he Candle Archipelago is sandwiched between Alveus and the southern jungle. It is a tropical place, and is usually hit by multiple heavy storms each year. Despite the storms, the sea is rich with life; the reefs are numerous, colorful, and healthy, supporting equally colorful and diverse life. Kelp forests can be spotted by travelling beyond the western reef. Eels, jellies, and crustaceans are as common as fish in these seas. Sharks are drawn to the Archipelago's bounty, easily observed by their tall fins lazily coursing through the clear blue waters.Most of the islands in the chain have forested interiors composed of lush grasses and tall palm trees. Sandy or rocky beaches are common as well and some of the largest islands also have cliffs that are notable as nesting sites for some species of seabird.
Indigenous to the Candle Archipelago, the Qaitu have been living here in relative isolation for centuries. Contact with outsiders has been limited due to the relative difficulty of reaching the Archipelago, particularly from the south; visitors usually must transit through Theia unless they have the skills to set off elsewhere, and Theia limits travel to the islands. The Qaitu are a bit suspicious of outsiders but eventually warm up to strangers, as most visitors stay at least a month.
The Qaitu live primarily on the larger islands. The largest island, Somni, holds their largest village, also called Somni. Some of the smaller islands also host villages, but are mostly used as rest stops during travels. They traverse the seas in well-built and sturdy canoes, crafted from wood gathered in the southern jungle. They are known for not only their craftsmanship with wood, but also for their skill with seafood.
Many visitors are startled when they reach Somni because the Qaitu are powerfully connected to the dead and the next world. Where many cultures find morbidity and fear in death and the use of motifs such as skulls, the Archipelago's inhabitants display the skulls and bones of their dead prominently and with reverence. They are often decorated with carvings and paint celebrating the deceased's life. Due to their respect for and closeness with the dead, meticulous genealogical records have been kept dating back centuries.
Firm beliefs in an afterlife and in the paranormal are also present among the people, and ghost stories and sightings are quite common. Most travellers brush these off as ridiculous, but many leave with an experience they can't explain, giving one more layer of mystery to the isolated island chain.
Although they have no clear religion, the Qaitu treat the sea almost as a deity, revering and respecting it even more than the dead. It is their livelihood, a fickle thing that can disappear without warning. A "thanks to the sea" is said with every meal.