Osse - The Forgotten Continent of the Forgotten Realms

Osse is one least detailed continents of the Forgotten Realms.  There is almost no canon information regarding it or its inhabitants.  Even the Forgotten Realms wiki has little to say about this Australian-analog.

So, of course, my players will be going there eventually.  I sat down with what little information I had and began fleshing out ideas for what I feel should be there.  It isn’t far from Kara-Tur and that got me to thinking about Monster Island from the old Godzilla movies so I decided that Osse must be the spawning ground for Kaiju.  There is also no equivalent (at last not really) for the myths of Atlantis so I made the interior of the continent home to my own version of that as well.  This is what I came up with.

Capital: None

Population: 711,813 (68% Ossean Human, 22% Poseidian Human, 4% Lizardfolk, 3% Aarakocra, 1% Mountain Dwarf, 1% Shoal Halfling)

Government: City-States, Tribes

Religion: Jazirian (also known as the Rainbow Serpent), Bahloo (Selûne), Bamapana (Mask), Djunkgao (Umberlee), Jar'Edo Wens, Mamaragan (Talos), Yhi (Lathander, also known as Wala)

Imports: None, varies by city

Exports: None, varies by city

Alignment: N (Osseans); LG, LN, LE (Poseidians) 

Not much is known of Osse, except that it is located in the southern part of the Western Ocean and is a home to many druids and spiritualists. It is a very large continent; over three thousand miles long, and has no trading relationships with anyone else.  Druids live along the continent’s coastline and these are the only people who have had contact with foreigners, leading outsiders to believe that they are the island’s only inhabitants. 

There are two distinct races of humans living on Osse.  The first, and the one most commonly encountered by outsiders are the Osseans.  This culture is composed of dark-skinned nomads live along the coast and on the smaller outlying islands.  The second group is the Poseidians, a highly advanced civilization that utilizes crystal-based technology and psionics.  They live in city-states built atop the miles’ long flat-topped mesas near the core of the island.  A high content of silver in the Poseidians’ food and water supply has given all of them a bluish tint to their skin.

The island’s coastline ranges from thick tropical forest in the northeast to arid grasslands in the southwest.  Areas of the coast, especially along the river deltas are composed of huge, brackish swamps.  The people living in the lands that border the Eastern Sea (Kara-Tur and Zakhara) commonly refer to Osse as "Monster Island". 

Massive magical beasts roam the coast and its waters, protecting the island (possibly by sheer coincidence).  These creatures known as Kaiju in Kara-Tur are seen as the island’s divine defenders.  These creatures are even prayed to by some of Osse’s inhabitants.  Abaia, a giant eel that patrols the coast, in search of intruders is the first Kaiju that outsiders are likely to encounter.  The forests to the northeast are home to Grodd, a massive ape considered to be the living spirit of the island.  Other less well-known Kaiju wander the continent’s interior. 

LIFE AND SOCIETY

The Osseans live in small tribes of hunter-gatherers who travel along the coastline, following the gangs of kangaroos that they hunt.  Their diet is supplemented with river fish, shellfish, birds and saltwater crocodiles.  They have a strong reverence for nature and the Kaiju that roam the islands.  These nomads often leave offerings at the Moai that are scattered along the coast.  These Moai are massive stone heads, usually made of basalt.  The Moai represent revered ancestors, a local spirit or a Kaiju that the Osseans consult on important tribal matters.  Despite living on the coast, very few of the tribes will risk fishing in the coastal waters for fear of offending Abaia, a giant eel that lurks offshore.  When angered, the massive creature causes storms and flooding that can wipe out entire clans of Osseans.  A council of elders leads most of these tribes.  Warfare between tribes is rare, typically occurring only when resources are scare. 

The Poseidians live in cities built high atop massive plateaus and surrounded by walls of magically hardened crystal that protect the inhabitants from the Kaiju and the other native creatures.  Bickering is common between these city-states although a tenuous peace has been established to allow trade between them.  The two chief deities of the Poseidians are Jazirian and Jar'Edo Wens.  The cities possess a crystal-based psionic technology that mimics certain spells or high tech devices but these can only be used within a set number of miles of each city.  Psions or Psychic Warriors are often found in positions of power among the Poseidians.

MAJOR GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

Rocky desert covers most of the northeast portion of the continent. It is too hot, dry and barren to support many people.  Eastern Osse has large areas of grasslands, used primarily by the Poseidians for agriculture and ranching.   The southern coast of the continent is fairly temperate and has several large forests that are largely untouched.  Mountainous areas and plateaus are scattered across the center of the island.  The Azure Mesas get their name from their high mineral content that has made its way into the food and water supply, tinting the Poseidians blue.  Overall, the island is very arid with portions of the desert receiving no rain for decades at a time. The southeastern coast however receives regular monsoons every spring.

There are two major rivers on Osse, both starting in the southeastern Feathered Mountains and draining to large bays on the coast (Wallagong to the north and Duckmaloi to the south).  Smaller, seasonal rivers are scattered across the rest of the continent.

There are several smaller islands located just off the coast of Osse and these are covered with grasslands and sparse forests.  There is a distinctive rocky knoll on southwestern end of the island which is shaped like a human skull, which is referred to a Skull Knoll.

IMPORTANT SITES

• Poseida (Metropolis; 78,299): The largest city on the continent, Posedia is located atop a one-half mile high plateau.  Magically hardened walls made of crystal surround the perimeter of the plateau.  The city is built in concentric circles, with each circle being separated by a wide, shallow canal.  Tall graceful spires and onion-shaped domes dominate the city skyline.  Poseida is home to several prominent universities and temples.  A triumvirate of each city’s most experienced Psions sees to the day-to-day matters of city governance although special matters are called to a general vote of all adults living within the walls.

Map of Central Posedia

• Aryan (Metropolis; 46,979): This city is located within two miles of the banks of the Duckmaloi River.  Lord General Doral Ariskan (LG Psychic Warrior 20/Soulknife 5) rules over this militant city.  Every male, upon entering adolescence is inducted into the city’s military and serves for a mandatory period of eight years.  After the required time is completed, many ex-soldiers return to civilian life and take up a craft or become farmers.

• Og (Large city; 23,489): Og is the industrial center of the Posedians.  The mesa the city is built upon contains large deposits of precious metals and crystals that are harvested by miners and worked into exquisite jewelry.  A council of twelve merchant lords runs the city, although the policies set grow more self-serving every year.  A small, but dedicated, cadre of one hundred dwarves protects the city and oversees the mines.

Og - the foundry of Osse

• Atalya (Small city; 11,744): Atalya serves as the training grounds for Aryan’s standing army.  It is also where most of the island’s metalworking takes place.  This city is also home to most of the continent’s dwarves.

• Eyre (Large Town; 3,149): Nearly one-third of Osse’s aarokocra population lives in this town in the Feathered Mountains.

• Shoal Islands (confederation of small towns, 14,343): Located just off the southeastern coast of Osse, these islands are home to the continent’s population of Shoal Halflings.  The halflings here fish extensively, harvest shellfish and crustaceans and tend orchards of coconut palm trees.  The halflings live in a sort of peaceful anarchy, with no one being in charge but everyone doing what they can to help out neighbors in need.

REGIONAL HISTORY

Long before the oral history of the Osseans begins, the first human inhabitants of Osse arrived via boats from the lands of Katashaka.  They settled along the eastern coast and gradually expanded westward across the continent.  These settlers lived primarily by fishing in the deep waters off the coast.  Their actions angered the sea Kaiju, Abaia, who emerged from the depths to wreak havoc on the fishing fleets and villages of the Osse.  Eventually, other massive creatures were discovered in the continent’s deserts and forests.  These mighty creatures were all but invulnerable to attack and completely unstoppable.  The Osse prayed to their gods and the island’s spirits to appease these creatures and raised giant stone heads in their honor.  The Kaiju relented and the Osseans learned to live in peace with the creatures.

Other humans arrived centuries later and moved to the island’s interior.  They too encountered the Kaiju and built their cities atop the giant mesas near the island’s center.

Osseans

Skin and hair color varies from very light to very dark. They generally have broad noses and stand between 4 ½’ to just under 6’ in height.  Osseans tend to live along the coast and in the lowlands.  Favored Class: As Human but Druid is most widespread culturally

Poseidians

Adults typically range from between 4 to 7 feet tall. Hair tends toward dark brown among males and blond for females although it is not uncommon for variations; large heads, bluish skin pigment.   Live closer to the center of the continent in cities built atop rocky mesas Favored Class: As Human but Psion is most widespread culturally

PLOTS AND RUMORS
Exploration of the vast unknown interior of the continent is the most likely draw for adventurers of all stripes.  The crystal-based technology of the Poseidians could make for attractive treasures while pitting oneself in battle against the Kaiju is probably one of the most dangerous tests any warrior could face.
 
The Book of Ages: A hidden cave is located deep within the massive plateau the city of Poseida is built upon.  Within the cave is the Book of Ages, a tome that records history as it occurs.  Whoever writes in the book has the power to alter reality itself.