Editing Gloria-Etalia (section)

== West Sea ==
=== Grand Mollusk Reef ===
They are giant clam like creatures that eat sand and minerals. The orifice on the top submerges occasionally to take in water. Their crust slowly sheds away due to erosion and currents, leaving a rather stiff mineral behind. They are around like 70 meters tall. They can't be gargantuan but the water supports the weight. 
They were created by Gloria-Etalia to help clean up the radiation on the planet and keep the atmosphere clean. 
They are sentient, but prefer to pretend the other races don’t exist by ignoring them.

=== Minor Mollusk Reef ===

====The Mollusc Stragglers====

=====Nation=====
A small group of people who have been stranded on the minor mollusks.

=====Culture=====
The stragglers are a mixture of every people who have set sail and sailed next to minor molluscoid reef. Although very little of their original culture remains. Their life is relatively easy, as sustenance is provided by their living island in some form or another. This leaves them with plenty of time for philosophical pondering or making war on other islanders or Black sand kingdom pirates who stray too close.

=====Religion=====
The farmed position of humans living upon their host-islands gives them the overabudance of free time to develope different sorts of belief systems to explain their current position. This, coupled with the complete indifference and silence of their island hosts means that none of these ideas actually represent the wishes of the molluscs accurately. These groups are called Straggler-cults.

======The singers======
The molluscs are a promised land of plenty, and it's a duty to invite others to live upon them as well. The singers try to attract passing ships upon the isles as well as they can, wether by playing the role of shipwrecked in need of help, or denizens of a paradiselike isle. They usually implode rather quickly if they are successiful, as the island gets too crowded.

======Deathlies======
In most cases, the mutated molluscs absorb the corpses of those who die on them in hopes of accumualting enough biomass to grow, and some denizens take it upon as a sign that the island can be fed, and that this feeding is their purpose there. In cases where they don't simply kill themselves, they raid other mollusc isles that stray too near to theirs, or try to lure new sacrifices in the same way as singers.

======Believers======
Simply put, some see molluscs as gods, and try to futilely discern their will. The believers try to interept the will of their island by interepting anything that happen as omen. They usually slowly shift to other types of cults as consensus upon the will of their island forms.

======Eaters======
Some stragglers see themselves as prisoners, and seek out to kill their island. This would normally be quite futile attempt, but most molluscs taht actively hunt for stragglers to repair them are usually mutated to the point where their shells may have weakpoints that can be taken advantage of by shipwrecked who have salvaged a sharp object or two. Only a few of them can transition to the point where they can skip islands after destroying their own.

======Shipwrecked======
Most often recent arrivals, who believe the loss of their ship to be an accident. They try to lure other ships near them as singers do, but in hopes of being spirited away from their unnerving new home. After all they know where the shoals that sunk them are and can surely guide other ships to land safely.

======Escapees======
Ones who try to accumulate enough woodstuff to build crude ships and escape away from the reef. Most often they manage to only change their islands.

======Players======
A small subset of people whose ship had a well-cartographied map of the continent. They believe that they can influence the happenings of the wide world by playing different sorts of games with the aid of this map.

======The Royalty======
It's not uncommon that recently shipwrecked decide to stay on island, and emulate the country they were originally from. There are multiple doges, kings and at least one celestial emperor within reef, although none of them command many subjects.

======Growers======
Are those who assume that they molluscs want to take over the continent. they usually try to decipher the workings of molluscoid life, in order to successifully replicate it so that the minor mollusc reef could cover the whole southern seabed. none know if they are actually successiful in their attempts. Some of them also try to escape the reef with pieces of mollusc shell or some other parts, with the intent of planting those "seeds" somewhere.

Of course this is all without mentioning of molluscs that simply automaticly consume all life that sets their foot upon them, or the ones that have remained relatively unmutated and try to function as normal despite the horde of stragglers crawling on them, or the islands that seem to be moving towards only one direction.

The life of stragglers is often short, and miserable: despite the edible overabudance provided, the molluscs are compeltly barren and leave their denizens vulbernable to harsh weather and sudden death in case the mollusc submerges.

=====Organization=====
The basic unit of straggler society is a single molluscoid. Usually one molluscoid is inhabited by uniform group of straggelrs who live off it as parasites, and in some rare cases, as symbiots. Geenrally, the molluscoid sustains the stragglers even when tehy don't provide anyhting for it in vain hope that their children will invent a way to improve their size. This coupled with molluscoids inability to communicate with short-lived beings due to not understanding actual language and living on different timescale, usually leaves the stragglers to live in permanent state of confusion.

=====Origin=====
Unlike their northern major cousins, the minor molluscoids were faced with struggling weather conditions that prevented their growth. At some point in time, unknowable to short-lived history, some molluscs started to lure passing short-lived ones onto them in hopes they could form symbiotic bond which would allow molluscs to grow into the height that was spesified onto them upon their creation. Initial attempts were simple noise-based lures, such as beautiful melodies. Later some molluscs tried to cover their shells with shiny materials that evoked the glow of gold. at some point, molluscs mutated enough so they could move very slowly. If any ships would divert their course towards the suddenly appeared unmapped islands, they would be breached by spiked mollusc shells below the water surface, leaving the seafarers stranded. In time, this population started to grow, as molluscs could provide them with edible material either by becoming their food, or creating habitats for fish and other maritime animals on the underwater parts of their shell.

=====Diplomacy=====
They do not offically exist, as all who come within the reach of minor molluscoid reef usually join stragglers when a stealthy molluscoid sinks their ship. There are of course exceptions, and they will be described in next post

=====Geography=====
The minor molluscoids do not appear as intimidating as their major cousins in north. Fro mfar away, they appear as slightly crooked or funny-looking islands. Islands that are conmpiciously unmapped. And if some ship were to observe them for weeks, they would see that they move, albeit very slowly.

=====Economy=====
The mollusc-island feeds all stragglers above it, and in some cases, the stragglers feed the mollusc. This leaves all trade to be made with items seized from sunk ships. And of couse, the sunk ships themselves - there is no wood or clothing to be found on molluscs. Making the husks of ships and their sails the most valuable commodity of all on the islands.


=== Counsil of Pirates ===
Once home to a terrible tribal kingdom that was wiped out from a plague, the black sand islands are now a den of pirates, mercenaries, adventurers, unscrupulous merchants and other opportunists from across the continent. 
Their ships are made to sail in the shallow, rocky, and turbulent waters of the islands. They are fast, nimble yet are enduring and can reach every part of the continent and even sail up some rivers. They're protected from outside invasion because of shallow waters, dangerous coral reefs, and deadly storms. Only areas near the coast are inhabited since most of the islands are covered by dense jungle, with monstrous plants and strange beasts living in the forest. The ruins of the old Black Sand kingdom lie in this dense and dangerous land, and adventures sometimes brave the jungle to find the treasure of a lost nation and a twisted god.

===== Government =====
While lawless, the nation isn’t uncivilized with many unwritten codes borrowed from maritime nations. Gangs, communities, and merchant guilds that look out for one another and keep the peace. The Council of Pirates are made up of leaders and representatives of these groups. Infighting is uncommon, as everybody knows that greater rewards are to be had stealing from forgien ships and selling those goods back. You can walk around most settlements with little worry, although it's definitely a den of crime so carry a weapon anyway.

===== History =====
	<big>The Black Sand Kingdom</big>
	The black sand islands were originally made up of small tribes that lived in the jungle and on the beaches. However one day a tribe rose up in prominence, and told the other nations that they had been given a message by a local god called Mokla Ka-li, who said that the tribes must unite and bring him souls from across the sea in exchange for some of his powers. They then demonstrated these new powers to the tribes, and soon enough they joined up and formed the Kaleen tribe. They then created durable and powerful ships to reach this supposed mainland, and sailed off. The first expedition met strange people, with strange tongues and strange objects. The captains prayed to Mokla Ka-li for guidance, and he replied that they should take the foreigners back and offer their bodies to him. They did so using his magic, and when Mokla Ka-li took the bodies, strange stonework began the form out of the jungle. He said to bring him more, and they would be rewarded. They did so, and soon became a menace to all that they came across. From Westrasi to the tips of the merchant empire they sailed and stole treasure and lives. With each soul that Mokla Ka-li consumed, his practitioners became more powerful. None could stand in their way. Cities formed in the deep jungle, where festivals were held and treasure was stored. Every native on the island had the wealth of a king. Their ships were infused with power and blessed to go farther and faster. None were ever hungry. It was a paradise. This however, painfully ended. The raiders were going father and father out for human prey, and in doing so brought back humans from the tribe lands across the sea. These people carried a strange sickness with them however, and on the journey back the ship’s crew started to die. When they finally arrived in port, the ship was being run by a skeleton crew of half dead men. They were quickly rushed to the voodoo doctors to get healed up, and because no one ever stayed sick for very long under Mokla Ka-li’s power they were frequently visited by friends and family. However they did not get better, and more and more people started to get sick. Those people died, and soon there weren't enough people to go out and gather more souls for Mokla Ka-li. When he stopped receiving power, Mokla Ka-li stopped giving his protection. When this happened, no one was spared from the plague. When the dust settled there were only a tiny fraction of survivors left. The Black Sand Kingdom has fallen.
	<big>The Council of Pirates</big>
	Years after the fall of the black sand kingdom pirates started to come to the island. At first as a temporary safe haven to hide from the aggressive well armed merchant ships that now had a lot of free time to hunt pirates now that their ships were not being preyed upon by terrifying forgeners. However as word spread and more and more pirates came to the shores, its true potential was realised.  The survivors of the epidemic were in no place to put up a fight as pirates took over the now empty homes and took the kingdoms' war vessels to sail the waters easier. The remaining leaders did however force the most powerful pirate captains to agree to rule the islands as a council with some laws, under the threat of taking the remaining natives into the jungle and becoming a massive thorn in their side until one side or the other was completely whipped out. They agreed, and the council was born. Soon others began to arrive on the shores as well. Political exiles, smuggling merchants, and others began to settle on the shores, and the council slowly grew and grew to accommodate more groups. 


=== The Most Devout Followers of Quilio-Fil'zón ===

This could use some cleaning up!

Races: 85% Merfolk, 15% Merfolk Pureblood
Government: Theocracy
Capitol: His Blessed City

==== Nation ====
Deep under the wakes, their lies an undersea empire. Merfolk, living under the rule of their god Quilth-Fil'zón. 
==== Culture ====
The merfolk  follow the commandments from Quilth-Fil'zón to the letter. For example, one of them is THOU SHALT NOT HURT THY FELLOW BELIEVER and because of this no one hurts or kills any other merfolk, emotionally or physically. Ever. However most of his other commandments are along the lines of WORSHIP ME, GATHER POWER FOR ME, EXPAND MY DOMAIN, etc. So they are really not nice to anyone else. They truly believe themselves to be good however, and dress and act like the nicest nuns you'll ever meet. While they sink your ship when you get to close to their waters, that is.
==== History ====
===== Origin =====
As the meteor struck the world, volcanic activity rocked the planet. Islands formed in the north west from the violent tectonic activity while the ocean floor split open. The blast from the reactor explosion sent an immense amount of radioactive material into the atmosphere and launched massive boulders of irradiated rock across the world. The largest of them sank into the crevice, damaging reality as it sank deeper into the oceanic abyss.

Generations later colonists new to the islands would suffer great and terrible visions. After numerous unsolved murders and disappearances the people would flee back to the mainland. Years later yet another attempt at colonization would be made by people from lands unfamiliar with the islands. These people suffered from similar visions, building in intensity until one woman began to sing by the seashore. Merfolk rose from the ocean and joined her in singing. The visions became prophetic rather than horrific. The people organized choirs to sing to the ocean and the choirs became the basis of the island's religious worship. Visitors to the islands are ordered to remain on their ships at night or in areas relegated for visitors. The people themselves have taken on exotic yet beautiful features, almond shaped eyes with golden irises and tall slim builds. Elders who begin to hear singing at all hours swim out to sea never to be seen again. Piracy is extremely uncommon in the region and many who sail across these waters tell tales of sea serpents, sirens and strange lights under the waters at night, like the ocean reflects stars that don't match the skies. Storms that rise in the region are especially vicious and many ships are lost within them. The islands are an abundant source of many gemstones though so many brave the dangers of the voyage for the promise of great wealth. The few survivors of these wrecks tell tales of a great iridescent city beneath the waves and strange fish creatures that attack them on sight and drag them down into the waves.