Eastern Isles (New Perech)

The Eastern Isles, also called New Perech or the Spice Islands, are a tropical island group in the Redeeming Ocean at 13ºS, 3300 km from the mainland of Harthera, 4125 km from the port of Narillin. The islands have a highly diverse population of virid plant species, several of which are prized as flavourings or spices. They were discovered by Besoan traders in the 7th century ME, only since then have had a small human of mainly Besoan planters and traders.

Following the conquest of Besoa by Harthera in 1090 ME, the islands were formally annexed as the Cordrome of “New Perech”, named after Perek in the Junda Isles. Following the liberation of Besoa in 1114, New Perech remains under Hartheran control. The islands are an important staging post for the colonisation of New Hartrah, the first colony on the eastern continent of Retzayk to the east.

The island is notable for being the only place where humans and jinnies live alongside in relative harmony, though this is threatened by the new Hartheran incomers who are less understanding of local ways.

The islands were first documented by the Miyarrain, who noted their thriving jinny population and the abundance of unusual flora. They were historically named the Eastern Isles, but remained little more than a geographical footnote.

In the 6th century the islands were rediscovered by mariners from the Kingdom of Sann'al, who took samples of strange-tasting plants in the hopes of planting them back home on Besoa. Most failed to thrive, but their flavours became a sensation in the Sannalese court. Within a generation, the Sannalese had established test plantations on the islands to cultivate new spices. The wild popularity and success of these products became the basis of Sannalese wealth and prosperity.

In the latter 10th century, Besoa was conquered and occupied by Hartheraplugin-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, and the islands eventually came under Hartheran military control.

The group consists of five main inhabited islands, and many times more uninhabited ones. Kratring is by far the largest (160 km at its longest axis), then Shozor (90 km), Krark (45 km), Mugrasr (55 km) and Ibok. Somgasr is the largest of the uninhabited islands, with steep cliffs and hills. Erimy and Sanr form a small group of low-lying islands which are only visited seasonally by fishermen.

The Tvots are a clust of rocky islets of hexagonal basalt. They are a notorious shipping hazard, particularly in storm tide season, but revered greatly by the natives, who claim them as the foundation stones of a lost ancestral city.

The isles are noted for their unique virid flora and fauna, particularly aromatic plants used as spices and curiosities. It is inhabited by native jinnies who are much more peaceable than the mainland, perhaps due to the natural abundance of food, pleasant climate, and lack of previous exposure to humanity.

There are two small port towns, established more than a hundred years ago by Besoan mariners and serving principally as trading ports. Kreit [KREET], the largest, is on Kratring, and Sfize on Shozor. These towns are sleepy and self-governing, but with the downfall of Besoa, Hartheran interests now dominate the island trade.

Hartherans named the group New Perech after Perek in the Junda Isles. Harthera has not yet made any significant efforts to colonise or govern the Eastern Isles, but today they are de facto under Hartheran suzerainty.

Historically the Kingdom of Sann'al controlled the spice trade in the islands, largely by keeping the islands' location a secret. Consequently they made a huge profit from shipping spice between the ports of Narillin, Perilth and Harlon. Today the majority of trade is between Kreit and Narillin, a journey of at least two weeks by sea. Spices are processed in Narillin and shipped on elsewhere, leading to an economic boom in the city.