The second largest island in the Duchy, Ieraklea is perhaps the most specialized of any territory found across the islands in that a majority of the land is used for farming, as it has the only largescale portions of arable land found anywhere in the Duchy. Outside of Dino, the capitol, rice paddies and fields of barley stretch as far as the eye sees.     Agriculture is the dominant industry in Ieraklea, and a majority of harvests are sent directly to Poleons' City. There is a history of maltreatment on the island; with everything dedicated to farming, finding suitable workers has always been an issue. So, the former Despots, now Barons, have relied on slave labor in the forms of prisoners or indentured minorities to meet demands.     Farther away from Dino, similar to Mykonos, enormous fields roll on; some portions of the island are left intentionally un-farmed, as to provide an area of land to rotate to as to not completely exhaust the soil. Further southwest, the plains ar

      Once the site of the first human habitation in the islands, Keros was blasted into a craggy wasteland at the start of the Tauromachy. Today, the only people who live here all year is the garrison and staff of Alasiofos, the training fortress and headquarters of the Naxian Marines & Navy.     Alasiofos' main citadel lies atop the seaward cliffs, fortified with magic to prevent collapse. The citadel itself is divided between the two forces, and both have been tailored to the needs of each. The complex itself is labyrinthian in size and complexity of navigation.     Beyond the walls, Keros supports next to nothing that would be called life. Indeed, the terrain is so unforgiving that as part of final testing, Naxian marines must survive a fortnight as a unit out in the wastes, living being the only standard of success.     The "Baron" of Keros is the title given to who ever is assigned as the master of Alasiofos, and does not have voting powers on the Despot Council

      The ancestral homelands of the Leoi, the island of Mykonos is a dramatic landscape of expansive rolling grasslands, lush jungle, and sharp grey peaks overlooking the sea.     The only permanent settlement, O Protos, lies on the north shore, where the plains meet the sea. This "city" exists as a complex to house the Baron of Mykonos, and to host the visiting bands when they visit, or at the annual meeting when the various leaina decide matters for all Leoi.     The plains of Mykonos, ironically, are some of the most fertile farmland anywhere in the Duchy, which for strict carnivores such as the Leoi who subsist off of hunting, fishing, and very limited herding, does little good. As such, these rich grasslands remain largely undisturbed.      To the western portions of the island is a track of jungle; unlike other islands, these trees hold religious significance to the Leoi, as only leaina may enter as part of their coming-of-age rituals, or during certain lunar events. 

      South of Naxos lies the Island of Thera; a ring of land that surrounds a large deep-water lagoon. Like Kythnos, the island is divided into grassy hills and jungle. Unlike Kythnos, both sections are thoroughly populated by Naxians.      The northern parts are entirely consumed by the town of Ormos, but that does not mean it is a hive of activity. Ormos is a well-spread out town, with entire fields between single houses in some areas. Closer to the lagoon shore, it becomes tighter, but still nowhere near as hectic and crowded as other Naxian cities.     The southern jungle is also well settled, with well-worn foot paths connecting various homes and villas.     The major place of interest in Thera is the lagoon, which is the nearest deep-water port to Naxos, and is often the first or second stop for foreign traders, who often seek to unload and sell whatever did not sell in Poleons' City. Other than economics, the deep lagoon is also of interest to the Triton, who can sometimes

      The island immediately to the east of Naxos, Kythnos is separated by a narrow, shallow channel that can sometimes be entirely exposed during extreme tidal events.  The island itself is divided into two distinct regions; the rolling grassland of the north, and the dense jungle of the lower.     Most of the population, like in its counterpart of Poleons' own city, reside in the major city of Avgi, on its northernmost shore. Most of the people here are directly tied to the vast shipyards there, which is where a large portion of Naxian vessels are built, as well as a major port for the Naxian Navy.      Outside of Avgi, the grasslands are unsettled, with the exception of a small number of goat-herding families that claim historical rights to roam the plains in their nomadic life. Like most of the Duchy, the soil here is largely unsuitable for farming.     To the south, the jungle claims much of the land. Unlike Naxos, these forests are avoided, as they have a strong connection to

      Separate from its namesake, the Isle of Naxos is the largest across the archipelago that makes up the Duchy, with a majority of non-urban Naxians living upon it.      The northern section of Naxos is dry and craggy, baked under the hot dry air that flows south. Few towns can be found here, with all of them on the coast. What is prominent here are the legendary  vineyards that grow the grapes for fine and potent Naxian Wine.     The southern portion of Naxos is dominated by dense jungles, covering the land from the Talos Mountains to the gentle sandy shores. Lumber is a key industry here, but you won't find the famous Naxian Oak, which only grows in The Donusians, but you will find a variety of robust hardwood used in construction across the islands. There are a fair number of fishing villages, which like in the north part of the island, are depended upon for providing the basis of Naxian diet.     Lastly, in the center of the island forming the spine running from east to west

 Authors Note: Welcome to part one of the Naxian Geography module! We'll be doing this as a sort of weekly primer, with each entry covering a specific island/area.     Before the Tauromachy, the island of Aegos was the center of Minotaur civilization, and was heavily cultivated. It was said that the whole island was a patchwork of beautiful gardens, filling in spaces between pre-historic temples and shrines with lush verdant life. After the war, however, the plant life had became darkened and warped; alien flora had replaced the native plant life. When Poleon took Aegos, he ordered the whole of the island salted and burned.     Even over a thousand years later, the island that modern Naxos sits upon has not recovered. The soil is dry, sandy, and often flies away when a strong breeze blows. Absolutely nothing will grow naturally on the island. Any garden in the city will have to rely on imported soil, intense management, and absolutely avoiding contact with the local soil.     That

 Hello everyone, Happy New Year! Here's hoping that 2024 is gentle upon us all, and the relevant gods have mercy upon our souls. Some programming notes I wanted to share with you all; starting next Saturday, the next module on Naxos will begin dropping-- this time covering the geography of the islands! I'm hoping to have a map done that will help picture this country that we are becoming so familiar with! That'll be done, as soon as I find the will to live find the time to finish making the thing. Another thing I wanted to announce is that I am going to start a non-fiction project in earnest! Starting at some point this month, and dropping monthly until the end of the year; The Many Saints of Portland! This examination series will focus on important persons who either were founders of my hometown, or those who left an indelible mark upon it. Look for that over the next few weeks! For those worried about short story content; one of the reasons I am working on the above two

      The two Anlari soldiers ran through the dark brush, too scared to look back. Guided only by what scattered moonlight made its fraught journey through the canopy. One acted as support for the other, who bled blackened ooze from a fetid wound, a gaping hole in his mail and tabard.     Only what seemed like moments before, their entire squad of comrades were patrolling for soldiers from the ever-approaching Dunbar host, which their liege had been fighting. Suddenly, in a blur of frightening speed, a tower of steel, a warrior in fearsome steel armor, and clad in a red and green surcoat. The had immediately shouted at the figure to identify themselves, when a curious thing happened. A small blue light came from beneath the great helm of the Red & Green Warrior, and then a much brighter blue light came from the bush just off to their side. Spectral hounds then leapt into the squad, their spears and swords striking more air than mark. The jaws of the hounds savaged those they found.

     Author's Note: Hey everyone! Just a heads up that I'll be dropping a couple fiction pieces before the next module on Naxos! Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!      In from the orange-lit sunset, the drifter in a long jacket and longer shadow walked like a shade into the saloon. He moved through the nearly-barren space, with only a few other souls than his own; a tender that looked so far removed from his environment as to be part of the furniture, and an old-timer, rattan hat and overalls. The drifter sat down.     "Whatever's cheap" came from his mouth. With the apparent command words uttered, the bartender slowly began pouring a stringent-smelling brown liquid into a small glass. Neither said anything more.     "Where're you from, young'un?" the old timer finally asked.     "Down south ways, near The Marshes" the drifter replied after a moment.     "What brings you here north ways?"     Gunfire, a chattering staccato, echoes ou

      After nearly a century of rule, the Merchant Republic was more or less stable, but largely only concerned with its own power and internal conflicts, leaving most Naxians to fend for themselves.     In the City of Naxos, however, the once minor Cult of Poleon had been steadily growing since the fall of the Empire, with many wanting something to latch onto in uncertain times. The militant wing of the Cult, called the Aspida, began acting as a guard for areas around Cult-held districts, angering merchant and nobles alike. But when they attempted to repudiate these fanatics, they found themselves either being boycotted or attacked by the angry mobs in the streets. When they backed off, the cult just expanded more as many began flocking to it in cities across the islands.     When it became clear that the Cult of Poleon could not be ignored or defeated ,a Forum was called to meet with the Kiryx, the leader of the Cult, to reach an agreement. But the Kiryx only had two demands; the rei

      After the collapse of the Old Empire, an immense power vacuum was left in Naxos. Various noble families still claimed the throne, but needed coin to finance their ambitions. These houses began to patronize mercantile groups and families for support, and they did oblige. Over time, however, power shifted from the nobles to the merchants; they could continue without the nobles, but the nobles could not without the merchants.     While the nobles continued their infighting, the merchants consolidated themselves into the Naxian Commerce Union, who would decide on mattes of trade and finance. This outraged the nobility, but without support or coordination, they could never mount an effective resistance. After years of instability, many commoners chose the Commerce Union. Over time, the nobility eventually fell in line as well.     With the long running civil war effectively over, the merchants somewhat unwittingly won the generations-long conflict. Their Commerce Union acted as a gove

      With the basic mold of Naxos established, successive Tyrants went to great lengths to attempt to build on the successes of their forbearers; the Roads of Cassander that linked the towns and villages of the Island of Naxos to the great city and standardized sea routes; the Dromoi Nerou of Demetrios, that solved drinking water for the City of Naxos.     The biggest act came under Tyrant Antigonos, who ordered the first great war fleets north to Thrace, where once the mythical homeland of their people was said to lay. Under the pretense of protecting and expanding trade, the Naxians began seizing ports and establishing them as colonies. When other nearby Thracian Kingdoms retaliated, Naxian forces would attack, and then annex their territories. With this great expansion of lands, the Naxian population exploded, and many Thracians who were conquered were assimilated by either relocation, or conscription. Over time, and as their fleets and armies expanded, the eye of Naxos turned to t

      After the fall of Aegos, Poleon instructed his people, who had been vagabonds since the razing of Keros, and the destruction of their mythical homeland before that, take over the lands formally ruled directly by the Minotaur; the isle where Aegos once stood, and the larger surrounding island. They used the rubble to construct the city that would give the people their name; Naxos. The first buildings were built with whatever was on hand, but over time, where replaced by the iconic white marble and grey granite that defines Naxian construction.     With city construction in full swing, Poleon sought to reward his allies. Despots, the lords of whole islands, were named-- including the Leoi, who were named as Despots of Mykonos. For the Satyr and Centaur, however, less favorable terms were given. As they had initially been allies of the Minotaur, and fought against his people, they were both offered amnesty, but nothing more. Many satyr accepted this, but many more joined the centaur

      For a time, the Naxians grew and flourished, and began to resemble what would be recognized as Naxian. For the Minotaur, however, their success was alarming. They feared that unless something was done, that the humans would overrun the islands. So they set their enslaved Leoi warriors upon them, to cull.     The Leoi were set upon the Naxians in the night, and slaughtered many of them. After many nights of this onslaught, Naxian fighters and hunters tracked and slew the Leoi in turn, taking their hides as trophies, and warning against any future attacks. Believing this to be an attack made by the Leoi, of their own volition, they secretly sailed to Mykonos to retaliate. Instead, they found the true and sad life of the Leoi left on their home island; starving, and nearly all men taken as slaves. It was then and there that they learned of the true origin of the treachery they suffered; the Minotaur.     This revelation was brought back to Keros, and the outrage was immense. They be