The Dark Isles

The Dark Isles (Also known as Vvahuata) are an archipelago of islands in the southern part of the Shattered Sea. The Islands were where Velkyn the Dark Dragonlord made his home, and they have been corrupted by his dark influence. The islands are almost uninhabitable to any followers of the light and the only creatures safe there are followers of darkness.

## Geography

The Dark Isles consist of mostly marshland and swamp, some of the islands have no dry land anywhere on them. Most of the islands are very small and even the largest, Narak'Shar (Called Isla Mordre by the Calamarans) is no larger than the city of Eredan. However they are closely packed together. The largest islands have marshland around the coastlines that becomes dryer inland, where they are mostly flat and covered with thick forests.

### Wildlife

Despite the seemingly inhabitable conditions caused by dark magic, many creatures live on the Dark Isles, though none of them are traditional animals that one wouldd find elsewhere in the shattered sea, they've all been corrupted with dark magic. It is known that some of the fish that swim the waterways of the isles are deadly and can rip the skin off a man in seconds. The isles are also home to overgrown bats who can use dark magic and prey on anything that moves. Most other animals have a similar story, even the people who live there have become something other than human, it is recommended one spends as little time there as possible, if at all.

### Plant Life

The plant life of the Dark Isles is similarly corrupted as the people and animals that live there. Tales speak of twisted trees with black bark populating their forests, and the ground covered with dark fungus and flowers. The vines which twist around the trees and undergrowth seem parasitic and feed off the other plants of the isles. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the plants on the isle are sentient, and that some are undead. Though it is not known whether or not these are a new species with sentience, or an animal soul placed into a plant through necromantic magic.

## Narak'Shar

Narak'Shar, or Isla Mordre, is the largest of the Dark Isles, and home to one of the only civilisations that inhabit this dark and dangerous place, the N'Shari.

Narak'Shar is similar to any other island of this archipelago, consisting mostly of marshland and forest. The only difference being that it seems this island was inhabited by some primal civilisation before the arrival of Velkyn, as their bones and bodies have been used in dark rituals by the N'Shari. It is thought that it was the presence of this civilisation that drew Velkyn to the island, as there is evidence of ancient dark rites being used. Narak'Shar has a strong necromantic aura, it is one of the few places where the barrier between the spirit realm and the real world is weak, and where magic that abuses this is strongest.

The N'Shari have built an impressive civilisation on Narak'Shar and its neighbouring islands, and this is mainly through the use of necromantic labour. The N'Shari themselves are averse to doing physical work and are entirely aristocrats, scholars, and priests, using undead servants to build, farm, and hunt. As a result, their buildings are large and strong, but show little evidence of skill. Whereas on other islands of the Shattered Sea intricate carvings may be found, the undead servants the N'Shari use have no such skill. On the inland the buildings are mostly made of stone blocks and pillars and can be very large. On the coast though wood is more commonly used as it weighs less and wouldn't sink into the marsh, these swampland buildings are a lot smaller as well.