Post by Valen Storyteller on Jan 26, 2016 5:06:26 GMT
Eos is a large world, and much of it remains shrouded in mystery for most people of the Valenpoint Peninsula. For centuries the region had been a backwater of the Samaran Empire, hearing only wild tales of what lies beyond their borders. Only now are explorers and ambassadors traveling and learning what lies beyond.
Valenpoint is a peninsula, jutting out from the continent of Eryx. Eryx's mountainous coast separates it from Valen, with the only road across being a broad, well-paved imperial road that leads to Spinal, the City at the Edge. Beyond those mountains lies a vast continent, at the far side of which the Samaran Empire still exists,with its gleaming armies and fleets of sky-ships. Every generation sees the Empire lose another province, and as it retreats new nations and city-states are born, making for constantly shifting borders. Northwards along the coast of Eryx one finds Seldarra, a nation ruled by high elves which withstood numerous attempted invasions throughout the Samaran Empire's entire history, emerging stronger and harder for it.
Northwards from the Valenpoint Peninsula one finds the narrow Sea of Turmoil, a turbulent body of water frequently shaken by volcanism, earthquakes and freak waves. Some say that the unstable nature of the sea is the consequence of a vast war between magic-using peoples in the sea’s bottom, though just who those people are varies with every telling.
Past the Sea of Turmoil lies the northern continent of Aurora, a land of rugged mountains, broad moors and icy winters. In the far north of Aurora, it is said, winter never ends and nothing lives but dragons, giants and other monsters.
Eastwards from the Peninsula is a broad, deep sea dotted here and there with small islands, most of them small and isolated. On the other side of that vast sea is the continent of Klinerra, an exotic land where the Thri-Kreen Kingdom of the Celestial Mantis comes from, as well as several other, more remote nations.
The Peninsula is bordered on the south by the Bay of Valen, a warm, shallow sea teeming with life and of easy navigability. In its depths are some friendly nations of sea elves and mermen, sometimes beset by barbaric kuo-toa and locathah. Past the Bay of Valen stretches Faytan, a foreboding land of wild weather, warm days year round and dotted with kingdoms and empires ruled by dragon-kin - or even full-blooded dragons. A land bridge links Faytan and Eryx, though the two are generally considered separate continents. The city on that land bridge, Myrrean, is widely renowned as the heart of trade for much of the world, even seeing frequent visits from Valenians.
Far to the south in Faytan is found Sammarach, the original homeland of the Samaran Empire. Among the first regions lost in the Empire's contractions, it is said that the capital itself was sacked by an army of fiends invading from the planes.
There is much to Eos which could not be drawn in a map. Upwards, some nations exist that live entirely in the rare floating islands, migrating from region to region with the seasons or the whims of its masters. Even further, one comes to Wildspace and the many odd nations and peoples who live away from Eos itself.
Downwards, dwarves, drow elves, mind flayers and worse continue wars that have already lasted four millenniums, with no winner in sight. Some say that the deeper one goes under Eos’ surface, the thinner the barrier between planes gets, leading to many stories of nations ruled by Efreeti, Salamanders and even fiends in the abyssal depths.
Valenpoint is a peninsula, jutting out from the continent of Eryx. Eryx's mountainous coast separates it from Valen, with the only road across being a broad, well-paved imperial road that leads to Spinal, the City at the Edge. Beyond those mountains lies a vast continent, at the far side of which the Samaran Empire still exists,with its gleaming armies and fleets of sky-ships. Every generation sees the Empire lose another province, and as it retreats new nations and city-states are born, making for constantly shifting borders. Northwards along the coast of Eryx one finds Seldarra, a nation ruled by high elves which withstood numerous attempted invasions throughout the Samaran Empire's entire history, emerging stronger and harder for it.
Northwards from the Valenpoint Peninsula one finds the narrow Sea of Turmoil, a turbulent body of water frequently shaken by volcanism, earthquakes and freak waves. Some say that the unstable nature of the sea is the consequence of a vast war between magic-using peoples in the sea’s bottom, though just who those people are varies with every telling.
Past the Sea of Turmoil lies the northern continent of Aurora, a land of rugged mountains, broad moors and icy winters. In the far north of Aurora, it is said, winter never ends and nothing lives but dragons, giants and other monsters.
Eastwards from the Peninsula is a broad, deep sea dotted here and there with small islands, most of them small and isolated. On the other side of that vast sea is the continent of Klinerra, an exotic land where the Thri-Kreen Kingdom of the Celestial Mantis comes from, as well as several other, more remote nations.
The Peninsula is bordered on the south by the Bay of Valen, a warm, shallow sea teeming with life and of easy navigability. In its depths are some friendly nations of sea elves and mermen, sometimes beset by barbaric kuo-toa and locathah. Past the Bay of Valen stretches Faytan, a foreboding land of wild weather, warm days year round and dotted with kingdoms and empires ruled by dragon-kin - or even full-blooded dragons. A land bridge links Faytan and Eryx, though the two are generally considered separate continents. The city on that land bridge, Myrrean, is widely renowned as the heart of trade for much of the world, even seeing frequent visits from Valenians.
Far to the south in Faytan is found Sammarach, the original homeland of the Samaran Empire. Among the first regions lost in the Empire's contractions, it is said that the capital itself was sacked by an army of fiends invading from the planes.
There is much to Eos which could not be drawn in a map. Upwards, some nations exist that live entirely in the rare floating islands, migrating from region to region with the seasons or the whims of its masters. Even further, one comes to Wildspace and the many odd nations and peoples who live away from Eos itself.
Downwards, dwarves, drow elves, mind flayers and worse continue wars that have already lasted four millenniums, with no winner in sight. Some say that the deeper one goes under Eos’ surface, the thinner the barrier between planes gets, leading to many stories of nations ruled by Efreeti, Salamanders and even fiends in the abyssal depths.