General Description
The Slitherhook Run is the name given to a large stretch of land on Snake Island that is primarily used for the transport, storage and smuggling of goods. It stretches from the southern coastal areas (the tail) all the way up to the northern coast (the head) and usually sticks to land in the center of the island. Snake Island is not under the control of any individual or organization and is considered local freehold land, used by both
The Dark Tide and
The Ancora, conflict involving either group is not authorised and punishable by death on either side. It is worth noting that this is an agreement signed by these two factions alone and many third parties operate independently and are not bound by these rules.
Terrain
The entire island is surrounded by sharp rocks, cliffs and rough seas with only a handful of landing sites available for small vessels, making travel to and from the island deadly unless you know the waters. Large swathes of land have been used to store toxic metals and materials in the past and probably still to this day, as a result of this much of the soil is unsuitable for growing crops and any water is unsafe to drink. This contamination along with treacherous seas are the main reasons the island has no permanent settlements.
There are several natural ridges in the land, made from earthquakes and landslides over the years which serve as a covert means of travel and storage. Many additional tunnels and burrows have been carved out and fortified over the years by various smugglers and a whole network now exists across the island. Any storage caches are usually incredibly well hidden with elaborate camouflage nets used to disguise and conceal them from treasure hunters or rival factions looking to loot them.
Connections
The layers of fog separating the island from the mainland serve as a natural means of obscuring pick-up points and destinations unless you are really close by to observe. It is speculated that landing points on the mainland for smuggled goods are the patch of coat in between
Djornn and
Togan Crossing, and the Garuna Islands much further west.
There are absolutely no landmarks to guide ships in the other direction into
The Aardragoon Islands which makes the import of goods much harder to successfully execute and very rarely happens. The reports of miscalculated journeys ending up with the cargo destroyed or captured by other factions greatly outnumber those claiming to have smuggled goods in without issue.
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