Draezoln is a fantasy world, home to my most persistent figments.
Author: Almonihah
Story: http://draezoln.wordpress.com
Fauna
The major lifeforms of Draezoln include the Three Races of Men (Humans, Elves, and Dwarves) and their opposites (Orcs, Aphani, and Trolls), the four races of metallic dragons (gold, silver, bronze, and copper), the four races of chromatic dragons (red, blue, green, and white), as well as a large variety of fantastic monsters. However, the six humanoid races are the only known species on Draezoln to have organized societies—some even say they are the only creatures on the planet to have hands.
The non-humanoid creatures of Draezoln come in a large variety, though most of them seem to be based on or mixes of more mundane creatures. Some say the mad god Jivenesh corrupted animals to create monsters, though most sages agree that this cannot be the case, as these beasts are generally not insane as Jivenesh's creations usually are.
None, however, dispute Jivenesh's influence on the Madness-Touched, or, as they are called in Draconic, the Javni'Tolkhrah. These are normal animals, or sometimes even monsters, who have been exposed to the influence of Jivenesh's madness, and been twisted thereby. Such creatures are often terrible foes, but the Ranger Orders generally keep such creatures confined within the Madlands.
Supernatural Creatures: While contact between Draezoln and the worlds of the afterlife is extremely limited, there are those who have discovered ways to summon creatures from the realm beyond to walk for a time on Draezoln. These creatures are generally divided into the categories of Divines and Infernals. Divines are those creatures who serve one of the "good" gods, and as such, are usually glorious beings of great power, summoned by priests in times of dire peril to aid in the defense of the innocent. While a wide variety of Divines are described in myth, they generally resemble glorious, perfected versions of creatures native to Draezoln (for example, Divines summoned by Warders of Bahamut are typically draconic, often with platinum scales on at least part of their bodies). Infernals, on the other hand, while sometimes resembling creatures of Draezoln, more often appear as creatures seen only in twisted nightmares.
Many refer to the existence of Divines and Infernals as proof of the existence of the gods, but doubters are quick to point out that wizards have also created and summoned unnatural creatures of various descriptions, and that there is no proof that these creatures truly do originate from an afterlife awaiting the followers of the gods.
Religion
Draezolnians worship one (or more, or sometimes none) of ten gods. While disputes are common among worshippers of the different deities, some of the most acrimonious relations are between different sects worshipping the same deity, and one of the worst recorded wars was caused by a dispute over the interpretation of one of the gods' attributes.
Worshipers of the different gods often use certain symbols to represent their deities. The most common of these symbols are mentioned in their entries.
Naishia: Goddess of Nature. She presides over all wild creatures, and counts a surpisingly large number of the Races of Men amongst her followers. She is typically depicted as the defender of nature and the natural order, standing directly opposed to Jivenesh and his maddening, corrupting influence. Many followers of Naishia insist she was the sole creator of Draezoln, and that the other deities came later, either by invitation or as usurpers, depending on who you ask.
Naishia's priests are called Druids. Many of them have strange and powerful abilities to manipulate nature or take the form of natural things, such as beasts and plants. Rumors speak of Druids who have so given themselves to nature that they no longer appear human.
Naishia is also the patron goddess of the Ranger Orders, and rangers usually speak of her as the Mistress of the Hunt. As such, the Rangers feel they are called by Naishia to aid her in the battle to contain the madness of Jivenesh.
Symbols: The two most common symbols for Naishia are a stylized tree, favored by Druids, and a unicorn in the rampant position, often favored by Rangers who worship Naishia.
Mashano: God of the Humans. Mashano is said to be the creator of humankind, and is usually thought of as appearing man-like. His followers are amongst the most diverse of all the religious sects of Draezoln, with some sects claiming he is a stern, judge-like being who gives laws and punishes the lawbreakers, while some claim he is a fickle god who showers blessings upon those who please him, only to withdraw them the next moment in the spirit of mischef.
Clergy of Mashano are simply called Priests. Like humankind, Priests of Mashano are extremely diverse, and often divisive—the legendary War of the Human Kings was started by a dispute between two High Priests of Mashano from different kingdoms. The two most common sects are the Lawkeepers, also known as Justicars, who often serve as judges as well as priests, and the Friends of Fortune, who petition Mashano to bless their (often risky) endeavors.
Symbols: Symbols of Mashano are as diverse as his followers. Justicars often use an image of a set of scales.
Kazoran: God of the Dwarves. Kazoran is revered by the dwarves as their maker. Kazoran is said to be a god of stone and earth and metal, and so the dwarves seek always to keep their feet on the ground and steel in their hands. Many dwarves think of Kazoran as a great warrior, leader of their endles war against Kerichang and his trolls.
Amongst other races, priests of Kazoran are called Stonelords, but this is actually a single rank in their heirarchy. When dwarves wish to speak of priests of Kazoran in general, they speak of the Stonespeakers. Stonespeakers are often the most warlike of the priests, at least among the races of men, often leading dwarven war parties against their trollish foes.
Symbols: Followers of Kazoran often use the image of a mountain or a smith's hammer and anvil as his symbol.
Sephania: God(dess?) of the Elves. There is considerable debate amongst the Acolytes of Sephania about whether or not Sephania is a male or a female. However, whichever gender he or she is, Sephania is thought of as a patron of the arts, especially the martial and magical arts. However, whereas the dwarves think of Kazoran more in terms of smashing huge numbers of trolls with his hammer, the elves think more in terms of the balance and beauty of Sephania's martial skill, and seek to emulate this in their own combat styles.
The priests of Sephania are called Acolytes. Acolytes are sometimes wizards in addition to being priests, and some of them have been able to accomplish amazing feats by combining the two disciplines. Some acolytes are masters instead of blade and bow. A rare few seek to combine all of these disciplines, but only legends speak of any who were very successful at doing so.
Symbols: Acolytes often use some symbol relating to their abilities. Martial Acolytes might use an image of a crossed sword and wizard's staff, while those of more artistic bent favor something representing their favored medium. Ordinary worshipers often use a symbol consisting of a book with a staff.
Tiamat: Goddess of Chromatic Dragons. Tiamat is spoken of rarely, for she is widely feared. What is thought of her, however, is that she is a cruel, angry, and jealous deity, always hungering to increase her power and destroy those that oppose her. It is said that she has a special hatred of any chromatic dragon that strays from her worship, and such dragons live in fear of her reprisals—or at least those of her priests.
Tiamat's priests are the feared Ravagers, beings of incredible destructive power who delight in subjugating all to their will. Not all Ravagers are dragons, though the most powerful and feared are.
Symbols: More ornate shrines to Tiamat often use an image of four dragon heads, one of each type of chromatic dragon, as her symbol. Simpler symbols typically are some variation on the theme of a large dragon claw.
Jivenesh: The Mad God. Jivenesh is the insane deity of chaos and destruction. The reason for his insanity is unknown, though many possibilities have been suggested. All that is known is that he seems to have not a single shred of sanity and seeks only the destruction of all existence.
Followers of Jivenesh call themselves whatever they wish, and most other people just call them insane. A rare few, however, are able to maintain their sanity for a time, though all inevitably lose it in the end. The most feared of these are the Chaos Mages, wizards whose magical training allows them to survive tapping into the powers of chaos and insanity. While Chaos Mages are not necessarily worshippers of Jivenesh, other people almost invariably connect the two, just as they almost invariably seek to destroy said Chaos Mages. One of the greatest wars of legend, the War of Broken Minds, was instigated by an extremely powerful Chaos Mage.
Symbols: While there are obviously no established symbols for Jivenesh, some have attempted to represent his presence by an amorphous, multi-hued blob.
Kenash: God of Orcs. There are two distinct cults of Kenash, each with a widely varying idea of his attributes and desires. The Northern Cult, which nearly all of the orcs of the Orc Hills on the Northern Continent follow, depict Kenash as a mighty warrior who plunders the weaker Races of Men for the glory of the orcs. For this reason, the orcs of the Orc Hills are widely hated by the civilized races for their raids and banditry. The Southern Cult, however, believes Kenash is a powerful shaman who keeps the sun and moon moving through his powers. They believe he needs constant nourishment in the form of the blood of sacrificial victims (preferably orcs of other tribes, for orc blood is sacred and worth the blood of three of another race) to keep the Balance of the Skies. They believe that, were they to go too long without sacrificing anyone, the sun would float away, the moon would fall, and all life on Draezoln would perish. Horribly.
The Cultists of Kenash, Kenash's priests, vary as widely as the two cults do. Northern Cultists will typically be heavily-armed warriors who lead their warbands in their raids on the other races, while Southern Cultists are typically more magically inclined, and more prone to work from the shadows through the chiefs they influence.
There is, however, a new Cult of Kenash, which has converted a major tribe in the Orc Hills. They believe that Kenash does not require war, only dominance. Such dominance could, in their minds, be a result of wealth. As such, they have started trading the highly-sought-after orcish steel with the nearby kingdom of Idketh as the first step in their plot.
Symbols: Northern Cultists usually use a scimitar image as a symbol, while southern Cultists favor a stylized representation of a partial eclipse.
Kerichang: God of Trolls. The trolls claim that Kerichang is the older brother of Kenash (though the orcs deny any relation at all between the two gods), and trolls therefore expect to be automatically obeyed by any orcs they meet. This usually only happens when there are more trolls than orcs around. Kerichang is said to be a cruel, cunning god, always hungering for more meat and greater territory.
The Shaman, priests of Kerichang, are few, but greatly feared, for they combine the sheer size and power of trolls with the cunning and magical power of their god. They always seek to feed on the other races nearby, seeking thereby to strengthen themselves and whatever trolls they have pressed into their service.
Symbols: It is unknown whether Shaman have an established symbol for Kerichang. Slain Shaman often carry a particular staff with shrunken heads of slain members of other races.
Arphaxad: God of the Aphani. As deity of the mute Aphani, Arphaxad is thought to be a very tall, lean Aphani. Most Aphani think of him as a cunning mastermind, slowly bringing together seemingly unrelated events that will somehow coalesce into his ultimate victory.
Other races call the priests of Arphaxad Silencers, for they have a reputation for cutting out the tongues of trespassers in Aphani sacred lands. In truth, Silencers are usually much more discreet, and many deaths by disease or hunting accidents among the nobility of nearby kingdoms are actually due to Silencer assasains.
The recent influx of Aphani traders, and the subsequent grudging acceptance they have gained amongst the Races of Men, was instigated by the Silencers. No one knows if it is a true move towards peace, or merely a way to insert spies more easily into surrounding lands.
Symbols: Silencers discourage the use of established symbols, believing it makes them to identifiable to outside races.
Bahamut: God of Metallic Dragons. Bahamut is commonly known as the Platinum Dragon, for he is usually depicted as an enormous, serpentine, platinum-scaled dragon. While primarily concerned with the affairs of goodly dragons, priests of Bahamut claim he extends his benevolent protection to all peaceable beings.
Priests of Bahamut are known as Warders, and are renowned for their ability to defend innocent beings against seemingly hopeless odds. Warders hate Ravagers, and battles between the two are the stuff of legend. Some say that the world was once nearly torn asunder by a huge clash between ancient Warders and Ravagers. Not all Warders are dragons, and some of the most renowned ones actually have no dragon blood at all, simply a desire to guard those who cannot protect themselves.
Symbols: The most common symbol for Bahamut is a constellation of stars forming a draconic eye, preferably made of platinum.
The Heretic Cult: The "Heretic Cult" is the name used by reactionary members of the orthodoxy of one of the Ten to refer to those who do not worship any of the Draezolnian deities. It is something of a misnomer, as it isn't a single group. Some people simply don't believe in the gods, some don't believe the gods should be worshiped, and some just don't care.
There is, however, one cohesive group of non-believers which could be termed a cult. This group is a rather odd amalgam of those who claim that the gods are invented by the priesthood, who are nothing more than self-deluded wizards, and those who say that, while the gods do exist, they are simply very powerful beings who use mortals as pawns. This second group is seen as especially dangerous, as some of them encourage rebellion against the "tyranny of the gods".
Despite the panicked outcries of some of the clergy, this "Heretic Cult" does not currently seem to pose much threat to the established religious order of Draezoln. Its membership is small, is influence weak, and most members aren't actively working to tear down the faith of others.
Calendar:
The Draezolnian calendar is based off a 400-day (exactly) year, with seasons of 100 days, months being of 40 days, and "weeks" (usually called ten-days—or ten-suns among the elves) consisting of ten days. Each month is named after one of the gods, as follows:
Kenash: Month of Kenati—End of fall and beginning of winter
Kerichang: Month of Kenati—End of fall and beginning of winter
Arphaxad: Month of Arphana—End of winter
Bahamut: Month of Bahamrui—Beginning of Spring
Naishia: Month of Naishina—mid-spring
Mashano: Month of Mashari—End of spring and beginning of summer
Kazoran: Month of Kazrati—mid-summer
Sephania: Month of Sephanati—End of summer
Tiamat: Month of Tiamia—Beginning of fall
Jivenesh: Month of Javnia—mid-fall
Years are currently measured in years "Age of Man"- -years after the legendary date on which the first humans appeared on the land. While Elves and Dwarves claim that they are more ancient races then humans, no one has found elvish or dwarvish ruins or records that date from before 0 A.M. (Not to be confused with AM/PM), so it is commonly accepted that "Age of Man" refers to the time of the origin of the three "Races of Men". The current year is 2093 A.M.- -some of the oldest elves still remember talking to elves born shortly after the beginning of the Age of Man. What Draezoln was like before the Age of Man is a matter of much debate among scholars of the Races of Men, but dragons are quite sure of what it was like- -they ruled the land alone, fighting their ageless war between chromatic and metallic dragons. They say that a particularly fierce battle occured shortly before the beginning of the Age of Man, which is the only reason there were too few dragons to annihilate the newcomers- -though the metallic dragons claim they would have defended them from the other dragons. In truth, the records seem to indicate that the dragons simply ignored the Races of Men until it was too late.
Each of the ten days of a week are named after one of the deities, as well (Bahamut's Day, Mashano's Day, etc.), with some religions claiming the day named after their deity as a weekly holy day. While many abbreviated forms of the day names exist, there are no standard short forms.
Each day is divided into five hours from sunrise to sunset, and each night is divided into four watches from sunset to sunrise. Some magi and other experimenters who desire more precise measures of time that don't vary according to the time of year have begun dividing the day into twenty hours from sunset to sunset, but this system of time-keeping has not caught on in most places.
Races
Brief Note: While all races (other than humans) have their own languages, all creatures capable of speaking a remotely human-like language can speak the Common Tongue (the human language), while all creatures intelligent enough to understand speech can understand the Common Tongue. Scholars, mages, and priests still debate the reasons for this.
Humans: The humans of Draezoln are a varied lot, not unlike humans on our world. They are considered the dominant race of Draezoln, for, while they may not be the most powerful individually, they are generally acknowledged (by all but the orcs) to be the most numerous, and their trade and treaties mean that nearly all kingdoms, whether human or otherwise, are friendly to mankind.
Elves: Elves are a slender and agile race, most of whom claim a close connection with woodlands—they say that Sephania and Naishia are sisters. However, their culture varies widely between the Southern and the Northern Continents.
In the Northern Continent, elvish society is highly stratified and caste-based. Northern elves have three primary castes. The first, the High Elves, are the feudal nobility. They live, for the most part, in great mansions, built and supported by the sweat of the lowest caste. High Elves live by a code of courtesy so convoluted that few shorter-lived creatures can ever make sense of it, which includes even such things as the polite ways to assasinate a family member. And such rules are, unfortunately, necessary, for the long lives of elves make for incredibly complex family trees, with even more complex rules for inheritance. There is almost always one elf in the family who is too impatient to wait for his long-lived family members to die naturally, especially when the inheritance rules might make him after a younger elf.
The middle class is fairly small, though still slightly larger than the High Elves, and consists of the merchants and skilled artisans. These elves, partly because of their fondness for late parties and partly out of a sense of poetry, call themselves Moon Elves, even though most have no special attachment to the moon. The Moon Elves are the most diverse caste, for many of them are High-Elf born who were simply so low in the precedence of inheritance that they simply left, hoping for better fortune by making their own way, while some are actually elves from the lowest caste who, through sheer force of will, somehow managed to learn a trade valuable enough to raise themselves up from their lowly station. Military officers (essentially, any soldier that has a rank above 'peasant levy') also belong to this class.
The lowest caste is by far the largest, and makes up the majority of the elven work force. High Elves call them simply 'peasants', for that is how they are treated—bound to work for their High Elven lords, taxed mercilessly, opressed at the slightest sign of rebellion. Those who sucessfully escape the oppression of the High Elves hide in forests, calling themselves "Wood Elves", and search for opprotunities to free their brethren and bring down the High Elves.
Dwarves: Draezolnian dwarves are much like their kin on other worlds—short but sturdy, drawn to stone and deep places. While renowned for their metalwork and jewelry, many elves and humans find it difficult to appreciate their blunt way of speech. A common axiom among dwarves is "Anger unspoken rots your head", and most dwarves take this to heart.
To the surprise of many among the humans and elves, the premeditated murder rate among dwarves is the lowest of the three Races of Men. Perhaps there is something to their saying.
Aphani: The Aphani are a mysterious race, who have only in the last hundred years begun to be seen outside of their own lands, trading with the Races of Men. They are taller than the average man, quick, and dexterous. They seem paler then a healthy man, as if they rarely see the sun. The strangest thing about the Aphani, however, is that they are all mute, incapable of making any but the most basic of sounds vocally. They have, however, developed two sign languages. The first, their normal method of communication, is unearthly and strange to behold- -beautiful, in the eyes of some observers- -seeming almost some kind of strange dance involving only the arms and head. The other is their Battle Language, one of their most closely guarded secrets, taught only to Aphani warriors, which consists of quick, subtle motions which convey the basic information and orders needed in combat.
Little is known about Aphani culture, though it is whispered that tresspassers on Aphani lands are still captured, and then have their tongues cut out as a sacrifice to Arphaxad, lest they should defile sacred land by speaking of it. What is known is that they are unmatched in woodcraft, and their artisans are capable of crafting wooden objects to exceed the quality of even the best of elvish craftsmen.
Orcs: The orcs are a large, strong, and savage race, who believe themselves to be the born masters of the world, and all other races but obstacles or slaves. While many orcs are brutish and dull-minded, they do have many among them who are much more intelligent (They are simply smart enough to not join in the raiding parties, and thus have much less contact with the outside world). A few even have even begun to trade with the Races of Men, gradually convincing them that not all orcs are bad—especially when their metalwork rivals even that of the dwarves.
Northern orcs, while they do worship Kenash, devote almost as much worship to the spirits of great warrior ancestors and powerful predators (favorites being bears, cougars, griffons, and manticores), and every tribe has a totem animal. Some wars have even been fought between tribes simply because they discovered they both claimed the same totem animal.
Trolls: Trolls are, physically, the most diverse intelligent race. While all are huge (the smallest of them stands two feet above a normal man once adulthood is reached) their appearance varies widely according to the environment they call home. Thus, there are hill trolls, mountain trolls, cave trolls, ice trolls, forest trolls, swamp trolls, and so forth. Ignorant peasants, not knowing this, sometimes call certain varieties of troll "giants".
While trolls are feared for their strength and size, they are more feared for their regenerative capability. Even a seemingly dead troll can be back to full health in a few minutes. Every subrace, however, has its weaknesses, with fire and acid being the most common. Not all subraces possess this ability.
Trolls have little in the way of culture or civilization, living more like packs of wolves or prides of lions. Sometimes, a particularly powerful and intelligent leader can bind several packs together into a clan, but such clans always disintegrate as soon as this leader dies. A single clan, however, has been known to raze entire cities.
Trolls live nearly anywhere there is somewhere for them to hide from those who hunt them, and their uncanny ability to slip past guards unnoticed means that they can sometimes be found even in civilized lands.
Dragons: Dragonkind is divided by scale color into the metallic and chromatic dragons, with the metallic dragons being generally good and the chromatics generally evil. There are, however, well-known exceptions to these rules, as recent history records how a gold dragon, using the color of his scales, won his way into the confidence of the king of Gatath, then gradually used his influence to arrange matters such that he was declared the guardian of the king's children, and thus his steward should he die before his children were grown. And die he did, under suspicious circumstances that people would later say pointed to assasination. That done, this dragon began a reign of terror that only ended when a white dragon came, slew the evil usurper, and then declared the dead king's cousin (his closest living relative) the king, before flying off of the pages of history.
The metallic dragons consist of gold, silver, bronze, and copper dragons, while the chromatic dragons consist of red, blue, green and white dragons. For more information, see Draezolnian Dragons.
Shape-changed dragons sometimes mate with other races, producing half-dragon children. See Half-Dragons.
The Wyre: Race Page
Geography/Nations
The main landmass of Draezoln is split into two continents, named (amazingly enough) the Northern and Southern Continents. They are divided by the Madlands and the Desolation of the Dragonfall, ancient remnants of events long before the Age of Man which altered the world forever, and which have long since been forgotten by all but the oldest of dragons.
Northern Continent: The Northern Continent is mostly wilderness and frontiers, with most settlements being close to the eastern or northwestern coasts. It contains a number of nations, about half of which are ruled by humans.
Teket: The kingdom of Teket is the southernmost of the human-ruled kingdoms on the eastern shore of the Northern Continent. It is a rather poor country in general, with most people surviving by subsistence farming. There is a small merchant class, but most caravans that go through Teket are owned by either dwarves from Khinet or citizens of Idketh. While Teket does have a wealth of natural resources, they are not very thoroughly developed, largely due to the frequent orc raids and the large number of monsters living in its forests.
The current monarch of Teket is King Takhim. While respected for his wisdom, he is not very well-liked by his subjects. They speak well of his efforts to protect his people, but there are constant murmurs that he takes too much from the people to support his armies, and punishes those who cannot pay too severely. Some in neighboring countries fear that Teket's strong military is not only for defense against orcs…
Some lay the blame for King Takhim's strict rule at the feet of his chief adviser, High Priest Adallah of Mashano. Adallah is the chief priest of the sect of the Justicars on the Northern Continent, and as such views Mashano as a god of strict laws who demands equally strict obedience.
Khinet: The kingdom of Khinet lies just south of Teket, and stretches to the indeterminate point where the Madlands begin. It was founded and has been ruled by the dwarven Steelsmith clan for more than a thousand years. The majority of the kingdom's inhabitants are dwarves, and this, combined with the nation's rich deposits of ore, along with one of the few known deposits of the incredibly hard metal adamantium, make Khinet famed throughout the entire Northern Continent for its metalwork. Trade in metal goods has made Khinet quite rich.
Being so near the Madlands, Khinet also boasts a strong military, as well as close ties with the Northern Ranger Order. There are no true civilian settlements in the southernmost part of Khinet, but rather a series of military outposts garrisoned by troops who specialize in hunting down those Javni'Tolkhrah who manage to evade the rangers. It is very rare for any Javni'Tolkhrah to escape their vigilance.
Khinet also boasts one of the largest merchant marines in the Northern Continent, and arguably the most powerful fleet. Not all Javni'Tolkhrah are land-bound, after all, and there is the matter of piracy to watch for. The dwarven marines are justifiably feared by all pirates who operate along the eastern coasts.
Idketh: The kingdom of Idketh is much more prosperous than its southern neighbor, Teket. While it is ruled by a human king, it is a very cosmopolitan nation, with fairly large numbers of elves and dwarves calling it home, and even a fair number of Aphani and orcish merchants. The nation's prosperity depends to a fairly large degree on this cosmopolitan nature, for the large merchant class is the nation's primary source of revenue.
Despite being nominally a kingdom, the true power in Idketh is widely considered to be a council of four elders. While technically advisers to the king, these elders, over generations of weak kings, have taken most of the king's powers to themselves, leaving the monarch as little more than a figurehead. Each of the four elders represents one of the main power groups of the nation—the farmers, the merchants and tradesmen, the priesthood, and the military. These four elders are elected for a term of five years by an electoral system so byzantine that few understand how a candidate is truly selected. However, at the lowest level, those in the group whose elder is being elected do get a say, so the four elders generally try to look out for the interests of their respective groups.
Idketh is generally considered the most prosperous of the human kingdoms on the Northern Continent, and the capital city of Secheth flaunts this in its grandiose architecture. It is also home to the largest mage's guild outside of Midport, making the city a center of magical learning and research.
Ashkelni: Ashkelni is the only Aphani nation on the Northern Continent. Its interior is unknown to the outside world, for while Ashkelni has had trading relations with its neighbors for nearly a century, all trading is done outside of its borders. No non-Aphani are allowed to cross into Ashkelni. Ashkelni is world-renowned for its fine arrows, as well as unique Aphani art.
Sephan-Asotho: The elven Kingdom of Sephan-Asotho is well-known for both its woodcraft and its frequent rebellions. As the most arch-conservative of the elven nations, the society of Sephan-Asotho is highly stratified, with very little class mobility. This, combined with the oppressive policies of the High Elves towards the serfs, leads to frequent peasant revolts and large numbers of Wood Elf bandits. The successful rebellion in Sephan-Zirqua has only made the situation even more volatile.
Phorane: Phorane is an oddly-shaped coastal nation with little in the way of valuable resources on land. They are closely allied with the ruling High Elves of Sephan-Asotho, on whom they depend for much of the lumber they use to build and maintain their fishing fleets and merchant marine. While mostly a poor nation, Phorane is the home of a few powerful merchant families, the most wealthy of which maintain an uneasy balance of power with Phorane's ruling queen. The nation consists mostly of humans, with some few elves making their homes near the border with Sephan-Asotho.
Gatath: The northernmost human kingdom, Gatath is well-known for the hardiness of its people. While not as cosmopolitan as Idketh, Gatath does have significant populations of both dwarves and, due to its refusal to recognize Sephan-Asotho's demands to return runaway serfs, Wood Elves. The colder climate makes many types of agriculture more difficult, and much of the land claimed by the nation consists of the eastern end of the North Forest, but Gatath's people are generally resourceful. However, outside of the capital and a few other major cities, most of the people are superstitious and unschooled.
Bet-Rarat: Bet-Rarat is an odd nation. It is co-ruled by a dwarven lord and a human count, each of whom is further balanced by assemblies of lesser nobles. This arrangement, combined with its position as the only nation on the western coast of the Northern Continent and the discovery of significant deposits of mithril in the mountains on its eastern border, has made it a very prosperous and open nation.
Sephan-Isriani: The island nation of Sephan-Isriani used to be heavily wooded. However, centuries of clearing land for elven farms and elven ships have taken their toll, and the nation now imports a good deal of its wood from Bet-Rarat (and, some whisper, Kitirik) to preserve its remaining woods. Sephan-Isriani is an elven nation, but it is not so rigidly adherent to the caste system as Sephan-Asotho. This is partly due to the greater power of the Moon Elf class here. Some of the Moon Elf trading families are as powerful as the High Elven lords of the islands. The Moon Elves of Sephan-Isriani are mostly of serf descent, so most put pressure on the High Elves to better the condition of the peasant class, and they have to power to make it happen.
The result of this is that Sephan-Isriani does not suffer nearly as much from political instability as Sephan-Asotho. Despite nominally adhering to the practice of serfdom, the serf class has a significant amount of mobility and the possibility to work up the social ladder. These factors contribute to the generally more satisfied state of the serfs of the islands.
Kitirik: Kitirik is a large, lawless, volcanic island. It is widely known to be a haven to pirates, who are said to have entire villages on the island. However, all expeditions by Bet-Rarat and Midport to the island have been turned away by red dragons, leading to rumors of collusion between the dragons and the legendary Pirate King of Kitirik. Whatever the truth is, sailors sail as far away from the island as possible.
Orc Hills: The Orc Hills are, in truth, a low mountain range. As the name suggests, they are largely inhabited by tribes of orcs. While some of these tribes make a habit of raiding settlements in the nations to the east, others prefer to trade with the more civilized nations. These tribes are renowned for their metalwork, and their swords are said to rival the best dwarven craftsmanship. In general, however, the Orc Hills are viewed as a source of raiders, bandits, and monster, a dangerous area to be left to the bravest or most foolish of adventurers and avoided by sensible people.
North Forest: The North Forest, as its name suggests, lies on the northern portion of the continent. Known for cold winters and mild summers, the North Forest is also known to be a home of many monsters, including a few tribes of forest trolls. Further to the north the forest dwindles away into a tundra inhabited by ice trolls and worse monsters, who sometimes make their way south.
Central Plains: The Central Plains lie between the Orc Hills to the east and the Stormpeaks to the west. Wide and flat, the plains are home to many herds of migratory animals. The plains are also home to the Plainsmen, tribes of humans who live either in nomadic groups that follow the herds or in small, scattered villages near the streams and rivers that cross the plains. The only settlements which resemble those found in the more developed nations are along the great trade route that travels from Bet-Rarat to Gatath.
Lost Sea: While much of Draezoln consists of what we on modern Earth would consider wilderness and frontier areas, the Lost Sea area is a wilderness by any standards. A large basin in between the Stormpeaks and the Northern and Southern Dragon's Teeth Ranges, the Lost Sea Area is difficult to reach by any means. This isolation means it is virtually untouched by man, as the only structures standing in the area are the handful of cabins that make up the Northern Ranger Order Headquarters.
The Lost Sea itself is a large saltwater lake in the center of the basin. It does not drain to the ocean, and so has a very high mineral concentration. This mineral concentration makes it difficult for much to live in the Lost Sea itself. The area around the Lost Sea, however, is a rich jungle, blending into forest higher up the slopes of the surrounding mountains. The area as a whole sees a surprising amount of rainfall, especially near the Lost Sea. The reason for this is unknown, though given the state of meteorology on Draezoln, no one really knows it's out of the ordinary.
Midport: The City-State of Midport is possibly the largest settlement on all of Draezoln. It is built on a small delta created by a river flowing west out of the Stormpeaks. Despite its isolated location on land, it is the most major port on Draezoln, as virtually all traffic between the Northern and Southern Continents passes through its docks. This, combined with the Midport Mage's Guild, which is the largest concentration of wizards on Draezoln, accounts for its unusual size and prosperity. While its large population is partially supported by farms along the small valley upriver from Midport and a large fishing industry, it is dependent upon food imports to support its people.
Its dependence upon imports and its dangerous position near both the Madlands and Kitirik necessitates Midport's powerful navy. Midport mage ships are particularly feared for the powerful war wizards they carry. In addition to their navy, Midport is also the only city to boast a griffon cavalry unit. This unit regularly patrols the area around Midport from its aeries in the peaks near the city.
Southern Continent:
The heartlands of the Southern Continent nations have been settled for longer than the Northern Continent, but there are still many wild areas. Due its shape and location, the Southern Continent tends to be slightly warmer than the Northern on average.
Ferdunan: The nation of Ferdunan is one of the greatest human-ruled powers of the Southern Continent. It is officially ruled by a monarchy, with the rulership always passing to the eldest child of the former leader regardless of gender. Because of this, Ferdunan has been ruled many times by a reigning queen, as it is at present. However, the various feudal lords of Ferdunan wield considerable power, as well, and at certain times have been the true power in the country. Relations between the monarch and the lords are always tense, and they are considerably more so now that there was a recent (failed) rebellion against the crown that involved a large number of the lords.
Ferdunan has a very pleasant climate, ideal for growing a number of crops. This, combined with the number of ores in the mountains of its eastern border, including one of Draezoln's largest mithril veins, make it a very prosperous nation. It also controls most of the trade between the Northern and Southern Continents due to its position, which frequently places it in competition with Midport over matters of international trade.
Sephan-Zirqua The Elven nation of the Southern Continent. Once Sephan-Zirqua was much like the Northern elven nations. However, a few decades ago, the Wood Elves, with some Moon Elf allies, incited the serfs to rebellion against the High Elves, starting a bloody civil war that eventually deposed the High Elf lords of the nation. While the aftermath of this revolution was rather chaotic, affairs in Sephan-Zirqua have now settled down for the most part.
The current form of government is a type of Republic, with local and national elected officials. Outside observers have noted with concern that all of the national leaders have been consistently elected from the leaders of the rebellion, but the citizens of Sephan-Zirqua, flushed with their new freedom and equality, seem to see nothing wrong with this.
More concerning to many of the refugees from the nation is the tendency of the former serfs to mob and kill anyone accused of having High Elf blood.
Unusual Metals
Two unusual metals can be found on Draezoln. The first is adamantine, an incredibly hard, incredibly rare metal used to make highly sought-after armor. Adamantine is a dull gray metal with a slightly purplish tint to it. Its hardness is often compared to that of the thickest dragon scales, and its ability to turn aside deadly blows is legendary.
The other unusual metal is mithril. While slightly more common than adamantine, mithril is still rare, and possession of a mithril item is a sign of great status. Most mithril is used in the manufacture of armor, for it has the strength of steel, while weighing about half as much, allowing for much greater comfort and mobility even while wearing armor. It has a somewhat silvery appearance, though it is a bit whiter than silver.
History
Magic
Three major types of magic exist on Draezoln: wizardry, priestly magic, and sorcery. Wizardry is the art practiced by the mages and wizards of the Races of Men. It consists mostly of lengthy rituals which are used to draw and shape the arcane power of magic into whatever effect is desired. A few of these rituals can be carried out almost to completion, with the last few words, gestures, and items needed to complete the spell held off until the moment of need. These are the spells often prepared by war wizards, for there is rarely time on a battlefield to complete the full ritual.
Priestly magic is the (nearly) exclusive domain of the priests of the various deities, though there are some few who claim to use it without worshiping one of the Ten. It is used by calling upon one's god by one of a number of traditional "spell-prayers", each of which petitions the deity for a specific effect. While much quicker to use than wizardry, and capable of different effects (such as healing), channeling such power through oneself is exhausting. Experience can increase a priest's endurance, but there are many cases on record of priests who tried to channel too much power and killed themselves. A holy symbol of some kind is often used to aid in the channeling of the energies, and a priest with such a symbol that has been properly blessed can often channel a certain amount of raw healing energy without a spell-prayer.
Sorcery is the art of magic usually practiced by dragons. While little is known about it by most of the non-dragon practitioners of magic, it is known that it can replicate many spells cast by wizards without the lengthy preparation and ritual required by said wizards. Occasionally, a member of one of the Races of Men appears to have this same ability. While most wizards contend that all of these cases have turned out to be hoaxes, the truth is that a few humanoid sorcerers are known to exist. How they practice sorcery is unknown, even to them, though some theorize that draconic ancestry or influence must be a factor.
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