The Althanas Regional Guide

[Caden Law]

Inspired by the Althanas Beastiary (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=10305).

It happens to everyone. It's an inevitability as brutal and inescapable as needing to breathe. Your character goes somewhere -- maybe it's in Other Regions, maybe it's in Alerar, maybe it's in some other universe all together. You can't find a description to build off of. So you make one.

You create a place, ranging from uninhabitable desert to thickly populated cities to whole continents.

...and just as quickly as it's created, it's forgotten. Until now.

Hopefully.

To make a long story short: Post your places. Regions, villages, shoddy little bars in the middle of nowhere -- doesn't matter. Just post them, along with a description and maybe some history for flavor. The basic format is as follows:

Name: (Obvious.)
Region: (Use Other Regions if it's in a different dimension, era, whatever.)
Description: (Physical of the place, where it is, what it's like, maybe toss in some bits about the people there.)
History: (Optional, describing how it came to be or even just a blurb about what happened last Tuesday.)

And just so you know, your character doesn't have to have gone there. This is just one of those ten billion or so exercises in creativity that keep the boards alive :)

[Destrudo]

Name: The Continent of Chronus, respectivly divided into The Solar Empire of Lumos, or the Nocturnal Kingdom of Noctum, depending on whether you choose the day, or the night to RP in ICly.
Region: Other Regions
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Description: Chonus is a small continent, only 2,988,902 SQ MI in size. It is remarkable well rounded in shape along the southern half, as well as very squared on the northern half. In the middle it strethes to a point on both the east and west ends of the Continent. As a matter of fact, each point is where the two capital cities of Necropolis and Eden are located, Necropolis belonging to Noctum, and Eden belonging to Lumos.

The actual geography differs according to whether you are in Lumos, and thus always in day throughout the continent, or in Noctum, and thus always in the night. Thus what follows is a three fold description of the geography: Day, Night, and merged, with merged being how it's really supposed to be, but isn't due to current continental circumstances.

Day: The Geography of Lumos is a pleasant one with gentle rolling hills making a ring around the great central canyon, a massive canyon seen in both Lumos, and Noctum.
The hills are a little spaced, as though there are supposed to be large mountains mixed in, but there are none.

Further out, the continent is flat, and grassy, interspersed with random lakes. Idle patches of forest can be seen here and there, sometime surrounding and/or by one, sometimes nowhere near lakes. It is a pleasant and gentle landscape. Small towns dot the landscape, the largest population center being Eden on the western most point of the island. The entire continent is blessed with never ending day.

Night: Around the great central canyon, are great craggy mountains, curiously missing their tops. They are a little widespread as though there are supposed to be hills with them, but there are none.

The landmass of Noctum is filled with swamps and bogs, with Noctum's famous Insect Trees forming large moving forests all over the landscape. There are mount ranges in other places, most particularly, a chain of large mountains all over the Eastern Point, in which stands Necropolis, the city of night. The entire continent is cursed with never ending Night.

Merged, that is, the real geopgraphy: The Great Central canyon is not there at all, niether day or night having sway in this area. This section of land is actually the flying continent of Herusthema, which is in and of itself, the real capital of the old empire of Chronus. Herusthema stands atop a tall tower like mountain, surrounded by a broad plain and small lake, which is itself, ringed by hills and mountains. Beyond, in the rest of the continent, one can see many plains, forests, swamps, and lakes stretched throughout the land, with no particular concentration in anyone area. There is a small chain of mountains to the west. Most curiously, when daylight hits the continent, all the swamps, bogs, and eastern mountains disappear, leaving behind only plains, forests, and lakes. When Night comes, it is naught but swamps and bogs, a chain of mountains rising to the east.

The people of this continent themselves are a varied bunch, but again, fall into three categories:
The people of the day are a typically good bunch, almost obnoxiously nauseatingly so. The regard Noctumites with pity, and think Chronusians are a legend.
The people of the night are an untrustworthy bunch that would kill for even a copper. They fear no one, and no thing, and think many things taste like chicken. The merchants are the worst of all, the smoothest of talkers, it's been rumored they could sell garbage, and make the customer think they had got a treasure.
The only thing that keeps the Noctumites in line, is the king himself, and only because he's ten times worse than even the merchants.
Noctumites tend to think of Lumites as sacrifices waiting to happen. They too think Chronusians are a myth.

The Chronusians themselves are the residents of Herusthema, but presently, are statues, our of pace, and out of sync with time.

The Continent tends to vary from peaceful and relaxing, to intimidating and frightning, depening of course, on whether your in Lumos, or Noctum. If you are in Lumos, you will only experience Day, and your very existence will pause at night. It's the same, yet opposite for Noctum. Chronus itself doesn't exist, except as the name for the Continent. But that won't hold true, forever...

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History:

Historians say Chronus didn't always exist, And their right. Chronus's history begins exactly 5,000 years ago, in another reality.
Kessingale, a massive city spanning an entire continent. The power of Kessingale is unparalleled, their knowledge is so great, that they don't practice Science, they perform Science. Yet even Kessingale was powerless to stop The Consuming Darkness alone.
Though the events are sketchy, as though they both have, and hae not yet happened yet, one of Kessingale's brightest minds came to Althanas first, and grew even more powerful here. Then he built himself a great machine the size of a mountain, and with it, saved Kessingale, pulling it into Althanas. But even this great wizard miscalculated what would happen when one Time/Space Continuum was integrated with another, and Kessingale fell into an unknown point in time. This is now known as 5,000 years ago, when Kesingale fell from the sky and sent a great tidal wave around the world. With the last of their technology and power, they stopped the wave, and converted to magic, turning their metal city, floating on the ocean, into a Continent, firmly rooted to the world.

This great wizard had followed Kessingale, and decided to let the old city of Kessingale rest in peace as a memory, and named the continent, Chronos. Though historu records it as Chronus. He taught the people the ways of Althanas, and urged them to stay out of history's way, and make their own. After this, his wife, a mighty spirit of nature gave birth to a son, and the wizard made his son The first emperor of Chronus. The son of both a nature spirit, and a mighty wizard, the first emperor was blessed with mighty power, a power used to unite and keep his Empire at peace. And so it went on for four thousand years, until the day of the Schism. The Consuming Darkness had never left Kessingale, and so had been there all throughout Chronus's history.

The Empress was nine months pregnant, and returning home from the coast to give birth in the capital city. She never made it home alive. Weeks went by, and a search went out. Eventually, a lone scout crawled into court bearing twin infants. On his death bed, the scout relayed an unbelievable tale of a great hidden city filled with black robed monks, and before he died, revealed only their identities as Prince Noctum and Prince Lumos.

Lumos and Noctum grew, as children are likely to do, and in time they grew into two fine looking young men. Members of the royal family, both had tremendous power, as had all their ancestors. Lumos's powers revolved around the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, and Noctum's powers revolved around Fear, Illusion, and Psionics. Though to say one twin was good, and the other evil is to repeat an oft used cliche, it is still true all the same. Lumos was a much loved prince, and since no one knew who was the elder, he was the people's choice to be the next Emperor. Noctum was feared and hated by many.

Old King Chronus died, much to the lamentations of his people, and his sons. King Noctum swore he would be the next Emperor, but much of the people rallied around Prince Lumos. The two retreated to their separate villas in the cities of Eden and Necropolis, leving Herusthema all but abandoned. Noctum was followed by thieves and murderers, who hoped to gain some favor with Noctum when he was Emperor. Lumos was followed by the good people. The two sides fought in a bloody civil war, and eventually, in a great battle, Time and Space itself became rent in two, throwing all things into chaos and confusion. Herusthema fell silent, and untouchable. Lumos fell to Noctum's dagger, survived, only by his heir. And still, the war fought on. As the trouble spread beyond Chronus itself, The Thayne themselves stepped in, and sealed the island, and it's inhabitants, and went a step further, sealing the followers of Lumos's heir in the daylight, and trapping Noctum and his people forever in The Darkness. Even N'jal lent a hand to these actions, and lingered behind in the darkness, seeing a chance to gain for herself, both a center of worship, and a chance to gain power.

So it was for a thousand years. Those in the light named their land Lumos, after their fallen and beloved prince, and Prince Noctum named his land after himself, and adopted a new name, a name that is even today spoken with fear and loathing, Shadowlord.
Lumos and Noctum continued to fight guerrilla style. Shadowlord never died, never aged, never changed. The descendants of Lumos got married, had children, and never aged.

One thousand years after The Schism, Queen Irene, the then current ruler of Lumos was kidnapped by the followers of N'jal. Her sister and two brothers feared the worse, and their fears were answered, when she turned up months later wandering the countryside, barking like a dog and howling like a mad woman. She was also six months pregnant, and after part of her sanity returned, she told a horrid story of being possesed by N'jal herself, and being changed to in part, be N'jal as well as herself, and then being forced against her will to be impregnated with Shadowlord's seed. So was born on her deathbed, Destrudo, the crown prince of Noctum, the crown prince of Lumos, and the rightful heir to the Empire of Chronus. Loved by Lumosians and Noctumites alike, it is thought that Chronus will be set to rights by Destrudo, who was last seen wandering the far lands to the distant east.

[Caden Law]

Name: Kebiras

Region: Other Regions

History: Kebiras' history is almost entirely unknown to the scholars from other parts of the world. Most of what is recorded today is considered unreliable heresay and warped mythology; a formal expedition is required for more information.

General Description: The other supercontinental cluster, located on the opposite side of the world from Raiaera, Alerar, Dheathain, Corone and Fallien. Accessable by land via the northernmost reaches of Salvar's Berevaran wastelands. Kebiras is almost in total opposition to the lands on the other side of the world: Its dominant people are the Orcs, most humans are black, and technology is a lunatic mixture of stone-age and steampunk. Most notably, Orcish firearms technology is slightly above that of Alerar and they apparently have at least limited use of skyships. Slavery is incredibly common on all sides, city-states are far more prolific than actual nations, tribalism and despotism are the name of the game and speciesist strife runs rampant. Magic is wild and untamed in Kebiras; its spirits range from (mostly) harmless tricksters to unfathomable entities to moving mountains and wrathful trees. Most practitioners of the arcane lean towards shamanism, witchcraft, voodoo and outright necromancy of many sorts. The land is rich with untapped resources, chaotic weather and varied geography. Contact with Western nations is, understandably, scarce.

Known Specifics: The continent has at least one major city, the Bay of Long Teeth. Its architecture varies from huts of bone and hide to ramshackle fortresses cobbled together from crashed ships, and at least a few miniature fortresses that wouldn't be out of place in Corone or Alerar. The Bay is home to at least a few slave-transport vessels and multiple skyships. No proper nations are known to exist at this time, but city-states are prevalent and alliances spanning into the thousands are not unheard of.

The Orcs of Kebiras are insanely prolific. They make up around 70% of the entire population, counting all races and sub-races and even solo mutations. Their numbers and diversity are such that the Orcs don't divide themselves by mere ethnic or tribal lines -- there are too many of them for that. Instead they refer to their myriad groups as tropes. Known tropes include Orks (a branch of Orcs considered violently insane by Kebiran standards; generally amiable, if not terribly inbred, quick to anger, and prone to suicide due to a lack of common sense. No females are known to exist. Universally hunchbacked, big and apish), Torcien Orcs (smaller and arguably more cunning than Orks, but somehow uglier. Come in black, gray and white varieties), Tribal Orcs (closer to the tropes seen among Scara Brae, Corone and elsewhere; around the same size as humans, muscular and often green, brown or red. Most prolific magic users, arguably the least violent), Smorcs ("Smart Orcs," apparently; they're the ones behind most Orcish science and engineering. Resemble Torcien and Tribal Orcs, though most carry firearms with axehead bayonets), Whorcs (Who are what you think they are; no males are known to exist and they may be the female variant of Orks...maybe), and Borcs (who are basically Orcs, except bigger, smarter, more cultured and much more casual in their violence. Borcs are common leaders of 'lesser' Orcs, and their own internal culture resembles a cross between tribalism and the mafia).

After Orcs are the Ercs. Ercs apparently descend from a small, isolated population of Elves that may or may not have ventured to Kebiras during the War of the Tap. Centuries of interbreeding with both Humans and Orcs across the continent have turned the Ercs into a unique species in their own right. The majority are around six to six and a half feet tall, even the woman, with attractively human features and green skin. Their primary Orc features are short 'tusks' instead of lower canine teeth, and muscles. Lots of muscles. Which, due to Elven genetics, somehow develop in an attractive way. They also have pointy ears. Ercs are a varied lot; Orcs tend to view them as a sub-class worthy of harem enslavement, Humans look to them with an even mix of suspicion and friendliness. Left to their own, Ercs lean towards tribalism with a side of what may or may not be stone-age Heavy Metal. Erc magic leans towards proto-bardic shamanism. Alternate spellings include Erk, Elk, Elc, and Olf, Orf.

Humans in Kebiras are primarily clustered in the central, southern and east coast regions. The vast majority of Human Kebirans lean towards tribalism, along with the occasional city-state and large alliances of convenience. Most large-scale construction is a mix of Mayan and Egyptian influences, while technology varies from stone-age to high medieval. Kebiran bowmen are especially renowned for their ability to pluck fly's wings from thirty yards. Magic among Kebirans leans towards shamanism and witchcraft, and curses are a local specialty. Geomancy is common among many of the more mountainous cities and tribes, while Necromancy is considered business as usual in almost every settlement. Kebiran Necromancers vary from witch doctors communing with dead spirits to men and women raising Orcs as zombies for war. There are approximately a thousand different pantheons among Kebiran Humans, most of which are unrecognizable variants of Thayne lore with different heroes and villains, histories and legends. The only concentrated population of whites is further to the North, and most of them are descended from Salvic explorers of one time or another.

Beyond its actual peoples, Kebiras also has a whole host of beasts, monstrous folk and walking legends. Perhaps the most feared among the monstrous ones are the Wilderfolk; rogue Spider Magi turned self-styled living gods with a side of vampirism. Wilderfolk are the closest thing Kebiras has to a true nation in its realms, with their territory spanning every forest and tunnel in the continent. They frequently raid the surface for slaves and meals, using their venoms to brainwash their victims into loyal servants. Despite being the most cohesive among Kebiran peoples, Wilderfolk are still hindered by their own treachery...and possibly by the wrath of their long discarded goddess, N'jal.

Least common are the Great Walkers, true demigods who appear in most Kebiran pantheons. Their number is unknown, and few who see them live to tell the tale -- and those who do live are seldom believed. Great Walkers are the most ancient of Kebiran spirits, manifesting as humanoid trees the size of skyscrapers, walking mountains that quake the earth with each step, and lakes that stand like men for their own unfathomable purpose. To be touched by one of the Walkers is to be blessed or cursed by its patron Thayne.

Somewhere in between are the Kebiran dragons, most of which are feathered from the collarbone to the tip of the tail. Kebiran dragons are a much more uniform and straightforward lot than the ones seen elsewhere: Their basic shape is like a thin horse with its front legs replaced by gigantic bat's wings, its back feet replaced with clawed limbs resembling a lizard's, and its mouth more closely resembling that of a crocodile. Their tails are long and thin, with peacock-like feathers that shift about for stability and braking in flight. While their intelligence is nowhere near that of the dragons found in, say, Corone or Dheathain, their aerial agility is off the charts and they can be tamed and domesticated much more easily. Most Kebiran dragons breathe a tightly focused, rainbow-colored fire that burns out almost on contact; the damage is caused more by impact, the air being burned away around a target, and the high probability of instant heat stroke or boiling blood and flesh. While their physical shape is fairly common, patterns and colors among feathers vary to insanity. It's not even unheard of for Kebiran dragons to have feathers that are reflective like a mirror.