Vechor Islands (Ve-Kor)
The Vechor islands are an archipelago situated east of the Arrossian mainland. They are inhabited by the largest group of Dragonkin outside the Continent of Osian.
Geography
Overview
The archipelago is composed of multiple volcanic islands forming a large and wide ark in the waters of the Great Eastern Ocean, near the south-east corner of Arros. Most of these islands are very small and generaly uninhabitable, while the 5 main islands are bigger and composed of large mountains, some of which are active volcanoes and coastal plains.Island Descriptions
Birel:
This is by far the largest island of the archipelago. It is home to many hills and mountains along its eastern flanks as well as some active and innactive volcanoes along its southern and eastern flank, while the west and north is more flat. Most people live in the region, in small settlements surrounded by farmland. The City of Qyrisal, the largest settlement of the archipelago, is located here, inside of a large bay. Two other noteworthy towns, named Polea and Saman are in the region as well. Donte:
The northernmost major island of the archipelago, Donte is a densely forested and hilly island. In fact, it is one of the least populated major island, with only one true settlement, named Matan. While still warm, the island is noticably cooler than others, as are its surounding waters. Hisra:
Much like Sansel to its south-east, Hisra is almost exclusively composed of hills and mountains. A long time ago, these hills were covered in forests, but they have since been largely cut down. The mines here mainly extract iron. The town of Hisra, located on the western shores, is the second largest settlement in the islands. Grande Roana:
Much like Sansel to its south-east, Hisra is almost exclusively composed of hills and mountains, which used to be covered in forest, but these have since been largely cut down. Many mines operate on the island, mainly extracting iron. The town of Hisra, located on the western shores, is the second largest settlement in the islands.
This is by far the largest island of the archipelago. It is home to many hills and mountains along its eastern flanks as well as some active and innactive volcanoes along its southern and eastern flank, while the west and north is more flat. Most people live in the region, in small settlements surrounded by farmland. The City of Qyrisal, the largest settlement of the archipelago, is located here, inside of a large bay. Two other noteworthy towns, named Polea and Saman are in the region as well. Donte:
The northernmost major island of the archipelago, Donte is a densely forested and hilly island. In fact, it is one of the least populated major island, with only one true settlement, named Matan. While still warm, the island is noticably cooler than others, as are its surounding waters. Hisra:
Much like Sansel to its south-east, Hisra is almost exclusively composed of hills and mountains. A long time ago, these hills were covered in forests, but they have since been largely cut down. The mines here mainly extract iron. The town of Hisra, located on the western shores, is the second largest settlement in the islands. Grande Roana:
Much like Sansel to its south-east, Hisra is almost exclusively composed of hills and mountains, which used to be covered in forest, but these have since been largely cut down. Many mines operate on the island, mainly extracting iron. The town of Hisra, located on the western shores, is the second largest settlement in the islands.
Montlieux:
Montlieux is a very mountainious island, except for its central region, which is very flat and fertile. It is often dubbed the breadbasket of the islands. Moneli is a port-town located along the flat northern shores, while Asman is smaller and located on a rocky and forested peninsula along the south-eastern coast. Mocora:
In many ways, the island of Mocora resembles Monlieux a lot, only smaller. It has numerous hills and mountains to its south, which are covered in forests, and a few more to its north, while the island's centre is relatively flat and covered in farmland. However, unlike every other island in the archipelago, is that Mocora is mostly inhabited by humans, as opposed to Dragonkins. Anar:
This small uninhabited island is entirely dominated by Mount Anari, a large active volcano which periodicaly erupts every few years. These eruptions produce earthquakes that can be felt across the entire archipelago, from Macora to Donte. Nonetheless, between eruptions, many people go there to collect Shadestone, a rare material which the volcano ejects during its eruptions. This island is one of the few places where it can be found naturaly in large quantities, making the island famous across Arros and beyond. Sansel:
Unlike the two previous islands, Sansel, the third largest island, doesn't have very much flat land. However, the numerous mountains it has are rich in minerals and ores, which are exported from the town of Loanera.
Montlieux is a very mountainious island, except for its central region, which is very flat and fertile. It is often dubbed the breadbasket of the islands. Moneli is a port-town located along the flat northern shores, while Asman is smaller and located on a rocky and forested peninsula along the south-eastern coast. Mocora:
In many ways, the island of Mocora resembles Monlieux a lot, only smaller. It has numerous hills and mountains to its south, which are covered in forests, and a few more to its north, while the island's centre is relatively flat and covered in farmland. However, unlike every other island in the archipelago, is that Mocora is mostly inhabited by humans, as opposed to Dragonkins. Anar:
This small uninhabited island is entirely dominated by Mount Anari, a large active volcano which periodicaly erupts every few years. These eruptions produce earthquakes that can be felt across the entire archipelago, from Macora to Donte. Nonetheless, between eruptions, many people go there to collect Shadestone, a rare material which the volcano ejects during its eruptions. This island is one of the few places where it can be found naturaly in large quantities, making the island famous across Arros and beyond. Sansel:
Unlike the two previous islands, Sansel, the third largest island, doesn't have very much flat land. However, the numerous mountains it has are rich in minerals and ores, which are exported from the town of Loanera.
Map of the Vechor Islands
Localized Phenomena
A Mountain of Flames
On the island of Polé, just to the north-west of the island of Birel, is located a particulary mysterious and unique sight. Stating at less than 200 metres, and occupying about a third of the island, is a small dormant volcano. During most nights, its slopes are illuminated by towering blue flames, erupting from large cracks on the mountain's flanks. The light they produce is visible from Polea, Qyrisal and even Hisra on clear days.Scholary Explination and Prophetic Dreams?
Most scholars have concluded that the flames are generated by ignited gas escaping the mountain, though it is unclear how it is ignited in the first place. The humans that inhabited the islands before saw this island as a gateway to the underworld and deemed it to be cursed. Modern dragonkin Vechorians living in the archipelago have experienced disturbing dreams related to this island and what is perhaps lurking beneath it. Indead, a lot of dragonkin folks have reported the same kinds of dreams ever since they established themselves on the island. This collective and reoccuring prophetic dream is called The night of the black flames.Climate
The islands are hot all year round. The dry season sees very little precipitation while the wet season features tropical waves, or low pressure systems, moving over the islands from east to west. These systems can develop into tropical storms or even hurricanes, which bring lots of rain and damaging winds to the islands.
Natural Resources
The Vechor islands are rich in various resources, yet these aren't distributed evenly across all islands. In particular, the islands of Hisra and Sansel are rich in Iron and copper, the latter also contains a lot of coal. But by far the archipelago's rarest and most important resource, Shadestone, is located on the island of Anar. Birel, Montlieux and Sansel also have large amounts of fertile soils and timber.
History
First Age and Long Winter
It is unknown exactly when humans first arrived on the archipelago, but most scholars consent that it must have been towards the end of the First Age. In fact, archeological finds in Qyrisal suggest that the city was first built as a Old Naurcian colony, much like Arlevent and Raune in the modern day Kingdom of Naurcia. Following the events that lead to The sinking of Old Naurcia, many refugees sailed to the island and established an isolated, but prosperous society, which dealt relatively well with the effects of the Long Winter.Early Second Age
Around 100k people, all descendants from Old Naurcia, were living across the archipelago, but mainly on Birel, Hisra and Montlieux. They remained largely isolated from mainland Arros until summer of the year 1147, where large ships suddently appeared on the horizon. These Lylosi built ships carried around 2000 Dragonkin Shapeshifter individuals, fleeing percecution in Lylos and Enaskia more broadly. After sesrching across the Illynian sea, they had stumbled upon the islands, which they believed to be uninhabited.Conquest
The dragonkin forces had split up into multiple camps along the western beaches of Montlieux island. During the following night, a few of them were attacked and their boats were set on fire, although it is unclear if this last thing was done on purpose. Nonetheless, the attack failed when other groups of Dragonkin surrounded them and interogated (tortured) them, until they gave up the valuable information the dragonkins wanted. Over the course of a few weeks and despite their much smaller number, the small group of dragonkin would conquer the rest of the islands. This was because dragonkins were much stronger than any human, and the vechorian themselves had never seen a dragonkin before, and so they did not know how to desl with them. Eventualy, on the 14th of august, 1147, they reached the capital, which at the time, was called Otyn. After a brief 3 day seige, which coresponded with a Veosian full moon that made the dragonkin more ferocious, the city fell, and the archipelago fell under their complete control.Middle Second Age
After the conquest, the dragonkin spread out and settled in multiple small communities across the islands. Some mingled with the human population as well, but it would take a few decades for the two communities to really start mixing together, living in the same cities and eventualy, coupling with eachother. Qyrisal, as the capital was now called, was the epicentre of this, as the rebuit city had about half human and half dragonkin population by 1100bc. In the following few centuries, due to the phenomena known as Etherial Proliferation, the island's human majority population was gradualy replaced by dragonkins, after each generation. By the year 800 bc, the population of the island achieved a dragonkin majority, and by the year 500 bc, 80% of the now 250k people calling the island home were dragonkin. Since then, they make up one of the largest Shapeshifter population in Arros.Late Second Age
Starting around 800 bc, the rapidly expanding Carathengian Empire had made contact with the islands and trade links were established. Some dragonkin became mercenaries working for Carathenga as they fought against the much larger Esnian Empire. in western Arros. However, by the year 500bc, Carathenga began to grow more agressive, and the inhabitants became wary of them. In total, they would invade 4 times, starting unsuccessfuly in 437 bc, then again in 426, and 405. After resolving more pressing issues in the west, the empire once again invaded the islands in 368 bc. It would take 3 years, but by 365, the Vechor islands were under Carathenga's control. However, even as one of the empire's procince, they would retain a high level of autonomy, being so far away and culturaly distict from the rest of the empire.The Fall and return of Independance
In 27 bc, after a dramatic outbreak of the blight in their capital, the Carathengian empire collaspes. Its outer-most provinces become independant, including the Vechor islands. However, its inhabitants are forced to fight for their indipendance again, this time against the newly independant province of Nhaggoria. While they win, the war leaves the islands devastated and its population much reduced from its 400k peak a decade prior.Third Age
30 years before present time, the kingdom of Nhaggoria takes advantage of a sucession crisis to invades and subjugates the islands. Since then, a group who calls themselves The Dragonknights have formed to fight against the Nhaggorians by leading an insurgency against them. They have been gathering support amongst the population and plan to overthrow the Nhaggorian autority and restore the Vechor archipelago's independence.
Alternative Name(s)
The Fair isles/Dragonkin Islands
Type
Archipelago
Contested By
Characters in Location
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