The Misty Isles

The Misty Isles is a system of archipelagos in the southeast of the Middlelands. While technically and politically part of the main continent, the untamed wilds of the Isles are often treated as a separate region.

Its famed namesake has historically made the islands unfavorable for naval trade, even moreso as the passages and channels through the mistladen lands are dominated by dragons and strange creatures. To this day, only the Broken King's Pass is considered safe enough for travel, where the dragons and their kin do not bother the seafaring humans.

History
Through arcanely preserved ledgers found near the southern shores of the Middlelands, it is estimated that Frinchesian settlers ventured to the Misty Isles centuries ago, around the year 229 of the Nellenial Calendar. What became of them is not widely known, though scholars suggest that the Isles' dragonborn natives may once have been humans.

In recent years, the mists have begun shifting, and the stormwardens that sail with traders have sensed strange ripples in the magic.

The Benhorrician Folly
Also known as the Broken King's Pass, the Benhorrician Folly is the official name of a channel that goes through the outskirts of the Misty Isles. It is largely accepted to be the safest trade route due to its proximity to the shores of the Middlelands, meaning the fog is not as thick and the presence of dragons is lessened. It also passes by Roost, a native settlement where humans and dragonborn actively trade with one another.

The name stems from then-king Ebeldal Benhorric, who was caught in a peasant uprising during a political campaign in the southern parts of the Middlelands. He made the decision to return home by sailing through the Misty Isles on a merchant brig, with historical accounts claiming he told his advisors that he "feared the grime of peasantry more than the breath of dragons".

Geography
The Misty Isles lie shrouded in a thick fog that lingers slightly even on land. It is a place of great steep cliffs, spanning hundreds of feet vertically, and thick emerald jungles.

While seen as a savage land, there is still civilization in the form of the dragonborn natives, who build cities and towns from the available resources. However, as dragons have a natural spite for those of other scales, yet also possess a supposedly eternal life, it is not uncommon for said cities to grow over decades, slowly accumulating more and more citizens, only to be laid to waste by a dragon for an insult said many years ago.

Human colonies, while rare, also exist, often on the shores of the Isles. They serve as trade outposts and base of operations for dwarven mining companies.

Natural Sorcery
Magic permeates most things in the Misty Isles. Though few brave the inner archipelagos of the Misty Isles, strange natural sorcery is observed in the wildlife. Scholars speculate an abundance of ley magic (a new research pioneered by Jasper Blackwood) is the reason for these mutations, wherein serpents can take flight and crocodiles have a petrifying gaze.

The seas that embrace the islands sometimes contain strange, glowing lights that move beneath the waves in erratic patterns. Sailors that have witnessed this phenomenon theorize it is where the stars go during the day, though whether true or not is uncertain.

Draconic Presence
Many dragons of different colors inhabit the Misty Isles, protecting their jungle lairs and making shallow alliances with other chromas to best those who threaten their lands or worshippers. It is suggested that dragons chose champions to draconically awaken from the Frinchesian settlers that arrived centuries ago, and that as they grew in power and slew their patron's enemies, they would eventually possess powers of flight and legendary resistance. Nowadays, however, these draconic ardents are rare, as most dragonborn are hatched through more natural means.

While a dragonborn's scales determine which dragon awakened them, it does not necessarily determine their allegiance. If their patron betrays or mistreats them, the worshippers may choose to side with a different scale out of spite or revenge.

Yuan-Ti
Creatures of unknown origin, the Yuan-Ti perform vile and poisonous rituals in favor of their green dragon patron. Through generations of mutations, they are a chaotic and warring people of serpentine appearance. Often found in swamps or caves in the easternmost islands, they are avoided or killed on sight by almost all scales of dragonborn.