West Isles

## General

The West Isles are mostly desolate, mountainous islands; it's closest islands only a few miles off of the coast of Calandiren. There are settlers on each of the main islands, although the number of settlers might only be a handful, and hard to find if you visit. Argalorn Island is truly the only island with any substantial population. It has several hamlets, but two relatively large towns, which have been there for a few centuries.

In the winter months, the ice from Icereach does make its way down to the Isle of Tirpaigh (TEER-paykh). This makes the West Isles somewhat vulnerable to the Ice Giants which live to the north on Icereach. For that reason, the West Isles will send raiding parties north once the ice descends, to assist Frostmark to cull the potential for Giant invasion of the north.

The West Isles is friendly with Calandiren. They have open trade routes with Almo, and have had them for centuries. In addition, the West Isles and Calandiren have helped each other militarily, both in the Great War and during the Ice Wrought Doom.

## Government and Culture

There is no king of the West Isles. The settlements scattered around the islands are all independent. However, when someone of the West Isles needs something, they will come to one of the major towns to see if they can trade or barter for whatever they need. When someone has encountered bandits, pirates, hostile giants or anything else disrupting to their part of the West Isles, the people will post bounties in taverns and on the keep in Taliden and/or Ornffais (pron: orn-face).

The people of the West Isles keep to themselves for the most part. As previously indicated, they will help out raiding or in times of war, but otherwise, they keep to themselves and to whatever part of whatever island they call their own.

## West Isles

### Character Characteristics

*Humanoid* Characteristics: *Blue Eyes, Light Complexion, Heavy Frame, Great Swimmers*

*Humanoid Stats:*+2 Dex, +2 Con

*Languages:*Gwmahr, Lireann Sé (E), Gagged Baar(D, ½), Loborahn (O)

### Taliden

   Taliden sits on a reasonable navigable area of the Brend Strait on the main island of the West Isles, Argalorn Island. Twenty miles to the southeast lies Borgaic (pron: bor-gay-ik) Island and the fast rising Baloigh (pron: BAH-Leekh) Peaks. There is a fertile valley of farming off to the west of the town before Taliden Wood begins. To the southwest are the high Taliden Peaks whose coastline is quite rugged, but who's stone can be rich with ore. The mines of the peaks have paths down to Taliden where they trade with merchants from the West Isles and abroad.

The people of Taliden are proud of their city, as it is an important place of commerce for all of the surrounding inhabitants of the Isles, no matter how far they need to travel. Many of the small settlers on the northern isles and coasts, make their way by boat to Taliden to trade for the season. Some will even take residence in the city during the winter months and then return to the north when the promise of spring is evident. For that reason, in the summer months, Taliden may be full of people ready for commerce and trade, but some of the homes in the city are vacant as they are used more predominantly in the winter.

House Gwyll (pron: gwik or gwil) have been the rulers of Taliden for centuries. The names of each of the rulers for the past several hundred years are engraved on the wall by the Keep facing the main market halls. The family Gwyll have interests in virtually all sorts of businesses that can be found in the West Isles, both legitimate and not-so-legitimate. Mining, farming, hunting, fishing, weaving are all common trades in the area and the Gwyll have helped many families in those trades, and correspondingly receive their cut as well. The Gwyll are also pretty clearly involved in trade, smuggling and the occasional piracy. Piracy is not legal in the West Isles, and the vast majority of the piracy is not directed at those of the West Isles, rather the vessels from far down the Bryan or the far South Seas. This piracy has probably kept some of the merchants from actually trading with the West Isles, so Taliden has never quite been as wealthy as it could be.

The merchant square of Taliden has mostly domestic products, especially so in the winter months. You can get basic essentials anytime of year, but the more esoteric requests will probably only be filled during the summer. The mines of the West Isles do provide a great variety of gems and so it is possible to get a pretty decent deal in the markets. Just don't steal from them as the Family Gwyll will hunt you down.

The two main temples in Taliden are focused on Sapayo and Hadokahn, but there is a very strong presence for the Guardian Gods, both in town and in the countryside. There are smaller shrines to most of the other deities in the main pantheon, but not many folk of the West Isles worship them, other than Esada, who is quite prevalent, especially in Ornffais (pron: orn-face).

### Ornffais

   Ornffais (pron: ORN-face) lies only 50 miles or so west of Taliden, but it is the furthest west city of any reasonable size in all of known Eirethune. Ornffais looks out across Caileh (pron: KAY-la) Bay to the empty horizon of the Western Seas, with no known body of land in that direction as far as anyone knows. The winds coming into Caileh Bay are quite strong year round. The winds can be gale force on a moment's notice and the inhabitants of the west coast of Argalorn Island are quite familiar with them. The buildings of Ornffais are well-shuttered and can be prepared for devastating winds at a moment's notice.

The people of Ornffais are similar to most in the West Isles, although perhaps a bit more pensive than can be found on the docks of Taliden. Whereas Taliden looks east and serves as a commercial hub for the foreigners, Ornffais is more of the spiritual trade center of the West Isles. It's not quite as large, nor as busy, but the reclusive settlers of the West Isles tend to prefer to trade in Ornffais rather than Taliden. It does not cause any rifts of note between the cities, as there is quite a bit of trade between them, but it is acknowledged and felt that Ornffais manifests more of the spirit of the West Isles.

House Powyn (pron: POW-win) is an old family of the West Isles and have ruled Ornffais for as long as anyone can remember. There isn't a large list of names of the rulers like the Gwyll Family has in Taliden, but the people of Ornffais hail and respect the nobility of House Powyn as if there was no other option. No one looks or longs to be new rulers of Ornffais. There is respect for the customs of the islands in Ornffais and as such, House Powyn is closely tied with the Temple of Esada in town. Several of the members of the House are high, respected members of the Temple, not only in Ornffais, but many are traveling priests of the Order that can be found in various parts of the Isles.

The merchandise in Ornffais is extremely domestic. The wares provide what the inhabitants of the Isles require, and some of the quality is very good, but it is extremely indigenous. The main trades of the Isles are supplied here as in Taliden - mining, fishing, farming, hunting, weaving, goat and sheep husbandry. Although the port is of decent size in Ornffais, most of the vessels are quite small. The trade arrives in Ornffais by small vessel from settlers of the Isles, or by merchant trains overland to and from Taliden.

The temples of Ornffais are split between the Guardian Gods, Sapayo and Esada, with a clearly smaller temple to Hadokahn as well. Esada is important here as respect for tradition is present in the city. There's probably no quicker way to be removed or imprisoned in Ornffais than to buck the traditions of the people of the City.