The Chiming Isles

Set thousands of miles from any major continent, the Chiming Isles consist of hundreds of distinct landmasses, each with its own ecosystem and unique resources. One day, a lush, verdant island might be a neighbor to a volcanic wasteland; the next, it could be pushed kilometers away, replaced by a barren salt flat.   The phenomenon that drives the changes is called the Chimes. These are a series of deep, resonating vibrations that echo from the planet's core. The Chimes occur at unpredictable intervals, sometimes a few times a day, other times only once every few weeks. Each chime causes the tectonic plates and landmasses of the archipelago to grind, shift, and reconfigure themselves.  

Inhabitants

This constant reshuffling of the landscape forces the inhabitants, known as the Shifters, to live a nomadic, nautical lifestyle. They have developed an intricate system of navigation, relying on the predictable patterns of the planet's stars and constellations rather than on static landmarks.   The Shifters have built their entire culture around the instability of their world. Their homes are lightweight, mobile structures that can be quickly disassembled and reassembled. They have developed a deep understanding of geology, learning to read the subtle signs that predict a coming Chime.   They don't own land, but rather, they have a collective understanding of which resources belong to whom. When the land shifts, they must quickly renegotiate their access to food and water. For example, if a community's hunting grounds are suddenly moved next to a rival village, the two groups must quickly come to a new agreement.   The absence of magic means that technology and ingenuity are their greatest assets. The Shifters have created innovative tools, such as the Resonance Harps. These are instruments made from a unique, crystalline mineral found only on certain islands. When struck, they vibrate in a way that allows the Shifters to "feel" the upcoming Chimes, giving them a small window of time to prepare.   Their greatest challenge is not the landscape itself, but other Shifters. The scarcity of resources and the ever-present danger of the Chimes have made them a resilient and sometimes ruthless people. Alliances are temporary, and a friend today could be a competitor tomorrow.