The PC’s are native to the west coast of the continent of Mythras, which lies in the northern temperate latitudes of The World. The west coast of Mythras is lightly populated with a mediteraen climate, a high-medieval level of technology and copious magic. There are many wild and uninhabited areas dotted with the occasional islands of civilization. Dwarves, Humans, Elves, Gnomes, and Orcs are all native to these lands, in addition to many monsters, dragons and fantastic beasts. Few cities exist, mostly near the coast, or dwarven holds in the Erinthorn mountains inland. Over the mountains, vast dry steppes run for a thousand leagues, peopled with barbarians of various races and tribes.
The PC’s are based out of Valoria, the principal human city and kingdom of the western coast. Valoria lies on the shore of the Golden Lake, approximately 50 miles from the sea, but connected to it via a navigable underground river. So despite being located inland Valoria is a major coastal port. North and east of the city and lake lie the Valorian Plains, broad rich farmland studded with small towns. They stretch for a few hundred leagues until they reach the foothills of the Erinthor mountains. These plains are the breadbasket for this part of the world and the heartland of the kingdom
North and west of the Valorian plains, across the Gulf of Non lies the Peninsula of Non and the Opal Coast, a cold, harsh, craggy region of small towns and rich natural resources, most notably timber, fur, opals and amber.
North and east of the Erinthor chain lie the lowlands of Ethreg Vale, often called simply “the Midlands,” a region as yet little known to the people of Valoria. Aside from well-guarded caravans that keep to established routes—heading further north, to trade with the elves beyond the Frosty Mountains—few Valorians venture here. The Horde of Munrekh, a nomadic alliance of goblinoid tribes, patrols the open land, assailing any travelers who are not well defended (though generally avoiding conflict with powerful caravaners). Gnomes live on the downs north of the River Glin and stoutly defend the great gnome-built bridge that crosses it. A small community of hardy humans lives in the Werewood, a dark forest said to have been the hunting-ground of countless lycanthropes in days of yore. But few sentient creatures ever venture into the Hills of Udd and Nudd or the Hills of the Cruel Worm, which according to grim fireside tales are prowled by an immortal ettin and an ancient red dragon, respectively
South of Valoria, from the western coast of Mythras near the southern shores of the Golden Lake, a vast woodland stretches south and east till it meets the southern sea. The Forest of Thorns is thick, dark, and dangerous to wander. All manner of fierce creatures dwell beneath the canopy that stretches virtually unbroken for a thousand leagues until it meets the shore of the southern ocean.
East and north of the Valorian plains lie the Erinthor mountains, A long range of stark, mineral-rich mountain that stretches in an arc from the coast north of the Plains of Valor southeastward clear across the continent. Their high crags are largely treeless, sheer faces like crooked helms that turn purple with the setting sun and gleam with ice in the winter. Here are the primary dwellings of the dwarves of Mythras, in underground fortresses and mine-cities that predate even Old Annywyn. A stern and unyielding people, the dwarves have for millennia been staunch allies of humankind, and, now that Valoria has arisen as a vibrant new power, trading regularly with the lakeside city.
West across the ocean lies the Cerulean Sea, stretching for thousands of leagues before washing the shores of the next land mass, a large, rich tropical archipelago called The Thousand Isles. Beyond the Thousand Isles is rumored to be a vast tropical continent called “Great Mbo” in addition to other scattered island chains.
While the medieval cogs and longships of Mithras trade up and down the coast of this sea, they generally fear to try to cross it even as far as the Thousand Isles, The Thousand Islanders themselves are much superior sailors though, and their vast trading fleet visit Valoria annually, blown by the spring trade winds.
Every year the great galleons arrive, armed with strange gunpowder weapons, far beyond anything that can be built in Valoria, that no pirate dares challenge. These fleets are filled with exotic goods from lands far away, which they barter for opals, amber, silver and gold from the mountains and other Valorian goods. After arriving in Valoria some of the fleet remain for the season while others travel up the coast trading, until the trade winds shifts in the late summer, and they return to their home riding the eastern trade winds
Southward over the ocean, even the sailors of the Thousand Isles fear to round Cape Despair and sail into eastern seas. Not only are the currents and winds highly dangerous, but huge sea monsters lurk in those wild southern seas, capable of breaking any ship to kindling.
It was not always so, five hundred years ago a mighty maritime people called the Annwyn Empire patrolled these seas from their homeland far in the east, and east / west trade was common. The An built ships such as the world has not seen since, crafted from a magical wood called Lignum Vitae and armed them with cannons and magic far beyond anything seen since.
The An were masters not only of the sea but also of magic, especially spirit magic and necromancy. While their rule never lay heavy on these western lands thousands of leagues from their home island, they built scattered trading colonies up and down the coast and settled the Thousand Isles heavily. While mossy of their colonies and anchorage’s have fallen to ruin their great naval base of Haven is still the most populous city of the Thousand Isles and many of it’s merchant princes have An blood running in their veins.
Five hundred years ago the An fell to their doom. In their final days of desperation they recalled their fleets and armies to their home island far to the east, where some climatic battle occured, a battle that legend says destroyed the entire island of Annwyn. No one knows for sure what happened exactly, though legends and rumors exist in multitude, but their ships are gone from the seas and no living An has been seen since those final days.