Islerfia

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Islerfia is a realm on Ucharpli on the continent of Kytayur - just east of Feurcy.

Geography

The geography of Isleferia is very rugged with many mountains and coniferous forests. Across the eastern coastline is the Rocky Coast. It consists of very craggy formations such as rocky plateaus and limestone mesas making it extremely difficult to reach by sea. Lighthouses are very common along the coasts to warn ships of the dangerous terrain.

The northern border is very icy. Frostwater Hills, a chain of low mountains originating from Frostwater Falls from Feurcy, extend across. Even further north are the Crystal Isles. As its name implies, it is an ocean area dotted with islands with unusual icy and crystal formations. Some larger islands are found among the Crystal Isles such as New Islerfia - the area where the original natives fled around the time the Yallvusians colonized the area. The southern border consists of a chain of volcanoes known as the Yolpika Mountains. The area at the mountains' base is known as the Vampire Lands, a region covered in permanent ash clouds.

Running through most of Feurcy is the River Ahzan, a major water source for both the previous inhabitants of Feurcy and the modern ones. The river feeds both the Reef Sea and Lake Ahzandal.

Ruins of a previous civilization are found scattered throughout the region along with underground labryrinths of unknown origin. Today, they serve as historical sites.

Landmarks

Throughout the land are a great deal of ancient labyrinths. Today, their purpose remains unknown. Alongside, many cave entrances are scattered across the surface. These caves remained largely isolated from one another.

Icerock

Icerock, also know as the Great Ascension, is one of the tallest mountains in the world. It is situated the eastern portion of Frostwater Hills.

Moonset Labyrinth

Moonset Labyrinth is a holy ground for native Islerfians. According to legend, evil ghosts known as Nek'kra stalked these dark tunnels and wicked men performed occult rituals within it, but the ancient hero known as the Cleanser from Afar managed to ward them away making the area safe to live once more. The one responsible for tainting the area was an undead necromancer who was a servant of Merukor the Deathless.

Temple of Ahzandal

Beneath Lake Ahzandal is an ancient temple said to have previously been used to channel the flow of water to other regions of the previous civilization. The temple itself has many complex mechanisms which were considered highly innovative and impressive for the time period. This location also served as a place of worship to the water spirits in hopes of rainfalls to ensure plentiful harvests.

Castle Islerfia

The most famous is Castle Islerfia, an ancient castle which itself was a labyrinth. Today, it serves as a museum housing many historical artifacts from all over the region though in the past, it was theorized that it was constructed this way to prevent invaders from being able to reach the king and assassinate him. It is not nearly as large as the Castle Hall of Yallvus, but the two were built around the same time period.

Today, it is rumored that one can still hear the long dead spirits inside Castle Islerfia's halls. A tour through the museum makes for both an eerie and exciting experience.

Cities

  • Sahlum - The location of the infamous Majite Trials. Now an ordinary city.
  • Marfora - The first Yallvusian settlement in Islerfia.
  • Plimath - A settlement founded sometime after the Cleanser from Afar's journeys. It is marked by a unique rock formation known as Plimath Point.
  • Rilzindor - An old mining town in a forest.
  • Karzah-dun - An elaborate series of catacombs where lava flows through. It was originally constructed by ancient Muruu-fai. Discovered by a Yallvusian adventurer, but has since become a city.
  • Komonore - A settlement built around an ancient palace. In the era of the previous civilization, an earl of the same name lived in this palace. The modern city built around it was named after him.
  • Moonset - This is known as the lost colony. Sometime after its founding, all of the inhabitants vanished. Years later when the town was rediscovered, the natives were infected with a virus that caused them to reanimate after death. They were later dispelled by the Cleanser from Afar and Moonset has become a historical town.

Society

Much like Yallvus, Islerfia's society is founded on religious belief. Jamzezism reached Islerfia in the late Second Age when Yallvusian colonists explored the newly discovered continent. Since technology was very limited at the time and constant contact could not be maintained, Islerfia became its own country being governed by a High Priest.

The colonial Islerfians adopted their own version of it and lifestyle living strict and orderly lives. They were not fond of the vanities in life and tried to minimize them. They were not tolerant of other religions which directly resulted in the infamous Majite trials where a number innocent people were executed for supposedly being sorcerers. Since some of the victims really were Majites from Feurcy, it was not long until Majites really did go to war with them.

The war eventually turned out to be a stalemate and gradually over time, the Islerfians accepted the Majite's life style.

History

Little is known of early Islerfia. Most of its history was discovered through archaeological evidence rather than written records.

During much of the Second and Third Eras of the Vaikan, an ancient powerful civilization dominated much of what is now Islerfia. According to legend, these people descended from the tall mountain Great Ascension and they built many cities covering the rocky landscape. Historians argue that they rivaled both the Spasonites and the Yallvusians in terms of technology and power. However, when the Yallvusians sent explorers to colonize the land, all they found ruins and abandoned structures. The colonists returned with reports of the walking dead as well as an evil, immortal wizard named Merukor the Deathless that had decimated the kingdom.

During that time, a humble wanderer had become a stowaway aboard a cargo ship headed to Islerfia. This young wanderer saught adventure and decided to explore the land, clearing the ancient labyrinths of evil and defeating Merukor the Deathless. While many modern Vaikan regard this tale as highly exaggerated, the native Islerfians who escaped to an island to the north passed this legend on for generations regarding the adventurer as the Cleanser from Afar. The name of said adventurer is not recorded.

Scholars of Vaikan mythology generally agree that it was because of Merukor's actions that the Yallvusians outlawed the practice of the use of hexing directly causing the Majite Trials. Merukor's actions were viewed as an upset to the balance. Thus, the Yallvusians associated hexing with evil and regarded the Majite denizens of Feurcy, to be witches and sorcerers of malicious intent.

Many doubt that the wizard Merukor was truly immortal and that "Deathless" was merely a title. Either way, this malevolent warlord was defeated by the adventurer and was the final obstacle that prevented the Yallvusians from settling the land.

Today, the area is dominated by Yallvusians while the true natives of the continent live in the islands to the north.