The world of Mitheirn is vast, and most of it remains uncharted. With nearly two dozen continents and thousands of cultures, Mitheirn will always have secrets to explore and adventures enough for the eons.
According to legend, the four Elder Gods and two Great Races survived the apocalyptic battles of their world. Faced with a lonely slide into nothingness, they decided to create a world to tell new stories.
Mitheirn, the most powerful Elder God, sacrificed himself to provide the foundation of this planet. Dvai Worldsmith took the remnants of the old world and fragments of other realms to create something wholly new.
Laementhys, the lord of occult secrets, bound the magics of Mitheirn and his sacrifice, weaving them into a net to sustain and empower the world. This magic created a fertile land for the world's first people, godlings who rose from the lingering memories of the Great Races and Elder Gods.
These immortals strode over the face of Mitheirn even as the land was being shaped and the oceans simmered. Capricious and childlike, they created games for their amusement, which often embroiled the Great Races of ijevekh and dragons.
Over millennia, the godling games grew darker. Eventually an immortal slew one of his kind and absorbed the magic released by this death. The murder shocked the Elder Gods out of their complacency, and they forbid the immortals from harming each other again.
This did not have the intended effect. The war of gods began even as the Worldsmith put the finishing touches on the continents. The battles at first were small, hidden from the sight of the Elder Gods. But eventually the war was fought openly by the godlings, Great Races and Elder Gods alike. Even creatures from the other planes joined in the fighting, claiming godling lives.
No one knows the full tale of those days. Only fragments of the legends can be found in the mysteries revealed by gods to their greatest priests or gleaned from study of the artifacts left by the godlings.
Dread Kaa'shan had to unsheathe his sword and end the war with terrible finality. The blood of immortals changed Mitheirn in ways that even fore-sighted Laementhys could not predict. Only a handful of godlings and a few members of the Great Races managed to avoid the blade of bloody-eyed Kaa'shan.
Artful Laementhys twisted the weave of chaotic magics so that the power was easier to control but more costly to use. The most dangerous pockets of magic hardened into the godseeds, which could one day allow certain mortals to attain the same power as their immortal forebears.
After long reflection, the Elder Gods decided that they should not have turned the world over to the immortals. More of the ijevekh and dragons had lived in the early days than the godlings, but now there were too few of either Great Race to populate Mitheirn.
The gods decided to create mortal beings anew. These mortals would have to learn to wield magics, and learn the price of doing so. They would be foolish or wise of their own volition, but neither option was likely to make the entire world shudder the way the godlings had.
The ijevekh had grown weary. They had survived the titanic struggles that led to the destruction of their world, had helped the Worldsmith make a new home, and then endured the godwars. The remaining ijevekh asked to be allowed to join their ancestors and rest.
The Elder Gods heard the ijevekh prayers, but could not bear to completely end the noble race. They struck a bargain with the ijevekh — each of the Elder Gods, and the greatest of the younger gods, would work his will on the next generation of the race. These modified children would become the true inheritors of Mitheirn.
Dvai Worldsmith blended his dverekh with the Elements of Earth and Metal. This gave them resistance to magic and a lasting connection to their creator. Dvai also gifted his creations with the skills and passion to create great works.
Skillful Laementhys slowly let successive generations of ijevekh be reshaped by the wild energies of Mitheirn. In time, his eulae were able to live and breathe magic. The new race developed ways to direct mystical power into spells.
Bloody-eyed Kaa'shan borrowed lessons from his brothers. Over generations, he helped his ijevekh followers take on aspects of those animals that were best able to survive in their home regions. The kaarsh were also touched by the Warmaker's rage, which gave them the drive to endure hardship. They scattered to harsh lands and found ways to thrive.
The younger gods, led by the counsel of mothering Ashayli, studied the works of their elders. They blended aspects of the other races, distilling the essence of the other mortals. Humans strode into the dawn of the new era. While they did not have the same immediately-apparent gifts of their cousins, humans proved to be hardy, adaptable and clever enough to spread across the entirety of the world.
Mitheirn was the oldest god of the previous world. Over the eons he had come to personify the concepts of enormity and might. The songs of the ijevekh, which are only echoed by the oldest tales of dverekh and eulae, claim that the world before had been shattered in its last era. The legends say Mitheirn caught the shards and held them together so that they could support life for several more millennia.
The new world's foundation was built on such an immense being. Slain Mitheirn was built on with remnants of the old world and stones from nearby space. Magic bled through the entire work, brining shards of other planes to the cosmic forge. Dvai's great hammer shaped the whole together, binding the other realities to the newborn planet.
While there are dozens, possibly even hundreds, of splinters of reality, there are two that are greater than all the rest. Each serves as a sort of crossroads, the centers of like realms that balanced and opposed each other.
Ana'vael was claimed by the gods, a realm of concepts, ideas, and dreams. Shining with terrible brilliance, Ana'vael was both the pinnacle of thought and the place where mortal souls would finally come to rest.
Xeolvan'taer had nothing to do with ideals. Its inhabitants were neither gods nor mortals. These realms encompassed wild passions, nightmares, and madness. While many creatures lived here, none were more dangerous than the damin, who could challenge even the immortals. And challenge them they did, in the days before the First War.
While conflicts between the planes were a mere footnote during the godwars, after god-slaying Kaa'shan ended the battles and before the mortals were created, the damin took the opportunity to claim the world to which they had been bound.
As the mortals arose and their numbers grew, they eventually came into the areas held by the damin and their servants. The eulae, who found them first, named them after the greatest nightmares of their people. When the humans encountered them, they called the damin "demons," fears given form.
The first meetings between mortals and demons were slaughters. At best, a few survivors would run from the devastation and spread tales of the horrors they experienced. The Elder Gods, resting after creating the mortal races, did not hear their children's pleas. The younger gods, not yet used to receiving prayers, did not understand the mortals' cries.
The demons took delight in powerful emotions, especially those of suffering and terror. They sent out sorties to hunt their new prey. The demon lords played games against each other for the right to harvest tormented souls and to exploit them to gain greater power. The master of these games was Cracyxkdvidl of the Shining Blood, the Prince of the Demons.
Nothing could stop the demons, neither the weapons of the dverekh, the sorceries of the eulae, the claws and fangs of the kaarsh, nor the tricks of the humans.
Decades of death and pain finally drew the notice of the gods. Some remembered the godwars, when the greatest damin lords were able to slay godlings, and they refused to risk dying in a similar fashion. Others, more bold or foolish, fought against the demons but failed to do more than slow the seemingly endless tide.
Slowing the tide was enough to allow the leaders of the four races to find each other and make common cause. They brought together their individual skills to repel a small force of demons. This victory emboldened other mortals, and they formed armies and developed strategies. With the help of the gods, the mortals won a few battles, and could better survive their losses.
Their victory cries reached war-making Kaa'shan in his slumber. Wakened, he watched as the desperate mortals fought the demons. The death-bringer taught the mortals strategies and battles plans. He did not enter the fray personally, for fear that if he should start fighting there would be no end until Mitheirn was destroyed.
The eulae taught humans how to work magic and together they were able to turn back another assault. Their craft brought contemplative Laementhys from his meditations. He joined his brother and studied the stratagems and clever tricks being used by mortals to fight the demons. Thoughtful Laementhys considered the problem before them, seeking the best solution.
The war forced the mortals to build fortifications and invent weapons. Their toils called to Dvai Worldsmith, deep within his forge, and he joined his brothers. He reacted the only way he could, quickening the bellies of mortal women and whispering ideas to the craftsmen.
Despite the attentions of the Elder Gods, the demons won most battles. It became clear that if the war lasted much longer, all the work of the gods would be as nothing. The mortals would be no more.
The leaders of the mortal armies gathered their people in their only remaining fortress. They had sent many young families to other lands across the oceans, desperately hoping the demons would not follow. They had shared their knowledge with each other. Together they created new weapons and fearsome spells which caused nearly as much harm to their casters as their enemies.
The Elder Gods came to this final war council, their glory almost too much for the mortals to bear. Yet bear it they did, as they attended the words of their makers.
Clever Laementhys explained that the only hope was to seal the passages between the planes. This could only be accomplished by a great sacrifice. The mortals had a choice to make. The seal could be perfect, forever isolating Mitheirn from other realms and places, giving them relative peace for eons but trapping mortals here forever. They would be alone, with no guidance from the gods, but no danger from the demons. The other choice was that the Barrier could have small holes in it, which could be opened in specific ways. This would allow both gods and demons small ways to enter the world, making Mitheirn both more wondrous and dangerous.
The mortals asked for the latter option. It would present risk, but that risk would inspire mortals to overcome future challenges. The aid of the gods would be of help, and one day mortals might wish to explore beyond Mitheirn. Accepting the decision, wise Laementhys set forth the plan.
The largest portal to Xeolvan'taer was located in the same fertile land where the eulae had first awakened. The forces of Cracyxkdvidl the Tormenter gathered about the portal, preparing themselves for the final confrontation they knew would be coming.
The mortal armies assembled under the banner of Kaa'shan the Warmaker. The dverekh were led by Bhrevan Kol Dyr, the master of battle-lore, who had engineered the few true victories claimed by the mortals. The kaarsh followed the commands of Galt One-Handed, who escaped the torture-fields of Xeolvan'taer and knew the weaknesses of demons. The humans had several leaders during the war, but none more inspiring than Malya Farstrider, who would eventually rule the first great human kingdom.
The eulae had no leader who matched the bravery and deeds of the other races. They had provided essential knowledge, crafted great spells and provided sage council. The greatest of the eulae were not generals, and gave deference to the other three commanders. However, the strategy of far-seeing Laementhys required one of his children to lead the final charge.
After much discussion, an eulae who had been part of every major battle in the war was found. This eulae had been a skilled warrior, reliable in a crisis, but had never shown more distinction than hundreds of others in the same battles. All that marked him above the others was that he had never lost his resolve or shown fear. Long-planning Laementhys accepted the choice and gifted him with an armor forged of mystical silver's-heart.
Dvai Worldsmith created a perfect sword, Ailasalé, for the chosen warrior. Kaa'shan the Swordsman taught him to use the blade properly. The younger gods granted their own blessings of strength, swiftness, and bravery. Thus adorned, the warrior was given a new name: Suelein, the silver-soul.
With Suelein leading the way, ten thousand mortals rode into shadow of Xeolvan'taer. The battle was so fierce, so bloody, that it is said the warcries can still be heard echoing in the darkest of nights, and that all growing things in the battleground ooze blood and ichor when cut.
Suelein and his honor guard battled their way to the edge of the gate, met there by Cracyxkdvidl, Lord of Screams. The mortals fought with all their might, but at the end this was not enough to stop the Prince of Demons.
At the proper moment, when the fate of Mitheirn was most finely balanced, understanding Laementhys knelt before his brother and bared his neck. Kaa'shan the Slayer swung his terrible sword. Laementhys' head tumbled to ground, and before the divine blood began to flow, uttered one word.
This working tied the blood of fallen Laementhys to the magic of vast Mitheirn. Suelein felt the power of this spell burn through the bond with his creator. With one swing of Ailasalé, he blasted the broken body of the demon prince and servants through the portal. Another swing, and the portal itself was shattered, as did many other gates scattered around the world.
This act destroyed several of the greatest damin, although the minor demons who did not require a constant connection to Xeolvan'taer were able to escape. Cracyxkdvidl's curse echoed through the gates as they closed, permanently marking those who witnessed his defeat.
The mortals were weary of struggle. They spread across the continent of Sikarra, but no further. Some lived in small groups, no larger than extended families, others chose to create kingdoms.
Suelein was hailed as Ailroa, First King of the eulae. He kept most of his people in Grenolva, although in time they would venture to other lands.
Bhrevan had fallen in battle, but his cousins carried him to the land he found most beautiful, Southolm. and built a tomb for him. Each dverekh was encouraged to add his or her own creation to the tomb, and in time this grew into the first city in the world.
The kaarsh tried to live among their cousin races for a short time, but the rage that served them so well during the war made them uncomfortable in times of peace. Eventually they left, willingly or otherwise, to settle again in the hard places.
The humans went everywhere. Malya Farstrider and her husband founded Myfar, the first human kingdom. Others followed her example. Humans bred faster and worked together more easily than the other races, and quickly outnumbered their cousins. When the eulae, dverekh and kaarsh journeyed to other lands, the humans would follow and soon dominate the area with sheer numbers.
Some early nations have left memorable legacies, others have left only their names and vague stories. These include Xytalchita, a land of dark magics whose people where eventually driven from Sikarra; Tiemdiandwyr, where Yarrath, the greatest mortal mage in history, came into his power and codified the lessons of magic now studied by almost all sorcerers; Carraes, a peaceful land that for unknown reasons was destroyed by an army of dverekh; the Paslien Protectorate that attempted to create a perfect society that would never change; Zartla, a nation that crumbled after its rival kingdom fell; and Myfar, the mightiest and oldest of all the mortal lands until the dragon Vraltor made war against the kingdom and brought it to an end.
It has been several millennia since the end of the First War. Time enough for entire civilizations to rise and fall, for destinies to be completed in full.
Mitheirn initially had nine great continents, although cataclysms, the manipulations of godlings and the continuing work of the Worldsmith broke these into twenty-three separate lands. The first of these, where the mortal races were created, is Sikarra.
The weather and dangers of the ocean travel have made it difficult for mortals to find their way from Sikarra to the other lands. To this day, some continents have barely been visited, and others have been settled and abandoned for safer climates.
Scholars have tried to gather knowledge about the continents and oceans, but only a few of the most learned know all their names. Even those who live in ancient Sikarra, which has recently sent explorers to several other continents, have little understanding of how vast Mitheirn truly is.
The sacrifice of wise Laementhys created the Barrier, which closed Mitheirn off from casual travel from other worlds and planes. Ana'vael and Xeolvan'taer were the only extradimensional realms with access to Mitheirn. These places touch the world through the portals that survived the formation of the Barrier or temporary gates opened through powerful magics.
Ana'vael and Xeolvan'taer are both composed of several distinct realms brought together. These provinces and layers can take on several vastly-different appearances, depending on the nature of the realm and the whims of the most-powerful being residing within.
Ana'vael has a portal that branches to every continent. The formation of the Barrier was specifically designed not to block this portal, although it permits only certain forms of contact between the planes. The largest and most well-known instance of this portal is the Mount, found in the northeastern edge of Sikarra.
Many mortals believe Ana'vael's realms are paradises, perfect in all ways. This is incorrect; while Ana'vael's realms embody what some would consider "virtues," they also are the lands of dreams. These realms are not generally hostile, but if they are, they are meant to teach lessons and to help visitors rise to meet great challenges. However, they can be challenging, confusing, or overwhelming to those of weak wills.
Every god has a region in Ana'vael devoted to his or her own desires. Even the gods who rule darkness, madness and fear have their demesnes, although they are more comfortable in Xeolvan'taer. Several gods are devoted to expanding their manses into the territory held by rivals within their pantheon. Some of them do nothing but collect mortal souls to use in intricate games or build armies to challenge their foes.
Xeolvan'taer's contact with Mitheirn is more limited than that of Ana'vael, but not all of its portals were closed permanently. In the right circumstances gates may open. Intricate rituals can take advantage of these circumstances, making the gate last longer or summon specific beings. Certain spells can even force open gates at other than the proper occasions, although these gates never last more than a few moments. A purely spiritual connection can be formed more easily; the same methods used by gods to contact followers may be exploited by the most powerful demon lords.
The realms of Xeolvan'taer are less malleable than those of Ana'vael, and have distinct features that often defy the wishes of those who rule them. Xeolvan'taer obeys rules based on nightmare logic. It is alien and unwelcoming to mortal minds; only those minds which have left behind mortal sanity or never experienced it can truly be comfortable here.
The realms of Xeolvan'taer may shift in relation to each other, forcing their inhabitants into close conjunction at a moment's notice. This chaos also leads to the denizens trying to take advantage of any shift in their favor, or to try to minimize any disadvantage.
Xeolvan'taer is considered a compilation of mortal fears of a horrific afterlife. There is some truth to this; many stories about the punishment of fallen souls come from the First War or harrowing forays into one of Xeolvan'taer's realms. However, one element that is missing from these ideas of hell is the personal touch. No one idea is enough to make an impression on these planes; only the strongest magics and wills can change the realm in a significant fashion.
Xeolvan'taer is ruled by the most cruel and powerful demon lords. At times, one demon or another rises to the Broken Throne, but none have claimed it as often for such long periods as Cracyxkdvidl of the Burning Gaze.
Between Ana'vael and Xeolvan'taer was an abyss filled with random possibilities and glimpses of other planes. When the Barrier was formed, this region became the Grey Purlieu, which is also called the Paths of Grey or the Hidden Expanse. Some fragmentary realities were able to latch onto Mitheirn's weave of magic. Others were able to steal existence from the crossroad planes.
Unlike the realms of Ana'vael or Xeolvan'taer, the shard-planes within the Grey Purlieu must find a source of power in order to survive. Magical wellsprings are a favorite target, although realms can feed on mortal belief. The denizens of these realms struggle their way to Mitheirn simply to inspire this belief. Other inhabitatns of the Expanse will seek out new sources of magical power to steal, and some will claim mortal souls to use as a temporary buttress against the howling chaos.
The strongest and most stable realms in the Grey Purlieu are the Elemental Hearts, supported by millennia of contact with Mitheirn. Each Elemental Heart has connections not only to mortal minds but to Ana'vael and Xeolvan'taer. This gives rise to regions within the Hearts that reflect some of the natures of the other two planes.
Various extradimensional spaces, astral travelers, ethereal palaces formed from sheer willpower, and fairy lands also dot the lines of power between planes. At the farthest edges of the Grey Purlieu's web of magic, the Barrier stretches thinly, and sometimes access to more distant places can be found. More than one denizen of Ana'vael or Xeolvan'taer may be seen in the Grey Purlieu searching for a way out of their eons-old prison.
Mitheirn is a hollow world. In the center of the planet is the Great Forge and workshop of Dvai Worldsmith. The Forge can only be reached by gods, the most powerful mortals and the most dangerous demons.
Miles of earth surround the Great Forge, although in many places there are caverns and tunnels which together form the Underland. It is not known if these subterranean regions are interconnected across the world, but in continents such as Sikarra and Haomei Tral, ways can be found from each underground pocket to another. In some areas the Underland is completely devoid of life, and in others it is teeming with inhabitants. Several churches believe that portions of the Underland are devoted to testing the souls of the dead.
Most inhabitants of the Underland are members of the four mortal races or their offshoots, but a few have uncertain origins. It has been theorized that some may be animal races that were given sapience through magical twisting of their bodies, while others may be relative newcomers to Mitheirn.
There are tales on the surface about the perversions of those in the Underland, from stories of slavery, cannibalism, and twisting of flesh. To hear the tales, one would think the Underland is full of monsters waiting to rampage across the Sunlit Lands.
In truth, most residents of the Underland are hardly aware of the Sunlit Lands except as a half-forgotten story. There are evils to face and dangers there as well as on the surface, and those who live in the Underland are just people.
Description: The terrain of this land ranges from sub-tropical in the north to vast plains in the south. The climate is warm and dry, with rain common on the coasts and infrequent in the interior.
Culture: Nomadic tribes roam the plains, with some common trading points. Fishing and farming villages dot the rivers and the coastlines. There are no large groups, and warfare is uncommon. However, in the skies are the flying cities of the Apisthar, enigmas which are viewed with a mixture of fear and awe.
Power: The tribes and villagers are familiar with the magics of faith, and some can cast elemental spells. The Apisthar appear to have access to both sorcery and mindcrafting.
Description: The northern half of the double continent of Vre, An-Vre is a mountainous land. Great storms sweep down the mountain ranges into the hills and plains. Most of An-Vre's population lives in the fertile valleys, and occasionally build into the sides of mountains. Spring is the only truly mild month, with summer, autumn and winter distinguished primarily by the nature of the storms.
Culture: An-Vre was settled by survivors of the First War. The majority of the inhabitants live under baronies or ruling councils, packed into close quarters within ancient cities. Above the noble classes is the Swordclan, and they are responsible for An-Vre's survival.
The baronies and cities are allowed to maintain small militias, but the only large military force is the Swordclan. Only the members of the 'clan are allowed to use swords, and they constantly train both in martial and philosophical arts from the day they take their oaths.
The Swordclan's only territory is their training complex in the heart of the Shian range, and the only authority they claim is that they maintain the law of the land. The mysterious Swordmakers will hear formal cases, and send out agents to keep an eye on the governments. They hold regular tribunals to hear cases, and their judgments are swift but generally even-handed.
The Swordclan is organized in a hierarchy from Swordbearer, Swordwielder, Swordmaster, to Swordmaker. A member gives up previous allegiances when he joins the clan. The exact numbers of the clan are known only to the Swordmakers, but on those few occasions war threatens, the Swordclan have never dispatched more than ten thousand men to face an army ten times that size.
Power: Sorcery and elemental magics can be practiced by anyone, although the most skilled spellcasters are recruited into the Swordclan. There is a small pantheon worshipped in An-Vre, although there as many priests who can work miracles outside the Swordclan as within it. The only known mindcrafters also belong to the Swordclan.
Description: A veritable paradise, with few extremes of climate. The mountains are high but not forbidding, the hills are verdant and the forests are interspersed with fertile plains. The seasons pass gently, and the weather varies from sunny, clear days to pleasant rains or light snows.
The entire land appears to have been designed to make mortal habitation as easy and pleasant as possible.
Culture: As befits the land itself, life here presents few major challenges. The government is a loose collection of representatives from each population center. These representatives meet every few years to discuss large matters and vote on courses of action. There has been little need to change the system for centuries. Dal'stom'iv seems innocent and sheltered.
There are legends told of a time before the current peace, when Dal'stom'iv was a brutal land. Mighty heroes battled fearsome foes including elementals, dragons, demons and themselves. Great struggles raged across the continent, and the fate of Mitheirn itself hung in the balance more than once.
The stories say that the heroes finally overcame their enemies. They wrested peace from the chaos and taught their followers how to live in harmony. They returned to their ruined fortresses and towers and passed into memory.
Power: Those who study magics do so for the pleasure of it. Sorcery is common, although none have mastered its most powerful aspects. The gods of Dal'stom'iv are worshipped but have not granted miracles in quite some time. Elemental magics and mindcraft seem to be unknown.
Description: One of the largest known continents in the Western Hemisphere, Haomei Tral was being explored even before the First War began. Several refugees from the war fled here and traveled inland as far as they could.
Haomei Tral encompasses every conceivable climate, from the frozen northern tundra to the tropical jungles of the southern peninsulas. The continent has many rivers and canals, and these waterways have helped facilitate the rapid growth of the country.
Culture: With a central civilization as old as any on Sikarra, but without quite the same number of cataclysmic events, Haomei Tral developed into a land of ancient traditions. For millennia, every Tralan nation had some form of caste system and supported rigid codes of honor.
The constant contact between the countries of Haomei Tral have led to many small-scale wars. Warriors and generals are often given positions of authority. The churches also reflect this martial history, teaching philosophical approaches to fighting.
Unlike the other continents, Haomei Tral has always been aware of Sikarra and vice versa. While trade used to be infrequent, events of the past few decades have opened up more contact between the two lands. Many of the leaders of Haomei Tral look askance on the history of cultural upheaval in Sikarra, and often consider their neighbors to be their cultural lessers.
Power: Magic here is more chaotic and difficult to shape than usual. Sorcerers find themselves risking their health in the attempt, and so faithwork is much more common. Elemental magics are relatively unknown, used only by small groups. Mindcrafting is likewise known only to one group.
Description: Centered over the equator, Imbagdna is massive, hot, and teeming with life. The terrain includes forests, savannahs, deltas and deserts. Everywhere one looks, there are living things struggling with each other for survival. With so much competition, day-to-day survival can be brutal.
In the time after Sikarra's Cataclysm, storms arose to shield Imbagdna from outsiders. This protection was not perfect, but halted most new exploration for millennia. In the past decade, the storms have finally ended, and Imbagdna is open again.
Culture: The inhabitants of Imbagdna are so focused on the needs of survival that large-scale civilizations are rare. The Amadan Empire is the only such nation currently found on the continent. All other groupings are no larger than villages, and most of the population lives in nomadic tribes. The Amadans control most of the Troc River and its environs in the Kang Jungle and the Zelte Savannah.
The only other unified group are the Al'ae, mindcrafters who have the stated purpose of aiding survival for all. The Al'ae Masters are given respect everywhere from the smallest tribe to the halls of Amad'ran.
Explorers from Sikarra, Haomei Tral, and Jehros have all visited Imbagdna's shores since the storms ended. The clash between cultures has often been violent.
Power: Sorcery is still unknown here. A few churches have been established, but miracles are rare. Elemental magics have been practiced at times, but are considered dangerous. The mindcraft of the Al'ae, which they call al'a'ti, is the dominant form of power, and they mean to keep this status quo.
Description: Once a single continent, the Isles were formed when Nol Torma's chain of volcanoes erupted at the same time. Now there are thirty islands, some still bearing the signs of a culture lost to the sea. The climate is relatively mild for half the year, with cold and rain dominant the rest of the year.
While many islands are rocky and have little vegetation, the twelve largest are fertile. The great reefs and ocean provide the rest of the Isles' needs for survival.
Culture: Every island has some habitation, sparse though it might be. Each has its own ruler and cultural identity. The Nol Tormans consider philosophy, art, mathematics, engineering and magic to be noble virtues. A citizen is only considered educated and capable of participating in his island's government if he has studied each of the virtues.
The upper reaches of the society belong to those who have studied under the dragons, who are the masters of the schools. Those who survive such tutelage form a council of scholars, which deliberates matters of import to the Isles.
At any given time, at least half of the Isles are engaged in some kind of dispute with each other, from trade concerns to philosophical disagreements that lead to formalized Duels. Outright warfare is forbidden by the dragons, who instead organize Grand Duels between twenty representatives of each side. Duels are considered high entertainment, but the Grand Duels attract large crowds from across Nol Torma.
Everyone in Nol Torma is at least passingly familiar with sailing and swimming.
Power: As befits one of the high virtues, sorcery, elemental magic and mindcrafting is studied by every full citizen and even by the lower classes. Only a few manage to study all three, much less complete their apprenticeships. The most recent and famous of those who have mastered all three forms of magic is Anelystra, who now resides in Sikarra.
Faithworking is unknown, as only two gods are worshipped in the Isles, and they never grant miracles.
Description: Jehros was never a paradise, but untamed magic has made it a dangerous place to live. The terrain ranges from blasted wastelands to thickly overgrown forests, although some zones have been settled. The weather is often cool, with a tendency to long periods of rain. The summers are noted for scorching heat and the winters for blizzards.
Culture: The first people to come to Jehros were survivors of Sikarra's Cataclysm, who had tried to settle on every other land but at each point were turned away.
They finally came to Jehros, which was uninhabited. The place was rich with magic, and even the least talented among the settlers discovered they could shape this power. In time, the magic proved to be too wild to be mastered. Divisions between spellcasters grew, and the Mystic War began. Lands fell victim to devastating spells and ordinary animals were made into terrifying beasts.
After millennia of war punctuated by brief periods of peace, the fighting finally came to an end. One generation, then a second, went by without fighting. However, it appears war may be coming again. The aristocracy of sorcerers now vie with the looser affiliation of elementalists for supremacy over Jehros.
Power: Sorcery and elemental magics are practiced in equal amounts here, although the consequences for using either one tend to be greater than in other places. Faithworkers are rare, although the three gods of Jehros have a great many followers. If anyone knows how to mindcraft, they are keeping this knowledge to themselves.
Description: The southern half of the Vre double continent, Ko-Vre is smaller than its northern neighbor. The terrain is less mountainous, dominated by rolling hills, forests, and plains. The weather is also less extreme than An-Vre, although rain is common.
This relative comfort has given Ko-Vre roughly twice the population of An-Vre in less space.
Culture: Many of the inhabitants of Ko-Vre are dissidents who were expelled from An-Vre by the Swordclan. The Swordclan has representatives here, but they spend most of their time making certain the Ko-Vre princes do not try to return to An-Vre.
Meanwhile, the princes fight with each other, the Swordclan, and anything else they can find. They are crowded together with no room to expand. Some believe that the Swordclan is trying to slowly subvert the princes to bring both of the Vre lands under their rule.
Ko-Vre has sent several explorers to other lands. They have discovered frozen Glancios, and have established some trade with Dal'stom'iv, although that land will not permit Ko-Vre's princes to settle on their shores.
Power: Sorcery and elemental magic are both often used by the princes in their struggles. Faithworking is seen in some places, but is more common in the Swordclan. Mindcraft still remains the sole province of the Swordclan.
Description: The Maizaar is the largest single body of water on the face of Mitheirn. Only one small island in the Ocean's center breaks the endless waves. The ocean floor is relatively shallow, averaging only fifty to a hundred feet in most places, although there are extremely deep ridges.
Perhaps because of this shallow floor, the Ocean is relatively warmer and less rough than the surrounding waters. Violent storms do occasionally appear in Maizaar, especially during the winter.
Most of the inhabitants live in floating towns built on great kelp blooms. The island of Landfall is densely populated and the source of most metals and minerals in the Ocean.
Culture: The civilization of Maizaar is larger than one would expect. Landfall is home to every guild and the temple of the Great Lady, Mafá. The Lady is both worshipped as a goddess and is physically present in her temple, where she holds court with the guild leaders.
The inhabitants of Maizaar are fiercely independent. They rely on each other in a crisis and then go their own ways with hardly a second look. They organize their floatytowns and three cityships into guilds, which administer fishing rights, resolve disputes, and maintain armadas to protect their territory.
Maizaar's natives are secretive, and when they find their way to far lands, they will learn a little, trade for goods, and reveal nothing about themselves. While some explorers do find their way into the Ocean, they are made to stay in Maizaar or sent to bottom of the sea.
Power: Faith is the most common magic here, with Lady Mafá overseeing the pantheon. Sorcery is rare but highly valued, as is elementalist magic. Mindcrafters have their own minor guild, but are usually treated with suspicion even when they are paid well for their particular services.
Description: The surface of Masón is a wasted landscape dominated by a gargantuan mountain range. Scrubland, desert, or rocky mountains are the only sights that greet explorers, and so most simply continue on their way. Storms of wild magic will occasionally rip across the land.
However, the Underland is vibrantly alive. Tunnels link together great subterranean cities and enclaves of crystal pools and fungal forests. Deep in the Mountain Core lies one of the vents to the Great Forge, and every spark from Dvai's hammer brings new life to the Underland.
Culture: Each city-state rules over the nearby tunnels and caverns. They trade through the great tunnels left by the cthonian rockworms. City-states will struggle for resources and territory, although true war is infrequent. Crowding is starting to become a concern for some city-states.
Recently, a group of adventurers returned to the surface of Masón and spotted a distant ship. This is leading to a fierce debate about whether there may be other Underlands to find and conquer.
Power: Sorcery is feared by all in the Underland. Elementalists exist but are treated with great suspicion. Faithwork rules supreme, for none in the Underland would survive without the grace of some deity or another. Mindcraft is rare but highly valued, and its practitioners are given high positions in the city-states.
Description: A vast inland sea surrounded by a great Wall and highlands, with seven islands that support life. Ridyrim was obviously shaped for a specific purpose in its past, although none today know what this was.
The islands are warm, lush, and each is dominated by a volcanic peak. While the land supports life easily, the monsoon and eruptions do present their challenges.
Culture: Ridyrim is an anarchy. There are several groups of people, most no longer than extended families or nomadic tribes, who do what they can to survive in a battle they cannot join.
For Ridyrim was once home to dragons, magnificent creatures who helped the other mortal races survive. A thousand years ago, the Hunt appeared. Twice as large as any mortal, always clad in armor forged from dragonscales and wielding terrible weapons, the Hunt are deadly enigmas. Twice a year, they seek out dragons, wyverns, or those who try to aid them. They wreak devastation as they go, and once they have had their fill of kills, they vanish.
It is believed that in the near future there will be no more dragons. No one is quite sure what the Hunt will make into prey then.
Power: Some try to learn sorcery, elementalism, or mindcraft from the dragons, but they must be exceedingly careful not to reveal their skills to the Hunt. There are no gods who answer prayers in Ridyrim.
Description: The First Land. Sikarra was the site of the greatest portals to Ana'vael and Xeolvan'taer, the place where the mortals were created, the location of the First War, and the site of the Sacrifice of wise Laementhys.
Even now, eons after the mortals awakened, Sikarra's influence can be felt across Mitheirn.
The continent's terrain encompasses everything from ice floes and tundra to marshlands and tropics. Its weather covers the gamut as well.
Culture: The diversity of civilizations in Sikarra can be breathtaking. Every other land's inhabitants came from here, and so every culture in the world has its roots somewhere in Sikarra. Several of these neighboring lands have sent emessaries back to Sikarra, and so the cultures mix even more.
Ancient kingdoms sit beside theocratic empires and plutocracies run by guildmasters. Here, a promise of peace can be seen in Varounal while a land that has been shattered by conspiracy tries to form a new government in Akar.
Power: All forms of magic are studied in Sikarra, although mindcraft is relatively new. Elementalist magic had fallen out of favor for quite some time, but now it's being studied by ever-growing numbers.
Description: The continent of Tzichklac-Anth is covered by a jungle of titanic proportions. Even the low mountains are hidden under the trees. The only breaks in the canopy come from the large lakes and the efforts of the natives to rise above the trees.
The heat is matched by a permanent storm which travels a set pattern over the jungle, occasionally shedding smaller storms to spread the wealth.
Culture: This land is savage and brutal. Every day is an ongoing struggle for survival. The inhabitants serve the High, four gods who are locked in an endless war. Every tribe, every temple, and every person belongs to one of the High, and at their command, the sacrifices and blood magic stain the jungle red.
Power: Magic has been locked away by the High, who only permit access to it through sacrifices, usually in the form of blood. There is no faithwork, but the most fervent of the High's followers may learn mindcraft or elementalism.
Description: Only the coastlines have been seen. To date treacherous reefs and sandbars have kept ships from landing. The continent appears lush and verdant. The northern coast has many high hills and plains.
Culture: Cynyx appears to be uninhabited by the mortal races.
Description: An oddly-shaped land, Dainamoin is a tropical paradise. None of the terrain appears to be forbidding, and in fact seems welcoming. In addition to this, the eastern arm of the continent has beaches that literally sparkle with uncut gems, and the cliffs of the northern peninsula glitter with rich veins of ore exposed to the air.
Culture: None. Even though there have been five attempts to establish colonies here, none of the settlers have been seen again.
Description: Not as welcoming as its neighbors to the west, Ejias has proved easier to settle.
Bare earth and rocks are found in many places, and vegetation is sparse. Storms pound the coastline half a dozen times a year, and are matched by the Ra'azne, a thunderstorm which may have existed for millennia — or is a series of storms which rise up in the same region every year.
Still, there are oases of beauty to be found in the lee of mountains, in valleys, and near lakeshores, and this is where Ejias' population has taken hold.
Culture: The Church of Hope is the closest thing to a unified government in Ejias.
The continent has only been settled for a century. While there are some warlords and communal councils, there has not been enough time for nations to be established. The Church has spread to every settlement, and almost everyone goes to its priests for council.
The difficulties of living in Ejias have left their mark on the inhabitants. They are driven, passionate about survival, but have little care for other things. Art and laughter are rare things here.
Power: The Church schools its followers in the arts of elemental magic and faithwork.
Description: Only the northwestern coast of Gyx has been seen. The coast is a line of volcanoes surrounded by forests, which so far have been too daunting for travelers to brave.
Culture: None. Gyx appears to be uninhabited.
Description: The continent's southern coast sports forbidding cliffs and high mountains beyond. An expedition braved the cliffs a century ago, but none reported back on what they found.
Culture: None. Haradj appears to be uninhabited.
Description: The terrain is varied, lacking only tundra and volcanoes. The climate tends not to reach the extremes of cold and heat of other lands, but is otherwise variable. Much of Opela is a floodplain, and most settlements can be found in the wetlands and river deltas.
Culture: The original colonists to Opela reached the land with magic, and established their homes with the same power. The lords lived in cities of glass, while their servants survived in intricately-shaped living trees and coral domiciles.
Opela's magelords were not always cruel, but over time they found that their only real source of entertainment was to either fight meaningless battles or to play games with the impoverished masses. They created cruel tortures, sent ravening beasts, or developed scenarios meant to test and break the strongest minds.
In time, an eulae apprentice elementalist named Jeval Karna aya Uáten was sent to participate in one of these games. He was aghast at the actions of his fellow apprentices. While they were occupied with their tortures, he struck out in rage and slew them all.
Jeval started a century-long revolution against the magelords. After a horrible struggle, he found the Stillness, a weapon that would break apart spells and instantly kill those who were too steeped in magic. He used it to good effect, wiping out the magelords within a year. However, his own eulae nature betrayed him, and the weapon killed him barely a week after his final victory.
His followers formed a new government, the Jeval. Using the Stillness, they outlawed all magic. After the disorder and inattention of the magelords, the Jeval became a totalitarian state which would present laws for almost every aspect of life. In time, the Jeval had to find new threats to justify their methods, and turned on those races with the most magic, starting with the eulae.
While the Jeval's reach has only recently extended to other lands, the Stillness has proven as deadly in these places as in Opela.
Power: All magics are banned. There are secret societies of elementalists and mindcrafters, none are willing to use their power openly. The libraries of the magelords remain, and a bright student could use them to learn sorcery, but most Opelans are unwilling to consider this. Faithwork takes place on a small scale, although the miracle workers are careful not to do anything too noticeable.
Description: The largest continent on Mitheirn. Every conceivable terrain and climate may be found here.
Culture: Praemos has only been settled in the last century. It is a frontier, where refugees from Opela and explorers from Qwenth and Tolarian are just now beginning to carve out a place for themselves.
There is evidence that mortal races once lived here long ago. A few adventurers have brought back stories of savage races deep in the continent's interior, but so far these are only stories.
Power: There are small groups of sorcerers and elementalists in Praemos. Mindcraft is practiced only by the settlers from Qwenth, and not very often. Some of the Tolarian gods are worshipped here, but miracles are granted rarely.
Description: With highlands, low mountains, green fields and a propensity for rain, Qwenth is a highly fertile land.
Culture: The Senate of Qwenth resolves the debates of the municipal governments. All voting citizens are expected to serve the government for five years, while nonvoting citizens are expected to provide goods or money to support the Senate.
The scholars of Qwenth claim that they were once ruled by temples who were always at odds with one another. According to the stories, the people grew tired of constant war and rose up as one, wiping out the priests and tearing down the churches.
The citizens of Qwenth formed a meritocracy, with the most skilled among them winning the right to sit in the Senate for a decade, before retiring to local government. They have had many shifts in their original government as new philosophies are developed and old faults are discovered.
The artisans of Qwenth have learned to bond magic with clever devices. These inventions have helped improve the lot of the average citizen.
Power: Sorcery is considered the most complex and rewarding of the arts here. Elemental magic is also respected, but seen as a somewhat simpler practice. Mindcraft is an interesting alternative, but too rare to be of general use. Gods and their worshippers are not welcome on Qwenth.
Description: A temperate land, with low mountain ranges, an inland sea, and high plains.
Culture: Tolarian is divided into dozens of countries, most of them feudal in nature. Political intrigue and wars of subtle aggression are the mainstay of these nations. It is a common event for the borders between lands to shift up to fifty miles one week and then return to something resembling their original markers a week later. The people are used to this sort of thing, and often have an attitude of bemused tolerance with regards to the machinations of the nobles — until the moment when an army tramples over their fields.
Tolarian's great concern is from its neighbor, Opela. The Jeval have sent two expeditions to Tolarian, and each one went so badly that the Tolarian nobles are considering some form of alliance to resist the next incursion.
Power: Sorcery and faithwork are both respected here. Elemental magics had been the hallmark of an ancient land so evil that all the other nations had to join forces to wipe it out. For this reason, elementalism is treated with suspicion and fear. Mindcraft is all but unknown.
Description: An apparently impenetrable land, with thick jungles, imposing mountain ranges, and a wide desert on the western coast. A few explorers have made it as far as a day's travel inland, but none have ventured further.
Culture: None. Zutu is uninhabited.
The North Pole of Mitheirn is composed of a few islands locked in a slowly rotating ice cap. The ice cap brushes against the northern edge of several continents, including Sikarra and Praemos. Dragons are believed to live near the North Pole, although only a few hardy adventurers have ever been in the region.
The South Pole is believed to exist somewhere in the midst of Glancios, but none have ever found it.
Description: The southernmost continent, Glancios is cold and harsh across most of its territory. The coastline and banks of the thousand-mile long Wulf River are home to several kinds of life. In deep summer, these areas reach temperate conditions, but the rest of the continent is bare rock or ice. Terrible blizzards mark the winter in Glancios.
Culture: Nomadic clans often travel along the Wulf or the coast. There are villages built at regular intervals for use by each clan as it arrives. Only when more than one clan reaches a village at the same time is there any opportunity for strife.
In the Wulf River, a powerful warrior named Ced Alm has been trying to unite the clans, with limited success.
Power: Life in Glancios doesn't lend itself to the study of magic. There are a few gods and their faithworkers, and the extremely-rare elementalists. Mindcraft is somewhat more common, with nearly every clan having one mindcrafter in their number.
Sikarra is the default setting for Mitheirn. While any of the other listed continents could be the site of great adventures, most of the details presented herein refer to Sikarra. Take a closer look at Sikarra.
