Post by Blaka on Nov 29, 2016 17:48:47 GMT -5
created by EriChar
Name of Island: Mushroom Island
Society: Kiinoko Kingdom
Size of Island: Small at first, only the size of somewhere like Little Garden, yet it seems so much larger when one is the size of a dwarf.
Population: Roughly one hundred thousand dwarves and a handful of natives from other races.
Location: Fairy Tale Route, replacing Tiny Island
Log Pose Time: Twenty-Four Minutes
This is actually why many seem to overlook the Kiinoko Kingdom, since the changing pose alters so quickly many bother to explore too deeply into the land before leaving.
Climactic Type: Fall Island
Island Map:
Surface Layout
Underground Layout
Climate: A land that reflects the earliest days of spring, Mushroom Island is a pleasant mix of warmth and sudden showers, leading to a place that is humid but not uncomfortably so. Experiencing a rolling cycle of seasons like any other place, fall seems to be the longest as this period seems to take up about five months of a yearly calendar, spring lasting three months and summer and winter being about two months each.
Island Appearance: Coming upon the island, one might initially think that they are approaching a forested land of many colours, until they realize that these trees are in fact massive mushrooms! Lacking very much in terms of geology, the land has been honed by the spore-like life forms that live here, with massive mushrooms taking the place of mountains! Overall the whole place looks like a brilliant fantasy land, which is fitting given the route it follows.
Settlements and Locations:
Island Plot Hooks:
Interaction with dwarves!
A double layered island - The mix of strangeness and danger of the surface meets the calm and countryside-like atmosphere of the underground!
Fun with the Mushrooms - Find some of the native shrooms and get experimental with one’s size!
Fantastic Beasts - A blend of unique, intriguing and terrifying animals to interact with!
A land like no other - Definitely a big change of pace from the usual human-sized islands, with unique flora and fauna and a society that is tiny, one is likely to remember any visit to Mushroom Island!
Society: Kiinoko Kingdom
Size of Island: Small at first, only the size of somewhere like Little Garden, yet it seems so much larger when one is the size of a dwarf.
Population: Roughly one hundred thousand dwarves and a handful of natives from other races.
Location: Fairy Tale Route, replacing Tiny Island
Log Pose Time: Twenty-Four Minutes
This is actually why many seem to overlook the Kiinoko Kingdom, since the changing pose alters so quickly many bother to explore too deeply into the land before leaving.
Climactic Type: Fall Island
Island Map:
Surface Layout
Underground Layout
Climate: A land that reflects the earliest days of spring, Mushroom Island is a pleasant mix of warmth and sudden showers, leading to a place that is humid but not uncomfortably so. Experiencing a rolling cycle of seasons like any other place, fall seems to be the longest as this period seems to take up about five months of a yearly calendar, spring lasting three months and summer and winter being about two months each.
Island Appearance: Coming upon the island, one might initially think that they are approaching a forested land of many colours, until they realize that these trees are in fact massive mushrooms! Lacking very much in terms of geology, the land has been honed by the spore-like life forms that live here, with massive mushrooms taking the place of mountains! Overall the whole place looks like a brilliant fantasy land, which is fitting given the route it follows.
(Click on titles to display Info)
{Flora:}
The landscape of the Kiinoko Kingdom dominated by Mushrooms, one will find that any ‘ordinary’ form of spore tends to grow here in quite a large abundance, along with quite a variety of local types that seem to only naturally occur here. With grass as about the only non-mushroom form of flora that is most apparent in the landscape, few other plants grow here as they have been supplanted by quick growing spores. While some 'alien' forms of plant life are present in the gardens and crops of the people, for the most part finding a 'normal' tree or bush would be considered rare. The unique fungi here adapted to the landscape, they are incredibly hard to grow in any other land for some reason, as they are too accustomed to the natural character of their home island. Here is a list of the unusual local form of Mushroom;
Mountshroom
A slow growing but incredibly hardy form of fungus that has shaped this land, the Mountshroom can take years to show any noticeable growth yet is incredibly tough skinned at the same time. Body like stone, this natural survivors have slowly risen over the course of thousands of years to tower over the island on which they live. Stems of this shroom being broad and tall, they tend to come in earthy colours between brown and grey, and are tough enough to easy withstand cannon fire. The ‘cap’ of the mushroom as pure and white as snow, these sit on the top of the mountshrooms and expel spores only once every thousand years or so. Interestingly, the cap of the Mountshroom is incredibly delicious and nutritious, having high amounts of protein and fat, without any real signs of saturation. Unfortunately, one should be prepared to climb up several hundreds of meters to taste it.
Fruitshrooms
A strange, tree-like mushroom that covers much of the landscape of Kiinoko Kingdom, these fungal forms actually have branches and multiple spouting caps, from which grows what has been called the ‘largest spores in the world’. Each spore that is produced ranging between the size of a cherry and apple, they are actually perfectly edible and taste very much like different kinds of fruit, hence the name they have been given. Colour a clear indication of what one will taste upon consumption, here are the following proven types:
Purple: Apples
Red: Strawberries
Pink: Cherry
Light Green: Pears
Orange: Oranges
Yellow: Lemons
Dark Green: Lime
Blue: Blueberries
Meatshrooms
A bush-like fungus, this version has a rather round cap sitting on top of a stubby stem, but the most remarkable thing about it is the texture of the cap! Thick and with an almost muscle-like texture, the Meatshroom has been marketed by many as the perfect equivalent to animals when eating, as it is packed with protein and in many ways resembles a naturally grown form of tofu. Rather bland if served by itself, one will note that the meatshroom is rather accepting of flavour when cooked, and if prepared in a meaty broth or gravy will quickly and strongly take on the character of what it is immersed in. The result being a mass of mushroom that can be flavoured with just about any flavour, it can be used in place of meat in just about any dish, with many not even noticing the replacement of their animal cut!
Mouseshrooms
No, not mushrooms that look or even behave like rodents, though that would be awesome! Mouseshrooms are one of the types of Fungi that the island is most well-known for, and something of a national treasure. A strange and powerful little fungus, upon ingestion the fruit has the effect of shrinking its consumer down to roughly a tenth of their size! Humans becoming the size of dwarves, and giants suddenly becoming only the size of the average person, these can be incredibly useful for squeezing many people into a tight party situation and are rather highly valued by a great many parties for this property. However, there are some strange effects of the reverse growing process to be considered. Ones anatomy seeing sometimes noticeable differences, a giant will find that their body is more proportioned like that of a human, and humans themselves might be somewhat surprised to find they now stand stoutly like a dwarf. The power inherent in their bodies also seeming to shrink along with their size, while they will retain the same levels of strength relative to their size as they were before, this can seem like a great decrease in power given that your average giant will now only be as strong as your average person. Likewise, the average human is penalized even more by this change, and actually would come off at the short end of the strength scale compared to a natural dwarf!
Strangely Dwarves themselves having some manner of natural resistance to the effects of this type of mushroom, they seem largely unaffected by consumption of these items and the only result is the tendency to make the voices of this diminutive race an octave or two higher. The effect of this mushroom wearing off after about a day, since the result of the Mouseshroom does not ‘stack’, by eating multiples of this item people can spend several days on end in a miniature form, but the effects are never permanent. Once the effects start to weaken, it will only take a few minutes for the affected to return to their original size, which can seem rather sudden if one has gotten used to their new stature!
Maxshrooms
A contradictory cousin of the Mouseshroom, the Maxshroom operates by the same principles as its shrinking sibling yet with one very obvious difference! This time the effect of this fantastic form of fungi being one of growth, one will be startled to find that in a matter of moments they are elevated to many times their original stature! Dwarves suddenly finding themselves now as tall as ‘Big Humans’, the ordinary sized species will find they are now the size of a giant! Quite a handy little option, with strength naturally upscaling along with size, the affected now have no problems reaching things on high shelves or carrying loads much heavier than they usually would. Unfortunately Giants seeming to have some manner of in-built immunity to the effects of these particular spores, they suffer the same effects as a dwarf would with a mouseshroom. This can result in quite an amusing sight as something as physically impressive as a giant is suddenly given a hilariously squeaky voice! However, one is advised to avoid the wrath of a giant by mocking this new condition.
Glowshrooms
An underground variant of mushroom, in the light these fungi seem largely unremarkable aside from the mild toxicity they possess, being simply white and almost indistinguishable from common mushrooms. Take them into the dark, however, and one might note the fantastic and almost magical property that they possess. Glowing like candles in the darkness thanks to a natural bioluminescent character, Glowshrooms have been adopted by Dwarven households as sources of illumination in the depths, and were originally employed as tools for lighting the early settlements that the Kiinoko constructed. Eventually they were replaced by the Fingers of Eve for the superior levels of light that these roots produced, and because visitors kept eating them by accident. However, they still find a use in the homes as lighting sources since they are much safer to use than oil based lanterns, preventing fiery incidents. Originally one of the major exports of Kiinoko, the Glowshroom has proved rather hardy and adaptable and some have offered the idea that the other species of luminescent fungus seen in the world may well be descended from ancient cultivars from this very mushroom.
Fingers of Eve
A strange type of creeping root, this species of plant tends to be a climbing one that hijacks more sturdy frames in order to grow like a choking vine, and was introduced to this island by the Dwarves. Usually starving the plants on which it grows of light and carbon dioxide, this unusual plant has actually taken to the ecosystem of Mushroom Island very well thanks to the native fungi not really having much of a need for such things! Possessing a strange photovoltaic property where it channels the light it absorbs to its roots, and is considered by some to be a distant relative of the Sunlight Tree Eve that keeps Fishman Island lit. This being where the common name for the plant comes from, this particular botanical example is much smaller in scale than the massive mangrove that straddles the red line, but is useful for the same purpose. The ingeniously horticultural dwarves using this property in order to light their underground towns and farms, one might be surprised to observe that the subterranean locales are as bright and well-lit as the surface, and experience the same day/night cycle as seen by the island.
Other Flora
While not native to the land, the verdant growing conditions and the cultural abilities of dwarves have led to quite a few ‘new’ forms of genera have been introduced by settlers, which are kept in greens, gardens or glasshouses as the dwarves have a great respect for the ecosystem of this land. This includes many forms of vegetable and fruit growing plant for produce, as well as botanical beauties introduced simply for their status like flower blooming items such as roses or sakura trees.
The landscape of the Kiinoko Kingdom dominated by Mushrooms, one will find that any ‘ordinary’ form of spore tends to grow here in quite a large abundance, along with quite a variety of local types that seem to only naturally occur here. With grass as about the only non-mushroom form of flora that is most apparent in the landscape, few other plants grow here as they have been supplanted by quick growing spores. While some 'alien' forms of plant life are present in the gardens and crops of the people, for the most part finding a 'normal' tree or bush would be considered rare. The unique fungi here adapted to the landscape, they are incredibly hard to grow in any other land for some reason, as they are too accustomed to the natural character of their home island. Here is a list of the unusual local form of Mushroom;
Mountshroom
A slow growing but incredibly hardy form of fungus that has shaped this land, the Mountshroom can take years to show any noticeable growth yet is incredibly tough skinned at the same time. Body like stone, this natural survivors have slowly risen over the course of thousands of years to tower over the island on which they live. Stems of this shroom being broad and tall, they tend to come in earthy colours between brown and grey, and are tough enough to easy withstand cannon fire. The ‘cap’ of the mushroom as pure and white as snow, these sit on the top of the mountshrooms and expel spores only once every thousand years or so. Interestingly, the cap of the Mountshroom is incredibly delicious and nutritious, having high amounts of protein and fat, without any real signs of saturation. Unfortunately, one should be prepared to climb up several hundreds of meters to taste it.
Fruitshrooms
A strange, tree-like mushroom that covers much of the landscape of Kiinoko Kingdom, these fungal forms actually have branches and multiple spouting caps, from which grows what has been called the ‘largest spores in the world’. Each spore that is produced ranging between the size of a cherry and apple, they are actually perfectly edible and taste very much like different kinds of fruit, hence the name they have been given. Colour a clear indication of what one will taste upon consumption, here are the following proven types:
Purple: Apples
Red: Strawberries
Pink: Cherry
Light Green: Pears
Orange: Oranges
Yellow: Lemons
Dark Green: Lime
Blue: Blueberries
Meatshrooms
A bush-like fungus, this version has a rather round cap sitting on top of a stubby stem, but the most remarkable thing about it is the texture of the cap! Thick and with an almost muscle-like texture, the Meatshroom has been marketed by many as the perfect equivalent to animals when eating, as it is packed with protein and in many ways resembles a naturally grown form of tofu. Rather bland if served by itself, one will note that the meatshroom is rather accepting of flavour when cooked, and if prepared in a meaty broth or gravy will quickly and strongly take on the character of what it is immersed in. The result being a mass of mushroom that can be flavoured with just about any flavour, it can be used in place of meat in just about any dish, with many not even noticing the replacement of their animal cut!
Mouseshrooms
No, not mushrooms that look or even behave like rodents, though that would be awesome! Mouseshrooms are one of the types of Fungi that the island is most well-known for, and something of a national treasure. A strange and powerful little fungus, upon ingestion the fruit has the effect of shrinking its consumer down to roughly a tenth of their size! Humans becoming the size of dwarves, and giants suddenly becoming only the size of the average person, these can be incredibly useful for squeezing many people into a tight party situation and are rather highly valued by a great many parties for this property. However, there are some strange effects of the reverse growing process to be considered. Ones anatomy seeing sometimes noticeable differences, a giant will find that their body is more proportioned like that of a human, and humans themselves might be somewhat surprised to find they now stand stoutly like a dwarf. The power inherent in their bodies also seeming to shrink along with their size, while they will retain the same levels of strength relative to their size as they were before, this can seem like a great decrease in power given that your average giant will now only be as strong as your average person. Likewise, the average human is penalized even more by this change, and actually would come off at the short end of the strength scale compared to a natural dwarf!
Strangely Dwarves themselves having some manner of natural resistance to the effects of this type of mushroom, they seem largely unaffected by consumption of these items and the only result is the tendency to make the voices of this diminutive race an octave or two higher. The effect of this mushroom wearing off after about a day, since the result of the Mouseshroom does not ‘stack’, by eating multiples of this item people can spend several days on end in a miniature form, but the effects are never permanent. Once the effects start to weaken, it will only take a few minutes for the affected to return to their original size, which can seem rather sudden if one has gotten used to their new stature!
Maxshrooms
A contradictory cousin of the Mouseshroom, the Maxshroom operates by the same principles as its shrinking sibling yet with one very obvious difference! This time the effect of this fantastic form of fungi being one of growth, one will be startled to find that in a matter of moments they are elevated to many times their original stature! Dwarves suddenly finding themselves now as tall as ‘Big Humans’, the ordinary sized species will find they are now the size of a giant! Quite a handy little option, with strength naturally upscaling along with size, the affected now have no problems reaching things on high shelves or carrying loads much heavier than they usually would. Unfortunately Giants seeming to have some manner of in-built immunity to the effects of these particular spores, they suffer the same effects as a dwarf would with a mouseshroom. This can result in quite an amusing sight as something as physically impressive as a giant is suddenly given a hilariously squeaky voice! However, one is advised to avoid the wrath of a giant by mocking this new condition.
Glowshrooms
An underground variant of mushroom, in the light these fungi seem largely unremarkable aside from the mild toxicity they possess, being simply white and almost indistinguishable from common mushrooms. Take them into the dark, however, and one might note the fantastic and almost magical property that they possess. Glowing like candles in the darkness thanks to a natural bioluminescent character, Glowshrooms have been adopted by Dwarven households as sources of illumination in the depths, and were originally employed as tools for lighting the early settlements that the Kiinoko constructed. Eventually they were replaced by the Fingers of Eve for the superior levels of light that these roots produced, and because visitors kept eating them by accident. However, they still find a use in the homes as lighting sources since they are much safer to use than oil based lanterns, preventing fiery incidents. Originally one of the major exports of Kiinoko, the Glowshroom has proved rather hardy and adaptable and some have offered the idea that the other species of luminescent fungus seen in the world may well be descended from ancient cultivars from this very mushroom.
Fingers of Eve
A strange type of creeping root, this species of plant tends to be a climbing one that hijacks more sturdy frames in order to grow like a choking vine, and was introduced to this island by the Dwarves. Usually starving the plants on which it grows of light and carbon dioxide, this unusual plant has actually taken to the ecosystem of Mushroom Island very well thanks to the native fungi not really having much of a need for such things! Possessing a strange photovoltaic property where it channels the light it absorbs to its roots, and is considered by some to be a distant relative of the Sunlight Tree Eve that keeps Fishman Island lit. This being where the common name for the plant comes from, this particular botanical example is much smaller in scale than the massive mangrove that straddles the red line, but is useful for the same purpose. The ingeniously horticultural dwarves using this property in order to light their underground towns and farms, one might be surprised to observe that the subterranean locales are as bright and well-lit as the surface, and experience the same day/night cycle as seen by the island.
Other Flora
While not native to the land, the verdant growing conditions and the cultural abilities of dwarves have led to quite a few ‘new’ forms of genera have been introduced by settlers, which are kept in greens, gardens or glasshouses as the dwarves have a great respect for the ecosystem of this land. This includes many forms of vegetable and fruit growing plant for produce, as well as botanical beauties introduced simply for their status like flower blooming items such as roses or sakura trees.
{Fauna:}
The island having a strange predilection for reptile life originally, while settlers and visitors have brought other forms of animals to the region as pets and livestock, these are usually kept in the enclosures of the locals and are rarely spotted outside of habited areas. Natural species of note include;
Kalosaurus
Bipedal reptiles that have ridges of small red plates running along their backs, while these animals may resemble dinosaurs their attitudes are rather more friendly than the terrible lizards. About the same sort of size as a tiger when fully grown, while the size and scaly appearance might make them seem threatening, these reptiles are round toothed and large eyed, and look very cute when they are cat-sized whelps. Curious and possessing levels of intelligence comparable to canines, the Kalosaurs are pack creatures that show strong levels of teamwork and connection, often going to great lengths in order to round up lost members of their groups.
Omnivores though seemingly more interested in eating the indigenous fungi of the island than visitors, while they are known to eat small lizards, birds or rodents for protein, these animals seem to go gaga for the fruitshrooms in particular and roam the mushroom forests in search of these juicy tasting spores. Running on their hind limbs and free to use their ‘paws’ for climbing, Kalosaurs are known to clamber into Fruitshrooms to find food, and can sometimes surprise visitors when they drop back down to the ground.
Seeming like an ambush, those who don’t know the way of a these unusual reptiles might seek to defend themselves, yet the Kalosaur is easily frightened and will more often than not flee than stand its ground against a threat. Gifted with long and powerful hind limbs for jumping, these animals can run both with pace and perseverance, and some have taken to taming them to use as working animals. Perhaps a little on the small side to act as a steed for a man, there have been cases where the Kalosaur has been employed as a mount for women or children as they can carry those of smaller frame with little encumbrance. Often making lifelong friendships with those they bond with, when raised from eggs by humans or other forms of intelligent life the Kalosaur shows a fierce sense of loyalty and protectiveness.
There have been stories that in spite of the usual cowardice that this species shows, they will stand their ground in defence of youngsters and actually prove quite ferocious in a fight as they lash with their powerful limbs. This tendency reflected in the culture of Kiinoko, there are folk tales here of brave Kalosaurus fighting off all sorts of threats alongside the dwarves. Called the ‘Shy Dragons of Kiinoko’ by some, prior to being scientifically termed the Kalosaurus these creatures were known as ‘Baby Dragons’, and some fanciful tales even speak of them once having the ability to belch out blass of fire! Many, however, have written this off as a simple legend.
Terragator
A savage and vicious monster that lives close to the waters of Kiinoko kingdom, these beasts look like someone stuffed a crocodile into the shell of a turtle, and then placed a few mushrooms on top! Huge animals, these reptiles grow from eggs the size of beach balls, and reach a maximum size that is comparable to a rhino. Shelled and sharp toothed, these beasts boast power in both attack and defence, and can easily kill a grown man for food. Predatory in nature, these beasts tend to prey on Kalosaurs and have been known to even swim out to sea and attack sea creatures when hungry enough. Aquatic beasts, it isn’t unheard of to find a Terragator trying to bite into the hull of a nearby boat, and many are wary of the waters around Mushroom Island because of this.
Ambush hunters first and foremost, while the animal is strong and tough it also tends to be rather lazy! The shell on its back tending to accumulate spores as it grows, from the touch carapace of this bizarre crocodile cousin grows all kind of fungi, and their common tactic for ‘hunting’ is to lie under the water on streams and act like mushroom coated mini islands. However, any fooled by this tactic is in for a nasty surprise when these nasty beasts explode from the water to devour them!
Turtures
Large relatives of the snapping turtle, while they may in some ways resemble a smaller version of the Terragator, they are not terribly closely related by genetics and seem to be more coincidentally similar than anything. About the same sort of size as a labrador, these beaked beasts are incredibly tough shelled. Their bodies wrapped in an iron-like carapace, the Tultures are the only animal on the island that isn’t the prey of the Terragator, since even the fearsome jaws of this large beast has trouble biting through the toughness of the these smaller souls shields. Unthreatened by the Terragator and consequently acting a bit like a ‘minion’ to these monsters, the Turture is actually an opportunistic scavenger which follows and feeds on the scraps left by the much larger predator.
Often underestimated because of the fact that they are often compared to the much larger animal that is the Terragator, thanks to their incredibly powerful defence and vice like beak, the Turture is actually as much of a threat to people as a wild lion or tiger. Seen attacking packs of Kalosaurs when they are hungry enough, the Turture is far more cooperative than the massive monster it is fond of accompanying, and are known to act in groups for common hunting purpose.
Linear Fox
A domesticated animal brought to the island by the dwarves and used as a beast of burden, the linear foxes act as a transport system around the land and is one of the few ‘features’ of the land that Kiiniko shares with the Tontatta. Highly useful, while the island is small from a human perspective it can be quite daunting to move between towns when one is the size of a dwarf, so this service is provided to both citizens and visitors at no charge. Each fox capable of carrying twenty dwarves with ease, the animals arrive at towns at roughly twenty minute intervals, providing a rather useful schedule for anyone to follow. They serve as a rather less disturbing and speedy equivalent to the Sink Poles through which some impatient citizens have become accustomed to travelling through.
The island having a strange predilection for reptile life originally, while settlers and visitors have brought other forms of animals to the region as pets and livestock, these are usually kept in the enclosures of the locals and are rarely spotted outside of habited areas. Natural species of note include;
Kalosaurus
Bipedal reptiles that have ridges of small red plates running along their backs, while these animals may resemble dinosaurs their attitudes are rather more friendly than the terrible lizards. About the same sort of size as a tiger when fully grown, while the size and scaly appearance might make them seem threatening, these reptiles are round toothed and large eyed, and look very cute when they are cat-sized whelps. Curious and possessing levels of intelligence comparable to canines, the Kalosaurs are pack creatures that show strong levels of teamwork and connection, often going to great lengths in order to round up lost members of their groups.
Omnivores though seemingly more interested in eating the indigenous fungi of the island than visitors, while they are known to eat small lizards, birds or rodents for protein, these animals seem to go gaga for the fruitshrooms in particular and roam the mushroom forests in search of these juicy tasting spores. Running on their hind limbs and free to use their ‘paws’ for climbing, Kalosaurs are known to clamber into Fruitshrooms to find food, and can sometimes surprise visitors when they drop back down to the ground.
Seeming like an ambush, those who don’t know the way of a these unusual reptiles might seek to defend themselves, yet the Kalosaur is easily frightened and will more often than not flee than stand its ground against a threat. Gifted with long and powerful hind limbs for jumping, these animals can run both with pace and perseverance, and some have taken to taming them to use as working animals. Perhaps a little on the small side to act as a steed for a man, there have been cases where the Kalosaur has been employed as a mount for women or children as they can carry those of smaller frame with little encumbrance. Often making lifelong friendships with those they bond with, when raised from eggs by humans or other forms of intelligent life the Kalosaur shows a fierce sense of loyalty and protectiveness.
There have been stories that in spite of the usual cowardice that this species shows, they will stand their ground in defence of youngsters and actually prove quite ferocious in a fight as they lash with their powerful limbs. This tendency reflected in the culture of Kiinoko, there are folk tales here of brave Kalosaurus fighting off all sorts of threats alongside the dwarves. Called the ‘Shy Dragons of Kiinoko’ by some, prior to being scientifically termed the Kalosaurus these creatures were known as ‘Baby Dragons’, and some fanciful tales even speak of them once having the ability to belch out blass of fire! Many, however, have written this off as a simple legend.
Terragator
A savage and vicious monster that lives close to the waters of Kiinoko kingdom, these beasts look like someone stuffed a crocodile into the shell of a turtle, and then placed a few mushrooms on top! Huge animals, these reptiles grow from eggs the size of beach balls, and reach a maximum size that is comparable to a rhino. Shelled and sharp toothed, these beasts boast power in both attack and defence, and can easily kill a grown man for food. Predatory in nature, these beasts tend to prey on Kalosaurs and have been known to even swim out to sea and attack sea creatures when hungry enough. Aquatic beasts, it isn’t unheard of to find a Terragator trying to bite into the hull of a nearby boat, and many are wary of the waters around Mushroom Island because of this.
Ambush hunters first and foremost, while the animal is strong and tough it also tends to be rather lazy! The shell on its back tending to accumulate spores as it grows, from the touch carapace of this bizarre crocodile cousin grows all kind of fungi, and their common tactic for ‘hunting’ is to lie under the water on streams and act like mushroom coated mini islands. However, any fooled by this tactic is in for a nasty surprise when these nasty beasts explode from the water to devour them!
Turtures
Large relatives of the snapping turtle, while they may in some ways resemble a smaller version of the Terragator, they are not terribly closely related by genetics and seem to be more coincidentally similar than anything. About the same sort of size as a labrador, these beaked beasts are incredibly tough shelled. Their bodies wrapped in an iron-like carapace, the Tultures are the only animal on the island that isn’t the prey of the Terragator, since even the fearsome jaws of this large beast has trouble biting through the toughness of the these smaller souls shields. Unthreatened by the Terragator and consequently acting a bit like a ‘minion’ to these monsters, the Turture is actually an opportunistic scavenger which follows and feeds on the scraps left by the much larger predator.
Often underestimated because of the fact that they are often compared to the much larger animal that is the Terragator, thanks to their incredibly powerful defence and vice like beak, the Turture is actually as much of a threat to people as a wild lion or tiger. Seen attacking packs of Kalosaurs when they are hungry enough, the Turture is far more cooperative than the massive monster it is fond of accompanying, and are known to act in groups for common hunting purpose.
Linear Fox
A domesticated animal brought to the island by the dwarves and used as a beast of burden, the linear foxes act as a transport system around the land and is one of the few ‘features’ of the land that Kiiniko shares with the Tontatta. Highly useful, while the island is small from a human perspective it can be quite daunting to move between towns when one is the size of a dwarf, so this service is provided to both citizens and visitors at no charge. Each fox capable of carrying twenty dwarves with ease, the animals arrive at towns at roughly twenty minute intervals, providing a rather useful schedule for anyone to follow. They serve as a rather less disturbing and speedy equivalent to the Sink Poles through which some impatient citizens have become accustomed to travelling through.
{Other:}
Fresh Dew
A product created by the dwarves, while one would notice no change should they drink this stuff normally, if one is under the influence of either of the size changing fungi, things are very different. Containing a special blend of ingredients that the Kiinoko people are unwilling to share, the result of consuming this refreshing beverage is complete cancellation of the effects that the Mouseshroom and Maxshrooms put out, immediately and rapidly return their original size.
Sink-Poles
Very, very strange creations that seem to blur the lines between plant, animal and even mineral, the sink-poles are an indigenous variety of something or other that grows somewhat like coral, but actually can be rather useful if employed in the right way. Naturally growing to about the width of a standard plumbing pipe but capable of extending for miles, the Sink poles have rather powerful suction force and can drag things down their length with incredible speed. The natural food for these strange things being the spores of the Fruitshroom, by dropping one down these pipe like protrusions one will find that the pant suddenly starts drawing air like a vacuum cleaner on steroids, and is more than capable of swallowing small animals.
Since the digestion of these abstract creations can only handle simple things, once they swallow something more complex they are inclined to spit them straight back out again through the other end of their bizarre bodies. When not in use, these animated tubed holding a tooth-like grill over their top, one only needs to drop even a small piece of a Fruitshroom Spore to get them to open up. Useful things for people the size of dwarves, the Sink-Pole has been adapted into a tunnel-like network of transitory systems, allowing them to zip around their subterranean habitat in seconds.
Sink-Poles integrated into the Loway network for the speedy convenience of the dwarves, there are also some of these bizarre creations scattered across the surface of the island, with some leading to the underground towns of the dwarves. Too small for anything larger than a dwarf or cat to travel through, these are really only a convenience for the locals to use, and they would often caution visitors from diving into uncharted ones when given the chance. After all, no one really knows exactly where all of the ‘exits’ for these pipe like protrusions actually are, and a person may end up being dumped into a den of Terragators if they abuse the system.
Fresh Dew
A product created by the dwarves, while one would notice no change should they drink this stuff normally, if one is under the influence of either of the size changing fungi, things are very different. Containing a special blend of ingredients that the Kiinoko people are unwilling to share, the result of consuming this refreshing beverage is complete cancellation of the effects that the Mouseshroom and Maxshrooms put out, immediately and rapidly return their original size.
Sink-Poles
Very, very strange creations that seem to blur the lines between plant, animal and even mineral, the sink-poles are an indigenous variety of something or other that grows somewhat like coral, but actually can be rather useful if employed in the right way. Naturally growing to about the width of a standard plumbing pipe but capable of extending for miles, the Sink poles have rather powerful suction force and can drag things down their length with incredible speed. The natural food for these strange things being the spores of the Fruitshroom, by dropping one down these pipe like protrusions one will find that the pant suddenly starts drawing air like a vacuum cleaner on steroids, and is more than capable of swallowing small animals.
Since the digestion of these abstract creations can only handle simple things, once they swallow something more complex they are inclined to spit them straight back out again through the other end of their bizarre bodies. When not in use, these animated tubed holding a tooth-like grill over their top, one only needs to drop even a small piece of a Fruitshroom Spore to get them to open up. Useful things for people the size of dwarves, the Sink-Pole has been adapted into a tunnel-like network of transitory systems, allowing them to zip around their subterranean habitat in seconds.
Sink-Poles integrated into the Loway network for the speedy convenience of the dwarves, there are also some of these bizarre creations scattered across the surface of the island, with some leading to the underground towns of the dwarves. Too small for anything larger than a dwarf or cat to travel through, these are really only a convenience for the locals to use, and they would often caution visitors from diving into uncharted ones when given the chance. After all, no one really knows exactly where all of the ‘exits’ for these pipe like protrusions actually are, and a person may end up being dumped into a den of Terragators if they abuse the system.
{Locals:}
Kiinoko Dwarves
Cousins to the tribe known as the Tontatta, there is much disagreement between both sets of peoples as to which of these two was the ‘original’ tribe of dwarves, as the Kiinoko would adamantly attribute their status as the fathers of their Green Bit relatives.
Physically similar to their cousins in most regards, the Kiinoko are of similar stature to the Tontatta and possess the same fluffy tails and chibi-like stoutness as their sister tribe. Pointed ears more common among the Kiinoko than peaked noses, this particular offshoot of dwarven genealogy has a slightly elven appearance in many of its inhabitants.
Kiinoko Dwarves
Cousins to the tribe known as the Tontatta, there is much disagreement between both sets of peoples as to which of these two was the ‘original’ tribe of dwarves, as the Kiinoko would adamantly attribute their status as the fathers of their Green Bit relatives.
Physically similar to their cousins in most regards, the Kiinoko are of similar stature to the Tontatta and possess the same fluffy tails and chibi-like stoutness as their sister tribe. Pointed ears more common among the Kiinoko than peaked noses, this particular offshoot of dwarven genealogy has a slightly elven appearance in many of its inhabitants.
{Groups and Establishments:}
Muscaria Royal Family
The nation ruled by a royal family that traces its lineage right back to the leader of the settling bunch that founded Kiinoko over a thousand years ago, the Muscaria have a rather open policy for their habits and often mix with the people of their kingdom on a daily basis. Holding no real sense of formality in their position, the king or queen usually forms a council of their most trusted advisors who can be sourced from any walk of life, and are known to even mix with visitors under the supervision of the Mushroom Guard.
Mushroom Guard
The soldiers of the island, the Mushroom guard has a standing commitment of about 5% of the populace, and all able bodied members of this nation are expected to complete national service once they reach the age of eighteen to be trained in matters of personal and territorial defence.
Those who choose to remain in service of the military afforded quite some prestige; the Mushroom Guard operates in many ways similar to an army, and has very little naval presence. The borders of the largely underground kingdom under constant supervision, every settlement of Kiinoko has a military barracks and they tend to be quick to respond to any sort of danger.
Well known for their stealth and blitz tactics, a common attack method of the Mushroom Guard is to sneakily surround any would-be attackers thanks to their small size before employing the size changing Maxshroom on themselves to surprise their enemies and quickly overwhelm them. Through this tactic, many negative elements that are introduced into the land tend to be quickly dealt with upon discovery, as this potent force routinely patrols the lands and exiles anything they overcome with their quick hit tactics.
Hierarchically much simpler than a body like the Marines, thanks to the smaller size and small scope of their operation, there are only a handful of ranks attainable by any who enter, but the status of merely being a ‘Redcap’ makes one rather idolized by the populace and regardless of rank the people are treated with respect and even reverence. As a rough guide, the rank system of the Mushroom guard is ordered as follows;
Dapperling (Overall commander of the forces)
Bolete (Military Authorities of towns and other locations)
Cortinary(Commanders of barracks and brigades)
Greengill (Foot soldiers)
Buttoneer(Recruit)
Greenfingers
Issues of flora and fauna a big concern for Dwarf Society, aside from the military and royal family the third major party of people is that which unites the various farms and gardens into a merger. Run by an elected chair person, this group of plant lovers takes responsibility for maintaining both the mushroom life in this land and the foreign foliage that has been introduced and try to keep a balance between the two.
Muscaria Royal Family
The nation ruled by a royal family that traces its lineage right back to the leader of the settling bunch that founded Kiinoko over a thousand years ago, the Muscaria have a rather open policy for their habits and often mix with the people of their kingdom on a daily basis. Holding no real sense of formality in their position, the king or queen usually forms a council of their most trusted advisors who can be sourced from any walk of life, and are known to even mix with visitors under the supervision of the Mushroom Guard.
Mushroom Guard
The soldiers of the island, the Mushroom guard has a standing commitment of about 5% of the populace, and all able bodied members of this nation are expected to complete national service once they reach the age of eighteen to be trained in matters of personal and territorial defence.
Those who choose to remain in service of the military afforded quite some prestige; the Mushroom Guard operates in many ways similar to an army, and has very little naval presence. The borders of the largely underground kingdom under constant supervision, every settlement of Kiinoko has a military barracks and they tend to be quick to respond to any sort of danger.
Well known for their stealth and blitz tactics, a common attack method of the Mushroom Guard is to sneakily surround any would-be attackers thanks to their small size before employing the size changing Maxshroom on themselves to surprise their enemies and quickly overwhelm them. Through this tactic, many negative elements that are introduced into the land tend to be quickly dealt with upon discovery, as this potent force routinely patrols the lands and exiles anything they overcome with their quick hit tactics.
Hierarchically much simpler than a body like the Marines, thanks to the smaller size and small scope of their operation, there are only a handful of ranks attainable by any who enter, but the status of merely being a ‘Redcap’ makes one rather idolized by the populace and regardless of rank the people are treated with respect and even reverence. As a rough guide, the rank system of the Mushroom guard is ordered as follows;
Dapperling (Overall commander of the forces)
Bolete (Military Authorities of towns and other locations)
Cortinary(Commanders of barracks and brigades)
Greengill (Foot soldiers)
Buttoneer(Recruit)
Greenfingers
Issues of flora and fauna a big concern for Dwarf Society, aside from the military and royal family the third major party of people is that which unites the various farms and gardens into a merger. Run by an elected chair person, this group of plant lovers takes responsibility for maintaining both the mushroom life in this land and the foreign foliage that has been introduced and try to keep a balance between the two.
{Trends:}
Politics
Kiinoko being a non-member nation of the world government, years of seeing their kinsmen claimed as slaves and toys by ‘big humans’ made the people of this land rather guarded around visitors. Not as isolated as their Tontatta cousins as they do promote trade with outside countries and groups, there is a healthy import and export trade in the country but the people have a strong preference for dictating the methods used. Not affiliated with the government due to their desire to remain independent, the people of Mushroom Island do however have a peace treaty with the globally dominating force and the nations that make it up.
Policy on foreigners being quite literally something that the locals prefer to handle on their ‘level’, entrance into the territory of the Kiinoko Kingdom is subject to a toll and a certain condition. A nation of dwarves, thanks to the magical mushrooms that this locale can offer, any and all visitors to the land are expected to shrink down to diminutive scale! Still seeing outsiders as something of the same ‘race’ regardless of their creed, the Kiinoko do not discriminate against pirates or Marines, and would both welcome or attack either equally.
Fashion
In a land dominated by mushrooms, many of the people that live here tend to incorporate the shapes of mushrooms into their fashion, with beret style hats being particularly popular. Often coloured with spots and being rather decorative, this form of headwear is considered something of a cultural status, and many sport some sort of beret-style hat. Red berets considered something of a faux-pas by the countrymen due to the association with the mushroom guard, so foreigners would be advised against wearing this colour by locals.
Due to the bushy tails that dwarves possess, all forms of clothing that the islanders wear are naturally fashioned to accommodate this feature. Equipped with openings in the back of their dresses and trousers, they would be rather impractical for anything other than a dwarf to wear, but it isn’t uncommon for locals to create items of clothing to sell to humans. Employing their small size and attention to detail, while the products of Kiinoko tend to be rather floral in design, they are of impeccable quality and a distinct character!
Industry
Much more focused on agriculture than manufacture in this country, this does not mean that the country is lacking anything in terms of export strength compared to more industrial nations. The mushrooms of the nation highly prized by a great many, the size changing effects in particular fetch a handsome price. The expertise of the dwarves in growing produce second to none, the country also tends to export plant life that is rather tricky for most to grow, affording them a niche but profitable market.
Cuisine
The food of Kiinoko featuring a heavy dose of mushroom use, things like Matsutake Mushrooms that would be rare and expensive in other regions are actually somewhat common here. Animals like cows and pigs somewhat uncommon here, meals that involve them would be more expensive than in other places, with cheaper meals using meatshroom as a substitute.
Prominent Historical Figures:
Muscaria – The founder of the Kiinoko Kingdom, Muscaria is the dwarf man who started this land and is revered by the residents as one of the greatest pioneers in world history. Often associated with courage or daring, comparison to Muscaria is a favourable notion for a person who is brave, intrepid or having an explorers spirit.
Rusula the Reformer – The first Queen of the kingdom, Muscaria’s daughter and the woman responsible for much of the infrastructure that Kiinoko holds to this day, establishing the early forms of the Mushroom Guard and Greenfingers. Having ‘Smarts like Rusula’ is a metaphor in the land for being intelligent or cunning in general.
Enoki – Known as the ‘Legendary Gardener’, Enoki was the very first head of the union that became the Greenfingers and is idolized as a genius of growing. Many dwarves refer to the teachings of Enoko to help their own botanical ventures and he is something like the patron saint of the Greenfinger Group, with the best of gardeners or farmers said to possess ‘Enoki’s Wisdom’.
Dapperling – The very first non-royal commander of the Mushroom Guard and the man for whom the leadership role is named, Dapperling is renowned as one of the strongest warrior dwarves to ever be born from Kiinoko and respect is paid to him by all soldiers. Being told that you have ‘Strength worthy of Dapperling’ is to commend someone on their skill in a fight.
Peziza – A hot spirited princess who was the driving force for preventing the nation from falling into the grip of the World Government, Peziza is considered a hero by the people of the island and an example of Dwarf Pride to all. ‘Having the fire of Peziza’ is a local euphemism to describe someone who strongly supports dwarf independence or works hard to help make the island a success.
Politics
Kiinoko being a non-member nation of the world government, years of seeing their kinsmen claimed as slaves and toys by ‘big humans’ made the people of this land rather guarded around visitors. Not as isolated as their Tontatta cousins as they do promote trade with outside countries and groups, there is a healthy import and export trade in the country but the people have a strong preference for dictating the methods used. Not affiliated with the government due to their desire to remain independent, the people of Mushroom Island do however have a peace treaty with the globally dominating force and the nations that make it up.
Policy on foreigners being quite literally something that the locals prefer to handle on their ‘level’, entrance into the territory of the Kiinoko Kingdom is subject to a toll and a certain condition. A nation of dwarves, thanks to the magical mushrooms that this locale can offer, any and all visitors to the land are expected to shrink down to diminutive scale! Still seeing outsiders as something of the same ‘race’ regardless of their creed, the Kiinoko do not discriminate against pirates or Marines, and would both welcome or attack either equally.
Fashion
In a land dominated by mushrooms, many of the people that live here tend to incorporate the shapes of mushrooms into their fashion, with beret style hats being particularly popular. Often coloured with spots and being rather decorative, this form of headwear is considered something of a cultural status, and many sport some sort of beret-style hat. Red berets considered something of a faux-pas by the countrymen due to the association with the mushroom guard, so foreigners would be advised against wearing this colour by locals.
Due to the bushy tails that dwarves possess, all forms of clothing that the islanders wear are naturally fashioned to accommodate this feature. Equipped with openings in the back of their dresses and trousers, they would be rather impractical for anything other than a dwarf to wear, but it isn’t uncommon for locals to create items of clothing to sell to humans. Employing their small size and attention to detail, while the products of Kiinoko tend to be rather floral in design, they are of impeccable quality and a distinct character!
Industry
Much more focused on agriculture than manufacture in this country, this does not mean that the country is lacking anything in terms of export strength compared to more industrial nations. The mushrooms of the nation highly prized by a great many, the size changing effects in particular fetch a handsome price. The expertise of the dwarves in growing produce second to none, the country also tends to export plant life that is rather tricky for most to grow, affording them a niche but profitable market.
Cuisine
The food of Kiinoko featuring a heavy dose of mushroom use, things like Matsutake Mushrooms that would be rare and expensive in other regions are actually somewhat common here. Animals like cows and pigs somewhat uncommon here, meals that involve them would be more expensive than in other places, with cheaper meals using meatshroom as a substitute.
Prominent Historical Figures:
Muscaria – The founder of the Kiinoko Kingdom, Muscaria is the dwarf man who started this land and is revered by the residents as one of the greatest pioneers in world history. Often associated with courage or daring, comparison to Muscaria is a favourable notion for a person who is brave, intrepid or having an explorers spirit.
Rusula the Reformer – The first Queen of the kingdom, Muscaria’s daughter and the woman responsible for much of the infrastructure that Kiinoko holds to this day, establishing the early forms of the Mushroom Guard and Greenfingers. Having ‘Smarts like Rusula’ is a metaphor in the land for being intelligent or cunning in general.
Enoki – Known as the ‘Legendary Gardener’, Enoki was the very first head of the union that became the Greenfingers and is idolized as a genius of growing. Many dwarves refer to the teachings of Enoko to help their own botanical ventures and he is something like the patron saint of the Greenfinger Group, with the best of gardeners or farmers said to possess ‘Enoki’s Wisdom’.
Dapperling – The very first non-royal commander of the Mushroom Guard and the man for whom the leadership role is named, Dapperling is renowned as one of the strongest warrior dwarves to ever be born from Kiinoko and respect is paid to him by all soldiers. Being told that you have ‘Strength worthy of Dapperling’ is to commend someone on their skill in a fight.
Peziza – A hot spirited princess who was the driving force for preventing the nation from falling into the grip of the World Government, Peziza is considered a hero by the people of the island and an example of Dwarf Pride to all. ‘Having the fire of Peziza’ is a local euphemism to describe someone who strongly supports dwarf independence or works hard to help make the island a success.
{NPC's:}
Queen Morella Muscaria XI - Mid 30's - (C Class Civillian – Neutral Good)
The current ruler of Kiinoko, who has been in power for the past fourteen years. Morella is a woman with a particular love for flowers, and spends much of her free time in the Gardens around Chanterelle enjoying them. A warm hearted monarch, one can earn her favour by bring exotic cuts of flora for her to enjoy, or seedlings to grow her own. Prizing her people more than anything else, while Queen Muscaria is largely friendly toward visitors she would show eternal loyalty to the land and her driving force is protecting the little heaven they have here. Not to be underestimated in a fight, since all citizens of Kiinoko are trained in martial and military practice the queen can prove a shockingly effective combatant. Wielding the ‘Rose Glaive’, while one may not expect it of a soul so small and usually upbeat, this woman can singlehandedly take on pirate captains with little issue.
To dwarves, Morella is considered a beauty who looks younger than her years, though most humans would notice few differences in her figure than most others of this diminutive race. Featuring long dark brown hair and green eyes, the Queen likes silky and flowing robes but can often be seen looking a little bit grubby after mucking in with the gardens.
Dapperling Helvella - Mid 40's - (B Class Soldier – Lawful Neutral)
The leader of the Mushroom Guard, Helvella began his service as Dapperling with the previous Monarch and has remained with Morella for the duration of her term as queen. Far more of a realist than Queen Muscaria, this military man is proud of his position and somewhat suspicious of the motivations of outsiders. Dedicated to protecting the realm, Helvella is a powerful warrior that some have termed ‘The Strongest Dwarf in the World’, and shows respect to those who have combat skill. Never the less, he is rather merciless toward trouble causers and would not bat an eye when taking action when nearby, considering no level of esteem that rank brings greater than the safety of Kiinoko. Equipped with a weapon by the name of the ‘Thorn Sabre’, Dapperling is an expert swordsman and has a weapon quipped that can increase startlingly in size. Chomping Grass built into the fibre of his armament, the Thorn Sabre can act like the long and jagged stem of a rose and increase to similar scales to a human sword, which when put in the hands of one so small and agile can have a rather deadly effect.
A refined looking gentleman of a dwarf, Helvella has slicked back hair that is greying at the temples, as well as having a moustache that curls at the ends. Favouring military dress, the Dapperling sports a standard uniform with a red mantle in place of a beret, as well as having the Thorn Sabre strapped to his hip.
Grand Gardener Puffball - Late 20's = (C Class Civillian – Chaotic Good)
The leader of the Greenfingers, Puffball is a curious young woman who loves to grow all sorts of things, especially strange species. Delighting in unusual items imported from outside, Puffball treats all forms of plant life equally and does not discriminate for aesthetic or nutritional values of things. Like to experiment with crossbreeding, one might be surprised to learn that this botanist is deceptively powerful in conflict, as she is armed with pop greens and other forms of weird and wonderful plant life that she uses to overpower others. However, since she is more a lover than a fighter, she only really gets involved in battle for the purpose of defence.
A somewhat messy looking woman, Puffball has untidy hair of green colour and round glasses that perch on her pointy nose, as well as cheeks often carrying a little earth. Blue eyed, she wears baggy clothing that looks a little frumpy and often looks dirty because she spends a lot of time in the garden.
Bolete Oyster - Late 30's - (B Class Soldier – Lawful Good)
The military commander of Porto Bello and overall authority on travel, Oyster is considered the expect in the land in combatting Pirates as he is a veteran of many encounters with rowdy minded visitors. Younger than Helvella by more than a decade, while the older man has greater seniority and experience in battle some fancy Oyster as the strongest warrior in the land since he is more known to engage in fights due to his job. However, the two have never really had much of a contest between them so few actually know which is superior.
Oyster has orange hair and a surprisingly dark complexion, with caramel coloured skin and amber coloured eyes. Wearing the standard uniform of the Redcaps, the Bolete sports a navy blue pauldron with an anchor on it to signify his emphasis on maritime activity.
Cortinary Cremini – Early 20’s -(C Class Soldier – Neutral Good)
A squad Leader of the Mushroom Forest Scouts, a brigade in the Mushroom Guard that actively patrols the surface in order to detect threats and problems, Cremini is a young but strong female dwarf who is rather skilled in battle. Known to attack Terragators head on in defence of civilians and her own soldiers, the girl usually wields a standard issue lance and is remarked for her skill with Kiinoko Combat, which has a lot of similarities to the martial arts practiced by the Tontatta.
Sporting a mint coloured bob hairstyle and dark green eyes, Cremini tends to wear the ‘ranger’ version of the Redcap Ensemble, featuring a dark green drape that acts as a scarf and poncho, as well as her lance often resting on her shoulder when not in use.
Mushroom Guard Soldiers (D+ Class Soldiers – Lawful Good/Neutral)
A five thousand strong force of people, many have noted that despite the small stature of this army they are deceptively powerful, having a figurative standing of head and shoulders above the average man in human armies like the Marines. Agile, stealthy and physically more powerful than their stature might imply, the men of the Mushroom guard can easily overpower the average human and small groups of them are even capable of taking care of pirate crews.
The standard uniform of the Redcaps being their trademark headwear along with a black jacket and white pants, there are certain variations on this outfit for specific jobs. Redcaps assigned to Porto Bello wear coats of navy blue and have baby blue scarves so protect them for the chilly seas, whereas the forest scouts are issued with olive green poncho for both camouflage and protection from the elements since their routes can take several days to complete when you’re six inches tall.
Billy - Early 50's - (C Class Civillian – Neutral Good)
One of the only human residents on land, and the most notable inhabitant of the Mushroom Forest, few know exactly where Billy actually came from. Largely a peaceful man, Billy has created a small farm where he breeds and raises Kalosaurs which is happy to sell to others for a reasonable price. Physically strong, the man can easily handle the strength of Kalosaurs if they get out of hand, and was even known to hold his own against Oyster when he first arrived in a fight after being mistaken for a pirate. Now having rather good relations with the locals, the Forest Scouts often stop by Billys farm as a sort of ‘forward outpost’ and are known to come to his aid if he gets in trouble with outsiders. In exchange Billy lends his strength, insight and Kalosaurs to the Kiinoko when needed.
A bald man with a long beard, Billy is quite tall but has a somewhat skinny frame, though possesses something of a paunch. Wearing simple clothes, he sports long shorts and often motif bearing tee shirts, but isn’t above something flashier once in a while.
God Terra (B Class Monster – Chaotic Beast)
A massive Terragator that is said to be several centuries old, God Terra is similar in scale to a sea monster, being like a small island all by itself. While normal Terragators might grow mushrooms on their backs as lures, Terra has whole Fruitshroom trees sprouting from its rock hard carapace, and a head the size of a family car. Living at the centre of the Giants Cradle, this beast seems to be the ‘Boss’ of the Terragator species and is a fearsome threat to all that come across it. No one really knows whether Terra is male or female, just that it is one hell of a monster to find!
Queen Morella Muscaria XI - Mid 30's - (C Class Civillian – Neutral Good)
The current ruler of Kiinoko, who has been in power for the past fourteen years. Morella is a woman with a particular love for flowers, and spends much of her free time in the Gardens around Chanterelle enjoying them. A warm hearted monarch, one can earn her favour by bring exotic cuts of flora for her to enjoy, or seedlings to grow her own. Prizing her people more than anything else, while Queen Muscaria is largely friendly toward visitors she would show eternal loyalty to the land and her driving force is protecting the little heaven they have here. Not to be underestimated in a fight, since all citizens of Kiinoko are trained in martial and military practice the queen can prove a shockingly effective combatant. Wielding the ‘Rose Glaive’, while one may not expect it of a soul so small and usually upbeat, this woman can singlehandedly take on pirate captains with little issue.
To dwarves, Morella is considered a beauty who looks younger than her years, though most humans would notice few differences in her figure than most others of this diminutive race. Featuring long dark brown hair and green eyes, the Queen likes silky and flowing robes but can often be seen looking a little bit grubby after mucking in with the gardens.
Dapperling Helvella - Mid 40's - (B Class Soldier – Lawful Neutral)
The leader of the Mushroom Guard, Helvella began his service as Dapperling with the previous Monarch and has remained with Morella for the duration of her term as queen. Far more of a realist than Queen Muscaria, this military man is proud of his position and somewhat suspicious of the motivations of outsiders. Dedicated to protecting the realm, Helvella is a powerful warrior that some have termed ‘The Strongest Dwarf in the World’, and shows respect to those who have combat skill. Never the less, he is rather merciless toward trouble causers and would not bat an eye when taking action when nearby, considering no level of esteem that rank brings greater than the safety of Kiinoko. Equipped with a weapon by the name of the ‘Thorn Sabre’, Dapperling is an expert swordsman and has a weapon quipped that can increase startlingly in size. Chomping Grass built into the fibre of his armament, the Thorn Sabre can act like the long and jagged stem of a rose and increase to similar scales to a human sword, which when put in the hands of one so small and agile can have a rather deadly effect.
A refined looking gentleman of a dwarf, Helvella has slicked back hair that is greying at the temples, as well as having a moustache that curls at the ends. Favouring military dress, the Dapperling sports a standard uniform with a red mantle in place of a beret, as well as having the Thorn Sabre strapped to his hip.
Grand Gardener Puffball - Late 20's = (C Class Civillian – Chaotic Good)
The leader of the Greenfingers, Puffball is a curious young woman who loves to grow all sorts of things, especially strange species. Delighting in unusual items imported from outside, Puffball treats all forms of plant life equally and does not discriminate for aesthetic or nutritional values of things. Like to experiment with crossbreeding, one might be surprised to learn that this botanist is deceptively powerful in conflict, as she is armed with pop greens and other forms of weird and wonderful plant life that she uses to overpower others. However, since she is more a lover than a fighter, she only really gets involved in battle for the purpose of defence.
A somewhat messy looking woman, Puffball has untidy hair of green colour and round glasses that perch on her pointy nose, as well as cheeks often carrying a little earth. Blue eyed, she wears baggy clothing that looks a little frumpy and often looks dirty because she spends a lot of time in the garden.
Bolete Oyster - Late 30's - (B Class Soldier – Lawful Good)
The military commander of Porto Bello and overall authority on travel, Oyster is considered the expect in the land in combatting Pirates as he is a veteran of many encounters with rowdy minded visitors. Younger than Helvella by more than a decade, while the older man has greater seniority and experience in battle some fancy Oyster as the strongest warrior in the land since he is more known to engage in fights due to his job. However, the two have never really had much of a contest between them so few actually know which is superior.
Oyster has orange hair and a surprisingly dark complexion, with caramel coloured skin and amber coloured eyes. Wearing the standard uniform of the Redcaps, the Bolete sports a navy blue pauldron with an anchor on it to signify his emphasis on maritime activity.
Cortinary Cremini – Early 20’s -(C Class Soldier – Neutral Good)
A squad Leader of the Mushroom Forest Scouts, a brigade in the Mushroom Guard that actively patrols the surface in order to detect threats and problems, Cremini is a young but strong female dwarf who is rather skilled in battle. Known to attack Terragators head on in defence of civilians and her own soldiers, the girl usually wields a standard issue lance and is remarked for her skill with Kiinoko Combat, which has a lot of similarities to the martial arts practiced by the Tontatta.
Sporting a mint coloured bob hairstyle and dark green eyes, Cremini tends to wear the ‘ranger’ version of the Redcap Ensemble, featuring a dark green drape that acts as a scarf and poncho, as well as her lance often resting on her shoulder when not in use.
Mushroom Guard Soldiers (D+ Class Soldiers – Lawful Good/Neutral)
A five thousand strong force of people, many have noted that despite the small stature of this army they are deceptively powerful, having a figurative standing of head and shoulders above the average man in human armies like the Marines. Agile, stealthy and physically more powerful than their stature might imply, the men of the Mushroom guard can easily overpower the average human and small groups of them are even capable of taking care of pirate crews.
The standard uniform of the Redcaps being their trademark headwear along with a black jacket and white pants, there are certain variations on this outfit for specific jobs. Redcaps assigned to Porto Bello wear coats of navy blue and have baby blue scarves so protect them for the chilly seas, whereas the forest scouts are issued with olive green poncho for both camouflage and protection from the elements since their routes can take several days to complete when you’re six inches tall.
Billy - Early 50's - (C Class Civillian – Neutral Good)
One of the only human residents on land, and the most notable inhabitant of the Mushroom Forest, few know exactly where Billy actually came from. Largely a peaceful man, Billy has created a small farm where he breeds and raises Kalosaurs which is happy to sell to others for a reasonable price. Physically strong, the man can easily handle the strength of Kalosaurs if they get out of hand, and was even known to hold his own against Oyster when he first arrived in a fight after being mistaken for a pirate. Now having rather good relations with the locals, the Forest Scouts often stop by Billys farm as a sort of ‘forward outpost’ and are known to come to his aid if he gets in trouble with outsiders. In exchange Billy lends his strength, insight and Kalosaurs to the Kiinoko when needed.
A bald man with a long beard, Billy is quite tall but has a somewhat skinny frame, though possesses something of a paunch. Wearing simple clothes, he sports long shorts and often motif bearing tee shirts, but isn’t above something flashier once in a while.
God Terra (B Class Monster – Chaotic Beast)
A massive Terragator that is said to be several centuries old, God Terra is similar in scale to a sea monster, being like a small island all by itself. While normal Terragators might grow mushrooms on their backs as lures, Terra has whole Fruitshroom trees sprouting from its rock hard carapace, and a head the size of a family car. Living at the centre of the Giants Cradle, this beast seems to be the ‘Boss’ of the Terragator species and is a fearsome threat to all that come across it. No one really knows whether Terra is male or female, just that it is one hell of a monster to find!
Settlements and Locations:
{Above Ground:}
Porto Bella
The port town of the Kiinoko Kingdom, and really the only settlement that is above ground, this location has one of the most noticeable presences of the Mushroom Guard of any other than the capital city, and is largely manned by a detachment of Redcaps who are actually human sized via the use of Maxshrooms. Called ‘Mushroom Port’ by some that visit here, thanks to the notion that the guards and workers have tails like those seen on squirrels some may believe that the inhabitants are actually some manner of humanized rodent, rather than dwarves. Often quite busy, there is a bustling marketplace just a little ways past the port where the produce of the island can be bartered for and often the ships seen here will be those sent by merchants or even governments to collect or deliver items. The gateway to the kingdom beyond, beyond a checkpoint is a egress that is roughly the size of a wordpad and is rather hard for anything other than a dwarf to pass through. Those who pay the toll permitted the use of Mouseshrooms to enter via this diminutive doorway to set foot in the nation of Kiinoko, and are welcomed into the underground highways through which one can visit the towns and capital city of this dwarf run island.
Giants Cradle
A relatively large valley that is filled with natural wildlife, the Giants Cradle is a place that the locals often tend to avoid, as it is a feeding ground for Terragators and Turtures! Filled with winding rivers and lakes as well as a multitude of mushroom species, the natives tend to refer to this place as the perfect example of what the land was like before their arrival, and as such it has something of a status as a heritage site. Name coming from the massive size difference between a dwarf and the Terragators that inhabit this place, while a pair of human eyes may only see this as a space between mountains a handful of miles across, it seems truly vast when considered from a dwarven perspective.
Mushroom Forest
A large area of Mushroom trees that is especially plentiful of the Fruitshroom and Meatshroom variety, the Mushroom forest is home to the native Kalosaurs! Dominating much of the landscape of Mushroom Island, this spore built woodland is mostly what those who do not enter the underground kingdom will encounter when exploring the island. Certain of the Dwarves seeming to prefer to live above ground, while there is nothing here that is so congregated in this area as to be called a settlement, one shouldn’t be surprised to find birdhouse like buildings at the tops of trees where these hermit dwarves live.
Billy’s Farm
The only human settlement in the entirety of Mushroom Island, and not a particularly sizeable one at that, a small section of the Mushroom forest has been fenced off by a man and his family where he raises tamed Kalosaurs! These beasts reared from eggs, Billy and his children have turned their hand as breeders of these strange reptiles and farm the animals to be sold for either meat or as working animals.
Lost Ruins
The first settlers initially trying to build a village on the surface, somewhere within Mushroom Forest lies the ruins of this abandoned attempt, though given the small size of the dwarves searching for such places becomes rather more difficult. Legend saying that the town failed because of the frequency of attacks from local predators, many have guessed that its location may be close or even inside the Giants Cradle, yet in over a thousand years no one has successfully found it. Some assuming that years of mushroom growth and changing seasons have swallowed what was there, there is a good chance that whatever started the Kiinoko Kingdom has been buried by both land and time.
Porto Bella
The port town of the Kiinoko Kingdom, and really the only settlement that is above ground, this location has one of the most noticeable presences of the Mushroom Guard of any other than the capital city, and is largely manned by a detachment of Redcaps who are actually human sized via the use of Maxshrooms. Called ‘Mushroom Port’ by some that visit here, thanks to the notion that the guards and workers have tails like those seen on squirrels some may believe that the inhabitants are actually some manner of humanized rodent, rather than dwarves. Often quite busy, there is a bustling marketplace just a little ways past the port where the produce of the island can be bartered for and often the ships seen here will be those sent by merchants or even governments to collect or deliver items. The gateway to the kingdom beyond, beyond a checkpoint is a egress that is roughly the size of a wordpad and is rather hard for anything other than a dwarf to pass through. Those who pay the toll permitted the use of Mouseshrooms to enter via this diminutive doorway to set foot in the nation of Kiinoko, and are welcomed into the underground highways through which one can visit the towns and capital city of this dwarf run island.
Giants Cradle
A relatively large valley that is filled with natural wildlife, the Giants Cradle is a place that the locals often tend to avoid, as it is a feeding ground for Terragators and Turtures! Filled with winding rivers and lakes as well as a multitude of mushroom species, the natives tend to refer to this place as the perfect example of what the land was like before their arrival, and as such it has something of a status as a heritage site. Name coming from the massive size difference between a dwarf and the Terragators that inhabit this place, while a pair of human eyes may only see this as a space between mountains a handful of miles across, it seems truly vast when considered from a dwarven perspective.
Mushroom Forest
A large area of Mushroom trees that is especially plentiful of the Fruitshroom and Meatshroom variety, the Mushroom forest is home to the native Kalosaurs! Dominating much of the landscape of Mushroom Island, this spore built woodland is mostly what those who do not enter the underground kingdom will encounter when exploring the island. Certain of the Dwarves seeming to prefer to live above ground, while there is nothing here that is so congregated in this area as to be called a settlement, one shouldn’t be surprised to find birdhouse like buildings at the tops of trees where these hermit dwarves live.
Billy’s Farm
The only human settlement in the entirety of Mushroom Island, and not a particularly sizeable one at that, a small section of the Mushroom forest has been fenced off by a man and his family where he raises tamed Kalosaurs! These beasts reared from eggs, Billy and his children have turned their hand as breeders of these strange reptiles and farm the animals to be sold for either meat or as working animals.
Lost Ruins
The first settlers initially trying to build a village on the surface, somewhere within Mushroom Forest lies the ruins of this abandoned attempt, though given the small size of the dwarves searching for such places becomes rather more difficult. Legend saying that the town failed because of the frequency of attacks from local predators, many have guessed that its location may be close or even inside the Giants Cradle, yet in over a thousand years no one has successfully found it. Some assuming that years of mushroom growth and changing seasons have swallowed what was there, there is a good chance that whatever started the Kiinoko Kingdom has been buried by both land and time.
{Underground:}
Chanterelle
The capital city of the Kiinoki Kingdom, and also the largest settlement on the whole island. Housing about half of the total population, this city for tiny people is quite the spectacle to behold with the royal palace standing right at the very centre. The palace itself like a tall towered castle that was built from mushrooms, it stands above the similarly fungus shaped buildings around it like a watchful guardian. The hub of everything that occurs in the kingdom, Chanterelle is also home to the headquarters of the Mushroom Guard and the assembly where the Greenfingers gathers, and on the outside of this is the suburbs. Beyond this being the gardens, this metropolis is surrounded on all sides by flowering plants that look like they were trees compared to the size of a dwarf, lending a real grace and character to this underground location.
Highgarden District
The area around the capital surrounded with lush life despite being no small amount of space beneath the surface, the stretch of fields that is Highgarden seems to focus on the growing of decorative plants like flowers, lending to the magic of the capital city.
Morela
Originally a simple gateway with a well-armed barracks to protect the capital, with growing trade Morela has become the major underground marketplace for this subterranean society. Standing at what is the closest thing to the centre of the kingdom, farmers from both Highgarden and the other two districts tend to travel here to buy and sell the product of the nation as well as that which merchants bring to the land. Noted as the liveliest place in all of Kiinoko, Morela is a hub of clashing cultures where this once shy society now mixes with the outside world, and as such is filled with a sense of mystery and energy. Luckily, if any of this conflict creates trouble then that the Redcap barracks isn’t far away.
Lowgarden District
The only place in the kingdom without any real names for its settlements, Lowgarden is like a sprawling mix of farms and the houses of the people that run them, with none really attributing their location to any fixed name. The Buttoneer Barracks located at the westernmost point of Lowgarden, and is where all are given training in defence over the course of their lives, with many little exercises taking place in the surrounding fields. This district focused on the growth of fruits and vegetables, Lowgarden has the most growing space of any of the three districts and is highly productive, being renowned as the produce powerhouse of the Kiinoko Kingdom.
Truffle
The former capital of the kingdom and the first underground settlement built by the Dwarves who colonized this land, Truffle has become home to the academics and dreamers of the nation in the time since Chanterelle was finished, and is home to what are considered the greenest fingers in the kingdom. Experiments in botany and plant breeding performed here, the place is like a green house filled laboratory and many of the marvels of Kiinoko are created here.
Hangarden District
The area surrounding truffle purposed more for the growth of difficult or experimental plant life, Hangarden is where the Kiinoko people have honed the production of the Mouseshroom and Maxshroom fungi and where the kingdom produces its crops of this item. Much of the space dedicated to the creation of these two potent forms of fungus, what remains is allotted to the researchers and creators of truffle to carry out their experiments, and as such is actually considered the most fertile region in the whole of the kingdom!
Loways
Often forgotten in descriptions in the land but perhaps one of the most important features of Kiinoko’s infrastructure, the loways are like tunnels that the generations of dwarves have gouged out of the land. Each of these pathways only a few miles long at their most, when one is little over a few inches tall then the challenge of moving down them can be rather daunting, and most prefer to travel via the routine service of Linear Foxes that dash down these den-like pathways like buses.
Chanterelle
The capital city of the Kiinoki Kingdom, and also the largest settlement on the whole island. Housing about half of the total population, this city for tiny people is quite the spectacle to behold with the royal palace standing right at the very centre. The palace itself like a tall towered castle that was built from mushrooms, it stands above the similarly fungus shaped buildings around it like a watchful guardian. The hub of everything that occurs in the kingdom, Chanterelle is also home to the headquarters of the Mushroom Guard and the assembly where the Greenfingers gathers, and on the outside of this is the suburbs. Beyond this being the gardens, this metropolis is surrounded on all sides by flowering plants that look like they were trees compared to the size of a dwarf, lending a real grace and character to this underground location.
Highgarden District
The area around the capital surrounded with lush life despite being no small amount of space beneath the surface, the stretch of fields that is Highgarden seems to focus on the growing of decorative plants like flowers, lending to the magic of the capital city.
Morela
Originally a simple gateway with a well-armed barracks to protect the capital, with growing trade Morela has become the major underground marketplace for this subterranean society. Standing at what is the closest thing to the centre of the kingdom, farmers from both Highgarden and the other two districts tend to travel here to buy and sell the product of the nation as well as that which merchants bring to the land. Noted as the liveliest place in all of Kiinoko, Morela is a hub of clashing cultures where this once shy society now mixes with the outside world, and as such is filled with a sense of mystery and energy. Luckily, if any of this conflict creates trouble then that the Redcap barracks isn’t far away.
Lowgarden District
The only place in the kingdom without any real names for its settlements, Lowgarden is like a sprawling mix of farms and the houses of the people that run them, with none really attributing their location to any fixed name. The Buttoneer Barracks located at the westernmost point of Lowgarden, and is where all are given training in defence over the course of their lives, with many little exercises taking place in the surrounding fields. This district focused on the growth of fruits and vegetables, Lowgarden has the most growing space of any of the three districts and is highly productive, being renowned as the produce powerhouse of the Kiinoko Kingdom.
Truffle
The former capital of the kingdom and the first underground settlement built by the Dwarves who colonized this land, Truffle has become home to the academics and dreamers of the nation in the time since Chanterelle was finished, and is home to what are considered the greenest fingers in the kingdom. Experiments in botany and plant breeding performed here, the place is like a green house filled laboratory and many of the marvels of Kiinoko are created here.
Hangarden District
The area surrounding truffle purposed more for the growth of difficult or experimental plant life, Hangarden is where the Kiinoko people have honed the production of the Mouseshroom and Maxshroom fungi and where the kingdom produces its crops of this item. Much of the space dedicated to the creation of these two potent forms of fungus, what remains is allotted to the researchers and creators of truffle to carry out their experiments, and as such is actually considered the most fertile region in the whole of the kingdom!
Loways
Often forgotten in descriptions in the land but perhaps one of the most important features of Kiinoko’s infrastructure, the loways are like tunnels that the generations of dwarves have gouged out of the land. Each of these pathways only a few miles long at their most, when one is little over a few inches tall then the challenge of moving down them can be rather daunting, and most prefer to travel via the routine service of Linear Foxes that dash down these den-like pathways like buses.
{History:}
Early Days
Founded well over a millennia ago by ‘Wild Walker’ Muscaria and his company of dwarves, looking for new places in which to settle. An adventurous young dwarf, Muscaria visited many lands before settling in what would become Kiinoko kingdom, but found most places to have already been conquered by human hands. The ‘Big Humans’ themselves treating the dwarf visitors rather wickedly, they tended to be tricked and kidnapped by these people, which is why the man made it his ultimate aim to make a place that was for dwarfkind only. Coming upon a land filled with Mushrooms, which were his favourite kind of food, Muscaria took this as a sign and began to develop settlements here, but found his work hampered by the local wildlife. Cross Island exploration proving difficult in part because of the Sinkpoles which seemed to randomly gobble up dwarves never to be seen again, the newly established locals learned to be wary of these and stick to the coast for the most part. However, Turtures and Terragators seemed to constantly attack the small group of settlers, and so plans to build a town on the surface were abandoned after only a few years of life here and instead the Dwarves opted to put their small size to good use by moving into the tiny caves underground.
Able to survive but somewhat stifled by this new situation, the settlers found it quite difficult to adapt to this environment, as it lacked much of the greenery of which the little peoples were so fond. Unable to create farms on the surface to grow crops and instead relying on the native mushrooms, it was quite by chance that the people here discovered the Maxshroom. One of their number accidentally eating one, everyone was quite surprised when he exploded into human size, suddenly becoming a giant among tiny bodies. Initially confused, the people managed to figure out that it was a particular variety of Mushroom that had created this effect, and snuck around the island gathering it. Increased size and strength a boon for any culture, the industrious fellows put their new discovery to good use by using a combination of normal and ‘giant’ dwarves to start expanding the caves they lived in, and sending out troops of the latter in order to gather food and resources.
From a humble beginning, the small society started to flourish, and as soon as they completed their first little village named ‘Truffle’, they began calling themselves the Kiinoko Kingdom. Muscaria elected unanimously to be their leader, it was his family that was chosen to be something close to royalty, but really occupied a status more similar to a mayor. Everyone mucking in to make this settlement a success, while some worked to make their new homeland great, others set out across the seas to contact their dwarven brethren. Population of Mushroom Island spiking when they received an influx of Dwarven families who were intrigued by this fungus based kingdom, many seemed to want to try out this magical Maxshroom and see the world from a ‘Big Human’ perspective, and Truffle bloomed from a village into a full sized city.
Development
The flood of dwarves helping the island develop rapidly, these small but strong souls soon managed to establish a noticeable presence in the land. Building a small port named Porto Bella at the entrance to their underground domain, as populations grew the people knew that they needed to expand their towns and they began developing some of the linked caves into more settlements. With some reluctance, the Sinkpoles were integreated into transport as a fast means of getting around the island, and all young dwarves were educated on both their operation and the dangers inherent to 'wild' sink poles.
Muscaria succeeded by his daughter, Russula, one of the first acts of the new queen was to establish a militia known as the Queens Guard. These protectors of the island, they were picked from the very best fighters and afforded a special status due to being under the personal command of the Kiinoko Monarch. The expansion of lands also weighing heavy on the woman, Russula handpicked the finest grower in the land named Enoki and appointed him the ‘Grand Gardener’, charged with making sure that the produce of the land was as great as it could be.
Enoki himself a very successful master of botany, it was him that put forth a proposal to import some Finger of Eve vines in order to better provide the underground city of Truffle with true light, and he also perfected the art of growing fruit underground. Establishing a society of keen farmers into something of a council, Enoki made sure that all concerns of plant creation were covered by someone with expertise in the field, and then moved onto the discovery of the local flora, documenting almost all of the mushrooms that have become commonly known in the land in modern times.
The time of Rusula and Enoki slowly passing on and succession of leaders being arranged, over the years and generations, the Kiinoko Kingdom was slowly shaped into something resembling what it is today. A dwarven man by the name of Dapperling being appointed as head of the guard by a more peacefully minded monarch by the name of Beech the Botanist who was the great-great-grandson of Rusula, the hierarchy of the royal guard was changed and they were renamed the Mushroom Guard with the sole purpose of national defence rather than being an elite unit selected by royalty. Much of the prestige being kept from the days when the ‘Redcaps’ were at the command of their royalty, service in the military was considered a greatly honourable and heroic career and the status of soldiers might be held in a similar respect to real world samurai. Yet as the centuries had marched on, while Mushroom Island remained largely peaceful, the world was in for a turbulent time.
Void Century
The period of history that seems almost entirely lost one that the Kiinoko Kingdom had little involvement in, thanks to the isolated attitude and effectiveness of their forces, this land remained neutral in the conflict that saw the creation of the World Government. The only great change that was seen on Mushroom Island being the inclusion of rules toward national service, with concerns about invasion the 33rd Dapperling named Laccaria created a law that said all citizens needed to have some form of martial training in order to defend their land in the time of war. While the only recorded action that the nation saw during the conflict mostly taking the form of deterring foreign forces from making their land a stronghold, it was during this time that the Mushroom Guard began to gain some of its infamy for fighting ability as they quickly took down human soldiers and set them packing as they declared the land Neutral. The capital of the nation moved more inland in order to fortify their defensive position, Chanterelle became the premier city of Kiinoko and has remained that way ever since.
World Government Era
The union of nations that became the World Government seizing control of practically every side of the world quite quickly, the group sought to take the nation of Kiinoko into their number, and nearly succeeded. The king of the time being Ramaria, the man only wished to protect his people and found himself under heavy pressure to allow a government presence in his land, practically being bullied into it. The act avoided only when the people of the kingdom rallied to the cause under the banner of Ramaria’s daughter Peziza, after tense negotiations a peace treaty was signed and a general understanding of non-aggression between the Kiinoko and the Government was afforded. The whole act something of a coup for global interspecies politics, it was one of the first times that the dominant force of humans had recognised the independence and equality of another species, which was a large message given the treatment that many ‘less than human’ races were given at the time. While some considered it little more than lip service as the slavery of dwarves and other clans remained despite the agreement, for the most part this was considered a step in the right direction.
The intervening centuries proving to be kinder to Kiinoko than certain other dwarven cultures, from a tentative start the beginnings of trade agreements helped Porto Bella to flourish, and with cooperation between both dwarven and human forces the dock was made large enough to accommodate almost any vessel. Dwarf leaders remaining adamant about their control over their underground realms, passage into the nation was still strictly regulated via the customs of the land, with Porto Bella as the only ‘Big Human’ friendly settlement in the land. This changing when quite by accident when ‘Pint Size Pete’ happened to eat what came to be known as the Mouseshroom, the dwarves were surprised to see that a human had suddenly been brought to their level. For centuries having considered this particular kind of fungus something of a ‘dud’ cousin to the Maxshroom since it did not affect them, they were quite surprised to discover that the thing they had been treating as a simple foodstuff seemed to affect humans. Later tested on Giants as well, the results were similar and it seemed that Kiinoko had found yet another ‘Golden Egg’.
Adopting the Mouseshroom into their culture, Peziza’s grandson Porcino amended their isolationist policy to allow visitors to their towns and cities under the system that they continue to operate to this day. Seeing an influx of trade and tourism, wealthy nobles seemed to enjoy the notion of being shrunk down to tiny size and exploring the mysterious realms of Dwarfkind, and would pay top dollar for the experience. This factor only making the economy of Mushroom Island even stronger, what had once been a land that was cut off from the rest of the world enjoyed the benefits that international relations could bring. Culture largely unchanged from this point, with cycling seasons and leaders the nation of Kiinoko has remained something of a constant. The efficiency of their fighting force largely protecting it from the menace of pirates, Mushroom Island has been one of the lesser hit lands in the Great Age of Piracy and remains a rather strong land to this day.
Early Days
Founded well over a millennia ago by ‘Wild Walker’ Muscaria and his company of dwarves, looking for new places in which to settle. An adventurous young dwarf, Muscaria visited many lands before settling in what would become Kiinoko kingdom, but found most places to have already been conquered by human hands. The ‘Big Humans’ themselves treating the dwarf visitors rather wickedly, they tended to be tricked and kidnapped by these people, which is why the man made it his ultimate aim to make a place that was for dwarfkind only. Coming upon a land filled with Mushrooms, which were his favourite kind of food, Muscaria took this as a sign and began to develop settlements here, but found his work hampered by the local wildlife. Cross Island exploration proving difficult in part because of the Sinkpoles which seemed to randomly gobble up dwarves never to be seen again, the newly established locals learned to be wary of these and stick to the coast for the most part. However, Turtures and Terragators seemed to constantly attack the small group of settlers, and so plans to build a town on the surface were abandoned after only a few years of life here and instead the Dwarves opted to put their small size to good use by moving into the tiny caves underground.
Able to survive but somewhat stifled by this new situation, the settlers found it quite difficult to adapt to this environment, as it lacked much of the greenery of which the little peoples were so fond. Unable to create farms on the surface to grow crops and instead relying on the native mushrooms, it was quite by chance that the people here discovered the Maxshroom. One of their number accidentally eating one, everyone was quite surprised when he exploded into human size, suddenly becoming a giant among tiny bodies. Initially confused, the people managed to figure out that it was a particular variety of Mushroom that had created this effect, and snuck around the island gathering it. Increased size and strength a boon for any culture, the industrious fellows put their new discovery to good use by using a combination of normal and ‘giant’ dwarves to start expanding the caves they lived in, and sending out troops of the latter in order to gather food and resources.
From a humble beginning, the small society started to flourish, and as soon as they completed their first little village named ‘Truffle’, they began calling themselves the Kiinoko Kingdom. Muscaria elected unanimously to be their leader, it was his family that was chosen to be something close to royalty, but really occupied a status more similar to a mayor. Everyone mucking in to make this settlement a success, while some worked to make their new homeland great, others set out across the seas to contact their dwarven brethren. Population of Mushroom Island spiking when they received an influx of Dwarven families who were intrigued by this fungus based kingdom, many seemed to want to try out this magical Maxshroom and see the world from a ‘Big Human’ perspective, and Truffle bloomed from a village into a full sized city.
Development
The flood of dwarves helping the island develop rapidly, these small but strong souls soon managed to establish a noticeable presence in the land. Building a small port named Porto Bella at the entrance to their underground domain, as populations grew the people knew that they needed to expand their towns and they began developing some of the linked caves into more settlements. With some reluctance, the Sinkpoles were integreated into transport as a fast means of getting around the island, and all young dwarves were educated on both their operation and the dangers inherent to 'wild' sink poles.
Muscaria succeeded by his daughter, Russula, one of the first acts of the new queen was to establish a militia known as the Queens Guard. These protectors of the island, they were picked from the very best fighters and afforded a special status due to being under the personal command of the Kiinoko Monarch. The expansion of lands also weighing heavy on the woman, Russula handpicked the finest grower in the land named Enoki and appointed him the ‘Grand Gardener’, charged with making sure that the produce of the land was as great as it could be.
Enoki himself a very successful master of botany, it was him that put forth a proposal to import some Finger of Eve vines in order to better provide the underground city of Truffle with true light, and he also perfected the art of growing fruit underground. Establishing a society of keen farmers into something of a council, Enoki made sure that all concerns of plant creation were covered by someone with expertise in the field, and then moved onto the discovery of the local flora, documenting almost all of the mushrooms that have become commonly known in the land in modern times.
The time of Rusula and Enoki slowly passing on and succession of leaders being arranged, over the years and generations, the Kiinoko Kingdom was slowly shaped into something resembling what it is today. A dwarven man by the name of Dapperling being appointed as head of the guard by a more peacefully minded monarch by the name of Beech the Botanist who was the great-great-grandson of Rusula, the hierarchy of the royal guard was changed and they were renamed the Mushroom Guard with the sole purpose of national defence rather than being an elite unit selected by royalty. Much of the prestige being kept from the days when the ‘Redcaps’ were at the command of their royalty, service in the military was considered a greatly honourable and heroic career and the status of soldiers might be held in a similar respect to real world samurai. Yet as the centuries had marched on, while Mushroom Island remained largely peaceful, the world was in for a turbulent time.
Void Century
The period of history that seems almost entirely lost one that the Kiinoko Kingdom had little involvement in, thanks to the isolated attitude and effectiveness of their forces, this land remained neutral in the conflict that saw the creation of the World Government. The only great change that was seen on Mushroom Island being the inclusion of rules toward national service, with concerns about invasion the 33rd Dapperling named Laccaria created a law that said all citizens needed to have some form of martial training in order to defend their land in the time of war. While the only recorded action that the nation saw during the conflict mostly taking the form of deterring foreign forces from making their land a stronghold, it was during this time that the Mushroom Guard began to gain some of its infamy for fighting ability as they quickly took down human soldiers and set them packing as they declared the land Neutral. The capital of the nation moved more inland in order to fortify their defensive position, Chanterelle became the premier city of Kiinoko and has remained that way ever since.
World Government Era
The union of nations that became the World Government seizing control of practically every side of the world quite quickly, the group sought to take the nation of Kiinoko into their number, and nearly succeeded. The king of the time being Ramaria, the man only wished to protect his people and found himself under heavy pressure to allow a government presence in his land, practically being bullied into it. The act avoided only when the people of the kingdom rallied to the cause under the banner of Ramaria’s daughter Peziza, after tense negotiations a peace treaty was signed and a general understanding of non-aggression between the Kiinoko and the Government was afforded. The whole act something of a coup for global interspecies politics, it was one of the first times that the dominant force of humans had recognised the independence and equality of another species, which was a large message given the treatment that many ‘less than human’ races were given at the time. While some considered it little more than lip service as the slavery of dwarves and other clans remained despite the agreement, for the most part this was considered a step in the right direction.
The intervening centuries proving to be kinder to Kiinoko than certain other dwarven cultures, from a tentative start the beginnings of trade agreements helped Porto Bella to flourish, and with cooperation between both dwarven and human forces the dock was made large enough to accommodate almost any vessel. Dwarf leaders remaining adamant about their control over their underground realms, passage into the nation was still strictly regulated via the customs of the land, with Porto Bella as the only ‘Big Human’ friendly settlement in the land. This changing when quite by accident when ‘Pint Size Pete’ happened to eat what came to be known as the Mouseshroom, the dwarves were surprised to see that a human had suddenly been brought to their level. For centuries having considered this particular kind of fungus something of a ‘dud’ cousin to the Maxshroom since it did not affect them, they were quite surprised to discover that the thing they had been treating as a simple foodstuff seemed to affect humans. Later tested on Giants as well, the results were similar and it seemed that Kiinoko had found yet another ‘Golden Egg’.
Adopting the Mouseshroom into their culture, Peziza’s grandson Porcino amended their isolationist policy to allow visitors to their towns and cities under the system that they continue to operate to this day. Seeing an influx of trade and tourism, wealthy nobles seemed to enjoy the notion of being shrunk down to tiny size and exploring the mysterious realms of Dwarfkind, and would pay top dollar for the experience. This factor only making the economy of Mushroom Island even stronger, what had once been a land that was cut off from the rest of the world enjoyed the benefits that international relations could bring. Culture largely unchanged from this point, with cycling seasons and leaders the nation of Kiinoko has remained something of a constant. The efficiency of their fighting force largely protecting it from the menace of pirates, Mushroom Island has been one of the lesser hit lands in the Great Age of Piracy and remains a rather strong land to this day.
Island Plot Hooks:
Interaction with dwarves!
A double layered island - The mix of strangeness and danger of the surface meets the calm and countryside-like atmosphere of the underground!
Fun with the Mushrooms - Find some of the native shrooms and get experimental with one’s size!
Fantastic Beasts - A blend of unique, intriguing and terrifying animals to interact with!
A land like no other - Definitely a big change of pace from the usual human-sized islands, with unique flora and fauna and a society that is tiny, one is likely to remember any visit to Mushroom Island!