Thank you very much everyone for the gracious welcome.

It's reassuring to know some things are left unsaid and we have creative license. I've written for worlds that were very strict in their standards so this Althanas-freedom will take some getting used to, haha.

Tradespeak I managed to glean from reading 'Meteoric Spiderbutt' if I remember rightly. Hard to forget with a name like that. *smiles*

I've a few picky Alerar-related questions if anyone is willing to bite. 'How advanced is Alerar?' is too vague a question... I know all about their gunpowder weapons, their magitech airships - steampunk technology. Those are a big deal. I'm more interested in the little things, the day-to-day objects.

I take it the flint and tinderbox fell out of use there a while ago, so what was it replaced with? Phosphorous matches? Arcano-lighters? Handheld flamethrowers?

How about a wood-chopping hatchet? That seems way too barbaric for them but a chainsaw seems too advanced. Where is the line?

I guess steampunk is one of my weak points. I've less experience with it compared to high fantasy, medieval fantasy, modern and sci-fi. I suppose that's what has drawn me to it this time - it's something familiar but new.