Restless Islands

A World Of Bioluminescent Lights On Islands Clad In Darkness

written by Jan Martin

Chain of Five Islands, each with cities, towns and villages— A wild landscape of massive flowers, their stems as thick as the trunks of trees. A canopy of petals, leaves and vines choke out light and leave local civilizations in a state of endless darkness lit by colorful bioluminescent plants and animals.

The People

Residents are in a state of constant good health due to the healing properties of the island. Most spend their days serving the communities they live in, if not spending a great deal of time pursuing a hobby or two. The locals on each island have specialties of cuisine and entertainment, and they express friendly rivalries with each other through various tournaments and competitive leagues. Everyone is friendly and slow to anger, aside from a shared passion for protecting the environment they all share. The people here are paler than they could be due to extended time in total darkness, and many have spent so much time in the lowlight environment they wear special tinted goggles anytime they go into full daylight.

Local Monster

Some believe the Restless Islands are truly a living creature that is sleeping and will someday get up and cause great destruction as it continues its life cycle. They are vigilant in recording any disturbances or changes with the Islands and believe the evidence suggests another 1,000 years or so of peace before the creature will rise from its slumber. Festivals and traditions on the island are in line with these beliefs. Most people see this as religious superstition and not to be taken literally.

Notable Sublocations

• Slippery Mountain City Theme Park—The peak of this mountain is smooth and leathery in dry weather. With precipitation it starts to weep slime from its surface. A theme park sprung up on the mountain centered around the slime and a popular sport called Slime Boarding. Over time it grew into a resort and then a whole city of its own.
• Forever Night Market—In the darkest expanse of flower forest is a market that never closes. Merchants from all over Ald-Amura come to trade at the market, and almost anything can be found here.
• Afternoon Floodplain—One of the Islands partially floods every afternoon as it slowly sinks for a few hours before rising again. The whole Island is centered around the daily phenomena and is especially popular as a fishing destination and for a unique sport called Flood Surfing.
• Neon Arena—On the central Island sits an arena shrouded in total darkness. Groups and individuals solve disputes here through a game that tests the body, mind, and spirit. Many tourists to the Restless Islands spend the entirety of their stay here in hopes of witnessing a famous dispute come to terms.

What Happens When You Arrive

1. A trio of Mantis Hawks is nesting on top of the Neon Arena and has taken to hunting the main creatures used to produce the bioluminescent light used in the Neon Arena.
2. A Prince from a Mainland Kingdom strayed off the illuminated path and lost his Chrysalin Spaniel in the darkness of the flower forest.
3. A group of explorers is convinced a rare and magical mineral is to be found inside of Slippery Mountain and are working to open a mine.
4. A traveler from the Burning Sands accidentally tracked seeds to the Island, and a common pest of the mature flowering plant is an aggressive predator of the local bioluminescent insects.
5. Something is attracting Moon Whales to the waters surrounding the Islands. They are gentle creatures, but cause violent whirlpools when they feed, which they do for most of the day and night.
6. The entire staff of a visiting Carnival goes missing at the Night Market moments before opening their tent, and somehow no one saw a thing.