Sophiorn is a paradise built around a volcanic island, home to the isolationist syrinx. The syrinx largely occupy themselves with lives of learning and contemplation. Though of little concern to the rest of the world, rumors exist that this utopia only exists through sinister means.
Geography, flora, and fauna
Located on the very southwestern edge of the Sea of Khoros, Sophiorn is a verdant paradise. A high island, the vulcanism that formed Sophiorn has long since calmed and moved elsewhere, leaving behind the island’s eponymous mountain peak.
Many visitors to Sophiorn have remarked on how the weather is consistently perfect. Clear blue skies grace the island for 25 days of every 28 day lunar cycle, followed by three days of gentle rain.This predictable weather extends in a circle around the island, ending about four miles from shore at the closest, after which the weather abruptly shifts to that of the rest of the seas. The climate of the island has also been magically shifted, and is quite a bit warmer than other lands at its latitude, with extremely even seasonality. This is well understood by the syrinx to be the doing of extremely powerful ancient casters who sought to control the natural forces around their homeland.
The shallow waters around Sophiorn abound with animal life, particularly crabs, cephalopods, sea turtles, rays, and dolphins. No large animals are native to Sophiorn - instead, chameleons, bats, wallabies, and a variety of tropical birds enjoy life with few predators. There is a noticeable lack of magical creatures on Sophiorn, at least on land.
Befitting its artificially warmed climate, the plant life of Sophiorn is adapted to tropical climes and grows well in its volcanic soil. A large number of flowering and fruiting shrubs and bushes grow throughout the island, including pukiawe, ohelo, and akala. Sandalwood and koa trees grow in the lower altitudes, switching to pilo and mamane forests higher up. Ferns thrive below the forest canopies.
For as long as they can remember, the syrinx of Sophiorn have carefully maintained the landscape of their island. Both through magical and mundane means, animal populations are kept under control, invasive animals removed, and the flora tended almost like a vast garden.