sea has already taken them.
Geography
It is a joy to race between the islands - to compare the black sands of one to the white of another, to clamber mountains and dive through caves!The archipelago's many islands differ with some vibrancy, and as a whole, makes up a delicate swirl that seems to curl around the central island of Nishamani. Nishamani itself, so named for its status as the archipelago's jewel, is a large sunlit isle that centres around a deep lagoon, upon which many of the Utsutrija live. Notably, the lagoon's waters are not salty like the sea despite its extremely close proximity; this has always been considered to be a gift from the archipelago's guardian deities. Nishamani, however, is not the archipelago's largest isle. That honour belongs to the ever-burning isle of Jyotsnavat, which hosts a highly active stratovolcano.
Jyotsnavat is an incredible source of fertile land for agricultural efforts, but only plants are permitted to grow there - farmers only ever travel to the isle of flames when no trembles have been felt through the earth, and are careful to flee the moment the island seems to awaken from its long slumber.
The priests of the Chandravamshi believe that Jyotsnavat serves a significant purpose in keeping outsiders away from the isles as it is said to have erupted each time invading forces have appeared on the horizon and no sailor is mad enough to sail directly towards a volcanic ash cloud.
Other significant islands of Chandrasma include Sindhuputra, where a floating temple welcomes both those of the land and sea and a frequent pilgrimage site for those of Laminaeles, and Arhasana, known as the Weathered Isle for its status as the northernmost island. Arhasana is inhabited only by a few people at a time, but is always manned: it serves as a good lookout point for both seabound threats and incoming weather events.
Jyotsnavat's Gleam by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Localized Phenomena
The thrum of thunder beats to the shaking of the earth. We listen, dear world.Chandrasma's islands each have their own unique aspects. Where Jyotsnavat has its eruptions, Sindhuputra has instead colonies of bioluminescent fungi in the inner waters around its floating temples, and Nishamani is said to blossom with wild moon-flowers in sync with the phases of the moon itself. Some things, however, are shared between the isles. Certain events repeat upon themselves, falling into patterns so consistent that the Chandravamshi have used them as a basis for the island's calendar system. There are four that are particularly distinct of these, used to divide the standard calendar into their own custom sections.
Dreamhaze by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
The lunar mists of the spring equinox shroud the islands in silvery mist only cut through by the moon's light, and are a favoured time for religious contemplation and defensive action. They are a welcome escape, too, from rising temperatures. The mists bring a healing chill that mends minor injuries and calms emotions, settling many moods to rest.
The verdant green skies of summer's solstice bring an intense heatwave for the weeks around the solstice, but also trigger explosive natural growth - though areas like Jyotsnavat are somewhat more destructive at this time, the rest of the islands experience a massive boon of fertility in this time.
In autumn, the equinox is not the day that experiences the most phenomena. No, that honour is reserved instead for the first new moon. In the absence of the moon's usual silver shimmer, the entire archipelago experiences a purple haze and an outcrop of strange coral-like growths in the offshore reefs that rapidly expand during the night.
Nishamani Waters by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Alternative Name(s)
the Moonlit Isles, the Exalted Archipelago
Type
Archipelago
Included Locations
Included Organizations
Owning Organization
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths
We do not fear pirates and their plundering ways. The waters are full of whirlpools that only we know the true locations of. We are sheltered here, behind the storms and eddies. ...It is making visiting elsewhere a challenge, though.
Inhabitants and Religion
The Utsutrija are not the only people to have settled around the archipelago over the years, though they remain the most dominant. They hold many of the ruling voices in Sahasridvipa and the religious order of the Chandravamshi is based largely in Utsutrija myth centred on the isles on which they have long lived. Other religions on the isles rarely focus on specific deities, though some small pockets of faith to the nature-deity Gozreh exist. Instead, they are more spiritual in nature, focusing on the connection between the land and her people and deriving much meaning from the odd ways the moon's power manifests over their home. Samsarans are more common among the Utsutrija than perhaps anywhere else on Istralar, for reasons unknown. The blue-skinned beings of reincarnation feature prominently in Chandravamshi texts and are rumoured to hold their own sacred grounds specific to those of their kind upon one of the archipelago's many islands.It is said that our islands were seeds planted by the moon herself, blown down to Istralar to get her attention. We blossomed as flowers in the world's garden, gleaming in the moon's sacred light. Only - when the moon does not shine, the islands grow scared. The volcano trembles, the flowers close. We look to our mother moon for guidance, and we steady our path in the face of all.
I love stories about islands and island chains, so this was a real treat. Thank you for writing it!