The Grievous Islands are an archipelago in the Wounds. One of the largest archipelagoes within the Na-Gaesa Ocean by land area, the Grievous Islands are home to the dwarves of Harv Taruhm, who live in cities amongst and under the many rugged mountain peaks.
History
The Taruhmite dwarves have lived on the Grievous Islands for many millennia - in their stories they arrived on the islands directly from the legendary Kingdom of Gold and Iron, fleeing the destruction of their utopia. Still, they were not the first inhabitants of the archipelago, for it was once seemingly the core territory of the Tomb-Builders, as the great many ancient ruins littering the islands can attest. By the time the dwarves reached the islands, however, the Tomb-Builders were long gone, seemingly for a great many centuries.
Geography
The archipelago has an extremely mountainous terrain, rough and difficult to navigate aside from through the dwarves' many tunnels. While the coasts are distinctly tropical, the higher elevations of the interiors bring many changes, with cooler, more alpine environments. Isolated within the peaks and valleys, many animals can be found on the Grievous Islands and nowhere else, either on other islands of the Wounds or elsewhere on Kishar.
Several now-bleached coral reefs surround the Grievous Islands, intentionally destroyed by the dwarves to drive their locathah inhabitants away.
The islands of the archipelago are typically divided into two, Tamikor to the south and Tamikra to the north. These are not singular islands but rather smaller divisions within the archipelago. In general Tamikor is less populated and more rugged, while Tamikra has more inhabitants and is somewhat, relatively speaking, more hospitable to travel and the construction of cities. Both clusters of islands are the site of many volcanoes, dormant and active alike.
Far to the northeast of Tamikra lies the Lighthouse, one of the most active volcanoes of the entire Wounds.
The Grievous Islands are roughly 2000 miles south of the Protectors, 1600 miles north of the Angry Kings, 1500 miles northeast of the Wisps, and 3000 miles southwest of Ha-Rase-Metu.
Inhabitants
The Grievous Islands are, partially by virtue of their size, the most populated archipelago of the Wounds, though nearly all of their inhabitants are the Taruhmite dwarves.
Notable settlements on the Grievous Islands include the following: