Isla Arbojan
See also: Alta • Veridia • Las Islas Perdidas
Isla Arbojan was the last of the Triada to be discovered and populated. Like Alta, it is also a mountainous island although the altitude is less and the population consequently larger. It was the location of the portal known as the Mundumbra.
Etymology
[edit]The only one of the three main islands which contains the word isla (island), the original name was Isla de Árboles Lejanos meaning the "island of far trees" due to its distance from Alta and Veridia, and the forests which covered most of it. Over time, the name became shortened to the present term. It is commonly referred to simply as "Arbojan".
Although the English settlers had discovered Isla Arbojan, they never settled on it so it had a variety of names, the most common being the whimsical "Avalon", maybe from its remoteness and the trees that covered it.
Geography
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Isla Arbojan is a roughly circular island, about 370 miles north-to-south, and 340 miles west-to-east. A backbone of highland runs from north to south, branching out to the east. It is heavily forested except near the coasts.
The east side is much drier than the west and has few settlements.
It sits between 33° and 39° north, and 47° and 84° east.
The east side is known as the Heartwild by the general populace but the Outlands by the authorities who fear its lawlessness. Most of the people found there are wanderers.
ChatGPT comments
[edit]The Heartwild is not truly *uninhabitable*—it's simply not worth controlling, settling, or farming from the perspective of the authorities.
From your world notes:
- The island is mountainous and heavily forested.
- The eastern side is drier than the west.
- The highlands branch eastward.
- The authorities call it "The Outlands" and fear its lawlessness, while common folk call it the Heartwild.
Those facts suggest several mutually reinforcing reasons:
1. Rain Shadow Country
The western side receives most of the rainfall. The north-south mountain spine forces moist air upward, dropping rain on the west slopes. By the time air reaches the east it is much drier.
This creates:
- poorer farmland
- seasonal streams
- thinner soils
- more scrub and hard woodland
People settle where crops grow reliably. The east never develops large agricultural communities.
2. Broken Terrain
You mention eastern branches of the highlands. Rather than broad valleys, the Heartwild could be:
- ridges
- ravines
- rocky uplands
- tangled forests
Building roads becomes difficult and expensive. Trade follows the coast and western settlements instead.
3. No Economic Reason
A frontier remains empty when it lacks something worth exploiting.
Perhaps the Heartwild has:
- little arable land
- no major harbour
- no navigable rivers
- few mineral deposits
The authorities gain more from the coast than from conquering the interior.
4. Refuge of Outsiders
Once an area gains a reputation as a refuge, it attracts more refugees.
The Heartwild could shelter:
- escaped slaves
- deserters
- rebels
- criminals
- religious hermits
- wanderers
Each generation makes the area seem more dangerous, causing respectable settlers to avoid it.
5. Dangerous Wildlife
The name "Heartwild" almost demands this.
Not monsters necessarily, but:
- large predators
- venomous animals
- aggressive boars
- ancient forests where people disappear
The danger doesn't need to be extreme—just enough that clearing land is costly.
6. Old Stories
The authorities may exaggerate the danger because they dislike places they cannot control.
Official maps might describe:
- bandits
- spirits
- cursed ruins
- savage tribes
Most stories are exaggerated, but enough are true to keep settlers away.
This creates a nice contrast:
The Authorities: The Outlands — a lawless wasteland beyond civilisation.
The Common Folk: The Heartwild — the last free place on Arbojan.
That difference in naming alone suggests that the wilderness is as much a political problem as a geographical one. The rulers fear it not because nobody can live there, but because people can live there without their permission.
Climate
[edit]- Humid sub-tropical or monsoonal.
- Hot, humid summers with heavy rain and thunderstorms.
- Mild to cool winters with some snow at higher elevations.
- Possibly affected by tropical storms.
Typical weather
- Summer: 30–35°C, humid, thunderstorms.
- Autumn: Rainy, stormy.
- Winter: 5–10°C, chilly but not harsh.
Influences
- Warm currents.
- Strong rainfall, especially in summer and autumn.
Detailed page on climate and vegetation
Illarion establishments
[edit]The Cregan
[edit]Position: 34° north, 75.5° east°
The Cregan on Isla Arbojan is Rocosa, the name meaning "rocky". It is built into the side of a steep cliff with woods and fields on the land side.
The Bestia school
[edit]The Bestia school on the island is Sometria (meaning "subjugation"). situated in the highlands to the south. It was notable when Meg Maddison was sent there for training as a Bestia, from which she escaped.
Towns
[edit]There are only two major towns on the island, Orolago and Platacosta.
Orolago
[edit]Orolago (meaning "golden lake" is the largest town, sitting on the west bank of the xxxx lake. The coastline there is rocky and unsuitable as a harbour, so the town was built inland. It is the home to the richest traders.
Platacosta
[edit]Platacosta (meaning "silver coast") is the island's only deepwater harbour, situated in the north in a sheltered inlet.
Another settlement is Peyrol, a small fishing village in the south west, notable for its involvement in the story of the Maddison siblings and the Mundumbra Portal.
Industry
[edit]Because of its large forested upload areas, the major industries on Isla Arbojan are based around the coast, notably fishing.
Other Notes
[edit]Images
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