The five Poalan Isles differ greatly in culture, belief, and way of life, and these divisions are reflected just as vividly in their flora and fauna. Though dense jungle stretches across much of the archipelago, nearly every isle harbours forms of nature found nowhere else in the Known World. From the hostile, two-headed kabali wasps of the Suigret Islands to the gentle dingu monkeys of the Aboaw Isles, the creatures of Poala have become inseparable from the identities of the peoples who dwell beside them.

Yet these differences do not always breed division among the Poaleez. On the contrary, many of the isles depend upon one another’s unique resources and traditions. The Kepna Islands, for instance, cultivate the rare flower known as Iboawasomiu, prized throughout the southern seas for its remarkable ability to treat jungle fevers and infected wounds. The flower’s value has made Kepna healers and traders highly respected beyond their shores.

Meanwhile, the humid and rain-soaked Ehru Isles are famed for the venomous enghuzh frog, whose potent psychedelic toxins are used in sacred rituals, medicines, and illicit intoxicants alike. Though dangerous, the frog’s venom remains one of the most sought-after substances in the southern archipelagos.

Unlike many realms of Mernia, the Poalan Isles contribute relatively little to mainland politics or commerce, preferring isolation and self-sufficiency over dependence upon foreign powers. Most Poaleez communities sustain themselves through fishing, jungle harvests, and local trade between the islands themselves.

The notable exception lies with the powerful Kelpoaw Isles, the largest and most politically influential of the five. Their growing reliance upon mainland trade—particularly with the wealthy cities of Karth—has become a point of tension among other islanders. Some whisper that the Kelpoaleez have grown dangerously enamoured with Karth’s luxuries, pleasures, and countless vices, drifting further from the old island ways with each passing generation.