The Spines is an island chain in the Natorn Archipelagoplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigNatorn Archipelago

The Natorn Archipelago, or the Natorn Isles [nah-TORN], is a chain of islands in the Natorn Sea. The islands are oceanic ridge running from the northeastern tip of Anásthias to the Anrel Isles. The ridge is an active geological fault, many of the islands being volcanic.Anásthias, linking the Anrel Islesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnrel Isles

Alternate name for Anrel. in the north with Besoaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBesoa

Besoa [BEH-sso-AH], or Bizoa (Hartraan), is the largest island in the southern reach of the Natorn Archipelago. Today it is synonymous with the United Kingdom of Besoa.

Modern Besoa c.1100 ME | Go to world map

Besoa in the Two Nations period, 38-1092 ME

Besoa in the Four Kingdoms period, c.1200 BME - 35 ME BMEHartheraHartheranHartheranHartheranMEHartheraOrorrOrorr in the south. The islands are the “backbone” of the archipelago. With their geology of grey and white basalt rock, many of the islands are said to resemble gnarled bones, rising out of the sea. Local folkloreplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigFolklore

Folklore

This is in a series of articles about oral traditions, tales, folk practices, and folklore.

topics cult1 tell that the Spines are the bones of a gigantic prehistoric monster. plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAtlas: The Spines

[spines.png] * Zoom out * Helevos

The Spines

The Spines is an island chain in the Natorn Archipelago, linking the Anrel Isles in the north with Besoa in the south. The islands are the “backbone” of the archipelago. With their geology of grey and white basalt rock, many of the islands are said to resemble gnarled bones, rising out of the sea. Local AnrelAnrelHartheran

The chain stretches 900 km north to south, consisting of thousands of islands. Most are too small to support human habitation, having little fresh water, and are either so low lying that they are inundated by tidal waves during the storm tide season, or so rocky and precipitous that landing is difficult.

The chain is home to nomadic Asokwayplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAsokway People

The Asokway are an Iskean-ethnic people living in the Natorn Archipelago and islands off the coast of Harthera. They are believed to be descendants of a breakaway or even proto-Iskean group who preferred to remain in the smaller islands of the archipelago rather than joining with the great civilisation of tribes, who survive on the abundant fish, and by migratory subsistence agriculture. Various peoples have attempted to settle the islands permanently, but most failed due to poor soils and lack of water, so the islands are littered with ruins. Today only the largest islands are inhabited to any extent.

In recent decades The Spines has acquired a disreputable reputation for piracy, particularly following the Hartheranplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigHartheran

Demonymn for the modern nation state, the Hartheran Union. conquest of Besoaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBesoa

Besoa [BEH-sso-AH], or Bizoa (Hartraan), is the largest island in the southern reach of the Natorn Archipelago. Today it is synonymous with the United Kingdom of Besoa.

Modern Besoa c.1100 ME | Go to world map

Besoa in the Two Nations period, 38-1092 ME

Besoa in the Four Kingdoms period, c.1200 BME - 35 ME BMEHartheraHartheranHartheranHartheranMEHartheraOrorrOrorr. The Hartheranplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigHarthera

The Hartheran Union, commonly named Harthera, is an imperialist maritime nation state dominating the northeast of Anásthias. It is one of the two great powers of the modern epoch, arguably the most technologically and militarily powerful nation in the world, only matched by the vast size and wealth of its neighbour, viridOrorrMEOrorrOrorrOrorrOrorr Navy alleges that attacks on ships are sponsored by the Sann'ali Court-in-Exileplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigSann'ali Court-in-Exile

The Sann'ali Court-in-Exile was a group of aristocrats and former government officials who fled the Kingdom of Sann'al in 1092 ME, during the conquest of the island by the Hartherans in the Bizoan War. The Court is led by the Crown Prince of Royal Sann'al, who resides in Abel Palace, a restored former fortress on a hill above.

Skerim is the largest island in the group, being 46 km wide and 41 km north-south. It lies 300 km north of Besoaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBesoa

Besoa [BEH-sso-AH], or Bizoa (Hartraan), is the largest island in the southern reach of the Natorn Archipelago. Today it is synonymous with the United Kingdom of Besoa.

Modern Besoa c.1100 ME | Go to world map

Besoa in the Two Nations period, 38-1092 ME

Besoa in the Four Kingdoms period, c.1200 BME - 35 ME BMEHartheraHartheranHartheranHartheranMEHartheraOrorrOrorr, with a large natural harbour on its north side. Skerim Town, the largest settlement in the Spines, is a trading port for ships travelling between Anrelplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnrel Isles

Anrel [ANN-rel], or the Anrel Isles, is the most northerly island group in the Natorn Archipelago. It consists of three major islands and numerous smaller ones. The largest, colloquially if infrequently called Mainland, is divided between the kingdoms of Trésard and Narette. The island and Besoa, but its primitive harbour facilities make it little more than a waypoint for ships in need of supplies. The island is low-lying and largely treeless as the result of overgrazing and demand for fuel, so the town is a ramshackle construction of driftwood, mud, stone and the scavenged remains of old ships. Skerim is considered the disreputable haunt of exiles and outcasts from both Anrelplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnrel Isles

Anrel [ANN-rel], or the Anrel Isles, is the most northerly island group in the Natorn Archipelago. It consists of three major islands and numerous smaller ones. The largest, colloquially if infrequently called Mainland, is divided between the kingdoms of Trésard and Narette. The island and Besoa.

Pibilet lies 275 km north of Skerim, a serpentine isle of rolling hills which supports some independent villages who are fiercely independent and never welcome visitors. Villages are so insular so they are wary even of each other, except once a year at the Storm Festival, when the islanders travel to higher ground and pray to their gods (including a variant of Natrawulplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigGods of Anrel

The Gods of Anrel are the many gods forming the pantheon of the Anrel Isles.) for protection from the sea. The festival involves fires and feasting with roast ovorplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigOvors

Ovors [OH-vor] (also ovorr, plural ovorn) are common domestic herd animals found throughout the Civilised World, used for their meat, skins and wool. They are agile creatures with a thick matted fur and small conical horns for defence, though many herdsmen blunt these. meat, and is also the time when marriage contracts are brokered between villages.

Sandil is a day north of Pibilet, just over 500 km south of the Anrelplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAnrel Isles

Anrel [ANN-rel], or the Anrel Isles, is the most northerly island group in the Natorn Archipelago. It consists of three major islands and numerous smaller ones. The largest, colloquially if infrequently called Mainland, is divided between the kingdoms of Trésard and Narette. The island coast. Though the smallest of the major settlements at a mere 20 km across, it has deepwater harbour and a thriving town, with regular trade to the mainland of Anrel. Sandil is the reputable opposite of Skerim, in that it is fortified with a neat construction of stone and wooden houses, ruled by a small mercantile council employing mercenaries to keep order. Commercial ships travelling between Anrel and the south often stop here to make repairs and transship goods. Illegal trading and rowdy behaviour is generally discouraged, usually with the business end of a mercenary club.

Theen is one of the largest islands in land area (52 km from east to west), but is so narrow and low-lying that it is often inundated by the sea. It is a regular grazing ground for migrant Asokwayplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAsokway People

The Asokway are an Iskean-ethnic people living in the Natorn Archipelago and islands off the coast of Harthera. They are believed to be descendants of a breakaway or even proto-Iskean group who preferred to remain in the smaller islands of the archipelago rather than joining with the great civilisation of, who erect temporary boat-villages of wood and whaleplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigWhales

Whales are aquatic mammals inhabiting waters surrounding the Civilised World. They are most numerous in the Natorn Archipelago, as well as the temperate waters of southern Anásthias.

Fauna

This is in a series of articles about Animals.

Whales fill several ecological niches from placid herbivores to cunning predators. Anásthias-hides, finding safer shelter during the storm tidesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigStorm tides

Storm tides are particularly high tides, often accompanied by storm surges and dangerous flooding, which occur on Helevos every 1.3 solar years when Helevos comes into conjunction with the giant planet Kwato'or. Storm tides are at their peak within a two week period, and at their most severe when accompanied by natural storms..

Hobith is a ring-shaped island approximately 40 km across, with a lagoon almost as wide in the centre. The majority of the island itself is a narrow strip of land only a kilometre or so across. At high tides much of this narrow strip is either inundated by sea, or washed over by the surging waves. Only the far north and south remain above water, islands of higher ground no more than 10 km across. Hobith is famously a meeting ground for clans of Asokway, who moor their boats in the relatively safety of the lagoon during the storm tideplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigStorm tides

Storm tides are particularly high tides, often accompanied by storm surges and dangerous flooding, which occur on Helevos every 1.3 solar years when Helevos comes into conjunction with the giant planet Kwato'or. Storm tides are at their peak within a two week period, and at their most severe when accompanied by natural storms. season, while holding annual moots on the higher ground, the only time of year when they are far from their boats.

This division into north and south is the basis of tribal politics, an arbitrary yet occasionally bloody affair. Rival Asokway leaders pitch their camps on either island, with their supporters clustering around them as a rudimentary form of voting.

These three islands are all rocky and surrounded by towering cliffs, but are unusual in having a settled, cultivated population.

• Salasy is the largest and the only one with much agricultural land, so it is the main producer of food of the three.
• Pruncoty is famed for its vine fruits and brandyplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigPruncoty Brandy
  
  Pruncotiésh [proon-KOT-ee-yesh], or Pruncoty Brandy, is a spirit made from a secret mixture of fresh and dried vine fruits and flavourings on the island of Pruncoty, in The Spines. Pruncotiesh is made in small batches and highly prized, once enjoyed exclusively by the royal houses of folklore.
• Coitry is known for its weaving of lace made from very fine ovornplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigOvorn
  
  Meaning of, or related to, ovors. thread.

All three islands were colonised by settlers from the Kingdom of Heronbarplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigKingdom of Heronbar

The Kingdom of Heronbar (c.1700 BME - 36 ME) was one of the historic Four Kingdoms of Besoa. At its height it controlled more than one quarter of the island of Besoa, as well as the islands of Iluns, Antyok and southern parts of The Spines. It later declined, and was annexed by, who built fortified villages on the vertiginous cliffs. They later came under the nominal suzerainty of the Kingdom of Sann'alplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigKingdom of Sann'al

The Kingdom of Sann'al [SAN-AL sæn'æl] (from arch. Senna'al), also called Royal Sann'al or simply Sannal, was a historic nation in the northern half of the island of Besoa that existed from its founding c.1500 BME, to 1092 ME when it was annexed by BME, though they have remained self governing, independent and essentially isolated from the world. Few ships stop at the islands as there are no decent harbours, the hardy islanders instead lowering their goods down from the cliff-top villages to boats below. The three islands trade mainly amongst themselves, or haul their goods to the markets in Skerim Town. Their unique and highly prized goods have made the islands relatively prosperous, but they jealously guard their isolation.

The “Lordship of the Isles” has been claimed by various leaders and nations in history, most famously by the Kingdom of Heronbarplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigKingdom of Heronbar

The Kingdom of Heronbar (c.1700 BME - 36 ME) was one of the historic Four Kingdoms of Besoa. At its height it controlled more than one quarter of the island of Besoa, as well as the islands of Iluns, Antyok and southern parts of The Spines. It later declined, and was annexed by, then later by the kings of Sann'alplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigSann'al

Referring to the former Kingdom of Sann'al on the island of Besoa.. However, the islands have little enough land, and no resources of any value, so its inhabitants have generally been left to their own devices.

With the annexation of Besoaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBesoa

Besoa [BEH-sso-AH], or Bizoa (Hartraan), is the largest island in the southern reach of the Natorn Archipelago. Today it is synonymous with the United Kingdom of Besoa.

Modern Besoa c.1100 ME | Go to world map

Besoa in the Two Nations period, 38-1092 ME

Besoa in the Four Kingdoms period, c.1200 BME - 35 ME BMEHartheraHartheranHartheranHartheranMEHartheraOrorrOrorr and Antyokplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAntyok

Antyok or Antyoq [ant-YOK, uhn-CHOK] is an island in the Natorn Archipelago, due east of Besoa. It was formerly an independent nation, the Principality of Antyok, but since 1086 ME, following the Bizoan War, it is now under Hartheran dominion.

Antyok

This is in a series of articles about Antyok, an island nation in the HartheranHartheranHartheran by the Hartheransplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigHarthera

The Hartheran Union, commonly named Harthera, is an imperialist maritime nation state dominating the northeast of Anásthias. It is one of the two great powers of the modern epoch, arguably the most technologically and militarily powerful nation in the world, only matched by the vast size and wealth of its neighbour, viridOrorrMEOrorrOrorrOrorrOrorr, the Spines have come under increasing Hartheran naval influence, but have generally been considered ungovernable by history.