Brovian Isles

The Brovian Isles are a set of islands off west from the main continent.
Dwellers of the islands are largely considered savages by others, as they have lived in isolation from the rest of civilization for centuries. They have developed a culture that differs from the continentals' greatly, and have their own traditions and ways.
This is most obvious in their frequent use of blood magic and necromancy, which are largely shunned on the main continent, and not used unless absolutely necessary. The islanders, however, view blood magic and necromancy as merely an extension to other 'natural' arcana. Generations of shamans have gathered more knowledge about necromancy than the continent could ever dream of, as it was never banned or regulated. (This has lead to some accidents and mishaps, but it never raised alarm outside the islands, and was always viewed as a single incident)
As a result of frequent consultation with spirits, malevolent or no, the islands themselves have come to have an almost haunting quality to them. A constant mist sticks to the ground, the sun never shines as bright as it should, and if you listen closely, you might hear a passing whisper just short of your ear.
The islands are a subject of a multitude of ghost stories, most of which aren't true. It doesn't mean they aren't rooted in truth, though.
The Brovian Islanders live in small villages scattered across the islands, and have no singular leader. Each village has a shaman and a sage, chosen by the villagers every five years. There is no absolute power, and the community cares for it's members by sharing burdens and never refusing help from others.
Everything that lives on the islands is, at least to people from the continent, somehow eerie. Human skin becomes cold and grey and even the reddest of foxes becomes a plain brown. There are creatures roaming the forests that no continental would ever dare to dream of in their worst nightmare. In reality, these creatures are mostly harmless. Banshees will murmur a word of thanks if someone leaves a cup of oatmeal beneath a windowsill. Shades will compliment any beautiful person by carving their words into the corner of their looking glass. Leshens might leave a carcass on your doorstep, but it's because they don't understand that humans don't enjoy a half-rotten corpse for dinner.
The Brovian Isles are strange, and most certainly different from the rest of the continent, but no more a threat than any other. Just try not to get into a fight with an islander, though. You might wake up the following night to a demon grabbing your leg from beneath the sheets if you do.

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