[@Acromantula] Nope, do not start out with an animal -- I have an idea and a plan! Let me know what sort of animal you're thinking of and I'll arrange it into an upcoming subplot. What's the fun of having a familiar if there's no story behind it? ;)

[@Chronothesis] I'll take it! A portion of the island is probably too rocky or mountainous to be habitable, but a good chunk is built on. For shipping supplies among the islands there's probably a sort of cable-car system, I'd imagine.