Steeldragons' World of Orea: Realms/Nations - in very brief!
The Freelands: where most campaigns start. A region of loosely aligned independent city-states (formerly part of Mostrial, see below). Most of the regions hold deference and allegiance (if not military dependence) to the continent's largest and most diverse city, the Gem of the East, Andril. Home and meeting place to races, religions, trade and goods of every imaginable (and some unimaginable) kind in Orea. If you can't find it in Andril, it doesn't exist. Also, perhaps most notably, home to the Oracles [of Andril]. Three immortal sorceresses who inhabit a giant blue crystal tower, "the Shard," in the center of the city. A pseudo-religious organization has arisen around them of specially trained diviners and ordained "oracles" (the 3 actual Oracles don't normally take audiences with just anyone
which emissaries from all corners of the world come to entreat with questions of concern from the grave to trivial.
The Freelands also counts among its realms the decadently indulgent trade-city of Threeways; the borderland bastion of Hawkview stares across the open water to the Mage-lands of R'Hath in the east; and at its the western edge, near the Daegun mountains, the shared garrison-city of Lindril. Lindril is best known for its Forked Tower. One spire housing human troops, and one spire housing their dwarven allies. South of Lindril, just outside of what is now Mostrial's official borders, Larassal is a land of rolling vibrant verdant beauty and grows some of Orea's finest wines. The Hollow Hills house the world's largest concentrated population of daelvar. A small wood, about 3 days journey from Andril, called Ef'thriel ["Elfhome"] is believed enchanted and filled of dark fae, given a wide birth by most who do not wish to be lost in the faerie world. While the bulk of the southern regions of the realm are shrouded beneath a veritable ocean-of-forest, an entire realm unto itself, the Mistwood. Mistwood is the original and largest hold of the mysteries and secrets of the Ancient/Holy Order - the worldwide druidic organization who generally keep to their sacred places and own unknown machinations, defending the Balance and the Green, and fighting off the constant encroachment of the "Gods of Men" [clerical/organized religion]. Naturally, multiple smaller towns and villages abound in which to begin any campaign or type of adventure.
Essentially, anything outside of the a day's ride from any given city is wilderness where all manner of bandits and unsavory creatures eke out their own survival.
Mostrial, the Green Kingdom, (since it was first mentioned above) is an ancient collection of kingdoms and strongholds originated by the elves in the time before humans even walked the earth. It is a realm of gently rolling fields, hills, and pastoral beauty. What few forests remain are ancient and deep. The two most notable are Hirial, a wood of ancient elfin magic and enchantment alleged to hide/safeguard some great evil beneath/within it, and Balwood, a place swathed in a reputation for sinister creatures (including ogres and giants) and evil magic. The extensive coastlines are rocky cliffs for the most part defending much of the land from sea-assault through the centuries. The landscape is dotted with the great elvish towered fortresses of old, the "Tali," now only Talas Isthian, Talas Eoril, and Talas Pellior remain. The Tali have undergone extensive renovations and additions by men and dwarves over the years, but their central high spires still tower above the more modest or clumsy non-elvin construction.
The original inhabitants of Mostrial took kindly to humans when they were first encountered, the Green Tribe of Men (who would go on to become the first druids) and taught them much in the ways of the arts, including that of battle, magic, nature, horse riding, and building (though they learned much more when they encountered dwarves). Over the centuries, the elves and humans mingled and interbred. When the Godswar came and the ShiStaliiri left their mortal progeny to fend for themselves, the general population had so much elfin blood flowing through it as to sustain fully "half-elf" traits. In a few short centuries, however, the fabled "half-elves" of Mostrial had assumed entirely human appearances, and lost/forgotten much of the majesty and nobility of their ancestry. In game terms, I allow "Mostralian humans" (usually from the noble houses) to possess enough genetic material to be considered a "half-elf" in game-term attributes/features while being wholly "human" in appearance. While still a realm of honor, heroic intentions and noble ancestry, enjoys vibrant trade with Freelanders and the Tankuun islanders through "the Citadel of the Sea King" (Talas Eoril), and a great military ally of the Kingdom of Grinlia, Mostrial is a fraction of its former power, influence, and glory.
...more later.
Kidding (well kinda), it's special because it is a "middle fantasy" setting that embraces the folklore and Jungian/shamanic psychology embodied in literature by Ursula LeGuin, Lloyd Alexander, and Terry Brooks.
I wish I had your group.
