Ozana
The small settlement of Ozana, located in the Glass Mountains, is easily the most unique in all of Krem. Not only is it situated at sea level deep inside the spectacular crystalline mountains, but the dwarves here have forged an unlikely partnership with the merfolk of the Wild Sea, even learning how to swim (or rather, how to hold their breath and dive, and climb their way back up along the walls: dwarves do not float). Some dwarves even form romantic relationships with their sea-dwelling partners, though they cannot reproduce. Ozana is remarkable not just for its location and the people who live there, but for its export of the rare hara crystals only found deep underwater in the maze of the Glass Mountains.
Industry & Trade
Ozana being a settlement of barely one hundred dwarves, and merfolk having no interest in land-dweller money, the economy is based entirely on trade. Taxes are paid with hara, pearls, and coral; visiting merchants should bring textiles, tools, spirits, and potions, and hope that any other wares spark interest in the residents, who are practical above all else. While no currency circulates, beads made of tiny shells are sometimes used as a reminder of goods or services owed. None in Ozana can read or write, and they speak a unique conlang of Aquan and regional Dwarven. Efforts have been made to bring public schooling to the Glass Mountains, but the residents firmly resist.
Geography
The Glass Mountains of Krem are located in the North-East just below the volcanic wastelands. The erroneously named “glass” – actually a mineral – is the hardest substance on Thera, and is impossible to harvest. The rare crystals that form on its underbelly, however, are highly coveted. Each crystal is completely unique in size and shape, with its own array of opalescent colors. Other resources of the Wild Sea – apparently only explorable by the inhabitants of Ozana – are equally sought-after. Fish, coral, pearls, shells, and crustaceans all make the tiny settlement an export-heavy economy.
Of course, the Wild Sea bends to no one. Lives are lost every year in the pursuit of these commodities. Towering waves pound at the unbreakable mountainside, making for a terrifying visit even as one marvels at the beauty of this inner sanctum. Whirlpools rip out unsuspecting divers along with the unpredictable tides, and aboleths lurk in the deep. One wonders why the people of Ozana settled there in the first place, let alone why they stayed.
Natural Resources
- hara crystals
- fish
- coral
- pearls
The Wild Sea
