[Information] What we know

[ryator]

This is the information thread for the game; we'll fill it as we encounter it. For now, we're starting with our Torbertworlds wiki information, with my random writings

[ryator]

The Southern lands of Karamuha (Ka-ra-moo-huh)

Separated form the northern lands of Toulne by a thin landbridge to the West and a wide expanse of perilous marshes on the East, Karamuha is the wide, radical land that makes up the entirety of the south of the continent of Daiun.
Karamuha is a wide land of separate city-states each ruled by a warlord that came to power through their own strength of arm and armies. There is no unified government in the land, which is a boon for the land of Toulne, as they would have long ago been overrun by the nation’s teeming masses if they could only work together. Instead, each city-state rules itself and its surrounding countryside, and is constantly struggling against its neighbor for more land or power.
Even smaller villages and towns could be ruled by a powerful warlord on the rise. The larger city states must remain vigilant at all times, for the ruler of a village under their control could be the next usurper of their rule.
The people of Karamuha range from the olive-skinned nomads of the southern mountains to the pale academics of Chrysalin; from the burly barbaric tribes of eastern plains to sleek and deadly pirates that scour the western shores. Their people are as varied as their rulers, and there’s no standard system of…well, anything.

Some known city states and their warlords:

Chrysalin – A city of glass spires and obsidian walls, ruled by an ancient crystal dragon called Vrizhimiliath. Generally amicable to trade with Toulne and non-hostile to outsiders; the government of Chrysalin taxes everything and everyone in order to pay for its extravagant tastes. The entire city is akin to the dragon’s wealth-ridden layer, and he does his best to show off. This city is well known for producing tremendous students of history, the arts and sciences, and magic.

Dugdunder – A massive network of cave dwellings and mountain huts that sprawls over several miles of rocky, mountainous terrain on the southeast. Ruled by a sentient pile of rubble called “The Breath”; the people here worship their ruler as a god, and believe it to have breathed life into the first of their people. The odd creature has been around for as long as any histories go, and is believed to be one of the direct results of the initial moon impact on the planet. The ores dug out of this area are source of a great wealth to its people, though they have little care for the material comforts that such wealth could provide.

Boldegash – This city spans a large piece of land that connects with the western coast, and is thus a grand center of commerce with other cities on the coast and even with the continent of Felune. It is ruled by a moon-cursed named Zanarin Tuille. Often called the most ancient of the moon-cursed, Zanarin has existed for untold generations and in doing so has become a creature of tremendous power. He is ruthless in pursuit of goals outside of his lands, but is benevolent to those within his rule. His city boasts a quite successful class of artisans, and the materials produced in Boldegash are often considered to be among the best in the land.

Pherax – Pherax is a land best avoided by anyone with a beating heart. This land is dark and fraught with peril, a haven for the true undead (not simply moon-cursed.) This land is ruled by a Lich by the name of Virule Panagan, and it is a land full of chaos and death. All manner of denizen of the dark roam here, from ghouls to specters and skeletons to ghosts. Virule has a “court” of nobles that rule under him, which are vampires, necromancers, and even more insidious creatures. Pherax, of course, has no trade with outside sources or economy. Its inhabitants deal in death and blood, and it’s all the neighboring lands can do to keep their evil contained.

Kara City – Out of his pure and absolute arrogance, the ruler of this city, a half-fiend mystic theurge named simply “Gemnon”, proclaims his area of rule as the capital of Karamuha itself. He still holds to that, most probably due to none of the other rulers caring too much than due to his actual power though considerable. The city is ruled by Gemnon’s totalitarian regime, with absolute and brutal authority over nearly every aspect of life. There is a tremendous gap between the lowest classes and the higher classes, all hand picked allies of Gemnon. Known for its surplus of inexpensive (slave) labor, Kara City produces a multitude of items that the artisans of Boldegash find to be beneath their considerable skill.

Vaurguard – This sprawling land of plains and steppes can’t really be called a focused city, but is more a collection of clans that live a nomadic life within their own area in the east of Karamuha. Ruled by a powerful rage prophet named Krue Darhund, the people of Vaurguard exist largely on their own without outside intervention. They hunt, live off the land, and protect their own with fierce determination. They’re a proud and practical people, but tend towards the idea of survival of the fittest. If one of their people can’t hunt for himself, often times his life is quite short. Some clans of Vaurguard have been known to raid nearby villages or passing caravans, but the people mostly keep to themselves unless provoked.

Far’ellhen -

The only area out of control of the various warlords in the south is the trade city of Cambor. This city is a somewhat neutral entity, though both Toulne and Karamuha have claimed it to be a protectorate in the past. It is the center of trade between Toulne and Karamuha and, as such, is a very wealthy independent nation of its own. Cambor’s importance to both nations has allowed them to stay neutral, as either nation’s claiming of it could lead to open war. Cambor is a vast, sprawling city, in which nearly any good or service in demand can be found. The area has a strict force of guardsmen and is ruled by a merchant council of those wealthy enough to buy a seat.

[ryator]

Western Island Empire of Felune

Felune is the large, distant continent to the west of Toulne. It is a land of level plains and sandy expanses, with low plateaus and rocky steppes. There are few mountains or hills over two thousand feet in height, and much of the central and northern lands are quite arable. The southern lands are sparsely settled, as they are ruled by vast dry expanses of desert sand and shifting dunes.
The empire of Felune is ruled by the emperor, simple titled “The First.” He rules with an iron fist and strict governance, often known to punish lawbreakers with extreme justice. It’s said that the emperor, upon being titled “The First”, is given the scepter of Kna’, which is a sliver of moon rock that is said to be able to draw power from the massive moon pillar in the south and control the seas. More than once, the rulers of Felune have taken responsibility for violent tidal storms that have rocked the coasts of Toulne.
Felune’s capital city is called Tardash, and it boasts over 200,000 people within its high walls. Three coastal cities are the primary sources of overseas trade with Toulne, a trade which is ever-present and lucrative. Though they are partners in trade, Felune and Toulne have a tumultuous relationship of economic leverage, indirect military competition, and sometimes open threats.

Known environs:
Tardash Plateau

Bay cities: Sul'A, Daor, Dnak

Deserts of Kaln

[agricolus]

Alba -

A tight group of islands in the Bay of Gael, this powerful state is the home of the Albans, a warrior-bound clan system of families tied in feudal knots of septdom. The society resembles Medieval Scotland, in that males wear kilts, participate in weight-throwing and log-rolling contests and fight with the traditional Edgemohr, a 6-foot sword with three hilts. The economy revolves around fine salmon fishing and wool production, as well as distillation of a wiskey known as Life Water, or Weesbay, considered the finest drink on the continent by many.

The rugged hills and mountains house impenetrable castles built from hard igneous rock painstakingly carved and fitted so not even a human hair can be thrust between the blocks.

[ryator]

Heartland? Specifically, the thick and verdant northern forests, where druidic circles of old still practice sacred rites, ancient ruins buried under seasons of detritus await discovery, and creatures known only to local legend prowl the dark paths at night?

ancient forest called Truegrove, north of that teeming mass of civilization that most associate with the Heartland. But here...no...here there is only peace, tranquility...sometimes danger, admittedly...but one can find one's home among these oaks and never turn back.

No more than a mile in that direction is the path used by many a caravan on the way to the northern port cities of the Heartland - cities that hold the coast and remain ever vigilant against the mighty unknown of the Frozen Throes, from which all manner of abominations have come.

ropewright in the naval district of Boldegash. I specialized in weaving Kemmantle sailing rope from the wing fibers of the deadly Gossimar Fliers.

We are a brotherhood that was born of the falling moon, and we've been using our powers for centuries to fight against the evil that came with us from that cataclysm. See, when the moon was shattered, the piece that initiated that oblivion brought with it a vile energy, a living force from the dark vastness of space. When this power rained down on this planet, abberrations of all sorts grew in its place and began to wreak havoc on their locales.

village of Fern

Massive Cordtrees with their corkscrew trunks and spreading Stagwoods with their many upright branches cover the path with the shadows of a leafy canopy that still shows life in spite of the late time of year. The brush along what small area serves as a path is made up of dense thickets of Prickler Paws and Windingbush, the latter still showing late orange and crimson blooms.