World Info

(ma-dee-ah)
Named for its first king, Madea believes itself to be a beacon of civilization. It's people come from all areas of Drisos and have no default colouring. The current king, Thedros, is well loved by most citizens and rules from the capital Aneka. The kingdom is divided up into the duchys, and the king rules through a feudal system of lords. Gender means nothing in Madea for inheriting or serving in the army, all are treated the same and rated on merit.

Aneka:

Prona:

Zico:

Gorwood:

Astaport:

Paso:

Galfast:

Jakon:

Raco:

(Gin-two)
The jintoo shogunate is predominately populated by a short bronze skinned people with dark hair and eyes called Asan. Each city is ruled by a clan, and the clan that has the most power has their city become the capital. The never ending struggle for power creates a constantly shifting political environment. But the asan are a patient people, with plans reaching over generations. Personal glory means nothing, everything is for the family and the clan. Currently the lion clan is in power, making Taesu the capital, with the Han family in control of the clan. Families vie with each other for control of the clan, and will only stop at damaging the honour or power of the clan to dislodge another family. Clan comes first, then family, then self. The ruler of a family is the oldest and most decorated warrior. While the Asan do produce a high number of scholars and spellcasters, only a warrior can lead his family, he is the family Rida. If his family is in power he is also the clan Rida. Only males can hold positions of authority. A woman must be subservient at all times. The only time a woman can disobey a man is when a more important man has given conflicting orders. The order of importance being: husband, father, brother, any other man. Women are treated with honour however, and it is only the lowest of man that would harm, or allow harm to come to a woman in his care. There once were five clans: snake, lion, rat, falcon and wasp. Until a snake plot to destroy the other clans was discovered. United the other four clans obliterated snake, and razed their city. It became the forbidden city, and no one sets foot there.

Taesu:

Tanchak:

Jinhua:

Wonan:

Nordorlond is actually an elvish word though few Elves live there. Instead it is home to a large, broad, fair-haired, fair-skinned race of men who call themselves Nords. Nord cities are large towns by other nations standards, instead majority of the population live in far spread holdings. Each holding answers to its own chieftain, and battles regularly break out between rival holdings. Nord men and women are born warriors, and produce more berserkers than any other race. Tieflings and Dragonborn are rare, but all that appear always come through Nordorlond, over the mountains in the west.

Dofrar:

Holt:

Skavik:

Husavik:

(Al k-ooze-rah) The people of the empire are a tall, dark haired, dark skinned people called Mors. When Madea was founding his empire in the east, the mors were crossing the northern end of the drisos edge mountains. Coming from a desert environment it took some time for the people to adapt to the colder climate in Drisos. The cities of the empire are forts first, built to withstand assaults from orcs. The empire has a very patriarchal culture, with women having no rights beyond what is given by there husbands. What began as a means of protecting child bearing women in the early days of the orc wars, has evolved into subjugation.

Zamir:

Tel Ketha:

Jalen:

Dhalya:

Zubali:

Ahar:

(Vol-keh) In the frozen northwest of the continent live a dark haired, fair skinned people called balts. The valke Republic has the smallest military of any of the human nations, but they are experts at fighting in the inhospitable terrain. Although they have not had to face an invading army for hundreds of years. The lack of constant warfare, and remote location have encouraged many citizens towards more academic pursuits. The centre for magical studies in Norregard is almost universally considered the best in Drisos. The balt people have a matriarchal society, men do serve in the army, but majority of the positions of authority are held by women. Ruling is done by the Senate, which is also almost all women.

Virrena:

Ceksna:

Orverg:

Norregard:

(Th-ess-err-ah) This is the spiritual home of all wood Elves, even those who live elsewhere call Thesera home. It is a city of trees, massive ancient trees of many varieties, huge branches connecting them, making wooden roadways, leading to platforms of interconnecting branches, with a thick canopy for a roof. The city is home to a vast ancient library that houses the greatest collection of knowledge on Drisos, it even contains knowledge about the ancient empire that the dwarves themselves have lost. At the centre of the city stands the Inalion, this is largest tree in the forest, and is home to king Thaemar, and the Lei Alora, the council of sages, the most powerful spellcasters in the Nelderlod. They guard the heart of the forest, the source of magic in the Nelderlod.

(Ass-ah-thay-us) This city was originally founded as a trading post for the ancient empire. As such it contains elven tree homes, as well as ground based dwellings once built for dwarves, but now utilized by men and other races also. Once a generation the city hosts Lefe Asori the coming of age ceremony. Elflings from all the nearby forest converge on the city for a celebration. This culminates with the new adult elves leaving the forest to explore the world. Some elves only leave for a couple of months, most for several years, and some for decades, almost all return at some point, very rare is the elf who chooses not to return.

(Vin Low-Dah) The capital of the Mountain Dwarf cities was the first reclaimed, and the only one that sees non Dwarven merchants visit, with Vin Durhal being too remote. The city is built into the face of a mountain, with roads running up and down the mountain side connecting the various levels. The highest level is the halls of Vin Kuldor, the city of the dead. The halls go deep into the mountain, and house shrines to dwarven ancestors. The deepest are many thousands of years old, and have not seen light in a very long time. The second level is the home of King Lurgrim Ashmaker, his line has ruled ever since Vin Lodar was reclaimed. The third level houses nobles, and the wealthiest dwarves. The fourth level is heavily guarded, even though an invader has to go through the lower levels to get there, because this is the entrance to the mines. The mines go deep throughout the mountains, but no non-dwarf is allowed entry, and any who did get in would likely become hopelessly lost. The levels below house the rest of the dwarven population, with the poorest the lowest down the mountain.

(Vin Der-hul) Vin Durhal is built on the face of a mountain like Vin Lodar, and also has its own Vin Kuldor, and mines extending deep under the mountains. It is currently ruled by Prince Varhin Ashmaker, the kings brother, heir to the throne. When Prince Thomin, the kings son, becomes of age, he will move to Vin Durhal as its ruler replacing Varhin. When the king dies, the heir will move back to Vin Lodar, take up the crown, and a new heir will be appointed to rule Vin Durhal. The mines beneath Vin Durhal are far richer than those beneath Vin Lodar, but all metals that do not get used, go to Vin Lodar to be traded or stored.

(Sl-arz) Slazz is the city of the goblins, but is actually an ancient Dwarven city once call Vin Morrel. Even with the crypts and mines, there is still not enough space to house all the goblins, and as such goblin life is a constant fight for food and space. The city is home to many goblin clans, which spend as much time fighting each other as they do other species. The only times they have fought together is when the other cities were attacked by the dwarves. Each clan has its own chieftain, this chieftain usually being the biggest, strongest, or most cunning fighter. The goblins have ways through the moutnains unknown to others, and use these to launch raids at the smaller dwarven holds in the mountains, and human villages near the lake of the sky.

(Oo-gooz-drah) The capital of the Orcs stands on the only patch of land in the wastes large enough to hold it. It has no city walls, as any invading army would have to through scores of orcish settlements to reach it, and of course the wastes themselves. The city follows no plan, rather buildings are placed wherever they will stand, and the result is a chaotic warren of everchanging twisting paths. If an Orc wishes to build something, he must either find an unclaimed patch of land, or kill another Orc and take his land.

The lost city is a myth. Its exact location unknown, it is rumored to be the last city of the ancient empire, and as such a trove of treasures and riches. Those that go searching for it either never return, or return defeated.

Far to the west lie the Drisos Edge Mountains. This massive mountain range marks the end of Drisos, and the start of Sha'ara, though very few in Drisos will have heard this name.
The mountain range is high, and only a couple of traverseable passes exist, although even these are fraught with danger.
The most used pass leads to the Nord city of Holt. People here are the most accostomed to seeing Dragonborn or Tiefling, but even then it is an event only occuring yearly at most. They never stay long, always travelling onward to whatever led them to leave their homeland in the first place.
The other side of the pass leads to Lodon. This is a marvelous city built of Gnomish ingenuity and Goliath muscle. All Goliaths living here are subject to Gnome rule, and are very much second class citizens, being barely more than slaves. The city lies nestled between the mountain wall on one side, and an all encompassing desert on the others.
The Dead Sea is a vast desert that stretches all the way from the Gorkrul Wastes along the mountains down to the sea. East to west it is a 2 week journey from the western edge of the desert to Lodon.
The first city beyond the desert is in the south, and is the twin city called Kusold-Armir, or Armir-Kusold depending on who you ask. The city lies on the boundry of the disputed Dragonborn and Tiefling territories, with the river running through the middle providing a literal dividing line.
The Dragonborn and Tiefling have been at war for hundreds of years, with both blaming the other for starting the turf war.
Those who have journeyed to Drisos sometimes try to forget the past, but the grudges are long ingrained, with atrocities committed by both sides, it is hard to forgive. Some hold on to the hate even in faraway lands however and will attack the other on sight.

The Tiefling side of the city is Armir. The Tieflings from Armir are a proud race, and embrace their demonic heritage. This has led to those who refuse to adhere being ostracised or banished. This accounts for the majority of Tiefling who leave. While they embrace their heritage they are not evil by nature. They have a lust for power, and are willing to accept almost any means to gain it. The society has evolved in this same vein, arcane power is might, and might makes right. The city is ruled over by a cabal of the most powerful arcane spellcasters. Unlike the Valke Republic their is no great school for arcane studies, instead practitioners take on apprentices to train.

The Great Heart lake gets the great in its name, not because it is the largest body of water, the Red Lake being far larger in area, but from its depth. Nobody knows how far the lake goes, the simplest believing it has no bottom. Every now and then the bloated corpse from an unknown horror from the depths washes on shore.

The lake of the sky is frozen in winter, but in summer it is so clear, and so still that it provides a reflection of the sky. It is rich with fish, and provides an abundance for the towns nearby.

The Red lake is the largest body of water on drisos. It is relatively shallow, and the red dirt and sand at the bottom give it a red hue. This is darker on the western end closest to the Gorkrul wastes, and is almost gone at the farthest eastern edge. Though fairly shallow there are great chasms is the lake bed that extend down a long way, they can create weird sailing conditions, and many boats have been lost down them, never to be reclaimed.

The tri-lakes are a series of small lakes in the south of the continent. Two rivers run from a small mountain range into the northeastern and southeastern edges of the first lake (called komizu). On the southern edge of the lake is the Forbidden City. From the southwestern edge of komizu the river continues onto the the northeastern edge of the second lake (chunimizu), from the southern end of this lake, the river flows south into the eastern edge of the third lake (hikuimizu), and from the southern end out to the sea. Every year in autumn salmon swim up the trilakes to the top of the river to give birth, and in the spring adolescent salmon swim down and out to the sea. This provides food for both a large population of bears, and the Asan.

The Heart Forest is so named simply because it is on the shore of the Great Heart Lake. Many generations of logging from Aneka has left it a light and airy forest. While the king does take hunting trips here, he prefers Lush Grove.

(Oh-car-pee) The Okapi Timberland is the main reason there is no highway from Dofrar to Raco. There is a road that runs this route, running between the Northern end of the forest, and the mountains, but it is a dangerous road. The Timberland is not a safe place, being the home of many fell creatures.

(Ziss) Xiss Grove see's more trappers than loggers, and there is a large community of woodsman living in the forest itself, trading their meat, furs and skins in Jakon.

(Jar-ns) Despite its proximity to Galfast, Jans Wood see's few woodsman from here, instead most of the lumber comes from Lush Grove by way of Gorwood. When the Dwarves kicked goblins out of Vin Durhal, they did not bother with the areas around, beyond what they needed. As such there is a large community of Goblins living deep within Jans Wood.

Lush Grove is the main source of Lumber for the majority of the kingdom of Madea. The lumber industry here is booming, and the Gorwood also hosts many regular hunting tournaments in the forest.

The Dark Heart is even more dangerous than the Okapi Timberland. It is safe to lumber at the edges, and hunt for a couple of miles in, but anyone who ventures further than this has simply never returned. Many generations ago a chieftain from Skavik took five hundred of his best warriors into the forest, to once and for all find out what was inside. None were ever seen again.

(Nell-duh-lod) This forest is the ancient home to the wood elves. It has existed for many thousands of years, and bore witness to both the rise and fall of the high elf/mountain dwarf empire. The elven libraries in Thesera and Asathaeus are the only places outside dwarven cities that information on the empire still exists. No human knows how far west the Nelderlod extends, and very rare is the human who has seen Thesera. Elves know the far boundary is almost as far away as Nordorlond, and that other wood elf cities exist, but these are many days travel away through some dangerous woods. Once upon a time elves controlled the entire forest, but something dark has been growing in the middle, and there are now vast swathes that they dare not tread.

(Gore-cruel) The wastes are an inhospitable area of dead soil, and fetid fens and marshes. Yet somehow Orcs thrive here. The call of Gruumsh is impossible to break, and every man woman and child exist to serve him. Orcs will not treaty with humans elves or dwarves, and will attack onsite, unless hopelessly outnumbered. The wastes extend some distance to the east, with nobody from Drisos having seen the far edge. During the heat of day noxious gases seep from the earth, and as night falls they lessen, only to return again come dawn. This has led to Orcs becoming nocturnal, and is so ingrained that even when raiding lands outside the wastes, they still attack only at night. The wastes are scattered with orcish settlements, each kept small by the lack of land to build structures on. The only area of land being large enough for a city is where Uguzdra stands.

The Drisos Edge Mountains, is the large mountain range that marks the western edge of Drisos. There are safe passes over the mountains, but they are few. On the other side are a handful of rock gnome communities, and a vast desert. Nobody who has tried to cross it has ever returned, and going around does not work either. The Gorkrul wastes to the north prevent anyone going that way, and any who try sailing the sea to the south are met with treacherous weather conditions and vicious sea monsters. Occasionally a Dragonborn or Tiefling cross the desert, but they are loathe to reveal what is on the other side.

The Great Dividing Range is the mountain range that runs from the red lake to the great heart lake, and effectively separates the northeastern and northwestern parts of the continent. Because the arctic winds always blow from the northeast, by the time it has crossed half the continent, and then reached the mountains, the western half is effectively spared the coldest weather, making Al Kusra Empire's weather much milder than that of the Valke Republic.

The Dragonfang mountains were names for the shapes of many peaks, that resemble dragons fangs. These mountains once held three dwarven cities, until the mountain dwarves moved into the lowlands founding the ancient empire with the high elves. Some dwarves remained, but most moved out. With the fall of the empire the remaining dwarves returned to the homes of their ancestors, only to find them overrun by goblins. It was a long hard battle, but eventually they reclaimed Vin Lodar. The goblins attacked again straight away, and the dwarves only just repulsed them. Fortifying the city, they concentrated on regrowing their population, made hard by constant assaults. After a thousand years, as men started arriving in Drisos, they finally made their move on Vin Durhal, the battle lasted days, but eventually the dwarves were victorious. It took many decades to clear all the remaining goblins out of the deepest tunnels. This just left one city, which the goblins have renamed Slazz. Lately there have been many rumblings from younger dwarves that it is long past time when the dwarves reclaimed the last of their cities. On the far side of the mountains is a nomadic Hill Dwarf Nation, none of which have crossed the mountains since the fall of the empire.