Gilded Bridgewater

The Gilded Bridgewaters is a collection of ten moderate sized islands and numerous smaller ones extending from the western edge of the Posuidete Archipelago, bordering the northern edge of Annachs Sea and the southern edge of the Shouran Sea.
The name was provided by a merchant from the Averum Republic, who suggested it could be the city-states gateway across the Great Maw. The region has another name provided by the Shoura humans who setlled there, Yurensiwang-Ying, which translates to 'tempting death for coin.' Though the name Xishuiqiao has also been used by the natives, which translates to 'western water bridge,' though this fact is not well known by non-Shoura.

Geography

The ten islands have similar environments, with high central areas juxtaposed by low-lying coves along the coasts. The massive flooding brought by Mystras death at the hands of Cyric caused a great deal of change, permanently sinking some islands and reducing the size of others. The ten primary islands in order of size are:

1. Hebinoshi Island - largest and one of the most inhospitable islands of the region, with high cliff faces along the majority of coastlines and very few means of access. The name Hebinoshi was given by the Shoura, meaning 'snake death island.'
2. Yakumas Isle - first island discovered by humans, named after its discoverer - Yakuma Daisuke. The island has a lower average elevation than the other islands of the region, but also has the highest level of tree cover.
3. Skytouchers Isle - an island in the west, named after giants were once spotted on the island. It is a winding island, thinner than most others but long. It is notable for having a high number of small islands offshore, in addition to a collection of sea stacks around most sides. It also has the highest peak of the islands.
4. Neudaugstad - western-most island, renamed by the Averum Republic after a trading post was formed there.
5. Aski Island - only island with remnants of human presence, having once been a country named Aski for a brief period after the Great Migration. The island once a collection of high plateaus and steep cliff-faces, though now has a heightened number of low-lying flood plains.
6. Kotake Island - named after its founder Kotake Sanato, who was also the victim of a mutiny and stranded on the island. The island is well known as a smugglers haven due to a number of sheltered coves, but lacks much in the way of resources and has considerably less access to the sandbars that connect the islands of the region.
7. Takayuki Island - an active volcano, with its name meaning 'moving to heights' as lords of Posuidete Archipelago often viewed those reaching the island as the most skilled sailors, however this is now far less common.
8. Floatsam - southern most island, named due to its lack of sandbars common to the rest of the region. This inability for animals to move between it and neighboring islands has allowed a more distinct ecosystem to grow there.
9. Spotted Isle - in the central west, the Spotted Isle was named after Rashmian explorers spotted jaguars on the island for the first time. It is the sister island of Hanten Isle, with which it shares the same name, though in a different language.
10. Hanten Isle - in the central west, Hanten Isle was named after jaguars were first spotted there by Shouran explorers.

Ecosystem

While ecosystem varies slightly from island to island, most have a collection of subtropical plants, small internal lakes or ponds, tall cliff faces and limited beaches. One common feature of the region are the shallow waters that connect many of the islands. Some of these shallows are present near year-round, while others only appear during low-tides. Many animals of the region have adapted to this as a result, with almost all animals native to the region being able to swim with some effectiveness.
The regions waters sports an impressive number of coral reefs around the larger islands and among the dense areas of smaller islands. A clear absence of reefs can be seen among the shallows, which have only been as they are for just over 1000 years.

Localized Phenomena

Sandbars

A unique aspect of the region are the sandbars in between islands. The sandbars act as a landbridges between each of the islands, allowing overland migrations to occur relatively freely by the animals inhabiting the region. While some are often visible regardless of the tides, particularly strong high tides are capable of covering them entirely and altering their appearance drastically. Violent storms are capable of knocking out the landbridges entirely, with the most notable example being the connections between Floatsam and the rest of the islands.
These landbridges prevent the movement of ships for much of the day, making thorough knowledge and understanding of the region a prized piece of knowledge to be possessed by any captain hoping to traverse the region.

Fauna & Flora

Aquatic Fauna

• Reef sharks
• Hunter sharks
• Sea lions
• Dolphins
• Predatory fish (barracuda)
• Sea otters
• Whales (migratory)
• Reef fish

Terrestrial Fauna

• Swimming macaques
• Leopards
• Water buffalo
• Snakes (flying, constrictor, poisonous)
• Cave bears
• Monitor lizards
• Iguanas
• Sea eagles
• Crocodiles
• Frogs
• Toads
• Possums
• Raccoons

History

Prior to the Decline, the Bridgewater was ruled by the sarrukh and then by yuan-ti, who took over from their serpent masters. The information regarding this remain shrouded, though the few scholars concerned believe it to have first been settled sometime before the year -20,000 AS, with the yuan-ti removing their rulers by -13,300 AS.
The first increase in activity came during the Great Migration in the year -894 AS, which saw the use of Xiqiaodao as a way-station for trading vessels. Yakumas Isle was also used for a period, having been discovered first and inhabited in -641 however the dragon, Xivrier, the Black Bringer of Death put this experiment to an end, burning all the buildings to the ground with his acidic tongue. After the Great Migration had concluded, a discontent minor Shouran lord ventured to the region, bringing his supporters with him and founded the island kingdom of Aski.
From -651 AS to -348 AS, the Shouran human Aski ruled over Aski Island. After the lords of the island were kidnapped and slaughtered by their own subjects, the island has lacked a ruler.
In -302 AS, Xivrier brought the native lizardfolk of the region under his rule. Xivrier attacked Yakumas Isle and Aski Isle with the support of a small lizarfolk army. This killed off most of the human populace in the region.
In -23 AS, Rashmian explorers came to the region for the first time.
In 251 DC, a pair of halflings and three gnomes tricked Xivrier into leaving his lair on Aski Island. The pair of halflings were Brandobaris and Charmalaine, while the gnomes were Bleredd, Rill Cleverthrush and Sheyanna Flaxenstrand. This marked the beginning of the introduction of females to The Golden Hills and also a well known instance of halfling luck among Yondalla's Children.
In 382 DC, the flood caused by Mystras death engulfed the region, creating multiple new islands, in addition to a network of sandbars that both connected and divided islands of the region.
In 736 DC, a collection of tall creatures were spotted walking on an island, leading to the naming of Skytouchers Isle.
In 1468 DC, Averi explorers found the region and landed on Xiqiaodao. They renamed the island to Neudaugstad and founded the trading outpost North Averland in 1482 DC.

Alternative Name(s)

Yurensiwang-Ying, Xishuqiao

Type

Region

Location under

Shouran Sea

Included Locations

• Hebinoshi Island
• Neudaugstad

Included Organizations

• Scales of the Dark Twister