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raisethearmy
2011-01-30, 11:05 AM
Jachil is the world I created for my own amusement. I like it very much, but I can concede that I am probably not the best world designer out there. I am probably one of the worst. With that said I would like to address any playgrounders who decided to go to this thread, What can I do better? So if anyone has any comments about concepts that are flawed, or areas that seem to steryotipical, please leave them.

The World of Jachil

Geography

The world of Jachil is composed of six main continents, and a very active underdark. In addition it has two moons, one blue, with small areas of white and green, and the other a barren red.

Icehold:
Icehold, or The Wastes, is the northern polar ice cap. It is largely wasteland, but around the southernmost areas there are large cities cut into the ice.

Tel-Tharus:
Tel-Tharus, or The Heart is a continent in chaos. It has a wide variety of terrain and climates. It also possesses the greatest diversity in races on Jachil. This continent was torn apart by The Dark One and his lieutenants almost a hundred years ago.

Areas
The Maw:
The Maw is a mountain range stretching across the northern half of Tel-Tharus collapsed in on itself due to magic from The Dark One. It is inhabited by races like minotaurs and drow, but many monsters dwell in the canyons, and all through the passages to the underdark. In addition, some areas have manifested portals to the Abyss, spewing out hordes of demons and elementals.

One major location is the City of Resurgence, located on the edge of The Maw. It is a massive metropolis of refugees from the collapse, and helps to guard the major pass from the Maw to the Ashen Desert.

The Ashen Desert:
This desert is just below the maw, and is on the left half of the continent. As its name implies, the ashen desert is a desert of black sand. No major cities have formed due to massive purple worms that dwell there. There are however, legends of massive deposits of precious minerals.

Tharus:
Stretching across the right side of the continent, just below the maw, this is the place where many races claim life first came out of the tunnels of the underdark and on to Tel-Tharus. This land is a thick marsh, with mud and quicksand, and hundreds of diseases. Cities are massive low built sprawls, filled with crime and poverty. Amazingly, thousands of people flock to here each year to visit the place “Where civilization began.”

Spiroth:
Below The Ashen Desert and Tharus, this region, already in chaos was thrown into complete anarchy when The Dark One raised the spires and earthmotes. It used to be a hilled region, but now massive spires block transport. The main residents of this area are tribes of warring goblinoids, making it very unsafe for travel.

Heartland:
Heartland is a peaceful region, with sloping hills and large meadows. Located just below Spiroth, it is one of the only places on Tel-Tharus where you can go to sleep and not wake up with everything you own stolen.

Stormbane Mountains:
These massive mountains cover the area south of Heartland. They stand very tall, and always have some sort of storm occurring. Storm and frost giants live on a few peaks, creating armies of humanoids to unleash on their enemies.

Mt. Frostblade:
Deep in the Stormbane Mountains, this massive mountain is so tall that it can be seen from almost any point on Tel-Tharus. This is where The Dark Ones fortress was, and even now his guardians wander the frozen halls.

The Sea of Serpents:
Formed from runoff from the Stormbanes, this freshwater sea is ruled by pirates and monsters. Several islands are in deeper waters, and the channels there are heavily patrolled by sea serpents. Cities there are full of thieves and scoundrels, and are very dangerous places to go.

Tel-Kadzul:
Along the right side of the Sea of Serpents, this kingdom ruled by the lich Kadzul, one of The Dark Ones Lieutenants. This kingdom is constantly under a heavy cloud of smoke, obscuring the sky. The undead roam the land looking for prey, or wait in the giant death forges, which spew out undead. Cities are empty, except for a few intelligent undead, and a large enough supply of humanoids for a food source. The living not in cities are rounded up and put in massive camps where they work, are used as food, or are sent to the death forges.

The Temple of Bahamut/ The Fortress of Bane:
To the southeast of Tel-Kadzul, these two massive temple complexes are locked in battle. About 50 years ago, many of the priests and paladins of Bahamut broke off from following him, and instead shifted their allegiance to Bane. The two sides have been fighting ever since.

The Spell-forged Lands:
Along the Left side of The Sea of Serpents this land is full of magical oddities due to The Dark One. The people here are generally friendly, but it is a very dangerous place. Giant floating crystals, or flying deer are not uncommon to see, but many of the oddities are far more dangerous.

Losith Desert:
This desert, on the absolute south of the continent, is divided into two areas, The Grey Plain, and the desert proper. The Desert proper is ruled by slavers from the city of Tel-Juna, named for the leader of the slavers. A wise council of humanoids rules the Grey Plain from the city of Cerex. The two sides have a beneficial relationship however, Cerex returns escaped slaves, and Tel-Juna supplies valuable metals.

The Windswept Plain:
Along the entire eastern edge of the continent, no area was as devastated by The Dark One as here. No life can dwell here for too long, because there is nothing to eat. The only creatures that live here are elementals, undead, and other undying monsters. It has been reported by adventurers that one of The Dark One’s lieutenants, The Wind Lord Falosh has taken up residence in one of the capital cities of the destroyed kingdoms.


Terar:
Terar, or The Wild is the continent to the west of Tel-Tharus. It is separated into two main regions, and is largely wilderness.

Areas:
The Forest of The Deep:
This massive jungle covers the northern half of the continent. The main form of civilization on this continent is in the small druidic tribes. These tribes worship a creature that dwells near them, like a dragon or giant.

On the eastern edge of Terar is The Land of Making. Composed of refugees from the war with The Dark One, this area is advanced far beyond the rest of the world, on account of all of the best minds fleeing Tel-Tharus. They make heavy use of warforged and other constructs to defend their land from the forest tribes.

Southward Sands:
The southward sands is a desert so endless, it makes Losith desert look like a sandbox. The dunes here can block out the sky, and sandstorms have been known to bury entire cities. The primary form of civilization here are the towns where bands of nomads have settled down, although many of those towns begin to move again after short amounts of time.

The Terar Isthmus:
The strip of land connecting The Forest of the Deep and The Southward Sands. This has the highest concentration of countries on the planet. Many caravans come through here, so these countries can tax them heavily. Warlords frequently rise up and take over areas, so the area is very politically unstable.


Sundra:
Sundra, or The Sun, is a tiny continent just to the south of Terar. It is where many monstrous races dwell. It also has a high amount of Halflings and gnomes. It is one of the only areas where they dwell in great numbers.

Areas:
The Plains of Gold:
These plains make up the southern half of the continent. Clans of Halflings and gnomes, which wander the area endlessly, inhabit them. These clans are very friendly, and welcome outsiders with open arms. Food is easy to come by, and water is plentiful, it is one of the nicest places on the planet.

Orcwood:
A thick forest to the north of the plains, Orcwood, as its name suggests, is filled with tribes of orcs. In addition, many trolls dwell in the ancient forest. It is a harsh place to visit, with many of the native plant life being poisonous, and the animals all being dangerous.

Labroth:
A mountainous area, the canyons and tunnels form a labyrinth of rock and stone. It is inhabited by a nation of minotaurs known as the keepers. They keep outsiders out, claiming to be protecting them from the secrets of the maze.


Therun:
Therun, or The Soul is a human dominated continent divided into three parts. It is mostly forested, but there are several mountain ranges.

Areas:
Hasin:
The area to the far north, Hasis is a theocracy worshiping genuine gods of good, and is very welcoming. It is a land under siege however, because of its policies of openness and equality, it is being taken over by Vocus, the nation to the south, and is slowly decaying from the inside.

Vocus:
Another theocracy, worshiping the gods of chaos and death, Vocus is slowly killing of Hasis. It is an oppressive regime, and dosen’t accept any religion other than its own. It has also tried to take over Nadis to the south, but with minimal success.

Nadis:
A nation so paralyzed by fear that it directs all of its soldiers to guard the Cleft of Vonaha, the sole safe passage through the Blackthorn mountains to Vocus. This leaves the cities and countryside lawless, with crime rates very high. Order is only on a local level, when a baron or lord decides to enforce the law surrounding his or her castle.


Halist:
Halist, or The Remains is divided into two main regions. It is one of the largest continents, with the possible exception being Tel-Tharus.

Areas:
The Lawless north:
The lawless north is the common name for the kingdom of warring barons. In this kingdom the king’s authority extends to the capital cities limits, then the lords of an area rule. Bandits and brigands terrorize the roads, and monsters dwell in the forests. It is a land where adventurers can make a great living, and then lose it all to taxes. It is a land harsh to everyone but the most powerful.

The Iron:
In stark contrast to the north, The Iron is a fierce military dictatorship. A massive Iron wall spanning the entire continent built by some beings from long ago surrounds it. There is a thought police of powerful psions, and dissidents are thrown into prisons. Behind the wall armies are being formed, swords are being forged, and arrows are being made.


The next section will be a history of the world, and racial information.

Yora
2011-01-30, 11:21 AM
What's your basic concept for the world? Do you have certain themes or sub-genres in mind?

raisethearmy
2011-01-30, 12:06 PM
Well, it's mainly for my personal purposes. My original goal for this was creating a world for almost any D&D campaign I want to run (Sea of Serpents for swashbuckling, The Lawless North for a dungeon of the week). The main theme for much of the world is war. Most of the continents are unstable to some degree. Sorry if that doesn't answer your question