Fantasy The End is Slow - World Building

[DemetrioMachete]

The Lands of Terra

Morda
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This is Morda, a supercontinent which offers a unique variety of climates, given the amount of space it claims. Many corners of Morda have already been settled and civilized, as many of the dangerous elements are either secluded, few in number, or simply uninterested in picking fights. The center of the continent is ruled by Humans, from their Capitol city of Goldstead. To the East are the Dwarves, now fewer in number than ever before, though not to the point of being endangered. The Valley of Grudges has been rebuilt, and assumed the old name of Hammerford. Though the architecture acutely resembles the lost city of 4 centuries ago, the few Dwarves who survived to see both cities cannot help but feel it just isn't the same. To the South are the High Elves, ruling from Sylefell. To the west is primarily uncharted territory, with the exception of the village of Hobbits, known as Hornshire.

Gryrnk

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Colonized thousands of years ago by Orcs, Gryrnk directly translates from Orcish to mean "Death". It should come as no surprise that Gryrnk is a dangerous land, hardly worth living in unless you savor battle. 400 years ago, the salted earths and bloodied soils could barely grow any food, and so those who couldn't fight or scavenge simply starved. This changed when the Hero Sledge made a Wish, one that would allow the vegetation to grow despite the bloodshed. In the present day, despite the carnage that still reigns, Gryrnk has never seen greener days.
Most of Gryrnk's lands remain uncharted, due to the dangerous and frankly quite bold monsters who believe this land is theirs. Aside from a few scattered Dwarven forts and nomadic Orcish camps, the only real cities are the Southwestern Shaak, and the Northwestern Horahubris...

 

[DemetrioMachete]

The World as it stands

Goldstead​

Goldstead is a kingdom primarily governed by Humans. As the name suggests, their primary exports are gold, given by the vast amounts of mining and panning done to retrieve it. Of the 3 Mordan nations, Goldstead wields the most powerful economy.

The Kingdom is ruled by one Reginald Finsetch, a portly, bearded fellow who places his duty as king over his rather estranged family. Of his 13 daughters, 11 had been subject to arranged marriages, while the last two ran away to avoid this fate. Assisting King Finsetch entirely by himself is his court mage, Astartes Vermillion.

In terms of a military, Goldstead spends a great fortune arming their troops with the best equipment, but at the same time, doesn't use much of that time training them. To make up for their lack of skill, standing beside the troops at all times are Astartes' collection of Golems, providing the front lines with much needed bulk.

Hammerford​

Hammerford, the land of the Dwarves. Located in Eastern Morda, Hammerford and the Dwarven territories make use of the rough terrain to deter armies and monsters from approaching. Many of the Dwarves reside on or within mountains... or they used to until 400 years ago. The meteors wrought by Grend Schmuckles utterly destroyed Hammerford and its mountain range, reducing the entirety of Eastern Morda into a valley. For the longest time, Hammerford had been called the "Valley of Grudges" by the surviving Dwarves. These "Grudges" used to be levied towards all of Humanity, but was eventually dialed back to "All magic users", blaming the arcane for the destruction of their home.

The new Hammerford is mostly underground, with the Dwarves expanding into the subterranian Underdark. The surface city is mostly just where the working folk rest and relax.

The Dwarves do not technically have a standing army, like Sylefell and Goldstead do. Every Dwarf capable of swinging a weapon is sent underground to battle the horrors of the Underdark. Despite this, Dwarven cities remain one of the most difficult cities to besiege. This is due to the cities being so perpetually booby-trapped, it is a wonder anyone is able to get in or out in the first place. The traps start several miles out from the cities and only get worse from there. Pitfalls, falling rocks, or their personal favorite, "artificial volcanoes". Dwarven traps have made victims of many would-be enemies.

As mentioned before, Dwarven culture despises the arcane. The only magic they tolerate is magic of a divine origin, such as healing.

It is unknown who currently leads the Dwarves. Their last known ruler, King Urist Axetosser, was killed 400 years ago by Grend Schmuckles. It is rumored that the Dwarven monarch is now passed around from Dwarf to Dwarf, depending on who has killed the most monsters within the Underdark.

Sylefell​

Sylefell, located in Southern Morda, is the home of the High Elves. While Wood Elves are known to either reside in the Forest of Fey or be Nomadic, and the Dark Elves reside in the Underdark, High Elves live in the southern mountains. Unlike the Dwarves, who dig deep to find resources, High Elves rely less on mining and digging and more on trade from the sea.

The High Elves are currently lead by a council of 15 Elves. While the Elves build consensus among each other to pass and enforce law, they always choose one figurehead to deliver that message to the people. The current figurehead is Consul Ledenith Yaoseng, an older elf proud of her past in adventuring.

The army of Sylefell is ridiculously small, numbering only 20,000 or so strong, but they are so formidably disciplined and well trained that they could stand toe to toe with just about any armed force on the planet. They relish in guerrilla tactics, switching between melee and magic with little rhyme or reason.

Hornshire​

Home of the Halflings, Hornshire is a small, peaceful village situated just outside the Forest of Fey. The mischievous nature of the Fairies has affected the Halfling culture of Hornshire significantly; causing them to become more simplistic and easygoing. Hornshire has no existing government, and so the Halflings rely purely on their own skills and the generosity of others.

Due to the growing resources of the Halflings, Hornshire has seen recent use as a "retirement village" for anyone too old or too sick to contribute to their old society. As such, it is often a desirable place to reside in one's twilight years.

The Forest of Fey​

An enigmatic mass of nature, known for being a "Feytouched" environment. Feytouched settings often distort time, making mere seconds outside the Feytouched zone seem like days inside. It is here that the Wood Elves, various Gnomes, and Fairies make their home. Not many venture into the Forest of Fey, for the magical creatures have wrought on less than reputable labels for themselves. The Wood Elves tendency to never waste resources, including the bodies of the fallen, have seen them be called cannibals, the Fairies, when they're not seen as mischievous and annoying, are accused of kidnapping innocent civilians, and of course, the Gnomes, with their maddening inventions, are seen as an enemy by many. Their true nature, however, has yet to be determined...

Dragon's Keep​

A massive fortress nestled into the northern reaches of Morda, the Dragon's Keep is the site of near-nonstop conflict between Dragons, as they all try to fight over ownership and control. Many foolish and impatient Dragons have lost their built up hoards of treasure within the massive castle walls... surely one who can survive the warring Dragons will find themselves retired for eternity.

Free Treasure​

Venture into the northern mountains of Morda, and you will find many signs which point to the largest mountain of all, claiming there is a free treasure hoard within. It is guarded by no Dragon, no, for none have been sighted. The mystery of this free treasure remains high, for none that have sought it out have returned...

Tower of the Moon​

A curious observatory which appeared shortly after Heistrea sunk into the sea 200 years ago. It is uncertain who has domain of the tower, only that it remains impeccably maintained even after so long. Entry into the tower has failed nearly every time, and so the rumor goes that a powerful Wizard resides in the tower. What they plan, no one knows...

Happy Halfling's Dungeon Tutorial​

Known years ago as the Gauntlet of Pillage, this dungeon had been so thoroughly ransacked by adventurers that no monster willingly nested within its walls, leaving it to be abandoned for some time. It wasn't until Halfling entrepreneur Happy Wockaby began to toss money into the dungeon that it began to see use again.

Happy's renovations have seen the Gauntlet of Pillage converted into a safe "tutorial" for the youth of today who wished to spelunk and explore in their adulthood. While the safety standards remain questionable, anyone is welcome to test their dungeoneering skilld at Happy Halfling's Dungeon Tutorial.

Acuity​

A cozy human village nestled into the pine forests of Goldstead. The needs of the city folk are mended to here, as the villagers of Acuity farm, raise livestock, forge weapons, armor and jewelry, as well as other services which are imported within the city walls. Its own lack of defenses mean it is a favored target for bandits, goblins, and other vagrants looking for quick profit.

Springwood​

A Sylefellian village which sits on the borders between Goldstead and Sylefell. Springwood values magic as a skill and as a resource, and many who seek to learn new magic often head to Springwood to do so. Their constant meddling in the arcane has attracted numerous unwanted visitors, however, and it is said that no one gets any restful sleep in Springwood...

Entyria​

A rare site in the Dwarven territories, Entyria is perhaps the only Dwarven village that does not rely on the bounties of the underground, instead choosing to make their life by the northeastern lake. Fishing is the past, present, and future in Entyria, and the general lack of influence from the Underdark means that the Dwarves who make their homes here are generally less paranoid than their companions in Tangrisnir and Hammerford.

Tangrisnir​

In complete contrast to Entyria, Tangrisnir was founded solely for the purpose of training soldiers to fight in the Underdark. Most Dwarves refuse to admit to non-dwarves that Tangrisnir even exists, but will proudly hail their origins to other Dwarves. Around the time Human or Elven children would be attending school, the children of Tangrisnir are trained to fight and survive. No mercy is shown, as the very best is required to conquer the Underdark. Anyone who thought Hammerford was rigged to be a death trap will change their tune immediately if they happen across Tangrisnir.

Clovergait​

Once a reputable human village, similar to the elven Springwood in its pursuit of magical education, Clovergait remains a hollow shell of its former self. After lifting a taboo ban on Necromancy, those eager to test the art quickly found it too difficult to control. Clovergait was destroyed by the Undead at least a century ago, and if one wandered onto its unconsecrated grounds today, they would find that the Undead still roam around, seeking new life to add to their rank and file.

Scarlet Tower​

Plain old humans never had much to be proud of. Sure, they had kingdoms and castles, but that was all superficial. All races could mass together and build a fort, and all races could form an army. What then, would make a race special, or even a man special, in a world of great heroes and kings? Arentir Valtara knew, or at least he thought he knew: Magic! Magic is what separated Gods from kings, and Arentir planned on being a God. As a child, he seemed to have a great knack for magic, and quickly learned the basics of most of the fields and books of magic. As he grew, he devoured every book in the city's multiple libraries, his hunger for knowledge growing rapidly. When he became a teenager, he used his parents money to hire mercenaries and a wagon to travel the world in search of knowledge. For 10 years he did this, learning the ways of the world and how to take care of himself. He learned the complex politics of the many nations, and he learned of secret paths and geographic locations.


Out of the 8 guards he hired to defend him on the roads ahead, only 3 of them survived the 10 years. At the time they claimed the pay was great, and it was interesting to watch the young boy get more powerful and more knowledgeable, but they stopped demanding pay towards the end of the 7th year, and traveled with him by choice. A few other guards came and went, but Arentir and the 3 guards, eventually founding the Knights of Bracada, and the three branches (Knights of the Crown, Knights of the Rose, Knights of the Blade).

After this 10 year span, Arentir believed he was powerful enough that he could settle down and take a deeper understanding in his magics, not just wider. He settled in deep within the mountains (I forget the name but we can lable), and in the snowy mountains he built the Scarlet Tower. How he made it or how it got the blood red color nobody knows, but the Scarlet Tower was the first building in Bracada to be made, and is the only original one still standing today.

Arentir Valtara spent 10 years within this tower, his loyal three guards with him, exploring the depths and secrets of the craft. They were eventually found by scouts of (idk add that), and discovered to have built a small town around the large tower. They left them alone, and when they eventually returned with a conquering force, they were defeated in combat by powerful spells and an army that seemed to come out of nowhere. The city around the Scarlet tower was named Bracada, and after many battles, Bracada still stands-though most of the buildings have been replaced. There is a large university there as well, built around the tower, though only the most powerful are able to live within the Scarlet Tower-which has never been taken. Master Valtara supposedly lives today, though he hasn't shown his face in many years.

 

[DemetrioMachete]

The World as it Stands (continued)

Horahubris​

As close to an actual city as Gryrnk will ever receive. Founded even before the Schmuckles Rebellion of 400 years ago, Horahubris was founded out of necessity, for a group of weaker humans to defend themselves from the multiple horrors that inhabit Gryrnk. For centuries, it has withstood the test of time, and when Sledge's wish was made, it began to thrive. Its current leadership lays in the primitive but straight-forward hands of the former Barbarian-Hero, Bruha Esceleto.

Near the western coasts, Horahubris is the only source of sea-trade Morda receives. Even then, ships coming to and going from Horahubris must be guarded closely, as the Dragon Turtles are all too fond of sinking ships for their plunder.

Lake Eropathos​

A mystical lake filled with horrifying creatures. Just a few miles away from Horahubris, this Feytouched lake has attracted the attention of many horrible water-dwelling creatures, which the Fairies are all too quick to request the humans to destroy. It has come to the point where Horahubris has begun to use the lake as a sort of training grounds; any soldier willing to enlist must venture to and slay what ever vile creature has decided to make a nest of the lake.

Tomb of the Unforgiven​

A catacombs, as massive and as fortified as an entire castle. The morbid history of Gryrnk can easily be summarized with the mere existence of this building. Nearly every floor, above and below ground, is devoted to the preservation of bodies. Naturally, such a perpetually massive catacombs will attract its fair share of Necromancers, who then fight each other for control of the tomb. Venturing here to bury the dead is dangerous, now, since the magical meddling has caused the dead to rise.

The Underdark Sinkhole​

What once was a wealthy farm, as the carnage of Gryrnk took its toll, the land began to sink into the Underdark. The land collapsed under the weight of monsters and armies, ruining the perfectly tilled soil. Then the creatures of the Underdark known as Purple Worms ventured close enough to the surface, causing the entire farm to sink. Many know this site simply as a gate to the subterrainean realms, but few remember the farm that once existed here, the last remnants being its large windmill.

Rerkdale​

A military outpost turned town. It has seen many garrisons of Dwarf, Orc, Goblin and so on. The population remains small despite frequent presence of defenders.

Shaak​

Perhaps the only settled Orcish territory. Shaak has no real government or economy, as the Chief is pertained to be "the strongest Orc" while currency is piled up to be used on the Chief's whims.

Despite the known traits of Orcish aggression, the Orcs of Shaak know better than to needlessly attack others, for they know the real enemy on Gryrnk are the larger monsters. Fighting both them and Humans or Dwarves would lead to their downfall.

Citadel of the Druid Council​

Deep within the restored forests of Gryrnk, lies an entire community of Naturebound guardians. This Feytouched Guild of Druids spend what time they are not relishing the restored beauty of Gryrnk planning what they can do to defend it.

Fort Vykrie​

A human-controlled fort. The soldiers here are notoriously lazy, preferring to shove their bounties on passing adventurers.

Fort Orkdie​

A dwarf-controlled fort. As the name suggests, these Dwarves have not forgotten the rivalry they share with the Orcs.

Infernal Memorial​

A shrine built to commemorate an incursion from the Nine Hells of Baator. Back in the days of Sledge, the Devils of the Nine Hells were all too happy to contribute to the suffering and misery that tainted Gryrnk, at least until the giant hero laid waste to their ranks. While no record of its construction has been found, the rumor goes that Sledge himself built this shrine, wishing to fight the Devils once again.

Black Mountain​

This mountain, larger than any other in Gryrnk, has seen many efforts to render the path to it inaccessible. From animated Golems blocking the paths, to forced landslides and even magical barriers, the path to Black Mountain seems near impossible, but those responsible for this are shy to explain their actions as to why. Is there a large scale cult amassed within the mountain? Are they guarding a sacred treasure? Or perhaps there is a beast slumbering within too powerful to be slain? No one knows, and it would seem no one wants it to be known...

Mount Soothe​

The term "soothe" implies this mountain was to be a harmonious sanctuary. It used to be the exact opposite, being the domain of a tyrannical Dragon and its slaves. It was not until Sledge arrived and defeated the Dragon that Mount Soothe became something much better. The current Mount Soothe sees service as a hot springs, making use of the volcano's dormant magma chambers to heat pools of water.