Tian Islands

The Isles of Exile, Grace, and Whispered Beauty

Overview and Identity

Floating like a spray of scattered jade across the Tian Sea, the Tian Islands form a continent in name, though they are made of seven large islands, each said to honor one of The Mothers—and 1,313 smaller ones, with precisely 101 dedicated to each of The Fathers. According to the Scribes and Sages who know of such things, the number and formation of the islands are not natural at all, but rather the product of divine artistry laid across the waves at the dawn of the Second Age.

The people of the Tian Islands are descended from Humans exiled from Ooloo in the First Millennium, cast out by Hooloo the Lion after one among them, Onas Brushstroke, attempted to slay the great guardian under tragic misunderstanding. It is said Onas believed Hooloo threatened the life of Siberlee, the Mother of Nature and all that is good, not knowing he had been tricked by The Fathers into the attack. The exile that followed created a people both proud and poised, shaped by sorrow but not defined by it.

Today, Tian Island Humans are noted across Mernac for their discipline, beauty, and enigmatic traditions. Smaller in stature, with skin in hues of honey, amber, or deep brown, and hair and eyes always dark, they are a people as resilient as the volcanic stone that forms many of their isles. Their culture is rooted in a balance between land and sea, ritual and spontaneity, silence and song.

Perhaps nothing captures the mystique of the Tian Islands more than the Samerzee, a class of elite entertainers and diplomats who blend beauty, art, and seduction with subtlety and influence. Every true Samerzee must complete their training on the islands, for only here do the proper schools, philosophies, and spirit-lineages still endure.

Though seemingly peaceful, the Tian Islands are far from passive. Beneath the surface lies a continent of secrets, allegiances, and sacred oaths older than any crown. Many have sailed here seeking trade, conquest, or pleasure. Few have returned unchanged.

Geography and Regions

Despite their fragmentary layout, the Tian Islands are united in spirit and connected by complex trade routes, cultural rites, and divine geography. Each of the seven large islands represents one of The Mothers, and though political lines vary, every island maintains its sacred role.

Iyono (Island of Witriss, Mother of Virtue and Strength, Matriarch of the Dwarves): Mountainous and forested, known for stone-working and shrine building
Fyoto (Island of Kala, Mother of Love and Desire, Matriarch of the Merfolk): The warmest and most vibrant, home to the first Samerzee temple
Nulmae (Island of Terees, Mother of Wisdom and Harmony, Matriarch of the Murmil): Quiet and scholarly, often shrouded in mist
Kirana (Island of Dulan, Mother of Healing and Compassion, Matriarch of the Furs): Fertile, with wide river deltas and lotus fields
Semaka (Island of Kanola, Mother of Music and Dance, Matriarch of the Faeries): Coldest of the seven, rich in iron and sea-carved caves
Tavvra (Island of Sola, Mother of Life and Light, Matriarch of the Elven Races): Jungle-covered and radiant with natural luminescence
Yeshura (Island of Siberlee, Mother of Nature and all that is good, Matriarch of Man): Barren and volcanic, home to fire dancers and storm cults

The 1,313 smaller islands are loosely grouped into districts called Petals, each often governed by a priesthood or noble house. Many are uninhabited, or occupied only by hermits, ghosts, or ruins. Travelers speak of islands that vanish in the mist, or emerge only when the moons of Mernac both vanish from the sky.

Common regional features include:

Coral Shelf Cities: Built atop reef platforms, often blending stone and bioluminescent plant life
Sea-step Temples: Open-air sanctuaries that rise from the surf at low tide
Black Sand Shoals: Formed from volcanic stone, said to hold the voices of the dead
Banyan Ring Groves: Sacred sites for Moon and Samerzee rituals, where the trees grow in perfect circles

The Tian climate is warm and humid, tempered by ocean winds and monsoon cycles. Hurricanes are rare but intense. Tidal patterns are closely tracked and integrated into everything from agriculture to spiritual ceremony.

Settlements and Political Powers

Though each island maintains its local governance, the Tian Islands operate under a loose Confederation of Petals, where the ruling council is composed of delegates from the major islands and key Samerzee temples. Power is based as much on reputation, age, and artistic merit as on military strength or wealth.

Fyoto (Island of Kala)

Known as the heart of beauty and diplomacy, Fyoto Isle is home to the Grand Temple of the First Samerzee. Its capital, Zuunkara, is a city of lantern-lit bridges and whispering gardens, where masks are worn not for deception, but as expressions of inner truth. Fyoto holds cultural authority across the archipelago, and many of its Samerzee become key influencers in other kingdoms. The isle also houses the Council of Vordis, responsible for preparing rites during the double-moon waning.

Iyono (Island of Witriss)

Austere and mountainous, Iyono is famed for its master carvers, silent monks, and the Shrine of Ga’s Hand, a natural stone arch said to be blessed by the goddess herself. The capital, Tanvosh, sits on stone terraces surrounded by eagle winds and sacred goats. Though not as flashy as Fyoto, Iyono commands deep spiritual respect and serves as the unofficial voice of tradition.

Kirana (Island of Dulan)

Kirana’s people are farmers, priests, and herbalists, living among wide water-lily fields and terrace gardens. The capital, Lelumu, is built atop floating barges chained together with vine-wrapped silver. Kirana is the breadbasket of the Tian Islands and a key center for healing magic, especially during the Season of Soft Rain, when the goddess Dulan is said to walk in dreams.

Yeshura (Island of Siberlee)

Volcanic and fiercely independent, Yeshura is where the tide-dancers and fire-shapers train. Its capital, Serruun, is carved into the cliffs and accessible only by rope bridges or spirit ferry. Here, The Fathers are venerated more openly than elsewhere in the Tian, though always with careful balance. The island is also rumored to be home to Vordis oracles, born during the last double-moon waning.

Semaka, Tavvra, and Nulmae

These three islands are less urban but no less influential:

Semaka is a haven for musicians, metalsmiths, and stargazers.
Tavvra houses the island’s oldest banyan ring, a sacred Samerzee grove said to be where Hooloo last whispered to the Faeries.
Nulmae is cloaked in fog and renowned for its spiritual scholars, who maintain the Tome of Whispered Motions, a growing record of non-verbal wisdom.

Though the Tian Islands lack a standing army, they do possess a skilled Navy of Silk Blades, fast, elegant ships crewed by spellwrights and dagger-priests. Most conflicts are resolved through ritual duel, song debates, or social maneuvering. When war does come, it is precise, devastating, and brief.

Climate and Natural Cycles

The Tian Islands enjoy a temperate to tropical climate, marked by monsoon winds, misty springs, and long golden summers. Storms sweep through the Tian Sea from the east during the Season of the Shifting Sky, bringing with them not only wind and rain but occasional bioluminescent downpours, known as Mother’s Tears, said to be signs of blessings, or warnings, from The Mothers themselves.

Each major island maintains its own microclimate, influenced by both divine presence and natural rhythms. The eastern isles, particularly Tavvra and Fyoto, are lush and warm year-round. In contrast, Semaka and Iyono grow cool and misty in the twilight months, with sacred fogs called Whisper Veils blanketing temple paths and shrine steps.

Time is measured not only by solar years but also by The Waning Paths, a spiritual calendar based on the waxing and waning of Mernac’s twin moons. Every 73 years, during a rare cycle known as Vordis, both moons vanish entirely from the sky. The Tian Islanders view this as a period of cleansing, rebirth, and divine vulnerability. Sacred oaths must be renewed during Vordis, and no major war may begin until its end.

Seasons are typically referred to as:

The Time of Soft Petals (Spring)
The Time of High Sun (Summer)
The Time of Reflection (Autumn)
The Time of Listening (Winter)

Tide patterns also form a sacred calendar. Entire holidays are organized around the great receding, when sea-step temples become visible, or the wave ascent, when shore altars are temporarily consumed by the sea.

Unique Ecology

The natural world of the Tian Islands is shaped as much by spiritual reverence as it is by biology. Islanders treat the land as a living manuscript, each tree a verse, each creature a word of divine expression. The result is a deeply interwoven ecosystem where both flora and fauna possess spiritual significance, and even mundane life is often approached with ritual care.

Flora:

Moonvine Blossoms: These pale flowers bloom only during certain lunar phases and are used in Samerzee rituals. When consumed as tea, they are said to clarify intent before speech.
Glass Bamboo: A rare plant with crystal-clear stalks that ring in the wind like chimes. Grown mostly on Nulmae and used in ceremonial instruments.
Lantern Moss: Glows softly when touched by saltwater; used to light cliffside paths and sea grottos.
Whisperfruit Trees: Native to Tavvra, they produce sweet, fragrant fruit that only ripens when sung to in the proper melody. Each island has its own “ripening song.”

Fauna:

Silk Koi: Semi-sentient fish believed to carry messages between islands. Each school answers only to one island’s dialect of song.
Cloud Cranes: Massive white birds that nest high in volcanic cliffs and are believed to carry the thoughts of The Mothers to sleeping infants.
Echofoxes: Forest-dwelling mammals whose calls mimic human laughter, sometimes eerily. Considered sacred tricksters.
Nightpetal Moths: Huge, iridescent moths that emerge only during Vordis and are believed to be the temporary vessels of ancestors who have not yet moved on.

Much of the fauna in the smaller islands has never been fully cataloged. Islanders warn of Spiritbound Beasts, creatures that shift form and mind according to nearby human emotion. These are both feared and revered and are never hunted.

Races and Inhabitants

The primary inhabitants of the Tian Islands are a unique subrace of Human, often simply referred to as Tian Folk. Though originally from Ooloo, their culture, physique, and spirituality have evolved into something entirely distinct.

Tian Humans

Slightly smaller than their mainland kin, Tian Folk possess naturally dark hair, deep brown or black eyes, and skin that ranges from warm golden tones to deep bronze. Their mannerisms are refined, and their speech is often poetic. They maintain ancestral reverence, artistic discipline, and deep spiritual awareness. Elders are revered, and silent communication—through gesture, scent, and posture—is nearly as important as spoken word.

They rarely engage in open warfare. Instead, disputes are handled through:

Debate Duels: Poetic or symbolic combat with specific ritual rules.
Mask Trials: Public performance meant to persuade or shame.
Sea Oath Challenges: Where grievances are offered to the tides and settled by fate.

The Samerzee

The most famous caste of the islands, the Samerzee are elite entertainers, diplomats, and courtesans. Trained in everything from dance and music to seduction, philosophy, and infiltration, they operate both in service to nobility and independently as political agents. A true Samerzee must undergo initiation on the islands of Fyoto or Tavvra, learning the Way of the Petal, an evolving code of artful influence and balance.

While often assumed to be concubines or spies, the Samerzee hold powerful cultural and spiritual roles. Some are considered living vessels of The Mothers’ grace. Others serve as war-stoppers, sent into battlefields or courts to soften blades and turn the tide of vengeance into love or laughter.

Dark Faeries

The is a small but signifcant number of Dark Faries in Kyoto who train and often guard new recruits of the Samerzee Order on entertainers Their training is typically in the ways of manipulation and seduction.

Other Inhabitants

Faeries occasionally inhabit remote sacred groves, especially in Tavvra and Semaka, acting as lorekeepers.
Murmil scholars from across Mernac visit Nulmae for philosophical congresses.
Merfolk, aligned with Kala, often surface in ceremonial harbors during lunar festivals, trading dreams for favors.
A few Murmil, Elves, and Dwarves live as exiles, artisans, or spiritual wanderers, but make up a minority.

Though other races are welcome as visitors or guests, no foreigner may own land, lead ritual, or be trained as a Samerzee unless by unanimous approval of the Confederation of Petals.

Myths and Moments

The Exile of Onas Brushstroke

The founding myth of the islands recounts the tragic misstep of Onas, a Human tricked by The Fathers into believing Hooloo would harm Siberlee. His attempt to kill the great lion failed, but it led to the banishment of Humans from Ooloo. That exile birthed the Tian legacy: a culture born of sorrow, tempered into serenity.

The Creation of the Samerzee

The Scribes and Sages who know of such things believe that the concept of the Samerzee was inspired directly by The Fathers, as an act of penance. During the preparations for the first Vordis, the Fathers gifted the idea of supreme emotional and sensory expression to balance the loss they had caused. The word Samerzee itself derives from “Sampy” (supreme beauty) and “Erzee” (giver) in archaic Fyoto dialect.

The Silver Petal Rebellion

Three centuries ago, a coalition of Samerzee overthrew a corrupt confederation lord through coordinated poetic seduction, song, and blackmail. No blade was drawn, yet the entire power structure of the inner isles was altered overnight. The rebellion is still studied today by diplomats across Mernac as the ultimate demonstration of power without violence.

Quont’s Gambit

In an age now obscured by mist and ceremony, the dark Father Quont, who in the Before Mage age transformed into the body of a goddess and became matriarch of the Dark Faeries, sought to wrest control of the Samerzee order from the Mother Kala, matron of Love and Desire.

According to the Scribes and Sages who know of such things, Quont’s desire was not rooted in love, but in possession—to twist beauty into power, and pleasure into dominance. To this end, Quont enacted a bold deception. Under the cover of a double eclipse, the god kidnapped Kala’s beloved sister, the Mother Kanola, Mistress of Music and Dance and matriarch of the Faerie Race.

The ransom was clear and cruel: surrender the Samerzee Order, or Kanola would be lost beyond the reach of even the divine.

Relevance

In modern Mernac, the Tian Islands are regarded as a place of refined neutrality, cultural grace, and dangerous subtlety. Though they rarely make overt plays in global politics, many kingdoms—especially in Cathall and Malroo—send their youth to train in art or diplomacy on the islands.

Their Samerzee agents are coveted by both courts and criminal networks. Rumors persist that several high-ranking figures across Mernac are in fact Tian-trained informants or even full Samerzee operatives. Some whisper that the islands maintain a secret archive: a collection of every whispered truth ever traded in a Samerzee’s ear.

The Tian Islands also serve as a moral compass of sorts. Their culture, though enigmatic, is watched closely by Scribes and Sages, for when the Tian turn from beauty to blades, it often marks a shift in Mernac’s balance.

Quotable Lore

“We were exiled by a roar and reborn by a whisper.”
— Verse 14, The Tome of Listening

“A true Samerzee can silence a warlord with a glance, or start a war with a kiss.”
— Ozu Takar, Master of the Sixth Ring

“Every island is a note. Together, they form a song only the sea knows how to sing.”
— Tian proverb, origin unknown