Barrlam Tortles

The people native to the island of Mount Barrlam are easy to spot, owing to the iridescent sheen of their shells, similar to the Barrlam lava. Barrlam tortle shells have long been infused with some of the magical properties found in Barrlam lava, making them innate spellcasters and exceptional arcanists. They are revered for their ability to work with Arcanite, and while they are not officially a state and therefore not a member of the Trader’s Union, they do have a treaty with the Union that states the Union will come to the tortles’ aid if anyone outside of their collective attempts to seize any of their land or threatens their autonomy. In exchange, the tortles allow the Union to have a small refinery outpost on the island, where Arcanists monitor the geothermal activity of the island, and move quickly to process lava flows into Arcanite.
While the Barrlam tortles enjoy a significant level of autonomy with the Trader’s Union, this doesn’t come without its costs. Due to the cost and rarity of Arcanite, and how difficult it its to source for oneself, Barrlam tortle shells are valued on the black market for their own magical properties. They are in constant danger of being poached by pirates, and their dead must be guarded before, during, and after burial ceremonies to prevent corpses from being stolen and their shells removed. The Trader’s Union has had a long running propaganda campaign condemning these acts, and has stipulations in its treaty with the tortles to provide aid in the face of this violence, but the Barrlam tortle shell trade is still active, and the shells still sell for exceptionally high prices, with many people the shells are even more valuable than pure Arcanite.