Only the one location today, because it's rather large.

The Orichalc Isles. Of course getting its name from the mythical metal of Atlantis,

which I've featured in this series often, as the prime example of lost arts of ruin.

Now you know why it is lost. It all came from one island chain, and they ran out!

There's an environmental message in there. The other main detail of here is its people.

They're a bit Weird. This location details the rules for playing as Non-Human peoples.

Well... they're all Human Adjacent.

Technically three of them would count as Human by a basic understanding of speciation.

But lets put that aside. Their stats and bonuses are different.

And that's what counts in Games. We have all the classics.

A Big one, a Small one, Bird, Dwarf, Elf, Fairy. More or less.

They all have a certain twist to them tho.

The Belfudi is of course the Hobbits, holes and all, but with a more collectivist twist.

These small folk are not in fact Rural Late Victorian Midlanders in a Low-Medieval world.

They also domesticated the Badger, which is and idea I've had since high school.

Since the Badger is just a small mans wolf... or maybe bear...

maybe foxes would have made more sense...

Regardless. Their name came from a people group in Gullivers Travels.

The ancient enemy of the Lilliputians. Lastly, Homo Floresiensis was also an influence.

Next up we have the Samsa. Their name is a nod to the biblical warrior Samson.

Just as the Goliath are named for the great enemy of David.

The undead form of the Samsa have already been detailed in this series.

They were created to be heavy infantry by ancient blood sorcerers.

Not much to say on them to be honest. Big Guys speak for themselves.

Next we have the Minalus.

I got their name from contracting two finnish words I believe translate as Mine Craft.

This is for two reasons: Their whole thing is making stuff out of stone.

And I got the whole idea of them being part Goat from a headcanon someone had

for a Minecraft Youtuber's skin. It was Simon Lane's Dwarf Skin.

Like the Samsa, an Undead version of them is to be found in another Weird Location.

They can also be compared to the Aztecs,

being city builders with largely stone age technology.

Their language is the main Lingua Franca of this micro setting,

the implications of which are apparent.

I've often said I incorporated Post Colonial themes into this game series.

This location has them on display in quiet the overt way.

On that note, the Deluvi Defectors.

The Deluvi have been in the game since the first book, and became playable in the 3rd.

But not all Deluvi clung to their old ways with such ferocity.

Some learned, some adapted, some reflected upon their actions.

Not everyone who benefits from Colonialism accepts it.

People can see the humanity in those they have been taught to despise.

This very hopeful take on the more Grimdark Deluvi.

These guys also serve as the "Wood Elf" stand in for my game...

even tho I already named a summonable spirit after Elves...

oh well, I also named one after Dwarfs,

and added Fairies again even tho the Dimonay are also sort of fairies.

On that note, the Vi'she, or Mayfolk. First name is a contraction of Victorian style Fairies,

with the Irish word Sí (pronounced She) substituted for Fairy.

The second name is a play on Mayfly. They were inspired by a piece of D&D homebrew,

that appeared in White Dwarf, back when GW had the printing rights to D&D in the UK.

There they were fly faced wanderers with the power to shrink the players.

I kept the later, but made them a little less gross looking.

The bug-ness of the Vi'she is more in the back.

I also borrowed (pun intended) from the Borrowers for much of their aesthetic.

Cobbled together stuff from the wasteful Big People. It's a classic look!

Speaking of Winged Humanoids. The Irikis (name a reference to Icarus) are Hawk-Men.

Their whole thing is flying, so everything about them is in service to that.

Nomads, travel light, High Dex low Str (because Bird Bones).

They are Bird Persons. That's the long and short of it.

Additionally, with each society I made sure to add what I consider important.

Religion, burial, social order, external relations. Stuff players can make use of.

Things to do, or don't do, which is also a meaningful choice.

Besides the people, the place itself is also of note.

Obviously it is shaped like a dragon. Which is something I've done before in this series.

I had this design all the way back in High School.

The exact meaning of it changed, but the general "Atlantis+Dragon" idea stuck.

Originally it was for a much more High Fantasy world with 22 continents.

I've always bitten off more than I can chew...

Then that was whittled down, but this island chain remained intact.

It remained dormant until this project, when I decided to use it again.

When I did this I decided to do what I did with the other map.

Add climates and evocative names. They don't have set meanings,

and instead are to be interpreted by the players and GM.

All in all, this is the most "Micro Setting" of the Weird Locations.

Being a Post Magic Empire Stone Age Demi-Human Island chain.

Which is fun. I had other locations which were somewhat "Micro Setting",

but those I may just make their own books. I'll see.

Hope you've enjoyed this location! Stay tuned for the next 23!

I may be releasing them at more than 2 a post in the future.

So stay tuned!

Regards,

SOTrekNomad