Welcome to Mossfell
McIntosh Runestone, St. Anne (photography, 1905)
Tale of Beasts and Men
Islands are the laboratories of evolution. Across the world, archipelagos such as the Galapagos, Hawaii, Socotra, and New Zealand have served as havens for unique endemic flora and fauna. On these isolated landmasses far from the pressures of the mainland, evolution has allowed the selection of traits so incredibly bizarre and alien that they can cross the line between reality and fiction.
The Mossfell Islands are an exercise in speculative evolution on a recognizable Earth. Due to the smaller time scale and setting on a familiar planet, this project will also delve into topics such as climate zones, trophic levels, and human settlement. As with endemic flora and fauna, islands are also havens for unique human cultures. The Mossfell Islands will will also serve as an exercise in speculative anthropology by documenting the interactions between endemic wildlife and humans, as well as the interactions of different cultures during a time of colonization.
Goals of the Project
The Mossfell Islands project aims to produce a working history of the island’s geological genesis, climate, the evolution of several unique organisms, the story of human settlement, the impacts of human development & colonization, and the modern history. The Mossfell Islands are going to have a heavy focus on real world phenomena ranging from natural selection to the ramifications of colonization.
The first goal is to produce a history that feels real and believable.
The second goal is to use this project as a means to educate other about scientific concepts.
The third and biggest goal is to produce something that is enjoyable and entertaining for casual and learned readers alike.
Ultimately this is very much a passion project of a single person who is currently also focused on medical school. I will try my best to produce quality content, but I do recognize that in order to do so, I may take a longer time. I also will likely go through old published material to make needed corrections. Either way, I hope that I can inspire excitement, intrigue, and wonder for the mysterious and beautiful Mossfell Islands.
Depiction of a Superior Cockatrice (Siggrid Codex, 1282 CE)
With that being said, come check out the map of the islands and learn about the unique geological conditions of the Mossfells.