Ebon Isle
Geography
Shaped like a ball with jagged curves along it's coasts, the lands of the isle is a barren, rocky ground which consists of a mix between flat ground and mounds of small hills that cover the area. The whole island itself is surrounded by freshwater in the north, west and east, with the brackish Sea of Peregon reaching far up enough to mix with it's southern waterbody, but to a minimal potency of salt. For an island, it is also dry, as to the chilling cold winds make rainfall an extreme rarity. It is more common with hails once or twice every month, or snowfall to coat the isle in a soft layer of white.
Ecosystem
As little grows on Ebon isle, no larger or herbivore animals live on the island, at least as a natural habitat. It is populated mostly by carnivores that roam around the coastlines. During the moonrise, the tidewater rises to trap plenty of unaware fish within little hollows and puddles that have naturally formed on the rock. This flood has caused most creatures to be nocturnal, as it makes finding feed easier, than having to brave the underwater currents surrounding the isle.
Ecosystem Cycles
While the Ebon Isle has the same four seasons as every other northern or central location of the world, it's temperature does not take a lot of drastic changes throught the year. It's summers are hot enough to bathe in the southmost ocean, due to the flowing streams from the New Lands which heat their coast. As autumn falls, the only noticable change between the two periods is that the period of change between seasons is the only time where rain is common for the isle, and that the waters grow too cold to bathe in, at least for the ordinary human. It's winters and spring months are cold, with snowfall once or so every week, though not so cool that it makes it hard to inhabit. During the coldest period, from the twelth to second month, the isle is often overpopulated in different avian species that travel south from the higher reaches of Scarnza, to wait out the worst of winter.
Fauna & Flora
Originally, the isle itself had a dark brownish hue to it's soil, due to the shrubbery and bushes that grow in thickets around the area, mostly on top and around the hills though. Full with edibles, such as blueberries, raspberries and cloudberry. Though scarce as they are, not many larger animals could survive here on berries alone. Hence, predators such as lynx and wolves would not survive on the isle, unlike foxes and the rare bear, that can feed from the berries - as well as the birds and smaller rodents that inhabit Ebon isle.
Nowadays, it's far more green, with the odd pine or oak growing in the midst of an open flat. This significant change, although it doesn't negatively effect the old flora and fauna, are cause of the growing population and developing city-state in the region. Settlers have spread beyond the city and the limits of seafood to introduce grass, sheep, goats and cows on the isle.
Avian creatures exist in a multitude along the isle, as they're able to gather building material for their homes both through the shrubs, driftwood, wool from the settlers sheep and from the trees that grow witin the towns and city park and squares. As for food, many species are able to survive from the spoils of civilization alone, but the rich amount of fish shoals around the shores, accompanied by small animals such as rabbits and rats.
Natural Resources
As the isle's name would suggest, ebonstone is the most important natural resource of the isle and is still mined to date, as an important part of both local culture and an important material for structures, trinkets and ornamentals in other cultures as well. Recently though, iron veins have also been found in the quarries and mined, accompanied by the gathering of local berries, especially the cloudberries, as they sell for gold in the distant southeast.
History
The Ebon Isle, named from the rich amount of Ebonstone that it harbours, has it's not so noble roots as a slave colony. For three month's, Diestrian and Westport officials forced Skuggalfr to quarry the ebon, before all hell broke lose.
In an event, known as the shortest slavery operation in history, accompanied by the largest battle royale in recent two centuries, the Ebon Isle took place in a conflict that started from a slave revolt. The Skuggalfr had armed themselves and holed up in the quarries, while being starved out by their taskmasters. Learning of this, knights from Peregon set out to lay down the law on the slavers, as such practices had been outlawed on decree of the High Court. Problem was, as they tried make landing, a bunch of Scarn had already made the shores their battlefront. The pirates from Bleikrgoth and raiders from Norvik were fighting over plunder, so the knights sought to cut through their ranks quickly, which proved a task against their hulking warriors. The results were a stalemate, untill the Norvike warriors joined forces with the Peregonian chapter, in shared hatered over slavery.
Little did they know, as they advanced on the slavers, that three other forces were lurking around as well. The Dyskhar and pre-Âzhgaardian civilization were racing one another to capture the isle in order to gain natural resources, and in the Dyskhari plans also to wipe out any Skuggalfr that may have important ties to their imperium. Thus, both their forces stormed the isle, while the prior battles were already ongoing. Which was made only worse when the Gautr turned up to aid Norvik, Peregon and the slaves.
In the end, there was no clear winner, except for the Skuggalfr, as they lost the least in the conflict, being holed up in the quarries, while also being more or less forgotten by all the factions as they retreated from the bloodbath. From there, they started to slowly rebuild a life on the isle, as they came to form a city-state to later become a vasal for Âzhgaard.
Tourism
Although it's cold, barren nature doesn't leave much for the eyes to feast on in terms of nature, it is popular for birdwatchers and other avian enthusiasts to gather on the Ebon Isle during the winter season, due to the great amount of different species which spend the winter on it's rocks. The Ebonwatch keep also bolsters the attractions, as the old fort has been remade both a castle and an aviary, where the best birdkeepers in Âzhgaard live to breed and train their companions.
Ebonholdt
Ebonholdt is the name of the capital which the Skuggalfr live. It was once a mess of old outposts, standing or destroyed by the different factions that waged war on the isle, to now have been used in the construction of the city. It also stand as the second largest tradeport in the North, just after Old Icengate.The Rocky Flats
The central area of the isle which looks pretty much as the name describes it. The rocky flats is a bunch of rocky green and brown shrubbery hills that run zigzag among rocky flats that separate the mounds from one another.Ebonheart Quarry
A new quarry around the east of the isle, where resources such as Ebonstone and iron is mined. It is also the home to a little settler community which takes care of farm animals. It is also named Ebonheart after the Marquessa that owns the land, as she personally funded the new settlement.Old-Quarry
Known as the old slave camp. Now the old quarry has been closed down and repurposed, as digging further risk this northwestern area could be dangerous. It now serves as a traditional Dyskhari, Morstein inspired insect farm, where gigantic insects are breeded underneath the ground by insectoid farmers.Ebonwatch Keep
The head of authority on the isle, ruled by the Ebonheart family and the just protector against shadows that threaten Âzhgaard and it's lands. It is also the home to some of the best birdkeepers in the northern lands, rivaled only by the Dyskhari Imperium.
Type
Island
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Inhabiting Species
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