Avrodian Peninsula

Avrodia is a segment of land that juts from the southern coast of Sanoris. It forms the western edge of the Sanori Gulf. It is divided from the rest of the continent by a small strip of eroded mountains to the north.

Relatively isolated from the rest of Sanoris, Avrodia is unique. While it is included as part of the wetlands, much of its culture and ecology developed separate from the rest of the region.

Geography

The mountains that hedge off Avrodia's north seem benign, but the cloud forests that blanket them obscure their true nature. They are full of steep cliffsides and hidden pitfalls. Dangerous creatures stalk between the trees. Even the plant life can be deceptive, armed with thorns, toxic coatings, and Glow-augmented defenses.

Avrodia's coastline is composed of rocky cliffs. Its few beaches are small and often inaccessible. In some areas the forests spread right up to the edge, reaching leafy branches into the salty air. Elsewhere--where it is too rocky for trees--grass and moss coats the ground.

A Sudden End

Visibility is low in the cloud forests. If one is not careful, they may suddenly find that their next step leads them into open air... and a long drop into an unforgiving sea.

Its largest river is the Glass Vein, which flows straight and true from the mountains to the peninsula's edge, where it enters the sea as a magnificent waterfall. Nearly all rivers in Avrodia flow into the Vein, creating many small waterfalls on the hillsides along the way.

Climate

Avrodia has a rainy season during the Dusk year and a drier season during Dawn. Both seasons see abundant precipitation, sometimes exceeding 250 inches per Dawn year and 150 inches per Dusk. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain is common during Dusk years, but Avrodia typically doesn't experience thick snowfall.

Its altitude and proximity to the ocean keep Avrodia cool during Dawn years. Frequent rainfall make the suns a rare sight.

Fauna & Flora

Avrodia's lush forests are bursting with biodiversity. Countless species of bird, insect, and reptile flit between the trees. Most famous among them are the mikzee, sapphire swallowtail, and cloud python. Another unique reptile is the cloud wyvern, a variant of paradise wyvern that has adapted to a colder climate.

The largest tree in the forests is the giant starbark. Its thick, sturdy trunk allows it to reach heights exceeding 250 feet. It gains its name from the speckles of blue light that emit from its bark at night, a side effect of its Glow abilities. The starbarks are accompanied by other tall trees, many of which grow to incredible heights of 100 feet or more.

The forest floor is made shadowy by the thick canopy above. Mosses, ferns, and fungi cover the ground. Lack of sky access allows some species of Gloomflora to survive. At night, both Gloom and Glow light up the forests.

History

The first Avrodians arrived in the peninsula many thousand years ago, well before the Darkness. Representatives of a unified Avrodia attended the International Convention that established the beginning of a new era. Not long into this new age, the peninsula fractured into two nations: Vrasia and Estodia.

The division began as a feud between contesting heirs to what was once the Avrodian throne. After more than a decade of war, the peninsula was finally divided along the Glass Vein. Estodia took the north, and Vrasia took the south.

Avrodian Griffin by Aster Blackwell

The peninsula remains divided to this day, almost 900 years since the end of the war. During that time, the sister nations have experienced multiple cycles of violence and peace. While these conflicts began as isolated disputes, both nations have sought alliances beyond the mountains. The Avrodian Griffin--a domesticated variant of a dragon once native to the peninsula--became an invaluable bargaining tool for buying foreign support. Each country is constantly racing to produce more, better quality griffins in order to gain stronger allies in the event of another war.

As the Hartian Empire pressed further south, both Vrasia and Estodia were eager to secure an alliance with this powerful new threat. Both countries are eager to supply Harte with griffins in exchange for a promise of military support.

Since the Outskirts Treaty, Harte has seized pushing its southern border. Even so, it maintains a relationship with the Avrodian nations. It is not clear which nation--if any--the Empire will stand behind when war finally breaks.

While there has not been war in Avrodia for 70 years, distrust festers. It is unlikely that the peace will remain for much longer.

Maps

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  Avrodian Peninsula

Alternative Name(s)

Cloud Peninsula

Type

Peninsula

Location under

Southern Wetlands

Included Locations

• Avrodian Cloud Forests
• Cloudridge
• Glass Vein

Included Organizations

• Estodia
• Vrasia

Contested By

• Estodia
• Vrasia

Inhabiting Species

• Ancestral Avrodian Griffin
• Avrodian Griffin
• Cloud Python
• Cloud Wyvern
• Giant Starbark
• Mikzee
• Sapphire Swallowtail

Surviving Remnant

The name "Avrodia" originated from its original settlers. Its meaning has been made hazy by time and the Darkness, but some archaeologists roughly translate it to mean either "clouded wilderness," or "shrouded forest."

While its origin and meaning has been lost, it survives as the title for the peninsula as a whole. No matter how many Dawns pass over a divided Avrodia, the peninsula's name always calls back to a time when it was once whole.