In Character Details

[The International]

Hi, everyone. I've got a few quests underway, and I'd like a couple of details about Althanas. I'd appreciate every bit of help you guys could give me.

1. The life expectancy of the following:

Alerarans (Dark Elves)
Raiaerans (High Elves)
Dwarves
Demons
Humans

2. I'd love as much information as I can get on the Valinthe tribe explained in Alerar's history.

3. I know that the rail system developed by Alerar has a line that goes from Alerar into Salvar, but I took the liberty of assuming that it starts at Etheria Port, goes through Ettermire and Kachuck and straight through to Knife's Edge. Is that okay?

4. I'd like to know how economically dominant Corone is. It seems to have all the trappings of an Althanas superpower, so I'd love some more details on it.

5. Tell me if I'm right for etymology sake...

Salvar = Russia
Akashima = Asia
Fallien = India
Corone = America/Britain
Scara Brae = New Zealand? lol

6. I'm assuming since Alerar doesn't have an 'underdark' that Dark Elves don't have night vision, and aren't inclined to evil alignments (however, past players have implied such, but I'm guessing that's because they were inspired by D&D).

7. I'm not sure about distances between countries, so can someone help me with how long it may take for a fast schooner to make it from one country to another?

I know this is all crazy, but it will help me feel a hell of alot better about what I'm writing. If you can't answer these questions yourself just let me know who can and I'll be extremely grateful.

[AdventWings]

I don't know if this is already in the Althanas Almanac (under The Complete Guide to Althanas) already or not, but I'll see what I can find for you.

1. Average Life Expectancy

Humans - 20-70 (varies markedly with region)
Raiaerans - 3492
Alerarans - 3000? (slightly less than Raiaerans)
Dwarves - n/a, possibly close to humans
Demons - n/a, possibly 100+

Human figures are estimates by comparison to real-world life expectancy of countries with similar level of technological advances. If in doubt, consult medieval-age life expectancy figures for humans and classical D&D manuals. (I don't have one, sorry.)

2. About the Valinthe Tribe

n/a (Sighter Tnailog would know more about this, but considering that he hasn't been seen recently it might be a long while...)

3. Alerar-Salvar Express(?)

I don't have any information on that, but it is a good conjecture as these are the two major cities of their respective country. Please consult with the region writers of these two countries. I'm not sure who is the region writer of Salvar, but he would be the person you would need to consult with.

4. Coronian Economic Power

n/a (Letho might know the answer)

5. Region Counterparts

For rough comparison, it is more or less what you have said.

Fallien is a mix of Indian culture and adapted into a desert setting. Witchblade will have more information on this if you need more. (Or consult the region guide.)

Akashima, on a finer scale, is modeled more closely to Imperial Japan. Chinese, Korean and other East Asian cultures are sparsely mixed into the lore, but Imperial Japanese customs take precedence. (There's a player-contributed group that's modeled after Chinese traders called the Quan. Consult with Saxon for more information on that.)

6. "The Underdark"

In a geographical sense, Haide could be considered the "Underdark" of Althanas. The difference is that Haide is exclusively the country of the Althanian Demons. There are information about Haide in the region forum.

The Aleraran "Dark Elves" are not very different from the Raiaeran "High Elves". In fact, they were once from the same community (Raiaera) and had only broken off due to racial discrimination. So, asides from the temperament, the differences between them are really just skin deep.

7. Ocean Travel

Consider the technological level and relative distances, a rough distance could be estimated accordingly.

Corone - Scara Brae: Roughly from England to Spain
Corone - Raiaera: England to Italy
Corone - Alerar: England to Turkey
Corone - Fallien: England to C'ote Ivoire
Corone - Salvar: England to South Africa

I just eye-balled them according to the most recent available map (from the Althanas Almanac) and these estimates may vary according to your landing points.

Updated: Average Life Expectancy data added.

[Visla Eraclaire]

I was interested to see some of these answers because I tend to wonder about similar things (but instead of asking I just make up answers and run with them).

I've always played non-trivial demons as virtually immortal if they die on the Material Plane. Killing their forms here just functions as a banishment unless other measures are taken. As a practical matter they don't live much longer than humans because their entire nature leads them toward doing things that will get them banished.

[Inkfinger]

Fallien is a mix of Indian culture and adapted into a desert setting. Witchblade will have more information on this if you need more. (Or consult the region guide.)



Saxon is the one you'd want to talk to about Salvar right now.

And I, actually, am in charge of Fallien right now! Ha!

Fallien's culture, as it were, is actually closer a fantasy-analog to the quote-unquote "Middle East." It draws far more on the cultures and beliefs (and more mundane things like spelling!) of Bedouins, the old-school stereotyped Arabia (made much less stereotyped as far as I and my predecessor could manage), and bits and pieces of Egypt (though a majority of Fallien is monotheistic, as opposed to pantheistic.) As far as I can tell, there isn't an analogue for India on Althanas. Yet. It would be an awesome culture to adapt, however.

And Visla! That's pretty much what I would imagine for demons: long life span wherever they originate from, life span of "however long it takes to find someone to kill them" on the "normal" plane, as it were.

[Visla Eraclaire]

Glad I got that one right. While we're asking questions, I wanted to bring something up that I've never seen mentioned in anyone else's writing.

I maintain a distinction between demons and devils based on the old PnP/DnD cosmology. I've seen demons mentioned in Althanas mythos, but not devils. So, either there are no devils or the two are lumped together without distinction.

For those unfamiliar with the difference as I use it, demons are chaotic creatures spawned senselessly, unceasingly from the infinite layers of the Abyss. Devils are the servants in the rigid hierarchy of the Nine Hells, a lawful realm that exists for the punishment of mortal souls, under contract with deities (the Pact Primeval). Devils, being bound divine servants, are closer related to angels than they are to demons.

[The International]

I maintain a distinction between demons and devils based on the old PnP/DnD cosmology.That was something that concerned me when I first came on to the site, but after reading Alerar's history I realized that the Dark Elves of Althanas aren't the evil aligned spider worshipers of D&D, although players would make them out to be. I just needed someone to confirm that. Perhaps the Demons of Althanas have a different identity although I'm not one to say. I haven't read up on Haide.

[Visla Eraclaire]

I manage to escape the drow problem because I am a notorious fantasy racist. I involve non-humans as little as possible :P

[Duffy]

Cydnar is half offended by you :p

[Taskmienster]

1. The life expectancy of the following:
Alerarans (Dark Elves) ~ 4000 years
Raiaerans (High Elves) ~ 4216 years
Dwarves ~ Longer than humans, probably about 250 years
Demons ~ Just a bit longer than humans, but everyone plays them differently, somewhere between 200 years and 500 years.
Humans ~ depends on the country, somewhere around 50-60 years depending on the country.


2. I'd love as much information as I can get on the Valinthe tribe explained in Alerar's history.

From what I remember, and that’s what I’m basing all of this on pretty much, is that the Valinthe tribe doesn’t exist anymore. It was something of a native Aleraran tribe that was wiped out when the split between the elven people happened and the nation turned into Alerar and filled with Dark Elves. As far as I remember, Thoracis was the only and last Valinthe on Althanas, and was eventually hailed as a hero and became the general of the Aleraran military. That’s about it as far as I know. I’m probably going to flesh that all out later, when I get to fixing up the details for the country, and will help out as much as I can till something concrete is posted up for everyone.

3. I know that the rail system developed by Alerar has a line that goes from Alerar into Salvar, but I took the liberty of assuming that it starts at Etheria Port, goes through Ettermire and Kachuck and straight through to Knife's Edge. Is that okay?

:: This one’s not fleshed out yet. I’m probably going to be working on it very soon. I’d say your guess is as good as any other, since that hits the main port, through the main export areas in Alerar, right into the biggest city in Salvar.

4. I'd like to know how economically dominant Corone is. It seems to have all the trappings of an Althanas superpower, so I'd love some more details on it.

:: Economically, it’s really strong, since it has the more diverse culture. Though the fact that so many people roleplay there is what makes it strong. I’d say the economic dominance depends on what you are looking for in terms of exports.

Salvar would have the most ore and raw metal out of all the countries (Saxon’s in charge of that region).

Raiaeria did have the best horses, fantasy based smiths, and enchanted items and magic… but since it’s near destruction it’s pretty much out of shape.

Alerar is militarily powerful, and has the market on firearms and other technologies, but doesn’t export them as much… I’d assume they also have the best refining market for metals, as well as the most diverse; Salvar having the most abundant.

Fallien is the only country with a true spice economy, thriving off of that as well as the Fields to the South, the Blight, which has all the unique glass around the world.

Corone, I would assume, would have a good mix of everything, but doesn’t stand out as having anything that’s better than anyone else. They would make the best sea-based ships (the adjective only there because Alerar has air ships like blimps almost), have a great fishing market and things like that.

Dheathian: If you want something exotic that’s only found in the rainforests, such as specific types of plants and animals, or poisons, they’d have it there. Other than that, not sure what exactly that region does economically.

Scara Brae, despite being tiny, has a massive forest with an island off the coast that’s very small where there is an abundant supply of liviol wood to gather. So they export a lot of wood, though not as much as they could because logging rights within the major forest on the island (Brokenthorn) is restricted if not impossible to gain. I know that, because I used to write for the region as Osato, and stopped the logging rights from being gained in a two part thread series… lol

5. Tell me if I'm right for etymology sake...
Salvar = Russia
Akashima = Asia
Fallien = India
Corone = America/Britain
Scara Brae = New Zealand? Lol

Salvar = Far northern Europe, like Scandinavian countries, and Eastern European/Russian
Akashima = Answered already
Fallien = Also answered
Corone = A lot like America, with the cultural diversity and such, so yeah.
Scara Brae = England, pretty much

6. I'm assuming since Alerar doesn't have an 'underdark' that Dark Elves don't have night vision, and aren't inclined to evil alignments (however, past players have implied such, but I'm guessing that's because they were inspired by D&D).

As was said, dark elves aren’t the typical dark skinned pointy eared people that live in caves and worship spiders on Althanas. They are the same, physically and such, as high elves, except their skin is darker and they hate Raiaerian’s. They are technology masters, whereas their cousins (almost more like brothers really) are magical masters. That’s where the conflict continues.

For Althanas, we don’t have the typical “drow” which a lot of people use in place of Dark elf, but in reality they’re two different types of humanoids according to most fantasy games. Drow are the ones that live in caves. Dark elves are different from high elves in the same way as high elves are different than wood elves… the color of their skin, personal beliefs, and what occupations and economic ideal’s they have. It’s normally accepted that all elves on Althanas have night-vision, though why that is I’m not sure since it doesn’t seem to fit most of the time to just accept that.

7. I'm not sure about distances between countries, so can someone help me with how long it may take for a fast schooner to make it from one country to another?

I have no clue about that, I guess Advent would be closest to what I would have said…



I've always played non-trivial demons as virtually immortal if they die on the Material Plane. Killing their forms here just functions as a banishment unless other measures are taken. As a practical matter they don't live much longer than humans because their entire nature leads them toward doing things that will get them banished.


Glad I got that one right. While we're asking questions, I wanted to bring something up that I've never seen mentioned in anyone else's writing.

I maintain a distinction between demons and devils based on the old PnP/DnD cosmology. I've seen demons mentioned in Althanas mythos, but not devils. So, either there are no devils or the two are lumped together without distinction.

For those unfamiliar with the difference as I use it, demons are chaotic creatures spawned senselessly, unceasingly from the infinite layers of the Abyss. Devils are the servants in the rigid hierarchy of the Nine Hells, a lawful realm that exists for the punishment of mortal souls, under contract with deities (the Pact Primeval). Devils, being bound divine servants, are closer related to angels than they are to demons.

On Althanas, a demon is little more different in the metaphysical sense than a human is. We don’t have a heaven and hell, though some people bring that into the world with their characters, so we don’t really have devils in the religious sense. Demons lived in Haidia, which was the “underdark” as was mentioned… a land that was underground, never got sunlight, and was something akin to a giant cave probably 2/3rds the size of Corone. It functioned like any other region, except the light was constant and was an eerie red glow that was cast from both bubbling magma in the fissured areas as well as crystal obstructions that grew naturally in the area and let off light.

The reason for all this is that the dominant religion on Althanas is that of the Thayne, which worships the 6 gods that make up the Thaynehood, with the cast out goddess of darkness/evil being part of the original 7. Instead of a heaven or hell we have the antifirmament, which is really more like the afterlife belief that the Greeks/Roman’s believed in… everyone went down when they died. So, the “material realm” of Althanas is the firmament, the “immaterial realm” is the antifirmament which is guarded by a very big mofo.




I hope that helped… lol. You can find info in these links:

Althy general info: http://althanas.com/world/faq.php?faq=althanasalmanac#faq_almalerar

Althy religion: http://althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=294

[Visla Eraclaire]

I reject your cosmology and substitute my own.

Seriously though, that's fairly interesting. Not enough for me to make up another word for "demon" to distinguish what I mean and what Haidians are, but interesting nonetheless.

[Slavegirl]

As the former (and I guess still on occasion) writer, and the original creator of the current Fallien (I'm also known as The Valkyrie), I can answer your question about Fallien. It does have several similarities to India, especially the language which I used for most of the original names and places - I used Sanskrit and variations on Sanskrit. As far as the culture it is very much the matriarchal culture of the Bedoins and has a duo-theistic religion consisting of the mother/earth/moon goddess Suravani, and the destroyer/sun god Mitra. Most people worship Suravani and the government is rather a theocracy built around worship of Suravani. I did pull elements from ancient Middle Eastern cultures such as Persian, Sumerian, Egyptian but there are also quite a few elements from Greece as well (especially clothing and art and architecture, think of ancient Greece, or current Santorini). Hope that helps, and of course you can always ask or just make it up yourself. Just always keep in mind that the people are very xenophobic unless and until you earn their trust.

(Wow that was really long winded, sorry!)

[Saxon]

3. I know that the rail system developed by Alerar has a line that goes from Alerar into Salvar, but I took the liberty of assuming that it starts at Etheria Port, goes through Ettermire and Kachuck and straight through to Knife's Edge. Is that okay?

As far as I know the railroad that connects Alerar to Salvar is actually stationed in some far off city in Alerar. I can't remember what the city was called or where it was, but I remember having read it years ago and it wasn't a capital city. But, that can always be subject to change if it needs to be updated.

For where the railroad goes, I was under the impression that it winds from the heart of Alerar (Maybe from the northwest side?) to the Ahyark Mountains. This is where it gets fuzzy. The railroad either goes through the mountains with a series of tunnels that are literally carved through the mountains, or it travels perilous bridges and heights around the mountains to get into Salvar and finally to Knife's Edge. Whatever works for you.



5. Tell me if I'm right for etymology sake...
Salvar = Russia

Somewhat. I took a lot of what previous region writer's did based on their notes, chats I've had with them, and what I could really guess their intentions were and worked them into my own view of Salvar. To be clear, Salvar draws upon a lot of real life cultures since I have a penchant for utilizing mythology and folklore from really abstract cultures to write stuff.

For example, Illamund probably touches upon swampfolk cultures from places like South Asia or something while the Kalev Highlands have an Irish/British kind of feel to them.

A lot of the sub regions I've been trying to implement into Salvar have touches of everything from Skandanavian and Norse culture to Russian and Eastern European influences. Really, I didn't want to isolate one culture for Salvar to be apart of because of how big it is and the different kinds of factions and cultures that now populate it.

Honestly, a lot of the details I put in were subtle and would probably take a lot of attention to detail to recognize, even though I'm not really finished with it yet (I probably won't be until I can exhale next semester). But, really, I'm leaving it up to you guys to put your own color on Salvar based on what you write. What I've provided so far is just reference material for you to either allude to or use as a guideline to come up with something yourself if you need it.