Nûrîka (nuː.riː.ka)

"We don't see many visitors here - most ships follow the trade routes south of us. That's for the best - we don't need or want any more foreigners interfering with us."

— Sarru Tavik of Nûrikan

Nûrîka is an archipelago in the Southern Region, located over twelve hundred miles north of the larger and better known Mangimoi Archipelago. It is home to the Xapeta people, a group of Kikipua who have inhabited the islands since before the fall of Muria. The Xapeta were nearly wiped out several times during their history - first when the Nakaal invaded and incorporated Nûrîka into Muria, and again when the Clarati destroyed Muria several hundred years later. After the Clarati genocide, the Xapeta were unmolested for over two thousand years, until a force of Telmun soldiers fleeing defeat on Pulo invaded and established a kingdom on the islands in the wake of Hundaru of Telmun's death.

This kingdom, known as Šarrūt Nūrīkē, ruled Nûrîka for over three hundred years before the Xapeta finally ousted the invaders and reclaimed control of the archipelago. They established the nation of Nûrikan, which still rules the archipelago today a little over fifteen hundred years later. There are still descendants of the Telmun invaders living on the smaller islands of Nûrîka, but they are forbidden to land on any islands not set aside for them, on pain of death.

This history has made the Xapeta distrustful of outsiders, and they make no effort to welcome anyone to visit the archipelago. Their location far from the profitable trade routes aids them in this, and very few outsiders ever make the journey to these islands. The closest island to the archipelago is Gurri, nearly nine hundred miles to the southwest.

Points of Interest

Nearly all the population of Nûrîka lives on the large island of Hunu. The largest settlement is Nroubea, capital of Nûrikan, but outsiders are not permitted to make port here. They are directed to the town of Tawakina on the southern coast of Drefu - this is the only place outsiders are permitted to go. The town is governed by an official known as the Tawakut, who is the only person officially permitted to conduct foreign trade.

Beyond this, the only island foreigners are likely to see is Wëträ, although they usually would not wish to. This island is not inhabited by the Xapeta or the Telmun peoples - instead, it is overrun by the gigantic crabs commonly known as the Zurigarra, and who the Xapeta call Kravahetu, the Flayer-Beast. Those who violate the laws of Nûrikan are stranded on Wëträ, to become food for the crabs.