Iastrus

## Geography

The two islands that make up Iastrus are a bit smaller than Australia. The curved island to the east is the larger of the two, Corran, has a climate ranging from tropical at the top, temperate throughout most of the land, and arctic at the very bottom. The smaller, rounded island to the west, Beacan, is completely temperate.

### Corran

The top of this island consists of a large volcanic mountain that has been dormant since the initial eruption that formed the land mass. The land going down the mountain is made of jagged rocks and is basically uninhabitable until you reach the base. There is more wildlife the further you move from the mountain, and large plots of volcanic soil used for farming.

### Beacan

The entirety of this island is temperate, and it is completely lush compared to its neighbor. The very center of the island consists of 4 major cities with other smaller towns interspersed, and they are all surrounded by an enormous, rounded forest. Once past the forest the land dips down gradually until you reach the coast, with sandy beaches lining the west side and more rocky ones lining the west from the volcanic eruption.

## Major Cities

### Corran

Smaller towns are spread along the island, making up smaller farms and mining operations. Nomadic groups are rare, but still appear between larger cities.

#### Avonia

The capital city of the island that holds the largest port along the coast. There is a large grouping of homes and shops near the port, but moving away from the city are larger plots of land that farmers use to grow crops on the volcanic soil.

#### Kinsale

A village resting at the bottom of the mountain. The people who live here mine for obsidian, diamonds, and copper.

#### Pierpoint

A fishing village that spans the southern coast of the island. Most people live out in their fishing vessels and have rarely used homes in the city.

### Beacan

There are no other real towns in the island center, just an occasional house set apart from the larger cities. Outside the forest there is a large number of small, somewhat nomadic groups of refugees and people who have left the inner circle.

#### Caiseal

A city to the north of the inner circle of the island, the closest to the woods. People have personal gardens to grow an abundance of vegetables, and larger fields of wheat, corn, and other staples surround the city. (Where A Game of Skill begins).

#### Ridire

A city in the west of the inner circle. Much smaller than the other cities, with multiple rows of fruit trees separating houses and other plots of land dedicated to growing fruits.

#### Easpag

A city located to the south, using the land to grow and raise different kinds of animals.

#### Fichillin

A city located to the west, made up of houses with large gardens full of different flowers and medical herbs.

#### Rigan

The technical capitol, although it is only comprised of one home of Lady Adriana Rigan and her personal gardens.

#### Ship's Haven

The only major city outside of the forest that also holds the only port on the island. Any and all trade goes through here.

## Commerce

### Imports

Trade to Corran comes in mainly through Avonia, but other smaller ports still accept shipments that they need for their own towns. They mainly take in lumber, spices, animals, and occasionally more advanced mining equipment. They sustain themselves well and don’t worry about bringing in more luxurious items because of the harsher landscapes.

Trade to Beacan is done solely through Ship’s Haven before it is brought by a large cart into the forest by the same elderly man. They take in timber, spices, silks, gems, jewelry, and other nice trinkets. They also keep to themselves and sustain themselves by trading among the larger cities, smaller shipments being brought to the various houses dotting the land.

### Exports

Corran sends out obsidian, diamonds, copper, and plants grown in volcanic soil. They keep what they need to feed their own people before processing and shipping out crops, and they keep a majority of the copper they find for their homes and equipment.

Beacon sends out more plant based items. Flower breeds, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs are brought to the same elderly man to take back to Ship’s Haven. More notoriously hallucinogenic mushrooms found in the forest are often taken to port and sent out on ships with payments handed under the table. It’s kept quiet and negotiations are done only by the elderly man since it is highly illegal in other countries.

## Culture

### Demographics

There are all sorts of races in Iastrus, and everyone lives together with no conflicts based on race or religions. The population of Beacan is composed mainly of humans, elves, and half-elves. Corran houses more dwarves in the mining towns and the same general races as Beacan in the larger cities.

The people who live in Beacan all know at least a bit of common. Sylvan is also a common language learned as the man who brings the shipments in speaks it almost exclusively. Everyone who comes to the island knows their native languages from where they came from and any they learned before arriving. In Corran the main languages are common, dwarven, and elven, along with the languages spoken by various races.

Iastrus doesn’t hold its own religion, not having any deities widely regarded across the land. When people move onto the islands they can practice their own religions freely, but in Beacan it’s common to find those who strayed from their own religious path.

### Food

*Main article: Iastrus Cuisine*
On Beacan many of the residents inside of the forest maintain a vegetarian or vegan diet. There are still animals mainly raised in Easpag that are processed and sent to the cities to eat, but it is rare that there are large quantities. Many eat what they grow in their own gardens, and trade for other vegetables or fruits at local markets. Edible flowers are also commonly found in most meals, mainly as decoration for dishes.

### Art

#### Beacan

Art on this island is similar to its music: light and colorful. Many of the paintings done here are of landscapes, and the colors are so vibrant that outsiders would think they are exagerating. A lot of portraits are done while people are in motion: working in fields, picking flowers, cooking, etc. Still portraits portray smiling faces more often than not, even though keeping that expression is challenging.

Statues are often made out of white stone or marble, and resemble those found dotted around the island. Typically they are capturing people with more imaginative features and stances.

The best of paintings and statues made in Beacan are housed in the Rigan Estate, the paintings being kept inside of the halls while the statues hide amongst the hedge maze.

#### Corran

There are very little paintings made in Corran, people usually working manual labor jobs and not focusing on the arts. Portraits are done in a more traditional way, dressed up and sitting with a flat expression. Any other forms of drawing are done in sketches, usually depicting the mountain, gemstones, and the sea.

Statues are much more prevalent in Corran, using the copious amount of stones they mine to form into important figures, animals, and scenes. Gemstones are also prominent in these statutes, and different jewelry is created from these jewels and metals.

## Transportation

### Beacan

All transportation is done either by foot, horse, or cart. There are no larger forms of transportation than a carriage, and the only two that travel the island are for the Rigan family and Seamus (the man who brings in trade goods).

### Corran

Transportation here is done mainly by large carriages pulled by horses and ships moving along the coast. People don’t typically travel unless they’re trading goods, but ships move often to find new schools of fish or calmer waters.

## Architecture

### Beacan

Houses in all cities in the inner circle of Beacan are made out of wood, sod, and straw. The houses tend to stay at one level and rooms aren’t larger than what needs to be put in them. More land is dedicated to farming than real estate.

The Rigan Estate is the only one that is built out of stone and marble. Gemstones are used as decoration in most of the buildings. The whole house is only two stories but it is still the largest in area on the whole island.

Ship’s Haven uses more brick in their buildings and they are typically two storied and close together along the coast.

### Corran

Homes and buildings in Avonia are close together, small alleys separating each one along cobbled streets. The houses are made of stone and metals and are multiple stories to house multiple families. Businesses are different from houses only because of the signs out front and more metal adorning the front of the buildings.

In Kinsale most homes aren’t made to be permanent. With mines running dry and the threat of the volcano ever becoming active again, the people living in this village are always ready to move. Homes are built out of sturdy logs and thick fabrics (more like tents).

Pierpoint homes are small and made of stone and straw. Most are one room and only hold what’s needed to sleep and eat. Personal ships hold more personal affects since more time is spent there. People often sleep on the ships in hammocks and homes are left empty for days on end.

## Taboos and Superstitions

### Beacan

* The biggest superstition here is to never go into the forest. Dangerous animals and plants reside here and going here, most say, leads to certain death.
* Never walk into the hedge maze surrounding the Rigan Estate alone, and never follow the giggles in the greenery.
* Offer respects to the statues dotted on the island but don’t touch the stone.
* Never harm a mushroom, especially not near the forest.

### Corran

* Never, ever, travel to Beacan, you will not leave.
* Always pray to your god and the moon before going out to sea.
* If you touch the Lone Statue you will never be the same.
* If you see light in the direction you’re mining, turn around, you may have uncovered something.

## Religion

### Beacan

Different cities each have their own gods that they send prayers to, although large services or devoted church buildings are rare to come by. Caiseal worships gods that reign over crops and the weather, Ridire has the same belief as Caiseal, Easpag believes in gods of fertility, and Fichillin prays to gods of healing and medicine. It isn’t uncommon for people to bring their religion from where they lived before, but they also can’t remember everything about their practice and don’t have the same connection since coming to the island.

### Corran

There are a few established churches to gods of luck on this island, but most people here aren’t too concerned with religion. Avonia has a large assortment of religions coming from wherever people have moved in from. They have statues dedicated to gods of the sea and the moon near the ports for luck, but prayers are done privately. Kinsale worships gods of luck and the underground. They pray as a group before delving into the mines to find good veins and to escape the tunnels they dig. Some here also pray to the mountain to remain dormant, and very few pray to the dragon they believe resides somewhere at the top of the mountain. Pierpoint also worships gods of luck, but mainly send prayers to gods of the sea, the sky, and to the moon in order to have safe voyages and bountiful trips.

## Funeral Rites

### Beacan

It isn’t often recognized on the inner island, but funerals are a rare affair. When they do happen, the family of the deceased will bury the body out in their garden or by their farmland. Simple markers are made out of wood, engraved with a name and sometimes an epitaph. A large meal is held for the community after the burial, and the family is surrounded by their community after the death.

In Ship’s Haven, bodies are also buried near the forest line. A service is held in the town and the body is taken to be buried while the family is left to grieve.

### Corran

In Avonia, bodies are taken out past the farmland to be buried with a headstone. A church service is held if the family wishes it, and gods of death are prayed to in order to send the dead to their resting place.

Bodies are often left in the mines near Kinsale. Accidents happen often (explosions, cave-ins, etc.) and families get together to grieve before the town is packed up and moved. If there is a body it is buried where the town was before moving, but if not a marker is left to remember the departed.

Viking funerals are held in Pierpoint. Smaller boats are used if a person’s family survives them, but personal vessels are used if they are the only living person left in their family. Prayers to sea gods are sent as the sun sets and the family stays on shore for a while after.

## Conflicts

Iastrus stays out of affairs regarding other nations, content to keep up their trade routes while avoiding any further contact. There is a noticeable disconnect between them and Fidrea, but nothing violent has come out of it.

The biggest conflict for the nation comes from within. Corran keeps as little contact with Beacan as it can, practically ignoring their neighbor and offering no help to them. Beacan never asks anything of them, and it is unlikely that wars will break out, but Corran does not want any friendly dealings with the island.