I've had this sitting in my files for a while. Decided to share what's finished so far. Any suggestions on anything to add, edit, etc.? Or does this make things even more confusing for new players? xDFrom new players to even veterans, the lore and regions of this site's map can be difficult to swallow all in one bite. For those of you struggling to get a grasp at the regions, I sure struggle at times, I have put together a basic guide of what to expect in the regions and where you can fit your character - or the perfect region for you fits it - in all of this.
Table if Contents:
- Basic Region Biomes.
- Real World Cultural Comparisons.
- Where to Find your Sapien Species.
- Basic In-World Cultures.
- Magic?
- Where can we play pirates? Paladins? Best treasure hunting region?
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Basic Region Biomes
- Tundra/ Winter Regions: Salvar; Berevar; Eiskalt.
- Desert: Fallien; Black Desert [Raiaera]
- Taiga/ Boreal Forest: Salvar; Concordia [Corone]
- Grasslands/ Plains: Corone; Scara Brae; Raiaera.
- Deciduous Forest: Corone; Scara Brae; Raiaera.
- Chaparral: Corone.
- Tropical/ Rainforest/ Jungle: Dheathian.
- Mountains: Akashima; Eiskalt; [Alerar]
- Mangrove: Dheathian.
- Apocalyptic Wasteland: Tular Plaines/ Haide; Raiaera; Alerar; Hope Valley [Eiskalt]
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Real World Cultural Comparisons:
- Corone: Europe [United Kingdom, France, Germany, etc.] [Scandinavian, Norse, Finnish] / North America.
- Scara Brae: Europe [United Kingdom, France, Germany, etc.]/ North America.
- Salvar: Russia.
- Alerar: Futuristic Victorian Era Steampunk.
- Akashima: Feudal Japan.
- Lornius: Australia?
- Berevar: The Poles.
- Fallien: Middle East/ Asia.
- Eiskalt: Europe [Russia, Spain, Scandinavian, Norse, Finnish]
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Where to Find your Sapien Species:
- Humans: Practically anywhere, but the places where they're best established are Corone, Salvar, Scara Brae, Fallien and Eiskalt. Each location has different cultures and different ethnicities. There are places where humans are minorities, even subjected to racism, such as Alerar, Raiaera, and Dheathian.
- High/ Wood Elves: Majorly Raiaera. They can also be found in Corone and Scara Brae. Be sure not to have one in Alerar. The dark elves of Alerar and high elves of Raiaera are bitter enemies.
- Dark Elves/ Drows: Mainly Alerar. They can also be found in Salvar, Corone, and Scara Brae. Be sure not to plop one into Raiaera.
- Dwarves: Alerar, as well as Salvar, Corone, and Scara Brae. Next to dark elves, dwarves are the dominant race of Alerar.
- Mystics: They're found in a special Mystic Realm, but also in Althanas. The famed Orlouge family hails from Corone.
- Neko: Akashima, as well as Corone and Scara Brae.
- Kenku: The Flock Lands of Akashima.
- Fauns: The Jagged Mountains of Corone.
- Fae: All around Althanas, but only in Salvar and Dheathian have they formed civil societies.
- Merfolk, Nymphs, Sirens, and Coralians: Ooooooooooooooo, who lives in watery nations under de sea!?!
- Orcs: Berevar, but also in - you guessed it - Corone and Scara Brae.
- Drakari: Majorly in Dheathian, but they could also be found in Corone and Scara Brae.
- Kitsune: Worldwide.
- Neanderthals: High up in Berevar, as well as Eiskalt. In Eiskalt they're a discriminated race.
- Hybrids: MAD SCIENCE! What kind of half-breeds exist will depend on the location of the parent species.
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Basic In-World Cultures:
All descriptions, aside Akashima and Eiskalt, are from this wikipedia page.
- Corone: "Corone, an island republic to the southeast of the mainland, is known for its mild climate, bustling harbors, and diverse inhabitants. Though largely a human nation (at about 50% of the population), many other races call the island home, such as High Elves, smatterings of Dark Elves, Dwarves, and even Orcs, and countless citizens of mixed blood."
- Raiaera: "Raiaera is the subcontinental peninsula on the eastern coast of the northern continent of Althanas. Originally populated by indigenous human and dwarven clans, the lands were settled over ten thousand years ago by elven refugees fleeing a great catastrophe in their homeland further to the east."
- Alerar: "Alerar is a vast region occupying the central inland and western coast of the Althanas mainland. Like Raiaera to the east, this land was originally populated by Human and Dwarven clans, but then settled by a group of dissident Elves who made a mass exodus from a once united Raiaera over an ideological split between the use of magic and technology..."
- Salvar: "Salvar, known for its blizzards, frozen wastes, jagged mountains, and powerful church, is the northernmost region of Althanas. Stretching across the harsh and frigid northlands, this vast, mighty kingdom still reels from years of civil war between its Church and State..."
- Scara Brae: "Formerly a backwater colony sitting in the eastern sears, Scara Brae is now a small but thriving country. It serves as the gateway to the frontier for sailors and explorers, and its surrounding reefs form a haven for sea monsters, merfolk, and dread pirates."
- Fallien: "One of the most mysterious regions of Althanas, Fallien is a desert country with a matriarchal government and strangely xenophobic citizens. Throughout the region are different trades which can be found nowhere else in Althanas. Currently, Fallien has recovered from a state of upheaval due to the recent uprising of the Cult of Mitra and the Harpies."
- Dheathian: "Far to the east, on a continent of misty peaks and lush, tropical valleys lies Dheathain. It is a vast, mostly unexplored region filled with jungles webbed with rivers and crawling with danger. Often called the "Birthplace of Dragons", only the powerful Drakeling civilization remains of them. Other mysterious races exist here as well, including the reclusive Fae. While often distrustful of outsiders, many bold adventures have won the respect of the land's strange and powerful inhabitants."
- Akashima: "A great nation of hardy humans and mystical creatures that sits upon the southeast slopes of Comb Mountains, Akashima is a semi-independent kingdom within the Corone borders."
- Eiskalt: "A relatively small and young country, Eiskalt is surprisingly developed. The typography consists of mountains and rocky terrain, most of it covered in thick, coniferous forest. The frigid nation is poor and in poverty, thanks to the Great Eiskalt War, which was immediately followed by a civil war. Currently, the nation is all united under a new government, the Democracy, which has already been making tremendous and positive changes to the laws of old nobility. Eiskalt is in a new age."
~~~
Magic?
Some nations use magic more than others. In some countries it's a key part of culture, in others it is banned. Here is a quick look at what magic means in the cultures of Althanas.
- Raiaera: Magic is an important key part of Raiaera's culture. Before the Corpse War, there was even an academy dedicated to learning the arcane arts. The Bladesingers, a highly ranked sort of police force, uses sound and music manipulation regularly.
- Fallien: Fallien is very cultured and religious, and magic is a dear part of said traditionalism.
- Dheathian: Like the previously mentioned nations, Drakari are extremely religious. Thus, magic is an important part of Dheathian culture. Fae are born magical beings themselves, and feel that they are closer to divinity than other "lower races." Either way, magic is a powerful force in Dheathian.
- Eiskalt: For centuries, neanderthals have practiced alchemy and spells as a key part of culture. The nobile families of old had magic in their DNA. As a whole, Eiskaltian culture has opened up magic into the lives of the general population more and more.
- Corone: Corone's famed Citadel, a place where people can go to fight and kill without repercussion, is run with magic. The monks of Ai'Brone are immensely powerful - they have created entire alternative realities and have raised the dead. Corone seems unbiased towards magic, neither loving nor loathing it.
- Scara Brae: The island nation seems neutrally biased towards magic. It does not favor it, but is does not disapprove of it either. The island of Liviol Sanctum harbors elder trees closely linked to extreme magic exposure.
- Alerar: Alerar is the arch nemesis of Raiaera. The dwarves and drows have always relied more on technology and sciences than any form of magic. The populous has always looked down on magic. While alchemy does exist, it is less archaic and relies more on science, herbs, and minerals.
- Salvar: Most magic is banned in Salvar. The religion of the Sway strongly preaches against using magic for personal gain and severely looks down upon most forms of magic. The church itself uses some magic, but refuses to let anyone else in on it.
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Where can we play pirates? Paladins? Best treasure hunting region?
- Magicians: You can put them pretty much anywhere but Salvar and Alerar. Raiaera is the best place to put a magician due to the elven culture..
- Pirates: Scara Brae is home to many pirate and brigand groups and hide outs.
- Thug Life: All regions have a their share of underground crime organizations. However, Alerar it at the worst. The "Fourth Guild" is a strong example of a massive and powerful crime organization. Salvar has the Order of the Crimson Hand.
- Paladins/ Witch Hunters/ etc.: Salvar's Church of the Ethereal Sway has Paladins and other religious fighters.
- Fite Clubs: Scara Brae and Alerar both have massive underground fight arenas. "The Zirden" and "The Bottomless Pit" respectively.
- Medieval Jedi!: There are several crime fighting elite groups in Althanas. Raiaera has the Blade Singers, Salvar has their paladins, Corone has the Coronian Rangers, and Eiskalt has the Skia Warriors.
- Deeeaaaaaaaaath: Look no further than Haides/ Tular Plains to RP the re-animated dead and necromancers and other twisted, evil things. Raiaera too.
- Big City: Ettermire, capital of Alerar. You can't miss it.
- "We are not cavemen! We have technology.": Alerar is the most technologically advanced in all of Althanas. However, the elves and dwarves are extremely unlikely to share it.
- Tribal Groups: Salvar, Dheathian, Berevar, and Eiskalt all are homes to variant tribes or different species and culture.
- Average Farmer Boy: Scara Brae and Corone.
- Poverty Stricken: Lornius, Raiaera, Alerar, Eiskalt.
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