FrivYeti/IsleSolar

The Isle Of Glory and the Manse of Solar Purity

Tucked away in the Western Ocean lies an island. Its inhabitants are few in number, and spend their days in work and prayer, preparing for the return of their Solar master. The land itself is glorious; the sun never sets within it, although this radiance is not visible until you approach within a mile of it, the plants are lush and fruitful, and the animals breed well and strong, naturally loyal. In many ways, it is a paradise in Creation, a perfect resting place for the Solar Exalted.

However, this land has never been discovered. It was never despoiled by the Shogunate, never felt the oppresive thumb of the Realm. No fae have raided its borders, and no wandering merchants have come across it. This is for the simple reason that, until a few short years ago, this land did not exist.

History of the Isle of Glory

The Isle of Glory was formed late in the First Age by a Twilight caste artificer by the name of Samak Twillin. Twillin was a botanist and mechanist, and he built his island on the site of a powerful Demense, altering its Essence flows until it suited him. Powerful sorceries were woven into the land, and Twillin didn't rest even then; he never stopped tweaking and changing until the island was perfect, and then continuing to change it as his tastes developped. Humans and beastmen were brought to the island to serve as servants, growing food and mining for his pleasure. Twillin even crafted a portal to the Deep Wyld that only Solars could traverse, to enable him to easily pass within and forge raw materials as needed.

However, the First Age was doomed to end, and Twillin, although prone to fits of pique when his wishes were not filled, was cautious. He was not present at the great calamity that consumed many of his fellows, and he wove his most powerful spells to guard his island. Still, he knew that he could not hide forever. Instead, he learned what he could, and then enacted a powerful Solar Circle sorcery - Pressed Beyond The Veil Of Time. With this magic, he pushed his entire island outside of history, destined only to return when the Jade Prison that held Solar souls shattered open. He reasoned that if that happened, it would mean that the Sidereals' hold on Creation would be shattered, and the newly returning Solars might need the protection of the isle.

Unfortunately for him, Twillin did not remain in the isle. He knew that, if he did, he would eventually be tracked down. When the Sidereals found him and pre-Shogunate forces destroyed him, the last link to the island was lost, and it remained frozen in time and outside of the world for the next 1500 years.

When the Deathlords broke the Jade Prison, the Isle was released, and now it sits in the seas. The inhabitants are only vaguely aware of the fact that a great deal of time has passed, and are patiently awaiting the arrival of a Solar to lead them again. To date, no one has, as the area that the isle in is listed on maps as uninhabited.

Geography

The Isle itself is slightly over twelve miles across and eight miles wide. Sandy beaches cover the western and northern faces, turning to rough rocks on the eastern side. On the south, the land falls away, leaving room for the island's only harbour. The land is mostly tilled fields and orchards, with a large mountain dominating the centre; the entire mountaintop is taken up by a vast castle, abandoned since Twillin's departure.

There are close to 20,000 people living on the Isle, mostly farmers who take advantage of the incredible fertile ground. All speak only Old Realm, not having had any real exposure to other languages, and all are worshippers of the Solars. Twillin originally forged them into a cult for himself, that would grant him power.

The castle in the centre of the island is over twelve stories tall, forged of gleaming marble with orichalcum tracery. It is resistant to attack, and has many defenses, but they are not currently active.

Magics of the Isle

There are a number of powerful effects laying across the island, some through sorcery, some through powerful thaumaturgy, and a few through the geomantic effects that Twillin worked into the manse.

First, the sun never truly sets from the perspective of the isle. As the true sun sets, light begins to shine on the top of the tower, counteracting the looming darkness. The people of the isle differentiate between Truesun and Islesun, but would be frigtened and confused by night. The artificial sun counts as a real sun for the purposes of the dead or other creatures that are affected by sunlight.

Secondly, the arrangement of the isle spreads the power of the Manse across it. Anyone attuned to the Manse is considered to be within it anywhere on the island, and any Solars using Charms anywhere on the island have their Charm costs reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 1), as normal for a Level-5 Manse.

Thirdly, the island's natural essence flows improve the health and well-being of its inhabitants. Not only does this improve crops, but it provides one free success on all rolls to resist disease, and healing times are divided to 3/4 of their usual time for both mortals and Exalts. Anyone can stop bleeding with a successful Stamina roll at +1 difficulty; Exalts instead add two dice to the roll.

Fourth, the soil is designed for productivity. Because of this, the island has four harvests per year instead of one, without the soil wearing out and becoming infertile.

Finally, the island is warded against danger. The island is considered to have permanent Strength 6 wards against Fair Folk, the dead, demons, the Wyld, and divinations. If something breaches these wards, they must still destroy the watchtowers that line the shores in order to break the warding over an area of the isle. Each watchtower has 20 lethal soak and 30 health levels; each 5 levels of damage reduces the strength of the warding over one mile of the island by 1 (a half-mile of shore on either side of the tower). There are 40 towers in all, and each is a monolith about eight feet tall, with a gleaming sapphire set in its top.

The Isle also has artifact-based defenses, based in the castle on top of the mountain.

The Manse of Solar Purity

The castle that tops the mountain is the true manse of the Isle. It is developed, and information about it can be found here.