JohnB's Games

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====== Finaroka ======

 The whole island chain is claimed by The Finaroka Company. It is a small chain of volcanic island (which may still have the occasional eruption) - most of the islands have a central peak, with forested slopes, and a very fertile coastal area. The weather is warm to hot, and rains from the mountain run down to give an almost continuous growing season around the coasts. , some plants can be harvested year round, many others have two growing seasons per year. However, it is patchy, and the fertile coastal areas interspersed with barren stretches, often made of volcanic rock. While many of those have 'bad land' plants growing on them, they provide a cheap source of building material - although there are still the normal 'bad land' denizens and hazards to deal with.

The Governor has her capital, Finaroka Town, on the one cleared island, which also boasts several small agricultural villages. None of the other islands have been cleared properly, and are unoccupied. 

===== Main Island =====

One of the largest islands in the chain, also known as Finaroka Island, is the only island that has been cleared.  Like most other islands in the chain, it has a large, steep sided, ++mountain|(an extinct Volcano)]]++ at its heart, rocky and almost bare at the peak, with forests growing across the lower slopes.  The coastal margin is wide and fertile, although cut by dessert like, lava flows, where nothing will grow, and large gullies, that occasionally fill with rainwater cascading down the mountainside after a storm.  The ++weather can be seen as unusual|(it is just weather patterns - not a warning from the, presumed extinct, volcano)++, The mountain peak is often covered in snow, and it can be freezing on the mountain, but bright sunshine on the coast.

Agriculture is concentrated in the coastal margin, where cereals, fruits, vegetables and sugar cane are grown.  The Sugar cane is used to make ++Pinga Rum|(a white rum made from cane syrup)++ and ++Basi Wine|(Cane Syrup fermented with fruit and spices)++, while Prickly Pear, Dates and Almonds (grown in the slightly higher, drier ground) are found wild and have been cultivated.  Vegetables include sweet potato, as well as pears, beans and onions.

While the island has been cleared, that doesn't make it completely safe. There are wild animals living on the mountain slopes, that are occasionally found picking their way across lava (and cultivated) fields, and are probably more common in uncultivated coastal areas.  The mountain slopes are home to wolves and other creatures, and there are probably tribes of humanoids living up there somewhere.  However, they have (probably) learned not to attack human settlements.

==== Finaroka Town ====


[[finaroka_town|Finaroka Town]]

==== Other Settlements ====

There are three other settlements on the island, all with an agricultural focus.  All within a few miles of Finaroka Town, and their locations chosen carefully, to reduce the chances of raids and incursions

=== Twisted Pines ===

{{ :consolidated:finaroka:twisted_pines.png?100|}}Set on a peninsula, a few miles from town, Twisted Pines has hills and high cliffs, topped with the eponymous pine trees, around much of its coast, with a small fertile bay that is suitable for farming. One of the earliest farming settlements, it started growing cereal crops, mainly maize.

Since Borak Salal, a settler from the Razardi islands, took the farm over, it has diversified to include sugar cane.  The sugar cane is used to make the ++Pinga Rum|(a white rum made from cane syrup)++ and ++Basi Wine|(Cane Syrup fermented with fruit and spices)++ that are the stables of Finaroka taverns.  At the momnent he produces a fairly rough white rum but hopes, in a few year's time, that he will be able to produce a premium, aged, run that will do well in the export market. 
=== Wolf Valley ===

{{ :consolidated:finaroka:wolf_valley.png?100|}}Two old lava flows cut off this valley from the surrounding land, and while it is accessible overland, it is much easier to travel by boat.   It was named after the pack of wolves that dominated the valley, before the settlers came.  Wolf Valley has a few vegetable fields and a small orchard, but mainly concerned with animal husbandry.  Small flock of sheep roam the peninsula while cows are grazed locally, to feed on the better quality vegetation, and goats are tethered close to home, to be available for daily milking.  The village is built inside the stockade that was built during the wolf clearances, and houses a mix of shepherds and small-scale gardeners.  They produce a soft cheese and eggs, with wool and fresh meat, in season.


=== Crooked Creek ===

The most recent settlement, in a wide valley, with a shallow winding creek running down the middle of it.  However, after bad storms in the mountains, the bottom of the valley become a raging torrent (for a few days) before subsiding back to its normal levels.  One section of valley cliff was found to contain cave houses, created by earlier residents, and these have been refurbished to make homes for  half-a-dozen independent small holders.  They now keep a few chickens and goats, while they develop smallholding based on the local fauna.  Prickly pear and date palms form the core of the holding, while sweet potatoes for the staple diet.  However, these smallholders are tough, and they hunt and forage along the valley, when the creek isn't in flood, and can defend themselves from wild animal incursions.   They take home-cured shins and furs to market in Finaroka Town on a regular basis.
===== Other Islands =====