Shard Peninsula

Located on the southwestern coast of Decrowed in Narthica, this peninsula is believed to have once been connected to the island nation of Qirin. There are no records of how the island separated, but many think that ancient Gifteds were the cause.

Geography

Shard Peninsula is a simple curved, triangular peninsula on the southern coast of Narthica. It is part of the Republic of Decrowed and just above the island of Qirin, which farms livestock that is traded across Narthica. The peninsula is also very close to the Marieens and trades with them regularly for bricks, fruit, and dye. An underwater cave was recently discovered just under the tip.

Part of a map by Lilliana Casper

The peninsula rises several feet above sea level and is almost entirely covered with trees. These trees are primarily cedar elm, oak, ash, and magnolia. They are also rather young trees, with few exceeding fifty years of age and most averaging at about twenty. Other plants like ferns, moss, and shrubs cover the land around the trees and fill in the space.
One town can be found on the east coast of the peninsula, attached to a port for trading. The forest was cleared out in this area to make space for buildings and a road. This read leads back into Decrowed, splitting into two just before what is commonly considered the border of the actual peninsula. There are no other settlements or roads on the peninsula.

History

Long ago, the Shard Peninsula was much longer, connected to the thin island that would one day become the nation of Qirin. At some point before colonization of the main continent took place, it was worn away by either storms or Gifteds. Natural storms are the likeliest option considering Gifteds did not arrive in Narthica until well after the end of Altaria.

When Narthica was discovered and colonized, the peninsula became a part of Decrowed's territory. It was left mostly unpopulated, but a port was built in 1485 to access Qirin, and a small city grew around the port. It was almost abandoned following the rebellion that turned Decrowed from a monarchy to the republic it is today, but the new leaders decided to continue trading with Qirin.

I do not think we should leave the port. Trade with Qirin and the Marieens will prove invaluable in the future, even if the Marieens are fanatically religious.

— a Decrowan polititian

The only events of note that have taken place on Shard Peninsula recently involve the trade port, which is still active. The Republic of Decrowed has a cold relationship with the Marieens, which has caused tension and violence in the past. Qirin remains on good terms with the countries on the main continent, and all trade with them goes through Shard Peninsula.

by Lilliana Casper

Type

Peninsula

Location under

Narthica

Owning Organization

Republic of Decrowed

Storms Or Gifteds?

The island nation of Qirin was likely once a part of Narthica's main continent, connected to Shard Peninsula. Many hundreds of years ago, the land between the peninsula and the island was worn away. In other cases like King's Castle, Whirlan, this was the result of heavy storms that wore away the land. With Qirin and Shard Peninsula, however, many believe the separation was due to fighting between ancient Gifteds.
Considering Narthica was only discovered around 850 AEA and the separation of the island and peninsula is from before the end of Altaria, most historians support the storm theory. Ancient Gifteds would have had to travel up from Bazilia, fight and destroy a peninsula, and never record their journey for this theory to be plausible. However, a cave was recently discovered just underneath the point of the peninsula with several human skeletons. Jagged writing on the wall of the cave resembles writing from Setiress, Narthica's most mysterious chain of islands.