The Free Isles

by Alan Jones

Lands & Ecology

The Free Isles are a collection of nearly a dozen islands ranging in size from Celidor, the largest, to the Pearls a chain of small islets some no more than a bare stump of rock barely breaking the surface of the sea. Only Celidor has any settlements of any size though humans, demi-humans and other creatures do live on all but the smallest of the islands.

Geology & Topography

The Free Islands were formed from a number of volcanic episodes over a long period. Now only one, Karn Evil on the Isle Of Ashes is active. Many extinct volcanoes can be found in the Whitecaps that form the spine of the island of Celidor and the islands known as the Pearls. Karn Evil has errupted violently in the past, ash from the erruptions being carried as far as Safeharbour. It is this dramatic and violent history that has blessed the islands with some of its riches. The mineral veins that have been exploited by the Dwarves of Dal Skyr were formed by cooling liquids from the ancient volcanoes. The rich farmlands of the coastal plains are the legacy of many ash falls from eruptions in the Whitecaps.
The cliffs and sea-caves near Deephaven where created by earthquakes that shook the land before humans arrived. The elves tell tale of a city of the Ancients that dissappered into the sea and say that the Witch's Nose is infact the tip of a tower not a rocky outcrop. The treacherous waters, deceptive tides and vicious sea creatures have prevented anyone getting close enough to find out the truth of this rumour.

Climate

The Free Isles are blasted by winds from the northern poles only slightly mollified by the ocean, thus even in summer it can be cool and wet. Only when the wind comes from the south east from the mainland will the temperatures rise. The winters can be bitterly cold with snow lying on the ground for much of the winter. In the Whitecaps this snow never melts and a few small glaciers in the highest valleys slowly edge their way along. The southern coast is more sheltered and here droughts can be common in the summer as most of the rain falls to the north of the mountains.

Terrain

Mountains

Cold and windy. Very little lives above ground. A few orc tribes live in sheltered valleys while dwarves have established thier city Dal Skyr in the lower reaches of the mountains. Much of the city is carved out of the rock below ground. Some of the high passes get eight to ten feet of snow a year.

The Downs

Hilly land that blend seamlessly from the mountains to the flat coastal plains. To the north of the mountains the hills are blessed with plentiful rain all through the year. Some areas are poorly drained moorland with large expanses of bog while other areas are filled with rolling hills covered in lush green grass. To the south of the mountains, where rainfall is less the moors are less bleak and the hills are browner, more suitable for goats than for sheep and cattle.

The Coastal Plains

The numerous small streams that bisect the northern plains often end in a small swamp or marsh. The rest of the land is highly fertile and is heavily farmed. To the south of the mountains the land is used mostly for cattle grazing and grain. Most of the towns and cities can be found on the coast, often near the mouth of a river where the water has cut through the soft sediments to form a small bay or narrow inlet. Two large forests remain in the Islands, most were taken for fule by the Dwarves or for shipbuilding. The forests of Grimdell and Deepdale are opposites in character. Deepdale is light and sweet smelling. Elves still live in the heart of it and tend the trees. It is happy light woodland, full of sleepy hollows and burbling brooks. Grimdel on the otherhand is dark and foreboding. The trees stand close together and the forest has a neglected and evil air. The atmosphere is heavy with rotting timber and general decay. No one lives there out of choice though some felons fleeing justice have setup makehift camps from time to time. The authorities never chase them beyond the boundaries of the forest, instead they allow the beasts of the forest to do the work for them. It is said that undead walk the forest and strange twisted beasts also dwell in the darkest heart of the woodland.

Native Flora & Fauna

There are very few plants and animals that are specific to the Free Isles. Most were driven out when the humans planted crops and brought thier own herd animals for food and trade. White mountain cats live in the whitecaps, occasionally straying to lower lands when hunger drives them to raid a farmer's stockade but such events are rare. The oysters found in the shallows around the Pearls are said to be the finest and largest in the Western Realms.

Return To Table Of Contents
Return To Western Realms Home Page