The Valeran Archipelago

Off the eastern coast of Eleron lies a string of lush, verdant islands of dense ancient forests, chalky cliffs, sandy beaches and babbling brooks. Small villages and towns can be found scattered across the isles, with goats grazing on grassy knolls, small fishing boats dotting the clear waters, with a lone small mountain rising from the cliffs of the largest island. The tall cliffs meeting the natural harbours of the coastline are often dotted with seabirds, surrounded with warm waters and temperate climate, the Archipelago experiences only mild winters and light snows. People have lived amongst the Archipelago for about 2000 years, and yet the islands remain vastly untouched for the most part, due mostly to the unspoken agreement on the division of the land in regards to the Sylvan influence all around. The first settlers, and original founders of the town of Oakengarde, came from far north, from the rugged land of Morhiel. Upon their arrival, they found the isles often visited by the various fey and their magic, the boundaries between worlds seemingly thinner in the new lands they had discovered. Though the first few confrontations were bloody, the stubborn Morhiellians did not retreat, and eventually a more peaceful concordant was reached. The Valeran Archipelago has never had kings, barons or emperors, and never been ruled by a singular individual. Each settlement has an elected Counsellor that acts as town head, each year the Counsellors come together in the Hall in Oakengarde to convene and discuss the going-ons of the Archipelago. Counsellors may meet each other in the mean time if the need arises. While the Counsellors deal with everyday running and organisation, The Talons deal with the protection of the isles, as the only real organised armed force. While their primary duty is to serve as wardens against dangerous fey and envoys between the Archipelago and the White Wood, they also act as the hunters for meat and furs, and soldiers protecting the Archipelago as whole from any mundane threat.

Localized Phenomena

The Valeran Archipelago finds itself in the unique situation of being strongly connected to the Feywild, particularly deep in the numerous forests. Though not forbidden, it is advised that civilians do not wander the woods, lest they find themself accidentally stepping through into the White Wood, the sylvan lands the islands find themself connected to. The people of the Archipelago refer to their lands being 'Fey-Touched', a term that has grown in use to now refer to anything with Fey influence. This connection has led to some bleeding through effects on the Archipelago. It is not rare, though not common, for children born in the isles be Fey-Touched in some way, either through demonstrating unnatural magical ability or displaying bestial or fey attributes. In terms of passage through to the Feywilds, the barrier seems weakest on the night of a full moon, during this time the woods are often filled with strange lights and sounds.

Fauna & Flora

Aside from the occasional Fey-beast wandering into the Archipelago, there is a small bounty of critters and plants present. Valeran wildcats, spotted deer, pine martens and quails live amongst the oak and elm trees. Tawny and Barn owls are both fairly common to hear in the night, along with the occasional small wolf pack, though these are uncommon to come across, often only truly flourishing thanks to access to both the Archipelago and the White Wood. On the coastline, grey seals, carp, bream and rays reside, plus a multitude of fish and crustaceans that makes up a large part of the Valeran diet. There is not much space for the civilians, and the Archipelago certainly cannot support extensive agriculture. As a result, agriculture is restricted to personal or communal vegetable patches, keeping chickens and goats as the only real presence of farm animals. Companion and work animals include the large, fluffy Valeran Sheepdogs, Valeran Foxhounds and the round Valeran Shorthair cats. Horses, ponies and donkey are never seen among the isles, are they require a lot of space and with how small the islands are, and with sea being the most common method of travelling, have little use.

Natural Resources

The Archipelago provides a bounty of seafood for its people, with the excess of salted fish being used as trade goods. The outskirts of the woods offer some foraging to help support the civilians, though not enough to make a trade out of it as one would expect. The herbs and vegetables grown in town act in much the same way, potatoes (often grown in tall raised beds to save space) are grown both as a staple food and for the creation of the isles local alcohol, Poitín. Some settlements will have a beekeeper for the harvesting of honey, though production is on a local scale not an industrial one. With the lack of farming space, the Archipelago does not produce textiles of its own, wool and cotton are major imports of the isles, alongside iron. However between the goats and hunting done by the Talons, they produce a variety of high-quality furs and leather.

Alternative Name(s)

Isles of Hjör-vítr

Type

Archipelago

Included Locations