N.Sanity Beach

"'What a strange coincidence, to land in such an unassuming place within a much more assuming world.'"- Richard Doss

N.Sanity Beach is a coastal region on the southern reaches of N.Sanity Island, the beaches encompass the immediate coasts surrounding the Lemurian step-pyramid, Aku Temple. In ancient times, the beach was a part of the larger Akuian Crescent, a fertile community surrounding the temple during the early periods of the Lemurian Civilization. The populations on the beach remained rather low for centuries until the construction of Aku Temple led to a population boom in the region, eventually peaking in the years preceding the Lemurian Civil War. When survivors fled to N.Sanity Island in the aftermath of that conflict, the beach experienced a short but versatile renaissance which saw its iconic temple repurposed for paganistic rites. The Wumpians on occasion have returned to the temple in order to practice their own interpretations of these rites, but have not returned for decades. It is believed that the Wumpian tribes have thought the temple to be cursed for at least the past decade, and have completely abandoned the area.

Today the beach is mostly unsettled, with no permanent communities present around the temple. The surrounding regions also experience seldom human activity due to their exclusion from modern Wumpian territories. The beach is consequently experiencing rising levels of wildlife due to its present isolation, as the fauna has suffered greatly in the past by human excursions and pollution. Terns lay their eggs on the beach, tortoises sunbathe on the jagged rocks, and crabs raid and assault the nests of coastal creatures.

Two shipwrecks are washed ashore on the beach, and are thought to be remnants of a failed Wumpian expedition. The two ships have suffered minimal damage, and have therefor been studied extensively. The Wumpians had exercised a plethora of naval efforts over the centuries, all of which failing due to their lack of sailing expertise and the uncharacteristically powerful tides that surround the archipelago in an elemental shield.

N.Sanity beach is protected under the Barros Act, a charter that seeks to prevent the colonization of the Wumpian Archipelago. The beach was the first Wumpian region explored by Royal Society members in the moments preceding the Mutant Vortex Crisis. The island houses N.Sanity Island's only permanent settle: the research base of Fort Brabham.

Etymology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cocktails

N.Sanity Island was aptly named by the Royal Society during the Mutant Vortex Crisis in reference to its diabolical organizer, Neo Cortex. The name was a playful but still appropriate pun that simultaneously alluded to the insanity of the unexpected event while making part in the distinctive N tattooed upon Cortex's forehead. Even after the crisis ended and the archipelago entered more peaceful times, the name still stuck and has been used ever since. Several commentators have suggested to rename the beach and its parent island in order to distance their identities from the more violent past. The Royal Society's Wumpian Council voted against a bill in 1998 that proposed to change the names of the beach and island in line with these journalistic comments. The council's justification to keep the beach and island's names as they are was so to properly remember the circumstances of the events leading to the rediscovery of the Wumpa Archipelago.

The Wumpians refer to the beach as Ohja, which means "where the riptides crash", and there is evidence that the Lemurians called the beach by a similar name in their days. This name could be appropriate for many coasts across the archipelago, as the tidal energies typically cause the waves around the island to be fairly strong. However, the etymological basis of this name could be referring to the distinctive rocks along the coast and the crashing sound which is made when the tides fight against them.

Some maps also refer to the beach as 'Brabham Coast'.

Geography
N.Sanity Beach is nearly pristine, untouched, and is completely uninhabited apart from Fort Babhram and Aku Temple. Even then, Fort Babrham has strong restrictions on its population and Aku Temple has zero Wumpian inhabitants. Scarce populations have led to little manipulation of the beach's topography over the years, and thus it is a perfect region to safely study what the earliest environments of the archipelago may have been like. There are surrounding regions, both tropical and wetland, that include savannah woodlands, wonsoon forests, and rocky escarpments stretched across its huge area, as well as many beaches, bays and islands. The beach itself is a mostly dry coastal region that stretches 77km, all the way towards Wohandari River where it ends at the adjoining tributary.

The beach's eastern region is closest to Aku Temple, and is highly eroded with numerous cliff rocks that chance against the sea waves. The beach here is very dry, and beated heavily upon by the hot tropical sun. Small tropical forests graze the edges of the beach and form a blanket of cover around the ruins of Aku Temple. Fort Babhram is located here, and serves as the only permanent western settlement on N.Sanity Island.

In the northern part of the beach, the Requol river, a tributary of the Wohandari river, flows down into the ocean and forms wetlands around its waters. These wetlands are covered by dense fences of tall brown reeds and swamped by deep canals of marshy waters, the wetlands are a haven for many birds and reptiles. The region's environment is protected by the United Conservation Front, alongside with the rest of the Wumpa Archipelago.

Ecology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Civil_Service_Commission

Ecosystems on the beach and in its coastal waters are of great conservation significance, being largely undisturbed due to isolation, huge area and sparse population. The waters provide a shallow-water tropical marine ecosystem, with varying habitats for marine and estaurine wildlife, and include mangroves, beds of seagrass, tidal flats, salt pans and saltmarshes.

The coasts of southern N.Sanity are nevertheless scarce in wildlife, with many species having been hunted to extinction in the past by Lemurians or simply affected by more modern day environmental concerns. Today the beach is protected by Fort Brabham and its adjoining Wumpian Ecological Defense Commission, which are both dutily overseen by the British Royal Society. The commission strictly prohibits the hunting or unlawful capture of any wildlife on the beaches and surrounding waters, for "whatever reason, barring that of utmost preservationist survival". The head of Fort Babhram is seen as the defacto authoritative figure on N.Sanity Island, and chief Royal Society representative. Elections are held every three years, coinciding with the tri-annual rotation of fort occupants.

Little terns lay their nests on the sandy beaches, and are the most common animal seen in the region. The white birds constantly fly overhead, and bravely defend their eggs from encroaching crabs and other intrusive creatures. In preparation for the monsoon seasons, the birds gather in flocks around the jagged rocks and form dense clusters on the coasts' eastern reaches. Walkers on the beach can constantly see them flocking in groups, and can hear their distinctive cries from across the seawaves. The terns mostly prey on fish, but also have been seen eating frogs and even attempting to hunt wandering lizards.

Pilot whales can be seen surfacing on the waters near the beaches in winter, and have occasionally beached up on the sandy mounds, likely due to toxic materials being fed into the waters at Cortex Island. The waters of the beach were often fished in by ancient hominids, and today still bear healthy and plentiful saltwater fish. Wumpian tortoise also tend to sunbathe on the beach rocks during summer, and move back and forth between the shaded trees and sunny sands during these vital months. Further inland are small populations of tortoise which have made permanent homes along the beach.

The Royal Society has exercised caution to ensure that no rodents such as rats are accidentally transferred to the island. The movement has been spearheaded by George Tonhand, who's been organizing researchers who seek to keep the island as free from external environmental influences as possible. Detractors have accused them of pushing this to an almost sterile degree.

Pre-Lemurian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton_Seminole_Indian_Reservation

N.Sanity Beach was inhabited by protos prior to the Lemurian colonization, and was the last of the Wumpian Islands to be settled by the primitive creatures. It is likely that the travelers used reed boats, or were accidentally displaced on fishing vessels. There is no evidnece that the protos had any sustained systems of naval travel.

The beach has three UNESCO heritage sites of which one, a small stone structure possibly once used as a resident home, predates the Lemurians by over a thousand years. To help protect the site, it has been built over with a red roof to protect it from cyclones, and fenced off to prevent animals or undocumented visitors from wandering onto the site. A couple and child were found buried at the excavation, and are now preserved in Sydney, Australia at the Wumpian exhibit. The family lived in isolation on the beach, judging by an analysis of their primary diet. Hidden from view between two cliff rocks, they likely provided for themselves by fishing at the ocean waters. The bodies were also traced with alcohol, possibly used for the purposes of preservation. It is unknown if the bodies were buried by a surviving family member, friend, or enemy; the latter of which being possible as the male maintained signs of a homicide. The site's peculiarity as one of the oldest surviving structures on the entire archipelago, and one of the few remaining proto structures, has earned it a protected status; visitors require a pass to travel to the site and photography is forbidden.

The beach was inhabited for thousands of years by other protos, and was the center of busy activity with the buildings of roads, fencing and agricultural developments. Cattle bones have been found near the beach which are believed to be possible indications that the protos participated in some kind of domestication. It is unclear to what degree the protos were nomadic, as no excavations have uncovered signs of any major settlements prior to the Lemurian era.

Lemurian Colonization
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N.Sanity Beach and its parent island were one of the final places to be settled by the Lemurians, who mostly kept N.Sanity Island sparsely populated due to their megalithic cities on the two other islands. Lemurian culture revolved around the dramatic political proceedings of its vocal and fantastic emperors, who hosted lavish events and championships from their auditoriums across the archipelago. Few Lemurians had any interest in living outside these cultural centers where life was exciting and the infrastructure well founded. N.Sanity Island seemed rural and primitive in comparison to these delights, and was seen as a savage untamed land let loose to the wild wanderings of demons.

Lemurian myth saw Wumpa and Palace Islands as special, even magick places, but little importance was given to N.Sanity Island apart from derogatory references. This dimness of consideration resulted in a widespread prejudice against the island, where its natural wonders seemed insignificant in comparison to the grandeur of Wumpa's towering world tree, or Palace's massive peaks. Because of this, the island remained untouched for centuries and only eccentric farmers and village people bothered to make a living there. Skull Cave predated the Lemurians, and was a monument that rivalled those of the other two islands, but it was never discovered by them.

Most of Sanity's early inhabitants were humble fishermen, and this was especially true on N.Sanity Beach. The earliest dated settlements of the beach are Ug'ukaliku and Curuq, dating from 4000 BC. Poor fishermen would reap plentiful fish on their boats, and then bring their goods to small trading towns where merchants would ship them to markets on Wumpa Island. Fishermen were paid a small fee for their services, and they made a decent living on the island despite their isolated lifestyle. Dissenters would occasionally travel to the island, and it had a reputation as a natural retreat for those who sought to escape the hectic cycles of Lemurian city life. Immigrants would find that N.Sanity had its own array of challenges, and it was especially the lack of infrastructure which led to widespread danger and lawlessness. Law apart from militia groups was practically unpracticed on the island until the Akuian priesthoods refurbished the temple in 1700 BC. Common roads were patrolled by these diligent militia groups, mostly farmers, who managed to maintain a small peace from ravaging bandits who on occasion would start small skirmishes in the most rural of villages.

These roads and trading routes formed the Akuian Crescent, which was a small gathering of agricultural communities in southern N.Sanity. This region would remain the most populated of all Lemurian regions on the island, and its prosperity would peak upon the construction of the Aku Temple.

Akuian Festivals
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Elliott_(footballer)

The Lemurians held rich astronomical knowledge, and under the dictation of Emperor Pistono I, a temple was to be built to celebrate the first solar eclipse of the new millennium. It would be used as a refuge for scholarly thought, and a conservatory of teaching. The original temple was built on Wumpa Island, a few miles outside of Sunset Vista, but was destroyed in a volcanic eruption that decimated it alongside the small city of Sedesh. Considered a direct attack from their idols, the Lemurians decided to rebuild the temple on N.Sanity Island as an appeasement. The island's southern shores were chosen for their panoramic views, and because of their relative ease of access through sea routes. A new purpose for the temple was determined by Pistono I, who thought perhaps the original intentions were unfounded. After a gathering of the priesthood, it was decided that a quad annual athletic event similar to the Olympics would be held there to commemorate a new era of Lemurian expansionism.

The temple took eight years to build, and several villages around its borders boomed from worker populations who had moved to the island. N.Sanity Beach began to reach populations it had never even been able to have fathomed of in years past. Construction of the temple went smoothly, apart from a small fire that set back the construction a few months when the scaffolding was ignited in a mysterious case of arson. Under the advice of Pitsono II, the walls and terraces of the temple were lined with gardens (now in ruins). Stone boundary walls were constructed around its grounds in order to identify the borders of the temple, and the now famous Akuian Path was decorated with various idols and pillars.

The first Akuian festival was held less than a year after the temple was completed, and was attended by several famous Lemurian magicians. Crowds gathered around the base of the temple as torch throwers performed an elaborate show, and strange idol guards walked down to the beach in a fire ritual. Following this were five days of athletic activities that included weight lifting, acrobatic challenges, gladiator and wrestling competitions.

Peak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1885_Rutgers_Queensmen_football_team

76 years after the construction of Aku Temple, Lemurian society erupted into a brutal civil war which engulfed most of the archipelago in strife. N.Sanity Island was mostly spared from this conflict, and as a result would become the only island to still retain significant populations following the Lemurians' collapse. In these waning years of their civilization, the Lemurians began to slowly retreat to N.Sanity Island to escape the hellfire being experienced on the other two islands. These refugees reached a catalyst in their resolve when the emperor Kufu III fled with them and established N.Sanity Island as the new home of the Lemurian people. This population gradually mixed with the already primitivized Lemurians there, and their society rapidly digressed. Following this, the surviving groups of Lemurians on Wumpa and Palace island would slowly fade until only the populations on N.Sanity survived. The group on N.Sanity Island would eventually devolve into the present day Wumpians, who went on to forget the knowledge of their ancestors. There are little surviving records of how exactly the Lemurians devolved, and even the fate of Kufu III is unknown, but some believe the final emperor was buried somewhere in Skull Cave.

Wumpians
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Davidson_(artist)

The temple experienced little activity following the Lemurians' demise, and the Wumpians would only continue to gather around Aku Temple on N.Sanity beach for occasional gregarious social gatherings. Following the death of Kufu III, the Wumpians began a dynasty of chieftains that descended from that same line. With each generation, the Wumpians gradually moved further and further away from their former Lemurian culture. Even the purpose of the temple gatherings changed, as it changed from a sports venue to a solar gathering. These gatherings were not official, and were mostly enjoyed by individuals and not by tribes as a whole. Archaeological records show examples of rituals being practiced at sporadic dates over the centuries, though nothing any substantial was recorded happening at the temple.

The last Khufuian cheiftain of the Wumpians was the bastard chieftain, Zienel, who according to tradition was slain in a duel at the Akua'ket Temple. The purpose of the duel was for spectacle, in a response to a recent failed coup'de'tait. The duel went wrong when an archer struck the empress' shoulder, causing her fall backwards into a stack of flames and torches.

Wumpain traversers

Abandonment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_(Ronnie_Milsap_album)

In 1236 when Fraxinus tried to revive the Lemurian civilization, a small war was fought against him around Aku Temple. Following his defeat, various inscriptions on the temple were misinterpreted in light of the recent events, and the temple gained a permanent reputation by Wumpians of being cursed. Thus began a pattern of avoiding Lemurian ruins, and the Wumpians migrated inwards where they would build new villages in their own territories. Territories were divided based on their distance from the city, and were cut off after the construction of the great wall. It was since forbidden for Wumpians to travel to the temple, and the Akua'ket sorcerers were abandoned and discarded.

World War 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_for_Finance_and_Development

Spanish and Australian soldiers had a tense faceoff on the beach after being stranded on the island during the second world war. The battle was cut short, when combatants from both sides were kidnapped by encroaching Wumpians. The two groups resolved to rescue their compatriots together, and afterwards collaborated to repair their planes and return to Kingsborough, Tasmania. The group also created a small camp while on the beach, which still stands today outside of Fort Brabham.

Modern Era
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikaho,_Gunma

The beach was the landing site for the initial explorers preceding the Mutant Vortex Crisis. Following the end of the crisis, the Royal Society chose the beach as its headquarters due to its solitude and safety. The business of colonizing the beach was met with enthusiasm by researchers and explorers. The beach was afforded a small Wumpian reservation by the royal society, mainly for 'diplomacy' reasons. The beach was key for early colonization efforts, and remains the most busy center of trade and communications on the islands.

The beach was also home to a small skirmish between Royal Society and Wumpian forces, where the latter were decimated as they fought with spears against artillery. A Royal Society officer was taken captive after the battle, and poisoned by Wumpian savages. The event rallied the Royal Society to form a temporary 'agreement' with the Wumpians, in order to avoid further bloodshed.

UNESCO Heritage Sites
The beach has three heritage sites:


 * 1) Proto burial mound
 * 2) Aku Temple
 * 3) Brabrahm landing area

Politics
The Wumpians and Royal Society are currently under tumultuous relations that bear no certain exact input, with skirmishes occurring often. There have been pushes for some kind of 'treaty', which have failed. While the Royal Society is technically allowed to enter into Wumpian Territory under the Appointment Agreement, this agreement is often broken by Wumpians who attack undefended parties. For these reasons, the Royal Society advises against groups travelling through the island without armed defenses.

Wumpian Arms
Due to smuggling, a small number of Wumpians have been able to retrieve advanced arms from Royal Society shipments. The Wumpians struggle to use the weapons correctly, but can be dangerous in large numbers.

Lemurian Ruins
Surrounding the beach is the large Akuian crescent, an archaeological area of Lemurian ruins around the fertile Akuian valley. The ruins encircle Aku Temple in its center, and apart from the temple are mostly small and near to the Akuian path. Structures rain from pillars and archways, to tiki heads.

Akuian Path
North of the beach and leading to the steps of Aku Temple are one of the old Lemurian pathways, a series of ancient roads that linked together different communities of the Lemurian civilization, and which were often filled with relics and traps to deter invaders, including manmade pits. The specific trail on N.Sanity Beach is known as the Akuian Path, and is heavily overgrown with little defenses and many roadside relics weathered from time. After passing the temple, the path continues northeast towards the Great Gate, where it forks into two different roads that eventually rejoin. One of the roads is impassable, having been blocked by a cavernous hole likely caused by past seismic activity. When the two roads rejoin, they continue onwards to an arch which signifies the border of the Aku Temple grounds. Around the arch are some ancient pillars, and is believed to be a carved depiction of the Mayan mythological deity Kulkataku. These pillars are often referenced by supports of the Lemurian Migration theories.

Quests
The Missing Diplomat - After finding a skull on the beach that apparently belonged to a Royal Society member, you make a concentrated effort to discover their identity.