Terrapin Isle
Unattached to the bottm of the sea, and slave to neither tide nor current, this legendary island has hardly ever been seen by a living mariner, and those very few are almost never believed, unless there is a hogshead of rum involved for the listeners. Terrapin Isle floats where it will, say the old salts, with knowing nods and gazes full of sharp wit. Any reasonable person would say the entire thing was a story straight out of a fairy tale. Yet, there is no denying its existence. Indeed, the venerated Professor Nessie, of the world famous bastion of knowledge, The Bardic College Campus, was actually from Terrapin Isle. It is said, by those prone to loud educated guesses, that it is comprised entirely of the floating roots of the Matted Mangrove tree, having gathered dust and debris enough atop them to form hillocks and little dells. The Parageology Department states that reports of a mountain and majestic, cascading waterfalls are obviously the work of the overactive imagination of seafarers everywear, and that Professor Nessie was a Water Genassi, and therefore unqualified to judge hills from mountains. This, despite the fact that Professor Nessie had been a seasoned adventurer, and a Druid of great power and renown. What we have managed to confirm, is that there are several sacred waterfalls, and several sacred hills, and that small villages of half elves, sea elves, and humans are scattered across the woven mat of the mangrove roots. There is a single indigenous mammal, a flying rodent called a "Hawaiian Hoary Bat". It is assumed a "Hawaiian" is some type of coatl, or phoenix, of immense beauty and grace, but no one really knows the origin of the creature's name. There is a myriad of wildlife, mainly insects and birds, that inhabit the inner parts of the island; and there is a vast diversity of marine life around and under the floating behemoth.
The inhabitants live in villages tha are isolated from each other by dense jungle. Travel from one village to another can be very difficult, although travel to and from each of them is not uncommon. It is moreso that the jungle grows so quickly, and thickly, that paths are never formed by. The landscape, too, is so hilly and ridged that even game trails are never found, only the tracks left by the rivulets of water that frequent the island. It rains for a part of every day on Terrapin, and the gullies where it is prone to gather and flow are by far the easiest route to traverse, although it is circuitous at best.
Each village has a hut that is meant for community development and bonding, that the villagers call the Great Hall. Food is gathered and hunted daily, as it is plentiful and easily obtained, and the gatherers will bring the fruits of their labor to the Great Hall in order to share it out. Consisting of tropical fruits and vegetables, as well as mutton and pork that will be roasted in stone-lined pits dug into the ground, food is handed out to all and sundry in a ritual of gratitude and thanks. Roasted plantains, basted in brown sugar and honey, are a favorite dessert, which the culturally sensuous people take great delight in both crafting and eating.
Another area called the Water Closet, containing both a communal latrine and a separate, fresh water bath house, is also provided and maintained by the village and villagers for the use and comfort of anyone in need. The latrines are composting affairs, that nuetralize odors and maintain a clear separation of waste and potable water supplies. They are not open holes over rivers or streams; the villagers consider such things to be unsanitary and uncouth. Cleanliness is very important to the islanders, and the sheen and shine of their healthy skin shows it. They are fond of exotic oils to rub into the skin, and make many salves and unguents using pressed coconut oil as a base.
Honey is by far the most difficult of their necessities to obtain, and it is vital to life on the island. It has become a trade medium worth roughly the equivalent of gold per Stilton Ounce, among the islanders. It is used in all of its forms, and artistically formed into effigies of Yondalla, or the circular good luck charm called an auroboros; that of a snake eating its own tail. It is made into candies that are used in the indigenous people's rites of family and home, which they value above all else.
Each village is governed by an informal council of elders, who will gather and make critical decisions as needed. Elderly people are considered treasures, with great pains being taken to make them comfortable and happy. Children honor them, and consider it a great privelege to have lessons with the elderly folks, who are never shy about imparting wisdom to the younger generations.
Purpose / Function
It is a shelter and abode for many hundreds of people.
Architecture
The buildings and huts are made mainly of bamboo, which grows in abundance, roofed with sea grasses, which is another plentiful resource from the coasts.
Defenses
Non magical compasses do not work within thirty miles of Terrapin Isle, nor do traditional timepieces, making it very hard to chart corectly.
History
The Terrapiners themselves say that, one day, a mountain broke free of Tellus, and took the people on it away to safety just before the cataclysmic events of the Impact.
Tourism
Very few people ever find Terrapin Isle. There has never been a ship's quay built; there is no need for a chamber of commerce. The people living on the island prefer simple lives full of good food, good drink, and great love.
Maps
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Terrapin Isle: Typical Shore Village
A village on the very shore of Terrapin Isle. -
Terrapin Isle: Typical Village
A typical Terrapiner township of grass huts, arranged around the difficult landscape of their tropical homeland. The buildings are all on stilts, to accomodate the oft-flooded regions of the island, with the doorways generally landing on higher ground. Stairs and scaffolding help improve mobility throughout the hilly village.
Alternative Names
The Great One
Type
Geographic Feature
Parent Location
Included Locations
Characters in Location
Related Report (Primary Locations)
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