Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
What makes your homebrew setting special?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 7300909" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Steeldragons' World of Orea: Realms & Nations, Part II (since part I was interrupted by real life and such. grr.)</p><p></p><p>Working our way north, up the western coast of the Orean continent, directly north of Mostrial, across the D'Drathas river sits...</p><p></p><p><strong>Shistalir </strong>(or, more properly, <strong>ShiStaliir</strong>), a great ancient forest of a size, nearly, to rival Mistwood. Within its shaded halls lie the last remaining citadel of elfindom from the age before Men, Avanthar. The fabled city of crystal and woven forest was built by the last great king of the age has never been -so it is claimed- seen by mortal eyes. The magic and beauty said to be contained therein is like to rival the divine palaces of the gods, or so it is said. The city and surrounding forest are home of the original race of [immortal] elves of the same name, the ShiStaliiri, literally translated from elvish as "Those of the Blood of the Stars." The borders are strictly patrolled and jealously guarded. Even the men of Mostrial are reticent to go anywhere near it, nowadays. Every so often, the foolish men to the north of the wood (the southern reaches of Grinlia) encroach a bit too near or try to test the elves' strength, believing every so many years a "star" elf goes unseen, that they are all dead or have disappeared into myth with their magic...or were only ever myth. This last occurred, roughly 3 hundred years ago during what is known in the Chronicles as "The Battle of Lost Lords"...those would have been the human nobility/lords that were lost. The remnants of Grinlia's nobility and rulers in their southern lands have not been so foolish since.</p><p></p><p>Also of note, in the surroundings of ShiStaliir, just north of Mostrial's borders, are the ancient mountain fortress of Nor Tereth and the Aeiri Kros. In ancient times Nor Tereth was a bastion for the lords of elves, dwarves, and men, a shared construction and garrison which each of those peoples supplied and manned, on whom any of the three kingdoms of the day could call. It has long since fallen into ruin -as the alliance between the three peoples- since before the Godswar. Over the years various evils have taken up residence and claimed Nor Tereth as their own. None know, today, what centuries of dangers...or riches might be found there. Between ShiStaliir's eastern reach and the sloping foothills of the Daegun mountains -high within which Nor Tereth is nestled- lies a desolate plateau of dust and rock where innumerable wars have been fought. It was named -as most things in this area of the world- by the elves as the Aeiri Kros, "the Plain of Tears." It is an entirely unpleasant place, cursed by the countless dead -of good and evil- who have fallen there over millennia. It is days across and many days more north-to-south where nothing grows, next to no water, nowadays filled with roving scavengers and monsters, and the occasional pack of Grorn beastmen. Travel -on foot or beast- through "the Kros" is not recommended by man or dwarf or, even if you ever saw one outside of ShiStaliir these days, an elf.</p><p></p><p><strong>Grinlia</strong>, the Great Kingdom, a.k.a. the Kingdom of Light, a.k.a. the Shining Kingdom, is Orea's largest sprawling [primarily] human monarchy, by far, consuming nearly a third of the continent in the west and north. Comparatively speaking to the rest of the known world, it is also the youngest established nation. Its creation as a singular political entity didn't occur until the wake of the defeat of the Scourge War, with the rise of one of that era's legendary "Heroes of the Thorn," Elibon L'lorn, receiver of the Starsword, the Great Unifier, first High-king of the collected realms of Grinlia, just shy of 300 years ago. </p><p></p><p>Continuing our way up the western coast, we begin with Grinlia's southern realm, sandwiched between ShiStaliir and the southern coast of the Arm of Tyris (the roughly Mediterranean sized sea that divides Grinlia's northern and southern realms). Grinlia's southern realm is practically an autonomous region encapsulated within the monarchy as the Grand Duchy of Denil. The Grand Duke of Denil -the 15th generation of his family to hold the title- is essentially looked upon as the steward and defender of the region, while the Grinlian throne's crown heir resides in the region's largest, most bustling cities, sometimes referred to as Andril's sister city, Brightmoon, "the Jewel of the West." It is one of the only ancient cities to have survived -at least partially- the ravages of the Godswar and the great flooding that created the Arm of Tyris. Brightmoon is a center of learning, culture, trade, egalitarian and independent thought, one of Grinlia's most shining beacons of the rise of the western kingdom...and while the great moon goddess, Arinane, is the patron goddess of the city and credited with saving the city from the ravages of the Godswar and ensuing tumult, temples to most of Orea's good and neutral deities can be found there, as well as multiple institutions of both academic and arkanademic learning, Brightmoon is notably a bit more secular than northern areas of the kingdom have become. Within the Grand Duke's realms are the Earldoms of Tram and Trisliam, the Viscounty of Gneket, and the great towered fortress (and county of the same name) of Whitehold standing watch over the pass between the eastern edge of the Onyx Hills and the southern beginnings of the Dragonreach mountains.</p><p></p><p>Stretching across a good portion of Denil's southern territory are the Onyx Hills. This long by narrow series of rocky and wooded hills and dales are home to multiple gnomish communities and mines of fine metals, marble, and granite happy to work their crafts for the continuing protection of the human nobles. Also contained somewhere within its fog-filled vales is at least one known community of the ShiCynallae, literally in elvish "Those of the Blood of the Clouds" or less kindly "Those of Clouded Blood." They are called by the gnomes and men (any non-elf, really), "Mist Elves" and while most are reclusive to the point of xenophobic, they are not evil, in fact very "laid back," and most desire to simply enjoy life and nature. Tales tell of their aiding both gnomes and humans of Denil in times of extreme need appear throughout Denil's history. The way to their hidden mist-shrouded vale is not known nor found on any map. If it has a name, none but its residents know it. It is simply called the "Elf Valley" and even the gnomes, who claim the elves' magic moves their modest tree-top town from place to place, do not know the way. Also of note, though not considered "within" or "beholden to" the Grand Duchy, though it sits within view of Whitehold, is the lone peak of Allannan. High above the clouds, within the peak's summit, sits the aerie-palace of the lord (or lady) of all the winged zepharim. Every third midsummer's solstice all zephari, from across Orea, are bound to return to their ancestral home, to share tales of their travels, what they've seen and discovered, and (ultimately and ideally, for most) to mate. </p><p></p><p>...more later.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 7300909, member: 92511"] Steeldragons' World of Orea: Realms & Nations, Part II (since part I was interrupted by real life and such. grr.) Working our way north, up the western coast of the Orean continent, directly north of Mostrial, across the D'Drathas river sits... [B]Shistalir [/B](or, more properly, [B]ShiStaliir[/B]), a great ancient forest of a size, nearly, to rival Mistwood. Within its shaded halls lie the last remaining citadel of elfindom from the age before Men, Avanthar. The fabled city of crystal and woven forest was built by the last great king of the age has never been -so it is claimed- seen by mortal eyes. The magic and beauty said to be contained therein is like to rival the divine palaces of the gods, or so it is said. The city and surrounding forest are home of the original race of [immortal] elves of the same name, the ShiStaliiri, literally translated from elvish as "Those of the Blood of the Stars." The borders are strictly patrolled and jealously guarded. Even the men of Mostrial are reticent to go anywhere near it, nowadays. Every so often, the foolish men to the north of the wood (the southern reaches of Grinlia) encroach a bit too near or try to test the elves' strength, believing every so many years a "star" elf goes unseen, that they are all dead or have disappeared into myth with their magic...or were only ever myth. This last occurred, roughly 3 hundred years ago during what is known in the Chronicles as "The Battle of Lost Lords"...those would have been the human nobility/lords that were lost. The remnants of Grinlia's nobility and rulers in their southern lands have not been so foolish since. Also of note, in the surroundings of ShiStaliir, just north of Mostrial's borders, are the ancient mountain fortress of Nor Tereth and the Aeiri Kros. In ancient times Nor Tereth was a bastion for the lords of elves, dwarves, and men, a shared construction and garrison which each of those peoples supplied and manned, on whom any of the three kingdoms of the day could call. It has long since fallen into ruin -as the alliance between the three peoples- since before the Godswar. Over the years various evils have taken up residence and claimed Nor Tereth as their own. None know, today, what centuries of dangers...or riches might be found there. Between ShiStaliir's eastern reach and the sloping foothills of the Daegun mountains -high within which Nor Tereth is nestled- lies a desolate plateau of dust and rock where innumerable wars have been fought. It was named -as most things in this area of the world- by the elves as the Aeiri Kros, "the Plain of Tears." It is an entirely unpleasant place, cursed by the countless dead -of good and evil- who have fallen there over millennia. It is days across and many days more north-to-south where nothing grows, next to no water, nowadays filled with roving scavengers and monsters, and the occasional pack of Grorn beastmen. Travel -on foot or beast- through "the Kros" is not recommended by man or dwarf or, even if you ever saw one outside of ShiStaliir these days, an elf. [B]Grinlia[/B], the Great Kingdom, a.k.a. the Kingdom of Light, a.k.a. the Shining Kingdom, is Orea's largest sprawling [primarily] human monarchy, by far, consuming nearly a third of the continent in the west and north. Comparatively speaking to the rest of the known world, it is also the youngest established nation. Its creation as a singular political entity didn't occur until the wake of the defeat of the Scourge War, with the rise of one of that era's legendary "Heroes of the Thorn," Elibon L'lorn, receiver of the Starsword, the Great Unifier, first High-king of the collected realms of Grinlia, just shy of 300 years ago. Continuing our way up the western coast, we begin with Grinlia's southern realm, sandwiched between ShiStaliir and the southern coast of the Arm of Tyris (the roughly Mediterranean sized sea that divides Grinlia's northern and southern realms). Grinlia's southern realm is practically an autonomous region encapsulated within the monarchy as the Grand Duchy of Denil. The Grand Duke of Denil -the 15th generation of his family to hold the title- is essentially looked upon as the steward and defender of the region, while the Grinlian throne's crown heir resides in the region's largest, most bustling cities, sometimes referred to as Andril's sister city, Brightmoon, "the Jewel of the West." It is one of the only ancient cities to have survived -at least partially- the ravages of the Godswar and the great flooding that created the Arm of Tyris. Brightmoon is a center of learning, culture, trade, egalitarian and independent thought, one of Grinlia's most shining beacons of the rise of the western kingdom...and while the great moon goddess, Arinane, is the patron goddess of the city and credited with saving the city from the ravages of the Godswar and ensuing tumult, temples to most of Orea's good and neutral deities can be found there, as well as multiple institutions of both academic and arkanademic learning, Brightmoon is notably a bit more secular than northern areas of the kingdom have become. Within the Grand Duke's realms are the Earldoms of Tram and Trisliam, the Viscounty of Gneket, and the great towered fortress (and county of the same name) of Whitehold standing watch over the pass between the eastern edge of the Onyx Hills and the southern beginnings of the Dragonreach mountains. Stretching across a good portion of Denil's southern territory are the Onyx Hills. This long by narrow series of rocky and wooded hills and dales are home to multiple gnomish communities and mines of fine metals, marble, and granite happy to work their crafts for the continuing protection of the human nobles. Also contained somewhere within its fog-filled vales is at least one known community of the ShiCynallae, literally in elvish "Those of the Blood of the Clouds" or less kindly "Those of Clouded Blood." They are called by the gnomes and men (any non-elf, really), "Mist Elves" and while most are reclusive to the point of xenophobic, they are not evil, in fact very "laid back," and most desire to simply enjoy life and nature. Tales tell of their aiding both gnomes and humans of Denil in times of extreme need appear throughout Denil's history. The way to their hidden mist-shrouded vale is not known nor found on any map. If it has a name, none but its residents know it. It is simply called the "Elf Valley" and even the gnomes, who claim the elves' magic moves their modest tree-top town from place to place, do not know the way. Also of note, though not considered "within" or "beholden to" the Grand Duchy, though it sits within view of Whitehold, is the lone peak of Allannan. High above the clouds, within the peak's summit, sits the aerie-palace of the lord (or lady) of all the winged zepharim. Every third midsummer's solstice all zephari, from across Orea, are bound to return to their ancestral home, to share tales of their travels, what they've seen and discovered, and (ultimately and ideally, for most) to mate. ...more later. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
What makes your homebrew setting special?
Top