The Idion Isles

## Overview

The Idion Isles are a large archipelago positioned within the Luarn Ocean, with their closest neighbour being the eastern coast of the continent Virun. Due to their relative isolation, the islands have been inhabited by various tribes and societies uncontested for thousands of years. It is only within the last one hundred and fifty years that the Isles were exposed to the modern world, with mixed results from each of the island nations.

The primary export of the Isles is feathers from the so called ‘feather farms’, which are present all across the region. Birds are sacred to many Islanders and act as a source of magical power for their Shamans, depending on the feather in question. These farms consist of large menageries and aviaries for birds and smaller winged creatures, whose feathers are then gathered to be sold or used.

However, many of the rarer or more potent feathers are kept and hoarded by specific Islands, which has resulted in resource wars in the past. It was only after the formation of the Feathered Council, and having the prices of these feathers set, that the wars came to an end.

Each of the nine primary Isles is led by a Vone, and each of these Vones represents their Isle at the Feathered Council. As a unit, these Councillors are responsible for ruling the archipelago as a whole. Each Vone is an elected official, and each Isle has it's own electoral practices for choosing its Vone.

Quivo, the Phoenix Nest

The Isle of Quivo is the smallest of the primary islands, but it is the seat of their most powerful city, Phenari. The city itself takes up over half of the island’s landmass, with the rest being a mountainous jungle. Phenari was decided as the capital of the Isles for a number of reasons. Being the smallest, they were the most ‘neutral ground’ the original members had, and Quivo is the only Island where the legendary Pheonix Birds roost.

Phenari houses the Feathered Court, a gigantic spire of bleached wood and sandstone where the Vone of Phenari resides. It is also where the other Vones of the Islands meet to draft laws as the Feathered Council, with the Quivo Vone acting as the deciding vote in the case of a drawn edict.

Outside of Phenari, Quivo is mostly made up of farms that harvest the jungle fruits and crops to feed the city, and the feather farms of the Pheonix. Pheonix feathers are used by Idion shamans to heal injuries in an instant, even save those from the brink of death.

Restrodo, the Raven’s Roost

One of the larger Islands, Restrodo is the home of ravens and crows, and also acts as a large trade hub amongst the Isles. Restrodo is mostly flat and tropical, apart from a small mountain range that holds a dormant volcano. This volcanic rich soil has led to fertile farmland, which several small villages build upon the island have made use of.

Restrodo’s capital city is named Desomra, a large port city filled with trade halls, spice and feather markets and a goods emporium that sells many of the finer things offered to the rest of the world. Though some areas are cloaked in riches, the bustle has led to many slums being built up around the perimeter, the occupants providing the necessary labour to keep the trade hub going.

The city is policed by the Atarangi, cloaked warriors that utilise the magiks of raven feathers to hide in the shadows of Desomra’s many dark wooden buildings. The Atarangi are some of the world’s greatest assassins and spies, and it is because of them that the slum-cities are kept relatively lawful and safe.

The Vone of Restrodo resides in the Ebony Tower, a curved spire built from darkened stone that sits in the centre of Desomra, watched over by Dozens of Atarangi. It is beautiful and ever present, always watching the populace below

Tousall, the Parrot’s Quarter.

The Isle of Tousall is an island of vibrant colours, verdant jungles and the most diversified feather farms across the isles. Tousall is the home of a variety of Idion Parrots, whose colours range all across the spectrum. Due to this diversity, Tousall mostly consists of feather farms, with the bulk of their food production coming from the fishing industry fuelled by its large surrounding reef.

The shamans of Tousall use these feathered varieties to enhance the senses, with each colour enhancing a different attribute. The purer the colour, the better the enhancement, but if a feather is mixed then multiple senses can be enhanced.

Tousall’s main city is Pelanga, the Capital of Colours. Pelanga thrives on tourism more than many other Isles, and is the largest trading port after Desomra. Its buildings are often painted and washed with bright hues, almost as if every homeowner wishes to outdo their neighbours.

The main castle of Pelanga is the Huen Mala, a great jasmine and teal palace surrounded by gardens and fine artwork. It is also one of the only Vone residents that the public can peruse – for a fee of course.

Pereaga, the Falcon’s Perch

Home of the falcon, the Isle of Pereaga is the second smallest of the primary islands. Due to its hillier landscape, it is also more sporadically populated. However, its feather farms are some of the more valued amongst the Islanders, as they grant the shaman the ability to alter lighten their mass. Pereaga also has a number of mines which produce stone, metal and gold for the Idion Isles, thought the feathers remain their primary export.

Famina is Pereaga’s capital, a city set atop a mighty mountain plateau on the eastern coast, surrounded by cliffs. It is not a city often visited by travellers, though its wooden towers are known to be a remarkable sight. Famina has little in the way of farmland, getting most of its food from its satellite islands or from trade. Therefore, many of its other settlements are based around mining, fishing, or fighting, and most are built high in the mountains.

Famina itself is dominated by the Peaks, the residence of its Vone; three spindly towers made of dark white stone interspaced with grey wood that tower over the city. It is mostly only accessible by flying shamans themselves, of which the Vone is.

Malamha, the Hunting Lands

One of the more unique lands, the island of Malamha was the last of the Isles to industrialise. Their feather farms house a variety of owls, and the native islanders are also nocturnal. Malamha is populated with tall forests and jungles, with a few mountains and several deep lakes. Its people are not primitive, but they do hold closer to their tribal roots.

The capital of Malamha is Malam, a low-lying town of clay homes and tree huts, built around a series of massive jungle trees. It has no palace per say, but the Vone’s residence is the mightiest of the tree huts, a manor named the Vonemar

The people of Malamha are possibly the most reverent in terms of their feather farms, holding owls to an incredible esteem. Shaman’s burning owl feathers are granted a heightened sense of wisdom, intelligence and memory and the ability to see in the dark. Their shamans are also hunters, using these abilities to scout the lands and trap the animals they feed upon.

Sies, the Depths

The large isle of Sies (See-ez) is one of the few low-lying isles of archipelago, with a single large mountain and the rest being relatively smooth. In fact, some areas are submerged during a high tide, but the people of the Isles do not mind.

The feather farms of Sies breed various kinds of waterfowl, from ducks to water hens. Burning any of these feathers gift the Shaman with a prolonged sense of breath and pressure resistance, and different fowls will enhance other underwater senses (sight, speed etc) to varying degrees.

The capital of Sies is called Ma’sies (literally little-Sies) and is the isles main port for trading and for fishing, which is their other main export. It is a very low-lying city, with many living on or just above the water line. The Vone of Sies actually lives primarily on a large boat called the Motida which, though often docked in Ma’sies, circles the Isle quite regularly. Due to this, the current Vone is seen as rather amiable indeed.

Risarth, the Bestial Cove

Risarth is a mostly barren isle of tall peaks and sandy valleys, and some of its more inland cities are far more wild than most isles. Strength rules the Cove, and this is seen no clearer than by examining the feather farms which farm the mighty Roc. These massive birds are often tamed by the Risarth people, though it is a process that they share little information about.

Shaman’s burning Roc feathers feel the boon of the great bird’s strength and weight, able to withstand most anything and barrel through much else. However, most feathers need to be sourced from Roc chicks, as it is rather impractical to carry the metre-long feathers of the adults.

Risarth’s largest city is simply known as Rocar, a mess of chaotic buildings and walkways jammed between two mountain plateaus. The Roc nests are set upon these plateaus, as are the richer districts and the Vone’s manor. This manor, called the Diesta, is a solid stone and wooden building decorated with bird carvings and dried Roc feathers.

Tenan, the Peaceful Shore

The isle of Tenan is a tropical paradise of an island, filled with lush forests and jungles, and many small villages throughout. Tenan is famous for its gardens, and many tourists will visit just to see them in person. Outside from this, Tenan produces mostly textiles and clothing, as well as various artworks and finer crafts.

The isle is famed for its feather farms as well, that of the dove and other pigeon type birds. If a shaman burns these feathers, they can manipulate emotions.  This manipulation is most commonly the emotion of calm, from dove feathers, though other emotions can be manipulated if other pigeon feathers are burned.

Tenan’s capital, Frissa, is an inland city wrapped in greenery and extremely well organised. The buildings are mostly white and green, with spiralling architecture and bird roosts throughout. The Vone’s residence, known simply as the Garden, is a wide manor surrounded in vines and palm trees, with several small ponds dotted inside its walls.

Cepati, the Lightning Reef

The lightning reef of Cepati is another of the larger primary isles, surrounded by a large rocky and coral reef that only skilled or learned sailors can navigate without knowing the paths of the locals. Other than this, Cepati is hilly and littered with small trees and flowers, as well as a dozen villages dotted along the coastline.

Cepati’s feather farms are filled with a large variety of hummingbird, and they are some of the busiest farms due to the quick burn life of hummingbird feathers. However, they are extremely powerful, as they grant the shaman that burns them extreme bursts of supernatural speed. In fact, Cepati messengers are so quick that they can run across water itself, if the seas are calm enough.

The capital city of Cepati is Itisa, a city perched on a cliff edge and surrounded by flowered fields. The buildings are narrow and relatively small, though colourful. Each home is often painted with jagged floral designs. The Vone’s residence in Itisa is actually rather small, a pale blue manor called the Ita-nan. It is said that (by tradition) the Vone of Cepati is the humblest of their people, and their home is not meant to be extremely opulent by design.

The Average Idion

Due to the sheer diversity of the islands themselves, Idion people tend to vary quite a lot in culture and appearance. However, almost all have darker brown skin and black hair. They tend to have smaller, bead like eyes and few wear beards. Their hair is often long, but thick and corded, like thin ropes.

Their clothing is often loose and breathable, though fashion varies greatly between the isles.

Idion warfare

Much of Idion’s soldiers are based around naval warfare and the use of magic. As each island and their neighbours acts (more or less) as its own nation, each has a different attitude towards combat in general. However, none of the islands are well experienced in large land battles, but are more organised in skirmishes and raids.