The Talhani Isles

A vast island chained contained within the Talhani Sea. It contains over a hundred individual islands but is largely comprised of five main island clusters: Soros, Aldiya, Hend'óra, Ja'lan, and Mach'a Mancha.

Talhani Isles Regional Map

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A detailed map of the Talhani Isles featuring terrain, prominent landmarks, and major settlements.

Geography

The Isles comprise a wide array of biomes and environments, with thick, tropical jungles and barren deserts dominating the southern isles and lush, deciduous forests and rolling plains featuring heavily in the more northern islands. Volcanic activity is common throughout the isles and most of the major island clusters contain jagged mountain ranges; the visible portions of a much larger range that runs across the bottom of the Talhani Sea. 
The seas that surround the islands tend to be calmer than in other areas thanks to the islands breaking up the currents of the surrounding oceans. The exception, of course, is the area of water surrounding Faenya's Maelstrom, an often storm-covered region almost dead-center amongst the Talhani Isles that has drawn countless careless voyagers into a watery grave.

Ecosystem

The Talhani Isles play home to countless creatures both sapient and bestial with a biodiversity only seen at similar levels in but a handful of other places around the world. While many of these flora and fauna can be found across the islands, each island cluster contains its own, unique biosphere. Curiously, there is a clear, albeit ancient, Draconic influence on the region. And even though the Palaxi dragonborn and Karrera kobolds are not natively from the isles, it is often theorized that their ancestors had ties to this place.
The waters surrounding the islands are equally diverse, and in addition to bountiful coral reefs providing homes to countless species of fish and other aquatic beasts, they host entire kingdoms of merfolk, triton, sea elves, and more, who seem to have existed within the Isles for many, many centuries.

Localized Phenomena

The Talhani Isles possess a number of strange or otherwise supernaturally revered locations, the most infamous of which being the aforementioned Faenya's Maelstrom. So named for an old elven goddess of the seas; the yawning whirlpool has been the subject of seafaring horror stories that predate even the Atotakan's age.
There are also the three major volcanos of the region: Mount Vaeros, Mount Aradace, and Mount Wanui, each of which are regarded with the utmost respect and caution. None have erupted in living memory, but they are closely monitored at all times for signs of disturbance.
There is also Kirajud's Abyss, which is a great chasm that descends all the way to the Underdark, which in turn is believed to snake beneath the seabed and connects to the mainland. Many decades ago, the Abyss was the source of an invasion of subterranean creatures that threatened to utterly destroy the Assembly nations before being ultimately driven back and obliterated thanks to the aid of the Ba'shad Orc Tribes.
Finally, one of the Isle's greatest longstanding mysteries is the Island of Fog: a large chunk of land with twin mountain peaks jutting above an otherwise all-enshrouding silver-white mist that has ensnared any who have tried to penetrate it. The Island of Fog has perplexed explorers since the arrival of the Elen'nar Elves. Fortunately, nothing has ever emerged from the fog, so for now, the island is mostly just given a wide berth.

History

The Talhani Isles have been inhabited in one form or another since ancient times. Before The Assembly, its previous occupants were the esoteric Atotakah, whose ruins and remains can be found tucked into every nook and cranny of the Isles. Their influence had a lasting impact on the region that largely informs the goals of the Isles current occupants.
After the Atotakan's disappearance, the Elen'nar Elves were the first to find their way to the Isles; settling their first colony in the later days of the 1200s. Nearly a century later, the Karrera Kobold Clans arrived, seeking out the legends of the great builders and craftsmen that were the Atotakah. This was followed by the first drafting of the Assembly Treaty, where the two vastly different nations agreed to cohabitate and cooperate within the Isles, as both had a vested interest in discovering the secrets hidden throughout the Isles.
Overtime, the Treaty expanded to include many nations. For the most part, the Assembly maintained peace and prosperity throughout the region. Only a handful of times was that peace threatened.
The first major incident began in the late 1300s when bizarre, otherworldly creatures surged out of Kirajud's Abyss and began relentlessly attacking Assembly territory. It took the Assembly's combined might to just barely hold them off; it was clear that outside aid was desperately needed, or eventually their defense would crumble and the Isles would be fully overrun. Were that to happen, there was no guarantee these invaders would be satisfied with the Isles and wouldn't pursue them all back to the mainland. In response, the Karrera made contact with nomadic orc tribes across the mainland of K'allpa and promised them great rewards in exchange for their aid. With the orcs at the fore, the Assembly pushed back the invaders and all but obliterated them as the orcs pursued them back into the Underdark and razed their lairs.
Unfortunately, the Karrera had unlocked Pandora's Box in uplifting the orcs, leading directly into the second major conflict of the Isles: not satisfied with a peaceful agricultural life on the single, volcanic island they had been gifted in thanks, the orcs turned their blades against the Assembly, seeking to take more territory for themselves. The Ba'shad Rebellions again pushed the limits of the Assembly's military capabilities, and this time their aid came in the form of the Palaxi Dominion, whose explorers had just begun expeditions into the island clusters of Soros and Aldiya. Their highly-disciplined military proved invaluable in repelling the orcs, but it wasn't until a clandestine joint operation between the Palaxi and Karrera unleashed a powerful curse against the Ba'shad did the conflict finally resolve.
The last "major" conflict within the Isles was fortunately far more short-lived and easily resolved than the previous two. The Haedian Colonists arrival in the Talhani Isles was not a smooth one. Their early explorers had only charted uninhabited portions of Soros and Aldiya and, falsely believing the Isles to be more-or-less free for the taking, began settling in territory claimed by the Palaxi. Believing these newcomers to be invaders, the Palaxi responded in force, kicking off a brief military skirmish that was thankfully cleared up before it could escalate by the Assembly, who smoothed things over with the Palaxi and Haedians; welcoming the latter into the Assembly and granting them permission to settle Soros.
Since then, the only significant source of conflict within the Isles have been scattered but irksome raids by Maqana pirates. Once, the Maqana were chartered Assembly members, though their aggressive and intolerant nature often caused conflict between them and their fellow members even before they withdrew from the Assembly. The Maqana had been petitioning for settlement rights on Soros for decades when the Assembly gifted the land to the Haedian newcomers. Enraged over this slight, the Maqana fully withdrew from the Assembly, and while they have no permanent settlements within the Isles, many remain and act as pirates; targeting new and vulnerable settlements and staying just disorganized enough to prevent a unified counterattack from the Assembly. It is all but an open secret that these pirates are acting as privateers for the Maqana Hegemony located to the east in the Sarumiku Archipelago, but the Assembly has not as of yet made any overt military moves against them because of it, instead relying on trade embargos and other forms of economic pressure.

Inhabitants

The Talhani Isles are shared by a diverse array of nations both from Archaios and K'allpa. The most notable factions include:

• Haedian Colonists. Largely human settlers from Archaios, specifically of the Haedian Empire that dominates the province of Requiem.
• The Palaxi Dominion. A realm of militaristic dragonborn that originally hail from the planes of central K'allpa.
• The Elen'nar. A kingdom of high elves that have inhabited the Isles the longest of the Assembly nations, outside of the Isle's natives. Their homeland is located within the hidden valleys and lofty peaks of the Harkon Mountains of K'allpa.
• The Karrera Clans. A coalition of kobolds hailing from the stony hills of southern K'allpa.
• The Handina. A small gnomish kingdom who migrated from somewhere in Hatania for reasons unspecified by the gnomes. In their tongue, they are called Pinig'ol'Polmog'on, but Handina is easier to pronounce.
• The Maqana People. A hegemony of hobgoblins that was once a proper member of the Assembly but has now largely consigned themselves to pirates and raiders that lurk in uncharted waters and opportunistically prey on the wandering and the lost.
• The Ba'shad Tribes. A loose coalition of orc tribes originally "imported" by the Assembly to act as muscle against a threat from the Underdark. When their "purpose" was fulfilled, they were not satisfied with the land gifted to them and attempted to expand into Assembly territory. They were ultimately defeated and burdened with a curse that inflicted their entire population for their troubles.
• Sea Elves, Triton, and Merfolk. The shallows, coral reefs, and some small islands of the Talhani Sea are rife with these aquatic beings. These people have lived on and around the Talhani Isles since time immemorable, and for the most part, have amicable relationships with the Assembly nations.
• Changelings. Also believed to be natives of the Isles, these shapeshifting beings are rarely truly spotted, but are common enough that there is often an underlying paranoia found throughout the more rural and superstitious settlements of the Isles. Because of this, most Changelings of the Isles very rarely reveal themselves for fear of persecution.
• Tortles. Nomadic tortles are commonly found wandering the many islands of the Talhani Sea. It is believed they may even originate from the islands, though no one can point to a definitive homeland or point of origin.
• Dwarves. While dwarven cities can be found all throughout the interior of the Harkon Mountains, dwarves tend to have a visceral discomfort with ocean travel. For this reason, they are very rarely found on the Talhani Isles, but their goods are often coveted and brought to the islands by intrepid merchants.

Other Notable Locations

A few other prominent locales that are apart from the five major island clusters.

• Threshold - A massive, artificial island said to be constructed by the Atotakah and left behind after they disappeared, the Assembly has since appropriated it as a semi-mobile base of operations and a neutral ground for all of their membered kingdoms. It is the location of the Assembly's governing council and each member's embassy. The city itself is also a thriving cultural crucible as each Assembly kingdom has left a prominent mark on its development. Most curiously, the day-to-day operations of the island are handled by a mysterious group of entirely-uncommunicative creatures called Caretakers that act as Threshold's custodians.
• Kamakisqa - One of the last remaining remnants of the Maqanan People's presence in the Isles, Kamakisqa is a bastion for activities, commerce, and trade that fall outside the jurisdiction of the Assembly. While the Assembly does not officially recognize Kamakisqa as a colony, its independent nature makes it a tantalizing resource/ally to keep on the table. The major drawback being that it is often a safe haven for the likes of Maqana pirates. It has no ruling government and is barely held together by a convoluted code of conduct that is more so a set of guidelines than actual rules. The city is about as dangerous as they come, but it is rife with opportunity for those willing to get their hands dirty.
• Xotl't'lan - The largest of the Atotakan ruins in the region and also the most well preserved, the Elen'nar discovered it shortly after the Atotakah vanished and have been investigating it ever since. The structures left behind are exceedingly complex and a great deal of them contain underground levels. The site was also heavily fortified with traps and other hazards, many of which are still active. Despite centuries of investigation, the entirety of the ruin has still yet to be fully mapped, and entire new sections are still popping up.

Type

Region

Included Organizations

• The Assembly

Soros

Soros is the farthest south of the major island clusters and is predominantly inhabited by Haedian Colonies. It is is dominated by verdant grasslands on its western half and lush, mountainous jungles to its east. It is wild and untamed compared to the rest of the isles, which is why the Assembly was happy to pawn it off to the Archaios explorers who sought a foothold in the region. Local legend states that the gods left behind a great treasure beneath Soros' mountains, though no expedition has as of yet discovered anything that would paint these stories as anything more than folklore.
Notable settlements include:

• New Providence - the oldest permanent colony established by the Haedian Empire and capitol of the New World Colonies; named after Sigil's reclaimed name during the Age of Reunification. Any Archaios travelers heading for the colonies passes through here first.
• King's Port - Humanity's egress point into the Isles proper. Most of the colony's imports are brought through the Port's market, which is always thrumming with a wide and diverse array of people, products, and produce. Items of more ill-repute can also be found in abundance here if one knows where to look.
• Hengellen - The brainchild of the Fundamentalist sect of Triumvirism, Hengellen (named after the first Orator who reunified Requiem after Antecea's collapse) was founded by the Church with the goal of rekindling their waning influence with a new audience abroad. The piety of the settlement can be off-putting to some, but for others, the colony is a bastion of knowledge and healing, with some of the best clerics and knights of the region studying here.

Aldiya

The island cluster of Aldiya is the home of the Palaxi Dominion within the Talhani Isles (the dragonborn call it "Aradace" in their native tongue). Its dense jungles hide numerous Atotakan ruins and the great waterfall at the main island's center is said to have mystical properties. Agricultural land is limited on the islands, and so the Palaxi rely mainly on hunting and fishing for sustenance.
Notable settlements include:

• Majeir - The Palaxi's oldest and most prominent settlement in the Isles and their capitol within the region. The city is a veritable fortress (many have wondered who exactly the dragonborn think they're defending against), but despite its intimidating exterior, its interior is home to some of the most potent breweries in the Isles; famed for their Dragon's Breath, an intensely potent spirit crafted by the dragonborn.
• Untryr - Initially the site of an Atotakan excavation, Untryr is now the home of an esteemed university that specializes in history and archaeology. Despite the excavation beginning over a century ago, new passages and chambers are constantly being discovered and opened up, offering ample opportunities for travelling adventurers to work as protectors, escorts, or cave-divers.
• Arydun - An army is only effective for as long as they can keep fighting, and the Palaxi understand this well. Arydun is a bastion of healing and alchemy; using the nearby jungles for exotic herbs and other ingredients to concoct all sorts of potions, tonics, and more.

Hend'óra

The largest island cluster of the Talhani Sea, Hend'óra's heart is a lush mountain range with fertile hills and grasslands on the western and eastern branches. The controlling power on the island is the Elen'nar elves, but other kingdoms have been "allowed" to settle on the fringes of the central jungles. Like many elven lands, Hend'óra is shrouded in a venire of mysticism and magic. It is said that the main island's mountain range houses the throne of an old god, but the elves politely keep the area off-limits to all outsiders.
Notable settlements include:

• Eredael - The elves' capitol in the region. Few outsiders venture here, but it is said to be a bastion of decadence, comfort, and art. Most Elen'nar make at least one journey to Eredael during their lives to add their own small mark to the Rammamir'in; the Wall of Living Memory. It is said to be a massive mural depicting the collective experience of all Elen'nar elves.
• Tir'Duin - The great ports of Tir'Duin are both the windows and doors into and out of the Elen'nar's society within the Isles. Merchants and craftsmen from all across the Isles flock here to trade, barter, and sell in the ethereal elven markets. Despite its origins as an elven colony, Tir'Duin is truly a melting pot and collage of all Assembly nations thanks to its nature as a trade hub. As the saying goes, "if you can't buy it in Tir'Duin, it's not worth buying at all."
• Glad'Adan - The "industrial" center of the Elen'nar domain (or at least as industrial as you can get with elves), Glad'Adan provides lumber, furs, and game across the rest of Hend'óra thanks to the bountiful Róven Forest it is nestled within. Local legend indicates the forest owes its vibrancy to a mystical spring hidden within its center that grants youth, vigor, and longevity to anyone tenacious enough to find it and drink from its waters.

Ja'lan

This lush, jungle-covered island houses the Karrera Kobold Clans. Many secrets are said to be concealed beneath the canopies of the ancient rainforests that dominate the main island, not the least of which is supposedly a massive, underground complex left behind by the Atotakah. The Karrera have neither confirmed nor denied this story.
Notable settlements include:

• Va'lam - A city situated within a deep forest ravine that straddles an ancient river. Limestone buildings jut from the chasm's walls and are interconnected by a web of foot bridges. The difficult journey through the rainforest dissuades most outsiders from entering the Karrera capitol, but those who do always come back with tales of wonder. Assuming the stories of the Atotakan underground complex are true, it is believed Va'lam sits atop the entrance.
• Uthrax - Karrera's public facing port city. Uthrax sits upon a tall hill and can be seen jutting above the canopy of the surrounding jungles. The kobolds claim to fame here is two-fold: they export a number of different materials that appear to be native exclusively to Ja'lan like alchemical components, medicinal herbs, and the metal Nuridium. Secondly, Uthrax is home to a regionally-renowned artificers' forum, where new technology and magic is constantly being innovated (much of it based off of Atotakan relics).

Mach'a Mancha

This island cluster is in and of itself comprised of 4 major islands and dozens of more small, ancillary islets. They stretch up to the northern reaches of the Talhani Sea and are the most diverse in terms of occupying factions. It is here were most of the "capitols" of the less influential Assembly factions can be found, and the Assembly itself is more hands-off with the goings on of the islands. The ecosystem of Mach'a Mancha is also the most wild and chaotic of the main clusters. The wildlife is more aggressive, the terrain is more treacherous, and wild magic is abundant. Much of this can be owed to the volcano Mount Hanui --by far the most active in the region-- and Kirajud's Abyss: a yawning chasm to the Underdark. 
Notable settlements include: 

• Solace - The oldest and most successful of the colonies established by Archaios settlers but independently of any crown or company charter. Solace was founded by a private coalition of self-proclaimed "altruists" who wished to seize upon the opportunities of a new world and form a new society fully divorced from the concepts of monarchy and mercantilism. Solace's self-sufficient success has allowed it to strike amicable trade agreements with the rest of the Assembly, though it does often come under scrutiny as its independent status makes it a favorite destination for fugitives, tax evaders, and ne'er do wells.
• Havotar - The home of the Ba'shad Orc Tribes within the Talhani Isles. The land was initially gifted to the orcs as thanks for their aid in repelling invaders from the Underdark and was the site of a highly-destructive siege during the Ba'shad Rebellion. Despite the siege, the city and its people held out and continue to eek out a living within the half-ruined city. No one but orcs comes to this city without a very good reason, as your odds of leaving in one piece are incredibly low. 
• Misgnomer - A gnomish settlement nestled within the woods beneath the jagged mountains that divide the island. In the gnomish tongue, the city is called Lâ'drin-lôm'Orod-bar (the gnomes of this area seem to follow the same tradition as Archaios gnomes in that they offer a tongue-in-cheek alternate name that is easier to pronounce for non-gnomes). The surrounding forests are filled with strange and mystical phenomena, which drew the gnomes there in the first place.  It is believed the city has two major sections: a public-facing one to accommodate trade and travelers, and another, secret one known only to the gnomes.
• Nascosta -  Another fully independent Archaios colony, Nascosta is a secluded research and development settlement founded by Archanics Company. The settlement is fully independent from the Assembly and the Haedian Crown and leases out lab space to any who wish to use the island's facilities. Archanics keeps tight confidentiality on the research conducted in Nascosta, which is wise, as rumors abound of reckless methodology, unethical testing, and morally dubious experiments.