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[D&D 5e] It's a Brand New World [FULL]
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<blockquote data-quote="pathfinderq1" data-source="post: 6417927" data-attributes="member: 48394"><p>Okay, so this is a hefty chunk of world-building, expanding on my earlier blurb. I have kind of taken over island #2 and run with it- let me know if I have overstepped or overdone things here. Some minor edits to geography may be needed...</p><p></p><p>Design capsule: Atlantis, elves, and a decadent Middle-Eastern/1001 Nights/Silk Road society, all rolled into one.</p><p></p><p>So: Once upon a time, back in the mists of history, Kishalunarial (Elven for "the shining island") was home to a vibrant high elven civilization. From the beautiful cities arrayed on the slopes of the central mountains to the thriving ports on the outer shores, the island was home to many high elves as well as humans, halflings, and even a few orcs (mostly used as brute labor.). And in an instant, all of that was changed, wiped away forever as a massive volcanic eruption tore the island apart...</p><p></p><p>The shining cities were gone, and even most of the outer ports were obliterated as the island's geography was catastrophically changed. Around the blasted mountains at the island's center was a ring of dry, rocky badlands- and around that, spreading out to the shore, the beautiful forests were wiped out; in time fertile grasslands would take the place of trees. One lonely town, barely a minor port of call before, survived- over the course of years the surviving elves would settle there and it would grow to a great city, the center of the risen elven civilization (tough certainly the elves of other lands might debate the matter- debate it without end, in the elven fashion). Whatever name the minor port might have had is lost to history, and the elven name is nigh-unpronouncably long- most of the folk simply call it "Silverport".</p><p></p><p>The city of Silverport is host to the a large and decadent court- most of the nobility and upper classes are elves and half-elves, though some other races are represented to one degree or another. Most of the island's working economy is based upon agriculture- the fertile lands support many fields, vineyards, and herd-beasts. There are even small gardens and slivers of forest where truly rare and exotic (and appallingly expensive) plants and herbs are cultivated. The climate is ideal for farming, the volcanic soil is fertile, and the growing season is long. Most of the nobility have large farming estates which form the basis of their families' resources- even if they never see those estates, and rarely leave the court and comforts of Silverport. The crops and herds are tended by tenant farmers, mostly humans and halflings. A few wood elves and forest gnomes cling to the remaining scraps of forest. In addition, the dry and rocky badlands and blasted central mountains are rich in mineral wealth and support nomadic herders of hearty goats and lizards- due to ancient enmity, most of the inhabitants of this central wasteland are orcs and half-orcs; few dwarves are allowed to settle there (and even fewer would want to settle so far from their ancestral homelands). In addition to agriculture, the island earns a great deal of wealth from trading- merchants come from all over the world to deal their goods in the bazaars of Silverport, and they pay richly for the privilege...</p><p></p><p>In the last few years, though, things have begun to decline. The blasted core of the island has become even more toxic, the few water sources poisonous (or worse), and the local flora and fauna growing more twisted and terrible. The dusty dry badlands have begun to creep slowly outwards, poisoning what was once fertile cropland. The process is slow, for now, but perceptible, and those who have the long-term outlook of elves have begun to worry...</p><p></p><p>Design notes: The timeframe for the original disaster is roughly 2500 years ago- a distant memory for the elves, and long enough to have faded into mythology for most other races. Perhaps Kingsport's library has some records of the original island nation, or perhaps the Blackthorn Academy was founded with texts and arcane secrets brought over by those fleeing the disaster? Also, the cause (or causes) of the current troubles are left unspecified- perhaps an underground gate to the Underdark or some far realm is spreading toxic energies, or maybe something as simple as toxins leeching into the soil from underground volcanic activity (or necromantic energy from cities of long dead elves, as ancient magical seals begin to break down)? </p><p></p><p>While the city of Silverport is a massive and decadent metropolis, there may be small settlements (Secret pirate havens, perhaps) along the jagged and (nearly) impassable southern shoreline...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pathfinderq1, post: 6417927, member: 48394"] Okay, so this is a hefty chunk of world-building, expanding on my earlier blurb. I have kind of taken over island #2 and run with it- let me know if I have overstepped or overdone things here. Some minor edits to geography may be needed... Design capsule: Atlantis, elves, and a decadent Middle-Eastern/1001 Nights/Silk Road society, all rolled into one. So: Once upon a time, back in the mists of history, Kishalunarial (Elven for "the shining island") was home to a vibrant high elven civilization. From the beautiful cities arrayed on the slopes of the central mountains to the thriving ports on the outer shores, the island was home to many high elves as well as humans, halflings, and even a few orcs (mostly used as brute labor.). And in an instant, all of that was changed, wiped away forever as a massive volcanic eruption tore the island apart... The shining cities were gone, and even most of the outer ports were obliterated as the island's geography was catastrophically changed. Around the blasted mountains at the island's center was a ring of dry, rocky badlands- and around that, spreading out to the shore, the beautiful forests were wiped out; in time fertile grasslands would take the place of trees. One lonely town, barely a minor port of call before, survived- over the course of years the surviving elves would settle there and it would grow to a great city, the center of the risen elven civilization (tough certainly the elves of other lands might debate the matter- debate it without end, in the elven fashion). Whatever name the minor port might have had is lost to history, and the elven name is nigh-unpronouncably long- most of the folk simply call it "Silverport". The city of Silverport is host to the a large and decadent court- most of the nobility and upper classes are elves and half-elves, though some other races are represented to one degree or another. Most of the island's working economy is based upon agriculture- the fertile lands support many fields, vineyards, and herd-beasts. There are even small gardens and slivers of forest where truly rare and exotic (and appallingly expensive) plants and herbs are cultivated. The climate is ideal for farming, the volcanic soil is fertile, and the growing season is long. Most of the nobility have large farming estates which form the basis of their families' resources- even if they never see those estates, and rarely leave the court and comforts of Silverport. The crops and herds are tended by tenant farmers, mostly humans and halflings. A few wood elves and forest gnomes cling to the remaining scraps of forest. In addition, the dry and rocky badlands and blasted central mountains are rich in mineral wealth and support nomadic herders of hearty goats and lizards- due to ancient enmity, most of the inhabitants of this central wasteland are orcs and half-orcs; few dwarves are allowed to settle there (and even fewer would want to settle so far from their ancestral homelands). In addition to agriculture, the island earns a great deal of wealth from trading- merchants come from all over the world to deal their goods in the bazaars of Silverport, and they pay richly for the privilege... In the last few years, though, things have begun to decline. The blasted core of the island has become even more toxic, the few water sources poisonous (or worse), and the local flora and fauna growing more twisted and terrible. The dusty dry badlands have begun to creep slowly outwards, poisoning what was once fertile cropland. The process is slow, for now, but perceptible, and those who have the long-term outlook of elves have begun to worry... Design notes: The timeframe for the original disaster is roughly 2500 years ago- a distant memory for the elves, and long enough to have faded into mythology for most other races. Perhaps Kingsport's library has some records of the original island nation, or perhaps the Blackthorn Academy was founded with texts and arcane secrets brought over by those fleeing the disaster? Also, the cause (or causes) of the current troubles are left unspecified- perhaps an underground gate to the Underdark or some far realm is spreading toxic energies, or maybe something as simple as toxins leeching into the soil from underground volcanic activity (or necromantic energy from cities of long dead elves, as ancient magical seals begin to break down)? While the city of Silverport is a massive and decadent metropolis, there may be small settlements (Secret pirate havens, perhaps) along the jagged and (nearly) impassable southern shoreline... [/QUOTE]
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