About
This island is the main hub of civilizations in the Elemental Islands. A crossroads filled with every race, class, religion, and origin out there. It lies in the center of the magical anomaly that affects elemental magic and thus has the most consistent weather and temperature. The Isle of Thalos is the most moderate and habitable of all the islands. The isle is also home to Port City, the largest city in the Islands. It is home to one of the 3 great portal crystals as well. Every guild has a main headquarters here as well. These guilds while not in direct control of the city, are a main governing force here. The city is run by a council of 7 and each guild has a connection here with the Head Councilman being a non-affiliated person. Port City is the main attraction here but there are also several other places of note.
Port City - The largest city in the isle with more than 100,000 permanent residents and at least 3 times as many travelers. The city is more than 20 kilometers or 13 miles across is diameter. Home to the 6 major guild headquarters and the Portal Crystal. The Portal is what keep Port City a viable metropolis as it allows almost instantaneous transportation to any other Portal Shard as well we many other random locations. This random exploration is one of the main forms of commerce in the city. Adventurers sponsored by the Guilds go out and explore bring back loot, magics, and technology from other dimensions, times, planes, and places.
Light’s Grasp Lighthouses - The souls of the dead from all over the Islands pass use the lighthouses as a means of passing to the afterlife. The light from these lighthouses can been seen from anywhere in the elemental islands as a pin of light on the horizon and for those who are spirits or undead races, such as Awakened Undead, there is a noticeable pull to go there. Unfortunately some strange magics have begun to interfere with the lighthouses and more than half the souls no longer make it to them. No one is 100% sure why this is happening…
Abundance Villages - The villages are a collection of farms spread out over a large area. They usually consist of 4 - 12 landowners who group their homes close together and farm the surrounding lands. The wealthiest farms pay druids and other nature based magic users to help make their fields fertile. They mostly consist of humans and demi-humans but the further you get from the city the less human they become. Prejudiced is more rampant here than in Port City itself.
Northern Farms - These farms are the poorest and the least human. People who want to escape people and the city usually settle here. They grow very unique crops from around the world which is what allows them to survive but it is not the friendliest of places to outsiders. The people here are slow to trust because of the discrimination they have faced in the past, though once you do earn their trust they will remember you for the rest of your life.
Crossroads Fort - This mainly military encampment is where many of the soldiers eventually come to. They patrol all the main roads and maintain order within the isle. The Fighter’s Guild is very entrenched here and honest coin can be earned here for those who aren’t afraid of manual labor and hard work.
Mako Port - A small port consisting mostly of fisheries and divers. This port is an economic necessity as the Great Bay which Port City is a part of is nearly without fish due to the over-fishing and heavy shipping traffic. The Fighter’s Guild also maintains ships here for military missions that do not need to go through the busy bay at Port City. The people living here are mainly those of an aquatic heritage, though the surviving members of the Mako Kokiri have a strong presence here as well.
Shard Academy - The Academy serves as a barracks, training facility, and entrance into the Dark Bellows. Adventurer’s of all types come here to learn the ropes and all guilds have a presence here. The Academy has guides that will take those who wish into the Dark Bellows to Cheth, a traveler’s town below the surface. Many archaeological explorations happen here to expand the tunnels and learn about the lost civilizations here. In recent history the number of Undead that have been encountered below the surface has increased to a very large number.
Far Sight Tower - Home to many mages and diviners. The Far Sight tower sits upon a major Ley Line of magical power and is channeled through the tower. Diviners find their sight almost limitless while within it and as such many major magical families have take up residence here. The power here is intoxicating and as such many families fight for a prominent position here. The Mage’s Guild has a tight grasp over the political structure here and own almost all the land around it.
There are many other locations here such as small towns such as Silver Leaf near the Far Sight Tower but they are left out to allow for creativity of whoever is running the game. If you create a place you would like to be canon please email us and let us know. We would be happy to check it out and if it’s acceptable it will be added to the map. Below is some general facts about the island not specifically tied to a particular region or place.
Demographics:
Mostly human but the margins are less than anywhere else. As the home of a major trade city and the main capital all races are represented here with none having a giant majority or minority.
Non-Guild Organizations:
United Farmers - The collective people who live outside the ports and shard academy.
Shard Academy - Place that functions as both a train/educational facility as well as a line of defense against the passage to the Dark Bellows.
Factions:
Centralist's - Those that believe Port City is the only island that matters and that aid to other islands should be stopped.
Hands of Aid - Those who believe Port City has a responsibility to help the other islands.
Arcadian's - Group who wants to shatter the portal shard
Planeshifter's - Groups who wants to explore the furthest reaches of the Portal shard and show it is safe.
Guildless - those who wish to bring down the guilds.