This map shows the whole of The Alait Archipelago where Lawgiver’s Blade is set. It is a large archipelago about 100 miles off the west coast of a large continent and lies in the southern hemisphere of the world.

It was once known as the forbidden isles because the Eight – the primary gods of this world – forbade humans to go there, but they lifted this prohibition and guided their followers there several centuries ago after the Hadrini attacked them. Now they call them “Alait” which means “Holy” or “Sacred”

As you can probably tell it was once one huge island and something very bad happened. Chances are that has something to do with why they were forbidden. Chances are that’s going to come up at some point…

Here we see Shael as it was around the start of the story. As you can see it is a tiny place consisting of only a few households. The adult population at this point would be less than one hundred but more than fifty. However Shael is growing and by the current chapter several new houses have been added and I am currently expanding the map to show these.

Things that this map illustrates are the Benari geomancy network in which roads are very deliberate placed to channel the magical energy flows in the land and take the where they are needed. The solitary tree with the path leading down to the road is a magical upwelling and the path is feeding the energy into the system. Meanwhile the path to the fields takes not only the people of Shael there to work but the energy to enhance their fertility and keep the crops healthy.

Houses are also very deliberately placed and all construction works have to be approved by a qualified geomancer. However their placing is to make use of the network to maintain the health of the populous. This makes them less prone to minor ailments, speeds healing of minor injuries and helps prevent age and work related degenerative conditions like arthritis and dementia but cannot do much against serious illnesses like plague or cancer.

On its own this would make the population healthier, longer lived and less prone to famine than you might expect for a roughly medieval technology level. When you add in the work of the mages who bless the fields each Spring and those who heal the sick and injured the upshot is that they actually produce yields per acre similar to those found in modern industrial farming and lifespans and health outcomes similar (and sometimes better than) those granted by modern medicine.

Any questions? Ask in the comments.