Island of Trag

Sheltered from the normal trading routes by a freak current, Trag is an island that not many people sail for. Arriving there, most will not find the well hidden harbors, but be turned back by the ferocious cliffs that rise out of the waters, like walls of a fortress.
We sailed past this forbidding island many a time, but never did we land there, until last week. It turns out that the island itself is inhabited by outcasts from some of the other islands around. However on the island itself, many live a quite life.
Trag is but a small island, measuring a mere thirty by forty miles and many parts of the island are not inhabited, since those parts are too rocky. The other parts are sparsely populated.

Movement

Once inside the mountain circle, traveling is not too difficult, as there are reasonable paths all along the island. However the inhabited part is not so big, so if you leave early in the morning, there is a fair chance you will be able to reach your destination before nightfall. It is but from the most northern village to the capital that you will have to find a place to sleep on the way.

History

Trag is placed in the middle of some strange currents and it is for this fact that it was never colonized. However during the mighty orc wars that took place between the year five thousand five hundred and the year five thousand eight hundred, many wars where fought on the islands around Trag. Sometimes the orcs would raid human settlement, leaving many of the women pregnant with half-orc baby's. Other times, it would be the humans who retaliated and did the same to many orc women.
In both cases, most of the children where not very welcome at the best. When they grew up to adulthood, they where too weak to fight the mighty orc or to dimwitted to be able to survive in human villages. Most of them took to the street while the wars ragged. From the streets they where driven and so they left for the less inhabited places and many took to the sea.
Some of them stranded on this island and since they all where half-orc, this island was the only one to be a place of peace in the area. The mighty Orc and Human fleets left the island alone, believing none could live there.
Ever since the year 5869, there is a law on Trag that forbids the inhabitants to marry non-half-orc and non-half-orc will only be allowed to visit the island for a brief time.

Geology

The island was formed by the impact of various meteors, the last of which flattened the center of the island. The edges are such rough mountain grounds that none wish to live there. The outfacing edges are so high and sharp, that none dare to try and steer their ship close enough to find the two bays that can be accessed. Only small area's are mild enough to anchor a ship there.
The inlands are rather rough as well, but they offer reasonable farm land after a bit of work. The island has a small reserve of iron ore in the northern area, but this is of a poor quality.

Political situation

Trag has no representation in the great council, as the island likes to keep a low profile. They would rather have the world forget the island exists.
Island politics is a bit strange, there is a democratic system, but it is not the most eloquent speaker that is chosen, but the most powerful fighter. In politics it is clear that humans and orc have had their influence on the inhabitants of this island, even though humans and orc are hated...
In the end politics is not so important, as there is little to govern on an island that has a mere thousand inhabitants. Laws are therefore passed only after a vote of all the islanders.

Crime and Justice

The island is but a small island and in each village every person knows every other person. If a crime is committed, the village gathers to speak justice.
Crime is hard to define, as there are not so many laws on this island. The most important is known by everybody, that is the law of the year 5869. The existing laws are all known by the year in which they where passed.

Magic

Magic is shunned and regarded as dangerous. The use of arcane magic is seen as a crime based on the law of 6012. Divine magic is allowed, but only when performed by licensed clerics or shamans, according to the 6040 amendment to the 6012 law.

Revered gods

Many seem to revere a god we thought long extinct, Moob-Dhane. Besides many revere spirits and other forces of the land or their ancestors.
Many other gods, the gods of humans and orcs are forbidden. For instance reverence of Athena, Ares, Dionysus, Heironeous, Hextor, Sobek and Zeus is formally forbidden according to the first law ever passed on the island, the law of 5617.

Main population

All that live on Trag must be half-orc with equal shares of both blood. New inhabitants must have a orc and a human parent. Otherwise they will not be admitted to the island.

Economy

Trag is a self-containing community that does not trade with the outside world.
It is not a particularly rich island and there always is a shortage of metals in general, although a poor quality iron is dug up in the northern mountains.

Map of the island

The map here is but a small version. We suggest you save the larger version that you will get to see when you click on the image. Especially when your goal is to use the map in your further exploration.


The Teolin Setting
Copyright 2001-2005 Ylorea's Adventuring
Last update 31-01-2004