Attalea Minor (pronounced at-tah-LAY-ah) is a province of Viridia. Separated from the rest of the nation by the Tanerde Strait, Attalea Minor is the only part of the Hellea controlled by the Dominion.
Geography
The province is delineated on two sides by the waters of the Phiora Sea and the Sea of Ersas, while it is bounded to the north and west by the Sentinel Peaks and the Thunderlands. In the southwest Viridia maintains regular patrols along its borders with Magnia, Kyamita, and especially Iaramnae.
Much of Attalea Minor, especially around Lake Gansal, is quite swampy, with flora and fauna well adapted to such a landscape. A large number of birds, including cranes, egrets, and others, hide and make their nests in the reeds. Travelers are advised to beware the deceptive calls of the liarbird, a carnivorous bird that mimics the sounds of people calling for help, drawing its victims into the marshlands and ambushing them. These birds are known to mimic multiple languages.
Settlements
The capital of Attalea Minor is Felasan, located just across the Tanerde Strait from Ilirnas. The two cities are close enough that they have functionally grown into one large metropolis, connected by tall stone bridges that span the water.
Other major settlements in the province include the following:
Inhabitants and culture
As is the case with Viridia as a whole, most of the inhabitants of Attalea Minor are human, though they are joined by large numbers of half-elves and smaller populations of other ancestries. Nearly all who live in Attalea Minor reside in settled communities, with the exceptions of the goblin tribes across the province and centaurs near the Thunderlands in particular.
Culturally, Attalea Minor has far more influence from Hellea than does the rest of the Dominion. Worship of the Hellean pantheon is not uncommon, often venerated alongside or in addition to the Chaskan deities that hold more sway in the rest of Viridia. Likewise, the Hellean language is spoken as frequently as is Thadrian. Clothing, architecture, food, and the arts all show clear connections to the people of Hellea.