Wild:PC/Fuelwen/GnalaAndAlgolNun

General Area

On the surface, Fuelwen's home region is equatorial and balmy. In the city of Algol-nun, two hundred meters beneath the surface of the ocean, on the other hand, is warmed not by the equatorial sun, but by a ring of deep sea vents, and further surrounded by [tropical kelp forests]. As most other plant life in the world, kelp grows quickly.

Natural Geography

Surface

The island of Gnala is an inactive stratovolcano. The same geo-thermal hot-spot that once powered the volcano powers a series of hot springs and the deep sea vents that warm Algol-nun. The island is small and roughly circular (15km diameter at the longest). A broad coastal plain turns into steep mountainous terrain four miles in. On the southern side, an upwelling spring fills a sulphrous swamp and pestilential, while on the (inhabited) western side of the island, a series of hot springs break through the volcanic rock and create steaming pools. The northern and eastern sides of the island are given over to wild and nearly untamable jungle, which carries all the way to the 1,100m. peak of Mount Gnalos.

The rocky western side makes it diffcult for the jungle to encroach; coupled with a well sheltered natural bay, it's a natural spot for a maritime outpost.

Undersea

The Algol Trench

Gnala bay is an extension of a natural ravine called the Algol Trench that extends 24km off the coast to a maximum depth of 1km. For most of its length, the ravine is between 3-4km wide, with steep, cliff-like walls. With the hot vents in the ravine, it's a veritable wonderland of exotic aquatic organisms all the way down to its deepest point. Given the length and depth of the trench, its length provides a complete sample of all variety of ocean life.

At the edge of the bay, at the head of the trench, is a coral reef. Well mapped and marked by bouys, it poses little hazard to navigation. It serves as a rich habitat for aquatic life and blocks strong ocean currents from stirring up Gnala bay. It runs up to a spit of land on the southern edge of the bay. The reef extends down for dozens of meters.

The Nun Flats

The neritic zone extends below the reefs, and continues down to about 200m. At that depth, about 4km from the coast of Gnala, the ravine plateaus for 10km. The westernmost edge of this 10km plateau (called the Nun Flats (pronounced "noon")) ends in a sheer 300m cliff. Most undersea habitation and farming happens in the Nun Flats.

Along the flats, the walls of the Algol Trench are riddled with caves, most of which were carved by the same forces that built the island and power the hot vents. Some of the caves have powerful hot vents, and unwary cavers might easily find themselves boiled alive, lost, trapped by cave ins, or eaten by the more mysterious predators that lurk in the caves.

Nearby Areas

Gnala is the only island in its immediate region. Its undersea shelf extends for about 24km before plunging into deep ocean. Deep ocean continues until the nearest island- twelve days away by sail.

Cities and Civilization

Gnala

The harsh terrain and semi-remote nature of Gnala make it an unlikely choice for a thriving industrial capital. Fortunately, it's situated not far off a major trade route; it serves as a port for major convoys between two major federations of city-states to the north and south.

History

Early

Gnala was not always such a fortunate port. Thanks to the great federations in the North and South, a viable trade route exists, but those federations have only been trading for a few generations. Before that time, merchant vessels were scattered across the area as they moved from island to island. The first temporary settlement on Gnala began when a pirate fleet began using it as a base. Given the difficulties and remoteness of the island, it was of mixed utility as a base. While it was easy to keep secret, it meant long trips for hunting parties. Given the wild jungle and rocky soil, it was nearly impossible to live off the land. At most, pirates could take on fresh water and repair their ships with the plentiful wood. It was difficult for a pirate crew to live there.

= The Pirate Empress

Bloodknife, the infamous pirate of lore, heard of the plight of the Gnala pirates. While most of Bloodknife's exploits are likely greatly exaggerated, there is a great deal of supporting evidence for this particularl exploit. Hiding her ship with magic, she slipped up to the barrier reef at the head of the bay. The existing pirate fleet had erected great painted timbers to mark the location, seating them in a primitive cement made from coral. Bloodknife, under cover of magic and darkness, waited until most of the fleet had departed, and rearranged the markers. She then sailed into the bay, and scuttled the one ship remaining, killing all hands. She then salvaged its colors and flew them on her own vessel.

Over the next few weeks, when returning ships tried to sail into the bay, they ran aground on the reef. Thus stranded, Bloodknife forced each to surrender in turn, bribed or killed the captains and brought them into her service. A woman of no modest ambition, she shared with them her strategy for making Gnala the pirating capital of the known world. No longer would they simply pillage and try and steal mere riches. Ships would be captured, their crews forced into slavery, and forced to scrape a tiresome living from the tough island of Gnala.

It was a bloody and deadly regime. Carefully, she selected some slaves to become her well rewarded task masters. Within a few years, she had a trusted coterie of freed slaves that maintained order on the island. Modest farms became self sustaining, and as Bloodknife's wealth and power increased, she was able to start hiring mages to aid in carving out a colony from the island.

The ornate Goldien bathhouse was carved from basalt using powerful magics during this time. That it stands today speaks to the energy and effort that was put into constructing it.

Conquest of Gnala

When the first ships began plying the modern trade route between the Northern and Southern regions, they were easy prey for the pirate empire that Bloodknife built. The political powers of the North and South knew that this could not stand, but the Gnalan pirate fleets had become a might to rival many navies. Spies and traitors helped the lawful authorities locate and explore the island, but no one could assemble a powerful enough force to simply drive them out, at least not without great losses.

For some time, merchants merely did the best they could to protect their trading fleets, but with a long stretch of open ocean it was difficult. The newly forged relationship between the federations in the North and South rapidly became strained by the economic pressure. Finally, the Grand Paladin Gnalos stepped forward. Inspired by his goddess, he took on the quest of rooting these pirates out.

While his grand history involves many other, often more significant exploits, this one is of note. Over the course of years, he strode the world and gathered the resources needed to make a grand spear.