Dragomoor

== General ==
Dragomoor is a small island in the Strait of Heikor. Located east of the mainland, the sea has been steadily eroding the island, causing much of it to sink beneath the waves. Today, nearly two thirds of the island are mudflats. Residents construct houses elevated on docks to prevent flooding during high tide. Dragmoor is famous for paranormal activity. Visitors to the island and the waters around it often report a perpetual sense of unease. Over the years, countless people have disappeared around the island. Creatures known as ‘The Drowned,’ a type of aquatic undead, infest the waters around the island. This is especially true of the Dragomoor Passage, the sea route between the island and the mainland. Ships other than military vessels often avoid the passage.
== History ==
Geological evidence indicates that till around 7000 years ago, Dragomoor was part of an ancient land mass connected to the mainland. An earthquake caused the collapse of most of this land mass save for Dragomoor, leaving only a sheer rocky face around the once inland location. It is believed by many that this ancient event caused the haunting of the island and the water around it, as thousands of prehistoric people and animals were suddenly drowned in the Strait of Heikor. This same earthquake is believed to have caused Dragomoor's main issue today: the slow sinking of the island into the sea.
After this cataclysm, the people inhabiting the island became trapped without a means to easily reach the shore as the once landlocked location had no boats and swimming the drowned infested waters was much too dangerous. Isolated for thousands of years, the Dragomoorish peoples survived by harvesting fish and kelp from the seashore. Early archeological evidence is sparse, but does indicate a fascination with death and the undead, including ritualistic human sacrifices.
Like most of Heikorian history, what happened to Dragomoor in the Lost Age is largely unknown; however, it was one of two powers that survived the Lost Age Collapse in the south. After the Lost Age Collapse, Dragomoor had seafaring vessels and had begun to colonize the mainland in the absence of the Lost Civilization. One of only two surviving powers in southern Heikoria during the Revival Age, they came into conflict with their neighbors, resulting in the Dragomoorish Wars, a series of conflicts that stretched over two hundred years. Dragomoor lost this conflict and all of its mainland colonies. In the final battle of the war, Dragomoor repelled an attempted invasion of their island in a naval battle. The Slaughter of Dragomoor Passage was recorded by ancient historian Azorto in Red Waters. He described it as follows:“The stars foretold of our defeat, yet in our hubris we thought we could defy them. To pull back when complete victory was so close, only a fool could be swayed from such a course! In the end, we were the fools. Dragomoor may be our enemies, but we are of one blood. We have forgotten this in our greed. I stand on the shore, one of only a few survivors, looking at our burning ships, still sinking beneath these haunted waters. The wails of dying men echo for miles. I can no longer tell if they scream as the flames or the drowned consume them. We have been punished. I at last looked to the Sacred Mountain just north and saw looming over its peak, the constellation of Ara the Skull, mocking me.”-Azorto, Chronicler of Khortos
After this disastrous failed invasion, a peace accord was struck. Dragomoor established trade relations with their once enemies and became a major power in the region, purchasing a powerful navy and becoming a dominant sea power, and later a safe bastion for numerous mercenary armies.
During the Late Revival Age and the following City-States Period (which saw the rise of House Harkane as Dragomoor’s ruling family), it rose to become the most powerful naval and military power in the region. Despite this, it was always subject to the whims and politics of the mainland, unable to support its military with just the barren resources of Dragomoor and the surrounding seas. For millennia, Dragomoor maneuvered to gain territory on the mainland, but was perpetually denied. Though it succeeded in taking territory at times, this seldom lasted more than a few years, reclaimed by some other power. It was well understood by mainland political players that to grant Dragomoor access to its own resources would be to remove its leash.
Over the centuries, this resulted in a deep rift between Dragomoor and the rest of the southern Heikorians. Nearly 200 years before the arrival of refugees from Eldham and Rathnir, the beginning of the New Imperial Age, Lilith Harkane (later known as ‘Bloody Lilith’), Duchess of Dragomoor, took matters into her own hands and launched an invasion of Northern Heikoria. Dragomoorish mercenary armies along its powerful navy took the north by complete surprise. The conquest of the peninsula was swift and brutal, with an estimated 60 percent of native northerners being slaughtered by the end of it. Unwilling to admit they had lost control of Dragomoor, the court in Heikora claimed to have endorsed the invasion from the beginning despite no records of authorization existing.
The Harkane Conquest, as it is known, ended when a small group of native Northerners and followers of S’dan the Tree Lord (converted several centuries prior by missionaries) convinced Lilith that she had enough land and that it was time to build and heal her territory. Lilith married the leader of this group, Yabushige the Wise, and the two founded the city of Arasdan, named after a combination of their two gods. Though Arasdan is technically the vassal territory of Dragomoor, Arasdan, the much larger, wealthier, and resource rich of the two, has become the real seat of power for House Harkane. Despite this, there is little tension between Dragomoor and Arasdan as the latter provides Dragomoor with vital supplies necessary for survival without caveat. 
== Politics ==
Dragomoor and Arasdan form a singular political bloc in Heikorian politics. They are an extreme nationalist bloc who hold a platform of cultural purity, anti-immigration, isolationism, and militarism. While there is a sizable minority of supporters throughout Heikoria, Dragomoor appears to be the epicenter of the movement.
They have opposed many decisions of the central government in Heikoria, especially the allowance of Paxian refugees into the nation. They especially resent the allowance of the Sylvanian settlement Kwativar. In retaliation, both cities banned Nox Lucius (the (Sylvanian religion), from being practiced in both Arasdan and Dragomoor and are spearheading efforts to make the religion illegal on a national scale, demanding the Sylvanians abandon their ‘false gods’ and adopt Heikorian culture.
Initially, they opposed merger into the Diarchy of Amiris, but have since slowly come around to being amicable allies, seeing the Diarchy as a means to leverage power against rival political factions within Heikoria. Dragomoor has used its territory as a launching point for Amiris to invade its neighbors and gain territory, hoping that the Diarchy may return the favor if called upon. House Harkane paid for the construction of the Arasdan Cathedral, which honors the goddess Iris of Amestris, Ara, and, S’dan as a show of unity between them.
Dragomoor itself remains fervently at odds with neighboring Kwativar, often saber rattling and threatening to blockade the port city unless demands of inspection and adherence of cultural norms are met. While sporadic acts of violence periodically erupt on the deadly sea between the two, such as the seizure of ships and cargo under the guise of ‘combating smuggling,’ all out conflict has yet to happen.
== Religion ==
The patron goddess of Dragomoor is Ara the Skull, a constellation found in the northern skies. Evidence of the worship of Ara dates back at least ~9,000 years with early cave paintings of the constellation found below the island. Evidence of animal and even human sacrifice are present in ancient ritual sites.
The Dragomoorish people see death and undeath as tests they must endure. In the faith of Ara, enduring the hardships of their haunted island makes them strong as a people. It purges the weak and hones the survivors to a razor's edge. Some of the common practices of Ara's worshipers include animal sacrifice, slaying mindless undead, and learning necromancy.
== Ecology, Landmarks, and Geography ==
Dragomoor is largely a barren rock with most of the island being muddly, tidal flats. Beyond the main island, there is a smaller island to the south which is home to the southern lighthouse. This small island is simply called “Lighthouse Isle.” Only two large rocky outcroppings on the island never fall below sea level, each of which contain the city’s two most important structures: Harkane Castle and the Ara Starshrine, one of the oldest starshrines in existence, and perhaps the first. Extensive use of the starshrine has infused the environment with necromantic magics, killing all but the most resilient of flora. Only a few, ancient trees stand on the island, twisted into a plant version of undeath. Sea life around the island also experiences mutation as a result of necromantic magics, though by all accounts it is still safe to eat. Copious amounts of Drowned, undead humanoids, infest the waters around the islands. Suppression of the Drowned population is a constant effort by the Heikorian Navy.
Deep below Dragomoor, shielded from the necromantic magic by hundreds of feet of solid stone, life does flourish. Lush caverns full of plants and small animals have survived for thousands of years. One famous landmark, the Flooded Geode, hosts a variety of unique cave fish and crustaceans.
=== Ships of Dragomoor ===
Dragomoor is the permanent mooring location of three seafaring vessels.
==== Memory of Lilith ====
This ship is an ancient longboat that's been in service since sine before the Lost Age rebuilt and repaired over the centuries with only a few original parts remaining. This vessel belonged to Lilith Harkane herself during the years before she was legitimized by her noble uncle. She spent her early years as an angler, staring across the the the Dragomoor Passage, resentful of the plenty the mainland had. The ship was renamed to the "Memory of Lilith" by her mother. According to folk legend, Lilith's mother watched her bright, happy child grow resentful and bitter due to the hard life demanded of the Dragomoorish people. That fury drove her to seize land in the north in her bloody conquest later on before her heart was soothed by the S'dan the Tree. The boat represents her life, a series of decaying periods and rebirth. While seldom unmoored, the boat is a popular fishing spot.
==== Paramour's Revenge ====
This barque belonging to the Heikorian navy vessel is specially designed for hunting Drowned. The vessel sits low in he water to allow spears to strike their foes while safely out of reach of most Drowned. The Paramour's Revenge was named by the famous Drowned hunter, Kalidax Wren, after a Drowned killed his fiance. While its primary mission is to control the Drowned population, it is also a fully capable war ship with a modest armament of cannons, a great support vessel for any Heikorian naval fleet.
==== Wyvern's Fury ====
This modern frigate is the largest ship that moors on Dragomoor with any regularity. The Wyvern's Fury was named after Admiral Dash "The Wyvern" Tandish, the admiral that led the Dragomoorish Navy against the northern fleets, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of the Bay of S'dan. The Wyvern's Fury patrols the Strait of Heikor, hunting sea monsters like the dreaded Kraken as well as hunting pirates. The ship boast a full gun deck, multiple deck guns, two aft chaser cannons, and one bow chaser. Mounted on the aft is a powerful harpoon-launching ballista designed to launch into large sea monsters and reel them in, preventing them from escaping. Additionally, the ship has a large steel spike to ram sea monsters and enemy vessels. Beyond it's typical duties, the Wyvern's Fury transports the Luminarch Lothaire Harkane when he need to travel by sea.
=== Paranormal Activities ===
Dragomoor is considered one of the most haunted places on Abexilas with poltergeist and other ghostly phenomena being commonplace. The constellation of Ara focuses on the island, coating it with steady, low doses of necromantic magic at all times, amplified by the use of the Starshrine to harness said magic more readily. Visitors and locals often report ghost sightings. Some of the more famous ghosts are:
* “The Eyeless Widow”- This ghostly woman can be spotted on Lighthouse Island, staring at the Tsuyon Sea to the south. Her pale visage is missing its eyes. Legends say she cried so hard for her lost love that she lost them. Others claim the Drowned tore them from her head, preventing her from ever seeing the one she loved again. Most tales of the Eyeless Widow report that she vanishes if you approach her. 
* “The Harpooned Man”- This ghost appears as an older man with a harpoon run through his gut. He is alleged to be the spirit of the notorious serial killer Arden Whent, who hired fishermen to work his boat and would then killed his victims with a harpoon before using them as bait. He was executed on the order of House Harkane, impaled by a harpoon and hung up to die slowly over the course of several hours. This ghost is a rare sight in the Harbor district and chases those who wander alone at night, threatening to make them into chum. Once a decade or so, someone is found dead, impaled by an old harpoon.
* “The Scorned Maid”- This womanly ghost is a beauty beyond belief, with locks of ethereal golden hair and striking features She wears a maid uniform and has bright green eyes that lul one into a sense of ease. Unlike most spirits, she does not appear to be an apparition at first and appears only to men. The first encounter is usually her weeping silently to herself in the castle. When confronted, she will tell the story of a sordid affair with one of the lords of the castle and how despite this lord claiming he would marry her, he pretended the entire affair never happened. Over several more encounters, the spirit will invite her victim up to the top of the Don Jon to view the stars. There she will ask her if they “wish to be together forever.” If one accepts, she attempts to grab them and leap into the water below so that they may die and spend eternity together. If rejected, she lashes out and leaps off the ledge alone, unable to bear the rejection. While many have died to this spirit over the years, some have survived the fall and report seeing the bones of her victims and her in the murky waters into which they fell.
* “The Lost Boy”- This small child-like apparition sometimes appears during the New Moon in the Harbour district. He looks pale, cold, and wet. Usually appearing at the end of the street, he will stare before wandering around a corner, mysteriously vanishing. If followed, he will often reappear and do the same thing over and over until the sun rises. This apparition appears to be harmless other than making one tired chasing it all night.
* “The Friendly Captain”- If one gets lost on a boat during a foggy night, one might be approached by a dark-haired woman in a row boat who will greet them warmly. She will offer food, drink, and tale while she guides them back to shore. It is believed she’s the spirit of Corda Flinn, the long dead captain of the Memory of Lilith, an old fishing vessel still in service today. In life, Corda would risk everything to save fishermen lost in the fog. One day, when a much too adventurous young lad got lost in the morning fog, Corda went out to retrieve him. She found the man’s boat overrun with Drowned. Without thought, she leapt onto the boat and freed the man, telling him to take her boat to safety. She was never seen alive again, yet her spirit seems to continue her mission.
* “The Ancient Man”- This spectral man is garbed in prehistoric furs and wears a wooden mask painted white. He brandishes a stone spear in one hand and a flint knife in the other. This apparition haunts its victims fo r days or even weeks, appearing sporadically in the corner of their eyes or in the distance. Finally,The Ancient Man will strike when the victim is vulnerable, sacrificing them in some ancient rite to Ara. Few have survived an encounter with The Ancient Man, those who have are scarred both physically and mentally.
Hundreds of other apparitions have been reported on the island, some hostile, some benign, some even friendly. Visitors are advised to steer clear of any spirits they see.
== Economy ==
Dragomoor’s chief exports are from fishing. While some fish mutations happen due to the necromantic magics of the area, the overwhelming majority of the fish are normal and safe to eat. Due to the dangers of the water, fisheries in the Dragomoor Passage are incredibly strong as the Drowned seem to ignore wildlife which in turn thrives. Beyond this local fishermen, sell items like tridents, enchantments, and more from their fishing exploits. In the sea caves below the island, additional fishing can be had at the famed “Forgotten Pool,” an ancient temple to a lost god that sank into the ground during the ancient events that made Dragomoor an island. This pool is famous for being a source of both gunpowder and spider eyes. While closed to outsiders for most of its existence, Anglers from all over Abexilas presently make their ways to these challenging waters after its borders were opened by Luminarch Lothaire Harkane. 
Recently low-end brewing has begun on the island with the construction of “The Anxious Amethyst” located inside a cave system repurposed into an inn and tavern containing a large geode converted into a stage for entertainers. While the tavern is presently a work in progress, it is expected to open soon.
File:ForgottenPoolDragomoor.png|The Forgotten Pool
File:HarkaneCastle.png|Harkane Manor, home of the ancient House Harkane, one the lording families of Heikoria.