Philiraki Peninsula

The Philiraki Peninsula (pronounced fih-leh-RAH-kee) is a large peninsula in western Hellea. While Halakros lays claim to the peninsula, in reality it is largely controlled by storm giants monarchs, colloquially referred to as the giant princes.

Despite the craggy coastlines of the peninsula, the interior is quite fertile and productive. Places that aren't cultivated or settled are a mix of gentle hills, open forests, and flat grasslands. The region has mild weather with a degree of seasonality - summers tend to be warm and while winters do see colder weather, snowfall tends to be sparse.

Storms that form on the Sea of Khoros have a tendency to make landfall around the Philiraki Peninsula, with an increase in frequency in the summer months. These usually bring large amounts of rainfall and high winds, but major damage to settlements is uncommon as the people living there know to anticipate such events.

Though the forests of the region have a superficial appearance of being wild, in reality most are carefully cultivated to create an ideal environment for certain plants and animals. Many of the forests are more like expansive orchards of fruit- or nut-producing trees, though travelers should be wary that this does not necessarily mean they are free of dangerous creatures. In fact, many of the storm giants prefer to keep potentially dangerous animals, magical and otherwise, within their estates, in order to keep other animal populations under control.

The forests of Philiraki are primarily deciduous trees, with some coniferous forests on the western parts of the peninsula. Forest floors tend to be full of ferns, berry bushes, and other low growth, but rarely to a degree that they are difficult to travel through. The grasslands and hills of the region are primarily short grasses interspersed with wildflowers.