Récif
Récif, Valine's fourth largest island, is located off the coast of Iosse's mainland. For almost the entirety of Valine's history, the island has remained virtually deserted and treacherous. By being isolated from the rest of the world, the island has flourished naturally, free of civilization's intrusion, and has earned a well-deserved reputation for possessing a wide array of unique flora and fauna.
The island's scant habitation has been confined to the western coastal regions, where paddy rice, coffee, vanilla, and cloves are among the primary crops farmed. Few people have even attempted settlement in the island's interior, as initial attempts have invariably resulted in encampments being abandoned or destroyed due to the island's various and myriad dangers.
Natural resources and an unique and risky environment make it a popular location for exploratory missions by well-funded trade syndicates. Due to the unusual, dangerous setting that it provides thrill seekers, such ventures rarely lack willing participants.
Geography
A narrow and steep escarpment along the island's western side preserves a substantial section of the island's temperate lowland forest. The center plateau of the island, which is 2,500–5,000 feet above sea level, is located to the east of this ridge. In this area of Récif, which is characterized by grassy hills rising from the deep forest that covers the majority of the highland area, numerous creatures compete for space and resources. An isolated Yuan-ti tribe known as the "True Stalkers" lives in the central highlands. The increasingly dry ground to the east of the mountains gradually descends down to the Belletry Depths and mangrove swamps along the shore.
Gilmouth (9,400 ft) in the Lourtara Massif, Delisgate Peak (8,750 ft) in the Naked Massif (so named for the lack of forestation), and Dômeprécaires (8,700 ft) in the Beresdare Massif are the island's highest peaks. The Golstable Shallows are a system of shallow lakes and streams that run parallel to the west coast for around 400 km.
Dry deciduous woods, thorny woodlands, deserts, and xeric shrublands can be found on the east and south sides, which are protected from rain by the central highlands. To the north and east of the island, temperate rainforests can be found. In terms of soil erosion, Récif's dry deciduous forests have fared better than the eastern rainforests and indigenous woodlands of the central plateau. There are several well-protected natural harbors along the eastern coast, although silting is a great threat to them due to debris carried by rivers across the eastern lowlands.
Ecosystem
Récif's year-round temperatures range between 50 and 61 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a mainly temperate maritime environment. The climate on the west coast is fairly wet, but the central plateau is semi-arid and the southernmost regions are subtropical. Southern and southwestern regions of the island are covered with rain forests that receive an average of 2,400–2,500 hours of sunlight per year. The north and northwest, with 1,400–1,600 hours of sunlight per year, are cooler and cloudier. The usual snow season runs from early Gonde to early Masus, however cold blasts can occur both before and after that time. During the winter months, the western and southern regions of the island, as well as highland areas throughout the island, receive periodic snowfall.
Fauna & Flora
Due to the island's prolonged isolation from civilization, Valine is home to an abundance of plant and species. Nine out of ten plant and animal species on Récif are endemic. Because of its unusual plant and animal species, some have dubbed Récif "the lost continent." The seven distinct ecoregions are lowland forests, temperate rainforests, dry deciduous forests, ericoid thickets, spiny thickets, mangroves, and succulent woodlands.
Récif's cacti are found only in the southern prickly woodlands of the country, and the majority are venomous or carnivorous. Récif is even said to be home to a species of sentient cactus. On Valine, one-quarter of the carnivorous plants are indigenous. Six of the nine deciduous tree varieties found in Récif's dry deciduous woodlands are native to the island, as are around three-quarters of the orchid species. The island boasts three times the amount of palm species present on Iosse's mainland. Herbal medicines generated from indigenous plant species are always in high demand since they can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments and illnesses.
As with its flowers, its fauna is diverse and unique. Lemurs have been dubbed "Recif's defining species" due to their capacity to thrive in a variety of habitats and develop into numerous unique subspecies in the absence of other basic primate competitors.
The feline-like fossa, one of Récif's unusual species, is unique to this location. There are about 300 bird species on the island, with over 60% of them being indigenous. Récif is home to over 2000 species of large reptiles, 90% of which are endemic to the island. Récif is home to two-thirds of Valine's shape-shifting species, leading some scholars to hypothesize that it is the birthplace of shape-shifting species on Valine.
The island's freshwater lakes and rivers are home to approximately 100 different species of fish. Récif is home to snail, butterfly, scarab beetle, lacewing, and dragonfly subspecies. Despite the island's dearth of invertebrates, the majority of the island's snail species appear to be indigenous including one species that grows to as large as 8 feet long and excretes a highly acidic mucus. On Récif, there is a large predatory butterfly called an Albarak. Its necrotic bite can be lethal.
Natural Resources
Récif, which occupies less than 5% of Valine's surface area, is home to approximately 5% of the world's species. Minerals, fish, mangroves, coral reefs, arable land, timber, coal, bauxite, iron, sapphires, chromite, and gold are all found on the island.
These metals have been discovered in rock chips and soil samples in southern Récif, implying that the region contains huge reserves and is ideal for exploration and mining.
Tilapia, catfish, and herring are the most prevalent fish species, as are crayfish, crab, shrimp, and crab. These species call the island's rivers, lakes, and streams home.
Throughout Récif's almost 3,000-mile-long coast, huge sections of mangrove swamp and coral reef can be found.
Récif's flood plains are drained by five massive rivers, making them ideal for farming. On the island, there are five large lakes, each with its own particular ecology.
Nearly 40.000 square miles of natural forest have remained intact in the region. The majority of the island's hundreds of orchid species are found in the rainforests, which are also home to a diverse array of uncommon flora.
According to estimations, Poheath's forges could operate on the high-quality coal available on Récif for at least a year. Based on known resources, the southeast of the country is expected to have at least 100 tonnes of bauxite. Additionally, iron ore and chromite have been reported to be abundant. But the mineral reserves cannot be commercially exploited until the necessary infrastructure is in place and, thus far, nobody has successfully managed to stage a venture that could manage that.
According to gem merchants, the vast sapphire reserves discovered on Récif indicate that the island is potentially Valine's richest gem mining region, but for the time being, they have concentrated their efforts on less hazardous places.
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