Gallery

Overview

The first thing that most visitors to the United Altos Isles would notice is their crystal-clear, technicolor water. This is usually credited to malak and Fey influence, though some believe it may be something even more esoteric.

The second thing that is immediately apparent is that clusters of these islands are locked into eternal seasons. This anomaly is made especially apparent by their placement: furthest north are the Spring and Summer Isles, rebelling against the natural temperate climate of their surroundings, and furthest south are the Autumn and Winter Isles, pushing back against the natural tropical heat they find themselves surrounded by. The nature of the islands are linked to their Lords, whose magic, willpower, and connections to the Courts of Arcadia keep them suspended in eternal seasons.

It is believed that these extremes in contradictory weather patters may have been what created Maw, a massive stormy vortex in the ocean between the Altos Isles and Nysanthus that tends to chew up and swallow all ships who venture too far near it. Whatever its source, it is fearfully effective as a natural barrier between the Isles and much of the rest of Sharum Mal'Kari, leaving most of what is known about this strange, exotic place to be little more than rumors and Riojan tales.

Geography

The Spring Isles are amongst the largest in the Altos Isles, and are said to have have rolling green hills, lush forests, and clear, bottomless lakes. Magic doesn’t just abound in the bumps and the hollows— it grows there. It has no cities, but there are some large villages close to Rosalão, the Spring Lord's estate. Rosalão itself is a magnificent manor veiled in roses and ivy with a rose garden that was planted with seeds of wild roses from Arcadia when the Isles were first settled. Though many structures have risen and fallen since that time, the garden remains.

The Summer Isles boast magnificent beaches, coral reefs and palm groves. They have four cities, one of which is the city of Adriata, where the famous multicolored stone cottages carved into the white cliffs draw Riojan artists year-round. In fact, much of Rioja is said to have been modeled after and continually inspired by the Summer Isles.

From above, the woods of the Autumn Isles look like a jewelry box-- a latticework of red and gold and brown and green, the colors so vivid that it’s hard not to gawk and gape. Scattered amongst these forests are tiny farmlands and small fields, barely large enough to sustain business. Overall, it is a land of fertile woods and jade streams, all of which seem to spiral around La Casa da Floresta-- a sprawling complex that has been built in and around the trees and rocks, with only its uppermost levels visible above the ground. Below, it tunnels into the stone; it is possible to walk from one end of the Casa to the other, though it would take half the morning. There are layers and circles of sentries ringing it— in the trees, on the ground, atop the moss-coated shingles and the stones of the Casa itself. No enemies approach without the Autumn Lord's knowledge. None leave without his permission.

The Winter Isles are made up of towering, exquisite palaces, built high in snow-covered mountains, full of roaring hearths and bedecked in evergreens. Carved sleighs are the court’s preferred method of transport around the dizzying mountain roads, hauled by velvet-antlered winged reindeer

Geography

Settlements

Appearance

The Altan Isles are defined by diversity, and this is just as much true of its people as is is of its geography. The generational intimacy with both Fey and malaks are absolutely present in their physiology, with Altans commonly born with unusual natural hair or eye colors. There are more elves than humans here, though it is not an elven nation in the same way that Amina Dorei is.

Military & Diplomacy

Magic & Faith

The people of the Altos Isles seldom if ever practice divine magic, and generally do not recognize the pantheon of The Old Gods as “their” gods; they view the The Old Gods as being entities of great power-- and possibly worthy of respect-- but nothing more. Instead, they worship a separate elemental pantheon, if they choose to worship at all.

Education & Technology

Though the Altos Isles are blessed with an abundance of arcane-touched flora and fauna, this is not something they have devoted much time or research into studying. They have watched both of their closest neighbors fall to ruin from such inquiry and experimentation and wish to avoid their fates. Instead, they tend to let their elders guide them in how to best make use of these gifts their environments have blessed them with and maintain these traditional practices; it is somewhat sacrilegious to question these methods or attempt to "modernize" them in any way.

Family Life

Family life in the Altos Isles is very communal, with each cluster of islands operating mostly independently from one another. They look up to their Lords and elders as leaders and authority figures for nearly all aspects of their daily life.

Naming Conventions

Names in the United Altos Isles are inspired by mix of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian names. Empyrean and others who have maintained strong ties to Arcadia are likely to have older-sounding names inspired by the Renaissance, while younger or more humanoid folk are likely to have more modern-sounding names.

Local NPC Compendium

Additional Details

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Story Notes

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