Three realms (campaign setting)

[Somber Requiem]

Overview: This is a world that I am currently running. I'm writing it up on this thread to share and for suggestions and ideas to make things more interesting. While I started the world in 3.5, I am considering converting it to 4.0

Synopsis: Threkkis was a lost prime material world that was stumbled upon by divine beings who took advantage of the available real estate and moulded the life on the surface to their will. Ruins and evidence of a preexisting culture can be found all over the planet, but it remains a mystery as to who built them and for what purpose. Three landmasses exist, with the first, Irryn, being dominated my a magically, technologically, and industrially advanced civilization. The second landmass, Silviras, is predominated by traditional magic and is the homeland of elven and fae civilization with growing human settlements. The third, Auryn, is predominated by martial humans, dwarves, and bestials.

[Somber Requiem]

Race overview: In this world I employ all the 3.5 races except for half orcs. Due to player asshattery I really don't use orcs any more in this setting, but it wouldn't be hard to incorporate them.

Dwarves: One of the two predominant races of Auryn, the dwarves are a declining race. Once the sole inhabitors of the Goldenspires, they created great sprawling cities of stone that stretched from mountain to mountain in an interconnected series of fortresses that the Dwarven people considered impregnible. The Dwarven realm of Mordathel subjugated primitive humans as workers both above ground and beneath it. Many of these humans who fled from their dwarven masters ended up founding the cities of the Chalean states. At the zenith of their empire, the Dwarves tapped into ruins beneath the Goldenspires and released an energy that decimated the mountain range. Five of the greatest cities were buried under rubble and volcanic flows. The Dwarves were forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge with human settlements to the north. While still hurting from their enslavement, the humans greatly valued dwarven stonework and metalsmithing, and so accepted them into their cities. Dwarves still segrigate themselves into 'dwarven districts' in human cities, usually built underneath human settlements.

Dwarves are a dour and taciturn lot licking their wounds and resenting the loss of their kingdom three centuries ago. Many younger dwarves, however, are looking to the future or returning to the ruins of Mordathel searching for relics of power.

Elves: The elves of Silviras are the predominant race of the north eastern continent. Living for centuries they too cultivated a spectatular civilization that stretched from one end of the continent to the other. With their long lives and mastery of arcane forces, the Elves of Silviras could have easily dominated the world, had they not turned one against the other. A war of succession between two princes resulted in the kingdom of Correlieon being torn asunder. Master swordsmen fought for prestige and honor. Wisard battled wisard for magical dominance. In a single generation a kingdom that endured from the arrival of the gods for five thousand years perished.

Elves now find themselves forced into five factions. The Relith continues the civil war against the other four, demanding recognition and obediance and employing any tool to their ends. In contrast are the Sel'sulade, who have declared the old kingdom as dead and new orders and laws to be established. The Faewyrd are those elves who, seeking to escape the slaughter, appealed for sanctuary from their cousins the faerie. In their freeholds, they simply try to survive and forget the horrors elves wrought against elves. The Faeldom, or bloodtraitors, appealed to aid from the other continents and count halfelves as valued companions. The fifth faction, the Ashen, embraced a study of necromancy and death magic. Removing themselves from the conflict of their cousins, the Ashen seek peace and stability in their studies of the life beyond this one.

Elven attitudes align largely according to their faction. The Relith see all non-elven species as inferior and subservient. The Sel'sulade are slightly less intolerant, but still believe the entire continent belongs solely to the elven people. The Faewyrd are often fearful and reclusive, but are often tasked by their fae protectors on quests to the larger world. The Faeldom are welcoming to humans and halfelves. The Ashen are largely indifferent to all and irritated by those fearful of necromancy.

Gnomes: Gnomes have existed off the mainland of Selvires for centuries, enjoying the lush tropical islands that are their home. Gnomes are a people who value food and family above conquest and control. Their use of illusion magic has allowed them to remain largely safe from outside aggression, and many a would be invader has found themselves tromping for weeks through swealtering jungle loaded with disease after a gnomish city right around the corner. Gnomes are one of the most skilled seafaring races in Threkkis, with sloops that easily outsail any other vessel on the open ocean. Their relation with other races is generally benevolent abroad.

Gnomes are generally civilized, however, some splinter groups have adopted rituals of cannibalism and spirit worship. Employing deadly, sentient illusions these gnomes have caused a great deal of trouble for their fellow bretheren, and more danger for outsiders who venture on to their islands.

[Somber Requiem]

Lets see if I can do a little more before the forum locks on me.

Half Elves: Half elves like would not exist at all were it not for the Elven Opera: Oaths of Steel and Silver that portrayed a sorrowful elven woman being rescued from a loveless marriage be a noble, yet stupid, human barbarian. The Opera is widely regarded as one of the worst examples of elven music yet it enjoyed such popularity that it has yet to die out. Half elves live difficult lives. Elves consider their shortened lifespan to be proof that human blood is weak and unworthy to be combined with elves. Humans, particularly from Irryn, believe half elves to be weak and just as arrogant as their elven compatriots. Yet half elves persist and on the southern tip of Silviras thrive in the settlement of New Hope. Here three thousand half elves, along with a thousand humans, elves, and gnomes, try to live a life free from the annoyance and fears extended to them from abroad. The human cities of Auryn are also far more tolerant of half elves, and small populations can be found amid the human domains.

Half elves tend to be cautious with others as a rule. While some are ashamed to their lineage, others are proud of the circumstances of their birth. One common personality trait of Half elves is optimism. While always careful, half elves rarely abandon hope that their circumstances can improve.

Halflings: The halflings of Auryn are distant cousins of the gnomes of Silvinas, though where the former survive and thrive through veils of illusion halflings have maintained their independance through strength of arms. The Halfling kingdoms of Theras and Domirr have both been invaded numerous times by would be human, dwarven, and monsterous aggressors. All have failed, seeing their armies melt away from hit and run tactics, poisoned food stores, and officer assassinations. Halflings are practical, confident, and ruthless in defense of those they love, and it has been over a century since some one tried to invade the lands of 'helpless little people.'

While the halflings of Auryn abound in their homelands, they can be found in almost any settlement in the world. Halflings maintain close networks with each other and will generally assist other halflings. Most have few scruples of taking advantage of human gulibility, and exploit tales of halfling organized crime syndicates. Many halfling 'clans' are infact organized crime families, but only about half are affiliated with one and most criminal activies are targeted against other races and not fellow halflings. Only the most depraved clans would resort to such means.

Humans: Humans are one of the oldest races, and one of the most mysterious. No one diety claims credit for their creation with any reliability. Human ruins and remains have been found stretching millenia in Auryn. Despite this long history, humans have only emerged as a predominant species in the last millenia or so, and due to upsets suffered by elves and dwarves, have come to be a considerable force in recent days.

The humans of Auryn have been primitive for millenia, mixed between nomadic barbarians and escaped slaves. As their numbers grew the kingdom of Banak-Thusk formed, and a century later split into Banar and Thuskar. These kingdoms value strength and independance above all else. While Banar accepts dwarven refugees, Thuskar is in a state of defacto war with th dwarven race for their oppression of their ancestors. Further west from the Goldenspires is the Revered Kingdom. The oldest kingdom and domain in history, the Revered Kingdom is a sprawling mess of settlements and cities built atop ruins of old. While technically a kingdom, the nation is run by a massive and convoluted bureaucracy. Humans from the Revered Kingdom value patience above physical strength. South of the Revered Kingdom are the Chalean states, a number of city states united in a loose confederacy.

Much to the chagrin of the elves, there is a human kingdom off the coast of Silviras. Ashenhold is, to the elves, an abomination that is at best ignored and at worst an example of human short lived depravity. Ashenhold is a city of the dead, where necromancy is a way of life. Despite elven claims, the humans of Ashenhold value life and friendship and persue necromantic studies as a means of defense and economy. Ashenhold is home to the Ashen faction, more proof of human corruption, yet Ashenhold has never made an offensive attack against any elves of the mainland. The humans of Ashenhold live understanding that when they die their remains are to be animated for defense and work. A few more powerful individuals persist as benevolent ghosts or liches. Ashenhold is also a true democracy, with the dead getting an equal vote as the living, which develops some interesting politics.

The humans of Irryn are devided between the Irrynian empire and the Free Territories. Originally settled by humans from Auryn, Irryn has developed two societies vastly different from their homelands. The Irrynian empire is a technologically and industrially oriented society, using rabid nationalism and racism to promote unity. Contrary to popular opinions, the Irrynians value human life, but sees the sacrifice for the empire as noble.

The humans of the Free Territories are a number of towns and small cities aligned against Irrynian aggression. Placing ecological value over military power, they constantly struggle to maintain control over their lands. Without a truly united front, various bands of freedom fighters wage covert warfare against the empire, trying to undermine it both militarily and morally.

[Innis Cabal]

looks somewhat interesting, bolding will help you a ton.