Coral Strand

## Description:

The Coral Strand, also referred to as "The Strand," refers to the long peninsula along Cerinth's easternmost coast; comprised of what is believed to have been a titanic sea creature's buried corpse-reef, Coral Strand serves as the front lines for one of Cerinth's many life-or-death struggles. The residents of Coral Strand choose to remain in the hellish conditions created by the weather, magical anomalies, monster attacks and cults, etc. in order to harvest a number of incredibly rare and valuable materials from the mutated species of flora and fauna that call the region home; furthermore, the residents rely on steam provided by generators tied to the seawater for the energy that powers their industry and economy, as well as the region's more advanced ships. These rare materials and technologies are then exported across Cerinth, where they serve as the centerpieces for future infrastructure or developments.

The JPCU became aware of Coral Strand, both as a location and a cultural region, after discovering Cerinth; investigation into the wider Hinterland provided insight into some of the strange technology seen in the hands of powerful individuals and traced these materials to harvesters and researchers in Coral Strand.

### Physical Description & Attributes:

Coral Strand is a long peninsula running north-to-south along the easternmost coast of Cerinth. Flanked by Sarafaz Bay to the west and the Cartilage Seas to the east, Coral Strand is isolated from the mainland and from most major settlements. Most of Coral Strand is mountainous jungle or forest, with long beaches on the coasts; massive coral reefs, fields of sharp rocks, and sharp cliffs dot the Strand's length as well.

Coral Strand is coated in a miasma of Magical radiation that induces mutations in the flora and fauna that lives there; while most of the mutations are found in aquatic life, land-dwelling creatures and even humanoids are known to develop abnormalities if exposed for long enough. Plants take on strange hues and unnatural qualities, and thick fog coats the land at night which induces hallucinations and hastens the mutation process.

The north section of The Strand, nicknamed "The Tendon" due to its proximity to the mainland, is practically on the equator, making it warm and tropical, sunny, clear-skied, and much less mutated than the south, nicknamed "The Bone" for its distance from the mainland, which is colder, wetter, mistier, far more alien and mutated, and rockier in both water and landscape. The settlements in the south are far more isolated and sparser than the north, leaving villages almost entirely cut off from the outside world; this environment leaves settlements vulnerable to cult infiltration or frequent raids by oceanic monsters.

#### List of Special Biomes:

1. Landseas
2. [REDACTED]

### Flora & Fauna:

[REDACTED]

Coral Strand is also home to a special breed of Lycanthropes, deemed "[REMOVED]" by the locals; these individuals possess a rare series of genetic mutations that allow their bodies to temporarily adapt to certain environmental conditions. Rather than function according to the lunar cycle like normal Lycanthropes, [REDACTED] transform due to extreme increases in temperature, submersion in seawater, and prolonged exposure to rain; this allows [REDACTED] to live in Landseas and on the coasts with less difficulty than normal individuals.

### Organization:

#### Capitol: Radow Falls

Coral Strand is not, in reality, a country; it has no federal government, no president or prime minister, no king or prince. Instead, Coral Strand is a loose association of villages, towns, and cities organized around a unifying culture and idea: Live in Coral Strand, extract its resources, make tons of money. Coral Strand has no government, but its culture has created local equivalents; most towns across Coral Strand are run by Mayors. Mayors are often voted into office, but few are ever voted out; Mayors are either dynastic positions passed down a family's generations, or the position has such a low life expectancy that no single Mayor can ever accrue enough power to remain in their position for long. Large cities may also be run by a Town or Municipal Council. The only unifying, inter-village governing body found across all of Coral Strand is the [UNIVERSITY], which operates across the peninsula, complete with its own internal structure, standing armies, supply lines, factories, etc.

Coral Strand receives few tourists, and has a very low population. As a result, most of Coral Strand's residents can trace their ancestors back to the time of The Fracture, when Coral Strand was first explored and settled. Since then, Coral Strand has received plenty of investment and economic progress, attracting merchants and trade but few permanent residents. Coral Strand's tourism is mostly composed of criminals, especially Felinid members of The Fifty Families, vagabonds, wanted men, Mutants, monsters, cultists and heathens, and other individuals who are shunned or displaced across Cerinth; the Bone of Coral Strand in the south is also associated with Vampires, as the heavy fog, cold climate, and heavy precipitation produce sunless conditions perfect for the Undead. Most people settle in Coral Strand thanks to its technological development and economic opportunities; if the Strand loses its economic importance, it would surely lose most of its population as well.

[REDACTED]

#### Internal Factions:

1. [GUN CORP]
2. [MINING GUILD]
3. [FISHING GUILD]
4. [SCRAPPING/SALVAGE GUILD]
5. [MINUTEMEN MILITIA]
6. [CONSTABLES]
7. [REMOVED]

#### Economy:

Coral Strand operates on a mercantilist economy when dealing with outsiders, but also relies on a trade/barter system when making deals internally. The scarcity of most commodities in Coral Strand demands that resources be shared and traded between individuals. For foreign deals, residents and groups of Coral Strand use gold, silver, and copper coins, nicknamed "Shells" by the locals; these coins are equivalent in value to coins found elsewhere across Cerinth. Internally, however, Coral Strand uses Cnidaric Jelly as a form of currency, traded between those who make use of or revere mutations; similarly, so-called "Cuts," fish teeth/bones are also used as currency, primarily between sailors and coastal villagers. Cuts can also include pieces of coral, both the mundane and Magical varieties, which are valued equivalently to precious gems.

Coral Strand's primary exports include a variety of resources, especially various dyes, exotic foods, weaponry, textiles, and Alchemical supplies. All of their exports are derived from oceanic resources, either harvested and sold raw or processed in the steam-powered factories that dot Coral Strand's coasts.

## Religion:

Coral Strand is home to a wide number of religions, faiths, superstitions, and cults. The list of known/recognized faiths is as follows:

1. Anti-magic faith w/ sailor superstitions (most common)
2. Anti-magic, anti-mutation faith (ascetic monks)
3. Pro-magic voodoo
4. Mutation-worshippers (rare)
5. Anchorites: Worship drowning, deep ocean, "Demons" on the ocean floor.
6. Pillar-worshippers (Misthaven)
7. Barnacle Cult
8. Coral Cult
9. Crab Cult
10. Church of the Manifested
11. [INLAND RELIGIONS]