[Isle] The Isle of Mōlia

[Fax Celestis]

Island Overview

Mōlia is an isolated theocratic island, long forgotten and unexplored due to sharp reefs, violent recurring storms, and thick fog banks that persist around the island. Rumors abound whether the reefs, storms, and fog are are the result of spellcasters keeping people away from the island, or if they are natural phenomena that happen to make an incredible natural fortress.

Geography


Mōlia is a volcanic island, and a such has a large dormant volcano dominating the center of its land. In ages past, the people of Mōlia worshipped the volcano as a deity, but with the coming of Kānāwai, the worship of the old gods fell into disrepair.

There are several dense patches of forest over the island, though these are predominantly found in the southern reaches. The northern side of the island suffers more wind and storm, and as a result is a but more sparsely vegetated. This is not to say that it is a barren wasteland: far from it. Rather, the northern side of the island is home to the hardier breeds of wild boar and to a majority of the tigers.

The southern reaches of the island are home to the villagers and their hunter/gatherer community. Farming is just beginning to become prevalent, though the villagers' lack of access to viable farming equipment and pack animals makes this a less-than-profitable option.

There are four villages on the southern side of the island, though the most populated sits at the very southern tip of the island. It is here that the main temple to Kānāwai resides and here that Konani establishes her rule.

Weather
Storms rage southwards nearly incessantly, drenching the northern parts of the island. Occasionally, an especially violent storm either goes around the island or makes it over the central mountain and ravages the villages and forests to the south.

Mōlia is often surrounded by thick fogs, and it is for this reason that the people on the island do not venture asea, even for near-shore fishing. The ocean is considered a malign, greedy force who steals pieces of the island for itself. Not surprisingly, this bit of faith is a holdover from the old religion that has not fallen out of common knowledge. The reason for its initial ensconcement in religious law, however, is long forgotten.

Flora and Fauna
Since the volcano's last eruption hundreds of years ago, the mountainside has overgrown with lush forest, which has beocme repopulated with a variety of small mammals. There are really only two predators on the island: the villagers, and the tigers.

As far as wild prey animals, there are a number of breeds of wild boar, a startling number of avians, and several different kinds of rodent. Other creatures, such as horses or cattle, either have never been brought to the island or were killed off during the last volcanic eruption.