Planet Addis
Read on Adventurer, and get a feel for some of the adventures that could take place on Addis.
Kingdoms of the East
Glorshire - click for map - Homeland of humankind. Possesses a wide variety of climates and excellent soil. Waterfalls, lakes, tundra, deep forests, and pillar cities of ancient rock all can be found here.
Crest/Coat
of Arms: A noble eagle clutching 8 olive branches in
one talon, one for each of the kingdoms of the East, and 10 swords in the
other. Theologians attribute Hresvelgr as being the eagle of Glorshire,
but the nature of the 10 swords varies depending on the scholar, some saying it
represents the Realms of the West, including Iciria, others give it a more
cryptic meaning dating back to the Old Kingdoms.
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Important Cities
Ghlor (capital): at the center of the kingdom laying near the Glorshire river and Lake Uhoop (pop 132,000)
Moria: A huge port city, that most of the trade goes through, the capital of commerce. Notably most of the construction is made of an odd moss-gray sea rock. (pop 50,600)
Ivellos Keep: a huge border castle, which guards the northern frontier.
Crimson Gateway: A new castle set in the mountain passes to the Southwest to guard from invasion/robbers.
Mac-Tal: A large port city and tourist attraction on lake Tal-mac the name is derived from the Mac-tal barbarians that once lived on these shores. Many rich come here to sunbathe during the summer and ski the slopes during winter. The barbarians having been long since exiled to the wilderness. (pop 67,400)
Iyyar - click for map: one of the most noble cities of Glorshire, many of the good folk reside here. (pop 25,500)
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Government
The Glorshire is a Constitutional Monarchy with a House of Lords (Barons, Dukes, Knights, etc) who vote in representation of their controlled lands. The head of the kingdom is the Lord President who is elected by the House every four years. He is also the commander-in-chief of the Glorshire Amy, Navy, and other special forces. The House Pyneshade and its dynastic kings currently rules. The Lord President’s power is limited in severe ways. The Lord may be the head of the government, but he has no ability to tax the people, that authority is in the power of the House of Lords. There is constant struggle between the dynastic houses and the House of Lords to get more power, of course this is a very fractured system with many different factions positioning for more and more power. This internal power struggle has led to many wars as Barons or the ruling houses themselves tried to secure more power for themselves in places outside the traditional borders of Glorshire. As a result, surrounding nations have started to support various factions, to gain a measure of control of the kingdom. Recently there have been more and more problems with the Barbarian Clans known to roam the northern steppes. Despite their peaceful and just creed, Glorshire is historically a very war-like nation.
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Geography
Glorshire is a large nation, covering a wide variety of climates. But the most dominant feature of Glorshire’s land is the wide plains in the center of the nation, to the south and west there are mountains, and to the east and north there is the Caraxian Ocean, giving the nation a very good defensive position. However to the north east there is wilderness and there is no formal border with the nation of Algamoc.
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Economy
They have a very diverse economy to say the least with a large urbanization some 10% of the population living in cities. There is a huge amount of fishing, farming and mining within the kingdom. The central plains produce most of the food within the nation, and are considered to be the breadbasket of the Eastern Continent. That alone makes them a powerful nation, but that’s not all. In the mountains in the south-west of the kingdom there are gold mines. Both of the neighboring kingdoms of Agital and Ambrosia claimed those mines and led to several bloody wars. However they are also a huge trading nation, thanks to their geographic position they are in good place to trade with the lands of the East. Their main exports being agricultural goods and luxury items.
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Inhabitants
The people of Glorshire, are predominantly human. But with the amount of wars the nation has been there is a large chunk of the population that is half-breed. There are also minorities of other races that have been absorbed from territory gained through warfare. In all there is a wide range of people with humans being the majority. Population distribution: Elf 5%, Human 85%, Dwarf 4%, Nomrin: 3%, Mixed: 3%, Other: 0%.
Ambrosia – click for map - Land of mountains and the vast Ambrosian plains, the peaceful winds bring the dreams of the Gods, it is said. Here elves blend with human-kind and all good Demi-human races can be found. The Monarch of Ambrosia is descended of a royal bloodline, though always possesses arcane power, but may choose to marry any other their offspring becoming noble.
Crest/Coat
of Arms: A dancing oriental dragon above a forked
river, with icons of Ambrosia about it.
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Important places
Ambrose (capitol): Elven for “City of magic,” sits on an island in the middle of the largest river in the east, the River of the Dancing Dragon. (Pop: 98,800)
Mal’teran: Is on the delta of the Dancing Dragon, the gateway into the kingdom by sea, also the most populous (Pop: 128,300)
Forest Rose: A city near the border of Verdane, city that’s mostly populated by elves (60%) (Pop 45,500)
Saddle-Karven: A city that is on the plains spiraling out of the endless vine yards of the country. (Pop 65,500)
Bandalos: a port city that conducts the exports of Ambrosia to the west, given its proximity to the giant lands virtually any traveler may be encountered here, including a wide variety of races human and otherwise. Bandalos is known for its rare and arcane wares. (Pop 70,000)
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Government
Ambrosia is a Magiocracy, ruled by the most powerful of the Ambrosian Magical Guilds. The current ruler is a half-elf called Sylvanius. While they do not seem over consumed by political life, beneath all the fun and games there lies a viscous network of political intrigue. Scheming and weaving is the name of the game. Of course this is a rather civil sort. There is very little in terms of ‘black ops’. In this game everyone participates, for in Ambrosia titles of nobility mean very little. So the name of the game is magic and money, if you have it then good, if you don’t have it; you want it. Also due its unique racial composition, Ambrosia is regarded as a neutral nation by the others and most of negotiations between nations are held there. Due to that fact Ambrosia has the highest amount of spies within its borders.
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Geography
This is a pleasant land of rivers, forests and fields. It being in a mostly sub-tropical zone gives it the perfect climate to raise fruits. The costal forests run from the mountains bordering Glorshire, all the way to Verdane. The cold and powerful Ghlor River slices along its western border with the highlands of Agital. The land is not rich in mineral deposits, but the agriculture is of the highest quaility.
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Economy
Most of the economy in Ambrosia is based on export of their exotic foods. However they are most know for their wines, and other alcoholic beverages. Due to their unique makeup of the population the many traditions of making alcohol has been combined to create a superior product. Realizing that they are not rich in mineral deposits Ambrosia has turned itself to become the Cultural center of the continent, boasting some of the finest art galleries, theater, and music.
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Inhabitants
Ambrosia was founded by refugees, migrants, and in some cases escaped slaves. Political exiles and pioneers from various parts of the continent thus they have a very large mix of people living there. The people of Ambrosia are very tolerant of other races, and half-breeds are not viewed as freaks of nature. In fact they are accepted as any other person living there, and the bulk of the population can trace somewhere in its genealogy a member of a race that wasn’t their parents. Population distribution: Elf 25%, Human 30%, Dwarf 10%, Nomrin: 5%, Mixed: 20%, Other: 10%.
Agital – click for map -- Mountain-kingdom of the Dwarves, bordered on the west by the temperate Borax Desert. “Gate of the Larn Pass,” protector of the good lands (Glorshire, Ambrosia, Verdane) from the Giants of Mantrix. Capitol city: Dyrsync.
Crest/Coat of Arms: A triple sword glowing of red metal being wrought on the Forge of Creation.
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Important Places
Hammerdal (capitol): The Inner city of Agital, named after the God of Dwarves, located within the tallest mountain in the kingdom, there absolutely no other races allowed with the exception of dwarves, and by size it is also the smallest of the capital cities. (Pop: 23k)
Dyrsync: The stronghold city is also one of the cities that allows trade within its upper floor called the Commerce Zone, it guards the kingdoms of Glorshire, Ambrosia and Verdane from invasion. Therefore the three pitch in to support the city. Also home to the Darkmantle Institute, an eccentric college of supernatural investigation, creature discovery and monster fighting. (Pop: 53k)
Dwarnoi Sanctuary: Home of the Stone Mages, dwarven cleric/wizards of a unique class that are as attuned to the earths as elves or druids.
Cys: One of the most important cities, for agriculture is centered around it. Pronounced “Kai-eez” (Pop15k)
Arrowlith: The greatest manufacturing city in the kingdom, that produces most of the goods they export, also allows trade. (Pop: 39k)
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Government
Agital is a kingdom ruled by the Dwarves, and they are a traditional good old fashioned feudal Monarchy. With the king on the top and the lesser lords swear allegiance to him. Traditionally this system has rather unstable with various nobles trying to gain more power, at the king’s expense. But the way Dwarven society is structured, breaking ones oath is seen as worse then death; this provides them with a very stable monarchy. The king tends to delegate authority over local areas so the concerns of the area are quickly dealt with.
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Geography
80% of the kingdom is mountains, with only narrow passes, few river gorges to pass it. There are however limited forests and plains. All the available surface that can be farmed is farmed. The kingdom’s weather is extreme with most of the country buried under snow for most of the year. Mountain dwarves cross the summits on Cavern Lizards. To the south, especially in the region of the Thunder Peaks, the mountains are wild and untamed, often inhabited by monsters and beings from Mantrix.
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Economy
Agital has probably the most fragile economy of all the kingdoms of the east. A prolonged winter, or bad weather conditions can plunge the kingdom into a famine, so they are always looking to buy food from the other kingdoms. With the buying of food the dwarves keep a good eye for other primary materials that is for sale. However the kingdom is extremely rich in natural ores, and the Dwarves guard them jealously. Most of the internal economy is based on mining, and manufacturing. To circumvent the extreme geography most of the kingdom is underground connected by a series of tunnels. They also restrict trade with the other kingdoms to a couple cities, and do not encourage the travel into the depths of the kingdom to non-dwarves.
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Inhabitants
They have a very ethnocentric population, with dwarves making up 85% of the entire residential population; the non-dwarves tend to live in the few cities that they allow trade. The dwarves are very family oriented, and for the most part many generations live in a household. It is also a very patricidal society. Total population: 3million
The Darklands - click for map - a shadowy region of thunder and lightning. Home of the Thunder Steppes, a mountainous region of perpetual lightning and chaos. The Darklands are so named due to the fact that control is mixed between humans, Jotun-kin and the rule of Thorgothan, a race of beings that can no longer be called human. With enemies to the west and south, the Darklands are essentially the first wall of defense against the invading hordes of Mantrix and Thorgothan.
Known Crest/Coat of Arms (Thunderhold): An outstretched eagle's claw surrounded by stars and lightning.
Known Crest/Coat of Arms (Kaldrus): A lance mounted by antlers, pennon flag shows the face of a Kobold.
Known Crest/Coat of Arms (Xogoth): A stylized and flame-swept Eye of Xogoth with a battle axe and dagger.
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Important Places
Isle of Phantasms: a haunted island in the middle of the Ghlor River, it is one of the only accesses to the Darklands.
Icenife: ruled by friendly barbarians led by the clan of Ashon and Leia Icenife. (Pop 3,000)
Thunderhold: A dark castle city on an impenatrable precipice. Ruled by fanatic templars known as the Thunderhold Cabbal.
Thorgothan: a place so evil the mountain itself is a mutated. The rulers are called the Darklords and are powerful wizards left from the great wars. Slave masters and invokers of necromancy, their knights are said to be unliving and carry a Skull Lance a cursed talisman with a screaming and tortured head a the tip.
Xogoth: Rule of Jotun-kin, their god is said to live in the mountain itself: The Eye of Xogoth.
Vale of the Ancients: ruins of an ancient and techological civilization, 3 factions ruled here: the Ixarians, the Grezgul and the Antherions.
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Government
The only recognized government would the that of Thunderhold, and possibly Icenife.
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Geography
Very mountainous, the passes are about the only way to travel. Lightning, mudslides, and sinkholes are a hazard here.
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Economy
While some farming is possible, most of the funding comes from other countries like Ambrosia and Verdane who have a military interest.
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Inhabitants
Human and Barbarian, some Dwarves and Nomrin. Pop estimated 100,000. Other inhabitants are Jotun-kin or more terrible mutations, count unknown.
Mantrix –Burning Sands of the West, Iron-land of the Giant-kin. Mostly badlands, this place is walled by towering black mountains. Somewhere in its inner heart lies the mountain-keep of Jammatin the Rock-Jotun, the legendary king of all Giant-kin. Due to the inhospitable environment and even less accommodating monstrous humanoid population, relatively little is knows about this Kingdom.
Known Crest/Coat of Arms (Jotuns): A Skull with crossed axe and morningstar.
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Important Places
Human Cities: the human cities dotted across the harsh
terrain are powerful warrior strongholds normally built to guard or keep a
particular special resource such as a gemstone mine or even a place of magic.
Keep of Jammatin: unknown
lair of a Jotun-king with the head of a boulder and iron hard skin.
Seven Fabled Cities of Mantrix: tales tell of seven lost cities one for each legendary
race of Mantrix; Humans, Djinn, Sphinx, Giants, Goblins and Trolls.
Oasises: Water sanctuaries that form or remain from the sparse storms and underground waters of the desert.
Trading Posts: Places where wanderers can come to barter and trade. Many search these lands for the rare and powerful magic of the Troll-kind.
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Government
They have a king. That’s about all, he rules with an iron-fist and tries his best too keep a firm hold on the lesser clan chiefs. It is a brutal system where only the strong survive, and the king has to build is throne on the bones of the ones he has vanquished.
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Geography
Most of the Geography is not very favorable to life. The land is not very good for farming, and there are bogs in the northern slopes. It is surrounded by a mountain range that is very hard to pass, and there also dwarves in the mountain range. The monstrous inhabitants ride on rugged flying creatures called Kraan. The more powerful have even tamed enormous creatures called Zlaan-beasts that resemble reptilian Rocs.
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Economy
It is mostly based on a barter system. What they can not get for themselves they raid into the other realms.
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Inhabitants
The people are hard, brutal and savage. They are used to being in a constant battle with themselves, or with their environment. Due to bad land they can not allow their population to grow so they often expose their young to the elements. Population: 831k
Algamoc – The wilderlands. Largely unexplored by the good races, save a few bold cities in the cold valley between the Juggernaut and Splinterfang Mountains. The only well known feature is the massive Perda Swamp at Algamoc’s entry from the east. It is known that the monstrous races of Mantrix have long since haunted this place. The neutral human city of Emrikond is on its northwestern shore. Many military strongholds exist in the mountains here from neighboring Gologhom and the Endryl Dynasty.
Crest/Coat
of Arms (Emrikond): A city of many spires symbolizing Chaos over
a stormy, icy, snowy, or thunderstruck mountainscape.
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Important Places
Emrikond: that largest city-state, and the most powerful in the area. Has a thriving port. Ruler: Emrikond the Chaotic (pop: 43k mostly human)
Prakka Colonies: Established on the northern coast, individually they are not important but they represent a powerful empire. (Colonial population: 12k)
Vallheim: The Longhall of the organized Barbarian societies. These people know how to live in the northern climes and brave the winters. Rulers: Atilla Nalo the tan-skinned Valkyrie and Atan Nalo, twin warriors. (pop: 18k)
Ecalad: A huge city walled in like a massive castle. An architectural and artistic masterpiece but appears to be not taken care of. There is rubble and loose material paper, cloth, bones, etc. blows across the streets, walls and signs are ill kempt, and the houses, towers, trees, and appear vacant. Ruled by the Great One whom none have ever seen. (pop: 50k)
Scalesport: A thriving port, little more ran by the Dragon Turtle known as Scales. (pop: 800-1000)
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Government
They are a loose collection of tribes, with no leader to speak of outside their own small local domain. Unlike the Giants of Mantrix they are more or less at peace. However there is the constant danger that the neighbor will come by for a visit. There is no single state, but rather a massive network of individual domains, some larger some smaller. It would be near impossible to try and figure out the power struggles within. Also there are many varieties of tribes, some are more civilized some are barbaric. Most of the ‘civilization’ takes place on the southern and northern shores, in a variety of city states. Also Prakka has established small colonies on the northern shore.
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Geography
The south is rather pleasant for inhabitation, while the north is tundra. Some areas can even qualify as being artic. The topography ranges from mild hills to some large mountains there are many rivers and forests, and but a few roads to speak off. The roads are mostly between the big civilized cities on the southern coast, and they tend to lead to the other civilized kingdoms. The land is divided by the presence of two large ranges: the Juggernaut mountains and the Splinterfang mountains. The valley between is a pleasant green tundra during summer turning to a cold artic plane during winter bringing out animals who thrive here only during the icy climes which do take roughly 170 of the 249½ days of the Addis year beginning as early as Autumn and lasting into what would be the Spring season for the other parts of the continent.
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Algamoc Economy
Once again it depends from place to place. In one place it is very well developed (southern cities on the coast), dealing heavily in trade. To barter system, and then to more direct way of getting goods: raiding. The well developed areas are not the richest in the land, they are getting but with a very slight accumulation of wealth. Those areas mainly practice in the export of primary goods, however the staple of their economy is the fur and logging industries. The product they are most proud of however is their shipbuilding, building many ships for merchants, and occasionally get a contract for a warship. They are fast, sturdy and efficient vessels nothing overly complicated.
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Inhabitants
The people are diverse, however they tend to stick together in clans. The primary language here is Caraxian, the Cold Tongue, as its called by nations who speak the language. A small group of ogres, or hobgoblins is not uncommon, at least in the wild parts of Algamoc. In the south, humans and elves are to be found in the cities, with a small minority of dwarves. Overall this land is dominated by human population, although Fruzian Wood Elves are known to exist here living among the ancient and dark pine copses of the slopes of both the Juggernaut and Splinterfang mountains. The barbarians in the north, with the exclusion of Vallheim, have recently moved south because of Prakka’s expansion, into land that are thought to be part of Glorshire. With the racial clusters, most of the population doesn’t look all that favorably at half-breeds, and are extremely frowned upon if they are not part of the civilized races. Population: 2.3million (55% Human, 10% Elf, 5% Dwarf, 30% other)
Gologhom – The lands of the West. This kingdom is runder the rulership of the Endryl Dynasty and its half-dragon nobles and scattered throughout the lands. Though frequented by attacks from the Jotuns and monsters of neighboring Mantrix, Gologhom is one of the strongest empires on the continent flourishing in trade in such cities as Scalesport.
Verdane / Ancient Verdane – This peninsula is the green land of the Light Elves: Gray, Forest, Aquatic, and Silver. According to legend, Ancient Verdane is the original home of the Elves as they were made by the Gods. Here lay the ancient ruins of Daccor, a city where once Light Elves and Dark Elves co-existed one city atop the other, until the “Reaving of the Earth” occurred around the year –1450 v.T. This left the once magnificent city in ruins. The Dark Elves moved deep into the underdark and founded cities there, the primary being called Mal Daccor. The Silver Elves built and ruled the world of light from the city of Verdane. The Forest Elves remained in the West of the peninsula and it is now called Ancient Verdane. This region is also home to the legendary High Elven Tower of Magic on the mysterious Isle of Lune. Capitol city: Verdane City.
Isle of Uriél: A dark and largely unexplored island of immense size. Few venture to its shores due to tales of the hostile creatures and prehistoric beasts that roam its landscape. The ships who agree to travel to it’s forbidden shores are reputed as being haunted. Many shipwrecks have been found only to leave no trace of the crew or an attempt at rescue. On the inhabited shores perch dark cities of iniquity. Deeper in are non-human races and ruins of gods best left sleeping. Rumors of forgotten treasure hoards of dead fiends seem to always bring adventurers here (evil has a way of amassing wealth beyond any man.)
Realms of the WEST
Cordain – Shared
and peaceful home of both Elves and Dwarves of the West. The dwarves inhabit
the Mountains while the Wood Elves inhabit the Forests around and below the
mountains. The dwarves keep many mountain strongholds, watchtowers, and trading
posts here such as Hymbrasyn, Barbos Ton, Winzerfiphe, Valintanto, and Eglos.
They keep constant vigil against the furnaces and creatures of Drakken. This
kingdom is friendly with Dyrsync’s Dwarves and they even claim kin-ship. The
dwarven capitol known as Xelemondrandon is located in a huge citadel of rock in
the center of the mountains said to have a view for hundreds of miles around.
The dwarven king of Cordain is Jhevin Silverstone. For the elves Klemore, the
sacred Ethyn Valley, and the capitol, Riverhome are the mainstays. Sea Elves
swim the rivers and live amongst the coral reefs led by the webbed aquatic elf
known as Seashadow. Wild Elves range the southern plains and keep watch on the
inhabitants of Niddhogg.
Lands of the North
The Underdark
The most unknown Realm of all lies beneath the sun-lit world of Addis--vast networks of caverns, winding corridors, and black rivers weave the halls of the underground. It is known as the Underdark, a lightless place of mystery and terrifying monsters. Legends abound of this place telling of strange inhabitants, lost cities, magical areas, and fabled treasures. Few brave explorers even discover its entrances and exits, and even fewer return from their journey within. While there are many natural cave systems dotting the mountains and lands of Addis, few stretch as deep as the Underdark itself, therefore this realm is only a myth to most. However if you listen closely to the slurred tales of old, retired adventurers in the right inns and taverns, you may catch a fleeting clue as to the secrets of this twilight realm.
Chthonos, the Lost Island-Continent
Between the
East and West lies the Realm of Chthonos.
It is a truly magical land where that which is common is put aside and
the fantastic, terrifying, and magical come to the forefront. Many legends, myths, and parables come from
Chthonos. It is a smaller continent
being only about 750 miles in total length.
Truly rare is this land that it has never been ravaged by any major
wars. All of known Chthonos is human,
the other inhabitants taking on the form of elementals and true spirits of the
earth as in the tales of old. It is
ruled by the following houses: