Vilrakai
From the chapter "Fiery Waters" in Egan Nassow's The Far West
"I once caught a ship off the coast of Shahar to an archipelago called the Infernal Islands, such an astounding name. The journey took a couple weeks out of my life, but it was well worth it. As the islands peaked over the horizon, my excitement was only contained by my need to compose a song to commemorate the joy in my heart. It was a fiery tune to compliment the coiling, billowing smoke from the top of the wicked spire centering the isles.
The people there have long since been eradicated from Helden. Tieflings, they call themselves, and the state of their homeland reflects their demonic nature. Each isle is home to a different tribe or federation and they frequently quarrel with each other. Their failure to unite under one flag, upon my guess, is one of their largest flaws. I was told that the people here are used to visitors though they are not very fond of them. The islands are used as a stopping point for ships traveling further west, and that's how they prefer it, so my staying there I could tell was a break from the norm. For the blooming adventurer back home, the tribes of the Infernal Islands are as follows: Argon, Tyfa, Quim-Balor, Vorgig.
Beginning with the Argon tieflings, they live on one of the larger landmasses of the archipelago. It was the first of which my eyes had caught. Reception of my stay was cold at first, but I can warm any heart to with a few drinks and a song. I was able to learn somethings about the local history and current zeitgeist. The tribes of Vilrakai were separated along lines of color. It had been that way for as far back as they could tell. The Argonians were tinted-red and seen as the most inheriting of their devilish heritage. They often fought over land disputes; the people here have known peace among the islands.
The Quim-Balor resided north of Argon. Their territory actually intruded on the Argonian island. It seemed to me the last time these two had shook spears it ended with the Quim-Balor gaining new territory. The QB existed in all shades of violet, quite beautiful. Their horns, unlike the straight protrusions of the Argon, curved back slightly almost majestically in some. I never would have thought I could find fiendish qualities so attractive in the opposite sex, but one lovely tiefling woman drew my eye. That, however, is a different story. The QB have always fought on three fronts against the Argon, the Tyfas, and the Vorgig. In terms of military strength, they definitely wielded the most.
The Tyfa lived on the smallest island in the center of the grouping. Their people were tinted yellow bordering upon orange in some cases. It seems their culture had given up on the war-mind that permeated the thoughts of every other citizen of Vilrakai. It was a harmonic state. In fact, the only presence on the island other than Tyfa was the Quim-Balor. I never found out the reason behind their occupation. The Tyfa tielfings lived it seemed in bliss. Meditating, enjoying the nature around them. The only form of martial training I witnessed was in a courtyard of sorts. The disciples were practicing a strange form of hand to hand fighting that seemed odd and ineffective in real combat. When I next moved to the Vorgig isle, I learned something more about the Tyfa.
Upon my arrival in the Vorgig territory, I was hugged and welcomed openly into an inn. The people there were gracious and rambunctious and all different shades of blue. The Vorgig tieflings I had the pleasure of meeting that day told me many things of their conflicts with the other groups. They did not care much for expanding their territory. They fight when their enemies siege their beaches and raid the coasts when they feel the urge for battle.
I will end this guide with once mystery. No matter which island I visited, none would allow me to see the volcano of which the islands get their name, Mt. Vilrakai. What secrets could it hold, I wonder.
The people there have long since been eradicated from Helden. Tieflings, they call themselves, and the state of their homeland reflects their demonic nature. Each isle is home to a different tribe or federation and they frequently quarrel with each other. Their failure to unite under one flag, upon my guess, is one of their largest flaws. I was told that the people here are used to visitors though they are not very fond of them. The islands are used as a stopping point for ships traveling further west, and that's how they prefer it, so my staying there I could tell was a break from the norm. For the blooming adventurer back home, the tribes of the Infernal Islands are as follows: Argon, Tyfa, Quim-Balor, Vorgig.
Beginning with the Argon tieflings, they live on one of the larger landmasses of the archipelago. It was the first of which my eyes had caught. Reception of my stay was cold at first, but I can warm any heart to with a few drinks and a song. I was able to learn somethings about the local history and current zeitgeist. The tribes of Vilrakai were separated along lines of color. It had been that way for as far back as they could tell. The Argonians were tinted-red and seen as the most inheriting of their devilish heritage. They often fought over land disputes; the people here have known peace among the islands.
The Quim-Balor resided north of Argon. Their territory actually intruded on the Argonian island. It seemed to me the last time these two had shook spears it ended with the Quim-Balor gaining new territory. The QB existed in all shades of violet, quite beautiful. Their horns, unlike the straight protrusions of the Argon, curved back slightly almost majestically in some. I never would have thought I could find fiendish qualities so attractive in the opposite sex, but one lovely tiefling woman drew my eye. That, however, is a different story. The QB have always fought on three fronts against the Argon, the Tyfas, and the Vorgig. In terms of military strength, they definitely wielded the most.
The Tyfa lived on the smallest island in the center of the grouping. Their people were tinted yellow bordering upon orange in some cases. It seems their culture had given up on the war-mind that permeated the thoughts of every other citizen of Vilrakai. It was a harmonic state. In fact, the only presence on the island other than Tyfa was the Quim-Balor. I never found out the reason behind their occupation. The Tyfa tielfings lived it seemed in bliss. Meditating, enjoying the nature around them. The only form of martial training I witnessed was in a courtyard of sorts. The disciples were practicing a strange form of hand to hand fighting that seemed odd and ineffective in real combat. When I next moved to the Vorgig isle, I learned something more about the Tyfa.
Upon my arrival in the Vorgig territory, I was hugged and welcomed openly into an inn. The people there were gracious and rambunctious and all different shades of blue. The Vorgig tieflings I had the pleasure of meeting that day told me many things of their conflicts with the other groups. They did not care much for expanding their territory. They fight when their enemies siege their beaches and raid the coasts when they feel the urge for battle.
I will end this guide with once mystery. No matter which island I visited, none would allow me to see the volcano of which the islands get their name, Mt. Vilrakai. What secrets could it hold, I wonder.
Geography
Centered around a volcano, the Infernal Islands (a.k.a Vilrakai) is a group of semi-connected islands south-west of Shahar in the Boralian Ocean. They are host to a mainly tropical climate with animals and plant life appropriate to its latitude. Most of the islands bare forests with strange fruits and deadly beasts that hunt among them.
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