The Tagaloa
The Tagaloa is a deep and lush archipelago, inhabited by a tribe of peaceful aborigines that worship a primordial deity living in a volcano near their settlement.
A group of tribesman have received a horrible truth from their village Elders: there have been strange creatures hiding in plain sight among the populace of the Tagaloa for centuries, monsters wearing human skin.
But only now are the people becoming aware. The tribesmen must race over the course of the next week before the rising of the Old-Moon to try and prevent the impending catastrophe that will be brought from their discovery, and try to prevent the approaching course of annihilation of the entire archipelago before its doom.
Geography
Roughly two miles from the land known as Heimland, the Tagaloa is a series of islands stretching roughly 6 thanna (one thanna being 360 miles) wide and 20 thanna long. A unique feature is that all the islands surround and encompass a massive towering volcano known as the Pulotu. The island on which the Pulotu rests is the Anvil, the most important of the islands. In the East is Matavai, the fishing colonies. The West is the land of Savai'i, the land of the Elders. In the North is Safune, the lands of the barbarians.
But it is the South that is of importance. Known as the land of Falealupo, this little plot of seamless sand is said to be the resting place of dragons, wizards, sorcerers and magic. But its most chilling inhabitants are certainly the Things, a race of nameless creatures that wear human skin to blend into society. Once every 500 years the week of the Old-Moon arises, when strange things happen and the water separating the islands is almost nonexistent. Things cross over into other lands, bringing with them something horrible.
The islands are sinking. When the Old-Moon rises the Things will proceed to destroy the Forge and bring about hell, and the extinction of the people. Unless the tribesmen, trusted with the secret from the Elders, can stop it.
Fauna & Flora
The most common creatures are the pigs, wild horses, jungle-fowl, goats, wild-dogs, pygmy elephants and the pōpokotea, small white birds that are said to be good omens. Many magical beasts also inhabit the islands;
Stormbeasts- appearing as massive bison, these hulking behemoths bring about lighting and rain as they gallop across the skies. Hailing from the land of East, these beasts are the island's secret to bountiful fish.
Patupaiarehe- the Patupaiarehe are pale spirit-beasts that live in deep forests and on mountaintops across the Tagaloa, and are sometimes hostile to humans. Ethereal flute music and singing sometimes reveals their presence. Patupaiarehe, also referred to as Turehu, Ngati'Hotu and Urukehu (red heads), live in large guarded communities. They tend to occur in certain localities, especially hilly or mountainous regions in Savai'i.
Poukai- the Poukai are monstrous birds that kill and eat humans. Not much is known about them, but they reside in Falealupo and hunt at night for Patupaiarehe.
Taniwfha- the Taniwfa (singular "Tanif") are beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive giant waves. They are dangerous, predatory beings which kidnap women to have as wives. They hunt pigs and horses and come out at night.
Manaia- strange shapeshifting creatures with the heads of birds, tails of fish and the bodies of serpentine men. They can change form into pigs or goats to lure hunters into the woods, before abruptly killing them.
Tewhekea-Muturangi- monstrous octopi that dwell in the oceans separating the islands of the Tagaloa from each other. They hunt giant eels, although they will easily snatch a man wandering too close to their waters.
Kaitiaki- highly respected protective guardians of people and places, and some of the only non-violent creatures of the Tagaloa.
Natural Resources
Resources of the Tagaloa include its white mineral sand, black crystals from the Pulotu, the bark of various trees such as coconut and rare crystals from the pits of caves. Grain from the fields, most notably rice, is common. Metals and charcoal harvested from the rolling hills and stones from the bowels of the earth are also common. Gold is so common that there is sometimes too much of it and, like excess sand, it has to be disposed into the ocean.
Another common resource would be fire-shards. Harvested from crushed black crystals, these minerals produce an ungodly heat and can set fire to any flammable surface simply through contacting it. Shards are more commonly used to start fires. The second most common resource of Tagaloa is its Moona. Moona, also known as soul-powder, is a by-product of dead beings in the Tagaloa. If consumed, it adds to a person's longevity whilst removing the person's youthful appearance at the same time. This is why the Elders, albeit appearing to be at least 200, possess the strength of 20 year-olds.
Alternative Name(s)
Ishtookah, the Void
Type
Archipelago
Location under
Included Locations
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