The Regions and Peoples

Regions

Of the three continents of the known world, Riil, Aenar, and Vesa.
Riil is a frozen polar continent completely covered in glacial ice and permafrost.
Aenar is a continent characterized by a wide diversity of climates from frozen tundra in the northern reaches to tropical jungles in the south.
Vesa is a continent of temperate to sub-tropical climes and vast deserts.

Of political divisions and peoples.

The Free Land of Baelara

The region of Baelara is a free-land where Humans hold but a few settlements. The Siglerus Mountains are home to the Dwarven City-Fortress of Gamaulk and various humanoid and a few giant settlements. The Mountains are rich in rare metals and minerals, and the Wodenwald forest is home to diverse plant and animal species, as well as many humanoids. The human settlements of Orstara and Ponte Verte are walled and fortified against the all too frequent humanoid incursions. The townspeople are predominantly miners, fishermen, huntsmen and, timbermen, but a few successfully run trading operations between the Dwarves of Gamaulk and the Eastern Kingdoms. In recent years there have been ever increasing incursions of troops of the Y'tlashi Empire, which have not gone unnoticed by Thalus or The Kingdom of Tides.

The Kingdom of Thalus

The region of Thalus is primarily populated by Humans, Elves, and Halflings. The Kingdom of Thalus has its seat of power in the walled city of Numark. The City is a bustling, densly populated place with thriving industries, guilds, and schools. The King rules from Castle Tenspires along the northeastern corner of the city where it sits atop a cliff overlooking Port Numark to the north and the Regal Sea to the west. The other major cities of the region are Vestara, which is nearly as large and grand as the capital, and Oolam, which is a large sprawling city populated by farmers, fishermen, hunters, miners, craftspeople, and traders of all types. Oolam is reknowned for its fine textiles, woven goods, silks, and sailcloths. The Halflings of Thalus live in numerous small villages in the southern end of the region, from Fair Woden to the southern tip of Lac Oolam. The Elves here make their home in the heart of Fair Woden, in their tree-city of Wodyllyn. The Dwarvish city of Faldrum is in the heart of the Goldtop mountains here under Mount Wellup.

The Free Land of Gullas

Gullas is an area of widely scattered civilized areas. While there is no remaining ruling kingdom over the land, the old baronial name of Gullas is still widely used to refer to this region. There is but one large city, Illuthra, which occupies a commanding site overlooking the mouth of the Illuthran river. There are other scattered hamlets and settlements, many of which are outposts of pilgrims and missionaries from the Theocracy of the Penitent. Gnolls, Orcs, Ogres and other other fell creatures are the denizens of Dar Wooden and the mountains to the south. There are many ruins of cities and temples about the coastal area, from the Second Epoch when Gullas was a Barony of the fallen Kingdom of Barghellus, a seat of great power and wizardry in the land. The ruin of the fallen baronial capitol city, Ancedras, lies on the southwestern shore of Lac Oolam, at the edge of the Darmoor.

The Kingdom Of Tides

The Island Kingdom is ruled from the Tola Fortress on Il Keara. Once a part of the Kingdom of Thalus, the Kingdom of Tides gradually became more independent, more dangerous and unruly, until a dozen years ago when it was abandoned by the crown in Numark with the recalling of the Islands' Governor. After three long years of turmoil, bickering, and skirmishes between the various isles, a famous sea captain, whom some call a pirate, Taeberius Tola, fought for and was crowned the Island King of Tides. He renamed the old Thalutian fortress in his own honor, and has ruled for the past nine years. His rule is not welcomed by Thalus, but since he has consolidated the power of the isles, and rules the Regal Sea he is given due deference. Tola's control of the shipping lanes makes him a powerful ally or dangerous foe to anyone in the region. The islands have two major towns, Tola and Ban Wera, both of which thrive on trade, smuggling, and other illegal activities. It is rumored that some of pirates of the Regal sea also deal in selling slaves to the Y'tlashi Empire.
The Wilderlands of the NorthThe Wilderlands are unsettled by civilized people, but the open coastal lands are inhabited by Human barbarian tribes. Little is known about the more northern woodlands except for the stories of adventurers who tell of forays into the area. The tales range from wild recountings of great flocks of white dragons and battles with giant creatures made entirely of ice and snow, to more believable tales of encounters with wolves, bears and other mundane creatures.

The Theocracy of the Penitent

The land of the Theocracy, which is called "Arcas" by outsiders and "The Holy Land" by citizens, is ruled by the Faceless Priest-King from the Temple City of Arcus. The Priest-King and his ministers shepherd their faithful to spread across the whole of the Known lands seeking converts to the worship of Lexor Gontor the Arcalan. The Theocracy is a place where law and order reign supreme, where even the slightest infraction is seen as an unholy act, and is punishable by banishment or even death. As a result, the cities of "The Holy Land" are orderly, if repressive, places to live. As The Y'tlashi have encroached closer toward Arcas in recent decades, the Penitents have erected a series of fortified towers and huge stone walls along the border with the Empire. While the wall is not yet completed, it has slowed incursions into The Holy land. Aside from the temple city of Arcus, there are the somewhat lesser, though still great, cities of Ganema, Luceum, and Parrema. 

The Priest King, who is called Arcis-Encis (speaker-for-god) is chosen by divine prophecy by the Convent of Ministers upon the death of the previous Arcis-Encis. This ritual involves calling forth from the faithful, all male children who were born on the day of the death of the Arcis, but fourteen years previously. When the new Arcis is chosen from the group, the rest are brought back to the temple to spend the rest of their days as servants, attendants, and personal guards to the new Priest-King. This is considered a great honor by the families as their status in society is greatly elevated by the choosing of their child for service to the King.

The Y'tlashi Empire

The Empire spans the wide plains and cold reaches of Northern Aenar. Y'tlashi society is governed by a strict patriarchal caste system, where the men have many wives, and women are considered property. The Y'tlashi view most non-human races as inferior and seek to kill all those they can't enslave. They have a particular hatred of Elves whom they feel don't make worthwhile slaves, but tend to tolerate Dwarves out of respect for their strength. Halfling slaves are prized by the Y'tlashi, and the amount of Halflings a house has reflects its standing among the nobility. The Empire has four major cities, Taal, Fenir, Valt, and Liosh, the capitol. Y'tlashi fighters are masters of the scimitar and whip.

The Savage lands

The savage lands are a fetid morass of forests, jungles, swamps, and fens which are largely unknown by any but the Halfling Barbarians who call these lands their home. Of the few accountings of travels into this region, little is known. There are rumors of great Halfling Barbarian villages, but few are willing to delve into that unknown region in search of them.

The Eastern Outlands

The Eastern Outlands are constantly in turmoil, being divided by various warlords and would-be-kings holding small city-states. The two largest city states are VaSirelle; which occupies the northernmost region and is ruled by Lord Angstonne, and Daelchampia; which is in the southeastern region and is ruled by Lord Bennesly. In between these states is a war-ravaged land of keeps, towers, and small castles run by an assortment of petty nobles with ever shifting loyalties to each other and the "greater" regional lords. This region serves as a constant reminder to the people of Thalus of the value of unified rule.

The Great Wastes

The land known as the Great Wastes is predominantly desert sand, bordered on the west by the Goldtop Mountains and on the east by the Vast Sea. Scattered across the sands are ruins of once great cities, destroyed in the wars of the Second Epoch, which are said to be inhabited by Orc and Ogre tribes. Several tribes of nomadic humans also live here along the coast and around infrequent oases in the sands.

Laeryaelle The Elven Land