Exploring the Blacktide Island

[Enigmaniac]

Well, just to make a topic for now, but I intend to give a reasonable description of the island in due time. Any suggestions on things members would like to see (including wildlife etc) are welcome, but it makes my job of fitting it in a whole lot easier if you have some extra background info.

So "Ooh, I'd love to see bunnies!" is nice, but where do they feed if they're loose in the wild? The Sapphire Gardens? Heh, not with our gardener they don't! Well, you get the idea... I was planning on 'importing' a few mythical creatures as well, a few mermaids and perhaps a gargoyle somewhere, but those are still only a few ideas. Check back later, maybe I have had inspiration in the meantime.

[Enigmaniac]

Welcome to the guided tour of the Blacktide Island. Please remain seated at all times, and keep your hands and head inside the vehicle.

We begin our voyage by taking a bird's eye view of the whole island itself. It is roughly shaped in a circle stretching at least 14 miles across, and evidence shows it's an old remnant of a long dead volcano. Approximately half a mile north of the actual centre, a large hill is all that remains of what once spewed forth large amounts of molten rock, and only a shallow crater remains on the top. On the eastern slopes of this hill is a naturally formed mesa that stretches several miles towards the east, and ends in a rather steep cliff of black stone that runs all the way from the eastern half of the island to the northwestern side. It is only interrupted about halfway, where erosion has formed an arc that reaches over 20m above the water below. Another noteworthy landmark is a tall spire, just south of the crater that reaches high up into the sky. It's shape certainly defies the normal laws of creation, but the exact origin of this peak is not known. Rumour has it the eldest residents of this island have some knowledge regarding it, but none have confirmed any of the theories.

The crater, though quite shallow, is now the site of an underground stream that has enough pressure behind it to have caused a small stream to run from the crater, in between the beforementioned spire and the mesa due south, and makes a small curve to the east nearly a mile from the coast. It ends in a tranquil lagune, not far from the docking area. From the lagune itself all the way to the west side of the island is a sandy beach that many of the mediterranean are famous for. This beach is on the edge of the only clear terrain of the island that covers about 30% of the surface. The main complex is situated on the edge of the quite dense forest that streches across the rest of the island and hides most things under a thick layer of leaves and undergrowth.

(note: more details regarding the main complex, the gardens, the arena and the docks will follow later...)

[Enigmaniac]

Okay, time for a bit of a teaser.

I finished with a preliminary map of the blacktides island... it's not completely to my satisfaction, and should anyone feel inspired by it to make a better version, please do not let me stop you. I am currently not in a position to post it yet (the computer it's on doesn't have a good internet connection in the nearby vicinity), though I will try to hurry up with the uploading.

Check back as soon as this topic gets another update, it should be within a few days.

[Enigmaniac]

Yousch, here's a little map to help find your way around the island.

Don't get lost now (gah, that crater sucks... hope someone, anyone can do a better job of it someday... please don't hesitate if you want to do so...)