III.
Landscape & Climate, Cities & Regions
a. Landscape & Climate
Fallien lies in the middle of the ocean, east of Corone and south of Scara Brae. It is mostly desert, bisected by the river Attireyi. The mountains of Zaileya further divide this continent, towering almost fourteen thousand feet above the sea level, east of the Attireyi.
Suravani’s Oasis, the only other confirmed reliable source of water, lies in the north, just west of the Zaileya mountain range. It is also the lowest point on the continent, fourteen feet below sea level.
The continent’s climate is hyper-arid and close to static, changing very little between the seasons. The land is dangerously hot in the day and frigid after dark, year round, with a temperature fluctuating between 40-50°C (104-122°F) in the day to 0-15°C, (32-59°F) in the night during the summer, to 30-50°C (86-113°F) and -10-10°C (14-50°F) in the winter. Rain and humidity are rarities, especially during the summer.
Its many natural hazards include dangerous wildlife, extreme temperatures, and (in the mountains) landslides and cave-ins.
b. Irrakam
When Suravani destroyed Fallien, turning it into a vast desert, only a few survived the starvation and disease that reigned for months afterward. These few remained on an island at the center of the river Attireyi, and cared for each other and all who came to them for health.
Because they showed no greed or selfishness, which was what she had destroyed this land for to begin with, Suravani felt regret for her anger, and had mercy on these last few. Blessing them with long life and wisdom, the moon goddess called them the Hatazista which meant "those spared from execution".
The island, which became known as Irrakam, continued to be their home, and over the years that followed, they shaped it into a beautiful sanctuary against the deadly heat of the desert.
Six hundred years later, the island remains, although it is much changed. At the northern edge rises Jya's Keep, an architectural marvel where lives Jya and her priestesses. An amazing feat of Fallien architecture, the Keep is a beautiful white palace bedecked with gold and flowers. Hidden gardens and shady alcoves are the home to statues and reliquaries telling the legends and history of the Fallien people. Each set of rooms is decorated with beautiful tapestries, cool fountains, deep soft rugs made of the finest fabrics, and perfectly crafted furniture imported from all over Althanas.
Jya's Keep is protected by no less than four well-armed guards before a massive bronze gate with the crest of the phoenix sculpted in gold on each side. Although a fortress, the palace is cool and airy, with large windows that allow the rare breezes that grace the desert to travel freely through the rooms. Priestesses serve Jya as well as her guests, bathing and clothing them as necessary.
The Keep rises several stories above the rest of the city of Irrakam, nestled on a hill at the northern end of the island situated at the center of the river Attireyi. On a clear night, one can stand in the desert, miles from the shore of the river, and see the Keep lit up in all its splendor.
At the southern end of the island is the Outlander's Quarter, where all foreigners are required to do all business, and cannot leave without the proper documentation. This documentation can be applied for at several places throughout the Quarter, and usually takes only a few days to be approved by Jya herself (although it is said that she allows her priestesses to do this job for her). There are only two ferries which are legally permitted to travel from the island to either shore, although ships can sail up the river Attireyi and are welcome to dock in the Outlander's Quarter.
c. The Spice Fields of R'uuya
The Spice Fields of R’uuya are found on the North-Western section of the continent, in the relatively temperate climate. This is where the herbs, spices and poisons that Fallien produces are grown. The In'wehtos tribe (Author's Note: see Chapter IV: The Living for more on the individual tribes) controls much of the land here. When interviewed, the tribe's high priestess said:
Suravani gave this land to us even after we betrayed her trust. She destroyed our homes, our people, our culture, but she had mercy on us and brought us here. The In’wehtos tribe is grateful to our Mother Goddess for her mercy. We are the people of Ruuya, the Spicefields, where we live and work. It is here that we have been blessed to harvest things which determine the fate of men. Spices for the food that sustains us, perfumes to bring love and lust, poisons to bring death, and medicinal herbs which bring life, these are our domain.
We brave the heat, the wrath of the sun and the desert winds which threaten our crops, and we make our lives full here. We brave the wild beasts, the harpies which steal our children, the desert drakes which kill our livestock and scorch our fields. We brave the foreigners which would invade our land and take what is not their right. We are blessed by the goddess. She will sustain us.
d. Nirrakal the Blight, the Fields of Glass
Nirrakal, the deadly Fields of Glass (often called The Blight) is found on the southern half of the continent, stretching from shore to shore. This is where the Fallien people harvest glass. No plant-life grows in this devastated region, but the hardy Fallien people somehow still thrive.
One of their shaman allowed me to record his words, and this is what he said:
They call this land The Blight - an area of Fallien where few survive the scorching heat of the sun and its reflection from the fields of glass. Suravani left this for us in case the desert wasn't enough of a reminder of her hatred toward avarice and pride. But we live here.
We are the Mi'sheteri, the Glasswalkers, and this is our home. We live beneath the sands, in caves of glass. It is here that we create intricate works of glass that are nearly priceless throughout Althanas. At night we emerge from our caves to harvest the glass- there are many different kinds after all.
We use the sugar-glass which is found in amazing hues in order to color our trinkets and bottles. There is the shard glass which when melted down can be molded into glass so strong that it is very difficult to break. We've even found entire sheets of glass beneath the surface of the desert which when cut properly can be sold for use in cathedrals and palaces as windows.
This land is fatal to those who do not know it. They think it is because of the elements. Perhaps we help those elements to their victims?
e. Suravani's Oasis
Suravani’s Oasis is home to several tribes, the oasis in the northern region of Fallien is the land of the legendary Fallien steeds. In this area, the Esseker and Deklan tribes with the help of several minor sister tribes breed and trade amazing horses known for their speed, strength, and unparalleled stamina. These people are volatile and known to be violent not only toward outsiders, but toward each other.
In the case that a person feels courageous enough to brave the deserts of Fallien in order to reach Suravani’s Oasis, great care should be taken to avoid the temporary settlements of the different tribes. Fearful of foreigners, these people have been known to summon strange and terrifying beasts to frighten away and sometimes kill those who would venture too close to their safe haven. These creatures take many forms, each indicative of the tribe which summoned them. In the case of the Esseker tribe, they often take the shape of an eagle or griffin. The Deklan tribe sends hordes of massive hound-like creatures.
Should a foreigner find it necessary to steal one of the legendary steeds bred in this oasis, and have the bad fortune of being caught, numerous methods of punishment may be employed by the natives. The favorite method is to tie the offender down onto the ground, and then allow a stampede of horses to trample the person until dead. The same punishment is used for foreigners who are discovered not to have the proper exit papers to authorize travel in Fallien outside the Outlander’s Quarter.
(Author's Note: those who dwell in the Oasis have yet to give a quotable comment.)
f. Astaka
The home of the Ahketamika, its literal translation is 'going to one's eternal home' for that is what they consider it, their eternal home. The camp is mainly permanent tents made of wood and leather or other tough animal hides, and lies between the mountains of Zaileya and Suravani's Oasis. Once a year there is a large celebration held here, the Festival of the Dead. All are welcome to come, even foreigners.
g. Outlander's Post
The cliff face where the Post was founded was discovered by the dwarfish explorer Irah Yvesson (-daughter, actually, but she thought the -son sounded better) and her expedition, three years ago.
The dwarfs found a natural harbor among the treacherous cliffs that lined the north-eastern shores of Fallien. The cliff face that lined this harbor was worn through with caves, holes and rough tunnels, created by nature, or by long forgotten natives and wildlife. The location wasn't lost on the enterprising dwarf, and she and her people quickly set up camp within the caves
Things sort of snowballed (an ironic term, in this dry and barren land) from there.
It is a very small outpost, and isolated: beyond the Oasis, and well on the other side of the Mountains of Zaileya. It is allowed – not supported, entirely, but allowed – to remain there by the Jya, though the Fallien militia members recently stationed within the post (to ensure the Outlanders adherence to Fallien's laws in addition to the Post’s own credo, of course) do very little to prevent marauding tribes from attacking it. It mostly exists as a stopping point for ships from Scara Brae, and even those ships need to continue to Irrakam if the passengers and crew wish to go anywhere on Fallien other than the Post itself.
The harbor has a long pier, good for small boats, but the harbor itself can generally only hold four moderate-sized ships at a time. The outpost doesn’t have many exports: only reclaimed water that is sold to ships, exotic seafood for Corone and Scara Brae, sharkskin sold to weaponsmiths, and touristy junk sold to gullible travelers who don’t think twice about why a man with a Scarabraen accent would own ‘authentic Fallien artifacts of power'...
Its main attraction is to ships that do not wish to continue all the way around the continent to Irrakam, and to the fledgling mail service arising in the land. The mail comes through approximately every two-or-three weeks, assuming the mail carriers haven’t been eaten by something in the desert on the way.
The outpost is built atop and within the cliff; a combination of a stockade and a pueblo colony. The top-side is about half-a-mile square, while the shoreline beneath the cliff is about twice that. The part of the outpost that lies atop the cliff is lined by sturdy stone walls that have been covered with stucco to achieve an overall smooth-appearing surface. These walls run at about two to three feet thick, and fifteen feet tall. There is only one gate, wide enough for a yoked pair of oxen to pass through easily enough.
Despite the fact that a majority of the outpost is within the tunnels, there are a fair amount of buildings on the surface – none of these buildings exceed two stories in height, and most of these have colorful, tent-like roofs. Many of the buildings show signs of being damaged before, and some have been rebuilt several times. There are not many people in the outpost that don’t work just for the outpost – in the water-restocking, the mail, the fishing and shark-hunting – as the outpost is not yet at the point where it can sustain simple colonists.
The native tribes of the area seem to vary on how they view the outpost. There are those who have overcome their dislike of non-natives (the presence of the militia members has also had some effect on this) enough to trade with them (though both sides tend to cheat the other), and there are those who (despite the presence of the militia) view it as easy pickings and raid through to carry off whatever they can.
The Outpost’s council often states that traveling into Fallien proper through the outpost is not allowed, but oftentimes there is not much they can do to prevent determined people from getting out and venturing deeper into the wilds. Granted, one can only wonder how far those travelers get without a pass…
h. The Ruins
Ever since Fallien was destroyed nearly 600 years ago for the greed of its citizens, there have been few cities established besides the capital at Irrakam. The wreckage of the once-great Fallien civilization exists almost everywhere on the continent, scattered across the desert, as a reminder to the people of Fallien what the wrath of their goddess can do. Rumors remain, claiming that these ruins guard treasures and dangers unknowable, simply waiting to be found.
However, it is also said that there are tribes still living in certain of these ruins. These tribes do not worship Suravani, but instead follow her brother, Mitra, in the cult of the Sun. Little is known of these tribes, and some whisper that there are not truly any living people there, only ghosts who haunt the shattered cities. Whatever it is that roams these darkened places, few who enter ever escape.
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