Geography

[BigRedRod]

I'm gonna see what happens with the images. I may just place links if i have problems

It isnt important to read all of this (unless you want to). It only contains info that provides a deeper insight into the land and the empires.

ah time to show of my patheric mastery of graphics :) please dont laugh these pics just shows the general world and the key features, i realise i've missed bits off i'll add them

The contient that Vodalia is on is called Ku'Zul

It was the centre of the Gold Dwarf Empire
It was warped slighlty as a result of the apocalypse and the gold dwarves fell from being the most common species
Many other Species arrived after the apocalypse
The result of this is that most cities are originally of dwarvern orign but have now changed in the past 300 years
The apocalypse did more than kill dwarves the contient has changed shape slightly (for example Pandoras Teeth are now higher in general), the central north of the contient is now extremly cold and hostile and is home to bands of nomads and a kingdom that holds both gold and shield dwarves

this map shows the general form of the world and some of the more prominent geographical features :

http://cs.bris.ac.uk/home/ts2584/PBP/K-Geog.gif

i'll now mention each of the important "natural" features of the contient

The Sea of Chaos
Originally (i.e. before 0 ATA) the contient of Ku'Zul was close to other contients. However ATA the contient seems alone in a rough and deadly sea to the north west lie the Broken Isles, these are uncivilised but believed to contain immense wealth (the mountains are said to contain admantine, gold and many types of gemstones. Over the years there have been numerous attempts to colonise the islands, all have quickly failed, however those than existed for over a few months managed to explore some of the islands and tell of their findings to the supply ships that would arrive (and so some rough maps exist, as do several artifacts that the colonits "traded" for with some of the local tribes. ). The colonies have been detroyed in a variety of ways, but no survivors have ever been found.

The Ruby Sands
This desert is part of the Dauthim empire which has cities near the oasis'. The desert is made up of sand and rocks which vary from yellow to deep ruby red. Some claim the red areas are from the blood of V'ran and Xzar during the apocalypse, this has never been proven. However the desert is a very dangerous place and the cities here are high walled and very defensive.

Ilshen's Forest
This forest grew very rapidly after the apocalypse, most see it as blessed by the Godess of Nature (Ilshen). Although it has existed for just over 300 years it would appear to have always been part of Ku'Zul. A large section of he forest has been demolished recently to allow a road to go from Vodan to Hitchess.

Quirion
Quirion is the name of the forest that covers most of The Quirion Empire. Quirion is home to many creatures but very little evil. It is still a young forest but it is spreading slowly. The Quirion empire is said to have created this forest ATA so that the elves (sun, moon and wood ) had a place to live.


The Horned Woods
The trees in this forest are twisted and dark from the magic that leaked from the tower within. The tower was originally home to the Archmage Brell who attmepted to take over Oran (105 ATA), his attempt failed but the creatures that he created still occupy this wood. Other creatures also occupy this forest that have been warped like the trees

The Fire Rift Mountains
This mountain tange is dotted with volcanoes and splits in the earth. The sky above the area is almost always grey or red with the fire and dust. The mountains here are not all that large and are fairly easy to climb (as mountineering goes). This area was volcanic before the Apocalypse and seems on the whole fairly unaffected. There are rumours of a number of drow cities in the caverns beneath these areas however these cavenrs have never been mapped and exploration crews tend to just dissapear

The Misty Mountains
As the name implys this mountain range is always covered in a veil of mist. They are the tallest mountains on Ku'Zul and no one has ever been recorded to have crossed the mountains. However from before the apocalypse tunnels exist through the mountain. These tunnels also pass through a long abandoned dwarvern city (once called MistHaven), most believe this city to be hanunted by the people that died on Ku'Zul during the apocalypse.

The Shield Peaks
This mountain range was created during the apocalypse and is made from very tough stone that has prevented much mining of the iron and mithral deposits it contains. The Central Vodalian Military Academy has been constructed in these mountains

The Cold Wall
These mountains contain very large networks of tunnels, some have collapsed but most remain in tact. However since the apocalypse Duergar have frequently been seen around the wall. There are rumors that there is a Gray Dwarf city under Wall. However this city has never been seen.

The Frozen Mountains
The Snow is constant on these mountains, the Gold dwarf capital is still inside these mountains although now it is a seat of power for gold and shield dwarves who live in Kjeld. These mountains have extensive gold deposits

Pandora's Teeth
Pandora's teeth were orginally a large group of sharp, pointed stones that stuck up out of the ground. However they rose out of the ground during the apocalypse forming this mountain range.

The Blood Mrash
This enormous marsh is home to many creatures including the infamous Jack of Tears and the carnival of shadows. It has never been fully mapped, and most partial mpas opf the area now seem incorrect. The marsh existed before the apocalypse, it is unknown whether jack of tears did however. Some claim he did, some claim it was another who called himself the same.

The Ice Plains
This frozen expanse of plainsland is occupied by occasional Kjeld settlements and large amounts of nomadic ribes that hunt the Rothe and other cold dwelling creatures. This area was once a large area of fertile plains but the apocalypse froze it over.

The shattered Crossing Isles
Those that survied the apocalypse claimed that the area known now as Llandesh was once much larger but as Oranth surfaced during the apocalypse it seems to have destroyed an area of land that have become the Shattered Crossing Isles. This strip seems to have now shattered into a number of islands. On the whole the islands are uninhabited but some pirate strongholds and primitive tribes do exist in some places in the large amount of tiny islands

[BigRedRod]

The politcal map :
http://cs.bris.ac.uk/home/ts2584/PBP/K-Border.GIF

Vodalia
http://cs.bris.ac.uk/home/ts2584/PBP/K-Vodalia.GIF
Language : Vodalian
People : The Vodalians
The country of vodalia is mainly human in population (around 75%), the rest is half breeds (around 14%) and the remainder is elves, dwarves and misc species
in the year 208ATA Vodalia invaded the area south of Seran. This was then a seperate country (called Remanse, which was also the name of the title). For 17 years the war raged, the other countries tried not to get involved as they were still weak from the apocalypse (and some still are). Eventually Vodalia won (in the year 225ATA)
The area is rather hilly in the north. Flatter in the south and more fertile (including the area that was remanse).
Vodalia is controlled by the Vodalia royal family (who are human however they have advisors of most races to give them a number of different viewpoints on issues)
West Gate
originally a trade town with surrounding lands, however after the apocalypse the only trade partners it has are the Broken Isles, and this is rather unreliable. Now this town thrives manily becuase of people coming to watch the fights. The arena was built here in the year 120ATA
West gate is built at the end of the West river, which splits into two sepeate rivers before westgate. The rivers are known as the serpents (the more northen one is the Iclan and the southern one (nearest to west gate) is the Anlan
Vodan
The capital of Vodalian, named after Emperor Vodan who established the Empire . This city has the Central Vodalian Military Academy built i the mountaisn behind the city
The city is built along (and across) the river Vodan which travels to Hirchess before merging with the fast flowing River Obsidian and the much slower River Steel.
Hirchess
The trade centre of Vodalia. This town is built where the Vodan and Obsidian become the Golden River (named because the river contains traces of gold). The combination of trade routes and local gold dust (which has no known source as beither the Vodan or Obsidian have been found to carry gold)
have allowed this city to flourish. Almost anything can be bought here, the city is rather corput however and the thieves guild are gowing in power here
Tylbaer
This city has steadily gorwn since the foundation of the empire. It is a primary mining town, providing gold, silver, copper, and avergae amounts of most metals, along with huge amounts of iron which travel down the slow River Steel, and occasionally some mithral. However after the Cold Wall tunnel discovery this city has developed into a frontier town, people arrive to travel through the dangerous Gray Dwarf infested tunnels and out into the ice plains where the Rother can be found. Few such people return but the city profits from their preperations.
Kholtan
This city is large due to the amounts of adamantine that where discovered in the year 298ATA in the local Mount Macarban, the amount was small and despite the very small amount found since then people are willing to brave the dangers of the mountain (which is imbued with some magic) for the glory of finding a piece of adamantine . The town also trades with the elven kingdown of Quirion and mines other common metals (none are mined from Mount Macarban, that is left by the miners to the enthusastic fools who want glory)
Seran
This town is a fierce rival of Kheel. It operates a ferry service along with Kheel. It is almost completely controlled by the FerryMasters guild. The large amounts of trade from and to the red sands keep this town very active.
Kheel
Originally part of the Kingdom of Remanse, this city was one of the first to fall to the vodalian invasion. It has seen a great deal of conflict in its time. The city is a fierce rival of Seran, mainly due to the rivalry between the two Ferrymaster guilds (however the government has made it clear that the guilds will be dissolved if the rivalry manisfests in any serious problems). Although it produces few goods the area around the city are very flat and fertile, and so it is surrounded by a large amount of farms. The City trades foods with the Ruby Sands in exchange for Ruby sand goods.
Remanse
This was a large city of ornate buildings before the apocalypse and still some of those buildings remain showing their superior workmanship and expense to those around them. This City was once the Capital of the Kingdom of Remanse but after Vodalia conquered them it has declined slightly, this is also due to increasing fear aobut the growing power of the carnival of shadows. Still this city remains famous for the beauty of its buildings and they have inspired many craftsmen meaning that this city is ahaven for architects and other craftsmen.
Onaver
Onaver is one of the few cities that did not orignally at least in part exist before the apocalypse. It is built around the large lake Onaver which is fed bythe river Onaver (originating in the Misty Mountains. This was a fishing town but it has gown steadily into a small city. The Nearby Misty mountains attract many explorers who wish to chart the height. No one has ever been recorded to have corssed the misty mountains yet, some return speaking of a huge dragon that creates the mist, others talk of creatures that are born from mist. Still Onaver is a relativly safe town, it has very few agressive creatures living in the surrounding countryside and has only been attacked once in its history.

Dauthim
Language : Dauth
People : The Dauth
The Dauthim Kingdom contains a great variety of races. The royal family are Air Gensai. Howevever there are still many humans in this land, Gnomes (Rock) and Halflings (StrongHeart and Lightfoot) are almost as common (23% human, 19% Gnomes, Halflings 21%). The remainer is a misxture of all other races imaginable, a large number of Gensai can be found too in this country, these are clearly related to the large number of genies that inhabit the ruby sands.The Dauthim Kingdom is largely made up of the flat rolling Ruby Sands. However in the north east there is an area of flat wet hills and here the capital of Eron can be found this is the largest town of all of Dauthim, the others tend to be farming comunities or small walled oasis cities.

Quirion
Language : Elvish
People : Quirion
The secretive Kingdom of Quirion is home to sun,moon and wood elves (34%, 35% and 30%). The other small segment of population is favoured by the elves for some reason. The Kingdom has four gate towns. These are the only ares that "outsides" may access. The townsa re named after their relative positions. Northdor is postioned on the edge of Quirion wood just before the ice plains. Eastdor is just outside the border of Llandesh. Southdor is beyond the central tunnel through the misty mountains. Westdor is between the cold wall and the misty mountains and lies by the sea. These towns tend to merge into the forest but all are welcome as long as they do not enter the forest without permission. All trade and diploacy takes place through one of these towns. Any trespassers are hunted down by the druids and rangers. The Quirion contains many villages, towns and cities which are usually suspended in the large trees. The capital is called MiddleGrove and has a large marble palace at its centre, although Quirion is called a kingdom it has no king a council of the wisest elves control the actions oft he country.

Kjeld
Language : Kjeldon
People : Kjeldian
This expanse of ice is the Empire of Kjeld. Largely the cities are occupied and controlled by Dwarves (Shield and Gold) but the ice plains are full of nomadic tribes of Ghostwise halfings, some wild elves and orcs. Men are fairly uncommon in Kjeld (5% human, 10% halfling, 4% wild elf, 12% orc, 35% gold dwarf, 25% shield dwarf)). Although the climate of Kjeld is very hostile its people tend to be fairly warmhearted and accepting. Very few permanent settlements exist outside the mountains those that do tend to be tribal meeting places that people have settled at. The large cities are in the mountain ranges (particularly the frozen mountains). The capital is the ancient Gold Dwarven city Raaklen which is deep inside the mountains, and this is still run by the Gold Dwarves

Llandesh
Language : Llandish
People : Llandian
The Empire of Llandesh is a very flat country. There is almost no change in the level of the grounds from one end of the country to the other. Pandora's teeth are the only exception to this. The weather in Llandesh is fairly depressing it rains very often. The country is mostly human (around 70%), the rest is made up of various other races. For the last 30 or 40 years however it has seemed that Llandesh is cursed, lycanthropes seem to thrive in the area. The government has tried many things to rid the Empire of thise blight but all has failed. At full moon this Empire is very inhospitable. The capital is Brellen, and is a large walled town surrounded by the outer city. The old town has a large fort at its centre which is now the palace. The royal family are human.

Oran
Language : Oranth
People : The Orans
Orans is a large Empire that is seperate from the Mainland of Ku'Zul. Oran did not exist before the apocalypse it seems to just have risen out of the Sea of Chaos (the fire rift mountains however have always been in this area rising out of the sea in the past, now rising out Oran). The country is populated mainly by Gnomes and Humans but this country also contains a fairly large amount of fire hybrids (like human half fire elementals). The fire hybrids come from the fire rift mountaisn which contain many portals to the elemental plane of fire and were once ruled by a powerful elemental lord, however he seems to have disspeared during the apocalypse(45% human, 35% rock gnome, the remainder is made up of various other races). The Royal family is human but has large amounts of gnomish advisors.
Feanoh is the capital and is a huge city made of mostly single and two floor buildinds. The palace towers over them