Isaana
One of Aethis's four continents, Isaana lies mostly on the southern hemisphere of the planet. Over the course of Aethi history, the continent has been host to several large empires, and is now the location of Viarai, the capital of the interstellar Aethi Imperium.
Geography
Isaana is divided into three main geographical regions: South Isaana, south of the Tasan Estael mountain range, West Isaana, which is comprised of the lands west of the Varaali'tasan and Irili'tasan mountains, and East Isaana or Greater Isaana, a huge region spanning about 1/2 of the continent's land area and stretching from the Varaali'tasan east to the sea. East Isaana can be further subdivided into the Linyar Subcontinent to the northeast, and the rest of East Isaana, which are split by a massive rift valley and slowly in the process of separating via plate tectonics.
The southern region of the continent is dominated by mountains, rocky terrains, arid scrublands, and vast deserts. The northern portions of the continent, situated astride the equator, are largely lower in elevation, wetter, and paradoxically a bit cooler than the rest of the continent due to currents in Aethis's atmosphere carrying cooler air from the far south of the planet. West Isaana is host to various grasslands, forests, and even swamps.
In the middle of the massive region of East Isaana lies the great Uluilaan-Vael, the brackish Mid-land Sea. Further east, near the coast, lie the red Ilaarien forests.
History
Origins
Isaana is primarily the result of the breakup of the Vaizalilaan supercontinent approximately 260 million (Aethi) years ago.Ancient History
Archaeological records indicate that it is the second continent populated by Aethi after the species' birthplace in eastern Saeaan. The first traces of true civilization are found in coastal southeast Isaana, to the south of the Tasan Estael mountains and east of the Varali'tasan. There, on the windward side of the mountain range, where rivers and creeks that brought nourishing mineral-rich waters down from the mountains, the nomadic, primitive hunters and herders of the central Isaani plains settled down and founded farming villages, which soon grew to towns and city-states.Eventually, the expansion of these first Isaani city-states led to the planet's first recorded wars, territory disputes that eventually turned to massive and bloody struggles for dominance. From these, in turn, emerged the first great Arenu - empires - of Aethis: Lahan in the west, holding lands extending from the river Saali to the west coast of the continent, and 'Ianaad in the east, with territory extending to the edge of the Arai-Saelis, the great desert that dominates southeastern Isaana. Meanwhile, in the temperate far north of the Isaana, protected from the equatorial heat by currents of air streaming in from the akol'eslan, coastal fishing villages and small city-states along the northern Isaani coast allied against raiders from the plains to the south to form the planet's first large alliances and federations. These federations and their ideals contrasted strongly with the kingdoms to the south, creating ideological conflicts that would eventually lead to large-scale wars across the continent during several periods in Isaani history.
Recent History
Before the founding of the Aethi Imperium, Isaana was divided into several states - the largest being the Kingdom of Isaana, a constitutional monarchy which persisted for over a thousand years, and controlled much of the north and east of the continent. After the planet was unified in the aftermath of the Esonar War, most of these states merged into the Territory of Greater Isaana, with Linyar in the far north and the Izhari Federation in the east remaining as separate territories within the Imperium.Maps
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Continent of Isaana
A map of the continent of Isaana.
Alternative Name(s)
Izánya, "southern continent"
Type
Continent
Location under
Included Locations
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