The World
The World
This game world is a direct extension of its history. In a broader context, the game world is a continent shaped much like Australia but approximately the size of Asia, Europe, and northern Africa combined. There is a mountain range near the east coast that winds up from the southern coast to about ¾ of the way up the continent and then curves sharply east to the coast. Along this sharp curve there is another, oddly straight mountain range that continues almost perfectly north to the coast. Together, these mountain ranges isolate the northeast corner of the continent, an area about the size of China and roughly square. This area is known as the civilized lands.
Just over 1000 years ago the world suddenly became profoundly more dangerous. The details of how and why vary from culture to culture, but they all agree on the timeline and the sharpness of the change. Several cultures and powerful figures banded together and retreated to what is now known as the civilised lands. In the process of their retreat, a great magic was worked upon the land and the artificial northern extension to the mountain range was created from open plains. This was a formidable magic that cost the vigour, health, or even lives of countless powerful magicians, clerics, and druids and it scars the land to this day. Many creatures and most plants that grow in the artificial mountains are somehow different. The least of these manifestations is the unusual number of albino ravens. One of the greatest manifestations is the Living Forest, a section of deep woods on the slopes of the mountains with a very large treant population. Despite its ill effects, the artificial mountains ensured the future of the people of the civilized lands as they passed the years between then and now in a constant state of war along the borders, but relative safety within.
Then, about 60 years ago it became obvious that something had changed. For whatever reason, the constant siege of the mountain borders had dribbled off and, although far from safe, the civilized lands were no longer under siege. A few intrepid souls even ventured beyond the mountains to found settlements and explore forgotten lands. This has continued for 3 human generations and, although many settlements have fallen to the dangers that remain, others have thrived. The border towns that once served as supply routes and relaxation areas for weary soldiers have now become thriving centres of trade. Many governments have been weakened or even fallen, now that they are not propped up by the constant threat of an external enemy and have to deal with their internal problems. Even more shocking to the world of the civilized lands is the discovery of wild tribes that have survived the times of chaos as nomadic peoples or even small city-states. Though few in number so far, they are common enough that all who live in the borderlands have seen at least one pass through, clearly agog at the peaceful splendour of the civilized lands.
a test