UNCHARTED

Due to the fearsome heat and vastness of the Jurkoon Desert, there are few folk throughout Karadas who have heard of Valmire. Even fewer have actually seen the place with their own eyes. Its very existence is truly a miracle. Thanks to a rare, underground water source, a small, lush oasis can be found among the endless sand dunes. Nevertheless, the likelihood of ever finding this natural gem is exceedingly remote.

PRINCIPLES

Valmire has a great deal packed into a relatively small area. Its continued existence relies upon two essential elements. The first is a narrow lake at the centre. This water is the lifeblood of the oasis, hydrating the creatures living here and nourishing a thick perimeter wall of rubbery shrubs and sturdy palm trees. This leafy barrier not only keeps the regular sandstorms at bay; it helps Valmire’s confines remain at a manageable temperature. Without either, the oasis would not survive.

EXILES

The micro jungle measures barely half a mile at its widest point and is home to a small clan known as the Taanu. Taanu are distant relatives of the Borini. It was utterly by chance that the Taanu stumbled across Valmire. Like many who are native to the north of the realm, the Taanu abandoned their home at the foot of the Crescent Peaks when Rybas-Kain and his army of Vorath began their uprising.

The Giants’ Wood failed to deliver the safety they craved. Neither did the Heart Mountains. With the enemy hot on their heels, the Taanu preferred to risk their lives crossing the Jurkoon Desert rather than existing as slaves. Only a dozen Taanu now remain at Valmire. The tiny clan count the peace and sanctuary provided by the oasis as a genuine gift. The name Valmire translates to ‘safe place’ in their speech.

CONDITIONS

Daily life for the Taanu is tough and often monotonous. Despite its tranquil surroundings, Valmire can sometimes feel like a prison, with nothing but baking sand and hungry predators for miles around. Any journey away from the oasis is always risky. Over the years, the Taanu have ventured to the Moritano Mountains in search of an alternative place to settle. Generally, food is easy to find. Meals are usually either bird’s eggs or fish, with berries as an occasional treat. The Taanu have constructed sturdy, domed huts for shelter, and even a clay oven to bake bread loaves made from nuts and seeds. Music and dancing are a favourite way to pass the time, but with little space to inhabit, boredom among the Taanu is common.

WILDLIFE

A visitor would discover several lizard species around Valmire, including the six-legged Skittle Back. This incredible, knobbly reptile creates a cocoon below the surface of the lake. It emerges several months later, reborn as a hostile, orange hornet. For a few short days, this winged menace causes havoc, harassing and stinging anything that moves. Eventually, the hornet returns to the water. Another month passes before the transformation is reversed and an infant Skittle Back crawls from the lake to claim a branch high in the jungle canopy. Butterflies, insects, and spiders are abundant; green parrots, macaws, and hummingbirds are also common. The Taanu aside, no other mammals are known to exist at Valmire.