Islands of Doranthakar, Southern Sarvonia

// This is intended to be an update for the existing entry by Drogo for the Doranian Kingdom. There is infrequent mention of the islands across the forums; on the site itself, it is almost entirely bare //

The Islands of Doranthakar

Off the coast of southeastern Sarvonia, in the Adanian Sea

Isle of Doranthakar | Isle of Khan'duul

Overview

In the midst of the Adanian Sea, just off the southeastern coast of Sourthern Sarvonia, lies the Islands of Doranthakar. The Islands are comprised of two major landmasses: the larger Isle of Doranthakar and the smaller Isle of Khan'duul. There isn't a substantial amount of surrounding islets, at least not enough to form an archipelago, and so most cartography regarding the Islands forgo any such depiction. The Islands are home to the archaic Kingdom of Dorania, a martial people that have ruled the Islands for many millennia. Much of the Islands is dry, flat and inhospitable; the Mountains of Nash in the center of Doranthakar are restless and foul-tempered, regularly dowsing the landscape in hellish liquid fire. However, life flourishes in the fertile soil of of the Ypherran delta to the west, and much mineral wealth is to be found in the ancient landscape across the Islands.

Location

The Islands are some distance from the southeastern coast of Southern Sarvonia, with the closest city Kaar Ypherran nearly equidistant from the cities of Marcogg and Bardavos. It is the southernmost of the three major formations that straddle the Adanian Sea: Quios and Deni'lou. The southern coast is bordered by the Burning Sea, with the continent of Aeruillin across its far breadth.

Geography

The two islands form a crescent shape that appears to hug the continental outcrop. Between Doranthakar and Khan'duul is a narrow strait that generates strong currents directed south. The adjacent sea shelf is characterised by its abrupt steepness, angling sharply downwards mere peds from the shoreline in many places. The depth of the sea around the Islands means there are few natural harbours for berthing, with most of the seafaring inhabitants centered around the kindly waters of the Ypherran delta, where piers and docks are easier to construct.

The Isle of Doranthakar is substantially larger than the Isle of Khan'duul. It is dominated by two expansive deserts - realms that experience very little rainfall - along its eastern border. The Wantan Drylands spreads from the Ypherran delta to the Asp Chasm river, an extremely turbulent whitewater river that bisects Doranthakar, originating from the Mountains of Nash. Just west of the mountains is a dense forest that is home to the peculiar Rocks of Khyling; tall, needle-like rocky outcrops that are dressed in vegetation. North of the Mountains of Nash, the foliage continues lightly before opening upon hills, scrub and meadows, before giving way to the low-lying Heaths of Gyuor, a generally inhospitable stretch of land due to the infertile soil and harsh winds. The Desert of Phenyuul arises from the northern bank of the Asp Chasm river, continuing all the way to the tip of the island. The desert is extremely sparse and flat. Strong winds prevent the formation of sand dunes and erase much of the life that might have lived there, despite the influx of moist air from the sea. The island is capped by gently undulating hills and light forest that give way to the Adanian Sea.

The Ypherran delta spreads over a large peninsula of land in the south of Doranthakar. It empties on all sides of the peninsula, into the Adanian Sea to the north and the Minavan Bay to the south. The bay is the largest natural harbour in Doranthakar, and is the center of activity on the Islands. The delta nourishes the land, creating fertile floodplains and farmland. Because the Ypherran drains from the (now inactive) Yin mountains, the water is rich in lifegiving elements that accelerate growth. The properties of the Ypherran's water seem almost magical, and the water is considered sacred by those who dwell upon the island.

The center of Doranthakar is dominated by the compact yet energetic Mountains of Nash. There are hundreds of open sores across the peaks, leaking molten fire constantly. Much of the lava pours into the sea, forming a strong bank of steam that clothes the mountain'sea-facing foot and the coastal forests; to the south much of it runs through ancient ravines and crevasses within the forest before either cooling undergroud or finding its way to the sea. A large quantity of lava drains in the Asp Chasm, joining and heating the waters and lining the chasm. Much of it is swept downriver, however. Regardless, the spiderweb of molten fire covers the surrounding landscape and makes travel overland between the two halves of the island moderately difficult. Crossing the Asp is especially difficult, as the churning waters are scalding and wreathed in hot mist. The mountain's bounty also saturates the water with caustic properties that have been known to poison animals and erode their flesh.

The second and much smaller landmass is the Isle of Khan'duul. It lies some distance from Doranthakar's northernmost coast. The island's surface is remarkably flat and unprotected from strong winds. The soil is hostile to cultivation in much of the south due to the Heath of Maar. Just north of the slow-flowing Dai river, conditions ease and one will find bustling human activity. The north of the island is covered in gentle hills and sharp rocky outcrops, and is riddled with caves.

People

The Islands of Doranthakar are home to the human tribe of the Doranati, who form the Kingdom of Dorania. The Doranati have their origins in the migratory period of the Great Sundering, where many tribes spread out across Sarvonia. A number of wanderers found themselves upon the shores of Khan'duul and the Ypherran delta - the heathland of Khan'duul sent those who disembarked there south in search of fertile soil. These humans preceded the founding of Marcogg and the Avennorian explorers that established themselves there, around 10330 b.S. The founding families of the Doranati were disparate and isolated, and lagged behind the mainland in developing nationhood. Shortly after they arrived, the Mountains of Nash began erupting, transforming the Asp Chasm river and altering the seascape greatly. Banks of fog enshrouded the west coast, and great clouds of ash billowed sporadically into the sky. For millennia, contact with the continent was limited because of this, although trade still developed with the Avennorians.

The Doranati are notably different from mainland human tribes. Firstly, they are the sole sentient inhabitants of their land. They are a strongly martial people, with much cultural emphasis given to the development of skill at arms and dedication to various martial philosophies that dictate much of Doranati life. The history of the Kingdom of Dorania is turbulent, defined mostly by periods of civil unrest, dictatorship and long periods of oppressive rulership. However, for much of the Kingdom's history a single royal bloodline has been preserved, and is the object of an omnipotent cult of worship among the Doranati people.

The geography of the island is such that most of the Kingdom lives in the Ypherran delta. Indeed, the cities of Kar Ypherran and Col Ypherran are extremely densely populated, where people live in tightly packed conditions. This concentration of human life has contributed significantly to the unique development of Doranati law, culture and society. Most of the Kingdom subsists on food grown within the delta.

Climate

Gusting across the island is a strong easterly wind that steers away much potential rainfall. The desert realms are preserved and scrubbed clean by this strong wind, and as much of the river water drains westward into the Ypherran, the Drylands and Phenyuul experience very little moisture year-round. The forests are of a mild variety, such as those found in central Sarvonia, rather than the more tropical types found in the same orientation of the compass, in Truban and Brendolan. This is in part because of the presence of heavy mists bearing moisture, and the rich ashen soil from which they draw. The Ypherran delta lightly receives the edge of the rains travelling south, dampening the region and accelerating plant growth there. On Khan'duul, the winds are turbulent and rainfall is sparse. Across both islands the sun is strong and there is little cloud cover for much of the year; summers are bold and winters frozen.

Flora & Fauna

Resources

The Islands of Doranthakar harbour a number of valuable resources. Veins of precious metals and gemstones can be found at some depth along the island sea shelf, often just a few peds out to sea. The Ypherran delta produces an enormous amount of food, although most of this goes directly towards feeding the Kingdom's people. Across the Drylands and the Desert of Phenyuul one can find precious elements encrusted on the rocky surface in certain areas that have a variety of alchymical uses. The waters of the Asp Chasm river are known to have unique properties, and there are a number of herbs growing in the Heaths of Gyuor and Maar that have commercial value. Fish and other sea creatures are abundant around the island waters, given the lack of an extended shoreline.

The primary trade goods of the Doranati people are their silks, weaponry and medicinal goods. However, trade beyond the islands is not of huge interest to Doranati tradesmen, given the size of the local market.

Myth & Lore