Shell

Once, millennia ago, Shell was the shell of a giant turtle, which died and floated to the surface. Humans discovered it and settled upon it, and it was a natural haven when the Inundation came. It is simply a huge floating island, a round hill protruding from the water.

In the years after the Inundation, as the inhabitants of Shell realized the potential market they had, more and more of the surface of the island was given over to growing wood and crops, and caves were dug into the shell for living quarters. This wood and food were sold to other humans, to the mongrelfolk of the Disreputable City, to the engineers, occasionally to the elves (though they were largely self-sufficient) and to all the other floating ships that were in need of constant repairs and provisions. For this reason, the inhabitants of Shell were the most prosperous in the world, and never wanted for anything. The people of Shell allow visitors, but it is very difficult to buy land or immigrate here on any sort of permanent basis.

With their near-monopolies broken by the return of land, Shell is somewhat less prosperous than it once was, but it retains its aristocratic heritage.

No one is quite certain why Shell floats, and digging is done only cautiously lest they break something. Under several feet of dirt is the shell of the turtle itself, which is only slightly softer than solid rock.

Shell is overseen by a Governor or Serene Doge, elected from the aristocratic families, who enforces the law through the might of the Regular Guard, a combination of military and police force. The current governor is Artemix Roodes.

In the metanation of Unity, many projects have been contracted to Shell for financing, including the lightning railtrains which have been constructed to unite the nations by the engineers.

The official language of Shell is an aristocratic dialect of Common.

Demographics
Shell has a population of roughly 30,000 people, in the following proportions:
 * 90% human
 * 8% elves and half-elves
 * 2% miscellaneous

Major Aristocratic Families of Shell

 * Bagelberg
 * Beardula
 * Birb
 * Bixby
 * Bursh
 * Chippemunk - favor daughters over sons
 * Corm
 * Deae
 * Hamiqton
 * Harriqon
 * Heaft
 * Hoccomb
 * Jefterson
 * Knicht
 * Movroe
 * Navsau
 * Nisroc
 * Pints
 * Prefext
 * Roodes
 * Sauart
 * Silber
 * Tincoln
 * Toaers
 * Varakas
 * Winslow
 * Woordenboek
 * Yaxes

Past Governors of Shell

 * 304-281ai - Zartin Knicht "the Organizer" - founded the governorship
 * 281-271ai - Catter Roodes "the Bald"
 * 271-238ai - Harliet Bagelberg
 * 238-233ai - Birccard Silber
 * 233-230ai - Fillxore Navsau
 * 230-211ai - Yayes Cobey
 * 211-208ai - Fern Harriqon - cursed by Mirk
 * 208-189ai - Sanah Jefterson
 * 189-153ai - Rusherford Kernedy
 * 153-123ai - Jann Prefext
 * 123-91ai - Groxer Movroe
 * 91-79ai - Kxox Tincoln
 * 79-70ai - Jaxes Birb
 * 70-51ai - Jaxes Movroe
 * 51-40ai - Vlifford Pints "the Handsome"
 * 40-37ai - Rossevelt Toaers
 * 37-11ai - Lausa Heaft
 * 11ai-10ii - Doiley Chippemunk
 * 10ii-48ii - Pierre Roodes "the Loser"
 * 48ii-69pi - Tilsin'daar of the Vutha'iejir bloodline "the Conquerer" - black dragon conquers Shell
 * 69-191pi - Phlita'tilsin of the Vutha'iejir bloodline "the Terrible"
 * 191-232pi - Ternock'tzarreth of the Vutha'iejir bloodline "the Squamous"
 * 232-271pi - Exith Chippemunk "the Valiant" - drives out the black dragons and restores the human governorship
 * 271-281pi - Harnah Yaxes
 * 281-293pi - Maqie Bagelberg
 * 293-330pi - Doyle Harriqon
 * 330-343pi - Herry Beardula
 * 343-367pi - Arshur Corm
 * 367-370pi - Marxha Winslow
 * 370-403pi - Wakker Bixby
 * 403-427pi - Tyles Navsau
 * 417-427pi - Exith Heaft
 * 427pi - Fillxore Varakas
 * 427pi - Qatie Woordenboek
 * 427-434pi - Zashary Tincoln
 * 434-456pi - Tryman Bagelberg
 * 456-488pi - Marxha Tincoln
 * 488pi-5id - Grand Silber
 * 5id - Bejjamin Pints
 * 5-24id - Bob Varakas
 * 24-25id - Willo Harriqon
 * 25-31id - Franz Nisroc "the Tricker"
 * 31-39id - Franq Bursh
 * 39-present - Artemix Roodes