Morrow's Isle
Morrow's Isle is a large and extremely fertile island near the shores of Valorim.
Size
Location
Morrow's Isle lies ways north of Valorim.
Population
Before humans arrived on the Isle, the island was mostly populated by swamp folk, hydras, ogres and nephilim. After humans' arrival and the Empire's takeover, effectively turning the Isle into a feudal state, the nephilim population was driven into the ground. The human population has experienced ebb and flow during the multiple uprisings and rebellions during the Isle's violent history.
Monsters and other unsavoury types
During the longest-standing rebellion in the Isle's history, monsters and other unsavoury types started appearing in the fringes, taking advantage over the taxed standing armies' inability to maintain stability in the region. These included:
- A Demon
- Ogres
- Swamp folk
- Hydras
- A Drake
- An Ice Drake
- Ice Puddings
- Ursagi
- Giants
- Deserters
- A spine beast
History
Around 640 IE, Morrow's Isle was first settled by humans. The settlers killed the few nephilim who dwelt there and claimed its rich farmland and other plentiful resources for their own.
Around 740 IE, the Empire, which had begun to keep a closer eye on Valorim, established a feudal state on the island. The people of the island became serfs, and were ruled by a succession of lords. There were occasional rebellions, but they were all put down.
Around 835 IE, the Empire replaced the relatively benevolent Lord Brosterman with the cruel and selfish Lord Volpe. Volpe brought a hand-picked aristocracy with him from the mainland. He began to work the serfs harder, and conditions among them deteriorated. It is notable that before Lord Volpe's ascension to office, Morrow's Isle had seen eight administrators rise and fall in the two decades prior.
After several years of Volpe's rule, a rebellion sprang up that the Empire was unable to put down, led by a miner, Stalker. The rebels, who called themselves the Hill Runners, seized control of the town of Buzzard. They employed particularly vicious tactics, targeting anyone who aided Volpe and the Empire in any way, and were not afraid of causing collateral damage.
In 844 IE, the Hill Runners managed to assassinate Volpe. The Empire sent additional troops to the isle, under the direction of General Jaen. Since then, the isle has been in a state of civil war. Stalker's rebellion continues to inspire smaller rebellions elsewhere in the Empire.
Geography
The geography of Morrow's Isle ranges from expansive marshlands to flowermeadows, rocky foothills to thick, subalpine forests, all the way to the properly alpine mountaintops dominating the northeastern corner of the island. The steepest areas to the northeast of Buzzard are high enough to have snowcaps and evergreens. The island's lone true mountain is rich in minerals and metals. The forests, and in particular the swamps, feature a considerable diversity of (alchemically or otherwise) useful herbs, plants and fungi. It was reported that there were special geodes deep within the marshlands to the east, but these were mundane objects and of interest only to those deeply knowledgeable of geology as a field of study.
Notable features and points of interest
- Phalia Colony is located to the westernmost shores of Morrow's Isle, largely detached from the general unrest plaguing the rest of the island. The colony survived and continues to thrive by producing a variety of goods and trading them to the rest of the island, catering also to passing adventurers. During the days of Lord Volpe's assassination, their selection ranged from magical crystals to sources of light, lockpicking and first aid supplies.
- Concealed Bazaar was located on the northern shores of the Isle during the days of Lord Volpe's assassination. The bazaar was a safe haven for vagabonds, rogues, brigands, rebels and adventurers. One could barter for less than legal supplies while on the bazaar grounds, such as poisons, fenced gems, magical lockpicks and gear for travelling across the swamps north of and around Muck. It is notable that the bazaarites and visitors alike respected an unwritten rule of a non-disclosure agreement; anyone trying to gather information would find oneself quickly stonewalled.