History of the Archipelago

The Korinn archipelago was discovered about 200 years ago by human settlers moving into this part of the continent.  Those days were pioneer years, lawless and rough. There was no central authority and next to no trade. The pioneers of the islands were simple, stubborn farmers and fishermen, the same stock that inhabits the islands today.

Over the next century, these pioneers dug in and established themselves firmly on the islands.  Their populations increased to allow for more trade, which led inevitably to the appearance of strong pirate bands in the region.  From 140 years ago to 100 years ago, the pirates reigned supreme in the waters of the archipelago.

Then, a century ago, an adventurer-noble of the southern kingdom of Petathal led great fleets of followers into the islands to set up colonies of their own. This man, by name Viledel, and his lady Liala had aspirations of forging a strong maritime empire in the archipelago.  The headstrong Viledel chose one of the westernmost and least hospitable of the islands as his base, a direct challenge to the pirate fleets that ruled the seas. By virtue of superior seamanship and clever tactics, he was able, over the next four decades, to diminish the power of the pirate forces; to settle his followers all through the islands, mixing peacefully with the earlier century's colonists; to set up more trade routes; and to bring more and more islands under his sway. In his fortieth year of rule, Viledel was known as the Sea King, the only man in these waters powerful enough to carry that title.

However, a retaliatory attack by a pirate kingdom ended Viledel’s aspirations. His island was overrun and ravaged. Its population was (evidently) completely destroyed, and the new domination of the western islands by pirates cut it off from the sea-routes so thoroughly that knowledge of its location was lost.

In the 60 years since, the colonies of the islands have thrived. Perhaps not as much as if they were still part of an empire, but they have nonetheless flourished.  The islands, independently governed, nevertheless cooperated in matters of trade, and the population continued to grow. The pirates, still a strong force in the Archipelago, nonetheless had to make their strongholds in the lesser-trafficked western waters.

The original settlers of the islands were humans, but Viledel's followers included demihumans as well. Most races flourish in maritime environments: dwarven and gnome craftsmen build fine ships, elves and halfelves are sailors at least equal to humans (and have better vision), halflings make good traders, and all the world needs soldiers, the one
occupation to which half-orcs are most admirably suited.

Throughout the archipelago, the islands share some common features.  By and large, they are hilly and mountainous, with few good fields. Consequently, there are not many farmers; there are many fishermen, and herdsmen of goats, sheep, and pigs.

Many wild herbs and spices grow here.  These, plus wool, linen, leathers, fish, pork, and mutton, make up the primary goods exported and traded throughout the island.

The people are mostly simple fishermen and herdsmen, hardened by weather and adversity.  There are many traders, especially on the larger islands and in the greater port cities, which also feature many craftsmen and providers of luxury goods and services.

The largest and most important islands of
the archipelago include:

Barret's Quay: This is a smallish eastern island, noted for the taciturn nature of its inhabitants (almost all humans, a few dwarves, no other races). It has no large port cities.

Caftenor: This is the most southern island of any size, and one of the richest in terms of fish catches and temperate weather. Quite a few halflings live here among the humans, and Caftenor is the most frequent stopping off port for ships bound between the southern nations and the western islands.

Chawdik: This is a fairly poor eastern island, notable mainly for the very large gnome population living on the south coast; it's the largest gnome community on the islands.

Dennik: Unfortunate Dennik is the western frontier, any further west, and you're in pirate-controlled territory. This island actually has few fishermen. The seaside villages are too vulnerable to buccaneer raids. Most of the population tends herds or grows spices in the upland fields, trading with the eastern ships when they put in. The population is almost wholly human, though there are some half-orcs
living here.

Highport: This island is the greenest of all the archipelago, mountainous and heavily forested. It is a rich trading island with several strong port cities and large elvish and half-elvish populations.

Jacaman: This island, smaller, uglier, weaker, and more unfortunate than Dennik, is still the archipelago’s chief producer of several exotic spices. There is a lot of risky trade out to the island, and a lot of pirate interest in the isle and the sea-routes leading to it.

Pandira: This western island was a notorious pirate haven in the days of the Sea King, but has been abandoned and unoccupied since a few years after the Sea King's fall.

Rabin's Reef: This is another forested island, noted as the summering spot for wealthy families, especially those from Ventris.

Ventris: This is the largest of the islands of the archipelago, and the richest. It is characterized by high mountains, thick forests, and several plains worthy of growing crops. The island is thick with demi-humans as well as humans and commands a good share of the sea-trade that occurs in the archipelago.