Gumblackwood
08-11-2005, 12:15 PM
I wanted to make this post as a collection of the background of a world that's been brewing in the back of my head and in Microsoft Word since I left Everquest. I had a number of stories and roleplaying sessions involving some characters based on ones I made in EQ during my time there, but someone suggested as I left that I should go on and make my own world, so thoughts like that have been brewing since. I'm open to constructive criticism (especially if it seems I've stolen a well-known name or idea, as I'm generally unsure of where I get them). Also, with the opening of the RPT in the forum, I may expand it there. The first thread here is the abridged writings of one known as the Exile, the Prophet, and other names.
Chapter 1: On Amar, Ancient History and the Geography of Amarri
The planet Amar (known also as Yert, Knik and various other names, but I will be using Katmya terms in this documentation, and sometimes Human, where they differ) rotates eliptically around the stars Cel and Stri, with Cel being the larger of the two. One revolution about these stars encompasses 546 rotations about the axis of the planet. From astronomical observation, two additional large bodies surround the two-star system, but neither is believed habitable, as one has a highly erratic orbit and the other is primarily made up of gases.
One satellite orbits Amarri, known as Karri, at double its rotational speed, meaning it is generally visible at both daytime and night time. Karri is likely covered in dirty ice or water, and a few general geographic features can be seen on its surface, though they are constantly changing.
It's unknown what brought about the magic nature of Amar, but during its formation it is believed that sentient elements began to form and impose their wills on various materials that made up the fledgling planet. Most who know of these elemental beings believe there only to be 4 of any power, those of Fire, Water, Earth and Air. The truth is there are many more, including light, dark, and other forces bound to the very nature of the planet, even life itself. Perhaps the element of Life is the most powerful, as I doubt the other elementals would exist sentiently without it.
As these elementals began to build (and subsequently fight among themselves), the familiar geography of Amar began to form. The fiery core of Amar became trapped beneath the surface, only seen in volcanic ranges and deep ocean trenches. Earth elementals pushed up mountain ranges and spread out deserts while water elementals created the great oceans. Then perhaps the greatest event since the creation, the elements began populating the world with creatures. Fish swam in oceans and streams, trees and other plant life spread out creating forests and grasslands. Flesh and blood creatures moved across the land.
Then came sentience, but the various races of Amarri, their various origins and social structures will be discussed in a later chapter.
The largest continent on Amar is known as Amarri, and contains on one massive landmass almost all different ecological conditions known on the planet.
The northern reaches of the continent reach far enough toward the pole of the planet that rarely is there a navigable means of passing along its coast due to ice. The northern coastline is primarily mountainous, with many cuts made by glaciers and polar ice. While glacial movement accounts for the northernmost reaches of the continent, these mountains are nothing in comparison to the mountain range that borders it. Valleys in between the Cold mountains and the North mountains are habitable by various races, but suffer long, cold winters. Several passes along the North mountains, as well as a cut from the lands to the west form the easiest access to these lands. The North Mountains extend from foothills approaching the western coast almost straight north, where it curves eastward and eventually southward as it becomes volcanic ranges far to the east. These volcanic lands, known as the Ashen wastes, extend southward, forming the northern end of Gulf of Shadow. This Gulf is navigable along its edges all the way to the Eastfarn ocean (humans differentiate between the western and eastern oceans even though they wrap around the planet without any other major landmasses), but toward the center lie several islands frozen in shadow beneath a neverending storm, surrounded by the skeletons of many ships. Though most of the stories regarding these islands are just legend, I have seen and explored them myself and know them to be an evil place.
Following the coast of the Gulf back westward, the great Indri forest stretches along the foothills of the North Mountains and borders the Flatlands, a grassy plain that covers a band across to the western coast, at the Endril river. The flatlands cover a large area, bordered to their west by the smaller peaks of the North Mountains, and to their south and southeast by the Central mountains (humans call them the South mountains, Katmya know of ranges much further south). Within the flatlands there are many small forests, including the Briarthorn and the Willowwood, as well as many lakes and rivers, most notable the Mardril river and lake Mardoril. Most of the water flowing across the plains flows eastward into the Gulf of Shadow, and the southern rivers form a swampy delta area just north of the mountains there, the Murklands.
To the west of the North mountains, the land of Amarri lowers gradually to the Westfarn ocean. The northern part of this land is stuck between the Cold mountains and the North Mountains, the northern part of the western coast is known as the Wetlands. Further south, where the Flatlands can be reached more easily, the hilly forested land there is known as Hillslock. The far southern part of this land, before reaching the Central mountains, is a massive crater, partially filled with ocean water from its west end. The crater is known as Skyfall crater, as it is believed a very small part of Karri fell there.
The Central mountains, like the North mountains, cross the whole of Amarri, at the western end they dip southward around Skyfall crater and form an archipelago stretching far into the Westfarn ocean. The eastern end dips into the Gulf of Shadow, forming a navigable chain piercing toward the Gulf's center. In height the mountains are only about half the North mountains, and much more easily traversed.
Due to the main weather patterns of Amarri however, the lands to the south of the mountains are arid and mostly desert for hundreds of miles, known as the Scorch desert. This arid coastline makes up the remainder of the Gulf of Shadow's land border on the east and . The southern end of the desert is marked by many cliffs and canyons, the remnant of nearly nonextistant ancient mountain ranges. These cliffs surround a lush jungle almost unreachable from the northern lands or the western coast. The Katmya jungle is a basin trapping much of the water that reaches it, surrounded on the North, West and South by the cliffs.
The southern coast is marked by more desert, then another dormant volcanic range, the South mountains (by Katmya standards). To the east, these mountains cradle another great grassland. Between these mountains and the permanent ice of the southern pole, the Straits are marked by horrible storms and heavy currents.
The remainder of the surface of Amar is marked by primarily ocean features, archipelagos, atolls and the like. One large island, known as Preta, is reachable from the west coast and is divided in the center by the remnant of a mountain chain. The Sorros Islands, believed to be the rim of a massive crater, lie to the east of Amarri.
End of Chapter
Chapter 1: On Amar, Ancient History and the Geography of Amarri
The planet Amar (known also as Yert, Knik and various other names, but I will be using Katmya terms in this documentation, and sometimes Human, where they differ) rotates eliptically around the stars Cel and Stri, with Cel being the larger of the two. One revolution about these stars encompasses 546 rotations about the axis of the planet. From astronomical observation, two additional large bodies surround the two-star system, but neither is believed habitable, as one has a highly erratic orbit and the other is primarily made up of gases.
One satellite orbits Amarri, known as Karri, at double its rotational speed, meaning it is generally visible at both daytime and night time. Karri is likely covered in dirty ice or water, and a few general geographic features can be seen on its surface, though they are constantly changing.
It's unknown what brought about the magic nature of Amar, but during its formation it is believed that sentient elements began to form and impose their wills on various materials that made up the fledgling planet. Most who know of these elemental beings believe there only to be 4 of any power, those of Fire, Water, Earth and Air. The truth is there are many more, including light, dark, and other forces bound to the very nature of the planet, even life itself. Perhaps the element of Life is the most powerful, as I doubt the other elementals would exist sentiently without it.
As these elementals began to build (and subsequently fight among themselves), the familiar geography of Amar began to form. The fiery core of Amar became trapped beneath the surface, only seen in volcanic ranges and deep ocean trenches. Earth elementals pushed up mountain ranges and spread out deserts while water elementals created the great oceans. Then perhaps the greatest event since the creation, the elements began populating the world with creatures. Fish swam in oceans and streams, trees and other plant life spread out creating forests and grasslands. Flesh and blood creatures moved across the land.
Then came sentience, but the various races of Amarri, their various origins and social structures will be discussed in a later chapter.
The largest continent on Amar is known as Amarri, and contains on one massive landmass almost all different ecological conditions known on the planet.
The northern reaches of the continent reach far enough toward the pole of the planet that rarely is there a navigable means of passing along its coast due to ice. The northern coastline is primarily mountainous, with many cuts made by glaciers and polar ice. While glacial movement accounts for the northernmost reaches of the continent, these mountains are nothing in comparison to the mountain range that borders it. Valleys in between the Cold mountains and the North mountains are habitable by various races, but suffer long, cold winters. Several passes along the North mountains, as well as a cut from the lands to the west form the easiest access to these lands. The North Mountains extend from foothills approaching the western coast almost straight north, where it curves eastward and eventually southward as it becomes volcanic ranges far to the east. These volcanic lands, known as the Ashen wastes, extend southward, forming the northern end of Gulf of Shadow. This Gulf is navigable along its edges all the way to the Eastfarn ocean (humans differentiate between the western and eastern oceans even though they wrap around the planet without any other major landmasses), but toward the center lie several islands frozen in shadow beneath a neverending storm, surrounded by the skeletons of many ships. Though most of the stories regarding these islands are just legend, I have seen and explored them myself and know them to be an evil place.
Following the coast of the Gulf back westward, the great Indri forest stretches along the foothills of the North Mountains and borders the Flatlands, a grassy plain that covers a band across to the western coast, at the Endril river. The flatlands cover a large area, bordered to their west by the smaller peaks of the North Mountains, and to their south and southeast by the Central mountains (humans call them the South mountains, Katmya know of ranges much further south). Within the flatlands there are many small forests, including the Briarthorn and the Willowwood, as well as many lakes and rivers, most notable the Mardril river and lake Mardoril. Most of the water flowing across the plains flows eastward into the Gulf of Shadow, and the southern rivers form a swampy delta area just north of the mountains there, the Murklands.
To the west of the North mountains, the land of Amarri lowers gradually to the Westfarn ocean. The northern part of this land is stuck between the Cold mountains and the North Mountains, the northern part of the western coast is known as the Wetlands. Further south, where the Flatlands can be reached more easily, the hilly forested land there is known as Hillslock. The far southern part of this land, before reaching the Central mountains, is a massive crater, partially filled with ocean water from its west end. The crater is known as Skyfall crater, as it is believed a very small part of Karri fell there.
The Central mountains, like the North mountains, cross the whole of Amarri, at the western end they dip southward around Skyfall crater and form an archipelago stretching far into the Westfarn ocean. The eastern end dips into the Gulf of Shadow, forming a navigable chain piercing toward the Gulf's center. In height the mountains are only about half the North mountains, and much more easily traversed.
Due to the main weather patterns of Amarri however, the lands to the south of the mountains are arid and mostly desert for hundreds of miles, known as the Scorch desert. This arid coastline makes up the remainder of the Gulf of Shadow's land border on the east and . The southern end of the desert is marked by many cliffs and canyons, the remnant of nearly nonextistant ancient mountain ranges. These cliffs surround a lush jungle almost unreachable from the northern lands or the western coast. The Katmya jungle is a basin trapping much of the water that reaches it, surrounded on the North, West and South by the cliffs.
The southern coast is marked by more desert, then another dormant volcanic range, the South mountains (by Katmya standards). To the east, these mountains cradle another great grassland. Between these mountains and the permanent ice of the southern pole, the Straits are marked by horrible storms and heavy currents.
The remainder of the surface of Amar is marked by primarily ocean features, archipelagos, atolls and the like. One large island, known as Preta, is reachable from the west coast and is divided in the center by the remnant of a mountain chain. The Sorros Islands, believed to be the rim of a massive crater, lie to the east of Amarri.
End of Chapter