Jugalii Islands

The Jugalii is an island chain located in the northern half of the Isaurus Ocean nearly 1,200 miles from the nearest continent (Miran). The land is blessed with nearly tropical conditions due to a large warm ocean current that loops north of the islands. The Jalli family of the hashan are the sole sapient inhabitants of this island. The isolated nature of this island means that 90% of the species found here are endemic.

• Name: Jugalii
• Location: 50th Parallel, Isaurus Ocean

  • Discovered: Hashan in 2038 ae
• Nations:

  • Jugalii: Hashan; 400,000
• Land Area: 14,000 km²

  • Jalliro: 9,000 km² (Main Island)
  • Yu: 2,000 km²
  • Warneki: 1,500 km²
  • Listarn: 1,000 km²
  • Bertinii: 400 km²
  • Coashi: 100 km² (Isle of Men)

Hashan traders arrived on these islands in 2038 ae when a Jalli ship diverted north of the traditional sea lane to avoid a large storm. They returned in 2040 and established a warehouse and small village to serve as place to repair their ships. This allowed the family to establish betters trade route with Stoneheart Hold and the coastal villages of the Brund, which brought her a great deal of wealth and power.

In 2043 she founded the family broke off from their patron family and settled on the main island, gathering to them several outcast families. From 2728-2753 ae they fought off a much larger Teralli that attempted to subsume them into their own. In 90 ah one of the larger branch families attempted to displace the Jalli as the main family, but were defeated and driven off the island as outcasts.

As of year 400 ah the Jalli family has grown and prospered and now includes over 8 branch families. Their trade with the various ports in the Western Realms reaches from Brundswag in the north to the Tarakian Islands in the south. Aside from Teralli, the Jalli have enjoyed good relationships with many other families, allowing their ships safe harbor within their coves and repairs for reasonable prices.

The island of Coashi has been designated for the males to gather so that facilitate matchmaking. The Jalli tightly control the mating within their own family as well as the three strongest branch families (Pachii, Earlwan, and Ipsaro). The lesser families are allowed to control their own mating with males that the Jalli have passed over. There is a large arena were the males can display their physical prowess before potential mates and the matchmakers.

The island chain extends almost 1600 km from the large eastern most island (Jalliro) to small western rocky atolls that only birds live on. The main islands are located only in the eastern 500 km. All of the main islands are inhabited by hashan, plus a few outposts on the larger atolls.

The large warm ocean current that arcs just north makes the jugalii islands tropical rain forests even though they are located in the northern hemisphere along the 50th parallel. These are volcanic islands; although the volcanoes have been dormant for thousands of years. The last major eruption took place during the Age of the Gods and was caused by the destruction of a Shell Demon on the main island.

Given its isolated nature before the arrival of the hashan there were no large land-dwelling animals. Instead the animals are mostly small mammals and reptiles, plus a wide variety of birds. The large reef that arcs around northern ridge of the islands shelter a large and diverse population, including several variety of sharks.

The nearly constant rainfall (nearly 200 inches per year) over the islands and lack of large herbivores means the land is covered in large ferns along the rivers, towering trees with a large canopy, and a variety of fungi on the forest floor. This leads to very poor soil, making large scale agriculture nearly impossible.

See also: Tsunamis

One of the major environmental hazards to the islands are the tsunamis that strike the islands. The strong currents that give them warm weather, also occasionally bring large ocean waves. The Jalli have built several large breakers around the deeper coves to protect the most expensive shipping docks from the storms. In 116 ah a sudden and extremely violent tsunami struck the island killing thousands and destroying hundreds of ships. Since then they have built watch towers and strong points of power to stop such an tsunami from happening again. In 327 ah the family created several islands farther out to sea to provide better warning.

See also: Volcanism

The large volcano on Warneki had not had a major eruption since the Age of the Gods, but it does occasionally belch out smoke, ash, and volcanic rocks. The far more common hazard from the volcano are the frequent earthquakes. There has not been a major quake since the end of the Age of Empires, but several have been of significant strength to damage structures.