[Region 1][Map 16] Kouver Islands

[Baziron]

So, I don't have an image yet - okay, I do, but it needs editing. It's only a pencil sketch so far, barely readable after scanning. But I think I can get started with the region's background then.

These rather secluded set of islands was discovered long ago by a famous seafarer from [hans_worst's realm], Captain Kliff Kouver. His report brought the info about three mostly flat islands with simple yet rather sophisticated human people living of off fishing. Two of the islands were mostly hills and plains with some occasional shrubbery or small woods, but the third (the southernmost) was packed with heavy forest, thought to be impenetrable by the seamen and regarded as a holy place by the natives.

In the following years, trade ensued between the northern realm and the islands, bringing a variety of influences to Kouver's islands. Until the area was once used as a staging point for a fleet from the north seeking to move eastwards to Orvaelos. It has never been revealed who exactly got so ****ed at that, that a mother of storms came, scattering the fleet and making the sea unsailable in that region for years.
The trade relations ended, and eventually, the islands were surrounded by myths.

However, a year ago, a vessel that had to evade a military manouver in the eastern waters passed through the region, finding it completely sailable again. It was Kouver's grandson who initiated an expedition and gathered a team of explorer, researchers, and a task force of specialists which were to aid where they could.

The following messages are written by Shinon Leoman, member of said taskforce and a man of dubious origin. They are directed to Lord Kouver III himself.

[Baziron]

Message #1

»My liege, we have reached the island group in the expected period of time. We have compared the records about the sailing conditions in these waters to the present situation and came to the conclusion that whatever made these waters impossible to traverse must have completely subsided.

We landed on the northern shore, close to a location where some old records mark a settlement. It took us some time to locate the settlement - Sir Brynwick* suspects the old map to be at fault and has rightaway begun to draw an accurate version. It will be sent to you once it is done.

We found the settlement. Our notes suggested a number of about 250 or more inhabitants, making this one of the largest communities here. However, I have to report that we found nobody. The huts are in an very bad shape, as if abandoned long ago, and regular items are still there, as if left behind.
However, no people or animals (of which the records say that some were imported) are found, and no bodies either. Skan Viro** suggested a magical scan of the island, but I objected. The island is not too big, we will find them within the next two days.

Yours sincerely,
Shinon Leoman

*My liege's cartographer
**Our group wizard«

(I simply assumed that magic existed. It's a pretty reliable bet, I'd say)

Message #2

»My liege,
we have made some disturbing discoveries. Kouver's Islands were described as full of smaller vegetation, hill with a lot of grass. However, going inland (straight south, to another settlement according to the map) we found that land was actually barren in large patches. Skan is busy taking notes and solving the mystery, and I belief that he will be able to provide my liege with a highly likely version of what happened.

We also encountered a fearsome magical creature. It is peaceful, but looks very very frightening (my liege would not believe me, but I cannot get Hendrick, who's talented at drawing, to draw a sketch to show my liege - he's still too scared). Maybe it is involved in the events, but we lack clues.

Tomorrow, we will head further south, and expect to reach the southern coast in either one or two days, if the old map is not to far off. The other big settlement is supposed to be there, too, so we hope to get answers there.

Sincerely yours,
Shinon Leoman«

[industrygothica]

I think that these letters, scrawled on a bit of tattered and weatherstained parchment, would make a great visual accompaniment to your map when the wiki is up.

[Baziron]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. However, I'm not so good at the photoshopping and such... which'd mean that probably somebody else would have to do it. I also think that the paper should not be too stained, I imagined that the letters were sent using these D&D magic token mail pigeons...

[industrygothica]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. However, I'm not so good at the photoshopping and such... which'd mean that probably somebody else would have to do it. I also think that the paper should not be too stained, I imagined that the letters were sent using these D&D magic token mail pigeons...

I'm sure it can be taken care of when the time comes. I don't imagine it'd be too difficult to do.

[Baziron]

I have to rescan the first sketch, the pencil drawing is not recognizable and somehow PS does not want to change anything with that... Cannot be helped, I guess. So here's some more stuff.

Message #3

»My liege, we have reached the southern settlement almost as planned. I am afraid that I have to inform you that all of its inhabitants are dead. They have been so for a long time, we only found skeletal remains. While some of the expedition inquired to leave things be and simply go on with the mapping, I insisted that the matter is looked into, since these islands and everything on them are my liege's assets.

I ordered Sir Brynwick and his team to continue with the mapping whilst the rest of us do research on the events that took place here. We will especially try to find out how the people died, and if that is connected to either or both of the magical beast I mentioned or the stone pillar found at the eastern edge of the settlement.
Viro just mentioned that the amount of bones found might easily exceed the number of people noted on the old map.

Brynwick estimates the conclusion of my liege's first new map within four to five days, afterwards we will continue to the island south of here.

Best regards,
Shinon Leoman«

[Baziron]

And booya - I finally have something to present!

One is the first sketch - pencil on paper, redrawn with black biro to see something after scanning.

The second one is the overall map in progress. It's soft pencil drawn, reinforced with harder pencil and finalized with a black ballpen. It's still very naked, but I hope you can see where I'm trying to go.

And before the story unfolds farther, I will leave you in the dark about what some of the symbols mean.

@Hans-Worst: The crosses on your coast are major cities, the other symbol is a site of any sort. You might want to know.

The things in the lower right Corner are doodles, experimental fonts I'll put on the map itself...

[ravells]

Watching with interest!

[Baziron]

I am planning to make separate maps for each island. For that reason, I am currently transferring the outline map (not the sketch) to grid paper so I can easier scale up or down by hand.

[Baziron]

Message #4

»My liege, I have dire news. Apparantly (what we can tell from the remains of the combat signs and all), somebody in Sir Brynwick's group attacked the creature, which, in a rampage, ate them all. Not having been present, I cannot provide any details. However, Sir Brynwick's demise sets us back severely. I have redirected the mapping order to Hendrick.

He's diligent and quick, my liege will soon receive a map of the island. It may not be all to pleasing for the eye, but the boys accuracy and pragmatism will make it a most useful map.

We have established a consensus about the incidents on the Island. From the records we know that long ago, trade also brought other animals here. Viro assumes that the animals over-harvested the island, leading - together with the storms - to a famine. Since they couldn't sail away, they were trapped. So it seems that one day the villagers of one settlement decided to capture and sacrifice all the people of the other village to whatever they worshipped with the aforementioned stone-pillar. It can't have helped, so they turned on each other, until they were finally all dead.

This is what the condition of the skeletons indicate. We have no clue what role the creature plays. As soon as Hendrick's map is finished, we will continue on to the second island.

Shinon Leoman«


Yay, advancing the story without providing more images. I feel great... *irony.off*