Post by Head Moderator on May 15, 2015 5:01:43 GMT -5
The Uncharted Lands of Mythily
Mythily is a wild, uncharted land far to the west of Thanes/Kir'viir.
"The Net"
A relic of ancient magical forces, a very thin shielding wall called "The Net", invisible to the eye, blocks out planar travel and teleportation, much like the mythals for buildings that 'catch' teleportation and expel them at the door. It isn't as strong as it once was, so teleportation within a mile of the coast (though shaky) is allowed, though this is unknown at the time. Only physically traveling by air or sea allows access to the continent.
Source: A stone circle with ancient runes in the very center of the continent is the source of this shielding net and only when it is destroyed will full teleportation be allowed.
The Coastlines and Planar Rifts
On the east coast of the continent, the mages accidentally created many constantly forming whirlpools, linking areas to the Elemental Plane of Air through small rifts. Ships are often sucked into these whirlpools, never to be seen again. These pools are between 11 and 36 miles off the coast.
To the north and northeast is an area of great storms. These storms are chaotic, sometimes worse than others, but always cause the navigation of ships to be poor in the area. Winds buffet the ships, capsizing and sinking many. Most sailors know this is a dangerous area, and for ages has been avoided. The storms are from 8 miles off shore up to 27 miles distant. These are rifts open to the Elemental Planes of Air and Water and Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning.
The south has open seas, though covered in heavy, dense seaweed on the surface. West is also open seas, except for many coral formations. These block entryway to the continent, except in three areas with nearly clear, slightly winding passage ways. Fog is often present above the sea extending miles out to sea, beyond the planar barrier, due to a rift to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam. Thus, with the blockades that are natural in appearance, this continent has remained undetected for centuries.
Notable Areas
NORTH
Tinkabarre
Commonly called "The Coast of Wrecks", Tinkabarre is a mess, destroyed and littered with the wreckage of an unknown number of ships that managed to make it through the storms and the corpses of great sea beasts. There are miles of wreckage, piles of great corpses, and greasy fires and hairy savages shouting and screaming from the spires, with hovels made from sail, and bone. The few ships that have been repaired have usually stuck to fishing and staying on a more civilized section of the continent, in one of the villages.
Morundia Mountains
The northern most mountain range is very high and has 2 known passes through them. These ranges are cold up top, and creatures/races that live in the cold can be found here. Waterfalls come from the mountains here, going towards the South. The range is nearly at a 45 degree angle, stretching from the Northeast to the Southwest. The most common danger is the wind, as buffeting winds can reach close to 100 miles per hour, and can readily blow unwary travelers from the path down the long bloody fall into one of the yawning sinkholes in the earth. This is due to a rift to the Plane of Air. There are plenty of crawling things that are waiting to consume the bloody giblets that are left when a body stops moving.
Yatha Mirtha
This is the largest river in Mythily, and it's source is from the mountains in the north. In the local tongue this translates to "Winding Water".
Arisa Village
The weather tends to be very cold all year long so the buildings are close to the ground and they tend to be closer together to help share the warmth. The buildings are set up in rows of circles, circling out from the center where a large fire is lit continuously. The fire isn't normal orange fire, instead it is a white fire. The fire is said to be the moon's glow. The center of town, around the Moon Flame, is where festivals and gatherings are held to celebrate different phases of the moon. The Full Moon Festival is held once a month. For three days those that live in the village and surrounding areas travel in to sell their wares, enjoy stories and dancing. Twice a year during the Lunar Eclipse (approximately once every six months), there is the Lunar Festival which is celebrated in many villages, but the largest celebration is in Arisa Village.
Nordenhorn
The Nordenhorn is a massive expanse of land that is both boggy and cold. The largest portion of Nordenhorn is a vast chilly plain, punctured by shallow streams that flow into fens miles across but only a few feet deep at the most. The only feature is a massive but crumbling statue, or perhaps dormant golem dedicated to a long forgotten likely death deity. Beyond the flatlands, there is a sharp ridge of ice and broken stone several thousand feet tall, running the width of the region, and splitting it in uneven halves. Crossing this ridge can be a challenge from the strong winds, sharp rocks, and monsters that live there.
SOUTH
Glittering Desert
The Glittering Desert has every imaginable semi-precious stone that can be imagined upon it’s surface. There is water to be found but it is limited.The Yatha Mirtha provides water, but there is the risk of being attacked by crocodiles and other dangerous river fauna whilst collecting it, or of being poisoned by parasitic worms if it is not boiled first.
The tall multi-colored cacti that grow along the river banks, have spines that can leave septic wounds from the smallest scratch, and even if one can get the water from it, the cacti has made it poisonous, so within an hour of drinking it, it leads to sickness. There are tiny desert plants that have water within them that can be drunk without any problems, but they look just like semi-precious stones so they are very hard for most humans to find.
There are a few water-holes and fertile regions but they are guarded by the Kulu-Mata, the tribal people of the region, who live here mainly because most other places have been settled by others,and distrust all desert travelers. The worst crime possible amongst the Kulu-Mata is to deliberately poison a water-hole, and water can be spent like money, although there is little to buy with it. The Kulu-Mata have perfected a way of catching the dew at dawn along the coast, which is then used as a water source for the tribes.
Criminals are sometimes sent into it as well, with enough water for one day. If they can somehow survive and bring back a certain number of diamonds, their crimes are forgiven and they are readmitted back into society.
For a place so barren, there is a surprising amount of life. There are insects which seek out and pollinate the desert plants of the region, although such plants are normally hidden to human eyes.There are small prairie rats which come out at night to graze on the desert plants, and scorpions which spend the night preying on the prairie rats.
The Sand Wyrms
The most dreaded desert predator is the Sand Wyrm, a massive worm that can either burrow underneath the jewel sands, or move along the surface. It looks like a giant Moray Eel. While it’s favorite food is gemstones, it will attack anyone who comes too close,and it has a very liberal interpretation of what “too close” means. Visitors to the region are wise to stay at least fifty feet away from this beast.
There are earth elementals as well,the weaker members of their kind who have fled the Elemental planes to avoid being cannibalized. While they rarely attack humans, they hate the Wyrms for seriously damaging their homes. When an Earth Elemental and a Sand Wyrm meet, the former being will take a roughly human shape of gemstones, and try and kill the Wyrm with powerful punches. Such a combat is a true wonder to behold.
The Black Mountains
The southern mountain range is actually a continuation of the northern stretch, but separated by the bay in between. The land there sank long ago, creating a large gap between the 2 curves of land of the continent. No known passes exist between one side and the other. There is also a high waterfall present. These particular mountains are made of obsidian, which gives the range it's name.
Zulastana LakeMaw of Pel
In the Northeastern section is a hidden lake with several villages surrounding it. This fresh water lake is unknown to most inhabitants of the continent, it is so well hidden and the tribes are so insular.
In the southwest, there is a very active volcano which some of the surrounding jungle natives bring sacrifices to, in an attempt to please the volcano god they call Pel. The volcano is completely natural, and the lava flows in a southwesterly direction, increasing the size of the continent. Those who live on the continent know that this area is far too dangerous to inhabit. It is believed that some undead do stay in the area for extended periods of time, but no permanent structures exist.
Yurma's Temple
Yurma was a potent pyromancer, rumored to have become a lich. Her fortress remains, a temple built near the top of the Maw of Pel, black clouds of ash spew from it's vent towers, and the gates open, pouring out flows of scintillating magma. There are ruins of older fortresses built on these mountains, leading some to wonder if Yurma tried to copy these older designs, or if the legend of the fire witch is much much older than most people think.
Karuboo Fields
The Karuboo Fields are nothing more than mile after mile of serene rolling hills, with scattered shallow creeks, wearing a blanket of grass and small flowers. The fields are unique in that there are no large trees, no large boulders, or anything else other than the gently rolling and swelling hills. The fields are scattered with lava seeps, and the lava pushes its way to the surface and then runs out across the ground, creating the gently rolling terrain. The mild, but constant activity doesn't discourage fast growing grasses, but large things like cities, trees, and the like are consumed by the lava. Attempts at civilization have been attempted here in the past, and very little remains, as most people find it easier to move somewhere else than to attempt to control the flow of molten stone. Otherwise, a very peaceful and tranquil location.
Sajirma Badlands
Sajirma, an ancient word meaning the 'morning after breath of a dragon' is a rocky broken expanse of land, constantly being shaped by geothermal and tectonic activity. The bedrock is splintered, forced up into jagged raw features. Fumaroles, volcanic vents, steam gushing fissures, and geysers are well represented in the valleys between the buttresses of stone thrown into the air. The most captivating feature of Sajirma are the mineral pools, rainbow hued waters heated to just below boiling temperatures. Rumor says these waters are charged with magical energy and if someone could survive the swim, they would be granted new youth and vitality, and cleansing of all diseases. There are lots of bones in the bottom of some of these pools that argue otherwise.
Zenzende Forest
The Zenzende Forest is a large forest with exotic flora. Many of the plants in Zenzende display a very common yellow based leaf, rather than the traditional green. This has bled over into the animal life as well, with many of the local species being much lighter in color, or moving towards the color yellow. This is most prominent in the insect life, but the birds and other small animals show the same trend. The most interesting aspect of this are the deer who are both golden coated as well as being intelligent. The deer are cunning, understand human speech, and a few are capable of generating low level magic effects, with their specialties being confusion, misdirection, and summoning predatory animals and stinging insects.
Stone Totem
In the Zenzende is a Stone Totem, standing sixty-four feet tall, with elemental faces upon it. Each tier is 16 feet tall.
There are, in order, bottom to top:
1) A stone figure, humanoid, looking as if his legs are firm and strong, as the arms hold up the rest of the totem. On the left of the stone is a figure that looks undetailed, also aiding in the support (mud), and to the right is a different form, still looking humanoid but only supporting the next tier because it rests upon the carvings head, but this one has waves of material, stone, in its construction, looking more uniform than the one on the left (this one is Lava).
2) The next tier's centerpiece is in the appearance of a triton's head, a hand beside the face, holding up the next level. On its right is what looks like a cloud and on the left, a second undetailed humanoid.
3) The third tier has a centerpiece of a cylinder, wider at the top and smaller at the bottom, with rings rising upwards, growing in size with two eyes in it. On its right is another cloud, on the left is just waves of stone, long in width (heat).
4) The fourth tier has a center with a wide base and jagged, irregular pointed tops (fire). On the left is the waves of stone again, while on the right is an exact copy of the bottoms tiers right.
This ancient stone totem was created by the elementalist mages long ago. Each of the four elements is represented with the four para-elements. While this totem is ancient, elemental spells are more powerful near it. While the natives of the jungle no longer use it and have forgotten its power, they still believe it is a place of great evil.
Lair of Alottair (Undiscovered)
Somewhere in the south of Mythily is a forest-cloaked and cave-riddled limestone cliff-face known to locals as White Ridge. One of the caves in its northern face has long been reputed to be haunted, and leads to an ancient tomb. The tomb in turn connects to an underground chasm known in legend as the Grinding Gulf, beyond which is said to lie great magic. This is the abode of the lich Alottair.
EAST
Sharp Teeth Woods
This wood's reputation as a hunting ground for dire beasts, hydras, and dragons keeps even the bravest of tribes from hunting within its boundaries.
Caal Alanor
This crumbling ancient palace is said to be haunted by ghosts, and crawling with devils. It was once the home of a black sorceress of such great power, she was known as the "Archlich of Caal Alanor". Her name was Lady Dorei, perhaps she still haunts her home.
Yatharan Canopy / Yatharan Shadow
The Yatharan Canopy was a dense ancient forest once, but the trees that remain are so massive and so old that they have blotted out the sun, and almost no light worth mentioning makes it to the ground around their roots. The real 'forest' doesn't start growing until sixty to eighty feet in the air, with parasitic plants thriving in the broad road wide branches of the ancient trees. The canopy is filled with small animals, with a preponderance of small birds, insects, and animals suited to leaping and living their entire lives in the trees. The Yatharan Shadow is the twilight realm of darkness and wooden pillars the size of castle towers at the base of the trees. In this darkness dwell creatures that would seem more suited to caves that forests.
Silremmlune
These ancient ruins were one of the oldest elven civilizations on Arith. The ruins are high within the Canopy, and have never been explored by anyone outside of Mythily. It is nearly impossible to find acess.
Four Elements
This small area is extremely beautiful. The key mystique of this remarkable place is the combination of extraordinary granite geology in the form of weird outcrops and pillars combined with seasonal climate variations than often cause mists, fogs and striking sunsets. Those that have visited this place describe a feeling of overwhelming peace and tranquility. This effect is enhanced by the profusion of natural waterfalls, pools and springs. If you allow yourself, it is truly possible to see Earth, Water, Wind and Fire joined in time.
The Earth Node
This is a gigantic geode that rises 70 feet above the ground. There are no physical entrances to this geode, but someone with magical affinity or really lucky can find places that allow portals within. The inside resembles a massive cavern lined with amethyst crystals. Within this geode, rises a tower 60 feet high, that there is no information in any tome that is in existence today.
The Water Node
The Fire Node
The Air Node
The Vaults of the Mitani
The Kingdom of Mitani rose and fell tens of thousands of years ago, and while it was alive, the cities were above ground, with elaborate covered walkways and stone pavilions providing shade to the sun-sensitive Mitanin people. With the long passage of time, the kingdom was covered with dust and mud, and was forgotten, and now exists as nothing more than a dozen cities all buried in the earth, but easily accessible due to the preponderance of promenades, arcades, pavilions, and other stonework that created the twilight conditions for those now extinct peoples to survive. Humans, Elves and Half-Elves lived in peace in the Mitani Kingdom for several thousand years, though it was ruled by humans. There are several Mitanin ruins in East Mythily, and it is not difficult to find the remains of the heraldic marks of it's prominent noble houses: Stoneborn (human), Morgett (human), Bordgran (half-elf), Rissyan (elven), Ondoloth (elven), and the royal house of Angevin (human).
Glaryaun
Glaryann is the largest Mitanin ruin in Easy Mythily. It's once mythal-cloaked walls are now accessible by those brave explorers who happen to find themselves in Mythily. It was a gleaming garden city of ornate manors, climbing terraces and soaring white towers. The darkest story told of Glaryaun is that deep in the halls of one of it's libraries there is a creature known as the "Shackled Librarian", he is bound to the area and is said to know the complete history of Mythily and it's ancient cities.
Nelneer
This Mitani city boasts the largest number of temples that can be found in Mythily, most to forgotten gods and goddesses, though there are some that are recognized to be to the Primal Gods. An ancient demon horde ransacked this city in ancient times, and left it in rubble.
Manapaya
This Mitani ruin is along the eastern coast, a portion of the ruins have fallen into the sea.
WEST
The Western end of the continent is jungle, complete with uncivilized tribal groups. The jungle growth is so thick, that large, heavy blades are required to cut a path through. Natives know of the few trails between areas, such as rivers, water pools, holy sites, ancient magical sites, villages and other such things.
Forbidden Jungle
It is well known that the Forbidden Jungle is infested with dangerous creatures, including amphibious pirahnas, carnivorous locusts, venomous birds, hostile and mobile plants, flying snakes, and frighteningly intelligent predators. And those are just the documented species. There are also the things you would normally expect, such as regular (and highly poisonous) snakes, lizards, and frogs, crocodilians, stinging and biting insects, and poisonous plants. There are rumors of people living deep within the jungle, but no one who’s ever gotten that far has ever come back. People have found what appear to be territorial markings in the jungle. But no one really knows for sure.
Abandoned Village: Legend has it that this once flourishing village was immune to many disease and even immortal and that one day its inhabitants simply vanished without word or cause. Till this day other villages know not the cause of the sudden disappearance only that none shall enter the village as protection for others from the now considered corrupt area. Some say they can hear the cries and howls of beasts coming from the village though none ever explore into it for fear of death to themselves or even their entire villages from the unknown cause of the disappearances of the last inhabitants. The buildings are that of stone and wood and are now very decrepit from the years of being unattended to. Moss has overgrown much of the structures while wild animals now call the buildings home.
Caves of Yunkanaku:
This amazing cave system made up of no less than 150 caves is massive, and holds rivers, lakes, and even it's own jungle full of prehistoric dinosaurs and creatures.
Vero-Sluk Forest
A common misnomer, vero and sluk are goblinoid words for 'the seduction displayed by animals that mate and then the female eats the male' and 'don't go there'. Vero-Sluk is a deep, anciet forest, and it is surprisingly uninhabited even by the locals. There are no resident sentient species, no large animals, medium animals are rare, and even small animals are uncommon. The only thing in abundance are plants, sprites, and insects. The forest is densely populated by forest spirits, almost all of which are embodiments of predatory or poisonous plants. Anything that walks into the forest is going to be either seduced or just plain murdered and turned into plant food by the green things that live there.
Cuneiform Island or "Island of the Stone Tablets"
This forested island is well known for the thousands upon thousands of ancient stone tablets that litter it, slabs covered with graven glyphs in archaic and forgotten tongues. These antediluvian writings can be found buried in the rich soil, lying at the bottom of the island’s streams and mangrove swamps, and even stacked in heaps along the trails of the tiny spotted deer native to the place. There is a legend that a madman lives in a hut on the island and constantly searches for one particular stone tablet that will unlock a curse a god put on him.
Deathgold Island
To the casual observer, this mile long island would seem to be a piece of heaven.The sands are soft and golden, the jungle has a beauty all it’s own, and the mountain top that rises appears to be made of solid gold.When the sunlight shines upon it, the gleam can be seen from miles away, and the moonlight is enough to make it glow softly, like a candle seen from far away. However, all is not what it seems.
The sands that appear firm, are in fact quicksand that can suck an unwary man down to his chest, and as if that was not nasty enough, there are creatures upon this island that have long since vanished from most of Arith, either exterminated by humans or outperformed by crocodiles and other creatures. They are Sandkoi, known to most humans as Sand Sharks, huge amphibians with sticky tongues, sharp teeth and a surprisingly tough greenish-brown skin, and they can be up to eight feet long and three feet wide.Their feet are huge and flat, supporting their weight over quicksands where any other large creature would be bogged down.
CENTER
Axis Mundi
These are 8 ancient stones stand in a circle. The stones are monoliths, each standing just over 29 feet in height, with engravings and runes upon each side. Each one has different marking on, and they look worn. Each stone is 15 feet apart from the next, creating a large circumference. These stone monoliths are in the open air, and look quite weathered. The locals believe they keep the lands safe from harm (which in fact, they do, preventing the storms and whirlpools from moving closer to the continent).
