Arcél

From Almeopedia

Arcél [ar ˈkɛl] is one of the three continents of Almea, and contains the most advanced Almean cultures after those of Ereláe.

It can be divided into four ecological zones. Two of these independently developed agriculture, and produced major civilizations; see Arcél tropical agriculture for the northern (equatorial) zone, including Belesao, and Arcél temperate agriculture for the southern zone, including Uytai and Fananak.

The two zones largely correspond to the human races of Arcél: Kibruise peoples in the north, Adurise in the south. The eastern coast, however, was settled by the Melanke race which extends into Kereminth, Neinuoi, and the Island Sea.

The mountainous zone in the middle is a barrier more than a transition zone. It is inhabited by elcari and múrtani as well as nomads speaking Kemic languages. In general it is colder than either agricultural area and does not support crops from either zone. Notable in the eastern half are the rift valleys, each an ecological world unto itself.

Mnese, in the far south, experiences arctic conditions.

The regions on the map are clickable (though not all currently lead to articles).

Contact with Ereláe

Around 1400, the Skourene mariners from Kolatimand achieved their greatest triumph, crossing 3000 km of open sea to reach Arcél. They first landed in the area now called Fananak where they encountered Dnetic hunter-gatherers and then the kingdom of Nlatak. Here they sold their trade goods and manufactures, bringing back samples of the strange Arcélian foods, a few curious Nlatakans, and a small amount of gold.

In 1465 the Gurdagor reached the rich realm of Uytai, farther east from Nlatak. The Skourenes brought spices, iron weapons, and manufactures; what they chiefly wanted in return was gold, and they brought back enough to cause a serious bout of inflation.

There was some attempt to exploit the foodstuffs of Arcél, but the only one which really caught on in Skouras was millet, which is extremely hardy and highly resistant to rot— a perfect crop for the damp, windswept southern edge of the Littoral.

In 2988 Jaešim founded its colony in Fananak, later Kebri colonized Pahsau.

Etymology: Uyseʔ ʔarkhel, ‘the world, Almea’, taken by Kebreni mariners as the name for the continent.