Colu de Mano

**Colu de Mano, known as the Hand of the Unknown Lands to scholars in Ertho,** is an archipelago located in the westernmost and unexplored continents of Arth.

## Overview

Colu de Mano, its endonym being Columano (and it's people being known as Colusos), is an archipelago and the most documented land of the west. Known for being the place where Traego Augustine was born, the land is relatively unknown to the rest of the world due to it's unique geography.

## Geography

Being a massive archipelago in the southern hemisphere, Colu de Mano is a generally tropical and warm climate, with it's various islands scattered within a large bay that opens out to the ocean, and the bay is surrounded by a single large island shaped like a crescent moon. With it's tropical rainforests, it also has savannas, and most importantly it's large mountains that surround and naturally protects the land from invaders. These mountains also brush against the neighboring continents on the western side of Arth, which have never been explored, essentially connecting the archipelago to the mainland, although this connection makes travel between lands impossible.

Colu de Mano is also one of the few recorded lands that is a megadiverse land, with a multitude of species of plants and animals that are still unknown to eastern scholars.

## History

For a majority of written history, Colu de Mano was unknown to most of the recording world, but it was only over a thousand years ago that a famous pirate, that pirate being Traego, spoke proudly of his heritage which fascinated scholars. As a result, many sailors attempted to "discover" the archipelago, but none were successful due to the unpredictable seas. However, legends say one can only enter or exit the famous land by successfully sailing on the Augustine Line, which the titular pirate has been the only one able to.

## Culture

Colu de Mano is inhabited by an indigenous group of people known as Muizo. Originally a seafaring people, the Muizo travelled to the archipelago and began settling there, with their sailing techniques being able to pass through any dangerous sea, and these methods were passed down through generations. Because of their seafaring roots, the Muizo are skilled fisherman, sailors, and swimmers, with their deities and myths being mostly ocean based. The Muizo are also mountainous people due to the various landmasses surrounding the islands, with many of their homes being built against or into mountains and their central hubs and areas of interaction being near the costal region. Because these mountains provide natural protection from invaders as well as provide diverse and fertile resources, the Muizo people do not want to leave, with the exception of Traego, whom was the first recorded Muizo to reach the eastern continents.

Unlike eastern lands, the Muizo possess a trade based economy, and often work together in groups. Gold and other precious metals and gems are often either for practical or religious purposes, although they consider orichalcum and star silver to be highly valued, as their rarity and durability make for great tools and/or armor.

## Trivia

* Colu de Mano is inspired by a mix of Columbia and the various Caribbean islands, with the former having the most influence on it's geography and culture.
* "*Colu de Mano*" is a combination of the Latin word "*colus*", meaning "*wheel/circle*" and the Spanish words "*de mano",* which translates to "*of/from hand*" or "*handheld*".
* "Colu" is also just a shortening of the word "Columbia", a form of word shorthand to gleam to audiences by Kit2ne9 that the land was inspired by the Latin American nation.
* The word "Muizo" is inspired by the Muisca people, an indigenous group of people who inhabit Columbia.