Dunstorm Castle: This fortress occupies a very important position at the top of the sea-cliffs overlooking Tazixor Harbor from the north. From it, constant day-and-night watch is maintained, and a signal can be given within seconds should an armed defense of the harbor be necessary. During such an attack, Dunstorm would also be used as a command post for the legions of artillerists, archers, and spellcasters who would line these cliffs to rain death upon the invaders.

Dunstorm Castle is the clanhold of the Verenta and is the home of two adventurous and capable rangers, chieftain Kuri Verenta and her daughter Liesli. The lands north and northwest of the fortress belong to the clan.

The Flowerflow: The longest and broadest stream on Ixinos, the Flowerflow has its source in the Moon-Glass, and flows eastward to the sea. It marks the boundary between the Central Lowlands and the Northern Highlands. The Flowerflow is so named because its banks teem with an abundance of colorful flowers (most of them growing wild) and flowering trees. It is the island's primary source of fresh water, and its rapids power the mills of the town of Gelevorn.

Greystone: Located near the southern outskirts of Sirhala, Greystone is an old building of grey stone (naturally) that was once the home of the Queens, before Queen Averri built a new palace centuries ago. It is now the clanhold of Clan Lemi and is overseen by that clan's restless young chieftain, Dorida.

Heartsong House: Sitting on the banks of the Chilly Run in a picturesque section of the Vineyards, Heartsong House looks like a miniature fairy castle, made of whitewashed stone and stucco and boasting numerous decorative spires, arches and buttresses. It is surrounded on all sides by acres of flower and vegetable gardens, well-tended hedges, shade trees, orchards, and vineyards, all of them belonging to the elderly but formidable chieftain Lekmúse. Thanks to Lekmúse's daughter and heir, Ricara, Heartsong House is a favorite gathering place for the bards and musicians of Ixinos.

Heshea Manor: This large, relatively new, and nondescript greathouse stands near the boggy western shore of the lowlands. This stretch of coast is accessible from the sea, and although it is too swampy to allow a full-out invasion from this direction, the Heshea keep a sharp lookout for raiders and smugglers. Thurísse, the capable chieftain of the Heshea, makes her home here and dreads the day when her conceited lout of a daughter, Werrini, will take her place. In addition to farming and some fruit-growing, the Heshea keep large apiaries that produce all of Ixinos' honey, and they also sell peat cut from their bogs.

Izeunga Manor: Sited just to the north of Sirhala, Izeunga Manor is the headquarters of the important Izeunga clan, ruled over by the somber chieftain, Misho. The Manor is known to have the finest collection of objets d'art on the island, with everything from paintings to sculptures to tapestries to furniture representing many different areas of the western Realms. Izeunga Manor is also the site of many formal but gracious parties.

Justeri Hall: This small but attractive manor in the southern Vineyards is the home of the Semmetha clan and its roundly disliked chieftain, Sezunora. Local legend holds that Justeri Hall is a treasure trove of captured pirate treasure, as the Semmetha have a family tradition of pirate hunting. Sezunora hates all males and refuses to let any within the doors of her manor. Under her rule it is a cheerless place, and even most of the Semmetha householders have chosen to live elsewhere.

The Long Wood: This small woodland (little more than 50 acres [20 hectares] in size) stands alone in the midst of heavily farmed land, yet no attempt has ever been made to clear it. No one knows how this strange place came to exist as it does; it may be a relic from the days of Jhaamdath, or an early arcane creation of the Genifari settlers.

Most of the time, the Long Wood is just an ordinary stand of trees, mostly deciduous. However, should anyone stand in the heart of the wood (so that nothing but trees can be seen in any direction) at the moment of sunrise or sunset, that person finds herself -- and the forest around her -- suddenly elsewhere. Whether the Wood transports its occupants to another planet, another plane, or even another time is unknown. For the traveller, the tiny forest suddenly becomes a part of a much larger wilderness -- a wilderness so extensive that no one has ever reached the edge of it. This may be due in part to the fact that no magic of any sort -- divine or arcane -- functions within this alternate world. Spells are not forgotten, but they fail to take effect if cast. Magic items do not work, and even innate abilities of spell-like and supernatural nature fail to operate. Since no teleportation, scrying, or flight magic operates, visitors can only explore as far as they can travel on foot in the time allotted -- which is only the period from one twilight to the next.

Sunrises and sunsets seem to correspond in both "phases" of the Long Wood, and anyone visiting the great wilderness will automatically be transported back to Ixinos (to the same spot in the mundane Wood) at the moment of the next sunrise or sunset after she arrives. No one has ever discovered a way to remain in the wilderness longer than this allotted time; the trip back is automatic and occurs no matter how far the traveller has ventured away from her arrival point. Should a traveller die while in the wilderness, her remains and all equipment carried appear back in the Wood on Ixinos at the appointed time.

Some adventurers (particularly intrepid members of the Verenta clan) have managed to trek many miles through the wilderness before eventide draws them back. They report that there are hills, cliffs, clearings, streams and rivers, and even distant mountains to be seen -- and even signs of past civilization, though no intelligent life has ever been encountered. Strange buildings and roads have been glimpsed in distant valleys and on far-off hillsides, some of which seem to be made of metal and many of which bear little resemblance to human habitations known to the Genifari. There have even been tales of huge flying creatures or objects sighted in the far distance, just above the horizon, which glint in the reflected sunlight before vanishing.

Though many of the trees and plants of the wilderness are familiar to the Genifari, most of the native creatures are wholly unknown, and some are dangerous. Lives are occasionally lost in this strange land, through accidents or predator attacks (especially at night). It's uncertain whether anything of value has ever been brought back from the Long Wood, though the Verenta have a large collection of oddities stored at Dunstorm Castle.

The Moon-Glass: This small lake is the largest body of fresh water on Ixinos, and is the source of the Flowerflow. The Moon-Glass is considered to belong to Clan Odewera, although by law that family cannot prevent other clans from using it (though they can actively prevent misuse of it). The lake got its name from its very still surface, which reflects the moon and stars with almost eerie clarity and is considered by some to hold divinatory powers linked to Selûne (on nights when the moon is reflected in its waters) or Sharo (on nights when it is not).

Clan Jazeli built its clanhold, Starglass Castle, on the northern shore of the Moon-Glass.

Orela: The highly picturesque and pleasant little town of Orela is the social and economic heart of the Vineyards. Most of the winepressing and fermentation on Ixinos occurs here and in the nearby buildings and hamlets. The buildings of Orela are a mix of stone and half-timbered structures, most of them decorated or painted to look festive and colorful. Shade trees, flower gardens, vines, window boxes, and other plantings abound everywhere. Orela is quite popular during the late summer and autumn months, when festivals and street parties are common. The town's resident population is slightly less than 1,000.

Queen's Tears Pool: This brackish pond about a mile northeast of Crossroads Market is where Queen Sirhala was cruelly murdered in 1245 DR by the evil blue dragon, Anaglathos. The young queen was bound hand and foot and forced to stand in the pool in knee-deep water while the dragon slowly electrocuted her by breathing into the pond. The water is quite poisonous (ingested DC 15, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con), but any woman who drinks of it and survives the poison receives the effects of a potion of heroism until the next rising of the full moon.

Sirhala: Once known as Gondro, this town was renamed Sirhala more than a century ago in honor of the last hereditary Queen of Ixinos. With a population of about 2,000, Sirhala is the capital of Ixinos and location of the Royal Palace and the Goldring Council Hall.

The town was almost completely destroyed during the Turmish conquest of 1245 DR, and has since been mostly rebuilt. All buildings are now required to be of stone, so that the city cannot be burned by attackers.

The Moon Fane -- the temple of Selûne -- is located here, and is the busiest (if not the largest) of the temples on Ixinos. Other spots of note include Silverhall, the headquarters of the She-Wolves; Greystone, the clanhold of the Lemi; and the Seat of Truth, an ancient stone bench situated in the middle of the square in front of the Goldring Council Hall. Said to date from Kuzello's time, the Seat bears a permanent enchantment that acts as a zone of truth spell (no save) on anyone seated in it. New Queens sit here at the time of their coronations, and issue important proclamations from it. It can also be used for interrogating criminal suspects, but this use requires the order of a judge.

Tazixor: Tazixor is Ixinos' only deep-water port and its largest town, with a population approaching 5,000. It is located at the innermost shore of Tazixor Harbor, where the high sea-cliffs that ring the harbor break to allow sea-level access to the water.

The most striking feature of Tazixor is its trees -- the entire town is located within a forest of large deciduous trees (mostly oaks). Buildings and structures are situated between the trees at ground level, up among the branches of the largest trees, and even underground among the roots. Roads and paths wind among the trees in unpredictable patterns, rope ladders and pulley-powered lifts adorn most of the large trees, and rope-and-wood foot bridges can be seen passing from tree to tree overhead.

The trees of Tazixor never drop their leaves, and most importantly, they are absolutely resistant to fire. This strange forest was planted here more than a hundred years ago, after the ouster of the Turmish invaders who enslaved Ixinos in the name of the dragon Anaglathos. The druids of the Emerald Enclave planted the trees, and enchanted them to grow quickly and to be immune to fire. This was a gift from the Enclave to atone for their inability to help their Genifari allies during the tyranny of the wyrm.

Any enemy who tries to occupy, destroy, or pass through Tazixor will discover that the entire city becomes a very effective death trap. There are no straight routes through the city, since all the roads and paths wind around the trees wherever they may grow. Most of the roads are only wide enough to allow the passage of a single common wagon, or three fighting men abreast. Moreover, any invaders will find themselves subjected to a relentless barrage of sniper fire and magical attack from above, as well as a terrifying array of covered pit traps, swinging logs, barricades, hidden snares and snap-traps, tripwires, and summoned arboreal monsters. Trying to burn the city out is impossible, of course, due to the fire-resistant nature of the trees.

The island's two druids, Kellomy and Halina, regularly check the trees to heal any diseases or parasites and repair any damage, making sure that the trees do not die before their allotted lifespans are up (hundreds of years, in the case of the oaks). It is a serious crime to take blade or saw to any of the trees of Tazixor, except with Kellomy's permission and under her supervision.

The docks of Tazixor occupy a strand less than half a mile in length, bracketed on both ends by the precipitously rising sea cliffs. All of the ships of Ixinos berth here, and all of the foreign vessels permitted to land on the island must dock here and only here. Near the docks is a compound of plain but comfortable buildings, which are set aside for the use of male crewmembers while their ships are in port here. Unless they are given special permission, these males must confine themselves to this compound, the docks, and their own ships. Any who venture beyond this restricted area may face penalties ranging from confinement on shipboard to permanent banning from the island, or more serious punishments if they are found to have some nefarious intent. All of the foreign ships allowed to dock in Tazixor are captained by females. The captains and their female crew members are usually offered free run of the island unless and until they prove themselves untrustworthy.

Some buildings of note in Tazixor include the Armshouse of Tormo (the temple of that deity), Waterwatch House (a fortified building occupied by fighters and spellcasters dedicated to defending the harbor), and Fireaxe House, the home of the Fireaxe Sisters adventuring band.

Tazixor Harbor: This deep-water harbor is the only place on the Ixinian coast where seagoing vessels (those with a draft greater than 1-2 feet [0.3-0.6 m]) can dock. The water is about 50 feet [15 m] deep in the deepest part of the harbor and about 20 feet [6 m] at the docks.

Entry into the harbor is tightly controlled by the Genifari, and any unauthorized ship that attempts to pass the Towers (see below) will be destroyed on the spot (in the case of pirate or known hostile ships) or boarded and taken, the captain and crew subject to interrogation (in the case of all others).

The harbor is enclosed by two old and crumbling sea-walls and towers which date from the time of Queen Averri (5th century DR). These fortifications restrict access to a half-mile [0.8 km] stretch between the Towers. The walls were intended to reduce heavy seas within the harbor and to prevent unauthorized entry; at one time the walls and towers were manned around the clock by artillery, archers, spellcasters, and crews of small warships. Today, they are in very poor condition and are not safe for occupation. Queen Elissa has plans to build a new pair of walls and towers directly behind the existing ones, then dismantle the old structures and haul them away for building and paving stones.

Except for the narrow dock area at Tazixor, the harbor is surrounded on the landward side by high, steep cliffs (averaging 300-400 feet [91-122 m] high and a 70º to 90º slope). At the tops of these cliffs are heavy ballistae and catapults, as well as fortifications for archers and spellcasters. Within 10-15 minutes after the sighting of an enemy craft approaching the harbor, these cliffs can be fully manned by hundreds of well-organized, well-defended, armed-to-the-teeth defenders. The docks themselves also support heavy artillery, archers and spellcasters. Wizards and sorcerers will teleport out to the sea walls and towers to attack invaders trying to pass between the towers, or to flank ships that have already done so. Magically enabled flying and underwater combatants can also be employed if necessary, in addition to the Great Sphinx, Shilabat. All of these defenses can be overseen from Dunstorm Castle, which overlooks the harbor from the northward cliffs. Suffice it to say that the Genifari are very serious about defending their harbor from undesireables.

Windholm: This grand manor house in the southern foothills of Mt. Aphaea is the clanhold of the Odewera, presided over by Chieftain Kethassi. From it the clan oversees its extensive and prosperous lands, which include the Moon-Glass. Windholm is known to be fairly bristling with magic: laboratories, libraries, caches of items, and over a dozen arcane and divine spellcasters who are householders of the clan.