Vyskass Shard
Virtually unknown to all but its inhabitants, Vyskass is a small shard populated only by the naga and located somewhere in the Empty Quarter of the Old World. It's theoretically located somewhere in the vicinity of Iram Shard, which is in the same area, but due to the naga's fierce secrecy and sense of self-preservation its precise location is unknown. It serves as the only home of the naga, who have done their best to vanish from history altogether in order to protect themselves; any who stumble upon its existence are killed without exception.
As the only real settlement within Vyskass, the Cistern is its undisputed capital; however, its grandeur would make it a clear winner even if the naga's infrastructure was more widespread. It is what the name implies; through some quirk of geology, a vast underground sinkhole lies just underneath the desert's surface with a deceptively small opening letting in light from above. The bottom of the Cistern is a wide pool of water fed and emptied by a river somewhere below its surface, but around its edges there's plenty of room for the naga to make their city. Structures are built against and into the walls similar to Iram of the Pillars, but the naga have expanded on this style of building by also making use of the extensive tunnels and smaller caves that riddle the rock in all directions. The naga are also protected from the extremes of temperature within the Cistern itself, and spend the vast majority of the their lives within its boundaries.
Flowing beneath the surface of the Cistern's great pool, the Darkflow is a subterranean river of unknown origin or destination; while it may well be the Alhaya River that runs through neighboring Iram Shard, the truth remains a mystery. Even the naga, who seem naturally well-suited to swimming, know better than to explore the great river's depths. SURFACE FORGES
One of the few activities that the naga will only undertake on the surface is metalworking, and there are a number of forges carefully hidden in outcroppings of rock on the surface of Vyskass. The shard isn't rich in metal, and as a result working the forges is an almost religious experience for those who are granted the opportunity to do. They're ancient, carefully maintained, and practically sacred sites. THE GODQUEEN'S CHAMBER
Located in the maze of tunnels and caves that border the Cistern, Ah'kriss is most often found in a chamber overlooking the great cavern. Her dwelling place is kept constantly filled with a bed of glowing embers on which she rests, both a matter of comfort and a striking reminder of her affinity for fire; it's also a reminder of her magical power, since the scarcity of wood within the shard means that the 'embers' are most likely stones enchanted for extreme heat.
Climate and Geography
Seemingly empty desert, Vyskass has no qualities to suggest anyone would want to live there; though it's slightly more hospitable than Iram, it's not by much, and the shard is largely barren with few features marking it in any way. It's not true desert, but it's awfully close; the area is wasteland, with little vegetation to support animal life beyond a small population of hares and antelope. Blazingly hot during the day and cold enough to generate frost at night, it's a land with no major resources to offer or appeal to make someone want to call it home. Its sole redeeming quality is the one that the naga chose it for; a vast cave system centered around an underground river.Population and Governance
Painfully small and growing ever smaller as the years go by, the entire naga population consists of only a few hundred individuals. They live as one collective group in the cave system of the Cistern, relying on its secrecy and the fact that it's the only real shelter within the shard's inhospitable expanse. They're organized in a rough hierarchy governed primarily by age and strength, but the shard's undisputed ruler is their immortal Godqueen, Ahkriss; one of the first brood, she's led the naga for as long as the species has existed. At one point in time she ruled along her mate and brother Kar'kess, but he vanished millenia ago and Ahkriss has ruled by herself ever since.Capital
THE CISTERNAs the only real settlement within Vyskass, the Cistern is its undisputed capital; however, its grandeur would make it a clear winner even if the naga's infrastructure was more widespread. It is what the name implies; through some quirk of geology, a vast underground sinkhole lies just underneath the desert's surface with a deceptively small opening letting in light from above. The bottom of the Cistern is a wide pool of water fed and emptied by a river somewhere below its surface, but around its edges there's plenty of room for the naga to make their city. Structures are built against and into the walls similar to Iram of the Pillars, but the naga have expanded on this style of building by also making use of the extensive tunnels and smaller caves that riddle the rock in all directions. The naga are also protected from the extremes of temperature within the Cistern itself, and spend the vast majority of the their lives within its boundaries.
Other Notable Locations
THE DARKFLOWFlowing beneath the surface of the Cistern's great pool, the Darkflow is a subterranean river of unknown origin or destination; while it may well be the Alhaya River that runs through neighboring Iram Shard, the truth remains a mystery. Even the naga, who seem naturally well-suited to swimming, know better than to explore the great river's depths. SURFACE FORGES
One of the few activities that the naga will only undertake on the surface is metalworking, and there are a number of forges carefully hidden in outcroppings of rock on the surface of Vyskass. The shard isn't rich in metal, and as a result working the forges is an almost religious experience for those who are granted the opportunity to do. They're ancient, carefully maintained, and practically sacred sites. THE GODQUEEN'S CHAMBER
Located in the maze of tunnels and caves that border the Cistern, Ah'kriss is most often found in a chamber overlooking the great cavern. Her dwelling place is kept constantly filled with a bed of glowing embers on which she rests, both a matter of comfort and a striking reminder of her affinity for fire; it's also a reminder of her magical power, since the scarcity of wood within the shard means that the 'embers' are most likely stones enchanted for extreme heat.
Quick Facts
Approximate Size: ~600 sq. milesNumber of Entrances: 2
Capital City: the Cistern
Dominant Race: naga
Approximate Population: ~450
Type
Territory
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