The Fingertip Isles

The Fingertip Isles for the ShadowDark RPG

The Fingertip Isles is a short region setting. Each isle includes a description as well as threats and encounters. Several also include mapped locations to explore. 

The Fingertip Isles were discovered by Corvin Jeffens, a halfling merchant captain and skilled cartographer. While sailing around the islands, Corvin noted that when drawn on parchment, the islands’ placement resembled the arrangement of his fingertips when he placed his left hand on the map. Corvin lost a portion of his left middle finger in a bizarre fishing accident several years prior, which is why the isles may not match the fingertips of others.

The Islands

• Isle of Color - The smallest of the isles, it is home to an eclectic rainbow of beasts and birds. 
• Isle of Eyes - A family of cyclopes have lived on this island for many years.
• Isle of Fang and Teeth - Infested with snakes and lizards. Other animals on the island hide in caves. Larger reptiles feast indiscriminately on flesh, or invade smaller species’ nests for eggs. Birds have learned to stay away from the island.
• Isle of Towers - A kobold shaman named Kulz Tadoo attempted to build a tower tall enough to touch the sun. They failed at every attempt, leaving multiple structurally unsound towers on the island.
• Isle of Ash and Fog - Slow, visible streams of lava flow from an active volcano. Unseen streams flow through lava tubes, ending just below the sea, causing the water to bubble and steam while creating a “fog” around the shoreline.

Cluster of Ships

A cluster of sunken and partially sunken ships, many of which still hold treasures, protrude from the sea just southwest of the islands. Many captains and crew have lost their lives exploring the wreckage.

A giant sea mimic patrols this area. While it often assumes the shape of a wrecked ship near the cluster, it also shape-shifts to appear as a large column of rock near one of the islands.

Isle of Color

The smallest of the isles, it is home to an eclectic rainbow of beasts and birds. While many of its land-dwelling animals are from foreign lands, having survived shipwrecks only to find themselves marooned, they flourish here, where good weather, water, and food are in abundance. A few more dangerous creatures live here as well. Once bound for a zoo or reckless noble’s menagerie, but now the apex predators of this small paradise.

• Shoreline. White sand.
• Vegetation. A plethora of colorful and exotic flower species, noticeable even from sea.
• Food. Fruits, vegetables, and stranded beasts (dogs, cats, boar, goats, fish, rats, squirrels, lizards).
• Gardens. Several large, obviously intelligently-planned gardens containing corn, tobacco, pumpkin, tomato, sweet potato, and taro. Enormous footprints (cyclops) nearby.
• Paths. Lead from east end of island to gardens. Wide. Created by the cyclopes who live on the Isle of Eyes.
• Water. Natural-spring-filled lake near the center of the island.
• Threats. Most are non-native in origin (results of shipwrecks). Some of the more exotic threats include a smilodon and a unicorn.
• Hippopotamus. Stuck knee deep in mud. Wears a crude leather collar with the name Karl scratched into it (written in Giant).
• Viperians. Hsssst, Assstat, and Lsssat live in a series of caves along the southern shore. Their ship sank during a violent storm several years ago.