Far Isle

Amber is on a sphere in a universe where there is no other sentient life beyond that on the Planet of Amber, also called the Planet Kolvir by some. Amber, Rebma, Tyalece, and Acadia are all in the northern hemisphere.. Far Isle is as far from Amber as its possible to get, nearly opposite it on the planet in the Southern Hemisphere.

This series of islands, rock outcrops, sand bars, coral reefs and sunken ships is sparsely inhabited mostly by small communities of mostly retired sailors.

The climate is sub-tropical with warm daytime breezes and cool nightly breezes. Occasionally humid, but normally comfortable.

History

• Pirate Haven. The Far Isles were a refuge for pirates from the earliest days of the shipping of Amber. As ships from shadow came in to Amber they were easy prey to hardy wide ranging scalawags. Oberon had his sons set down the shadowtugs to create shipping lines that were far enough from the Far Isles to make it an impractical refuge for pirates.

• Religious Retreat-The Conclave of the Unicorn: After most of the Pirates of the south seas had sailed out into shadow a small group of Unicorn Devotees landed on the central Isle where a pirate town once stood. They constructed a collection of stone buildings and established a small religious community with a Monastery and a convent. They transplanted a large collection of fruit frees and seeded many of the other isles. The existence of orange, lime, grapefruit and other fruit trees come from this time.

After a two year project of construction completed, Queen Harla arrived and took up permanent residence. She lived here for 10 years. During this time the religious community in Amber sent their most devout to the reside here. It famously is a place where the Unicorn of Amber is often seen.

• Naval Base & Sailors Home. In the centuries since the establishment of the Conclave of the Unicorn the Navy established a base here and does extensive naval training i the south seas.

In time sailors of the Navy of Amber, and many of the Golden Circle, retired to various places among the hundreds of small islands. There are small villages, hamlets, plantations, and lone huts spread out across the many islands.

Over the years another element of the community of sailors in Amber and Shadow have come to retire here. Prostitutes and courtesans who failed to save subsistence during their lives often join old friends, sailors in their declining years. They often find the easy living and plentiful food and drink as relaxing retreat. Sometimes they grow young again.

• Prince Caine and Prince Gerard built a fine residence with deep water docks for their trips here. On their Isle are a number of other smallish resident for notable former naval officers.

Local Commerce

The retired sailors and their children and grandchildren have lived here for centuries now. The population is small still considering the longevity of its residents. While the Aging in Amber effects those here most of the sailors that retire here intend to die. However, some get involved in local commerce and it makes them grow young.

Commerce in the Far Isles consists of small household industries such as weaving, carving, and painting. Commerce in food is brisk; nuts, bananas, coconuts, fruits, and vegetables.

The Far Isles have a type of wild pig that is gleefully hunted by the retired sailors. Fishing is a common practice both recreationally and in small ships commercially. Lobster and crab are plentiful in waters around the isles. The beaches are rich in clams, the waters rich in shellfish and abalone.

There are is a lot of alcohol production, as one might guess. Fruit wines, Honey wines and meads, cordials, as well as a wide variety of local mixes.

While not technically isolated from the rest of Amber there is little trade out of the Far Isles.