Isle of Terror

The dramatically named Isle of Terror is located in the middle of Lake Encarthan in central Avistan. In ancient times, it was known as Inteper Isle before it was conquered and renamed by the wizard-king Tar-Baphon, whose headquarters are in the underground city of Xin-Grafar (formerly Kestrillon).

History

Inteper Isle was first settled in -40 AR by Kellids from Druma seeking to escape famine and rule under the dwarves of Tar Taargadth. Under the rule of charismatic leaders and the Speakers of the Pale, by -3 AR, the various fishing villages on Inteper Isle united into a kingdom with its capital at the city of Kestrillon. 

Kestrillon later became the refuge of the Golden Solidarity, a fringe sect of the Prophecies of Kalistrade. Their wealth attracted the attention of Tar-Baphon, who, invaded Inteper Isle with an undead army, slaughtered Kestrillon's people, turned them into undead, and renamed Kestrillon to Xin-Grafar, after the Thassilonian style.

In recent years, the isle was racked by continuous storms (natural and otherwise) and was evaded by all but the most foolhardy of travelers. Monsters and undead roamed the island and the seas churned constantly around it, driven by powerful winds and pounding rain. Stories persisted of especially brave or foolhardy pirates who braved the elements and the Isle of Terror's shore in order to hurriedly hide treasure somewhere on the land before quickly escaping. Some sailors reported sightings of a rotten ship with tattered black sails, the Nixie's Pride, near the blighted island during a new moon.

The Isle of Terror's rocky shore provided few berths for ships to land. Perhaps the safest place to make landing was on the west coast in a small half-moon bay known as Aroden's Landing. This is the site of the ruins of Fort Landing, which stand at the mouth of the Whispering River and mark the road to Xin-Grafar, although only a fool would have considered any location truly safe. The Whispering River flows from the Three Furies at the island's heart, under which are the Wizard-King's Pit and the Well of Sorrows.

Current status

Since Tar-Baphon's return, storms of Void energy constantly roil around the Isle of Terror, and many of his most powerful undead lieutenants have followed him, serving in his courts and aiding in his plots to eradicate the living. Flying and swimming undead can be found as far as the settlements on the coast of Lake Encarthan.

Entire sections of the Isle of Terror sometimes become overwhelmed by energies from the Void, due to the thinness of the barrier between planes. During these periods, creatures from the Void can slip into the Isle of Terror and enter Tar-Baphon's service. Affected areas might take decades to recover.

Not all of the Isle of Terror's inhabitants are beholden to Tar-Baphon: the animals warped by Void energy (most commonly terror wolves) are a threat to everyone, as are the living trees in the Shadow's Heart. Karamorros, now a ravener, still hides on the island, having been forced into hiding after a hasty attack on the newly returned Whispering Tyrant2. Other unnatural creatures roam the island, such as evil shadow demons and various unconfirmed reports of other creatures comfortable with Void energy, such as Caligni, persist.