Lanasu (Island)
Shield of Colren
Lanasu's forbidding chalky brown cliffs stand at the gateway to the Kingdom of Colren, just as they did centuries ago. Faithful guardians: once the pride of Ameral, now the pride of Colren.Oft referred to as "Colren's Shield", Lanasu is a small island, fifty-four kilometers long and nine kilometers at its widest. It serves as the capital of Lanasu Province, in the eastern borderlands of the Kingdom of Colren. Its strategic location confers both military and economic benefits for the Kingdom.
– Federation Commander Aryl Aban, musing on the rise of Colren
Geography
Lanasu is shaped somewhat like a ship, coincidentally being a major naval base for Colren. Cliffs jut from both the western and eastern coasts, providing a natural defense from invaders. The coastal areas are rocky and host a light mixed forest, while further inland the forestation is heavier and the land is flatter.
The western shore is generally more hospitable towards cities, and most of the island’s twelve thousand inhabitants reside there. It contains the coast guard base, the capital, and several smaller towns along the coastline. On the eastern shore, owing to the dearth of flat land beneath the cliffs, there are only three major settlements: two on lava plains beneath the cliffs, and one drilled and nailed into the side of the cliff (Liton Tais). These serve as centers for trade and military, with the Colrian Eastern Fleet based in Port Adan.
Further inland, the Central "Plain" is, in general, drier and harder to access. The soil quality is poorer than on the coast, and owing to this and the fact that you need to ascend cliffs of several hundred feet to reach it, there are no major settlements, with only small farming villages of a few dozen sustaining themselves on the land. However, due to the good vantage point the cliffs provide, reconnaissance posts are maintained at strategic villages.
Fauna & Flora
What life the Crimson Oak doth breathe,
Her scarlet flowers of summer grow,
Her branches hang above in wreaths,
Her redwood roots deeper sink below.
Ode to the Crimson Oak, Cicera
Lanasu Mixed Forest by Kahuroa
Natural Resources
Many natural resources come from the endemic plants and animals. Multiculture farming, as well as the remnants of luck-fields from the magisters, boost crop and livestock outputs. The location near a subduction zone also means there is plenty of accessible ore near settlements, which have been mined extensively. Notable finished materials Lanasars export include Aeramen-built ships, considered of the best quality, specially forged steel and bronze, prized for its hardness, and a light, pure tasting beer brewed from the Eastern Pipe.
Lanasu Map by ElementalShrike
Alternative Name(s)
Colren's Shield, Gatekeeper of the West (Federation) or East (Kingdom of Colren), Long Brown Line (insult)
Type
Island
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Governor Larisa Kole
Owning Organization
Contested By
Related Professions
Related Materials
Lanasu Inhabitants:
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Very thorough without being too long! I enjoyed the read. :) I have one question, or note: how does the shipbuilding affect the island and do they have any problems with it because of it? It doesn't sound like a very large island, and Rome's shipbuilding back in the day played a large part in the deforestation of the Italian peninsula. Since you mention them having a big/strong navy, it made me think of that. How does this island fit, in context to the Kingdom it belongs to? Also...
What do you mean by that? Dropping poison gas on your own country sounds like it might be an issue. :DCreator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.
:) guess that was a slip of the tongue. Corrected that. Also added a summary section in the top of the article: maybe that helps address your first and second questions?
That makes more sense. :D How do they disperse it? Yeah, that helps! And I always think top-article summaries are good.
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.