Province of the Jeweled Witch

The far Western reach of the land is occupied by very strong natural Psionicists, frequently referred to as Witches. Their power is honed and focused by the use of pure crystals and gems, which are found in great numbers anywhere west of the Copper Portal. Mining and refining of ores, gem-cutting, masonry and craftwork are all extremely popular and valuable here. It is often said that the power of a Witch is determined by the fineness of her crown, but that is actually merely an outsider’s view – generally it’s the strength of a Witch’s powers that afford them the higher quality workmanship available. And, obviously, they’re not all women.

The Archipelago of Rubies has a series of narrow islands punctuated by larger ones, and though they’re named for different stones, they don’t actually produce just that item on each isle. Notably however, the Alabaster Wall is known for its white stone. The Silver Sanctum is likewise aptly named, though it’s a little harder to reach the goods since the volcano which created the whole Archipelago is yet simmering deep beneath the surface. The Emerald Citadel is named more because of its stunning evergreen forest than the actual towering citadel which rises above the great mines. Peridot Point has a reputation for its shrewd craftsmen, and it is rumored that the rulers of the Province keep their personal treasures there. The Jade Key produces lovely and practical works, vases and cups are known to fetch a fortune at the Bazaar. Sapphire Spire shows off a remarkable talent for inlay and jewel settings, and some of the best work on diadems and crowns, enhancement jewelry, is done here. Each of the isles does have a name, though the smaller ones aren’t listed in the map above.

Opal Sea is a large bay that is a wonder to behold – at the edge of the Nightglimmer Sea, where billions of bioluminescent creatures swarm and are eaten by whatever can catch them, the water of the Opal Sea is infused with magical light. No ship has ever grounded here (at least by accident) and commerce is carried out day and night, since the waters themselves provide more than enough light to see.

The Shining Desert is more of a scrub plain, but just below the surface of thin dirt are myriad mica formations – from specs of dust to the size of a cathedral. Seen from above, this desert is truly stunning when the sun is overhead.

Peacock’s Pride is the highest point in the area, at 27,939 feet, a colorful cascade of rock faces dominates its western face and thus is named more for its color than any presence of peacocks on the mountain. To the east where the Province ends, is the Copper Portal. This is the widest, largest open Portal on the world, and is quite literally framed in copper mines.

The smaller Crystal Dome is an artificial or heavily-shaped mountain of more moderate size, and is where the greatest city of the Witches rests – not on it, but within, since it is in fact a dome created entirely of dazzling crystals. Terraced roof areas provide fertile land and sunlight filters down through the massive pillars supporting each of the dome’s many levels, as well as through the crystals it’s made from – the light is refracted and bounced through tons of crystals and diffused in every wall. From the outside, at ground level, one cannot see any of these terraces at all – they appear to be merely jagged edges on an otherwise solid crystal face. From above however, it’s all but impossible to see the crystals for all the greenery around it!

The Sun’s Diamond is the smaller of the islands off the coast but is a busy port, since it is closest to Cape Redfair, on the Eastern edge of the land. It has sustained several Dragon attacks, but there are actually a few living on the island as well, helping to defend or defuse any situation with their kind.

On the southern coastline are a series of fjords called the Broken Glass Coast, where fisheries and rugged hunting are popular. While most of the Province is known for its jewelry and gemstones, the furs that come from this area are highly prized around the world.

Obsidian Lookout is the southernmost point of the Jeweled Witch province, and is often used to watch for the fierce dragons who have been known to ravage mines and ore refineries – collecting huge amounts of the valuable items for their own distant hoards.