Oskayaat

The island Oskayaat, south of Chor and Ankrahmun, is geographically divided into two quite distinct regions. In the west, it is covered with jungle, while in the east a steppe stretches out. A mountain reach in the centre divides the island into the dry east and the humid, overgrown west. The beautiful city Oska is built into those mountains. In the south-east, on a smaller island, there is a volcano that is still sometimes active.
The humans living on the island are quite highly developed. Their civilisation is one of art and beauty, well known for its rich culture and history. The Oskayaans are educated and sophisticated and have a high regard for the arts. They have a deep understanding of history, mythology and philosophy, and they respect and value ancient knowledge and traditions. The culture is rich in religious and spiritual beliefs, and the people are very religious and pious as well as peaceful and respectful of others.
Once the Oskayaans worshipped Suon, the sun god, and Amati, the moon goddess, in equal parts. As their understanding of the world and the universe increased, they began to realise that the sun is the source of all life and the moon only reflects the light of the sun. The sun was associated with creation, while the moon was associated with the cycle of life. Over time, the sun was more worshipped than the moon, as it was considered the more powerful and important force.
But then something happened: A curse reached the island and transformed the people into werecreatures. Since the animals here were not wolves or bears, but tigers, panthers and crocodiles, the people turned into weretigers, werepanthers and werecrocodiles. Now the moon has somehow taken over. Maybe the curse was brought about by some evil force or deity that wanted to wreak havoc and destruction on the otherwise peaceful island. Or perhaps it was just bad luck. The curse spread rapidly and caused madness and mayhem among the people.
The moon would have become synonymous with the curse, a symbol of misfortune and horror, had it not been for some brave adventurers who saved the people of Oskayaat. They helped them to bring the curse under control and live with it. So now there is a whole island nation of were-creatures who nevertheless trade and craft and whose culture and way of life are not doomed by the curse. The time when all the inhabitants of Oskayaat marauded wildly and uncontrollably across the island has of course left its mark on the town of Oska. However, the inhabitants are currently repairing this damage in order to restore their homeland to its former greatness.