Regional Overview - North Central

The Dragon Mountains

The Dragon Mountains traverse the continent of Desylinn from the north-central coastline to the south-western coastline, with a split near the center by a large plain that connects the Vol-kyn with Eartlinn.  The chain was first claimed by the Dragons and by extension the ten dwarven clans, which divide the region up between them. The Northern Dragon Mountains are ruled by the Gold and the Silver clans. The largest city of the region is the Gold Clan’s city of Jinjia. It’s a massive edifice going deep into the mountain’s heart. It has intimidating golden walls that act as an impenetrable defense against attack. Located on the south end of the northern range, bordering the territory of the Lead clan, it is the only city of the Gold Clan that an outsider may see.

The central Dragon plain is claimed by the Copper and the Lead clans and acts as the bread basket for the dwarves. Small farming and mining villages dominate the foothills to the north and south of the region. Villages elsewhere in the region are often impromptu short lived affairs and serve as staging areas for the boar and rhino cavalries of the two clans, which raid deep into the interior of the Vol-kyn to attack the Unkhan tribes. Occasionally they are joined by Kindred warriors who hope to quell the threat of their violent cousins.  

The Great Imperial Highway divides the Dragon Plain, meeting the Snakes Highway from the south at the Black Clan’s city of Kagejo. With massive towers soaring hundreds of feet in the air, Kagejo makes an easy landmark for travelers. The city is home to the Black Clan and is the center of trade in the region. It also gives the monastic Black Clan a central location to administer healing and curative medicines to other dwarves (and all seeking succor).

The South Dragon Mountains are home to Red and Iron clans. The Red Clan’s city of Shinkyuden sits on the border of the Vol-kyn. A sprawling and chaotic place, it is the only dwarven city with a significant population of Kindred. Urban fortress, originally built as a first defense, are now lost in the chaos of the streets, hidden by the ramshackle houses and buildings that sprawl off the central walls.

Far north, in the foot hills of the western side of the mountains and slowly progressing south is the White Clans wall Bai Qiang. Meant to protect and isolate the dwarves, it is the White Clans goal to have the massive edifice span the length of the mountains and the Dragon Plain as well. The wall has reached the Dragon Plain causing poor relations with the Kindred of both the Vol-kyn and Eartlinn. The situation is made worse by the foundations of a similar wall being laid on the eastern side of the mountains. Hidden away in a long desert valley in the southwestern part of the mountains, near the Dragon Sands is the Zhen Tanzo, or True Forge, this is where the newly born dragons first came to worship their parents Bahu and Tiala, and is the holiest of places for the dwarves.

Eartlinn

Sandwiched between the Northern Dragon Mountains and the Geato Marsh, Eartlinn is a land of rolling hills, meandering rivers and small forests. Idyllic and one of the safest region of Desylinn, it is also the most populous. Much of the region is given over to farming and raising cattle, though some mining and forestry enterprises do exist. No formal government unites the regions many small towns, villages and cities though those along the Great Imperial Highway often have a common benefactor. The most prominent city, Hub, sits at a major crossroads only maintaining control of the immediate area.  Many villages and cities act as way points along the highways, with trade pouring through going from the Fertile Lands and the Free Cities in the East to Kagejo, the Vok-lyn, Old Mariea and the Dragonsands to the West. It’s along this route that the Merchant’s Guild has the most control, and many towns were built as stopping points for the great guild’s caravans. It’s also here where Gren can be found in most abundance outside the Fertile Lands, their clan caravans plying the highway and side roads of the region.

The region has no obvious boundaries, though frequent raids by the Copper and Lead dwarf clans on Kindred’s Pits let them know where they can and can’t build. Most consider the abandoned dwarf village Daara’uul to be the western border. The Kindred Pit village of Mudpit marks the southern boundary and the Free City Q’Lazz the eastern boundary.  Some towns off of the Imperial highway have begun to band together for mutual protection. This is particularly true for those that have settled nearest the western edge of the Blackfire Mountains.

Hub

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Eartlinn is the vast sprawling city of Hub. Home to thousands and thousands and thousands of residents, the city is the center of civilization in Eartlinn and the northern part of Desylinn. Founded by Bjord Half-foot and Wargog, two of the Glorious Transcendents, in the days after the collapse of the Mariean Empire it has grown massive, stretching beyond the original foundations Bjord anticipated. The city is divided into five districts, each controlled by one of the Five Great Guilds. The center of the city, controlled by the Church of the Five, serves as a neutral territory for the Guilds. The five districts are distinct, though no walls divide them.

The Merchant’s quarter is the most organized and the wealthiest. The streets laid out in a rough grid shape, are clean and guild patrols regularly keep the peace. The Workman’s and Mage’s quarters are a ramshackle of rough temporary housing built next to (or on) more permanent structures. In the Mage’s quarter particularly the streets are apt to change due to fights between the Mages Schools. Neither quarter is safe, though more people tend to disappear in the Mage District. The Blacksmith quarter is dominated by five large monastic compounds that make up the Blacksmith’s Guild. Housing and shops line the streets between the monasteries, and the Blacksmith’s maintain tight control over the area. The Music Guild’s quarter appears as a mass of chaos, with winding mazelike streets. It’s easy to get lost and end up someplace that you didn’t know you wanted to be.

The city hums with a life all its own, and on quiet nights the hum can be felt. Whether this is the sound of the “sewer beasts” processing the filth of the city into fresh water for the aquifers, or the sound stone and metal constructs that speed along tracks that circle the outskirts of the city none can say. Less than a league away is The Circle of Bad-Blood. A miles wide region completely void of magic, save for the small bare stone in the center that has enough magical energy to warp reality around it. It was here, in the Circle, where Bad-Blood destroyed the Imperial Legion and their fortress Ashasalva. The center “Bad-Bloods Footprint” is where she last touched the ground before ascending beyond the Seal.  

The Geato Marsh Plateau

The Geato Marsh was created by the blood of the Nameless One and is shaped like a great shallow bowl. Sitting on a large plateau south of Eartilinn marsh catches most of the run-off from the Black Fire Mountains to the east and the Dragon Mountains to the north and west. South a large escarpment surrounded by a lip of boggy hills along the edge prevents adequate drainage into the Kristog lands beyond. Peppered with shallow lakes, winding waterways and teeming with strange abundant wildlife the marsh is known to have a vast array of curative plants and a multitude of poisonous ones. The Geato Abira (lizard-folk) maintains and controls temples to the goddess Ishari and rules over villages throughout the swamp.

Three cities dominate the region: Tari Dar (The City of Blue Stone), the largest of the Geato Abira cities, is the center of worship for Ishari. The population is dedicated to feeding and housing the Seers of Ishari and maintaining defense of the city from some of the more aggressive beasts in the swamp. Access is restricted to outsiders to a few small areas. Gol Dar (The City of Bridges) is at the southern edge of the swamp and built on a series of small islands. The city acts as a way-station for travelers journeying to the city of Qynjb in the Kristogalog. The third major city is Kaza Dar, and while a Geato Abira city it’s significant in that it has a temple to the goddess Daras instead of Ishari. The rulers of the city are warrior priests and unlike the temples of Ishari, they allow non-Geato Abira and all genders to join the temple as long as they are dedicated to fighting for the death goddess.

Regions of Desylinn - The West

The Library of Salastria

The original capital of the fallen Mariean Empire, Salastria is now a major city and entity unto itself due to the Grand Library maintained by the Shards, the living golems of Desylinn. The Shards consider Salastria their home, for it was in the capital they were created as body guards, and it is here they earned their freedom from the elves, and from death. Though a small city surrounds the Library it is the Library itself which is the center of Shard culture. Originally built by Sorcerer-King Aries the First to educate all elves, regardless of status, it is a suppository of knowledge for the world. The ability to confiscate all documents that entered Salastria, as well as dedicated scholars submitting research directly to the repositories both made the Library the source of knowledge for the Empire. The Library is built like a giant staircase, one side having three large steps and the opposite a long drop to the ground. The Library is the largest structure made by mortals in Desylinn, visible for miles on the tundra surrounding the ancient capital. The building is still the major repository for knowledge and the Shards living there still collect research and confiscate documents as the elves did before. The massive structure contains vaults, warehouses, libraries, and multiple shrines to Nhoj and The Oldest. The Surface has hothouse gardens and additional structures on of each of the three steps: the first tier holds hothouse gardens and menageries, the second has large amphitheaters and numerous fountains for public performances, and the top tier, the Third Step, contains training grounds and barracks for the Shards. The interior of the library is restricted to the living golems. They will allow non-shards on the surface of the first two tiers (or Steps) where concerts, plays and oratories are regularly performed. Like the interior though, non-shards are never allowed on the Third Step.

Ruins of Old Mariea

Mariea was the first Empire in the lands of Desylinn. Created by the Elves who journeyed south from the Lands of Mari’es, it only took one of their generations before they conquered the chaotic tribes of the Vok-lyn to the south. What became the Empire of Mariea started here, and remnants of the once great cities of ice still line the frozen coasts of this land. In the extreme north is hostile tundra and great glacial inlets. A large taiga forest spans the center of the region, hiding small cities and villages of the once noble elves. To the south of this boreal forest lay the Mariean Wastelands, a salted and uninhabitable area created as a barrier and deterrent by the Kindred races, a reminder to the Elves of their new place in the world. Though small, even by Kindred standards, a few noteworthy cities exist in the region: Tribute in the far northeastern part of Old Mariea, near the foothills of the northern range of the Dragon Mountains is a mining town with unprecedented ore. The residents of Icehome, on the northern coast, see it as their grim duty to send their dead brothers and sisters back to the Northland in bricks of ice. All are also devote members of the Chantries of Mar, and help outfit pilgrimages to the frozen god’s throne as well. Crossroads, the most accessible city in the region, sits at the junction of the Great Imperial Highway and two smaller tracks, one leading north to Icehome, and the other east to Tribute. While not technically an Elven city, it has a significant elven population, many of which are still loyal to the idea of the Mariean Empire. 

The Vok-lyn

The original homeland of the Kindred races, the Vok-lyn spans the center of the western half of the continent. It spans from the west coast to Bai Qiang -the great white wall built by the dwarves- on the plain that divides the ranges of the Dragon Mountains in the east. The region still bears traces of violent volcanic activity, reminders of the Brothers War that was fought in the ages of the gods. The volcanic scars are notable along the coasts and in the bordering mountains to the north and south of the region. Near the center of the Vok-lyn is the giant caldera known as the “God’s Head.” Visible for leagues in all directions, it is all that remains of the broken skull of the Nameless One who crashed to the world in the ages before. From here the Kindred and the Unkhan clans gather the “Tears of the Dead God” a curative that, while painful, is effective at treating injuries and diseases.  The largest of volcanic scars serve as natural walls and barriers from some of the less abundant, but more dangerous fauna that roam the region. The most abundant fauna are the giant aurochs which roam the eastern grasslands, and the dire lions following their herds. The eastern portion of the Vok-lyn is claimed by the Kindred, building small towns around the artificial mounds used to build the “pits” that are central to their culture. Most of the towns are built along the Imperial Highway, others along the Snakes Highway that lead out of the Dragon Sands to the south. The western regions, particularly past the God’s Head, are claimed by the Unkhan, those who do not practice Kindred culture. The Unkhan have a tendency for brutality, especially those tribes encountered furthest from the influence of the Kindred. Many of these tribes still hunt each other for food, practice blood rites and revere the Brothers (particularly Daikado), frequently making sacrifices to appease them

The Dragon Sands:

Surrounded on the north and east by mountains and the west and south by coastline, the Dragonsands are one of the more isolated regions of Desylinn.  Created by the goddess Tiala as a birthing bed, it is separated into ten distinct regions and ruled over by the Lash-ti-Nowish, or Snake-people. Each of the regions is held by a different group of snakes corresponding to a different color of dragons. The regions are mostly desert, rocky and scrub like near the mountains, with massive sand dunes near the center and sandy tropical beaches along the southern coasts. The lowest, central portion of the region is known as The Black Sands, and this is where those that have broken the edicts of the Lash-ti-Nowish are sent as punishment. This is also where the Temple of Water is located. Those sent into the Sands can exonerate themselves by returning to one of the border cities with a cup of water from the temple, A feat almost unheard of. The cities of the Snake-people are built around the oases scattered through the desert. Called Mirages by the snakes the cities are created out of Dragonglass and are only visible at night under the light of the moon and the stars. The exception is the coastal cities of the Coppersands. It was these cities where the copper Snake-people would bring the humans gathered on the southern islands to sell to the elves during the time of the Empire. These cities are where the Snake Highway ultimately lead, the long roadway built and maintained by the Snake-people to transport slaves and goods through the Dragon Sands to the Mariean Empire.

Southern Island

Just south of the Dragonsands, off the coast of the mainland is the first of two archipelagos that make up the Southern Islands. Mostly tropical, the islands are home to the humans of Desylinn. The northern islands, nearest to the coast are called the Sha-lish-otah by the Lash-ti-Nowish, who still have a few small cities on the largest islands. The majority of the population is the human islanders who revere the goddess Ariga and form small coastal villages. The villages form loose confederacies ruled over by a high chief, usually not more than a day or twos journey by boat away from each other. Messages are sent by fast kayak, while entire war parties will amass on multi-hulled boats aided by both sail and oar. Since the fall of the Empire there is a relative peace in the region, as the war parties no longer have a reason to turn over captives to the Copper Snake-people. Trade is still robust though as many of the fruits and animals of the islands are valued by the Snake-people, as well as the wood and bone crafted jewelry and tools (which are often traded to the dwarves as exotic goods). The interiors of the islands are wild and untamed. Villages send hunters inland, though most do not stray more than a mile or so from the coasts. Wild creatures, bizarre forgotten monsters and terrible giant lizards roam the interior of the largest islands. It’s rumored that on the largest island, called Go’Daiki’e by the tribes that live along it’s coast, a long tunnel burrows from the foot of a dormant volcano  to the face of Daikado himself and a great temple to the imprisoned god guards the tunnel. Many of the tribes of the island break tradition and venerate the imprisoned god, and lone visitors to the larger villages will often go missing.

Races of Desylinn (Part 1)

Races of Desylinn:  

Each group which makes up one of the races of Desylinn has found a unique place in the world. The races struggle to get along, even 600 years after the collapse of the first great tyranny of the world. The vacuum left from the overthrow of Empire of Mariea remains unfilled. The strongest of the races are mired in tradition and taboo, while the weakest are greatly isolated from the rest of the world.  From the dwarves in the mighty Dragon Mountains to the Humans in the island chains to the south, only Eartlinn and Hub have become diverse and they are set to replace the tyranny of the elves with the meritocracy of the Kindred. Below are the races of Desylinn. 

Dwarves: 

Created by goddess Tiala and the god Bahu to be companions to the Dragons, the dwarves are the oldest of the mortal races of Desylinn. Originally carving the females from stone and forging the males from ore, the dwarves are resolute with strong traditions which have lasted for generations. Due to their unique creation, Dwarves have social taboos surrounding metal and stone: men may only work with metal, women only with stone. This results in two distinct gender roles: Dwarven men are artisans, particularly blacksmiths, and warriors. Dwarven women keep hearth and home but are also merchants, though they keep a male on staff to handle any metal. This separation of material has led to many items in dwarven society being made of fine ceramics or wood, in order to avoid the social stratification. The Dwarves are divided into ten "clans", one for each type of dragon they honor, and are further divided along class lines. The priests are at the top and act as liaisons with the ancient dragons, which advise or rule each clan. Next the clan leaders and bureaucrats who guide the people in day to day affairs, and then artisans, merchants and the noble warrior class all hold different forms of honor in the society at large. Finally come the peasants, who make up a bulk of the dwarven race and who’s labors form the backbone of the society.  Initially unwilling allies to the Elves during the Empire, the dwarves have become a powerful yet troubled people since the Empire’s downfall. 

Elves: 

The children of the god Maries, the long lived elves, were one of the most powerful races in the world of Desylinn. Having conquered a majority of the continent during the Empire of Mariea the tall, haughty Elves were brought low six centuries ago by armies of escaped slaves and their allies. Now the elves are a petty reflection of their cruel grandeur, all bearing the mark of Kadie's "kiss" on their cheek. Many of the Elves who live in Eartlinn, or the other lands of Desylinn mar this brand of their races shame in order to interact with others in the world. This is not always true of those remaining in Mariea. Elves generally consider men and women equal, either sex able to serve in any position. The only strong taboo in Elven culture is mixing their divine blood with lesser races. As such, Half-Elves are generally rejected and reared by the non-Elf parent. The Elves are once again finding their place in this new world. The older generation was alive during the War of the Five and the downfall of their nation. The younger generation feels the divine call of their forbearers and while most attempt to find a place in the Kindred, the Dwarven lands, Hub or even the Cities of the Lost, some desire to recreate what the Elves once had, even at the cost of their relationship with other races. 

Geato Abira(lizard folk): 

Created from the tears of the grieving Ishari and the blood of the Nameless One, the Geato Abira, or lizard folk, are reclusive. Judging each merchant, explorer, or envoy individually the lizard folk extend their trust warily. The exception is those who bear the marks of the Kindred, as they are allowed to pass freely through Abiran lands. The lizard folk have five genders, the most numerous being the Sal, or females, and the Taro, or males. The females are larger and strong than the males and have much higher status, becoming warriors and esteemed citizens. The males are a sub-class in their culture, with few rights and less power. The firm leaders of the Geato Abira are the seers or Sala-ma, females with an extra pupil giving them the power of seership.  Some males are born with this pupil and are also able to become seers known as Taresal, and while granted more respect than normal males, they still have little power. The fifth gender is the Sal-Talon, females which grow to be immense, far beyond normal size. These become honored warriors and have garnered much respect in Geato Abiran society. Many lizard folk are found outside their traditional territory, as the youth of the race are encouraged to venture into the world to understand how the other races live before coming home to take their place in society.

Gren: 

Created by the Wild Ones in mockery of the elves, the gren are a chaotic, nomadic people who value joyous celebration over politics and power. The Seven Great Families of Gren wander across the lands in large wagons pulled by massive hounds called chulla. The men and women of the Gren have clear gender roles, with men hunting, fishing, chulla training, and acting as warriors on the rare occasion a threat emerges. The gren women keep and maintain the large wagons, which have come into use since the fall of the Empire of Mariea. Women also serve as the primary clan leaders, and serve as diplomats and ambassadors. The Gren are naturally magical, as the power of the three gods who created them instilled innate abilities in each sex. The males have Rage, which makes them fearsome and bloody warriors, while the females have the calming power of the Soothing, which keeps the Rage in check and makes Gren males docile and playful. The Gren have a strong sence of vendetta, seeking to right perceived wrongs. Though not typically lethal, these acts of vengeance go beyond their otherwise playful attitude. Gren are eager to explore the world and seek the “new” wherever they go. Most still reside in the Fertile Lands, but it is common to see a clan of Gren traversing rocky Dwarven highways or digging out of the mire in the Geato Marsh, as the Gren see all of Desylinn as their home.

Half-elves: 

While Elves can breed with several races in Desylinn, the most common half-breed is  between Elves and Humans. During the Empire of Mariea, Humans were common house slaves to the Elves, being less temperamental than Gren and more civilized than the Kindred. It was not uncommon for Humans to be enticed into coupling with their owners. The resulting offspring were typically raised by their Human parent, or the staff of the house if the Human slave was executed as punishment for the child, a common practice. The adult Half-Elf would be granted limited freedom in Elven society, usually working "slave" jobs for little pay. They had the ability to wander, but were treated with serious disdain and hatred. Orc and Elf pairings occasionally resulted in a child as well, but unlike half-human children they were put to death when discovered. Called “Bad-bloods” because of their in ability to breed, during the time of the Empire there was no place for these mixed-blood people.  Human-Elf half breeds are still common today and unlike their Half-Orc/Half-Elf counterparts they either breed true human or true elf offspring. In Hub and the surrounding Eartlinn they have found a firm place in each of the Guilds, and many Half-Elves take Kindred Marks. Since the collapse of the Empire, Half-Elves have gained a certain legitimacy which they never had before.

(Part 2 Here)

Secrets of Desylinn: Liara Rosetongue

by Dominic Ford

Entering the dark room, Machi’s heart pounded, filled with dread. Although the market this morning had been one long catastrophic event, he couldn’t believe it had warranted a meeting with the renowned Lady of Whispers. A lamp in the corner flickered to life, and his heart skipped. He had expected a hag, but this woman was so far from that. His tongue dried in his mouth. Her elegant face, unmarred by the slender scar covering her Imperial origins, was smiling. Her neck, decorated with a delicate rose tattoo, led his eyes to her silvery gown, which however modest couldn’t hide the woman’s majestic beauty. Machi swallowed hard and forced his eyes upward, looking into her inviting green eyes. She began to whisper.

Although born into the frozen Elven Empire, Liara had her heart warmed at a young age by the life and music of the Transcendent BjordHalf-foot. Instead of embracing the cold, Liara turned to music. Liara was among the first to scar herself rather than continue to carry Kady’s Kiss, the mark left on all Elves upon the death of Empress Arcadia. Her fame as a Bard spread beyond Hub, and her tours took her across Desylinn, from the Kindred’s tents and the Gren's Wagons to the Dwarves' distant forgehalls. Her career took an abrupt turn when a jealous performer snuck into her home one night and slit her throat. Luck, or the Transcendent Bjord’s blessing, was with her, and she survived the devastating injury.

Left with an ugly scar on her throat, her was voice utterly destroyed. Liara turned her back on her career, her magics, and her previous life. She took a vow of silence and maintained it for over a decade. Seeking understanding of the nature of the Gods, of life in Desylinn, and a new purpose for herself, she searched within for answers. The first answer she found in Transcendent Bjord’s second teaching, Altruism. A servant in the Temple of the Five, she became a silent bringer of hope, dedicated to alleviating the endless suffering of the world. One day, deep in meditation, inspiration struck. She rose, collected her wages, and left the temple. She went straight to a tattoo artist, and whispered the design for her rose into his ear.

Her new life bloomed with the rose. She took her money and invested in small shops, independent merchants, and desperate yet skilled craftsmen. Slowly these investments expanded and grew, and with them so did her influence. The small shops grew into flourishing businesses, the merchants into significant caravanners, and the lowly craftsmen advanced as masters of their respective arts. Finally, the collected organization began to fray, too large and unwieldy for any individual to manage, and Liara knew that a change had to happen at once. She petitioned the Council for official status and her organization became the Merchant’s Guild.

Within the Merchant’s Guild, Liara’s word is final. She has advisors and bodyguards, but once she whispers instructions they are carried out immediately, to the best understanding and ability of her followers. She considers her people to be a powerful machine, and modeled it after Transcendent Bjord Half-foot’s famed artifact, the Voice of the Changeling. She trains her people to be perpetually flexible, and empowers them to make decisions in the moment, from the bottom level up to the highest caravanners. Her organization stretches almost as far as her fame once did, and few dare cross the Merchants for fear of bringing a single whisper against them.

Liara has not allowed this power to go to her head, however. She spends her time praying and meditating, trusting her followers to do as she has asked. She never forgets the second half of Transcendent Bjord’s teachings, and instills the value of Altruism into her entire organization. She demands loyalty, trust and honor, and in return ensures full wages, adequate reward and proper punishment for any in the Merchant’s Guild. In spite of this, her understanding of both business and mortal weakness ensure that she is increasingly profitable. She passes most of this back to the Guild, and the rest to the Temple of the Five, choosing a life of humble honor for herself.