Sunthura

[El'the Ellie]

Preface: Sunthura is meant to be a world built for many different types of games. Ideally it is one that a DM can read and understand in a day or so, and will give her and her players to grow parts of the world as they see fit. As such, many of the descriptions are left as seeds give the DM ideas of how to populate a section of the world.

This thread, and several proceeding replies serve to outline the world of Sunthura.



Contents
Post or Link


Geography Overview
Post #2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20884779&postcount=2)



Criose
Post #3 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20889999&postcount=3)



Olfjön
Post #4 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890506&postcount=4)



Shiania
Post #5 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890511&postcount=5)



Yamírkskol
Post #6 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890528&postcount=6)


Races in Sunthura
Post #7 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890541&postcount=7)


Gods, Cosmology, and the Worlds Beyond
Post #8 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890545&postcount=8)


Magic and Psionics
Post #9 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890651&postcount=9)


Technology
Post #10 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20890656&postcount=10)

[El'the Ellie]

Geography
The lands of Sunthura great and small

*Map Coming Soon?*

Criose
The first of the four great continents of Sunthura. It resides in the Southeast and is most known for its generally tropical climates, forest covered mountains, and the Gulf of Kucana. The northern section of Criose is predominantly gentle plains and hills, while to the center and south of the continent lies the Cornucopia, a land teeming with all manner of life.

Olfjön
The second of the four great continents of Sunthura, located in the northeast. Arguably one of the largest land masses, it is thought of as the most progressive part of the world. Most countries on Olfjön boast some sort of advanced technology or understanding. The lands to the north are cold, and with few mountains or hills to break the wind the top half is inhabited only by the most stalwart of civilizations.

Shiania
The third of the four great continents of Sunthura, and found in the southwest. The large, bulbous continent has much of the heat of Criose without any of the mountains or aquatic landscapes. Though the coasts support life well enough, the center of Shiania is mostly desert, and home to the races that thrive in such environments. The southern reaches get drastically colder, but no less arid.

Yamírkskol
The fourth great continent of Sunthura. More typically known as the Savage Lands, it is thought that somewhere along the line every race on Sunthura originated from this place. The lands in Yamírkskol are mountainous and not well documented, boasting both the highest peaks and lowest valleys. Like Shiania, it covers a large latitude of the world, and ranges from ice cold northern reaches to temperate forests to tropical southern coasts. While there is one coastal country, most of Yamírkskol's population is in nomadic tribes.

The Shattered Glaciers
The closest thing to a North Pole in Sunthura, this vast area is made up of innumerable glaciers of every shape and size floating on the ocean. The tend to drift, making sailing the land incredibly dangerous to all but the most skilled, as maps are quickly rendered out of date. If any races call this land home they are unknown to the rest of the world.

The Southern Ring
The Southern Ring is one of the greatest mysteries of Sunthura. A ring of icy land encircles the exact south of the world. The ring is only a few hundred miles of land wide, and forms an almost exact circle. In the center is a pool of mysterious energies, hundreds of miles more in diameter. Occasionally the energies rise into the sky creating glistening lights over the Southern Ring and, more rarely, other parts of the world. The contents of the Southern Ring has fascinated explorers and arcanists alike, while many religions claim it has some ties to their God or Godess. The only real concesus is that after decades of study, no one is quite sure what it is and if it even has a purpose.

The Golden Coins
This chain of islands between Shiania and Criose get their name from their bright yellow shores. Rather than formed into actual countries, the Coins each have a major city that shares a name with the island, while some larger islands have smaller towns as well. Each island lives very much by their own rules, be they traditional, progressive, or somewhere in between. Most primarily profit of the trade between Shiania and Criose in whatever ways they can find.

The Tunnels Under
To those living on the surface, The Tunnels Under are shrouded in mystery. Running under an untold amount of Sunthura, they even form a dry connection between continents if one is brave and knowledgeable enough to navigate them. They are home to all manner of creatures that thrive in the dark, and are as diverse and cultured as the world above. As the name implies most of this world is tunnels, anywhere between three and thirty feet wide. Rarely do these tunnels expand out into a cave system, but when they do a civilization of some kind can be found there.

[El'the Ellie]

The Great Continent of Criose

Taking up almost the entire southeastern hemisphere, Criose is well-known for its three distinctive geographies:

The Gulf of Kucana
This enormous gulf consumes the entire west coast of Criose. While dotted with a few islands, it is mostly a large expanse of tropical waters. It is a haven for many types of aquatic life both intelligent and otherwise, which over the years has caused the Gulf to become littered with enormous coral reefs. Skilled captains can make a fortune ferrying passengers between north and south Criose, while intercontinental sailors use the many ports along its shores as either a departure or destination.

The Cornucopia
To the center and southern regions of Criose lies a swath of dense forest, much of which covers the Luri Mountains. This land is inseparable from the creatures that inhabit and take care of it. Life of all kinds blossom in this place more than anywhere else in Sunthura. All mortal races that live nearby are gently drawn to the Cornucopia, especially explorers, adventurers, and scientists, for much of the land remains unexplored. It is said that those who venture too deeply into the Cornucopia or for too long emerge different, odd, and aloof. If they even emerge at all.

The Gentle Plains and Hills of Northern Criose
Lacking a formal name, the lands immediately north of the Cornucopia are just as the description implies: gentle, fertile, and grassy. It is no surprise then, that the countries here and the people that live in them mostly make a living as farmers and shepherds.

***

Criose is divided into five countries, each containing a long amount of coastline: North and South Riole, Jitaniya, Veridnur, and Onos.

North Riole
Thanks to its extremely central location (and Veridnur's reliance on the nation), North Riole is famous for being the trade capital of the world. It is so much so, in fact, that traders and sailors alike speak the phrase 'Wherever you're going, you're going North.' (Implying that whatever route you take you're going through North Riole)
North Riole generates a decent income off of the growing of exotic and luxury plants, livestock, and products only made possible because of the portion of its land residing in the Cornucopia. Normally these items would be nearly impossible to come by, but North Riole has the liberty to trade quickly and efficiently with almost anyone.
It is hard to speak for too long about North Riole without mentioning its massive city, Cythaos. Boasting over nine million inhabitants over its sprawling cityscape, money and goods flow through the costal city as easily as water flows through its many canals. With such a massive infrastructure, Cythaos is totally dependent on parts of Veridnur specifically designed to deliver resources every day. Over its few centuries of popularity, Cythaos has attempted to accommodate every style and technology and religion as they arrived, creating a jumbled mess of apartments built atop defunct churches built atop long obsolete transit systems built atop still critical sewer systems. The lord of Cythaos, Baron Vermint is a clever, calculating man with a mind like a steel trap: no other type of person is capable of keeping the city in working order. Baron Vermint (his critics often leave off the 't') delegates much of the tasks to so many other leaders in the city the meetings have to accommodate a hoard of dignitaries and organizers.
Strangely enough, Cythaos is not the capital city. Nor is Baron Vermint the ruler of North Riole even though, for all intents and purposes, he might as well be. That position belongs to King Halfry, in the much quieter town of Oliun. On the boarder of the Cornucopia, Oliun is a strange place, and young King Halfry even stranger. For the most part, he doesn't make many public appearances and instead allows his council and Baron Vermint to make most of the important decisions.

South Riole
Of the five nations of Criose, South Riole is the only one that has much in common with Shiania. While not as tyrant-like as most of the southwestern continent, South Riole is the only one that will do open business with any Shianian country. With land not well-suited for farming or growing, many South Riolan livelihoods lie in metalwork, shipbuilding, mining and whaling off the coast. South Riolan life often hard, and the people harder: most emigrants leave for an easier life elsewhere, while immigrants come as refugees from Shiania with few other options. The upside to this is that those that work hard and are unafraid of getting their hands dirty can quickly make something from nothing.
The Queen of South Riole, Maaria Thimlan, is an aggressive Halfling who believes that South Riolans always deserve more. This greed tends to funnel north, and fuels the conflict with North Riole over the Gulf of Kucana. Though not particularly wealthy, South Riole has a huge population that is fiercely loyal, having mostly been refugees used to far worse. Queen Thimlan rules from Gahtly Rock, a small city on an island off the coast of the mainland.

North and South Riole (originally just Riole) have always been at odds. They have fought many times in recent history, sometimes with words and more often with swords. The object of contention is almost always control over the Gulf of Kucana. Besides the obvious financial wealth it contains and use it has as a harbor, the Gulf has a long history with many religions paying homage to it. Maritime fighting in the Gulf is not uncommon, but is usually contained to the central waters. Many of the captains sailing and waging war here claim no loyalty, but simply use the chaos to extort or steal from passing ships. Over the years hundreds of ships, each with their own story, have been sunk to the bottom of the Gulf, creating large tombstones among the coral.

Jitaniya
Jitaniya is located in the central southern portion of Criose, and almost entirely occupied by the Cornucopia. Most of Jitaniya's population lives on the fringes or even deeper in the Cornucopia, however a few cities exist on the southern coast. While technically within Jitaniya's borders, most of the Cornucopia-dwelling villages claim no loyalty to the government, and the King has a difficult time reigning in or even accounting for many of those people. The lands and cities to the south are more traditional, but even they haven't totally escaped the wild influence of the north: people from Jitaniya tend to be more self-sufficient and attached to their sense of freedom than most other countries.
Jitaniya is not a wealthy country, since some unknown percentage of the population is entirely self-sufficient and has no wealth to contribute. Much of Jitaniya's income, such as it is, comes from either its fishing industry, or travel: Jitaniya charges heavy taxes on traders coming through the country between South Riole and Onos. It's either pay Jitaniya's taxes or brave the Cornucopia, and to a smart businessman that is no choice at all.
Jitaniya's capitol, Nivtile, is also by far its largest known city, with around one million people. Nivtile is home to King Palum VII: a fat, greedy man with little interest in world politics.

Veridnur
Veridnur is an expansive country found in the northeast. It makes full use of the temperate hill and prairie land common to north Criose as farmland. It accounts for a significant portion of the global agricultural trade. Interestingly, much of the Veridnurian coast is mire and swampland, making coming or going from the nation nearly impossible by boat. Instead, Veridnur routes most of their trade through North Riole (or occasionally Onos). The nation almost perpetually manages a neutral stance in world politics, and shrewd royal treasurers dictate the agricultural market by heavily regulating what and when and where the farmers of Veridnur sell. As such, the nation is a wealthy one, possibly the most on Criose. It never seems that way however, since the wealth is distributed liberally among its civilians. Indeed, it is the only way the populace puts up with the crown's seemingly insane demands of what can be grown or raised and at what times.
Veridnur frequently does trade with many of the technologically advanced countries on Olfjön: it's not uncommon to find a wealthy Veridnurian farmer with a construct plowing his field and no real idea how it works.
Veridnur has many cities, each a fair distance apart and each roughly the same size. These primarily serve as storehouses for the miles and miles of farmland and rest stops for travelers and traders. Umnioro is the capital city, ancient and steeped in history. Although it only houses a million or so people, the citizens of Veridnur are not typically, by nature and by trade, city folk anyway.
Umnioro is home to Queen Laissir, an elderly elf who has ruled in almost exactly the same way for centuries. She is a benevolent ruler, but it is no secret she would let the world crumble around her if Veridnur could remain prosperous.

Onos
The nation of Onos is found in the extreme southeastern corner of Criose. Also known as the Land of the Holy Crusade (mostly by its citizens), the government and religion of Onos are undeniably one in the same. They worship The Pantheon of Tempered Light: an artificial grouping of gods created by the many priests of Onos. The principle form of politics in Onos is lobbying to get one god or another on or off the pantheon. Onos is felt in the world by its enormous military force, whose focus is to enact the will of the Pantheon of Tempered Light, wherever, whatever, and whoever that may involve. Understandably many other nations, private enterprises, and religions give gifts and make deals with the head priests of Onos in order to gain sway on which gods are included in the pantheon (and thus, sway over the Onosian Military). The nation produces very little in the way of goods and services, though their horse breeders are the stuff of legends. Instead, Onos mostly subsides off of the regular gifts of food, livestock, clothes, weapons, ships and anything else other countries 'donate'. The majority of the effort of the Onosian Military is concentrated in liberating the many nations of Shiania, which has been met so far with little success.
The nation of Onos is not particularly large, but a great number of people around the world call it home due to its global presence. Its largest and capital city, Riosha, is home to just over one and a quarter million people. Riosha is ruled over by the High Priests of Tempered Light, which includes one representative priest from every major god in the pantheon, as well as many seats for lesser gods and special guests.

[El'the Ellie]

The Great Continent of Olfjön

Unlike Criose, the geography of Olfjön has little bearing on the nations that have formed. In many regards, the people of the continent have bent nature to suit their needs. The hallmarks of these nations are sophistication, ingenuity, and perseverance. The land is divided into four large countries: Naosih, Lutresk, Braoth, and Pouit.

Naosih
The southwestern country of Naosih is one of the largest in Olfjön. Unlike most of the continent Naosih is fairly temperate: the climate is chilly, but only drops below freezing on particularly cold winters. Naosih is also the oldest nation on Olfjön, and is almost entirely settled. Indeed, its hard to find a place in Naosih that isn't a stone's throw away from at least a larger town. What unsettled land exists is almost entirely rolling hills and coniferous forest.
People from all nations and all walks of life flock to Naosih for the opportunity it offers in mundane, magical, and psionic engineering. It is said here that a person in Naosih is what he or she makes himself to be. As one might imagine, this makes it a beacon of hope for those with no money or a bad reputation but a good mind and a drive to work. In some regards this is true, however more often than not budding young minds get relegated to the bottom of the ladder and never climb up far.
Naosih is ruled by the Inexorable Council, or sometimes referred to less dramatically as the Naosih Council. The Inexorable Council is comprised of the heads of the seven wealthiest businesses in Naosih, who join together to make laws that everyone (including themselves) must follow.
The Inexorable Council is based in the capital city of Searhime, a large costal city of four million. From tin cans to enchanted freezing boxes, Searhime manufactures goods for the masses that can't be made at a local forge. As such, the city sees massive amounts of barge-based traffic day in and day out, and most activity is centered around its expansive docks and nearby factories.

Lutresk
Despite being the smallest nation on Olfjön and one of only two landlocked places on Sunthura, Lutresk has a famous reputation. It's certainly not the only place on Sunthura to pursue an education, but it is the most prestigious. The cold, windy nation is dotted all over with colleges, some old and many new. Each of these colleges work, with some exceptions, in association with each other. The resulting connection of institutes is known as the Network. Each college has some aspect that makes it unique, whether that be the type of learning taught there, the people accepted, its history and moral code, and so on. The one thing they all have in common, however, is that colleges in the Network have high standards of applicants, and are extremely expensive. If you can pay the cost, however, the Network is hands-down the best education on Sunthura. Although magic and its offshoots are studied extensively at the Network, most any type of recorded knowledge can be learned, including history, music, arts, medicine, religion, cosmology, and many more.
The Network is by and large the most popular reason to come to Lutresk, and the source of most of its income. Besides that, there really isn't much to say about the nation: each college resides in a town or city with the surrounding area supporting its residents however it can. Lutresk is ruled by King Astor: a young half-elf who ironically has little interest in higher education. His court, and his power, is small. King Astor has the good sense to not interfere with the Network's business, and in return they pay him a modest tax, and tolerate the occasional policy changes. Astor rules from Maurest, a very small city located in the center of the country.

Braoth
The northern, arctic-like expanse of Braoth is unlike the other three nations in Olfjön in that it is mostly desolate. Southern Braoth has small cities that are similar to Lutresk in both design and culture and northern Braoth has ports along the coast that support a fishing industry, but in the long center of Braoth not much survives over the biting wind and deep snow. Small arctic like hares, foxes, and the most resilient weeds call this place home, as well as those that hunt and trap them. Some folks come to Braoth from other countries looking to escape the trappings of modern life.
The government of Braoth is relatively small, but what there is is concentrated in the southern reaches of the country. Since crossing the center of Braoth can be a dangerous journey to make on a regular basis, the north and middle regions are mostly left to their own devices, which is just fine by them.
Braoth is ruled by King Baalos III, from the city of Kerry, on the southern tip of Braoth. Thanks to the geologic difficulties of Braoth and the bureaucratic difficulties of the nations to the south, King Baalos struggles to keep his country in step with its neighbors and the rest of the world. Kerry itself is a modest sized city of a million and a half citizens, many of whom actually work across the border in Lutresk or Naosih.

Pouit
Pouit lies along the rocky east coast of Olfjön, and the several islands farther out. Pouit is a very secretive nation: it will happily trade with the rest of the world, but its political affiliations and loyalties are something of a mystery to people outside its boarders. It is sometimes known as the Experimental Lands, borrowing industry from Naosih and knowledge from Lutresk to advance scientific designs. Pouitians are credited with any number of inventions in recent years from the useful (Blessed Bandages and a strain of disease resistant crops) to the truly bizarre (living constructs, if the rumors are to be believed). Most other nations don't really know how to feel about Pouit: while it has never done anything openly hostile or incited trouble, its latest inventions always seem to show up on one or both sides of conflicts whenever they come up. Pouit has a large military (though not so large as Onos), but it is used almost entirely defensively. Security along the boarders is tight, almost paranoid, and spies sent to Pouit have a tendency to disappear suddenly and permanently.
Pouit is ruled by the Council of Eight, which presumably is comprised of eight individuals or factions. In reality, few really know where the name Council of Eight comes from: international diplomacy is always handled by delegates who claim to speak on the Council of Eight's behalf. If they know the secret of the nation's leadership, they keep tight lipped about the secret.
Pouit's capital city is Awlstone: a city split between three islands in very close proximity.

[El'the Ellie]

The Great Continent of Shiania

The bulbous continent of Shiania is known for its stark landscapes and harsh, unforgiving geography. Much of the continent is covered in desert, and most societies cling to the shores. The land is divided into six nations: Draugokos, Maetlai, Honoyo, Aphenoat, Jut-ka, and Stilay.

Draugokos
Draugokos is the largest country on Shiania, found on the west coast and extending a significant portion into the land. The country is hot, dry, and flat, eventually transitioning into the sandy desert that envelops Jut-ka. Though the land is not well suited to growing, it is rich in precious materials and the flat rocky landscape makes terrific mines. The products of the mines that don't go to the emperor are sold through the port for food to feed the enormous, mostly starving population. The country has one of the largest populations in all of Sunthura as well as one of the richest, but almost all of its wealth is funneled into the top.
In Draugokos, everyone is a servant to someone. Except, that is, for the emperor who bows to no creature or power in Sunthura. Emperor Scraalos is an ancient red dragon, proud, territorial, and endlessly greed-driven. For as many centuries as anyone can remember he has ruled Draugokos with an iron claw, and has ordered the destruction of any histories of the nation before his rule. A considerable portion of the nations revenue goes to his unfathomably large hoard, which grows every day. He has a number of underlings who are either terrified into loyalty or respect his power, that make sure his rule is carried out across the nation and beyond. Emperor Scraalos reigns from Yol'Prakta, a city built around a massive castle so old it is nearly crumbling into dust. Yol'Prakta is a large city, of about a million citizens. Or two and a half million if you count the slaves.

Maetlai
Located in the northern tip of Shiania, Maetlai is both the hottest and the most biologically diverse nation on the continent. Unlike most rivers on Sunthura, those in Maetlai flow into the country's low surface level, and eventually flowing into underground rivers and lakes that feed the rest of the country. Around the coast and along the riversides, life flourishes almost as much as in the Cornucopia, on Criose. In addition to some farming of plants that grow only along these riversides, Maetlai is fairly well known for capturing and selling exotic animals and creatures, either wild or domesticated. Depending on the animal and where they're sold, they are bought for food, pets, beasts of burden, or organized fighting. Slave trade is prevalent in Maetlai more than anywhere else in the world, and its grand fighting rings are well known among the wealthy who have a taste for such violence, as well as fighters (or enslaved fighters) looking for fame or fortune.
Maetlai is controlled by the four noble families which, although members exist elsewhere in the world, really only have influence on Shiania. The noble families are Knawlo, Ifniera, Shekkan, and Gurandax. Maetlai is ruled by an oligarchy made up of influential members of these houses, and unlike every other country in Sunthura, it lacks a formal capital. Instead rule is fractioned between the cities that contain the heads of the main houses which are named after the houses by adding -os: Knawloos, Ifnieraos, Shekkanos, and Gurandaxos.

Honoyo
Honoyo is a small country on the southwest coast of the continent. Although originally founded as an outpost of Onos and the Military of Tempered Light, it has since become a fully fledged country. It still shares ideals with Onos however, and many still consider it to be the outpost it once was. In its unending struggle to bring justice to Shiania, Honoyo has struggled again and again to overthrow Draugokos without success. In recent years, Honoyo has changed its tactic and attempts to liberate a path to Jut-ka, but the bordering countries have put up considerable resistance. As one might imagine, a sizable portion of Honoyo's population is military, priests, and zealots.
They cannot trade with neighboring countries, of course, so what Honoyo cannot produce it receives from Onos. Occasionally adventurers, fighters, healers, and anyone with a conscience or looking to make a fortune (or both) will travel to Honoyo and join the fighting force, either as official members or private aid. Honoyo takes just about any aid it is offered in its eternal struggle.

Aphenoat
Similar to Maetlai, the nation of Aphenoat is mostly only habitable around the rivers and coasts. Where it extends towards Jut-ka is only sandy desert, however tales speak of a once-great civilization that existed before the land dried out, whose ruins now lie beneath the windswept dunes. Aphenoat makes a large section of its wealth off of fishing and taxation: its impressive military force controls a sizable portion of the waters around Shiania, and passing ships are required to pay tribute. In a similar mindset, Aphenoat sends raiding parties to other countries and continents, brining back whatever wealth they can.
Aphenoat is a similar and opposing force to Onos. The nation and its ruler follow the will of Hextor, meaning that the Aphenoatian military is extremely aggressive, often holding outposts on other lands and pushing their own boarders. The empress of Aphenoat, Etona Qian, commands her subjects with solid and unwavering leadership and demands the same of their loyalty. Unlike Scraalos, the tyrant of Draugokos, her greed lies in power and territory, not so much in wealth: her citizens (besides the enslaved population) are decently wealthy and enjoy an above average quality of life, so long as they carry out her law. Empress Qian rules from the city of Kujatir, a massive city of nearly five million found on the eastern shore, though most of the nation's population is group into similar coastal cities.

Jut-ka
Jut-ka is a small country located in the center of Shiania, and is almost entirely hot, dry, sandy desert. Jut-ka is one of two landlocked countries in Sunthura. Jut-ka was created as a secession from the tyrannical rule of Draugokos. Despite its small size and limited resources, Jut-ka has defended it's land from all sides impressively for many years: enough that other countries have more or less stopped trying to control it. Life in Jut-ka is hard, but it is fair and free unlike most of Shiania. Almost all towns, and the few cities that exist, cluster around oases or underwater water deposits. This is certainly true for the capital city of Numosk, which is home to just over half a million people and is centered around Lake Rek Niri. The nation is ruled by the Weary Council: a group of twelve elected officials, and one additional representative from each major town, with each member serving no more than ten years. Travel into or out of Jut-ka is nearly impossible, or else has to be cleverly organized. The bordering countries clamp down heavily on travel to the country: though they don't fear Jut-ka itself, they fear that the example it sets might spark rebellion in their own populations.
The name 'Jut-ka' is also a compelling war chant, and literally means 'stand your ground' in an ancient desert language.

Stilay
Located in the southern extreme of Shiania, Stilay is unique in that, while technically a desert, it is extremely cold. The flat scrubland is covered in a thin layer of snow year-round, meaning that at least what little precipitation falls is easily reclaimable. The population tends to avoid the iced-over southern reaches, however the very tip serves as a good outpost for people visiting the Southern Ring. The people of Stilay make a living working the land. Much of its income is generated from harvesting raw materials, such as the lumber of its coniferous forests, and granite, marble, iron, coal, and limestone. The harbors to the east and west coast of the country have several fishing, whaling, and seal-hunting industries, which comprises the backbone of the citizen's diets.
Stilay is not held under such an iron rule as Aphenoat, Maetlai or Draugokos, but the people of other countries would still say its citizens lack true freedom. The country is ruled by a three-tiered hierarchy: the Drudge, the Mass, and the Proud. The Drudge are the largest and poorest class, and are almost all slaves to both of the upper classes, and those that aren't are indentured servants. The Mass are the middle class, and are the main working body of Stilay. Though they are technically smaller in number than the Drudge, they have more of an impact in the ability to own lands and property, marry, and so forth. The Proud are the wealthy nobility, and have the power to make laws and see them carried out. Typically each small village has a Proud family, while moderate sized towns have two or three, and cities can have up to ten. There is no central ruling body, but most Proud families fall in line to a general social order among the hierarchy. As such, they would all agree on Eiroan as their capital: a large city of almost three million located in the northeastern region.

[El'the Ellie]

The Great Continent of Yamírkskol

Yamírkskol is known for its rocky, jagged landscape and lawless way of life. While the continent does have a small country towards its southern tip, the vast majority is populated by tribes of differing races or creeds, many of which live as nomads. Most of the 'monstrous' races, those who have either been rejected by society or have no desire to join it, live among these tribes, though groups of 'civilized' races are equally numerous.

Ormotiraq
The one formal country in Yamírkskol, Ormotiraq is essentially the only way on or off the landmass. It is a haven for exiles, refugees, and anyone looking to start a new life. Any and all races are accepted in Ormotiraq, since the tribes of Yamírkskol tend to come and go from the country as often as people from other countries, which is to say not often. Some bold traders come to Ormotiraq to do business with the tribes for things they could get nowhere else, though they should expect the most unusual forms of payment.
The capital and only real city in Ormotiraq is Ixat'ni. The small city is home to about three-quarters of a million people, and is ruled by the Council of Yamírkskol, who like to imagine they control the whole continent.

The Tribes of Yamírkskol
The majority of Yamírkskol's population rests in distinct tribes. Existing tribes are constantly splintering off to form new ones, even as a tribe is consuming, eradicating, or adopting another. This makes any attempt to count the number of active factions basically impossible. Some of the major tribes are listed below, but they are by no means the only that exist.

Veneeda Nomads - A large nomadic tribe, primarily made up of humans. They travel in large numbers for safety, often forming caravans thousands of members long.

The Rock Elves - A reclusive group of elves that live in the jagged mountains and valleys to the west. They typically keep to themselves except when hunting. Most of their villages have a witch (male or female) who practices and passes down the traditions of ancient, primal magic.

North Berrikians - A semi-nomadic tribe of dwarves that live to the far north of the continent. Because of the frigid northern temperatures, Berrikians will typically tunnel into the ground and make shelters when arriving in a new location. As a result, northern Yamírkskol is littered with tunnels, often hidden or trapped to fool enemy tribes. It is thought that untold centuries ago, some Berikians decided to keep tunneling, and formed the Tunnels Under. Indeed, most people in civilized life know (or think they know, from stories) that the only entrance to the Tunnels Under is in northern Yamírkskol, far off in a remote corner of the world. Those with experience or proper research know that there are entrances all over Sunthura, but that this was probably the first.

Clan Orskung - Clan Orskung is perhaps the most feared and respected tribe, even among the other nations. Tales of the clan's ferocity are spread so widely that they're occasionally mistaken for a myth. Spanning the majority of the eastern edge of Yamírkskol, Clan Orskung has villages in the frigid north as well as the more temperate south. The tribe has many sub-clans, of a naming convention such as 'Clan Mrok-Orskung'. Each sub-clan has history, teachings, and merits, but in general every sub-clan of Orskung holds true to the main tenants of might-makes-right, courage, and unwavering perseverance in the face of opposition.

Tribe Yiryista - Tribe Yiryista is a strange change of pace from those normally found on Yamírkskol. They are nomadic like Veneedans, though a person from any race can have a spot among the tribe, provided they prove their worth. They are a pacifist tribe when dealing with other sentient races, and jealously guard ancient secrets of life and healing. They roam the land happy to offer aid to tribes that need it, in return for supplies to keep them going. Yiryistas only share their secrets among their own kind, and joining the tribe is a long, rigorous process of proving one's character. (Children born to tribe members are allowed to travel with them, but do not officially become members themselves until they undergo a similar trial as outsiders.)
More than one desperate individual has traveled to Yamírkskol in the hopes of finding Yiryistas, with varying success. Rumor has it an offshoot of Yiryista exists: one which uses the knowledge of physical and mental healing to hone practices of pain and destruction.

[El'the Ellie]

Races in Sunthura

Below is an idea of how many common races are distributed and how they are regarded in Sunthura. Note, however, that these are general statements and that there are always exceptions: dwarves can be found in tropical cities, some gnomes live away from society in the wild, you might find an occasional half-orc pursuing a higher education on Pouit, and so on.

'Civilized' Races

Humans
Humans are the most abundant of the races on Sunthura with kobolds being a close second, and can be found on all four major continents, the islands in between, and even exist on small colonies in the Southern Ring. They make up the backbone of civilization, and are diverse in their trainings, political positions, divine beliefs and so forth. Because of their well-rounded size, lifespan and skills, humans are often the metric against which other races are measured. Humans tend to have a natural drive towards building, forming communities, and discovery, though this is not always the case. Humans exist in a number of skin tones (moreso than any race), though it has little importance except to describe appearances. Humans native to warmer regions tend to have darker skin, while those native to colder or temperate climates have fair or olive-colored skin.

Elves
Elves are perhaps the most similar to humans in a number of respects. While they are not as numerous as humans, they are just as integrated in society. They can be found in every city on Sunthura, and in a great many smaller towns and villages. Like humans, they are a communicative race and are drawn into civilizations. In general, they are more nimble than humans, but a less hardy creature: they are almost a foot shorter on average and significantly lighter. In all except the most backwards villages, elves are regarded on the same level as humans: though their naturally long lifespan tends to make them deeply rooted members of communities.

Half-elves
Like elves and humans, half-elves make up the majority of civilized life. The offspring of a human and an elf, half-elves share many of their features and can easily pass for a member of either race.

Dwarves
Like humans and elves, dwarves are native to Yamírkskol and have one of the longest histories on Sunthura. Unlike the others, however, dwarves are not generally partial to being part of high society. They tend to form smaller villages and towns, often a distance away from the busy cities but not so far they can't interact when needed. Larger dwarf cultures, such as clans and religious groups, exist as many small communities over a large area. Dwarves' long lives and general stubbornness mean they are slow to change, but now can be found sparingly in most cities and regions of the world.
As the stories say, dwarves have a natural pull to the land. Beyond being excellent miners, masons, smiths, and stonecutters, dwarves are more in tune with the planet itself. Some dwarves become builders and engineers, making a lasting impression through their creations, however it is not uncommon for a dwarf to embrace this connection with the land and follow the path of druids.

Halflings
Although not a very common race, halflings are a core part of many societies. Their ability to get along with many other races makes them excellent negotiators, traders, diplomats, and (in places that practice such cultures) courtly servants. It is uncertain exactly where halflings came from, or if they are some offshoot of humanity, but halflings are most commonly found in the northern sections of Criose, and parts of Olfjön, although they are scattered across all of Sunthura.

Gnomes
These industrious, clever beings make up a relatively small portion of any civilization. While gnomes can be found in any portion of the world, they are far and away the most common on Olfjön. Their engineering minds are drawn to the most developed part of the world, though gnomish engineers can be found all over the world researching, maintaining their inventions, and so on. Besides the engineering gnomes, they tend to find livelihoods as healers, builders, and stoneworkers.

Half-orcs
Half-orcs take strongly after their aggressive cousins. Half-orcs are almost always large, strong and imposing creatures. They are found predominantly on the western continents, and tend to find work in manual labor roles as miners, farmers, smiths and so on. Half-orc tribes and villages usually have long warring histories, and tend to make excellent fighters. Despite being a small percentage of populations, they make up a sizable portion of the Shianian slave trades.

Others
Sections of Sunthura see civilized humanoid races of many types. These creatures are typically have villages no larger than a moderate town and usually keep to themselves, but such members making their way to modern society isn't unheard of.

'Monstrous' Races

Dragons
Dragons, including their various half-breeds and sub-species, are well known to exist in Sunthura, but they are scarce. They have scattered to all parts of the land, from the frigid northern mountains to the north, to the Cornucopia of Criose, to the oceans between the continents. In general, dragons roost wherever feels natural for them, but almost always exist far away from general society. Although dragons of all types are widely feared (and rightly so) in most of the world they are a bedtime story more than an actual presence and any stories of them are treated with hefty skepticism. Clerics of Bahamut work to improve the public opinion of metallic dragons, but at best even they are tolerated at a distance.
All dragons in Sunthura feel an instinctual connection to the Southern Ring, and most dragons of a significant age make the journey to visit the phenomenon at least once. None have a good explanation for why this occurs.

Kobolds
Due to their unimposing stature and their history of subjugation, Kobolds are regarded with pity and, occasionally, disgust. They are one of the 'monstrous' races that integrate best with society: some may be less than pleased to see a kobold walk in, but at least they are not thought of as frightening or mysterious. Kobolds are often seen as the 'forgotten' race: while they number almost as many as humans, people seem to forget about them thanks to their natural cowardice and short lifespans.
The nation of Jut-ka is doing wonders to undo those stereotypes, however. Kobolds are native to Shiania, and make up the majority of the nation of Jut-ka. Their ceaseless defense against the warring nations of Shiania has slowly but surely given people new opinions, and the Jut-kanese kobolds are starting to find their way into bard's songs.

Goblinoids
Goblins and their various cousins are generally seen as nuisances by cities with the army needed to fend them off, and despicable monsters by smaller villages with less defenses. As a war-loving species, goblinoids are often found on the outskirts of civilization leeching what they can, or in some cases living hidden in the city itself. Any goblinoid seeking to branch out from its normal way of life will find extreme prejudice in all but the most accepting societies.

Constructs and Living Constructs
Constructs typically don't exist in separation from their masters. The most common place to find this type of 'life' is in Olfjön, being created and sold to the wealthy all over Sunthura. Living constructs, such as Warforged, are an extremely new 'race', and most people still question how 'alive' they really are.

Drow
While not necessarily 'monstrous' by themselves, the Drow's seclusion from civilized life and association with monstrous creatures places them in this category. They primarily live in the Tunnels Under, and are one of the most feared forces in that part of the world. Occasionally Drow will be spotted in the main world: in more diverse cultures people may be anywhere from prejudiced against them to perfectly accepting, while in isolated and uneducated areas, Drow are seen as either abnormal elves, literal demons, or evil omens.

Undead
In general undead, including intelligent undead, are regarded with a large amount of trepidation by the populace. In some parts of Shiania they may be tolerated, and in Olfjön they are objects of experimentation, but by and large undead (and those that wield them) are shunned to the outskirts of society or must hide their condition. Interestingly, in some parts of the world the creation of mindless undead happens naturally over an extended period of time. (Or rather, the unnatural event happens spontaneously.) It is not unheard of, although upsetting, for a body that has long been left deceased to suddenly rise as a zombie or skeleton. This event seems to increase in the presence of greater numbers of undead.

Others
The lands of Sunthura are diverse and varied: certainly other types of monstrous creatures exist. If they have formed some kind of society it is not one generally known to the public, or is small and isolated.

[El'the Ellie]

Gods, Cosmology, and the Worlds Beyond

Gods
The gods of Sunthura are a diverse bunch, and although they influence the world greatly, they are shrouded in mystery. More often than not their will is carried out by one or more avatars, who may even delegate tasks down further to divine beings or particularly devout followers. People of different lifestyles will worship gods that fit their beliefs, needs, or traditions though few places actually enforce worship to a particular one. Pelor, Kord, and Saint Cuthbert are the most common gods revered in day-to-day life. The gods, their underlings, portfolios, personalities, and dogmas are as described in the Player's Handbook (D&D3.5), as well as in supplemental books, such as Deities and Demigods.

Planar Cosmology
Dimensions exist beyond those that Sunthura exists on: beyond the Material Plane. Unlike Sunthura, these are realms of existence that exist extending in all directions, forever. Travel between planes on Suthura is rare, but not unheard of. This kind of travel is typically the domain of divine intervention, extraordinary feats of engineering, certain rituals of arcane or divine magic, or done by creatures on other planes. Whatever the cause, travelling between planes is dangerous and uncertain, and only done when the need is great. The other planes that exist are essentially as described in the section of the Dungeon Master's Guide (D&D3.5) which details planes, and in supplemental books describing the planes.

Worlds Beyond
Although it may be difficult to tell on the map, Sunthura is a spherical planet: one may cross from Shiania to Criose travelling west along the ocean. Creatures on Sunthura have often looked up at the sky and wondered, but of course, none have travelled beyond. The sun rolls across the sky during the day, travelling east to west. At night Sunthura's two moons, Astfa and Voyoh, move in more or less the same direction (northeast to southwest). Astfa is the greater of the two and often called the Older Sister, because it leads Voyoh (Younger Brother) across the sky with little space between them. Astfa glows a pale white, while Voyoh is a deep purple, and harder to see against the night sky.

[El'the Ellie]

Magic and Psionics

Divine magic has always been a part of Sunthura: perhaps unsurprising, since it was the gods who created the world. Druids and the like can feel the ancient magic buried underground and in some of the oldest living things. Some places on Sunthura simply defy any explanation, except that it is the will of the gods that they exist. Creatures closely attuned with nature, such as fey, can feel this as well.
As sentient creatures were introduced, so to was story and song. When the land was still young and malleable, the magic of song and passion was created. Since it was not tethered to either the gods or the land, but rather the people themselves, this song-magic became the first arcane magic. Gradually as societies expanded, folks discovered that arcane forces could be controlled by ones will alone: by bypassing the musical root of arcane magic, spontaneous casters arose, for those who had the natural gift.
For many centuries magic was solely the territory of the fortunate or the devout, and the common people craved change. Through rigorous study and understanding, the people of Olfjön brought order to magic where many thought there was none, and they shared their discovery with the world. Thus the first wizards and other varieties of arcanists were born. Magic was available to all who had the desire to study (and who had the right resources and teachers). For many centuries more, things remained unchanged.
But as the world developed, so too did magic. In the past century, intrepid young engineers married arcane theories with mundane engineering concepts and created a new form of magic called artificing. Still rapidly expanding, this magic of construction is revolutionizing the world slowly but surely. For now it is mostly contained to Olfjön, but folks expect it to eventually migrate around the world.
There have been murmurs, growing in seriousness, of yet another type of 'artificial magic' in the past decade or so. This mind magic, or psionics, is mysterious: if any organizations know about it or how it works, they are keeping the knowledge to themselves. Because of the mystery around it, many who believe the rumors of psionics are terrified of its capabilities.

[El'the Ellie]

Technology

The level of technology varies astonishingly in Sunthura depending on where you are.
The nations of Olfjön undoubtedly dedicate the most time and resources to pushing the bounds of science and engineering, and it shows: trains have been used for a long time in Olfjön, with more comfortable and faster models being developed every few years. Mindless constructs are fabricated to do heavy manual labor for those with the resources, while rumors of 'living' constructs are gaining credence.
Criose doesn't develop much themselves, but typically obtains technology from Olfjön a few decades later. Much of northern Criose can be traversed on train, and outdated models of constructs from Olfjön are sold to work in fields, haul trade caravans, and so forth. Even those parts of Criose that cannot borrow from Olfjön are not so far behind. Decent metalworking and farming practices are common, but advances are more of the home-grown variety: built upon years of tradition and skill in a craft, rather than analytic understanding.
Shiania struggles to rival Olfjön, but more often than not its scarce resources and ancient practices hold the continent back. Every once in a while, however, Shianian 'success at any cost' mentality will succeed where Olfjön failed, but the creations are typically ones many countries would never consider (For example: the flesh golem).
Yamírkskol trails far behind the other countries. In most places of Yamírkskol, the people live simple lives: houses are either sturdy or large but not both, or are designed to be moved; metal and stone working, and magic, are known only by stories and traditions handed down; farming is done wherever the land is naturally fertile enough rather than turning unviable land fertile, although most food is either hunted or gathered.

[El'the Ellie]

This post should be enough for room to work above it. I'd love for people to comment or critique my work. (I realize that much of it is still under construction)

[WantLearn]

You said the agricultural nation is ruled by an elf queen. What tribe of elf? It might be awesome to have a tribe of plains elves who farm the land by day and run racing across the prairies by starlight

[El'the Ellie]

You said the agricultural nation is ruled by an elf queen. What tribe of elf? It might be awesome to have a tribe of plains elves who farm the land by day and run racing across the prairies by starlight

That is most certainly a possibility! I haven't quite gotten to races yet, but most civilized lands have a healthy mix of the 'playable' races. A lot of details are intentionally left with ambiguity so that I (or others if they would like to use this setting) can have flexibility for the players. In my mind Queen Laissir has been ruler of Veridnur for so long that whatever tribe she belonged to comes second behind the country itself. However, a DM is welcome to introduce a tribe of Prairie-dwelling elves to their campaign if they like. I like the image.

[WantLearn]

The center of Shiania is desert, so what kind of desert is it? If its the rock and gravel kind, metal working might be a prime industry there if ore bearing stone can just be picked up off the ground. If it's the sand dune variety, then sandstone buildings and the manufactury of glass might be prevalent

[El'the Ellie]

The center of Shiania is desert, so what kind of desert is it? If its the rock and gravel kind, metal working might be a prime industry there if ore bearing stone can just be picked up off the ground. If it's the sand dune variety, then sandstone buildings and the manufactury of glass might be prevalent

So again, not a topic I've quite gotten to yet.

[Blinkbear]

You wrote that the gods are those one can find in Deities and Demigods (and possibly other supplements?) -- only those that form the "Standard D&D Pantheon", or also others such as the Olympian Pantheon?

Even if the other pantheons are also worshipped - do those gods exist, or do the "standard" gods just care for those who worship them but under a different name?

[El'the Ellie]

The standard D&D pantheon exists, and takes care of those that worship gods from other cultures. Similar to how the Greeks worshiped Zeus and the Romans worshiped Jupiter, Nerull might answer those that pray to Hades. This is more common in out-of-touch towns that stick to old ways, where the names and dogmas of the gods have been skewed by years of tradition and oral record-keeping.

[Blinkbear]

Thanks, I have another question, this time regarding the city of Cythaos: Is that city somewhat comparable to any of the cities of our world in some given time period? Does it rather have an mediterranean/oriental/south american/... "vibe"?

[El'the Ellie]

Thanks, I have another question, this time regarding the city of Cythaos: Is that city somewhat comparable to any of the cities of our world in some given time period? Does it rather have an mediterranean/oriental/south american/... "vibe"?

In my mind the city is like Venice, if you blew it up to the size of New York city and stretched it out over a huge area. It is tropical and on the coast so the weather, dress, and lifestyle are similar in inspiration.

[Blinkbear]

Again, thank you! I hope you are not sick of my questions yet, because I have another one: What about languages? Does each country or region has its own? Are there a few that spill over the borders of countries as in the forgotten realms campaign setting? Or are there basically the racial languages and common?

[El'the Ellie]

Again, thank you! I hope you are not sick of my questions yet, because I have another one: What about languages? Does each country or region has its own? Are there a few that spill over the borders of countries as in the forgotten realms campaign setting? Or are there basically the racial languages and common?

The racial languages still rule for simplicity's sake, but different regions would presumably have different dialects.