The Southern Islands of Smile

Between the southern coast of Moonwin and the Frozen Sea lie the Southern Islands. These are mostly comprised of semi-independent island-nations that have pledged themselves in some way to Moonwin. In Moonwin these islands fall under direction of Duchess Dhomir. Most have been charted for naval use, with fishing villages and navy bases scattered among them the maps are extensive.

Far south, where the water grows too cold for the fish favored by the people of Moonwin, there is a group of islands collectively called Smile Isle. This group of islands thrive on hunting large sea beasts and by diving, both through boat wreckage and for gems. The ocean between these islands is rich in gems and precious stones, hidden in the cliffs and on the ocean floor. The people of Smile Isle are the only ones able to collect the most valuable of these resources, the most talented among them able to dive for an hour, some fabled longer, able to dive depths that cause common sailors to disfigure from the pressure. The citizens of Moonwin often whisper of these people being born from Mer and sailors, visitors reporting sightings of gills and beautiful women with fish tails sunning on rocks.

Among the Smile Isle are uncharted islands, for all the effort Duchess Dhomir and her father before her put into mapping the islands there are some that seemingly appear and disappear at will, Souls of their own. The islands are only consistent with the natives of Smile Isle, appearing when they say they will, and being at the exact place in the mist that they direct the great naval ships of the Duchess, when they sail alone, however, they find them where they shouldn't be, or never find them at all. The Duchess and her father before her keep searching for these disappearing islands and one in particular that is rumored to have the Throne of the Mers, a formation in the seaside made of seaglass and pearl.

During the Naval battles that took place during the war with Vithier, some ships were lost well beyond the Smile Isle and reports of Disappearing Islands came from ships throughout the ocean. Since the war, however, none of those islands have been refound, and the natives of Smile Isle or other islands haven't stepped forward with knowledge about them. The Temples throughout the islands sent a flurry of notices to the Temple in the capital saying the islanders officially request all inquiries of the Disappearing Islands to cease. Since then Duchess Dhomir has passed all searches of Disappearing Islands to Marquess Oceana, her right-hand woman and the head of part of her naval fleet during the wars, with instruction to do so without direction of the islanders. There are rumors that Marquess Oceana was one of those who had been shipwrecked on a disappeared island, and that her search for them is even more persistent than the Duchess'.

Type

Island