Varameno

Varameno (pronounced vah-rah-MEH-no) is a remote island in the northwestern Wounds. Long home to various Fanakara peoples, especially the tribes of the Re-Hara, more recently the deposed former shield-queen of Harv Taruhm, Ramn, arrived with her loyal followers to the island, where they have begun establishing a new base of power from which to retake her throne.

Geography

The now-dormant mountain peak of Varameno rises high above the surrounding seas, sloping up to a water-filled caldera in the center. Though the landscape of the island is dominated by the mountain, significant parts along the coast, especially in the west and southeast, are much more flat. Tropical forests thrive in the rich, ashy soil of the island, which is covered in palm trees and other foliage, home to many wild animals that provide plentiful game to the inhabitants of the Varameno. The island's climate is warm to hot year-round, with variation throughout the wet and dry seasons.

Though none approach the size of Varameno, many small islets and uplifted reefs can be found surrounding the island as well. The waters off the southern and western coasts have a reputation as being difficult to traverse owing to its shallowness relatively far out to sea and the many barely-submerged rocks that can easily damage or destroy the vessel of an unwary crew.

Small still-active volcanic islands can be found to the southwest of Varameno.

Varameno is roughly 530 miles north of the Chain, 800 miles east of Ha-Rase-Metu, and 580 miles southwest of Phersu.

History

Megalithic shrines, quite reminiscent of those constructed by the Basharma of Phersu, can be found near the caldera on Varameno - it is unknown if these were built by a now-vanished subgroup of the Basharma or by a related giant people.

While the Fanakara have resided on Varameno for centuries - the island was once the easternmost territory of the Rasharekan Empire at its height - the dwarves are much more recent arrivals. When shield-queen Ramn was deposed by Ruvodk in Y9951^* the exile-queen and her loyal family and courtiers fled north and east across the Na-Gaesa Ocean, where they settled on Varameno. There they established the caldera-side settlement of Aurrean and began to build a new fortress from which to rule until such time as they can press their claim on the Grievous Islands once more.

Inhabitants

Semi-sedentary Fanakara tribes account for most of the population of Varameno, largely humans and half-elves, with a considerably smaller dwarven population that almost entirely resides in Aurrean. Passing Fanakara and Keleta-Ru nomads and traders somewhat regularly stop at Varameno.

Notable settlements on Varameno include the following:

• Aurrean