Laniden Archipelago

Laniden Archipelago
Ruler	The Nation of Aetveris
Statistics
Alignment	Neutral
Government	Council
Danger	High
Demographics
Population	Low (Small city-states only)
Races	Human, Elven, Aquatic Races, other species suited for tropical climates
Market
Spellcasting	Low (Limited to CL 7th for most public spellcasting; several stronger casters live in the area)

The Laniden Archipelago is a chain of islands in the western part of the world, northwest of Arbordale and southwest of Cragscar and Fort Ragathiel. The archipelago contains several islands ranging from the very small to the very large.

In recent years the lands have been taken over by the Nation of Aetveris, with the surrounding city-states having joined the general government in the wake of a crusade to unify the continent. While relations from many have chaffed under this takeover, the general clearing of dangerous wildlife and incursions from beyond has allowed trade to flourish, seemingly appeasing the populace for now.

Almost all residents of the Laniden Archipelago know how to swim (especially anyone born there), and locals often sail to other cities rather than going overland.

Acquiring Powers In The Laniden Archipelago

Natives of the Laniden Archipelago typically inherit their power (possessing Sorcerer bloodlines, blessings from deities, etc.), dedicate their life to specific paths, or receive their powers as gifts from others. Selecting a field of study and inheriting power are the most common traits in this region, while receiving it as a gift is relatively less common but not particularly rare.

Attitude Towards Magic

The Laniden Archipelago possesses a neutral attitude towards magic. They recognize it and use it, but neither exalt it nor fear it. For many residents, it is simply another tool to help protect their cities and take down the dangerous beasts that live out in the wild.

Political Presence Of Magic

Casters of all types are accepted in government positions, and are specifically sought for certain roles (such as interrogations, performing certain ceremonies, and managing the weather). This has largely remained unchanged in the wake of the Aetveran takeover.

Behavior Of Armed Forces

The primary military force of the Laniden Archipelago is a group of hunters who ward off the monsters that threaten the cities. Most members of this group fight for honor and glory, emphasizing taking down the largest and most dangerous prey at the expense of tracking weak foes. This means that smaller enemies break into cities regularly and are something of a nuisance to residents.

Since the arrival of Aetveran military forces (primarily from Fort Ragathiel), these cities have seen a large drop in monster incursions and have even begun to push out and expand in the wake of this relief effort.

Climate

The Laniden Archipelago has a warm, tropical climate, similar to the Mediterranean on Earth. Lighter clothes are more common than heavier outfits.

Common Classes

The most common types of classes for residents of the Laniden Archipelago to take levels in are Martial (Conscript, Fighter, etc.), Arcane (Wizard, Sorcerer), Mental (anything best described as psychic or psionic), Nature (Druidic, Shamanic), Occult (Occultist, Kineticist, etc.) and Unusual (classes that may be rare or even unique). Divine casters are relatively rare in the region, with most religious residents preferring to worship local nature entities instead of greater, world-spanning powers.

Elemental Preferences

Fire is the most common element that many people in the Laniden Archipelago use, in part because there's so much water around to prevent fires from spreading too far. Many use it to help deter local wildlife and provide light when traveling at night. Other elements are also present in moderate numbers.

Land Development Level

The Laniden Archipelago is largely wilderness, with the majority of residents living in walled cities built along the coastlines. Fishing is a significant part of most people's diets, though the larger cities have farmland inside their walls.

Magic Level

The Laniden Archipelago possesses minor levels of magic. About 10% of the population has access to any magic at all, and most of these people only have levels in the Adept NPC class. Approximately 2% of the population has levels in PC caster classes. Other residents may have some training in martial classes.

Magic Theme

The Laniden Archipelago has a powerful occult theme, and most casters in the area have an occult tradition of some type. Kineticists, Mediums, Mesmerists, Occultists, Psychics, Spiritualists, and spherecasters with an occult casting tradition are the most common caster classes common to this region. This does not exclude other types of casters, but non-occult casters make up approximately 0.4% of the already-fairly-small population.

Despite the relatively low percentage of casters, many people actively engage with magic in their day-to-day lives. For example, children often visit Mediums before becoming adults in order to get the guidance of their ancestors, while Occultists investigate crimes and accusations to help keep the peace.

Unusual Building Materials

The Laniden Archipelago makes extensive use of plants to create buildings and walls. As a result, their Nature casters are particularly prized, often guided and supported by the Occult casters who decide when and where to place things.