Sindu Isles (Country)

The Sindu Isles is the new home of the once-wandering halfling people. The Isles are a volcanic tropical island chain, which is covered mostly by rainforests and jungles and located within the Canopus Gulf. The Sindu Isles were formed by volcanic activity initiated at an undersea magma source called the Fellspring. The process is continuing to build islands and mountains; the tectonic plate beneath much of the Canopus Gulf continually moves, slowly creating new volcanoes. The Sindu Isles' climate is typical for the tropics, although temperatures and humidity tend to be less extreme because of near-constant trade winds from the east. Three main islands comprise the Isles, ascending in size towards the east: Esme, Vov, Dawith. The halfling capital is the coastal town of Fleightwood on the island of Vov, where the overwhelming majority of Sindu halflings reside. For millennia, halflings were nomadic people on the continent of Korrugat, making brief settlements in Volsung city slums. In Volsung, they were the most numerous minority, representing almost 5% of the population. After King Faenril's dwarf supremacy-driven genocide in 1960 AL, the Tempering, the halfling people were decimated. By the time Axiphosi and Ayahn combined forces had put an end to the mad king, halflings had reduced to less than 2,000. To facilitate their people's recovery, the nation of Ayah granted halflings the Sindu Isles, a previously uninhabited group of islands off of their coast.

In spite of their history of adversity, halflings have flourished on the Isles. Most halflings didn't recognize the claims of kings or nobles as sovereign rulers but instead looked primarily to their family elders to guide them. This focus on bloodlines enabled halfling traditions to continue for millennia relatively intact. The Sindu Isles are governed by the family heads of 22 these ancient bloodlines, known as the Tarot, who meet in Fleightwood during yearly legislative conventions. Halfling culture had a fondness for stories and legends and was rich in the oral tradition. So much care was put into the retelling of traditional stories and their preservation that halflings often unwittingly had access to lore about ancient and long-gone cultures or empires that others had long since forgotten about.

Game Master's Notes
The Sindu Isles and halfling culture are based on a variety of real-world cultures, including the Caribbean, Romani, Jewish, and American Amish peoples.