Playable: Yes

Basic Information

Etymology of Name

• Tír an Aigéan  is Llenarian for Land of the Ocean.

Other Names

• Land of the Ocean
• Land of the Sea Peoples
• Sea Land
• Oceania

At a Glance

Tír an Aigéan  is an island to the west of the mainland of Cailleach. It is the homeland of the Gwerin y Môr, the Sea People. The Gwerin are Sídhe and their allegiance is to the Danu of Tír Ceilte. 

Frame of Reference

In the real world, the Sea Peoples of the Sídhe would be as well-known and respected as explorers and masters of the sea as the Greeks, Minoans, or Vikings (without the rape, pillage, and plunder mentality). It is a place of free trade with vast fish markets, etc.

Geography & Geology

Size & Location

• Land Area: 12,400 sq. miles
• Coastline: 2,113 miles.
• Length: 286 miles
• Width: 62.13 miles
• Aedithas Mountains: 17,518.61 sq. miles

Tír an Aigéan  is located to the south of Tír Ceilte (Bassilith) and to the west of the Kingdom of Brydd. It is separated from Brydd by Braebon Inlet, the Kraken Strait, and the southern area of the Deepwater Rush. The Kraken Strait is the narrowest of the waterways that separates Tír an Aigéan from Brydd.

The Aedithas mountain range runs down the center of the island and is still volcanically active. There are a few high alpine valleys that have a few Sídhe living in them, but the majority of the Gwerin choose to live on or near the coasts.

Climate

The climate of Tír an Aigéan  is the mildest in western Cailleach. Temperatures on the coast, even in deep winter, rarely gets below freezing except in the higher elevations of the Aedithas Mountains. Even during the long, harsh winters when the rings are dimmest, the winters remain milder than in other regions of the continent.

The southeastern part of the island notably has a warm-summer climate that allows for growing grapes, olives, and lemons as well as other citrus fruits. 

The rain shadow effect of the island's mountains, as well as the mountains of Tír Ceilte, creates wide variation in precipitation. The west coast is considerably wetter than the east coast. Average annual precipitation ranges from 262 inches west coast 23.9 inches at some of the eastern locations.

Terrain

The island’s terrain ranges from a narrow coastal plain up through steep foothills to towering, rugged volcanic mountains. The foothills and mountains slopes are heavily forested. There are a few regions of arable land for farming, but the Gwerin import a great deal of their meat and vegetables with the exception of poultry and fish.

Geology

Tír an Aigéan is still geologically active with several volcanoes that, fortunately, erupt infrequently. However, the ashfall provides a natural renewal to the island’s soil. It also experiences frequent, low magnitude earthquakes. Generally, these do not cause other hazards such as tsunamis. There are subduction faults off the west coast that have caused significant tsunamis in the past and will again in the future.

Population Information

Overview

Total Population: 100,000 +/-

The major population centers of Tír an Aigean are located along the coasts. There is one siege in the mountains with a small population of dragons and Morrighan. 

Population Centers

Irenhil: Largest and deepest seaport located on the Gwydir Peninsula at the southern tip of the island.

Westreaches Siege: This is one of the smaller sieges on Aereth and is located on Tír an Aigéan strictly for defensive purposes.

Common Races/Species

• Gwerin y Môr / Sídhe: 95%
• Ddraig, Drakeri: 1%
• Murians: 4%

Governance and Livelihood

The Gwerin y Môr are a true egalitarian society in many ways. Their social structure is based on the ranks held by their citizens in their vast trading fleet. Basically, the larger the fleet a captain commands, the higher their social rank on land.

Organization

• Fleet Captain (Flt. Captain): Owns more than 5 ships and has at least 20 vessels whose captains sail under his or her banner.
• Captains: Either own and command a single vessel or commands a vessel belonging to a Flt. Captain.
• Ship Ranks: The remaining ship's positions carry the same influence on land as they do at sea.

Most Gwerin y Môr strive to serve aboard a ship where they can work their way up through the ranks to Captain or Flt. Captain.

Merchants and Traders

• Contracts with Flt. Captains or one of the independent captains to ferry their trade goods to and from specific ports and regions.
• Like the fleet personnel, the merchants and traders can work their way up from being clerks to overseers and, eventually, owning their own "shop".
• The wealthier Fish Merchants have contracts with the fishing fleets.

Things to Know

Historic Events

• Date TBD: The Gwerin y Môr relocated to the more favorable island of Tír an Aigéan  from Tír Ceilte.

How to Play

• Read the Sídhe document. The Gwerin y Môr are natural seafarers.
• The majority of the population, with the exception of the Morrighan, make their living from the sea: fishing, shell fishing, shipbuilding and repair, shipping, exploring.
• Llŷr: The primary god of Tír an Aigéan; name suggests that he is a personification of the sea, rather than a distinct deity.
  
• Morality: While not downright scallywags or pirates, the Gwerin are not above a little black market adventuring.

Glossary

• See the Sídhe document.