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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Insight" data-source="post: 5940280" data-attributes="member: 11437">Setting Notes #1THE LANDThe known world is called VELURIA.  It is also the name of the only known continent.  Two great seas, THE GRAY SEA and THE MORASS, form oceanic borders to split Veluria from whatever other continents may exist and are yet to be discovered by Velurians.Veluria is a land of stark contrasts.  Just about all geographic features exist here, in some form or another.  The continent is 2,400 miles north to south and about 3,200 miles east to west.  It is roughly triangular in shape, with peninsulas jutting into the oceans here and there.The climate is mostly temperate, between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, during most months.  In the very extreme north, a place known as FRIGIA, temperatures can drop into the teens during winter and the region is known for being colder than the rest of Veluria.  In the extreme south, a peninsular region known as THE SAVAGE COUNTRY, the jungles and rain forests there are more tropical and humid, reaching 80 or 90 degrees on a regular basis and sometimes over 100 degrees during the summer and early autumn.The rest of Veluria is divided into geographic regions based on the main feature of said region.  In the west is a vast forest known as THE FOREVER.  Slightly north of this forest is a mountainous region known as THE CRADLE.  In the southwestern corner of Veluria sits a region known as the LAKES OF FIRE.  This part of the continent is dominated by a chain of active volcanoes.Dead center in the middle of Veluria is LAKE ONCAR, a massive water feature measuring some 350 miles north to south and 600 miles east to west.  There are several islands within Lake Oncar; some of these are inhabited.  Lake Oncar receives its waters from seven rivers, which travel through a central-northern region known as THE RIVERLANDS.  North of the Riverlands is a mountain chain known as THE GRINNING GIANTS.  To the west of the Riverlands, between that region and the Forever, is the SILVER DESERT.  Just north of this region is the RED DESERT.    West of Lake Oncar, south of the Silver Desert, and east of the Forever, is a wasteland known as the BROKEN LANDS.On the central-eastern side of Lake Oncar and the Riverlands is Frigia, to the north, and just south of that, east of the Riverlands, a plush land of green meadows and idyllic plains known as TURN.  To the south of Turn is THE LANDS OF THE ANCIENTS, which is mostly rough plains, broken lands, and steppes.  A peninsular region southeast of the Lands of the Ancients is known as FURIA.  To the east of the Lands of the Ancients is THE SHELF, a coastal region of dangerously high cliffs.South of Lake Oncar, between the Lakes of Fire (to the west) and the Lands of the Ancients (to the east) and the Savage Country (to the south) is GOR.  This is a region of endless steppes and low-lying mountains.Off the southern coast of the Savage Country is an island chain known as THE SHELOES.  As far as anyone knows, the islands are uninhabited.  There is another island chain located northeast of the Lands of the Ancients and north of the Shelf known as THE DRAGONSTEETH.  These islands are inhabited by cannibalistic savages.THE PEOPLEHumans dominate the landscape of Veluria.  98% of the population of sentient beings is some derivative of the human race.  There are several different "sub-races" of humanity, each from different parts of the continent.  (more player development stuff will go here)The other 2% of the population is divided fairly equally between Centaurs, Dragons, Dwarves, Elves, Giants, Goblins, Gorgons, Minotaurs, Ogres, Orcs, and various mongrel races, such as human half-breeds with one of the rarer creatures of Veluria (such as Elves or Orcs).  These creatures are statistically rare and do not normally consort with humanity; they are often found in the more remote parts of Veluria.  Some of these races are populous enough to have small kingdoms under their control; of these, Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, and Orcs have small pockets of Veluria to themselves.  Generally, these non-humans are hostile to human visitors, some moreso than others.KINGDOMS OF VELURIAThere are many small kingdoms throughout the lands of Veluria.  A mass of them, located around Lake Oncar, is known collectively as THE THOUSAND KINGDOMS.  This political region bleeds into Turn (to the east), the Riverlands (to the north), Frigia (to the extreme north), into the Lands of the Ancients (to the southeast), and into Gor (to the south).  These are human kingdoms of numerous names and cultures.  All of these kingdoms share a fairly common cultural ancestor, although different "phenotypes" of human stock are found throughout. (More player developed stuff will go here)More human kingdoms are found at the northeastern edge of the Lakes of Fire, the eastern edges of the Forever, into the southern foothills of the Cradle and the Grinning Giants and in the northwestern edges of Furia.  Beyond these reaches, human kingdoms are rare; this is where non-humans are generally found.Four major cultures make up the virtual plurality of human kingdoms in Veluria.  The Seijin are found in the northwest, populating the deserts, as well as parts of the Cradle, the Grinning Giants, the Riverlands, the Forever, and the Lake Oncar region (More player stuff here).  The Okk-Chai are found in central Veluria, mostly around Lake Oncar, but into the Riverlands, into Gor, and a little into the Lands of the Ancients (More player stuff here).  The Velurian culture (for which the continent is named) originated in the Lands of the Ancients region, but has spread into Gor, the Lake Oncar region, Furia, Turn, and the Shelf (More player stuff here).  Gravisians originated in Frigia, but their culture has migrated south into the Riverlands, Turn, and the Lake Oncar region (More player stuff here).Dwarves have two known kingdoms.  The first, IRONHALL, is located somewhere in the Cradle.  The other, MINITHRAG, is located somewhere within the Grinning Giants.  An elf kingdom known as SIRRITHANE is located somewhere within the Forever.  It is said that strange faerie creatures actually rule this territory and that the elves serve as their slaves.  The goblin kingdom, HAST, is thought to be somewhere in Gor or perhaps the northeastern edge of the Lakes of Fire region.  The orcish kingdom, HON, is located between Furia and the Lands of the Ancients.THE GODSThere are no organized religions among the humans of Veluria.  Instead, the people of Veluria worship either individual deities or revere a particular pantheon of gods.  In general, gods are cruel, unpersonable, and do not respond to the wishes of their followers.  A very few would be considered "active"; the rest are sometimes considered "dead" or "lost".  Most of the people of Veluria are so desperate that they continue to worship nonresponsive gods in the hope that they will one day respond.  Some people attribute their fortune, such as it is, to the whims of these silent gods.Of the pantheons, the Velurian gods are probably the most commonly worshipped.  This is especially true in the Lands of the Ancients and Turn regions; there are many shrines to Velurian gods found in these areas.  The spread of Velurian deities is also evidenced in Lake Oncar, the Riverlands, and even into Gor and Frigia.  Another somewhat popular pantheon is that belonging to the Gravisians.  This pantheon is commonly worshipped in Frigia and northern Riverlands.  The Okk-Chai have a small pantheon that is worshipped in the Lake Oncar region and in the southern Riverlands, but even among its own people, these gods are not very popular anymore.(More player stuff to flesh out the pantheons)There are seven individual deities worshipped outside of the foregoing pantheons.  These individual deities appear to have a regional origin, rather than a cultural one.  LUON is a great dragon that lives high in the Cradle.  Dwarves of that region follow Luon, as do humans living there.  THE GREAT HUNT is a deific entity revered in the Forever and surrounding areas.  This deity appears to have its origins in faerie lands.  URIA is a sea-goddess worshipped in the coastal parts of the Shelf, Furia, and the Lands of the Ancients.  She is the patron of sea travelers and is said to control the weather.  THE WITCH KING is a cruel deity with many followers in Gor and the Lakes of Fire regions.  It is said that the Witch King is the creator and controller of all malevolent magic in the world.(I'm intentionally leaving three of these individual deities open for player development)It is unknown whether non-humans have a system of worship.  Only fleeting information is known of dwarves and elves and how they might revere their gods.  At least one of the individual gods is a dragon, so it is somewhat likely that they have deities of some kind.  Nothing is known of the religions of giants, goblins, and orcs.  Centaurs, minotaurs, and elves appear to follow the Great Hunt, to a certain extent, and at least some dwarves revere the dragon, Luon. MAGICTo the common person of Veluria, magic is ineffable and scary.  Anything not fully understood is usually attributed to magic (sometimes to the gods as well).  Anyone who enjoys a good amount of fortune is usually assumed to be a magician, as is anyone who can read or who is considered "learned".  Since 99% of the human populace is illiterate, anyone with a scholarly bent is presumed to be a mage or trying to learn to cast spells.  The overwhelming majority of people have no idea how magic works, how someone might learn to cast a spell, or even that rules regarding magic exist.  For this reason magicians are feared and often loathed.  If a spellcaster is revealed, villagers might stone the man to death rather than seek his aid.  Non-humans are much more open to spellcasting visitors; in fact, most non-humans have some facility with magic (especially dragons, fey, and elves).There is no organized way to train a magician.  Most spellcasters were born with "the spark of magic" and learned to wield magic through trial and error.  The majority of would-be magicians are killed while trying to learn how to control their talent.  Most magicians, for obvious reasons, are lonely folk who shun human contact.  Some use their powers (and the general fear of their powers) to set themselves up as kings or warlords.  Among magicians, there is the general belief that there was a time - prior to the current age - when magic was more commonplace and magical research was far more organized and regimented.  Most mages of this belief spend their days searching ancient ruins, looking for libraries and repositories of this ancient knowledge.  There are many items of legend, weapons, armor, and other implements with permanent magical enchantments.   These items are prized beyond a simple gold value because the ability to craft such items has been lost to the sands of time.  If any magician could unearth the process to permanently enchant items with magical powers, this would be a rich magician indeed!There are three "social" orders of magicians.  One of these is the SUTHAI'IR.  This group, usually found in Gor and the Lakes of Fire, focuses on "elemental" magic, using fire, wind, cold, stone, and other essences to create magical effects.  It is said that, to become a Suthai'ari, one must bathe in a volcano, in an ice lake in Frigia, and in a cloud.  Another of these magical orders is the ADEPTS OF LUON.  This group follows the teachings of the great dragon, Luon.  It is said that Luon was the being who introduced humans to magic and taught the first spells.  The Adepts believe that all spellcasters have a trace of draconic blood flowing in their veins.(One of these orders has been left out intentionally to allow for player development)*** I've attached a rough map showing the continent and the regions mentioned above ***</blockquote>

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