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Map of the Unending Ocean

Map of Zircopian Island

A THUMBNAIL HISTORY

Zircopian is a rather isolated 7,000 square mile island located in the Unending Ocean about halfway between the western coast of Felinio and the eastern edge of the former Ark-Cram continent. It has no near neighbors, and for many thousands of years it was happily ignored by the rest of Drak, a situation that suited it's rather standoffish population just fine. They had little interest in the rest of Drak, and only a few residents trickled out to live elsewhere in the world.

Physically, the island is an oval about 100 miles long and 70 miles wide. A large crater lake occupies the center of the island with two high mountains, one to the north, and the other to the south of the lake. One river drains the lake flowing to the sea in a northwest direction. Surrounding the mountains is a forested, sporadically hilly area, which flattens as it approaches the coast.

The island has had many names in its history, traditionally taking the name of the most powerful tribe of the time. The primary population groups on the island were historically felines, vespers and orcs, however over the centuries, the genetic makeup changed, likely due to the heavy intermarriage. Vespers have almost totally disappeared, except for the occasional genetic throwback, and even in those few cases, the ability to fly has been lost. In the view of visitors, the population consists about evenly of very dark, short, rather fierce-looking felines, and an orc population considered by most to be the most beautiful examples of their race on the planet, tending strongly toward their feline ancestors. Geneticists often point to Zircopian Island as a laboratory that shows how the races can meld into a distinctive regional subgroup.

The Ondegoj intruded upon the solitude of the island. Because the island was not considered to be very welcoming of newcomers, few refugees attempted to settle there, going instead to the western coast of Felinio where there was much open space and opportunity for making a new life. Some orcs and felines from the eastern edges of the dying continent, near what is now Gwyndryth Island, did indeed settle here.

In 2350 PK, Nydaligord, a powerful warrior, united the island for the first time in several thousand years under single leadership. He ruled the island for 60 years, and was succeeded by his equally powerful son, Kor, who had been his most successful warlord. In 3 PO, when the rest of Drak was meeting to ratify the Racial Homelands Treaty, Kor resisted participation, and refused to accept refugees in any way but on a case-by-case basis, a stand that infuriated many other heads of state. Kor was declared to be an outlaw ruler, and much talk surfaced about invading the island. With the flooding, death and destruction already so widespread in the world, though, few had the stomach for war, and Kor had an impressive military for such a small Island. The result of this situation, however, was a long, though informal, trade and contact boycott of Kor (which is what the island was then named). Nobody really wanted to have much to do with them.

Place names on Kor, for the first time in its history, were stabilized, and towns today have names that reflect the immediate family of King Kor and his wife, Faralana the Fair. A word about Faralana. The daughter of Arul Spellcaster, a powerful mage and popular teacher, Faralana was considered the most beautiful orc on Drac, and her charming personality, much due to her father's influence, made her a strong balance against her husband's rough and unyielding rule. She spent her life working to improve the lives of the islanders, and her work was continued by all four of their children, Gwynna, Henrik, Cienna, and Charec. Each of the children inherited a quadrant of the island to rule, and their descendants rule the quadrants today.

In 401, the then 26-year-old trader/explorer, Rand Zircopian, sailed a trading ship into Prince Henrik's Bay with a load of dwarven iron tools and blades. His ship had been warned off, but he needed supplies, and disregarded the warnings. Naval authorities boarded the ship and arrested Zircopian, and he was taken before Henrik Quadrant Prince Uralor, a feline of nearly the same age as Zircopian. The two found much in common, and over several days, became close friends, a relationship that would last until Uralor's death in 453 PO.

Over the years, the Island became a regular stopping place on all of Zircopian's voyages to and from the Unending Ocean and Felinio. Zircopian soon set up an office in Praewyn, which had the deepest, safest harbor on the island. This office later became the Sepdomoj Merchantcy. Zircopian also built an estate near Prince Henrik's Bay which became known for its parties and affairs involving the Henrik and Charec courts.

When Zircopian was lost at sea in 467 PO, there was great mourning in Kor, as he had almost single-handedly modernized the economy of the island over half a century, and had been granted honorary citizenship and status as a national hero. In 470 PO, Kor, which was often unofficially referred to as "Zircopian's Island" officially changed its name to Zircopian Island, an honor initiated by Uralor's daughter and successor, Harata. Zircopian's widow, Gwyndryth al Cales ("Akvo"), who spent some years living on the estate, especially in her older age, was present for the ceremony.

GOVERNMENTS & RULERS

ZIRCOPIAN ISLAND - KINGS AND PRINCES

	- - -
	KINGS
	Nydaligord	Male	Feline	2350 PK	2410 PK	Died
	Kor	Male	Feline	2410 PK	76 PO	Died
	HENRIK QUADRANT - PRINCES
1	Henrik	Male	Orc	76 PO	102 PO	Died
2	Theowyth	Female	Orc	102 PO	147 PO	Died
	- - -
	Uralor	Male	Feline	399 PO	453 PO	Died
	Harata	Female	Feline	453 PO	517 PO	Died
	- - -
	CHAREC QUADRANT - PRINCES
1	Charec	Male	Feline	76 PO	131 PO	Died
2	Adwyr	Male	Feline	131 PO	188 PO	Died
	- - -
	GWYNNA QUADRANT - PRINCES
1	Gwynna	Female	Feline	76 PO	128 PO	Died
2	Banolia	Female	Orc	128 PO	169 PO	Died
	- - -
	CIENNA QUADRANT - PRINCES
1	Cienna	Female	Orc	76 PO	96 PO	Died
2	Caretra	Female	Orc	96 PO	151 PO	Died
	- - -

OTHER FACTS AND STORIES