Falsen is a volcanic island formed in the Brackish Sea. It is relatively isolated and hasn’t had many inhabitants until approximately 350 years ago when Sessid was founded on the western peninsula. Prior to this only the kingdom of Exágono had continuous inhabitants. Despite Exágano mainly being comprised of elven people, the rest of Falsen is a diverse mix of people that have stumbled upon the island over time.
Falsen is a fairly mountainous island with its peak being the remnants of the upper most portion of the now dormant volcano. There is the primary peak to the eastern portion of Mount Outset. This peak is the tallest portion of the island granting a breathtaking view of the island as a whole as well as the lesser islands that can be found off the coast of Falsen. Because of the way the remaining rock juts into the sky it is often called “The Leap of Falsen” or more often just “The Leap” colloquially.
The secondary peak - often nick named “The Fall” as it juxtaposes “The Leap” - is found a bit to the west of the higher peak and north of Lake Nonsal. The lower peak is the result of a landslide due to the collapse of a sinkhole left behind by a cooled magma chamber. This sinkhole quickly filled with rain water resulting in the formation of the Lake Nonsal. This collapse is known as The Great Fall.
It is still not clear what caused the sinkhole to form but it is believed to just be a natural phenomena as the volcano went dormant.
Within Lake Nonsal is Mellifera Island, an island formed mainly of Basalt rock that came from the last of the magma as the island settled into it’s current geography. Due to the Rapid cooling from Lake Nonsal and the cooler climate in Falsen, the basalt cracked into hexagonal structures resembling a bee hive. These types of structures are thought to be the birthplace of bees and a gift from Aristaeus (diety).
Falsen experiences a fair amount of rain with most of it falling in the coastal regions and to the southwestern end of the island. Mount Outset creates a rain shadow on the north eastern side of the island which is also closer to the continent Loam.
Falsen’s coastal nature results in mild winters as well as mild summers. For the most part the summers are dry and clear with the remaining seasons being a mix of rainy days, deep fog, and the occasional storm blowing in from the Brackish Sea.
Falsen is not a very inhabited island. Most of the residents live within the 13 towns and villages within the island. Sessid and the two cities within Exágano are the population centers of the island with the others serving more utilitarian purposes such as farming, fishing and serving as a tourism and trading outpost.
Exágano is a majority elven kingdom that has been on Falsen for thousands of years. They are believed to be the original founders of the island and mainly keep within the walls of their kingdom. Despite being majority elven, all races can be found within their kingdom as they have historically welcomed foreigners.
The remaining 11 municipalities are a mix of all races with their ratios varying from city to city depending on their unique histories. Sessid is the most diverse as it serves as the main port city and experiences the most exchanges of culture and people coming to and from Loam.
Exágono was founded sometime after The Great Fall but before any other recorded permanent settlement. While it is assumed that others may have been to the island first, the Exágono people were the first to make it their home. Despite having the entire island to themselves, they mainly kept within the bounds of their walls when it came to settlements. Due to the elven race’s well known low birthrate, there was not much of a need for expansion.
Despite this, the Kingdom of Exágono is known to have the most in depth historical and geographical records of the island and its surrounding waters. Their royal library contains depths of knowledge known only to the royal family and the kingdoms highest ranking scholars. It’s said they have the original documents and mappings from their initial explorations.
After their founding, religious groups began to form that went against the ideals of the kingdom and caused tension to the point that they separated from the state. Many of these people formed self sustaining factions that formed into what is known today as The Cult of Aristaeus. It is unclear whether the religious zealots left willingly or not.
Approximately 350 years ago, the city of Sessid was founded to the south of Exágano. This city was mainly comprised of travelers from Loam that had heard of the island from adventurers that had stumbled upon it as well as Exágano citizens that had visited miscellaneous cities in Loam.
After the founding of the initial city, other smaller towns began to be settled along the coast. As the population grew, so did their need for food. Due to this, cities within the inner portion of Falsen emerged that focused on agriculture and the municipalities formed a loose network in order to create a railroad system to transport goods from one city to another.