Bucca

The island of Bucca lies due West of Bestia, south of Forthena, and right between the continents of Me'Diel and Etansel.

History

Bucca was founded centuries ago by a group of sapient "monsters" who wanted to live in peace, away from the depredations of sword-swinging adventurers out to make a name for themselves. These included creatures of humanoid and not-so-humanoid appearance, and over time more and more "monsters" arrived from all over the world. In the time since its founding, Bucca has been invaded twice -- both times by crusades lead by the Church of Wendel, seeking to wipe out the collection of "demons and infidels" that had taken over the island. In fact, what the Church was after was control of the plentiful deposits of magic minerals that dotted the volcanic Norn Peaks in the center of the island.

Both invasions ended in victory for the tenacious Buccan natives, who proved quite fierce in fighting to defend their adopted homeland.

Population

The following races are represented, in some number, on the island of Bucca:

• Centaurs
• Chobins
• Goblins
• Harpies
• Mallardans
• Matangans
• Merfolk
• Molebears
• Moogles
• Nagpai
• Pebblers
• Tomato Men
• Sahuagin
• Shadoles
• Windcallers
• Yeti

Settlements

There are three major settlements on Bucca, between which the various communities of Buccans live:

Shaman Village

The main settlement and capital of the Buccan nation. Members of most Buccan races are found in this surprisingly cosmopolitan center.

Madora Beach

A shoreside settlement that dominates the south side of the island. Madora's settlement is made up mostly of merfolk, sahuagin and mallardans, though a small nest of harpies lairs here (mostly those harpies being trained by the merfolk as Spellsingers.

Norn Peaks

A mountainside settlement dominated by the Windcallers, though Yeti, Nagpai and Harpies also have small community shelters dug out of the mountain faces.

Government

Bucca is ruled by a Governing Council, comprised of representatives from the various populations of creatures found on the island. The entire island is divided into several Council districts, each of which are permitted to send a single Council member.

Current Council Members

• Chitto - A Chobin member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Shaman Village.
• Dayang - A Mallardan member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Shaman Village.
• Fernando - A Yeti member of the Council, representing one of the districts of the Norn Peaks.
• Flameshe - A Mermaid member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Madora Beach.
• Guri - A Goblin member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Shaman Village.
• Mambo - A Tomato Man member of the Council from Shaman Village, and currently the President of the Council.
• Monique - A Harpy member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Madora Beach.
• Tikkle - A Sahuagin member of the Council, representing one of the districts of Madora Beach.
• Zenoa - A Windcaller member of the Council, representing one of the districts of the Norn Peaks.

The Leader

In addition to the Governing Council, there is also the mysterious Leader. The Leader was one of the first creatures to arrive on and settle the island, and he is rumored to be the most powerful of all the island's residents. Speculation abounds as to what the Leader actually is: an outcast human wizard, or maybe a dragon, or a Mavole sorcerer, or perhaps even a fallen god.

The Leader lives beneath Shaman Village in a series of tunnels, accessible by way of a well in the center of the city. When the Leader wishes to communicate with the people of Bucca, he leaves a note in a bucket at the end of a long rope descending into the well. This bucket is checked once each day, at noon, by the President of the Governing Council, to see if the Leader speaks.

Recent Events

During the War of Threes, the Norn Peaks erupted and generated a massive earthquake that killed thousands. Largely without assistance from the other nations on Alter-Mana, the Buccans rebuilt and tried to get on with their lives. The Buccans are used to being ignored by the rest of the world around them, and in fact are used to it.

Bucca has not yet drawn the eye of the Dominion, though it is surely only a matter of time.