Aedrinaran Islands
The Aedrinaran Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the northern Terrasic Ocean, hundreds of miles off the coast of mainland Prima Terra and home to some of the most militaristic and isoalted cultures in the continent. Named for the Aedrinarian people, the islands are also home to the Frost Giants of Jotun and the Ice Elves of Asrinheim.
Home to 25 major islands in total, and numerous islets and sub-chains of islands, the islands span 130miles from north to south, and 220miles from east to west. The three most major islands, Aedrinar, Jotun, and Asrinheim, give their names to the three historically most powerful peoples of the archipelago. Politically and culturally, the island chain is divided into thirds alongside these three major islands. The west are more associated with Jotun, the centre with Aedrinar, and the east with Asrinheim.
List of Islands
| Rank | Name | Political Location | Rulers |
| 1 | Aedrinar | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Iceaxe, House Horfhand, Bear Clan |
| 2 | Jotun | Kingdom of Jotun | |
| 3 | Asrinheim | Northern League, Southern League | House Ardiylir, House Moonbow |
| 4 | Sudureyja | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | Jarl Naerfi Oath-Knee |
| 5 | Sudalfenland | Alesian League | House Alyse |
| 6 | Drekenheim | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | The Dragon Clan |
| 7 | Furunheim | Fury League | House Furyborn |
| 8 | Nyttkrow | Kingdom of Jotun | |
| 9 | Frossinturn | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Morganssen |
| 10 | Einmanfjell | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Whiteguard |
| 11 | Veggenheim | Kingdom of Jotun | |
| 12 | Nordurspir | ||
| 13 | Rauttland | Kingdom of Jotun | |
| 14 | Morgenjya | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Morganssen |
| 15 | Vanaheim | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar/ Salian League | House Salinir, House Runestone |
| 16 | Gudshard | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | Order of St Tara |
| 17 | Orsturejya | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Dragontooth |
| 18 | Kastaland | Salian League | |
| 19 | Hastarok | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | |
| 20 | Hoggourmur | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | Raven Clan/House Morganssen |
| 21 | Elaewyn (The Correlites) | Salian League | House Salinir |
| 22 | Forntorheim | Kingdom of Jotun | |
| 23 | Sehaniheim (The Correlites) | Salian League | House Salinir |
| 24 | Konarlir (The Correlites) | Salian League | House Salinir |
| 25 | Whalebone Isle | Eighth Kingdom of Aedrinar | House Ghastsea |
Climate
The Aedrinaran Islands are an arctic to sub-arctic climate, with diverse ranges of glacial plains, volcanic tundra, arctic alpine mountains, and dense sub-arctic forests. The southernmost regions tend to be the warmest, with warm air coming from the south-east and plentiful subterranean volcanic vents and hotsprings. The northern most territories become colder and less vegetation can be found.
Temperatures range from -40 in the winter to around 3 degrees celcius in the summer. Snow can fall all year round, with some warmer areas giving way to freezing sleet and rainfalls in the 'warmer' months. Snowdrifts and blizzards are common occruances, with its ocean location giving way to plentiful storms from autumn-spring that can snow in entire cities. Hail also tends to be common towards the end of the year.
Fauna & Flora
The animals and plants of the islands are extremely hardy and unusually cold resistant. Despite its tough climate, many species still call the archipelago home. The creatures who live here tend to have thicker than average fur and stockier muscles, as well as slower metabolisms. The plantlife is also capable of resisting even frigid temperatures and severe blizzards.
Mammoths are perhaps the most famous of the large animals found throughout Aedrinar. Although also encountered in small numbers in mainland Prima Terra, they are found in greater numbers within the islands. Found on the major islands, they can also be encoutnered in smaller numbers within the lesser islands such as Sudalfenland, Einmanfjell, Nyytkrow, and Rauttland. Reindeer, Elk, Moose, are also the most common animals found on land. Giant Elk also graze in the forest regions in larger numbers than anywhere else in Prima Terra.
The predatory population also tend to be more vicious and less intimidated by civilized populations due to the lack of plentiful food. Alongside thick coated grey and black wolves, Dire Wolves and Winterwolves are also common sites across all the islands. Sabre-Toothed cats can also be found in the numerous mountain regions of the islands. The only other notable large preadator are polar bears, found in small groups amongst the glaciers, forests, and lowlands of the northern most regions of the islands as well as throughout Einmanfjell and all of the Jotun isles. Smaller predators adapted to arctic lifestyle such as arctic foxes are the most plentiful, spread across the entire island chain and tied into the mythology and folklore of the three predominate cultures.
Other arctic adapted creatures such as arctic hares, Gryfalcons, Friggan eagles,Terrassic Puffins, robins, Sudurejyan Gulls, Ragnar's Duck, Aedrinaran Goose and white squirrels are found across the chain. Dogs and Cats have also been bred to have thicker fur and resistance to cold. The most famous of these breeds are the Vilderhunds who help pull dog sleds and herd animals. Great Sudurejyan dogs also act as livestock guardians for farmers and herders. Of the cats, the most famous is the small sabre-cat and the Friggan cats.
At sea, seals, walruses, narwhols, and Orcas are the most common. To the north, three species of penguins can be found. The Giant Penguin, the Jarl Penguin, and the common penguin. Orcas are the most populous sea predator, with other types of whales occasionaly encrouching into the waters of Aedrinar. Plentiful fish are found throughout the islands, most commonly salmon and cod.
Of the magical and monstrous creatures, the most deadly are the wyverns and yeti. Yeti live in small groups in mountain and forest climates, most commonly in Asrinheim and its associated islands. Griffons can also be found in numerous colonies in mountains not far from civilization, growing scarer the more north and cold you get. White Dragons tend to be attracted to the islands, but only exist in small numbers and rarely reach grand ages due to the people's warlike nature and tendancy to hunt and slay them.
Non-Native species can be found in the major port cities. Skunk have been known to live in Lastlight and imported bred animals such as Vale Forest Cats, Lynx, as well as many types of rat and other pests live throughout the major cities.
The Plantlife of aedrinar is just as hardy and resistant. Evergreen coniferous trees dot the landscape, and tundric grass resists most frosts and winter roses and cold-adapted fungi can be found throughout the forest lands. The most common trees are various pines, blue spruce, white firs, Jurgen Pines, Riverholm Oaks, and Sudurejyan Spruce.
Natural Resources
Despite being so cold and isolated, the Aedrinaran islands are brimming in natural resources. Plentiful lumber and fur supplies as well as fishing make for the largest available resources. The quick growing nature of Aedrinar's trees allow a constant resupply of these resources, and the fur from creatures such as polar bears, direwolves, and reindeer make for good armour, textile material, and trade goods.
Below ground, volcanic stone, gems, and plentiful tin, iron, copper, and even mithral can be found across all the islands. The ancient volcanic channels leave a vast network of caverns with easy access to the riches of the earth. The underdark of the region is also an isolate to the wider underdark, and was forged by the volcanic activity that birthed the islands themselves and is rumoured to briming with arcane metals and gems.
History
The Aedrinaran Isles are rumoured to be founded by volcanic activity caused by warring gods or elementals in the creation of the universe. The earliest inhabitents were actually a group of goblins who lived on Jotun, the Svartvelheim culture dating to the Dawn Age. In Aedrinaran tradition, ancient human sailors were tricked by the Forgotten Gods into settling the islands around the northernmost islands of Morgenjya, Hoggurmur, and Frossinturn as captive slaves and worshippers.
These humans lived a nomadic life by land and sea, and formed clans across the isles. Some would become cultists and clerical settlers who founded temple complexes. Most of this time is kept only in scant oral tradition and myth, with the people considered 'slaves' of their gods. The Svartelheim population seemed to be more active, founding city states across Jotun, largely in the fertile and spring fed region that now comprises Jameleska. Their most famous city being Fasingos, the first city ever constructed in Aedrinar. Smaller Svartelheim settlements are long lost, with only major remains being that of Rorisgrad.
Svartelheim's golden age would lead to the rise of the first lich, Lich King Gryllfagor, who supposidly learnt the secrets of lichdom from the forgotten god, Vecna.
The next people to arrive were the Giants in around 1100 ma. Sailing from the Krowethic Empire on Prima Terra proper, the Giants founded the colony of Jotun by conquering the territory of Svartelehim, with Ymir defeating Gryfflagor at the battle of Fasingos. The giants were hostile to the cults of hte forgotten gods, and managed to push the human tribes and cultists out of the isles of Jotun, Rauttland, Veggenheim, Forontorheim, Nyttkrow and perphaps Einmanfjell.
The third migration to the islands were a group of Elves - the thirteen houses - led by Frigga in the 2800s of the Mythic Age. Arriving in what is now Sudalfeland, Frigga would lead her armies to destroy the forgotten gods in a series of wars as she and her followers slowly conquered the easternmost islands of the archipelago.
The first war would conquer Sudalfeland, the second Furunheim, the third southern Asrinehim, the fourth the eastern isles, and the fifth the North of Asrinheim. The Forgotten Gods grew crueller to their subjects, and their actions would prompt Odin to rise up in war against them. Odin united the frost giatns and ice elves and would destroy the forgotten gods, marching into their divine plane and slaughtering them all - rising to godhood in their place.
After this, the current status quo of Aedrinar settled into place as the Frost Giant, humans of Aedrinar, and Ice Elves of Asrinheim divided the chain into thirds. Warring would of course occur across the centuries, most famously in the Jotun-Vaniri war, and in the human conquests of High King Haarold I Seasnake and King Olaf III Kingmaker, but for the most part the island chain would remain in general balance.
Knowledge of the islands would be lost after the fall of the Krowethic Empire. It would not be till the end of the Sun Elf empire, when astral exploration was attempted, that the islands would be re-entered into the wider historical record. For a long time, the lost colony of Jotun, the godkillers, and ice elves were simply a fairytale and myth to the pople of Prima Terra. The three groups would arrive in force at the Battle of Adar to defeat the Dark Lord Soulthek and end the first age - their existence never to be soon forgotten.
The Frost Giants and Ice Elves would be content to keep themselves to their little chain of islands, but it would be the ambitious and warrior-like humans that would thurst the islands into international awareness throughout history. Most famously in the second age when the Aedrinaran Age saw the human aedrinarans conquer swathes of Western Prima Terra, destroying the Marcian Empire and settling across the coastline and throughout what is now the Eldrian Empire.
Having cemented a reputation as fierce raiders and fightes, the islanders were eventually defeated by the Eldrian Empire in the third age in the Calamity of the Terrasic where their old styled longships were outgunned and out manouvered by the more modern Eldrian warships armed with cannons. This ended Aedrinaran dominance and interference for three centuries as they slowly modernised whilst maintaining their traditions and customs.
The coming of the 40 Year War saw the islands enter greater politics once more. The Ice Elves destested the Dark Seldarine worshipping Seldrinar Supremacy and the Aedinarans were honour bound by alliances to defend The Commonwealth. The arrival of the Aedrinaran isles in the war would turn the tide and bring blood shed to Eldrians and Seldrinar alike.
Included Locations
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