Isla Avadia

"Everyone associates Port Avadia and Isla Avadia as if they were one and the same; and that's their loss really. There is a lot more to this island than the city; the sun, the plains, the mountains. And the dates and oranges are to die for. Of course, there is no Stovas' Taverna in the countryside, but that is its only real downside."
-Stovas of Avadia, proprietor of Stovas' Taverna

Isla Avadia is the largest island in the Beyan Archipelago, and the island with the largest population. It has been populated since time immemorial and is considered the ancestral home of the Avadian people. Its largest city is Port Avadia, the capital city of the Avadian Sovereignty.

Geography

Isla Avadia is around 300 kilometres from west to east, and fifty kilometres from north to south at its widest point.
The countryside of Isla Avadia varies; the north side of the island sees an abundance of sparse woodland, small hills and meadows, while the southern portion of Isla Avadia is warmer and dryer than the north, and is made up of broad plains which are often used for farms, pastures and vineyards. Along the centre of the island, the hills on both the northern and southern regions become rocky mountains, with snow sometimes seen in the highest points during the colder winter days. On the west coast, a natural deepwater bay cuts into the island, upon which the city of Port Avadia is built.

Fauna & Flora

Date trees are frequent on the southern edge of the island, while orange, pomegranate and pear trees can be found throughout the islands. Sheep are common particularly on the meadows and hills, while pigs and cattle can be found on the flatter regions.

History

Isla Avadia has been populated in some way, shape or form since at least the last 10 000 years. It is unknown where the Avadians came from, with speculation that they may have come from either side of the Calinan or may indeed have been indigenous. During the late Stone Age, settlements began to form on Isla Avadia, and the island was divided between a number of tribes. For most of this period these tribes rarely interacted, however as these societies began to grow, they naturally coalesced into larger groups, until Isla Avadia itself was mainly the domain of one single tribal people; the Avadians. The Avadians went on to become the dominant people of the Archipelago, and during the end of the second millennium DoM, Isla Avadia became host to the hegemon city of the Archipelago, Port Avadia.

Tourism

By far the largest driving force of tourism to Isla Avadia is the city of Port Avadia; as the capital of the Avadian Sovereignty and the largest trade port in the known world, thousands of visitors from all over Arikanda and northern Calina come through here. By extension, many of these visitors take time to enjoy the sights of the Avadian countryside. There is also a considerable pilgrimage from Avadians to visit the holy sides of the sea goddess Avadi, the patron goddess of the island.

Type

Island

Location under

Beyan Archipelago

Included Locations

• Port Avadia

Owning Organization

Avadian Sovereignty