Elysian Vanguard The World of Valore

Tiko

Draconic Administrator/Mentor
Administrator
Mentor
Nexus GM
Valore is a large, geographically diverse planet with a markedly high abundance of magical influence. It is perhaps this unrelenting out-pour of magic that set it upon its current path. Or perhaps it was simply events beyond the reach of mortals that set the stage for what was to come. With so many variables in play and so many cards upon one board, it's hard to say just what was the tipping point. After all, what is magic but what science cannot explain? How can one blame that which they don't truly understand?

What is known is that the once prosperous capital city of the TNG - Westeria City - found itself at the center of a cataclysmic battle that errupted within its streets. Those responsible remain unknown, but the clashing forces where earth shattering. As an infernal dragon of unknown machinations scorched the skies, other equally unrestrained agents of this unknown enemy targeted key points within the TNG to ensure its fall. The TNG held its ground, but with so many powerful forces converging upon one location, the consequences proved grave. Even as their city shook, so too did the rest of the Midlands suffer the backlash. Even the lands and countries beyond TNG borders felt the impact of the unrelenting forces as magical anomalies swept the planet.

It was perhaps only the timely intervention of the Elysian Vanguard that brought an end to the battle and pushed back those who had unleashed such destruction. Their aid came far too late though and entire continents lay in ruins from an inexplicable backlash of magic originating from the heart of the Midlands that had torn its way across the planet with unrelenting fervor. The very geography of the planet had been irreparably altered.

Many have been quick to point blame to the TNG for its long history of struggling to control unregulated use of magic and powerful conflicts within its borders, and for allowing such an event to transpire. Others question the seemingly targeted nature of the event though. After all, the TNG and Valore as a whole have been no stranger to such bloody battles and never before in its long history had such forces caused the scale of planet wide upheaval witnessed upon that day.

  • Valore
    • Terra
      • Midlands
      • Eastlands
        • Varnathus
        • Tersyr
      • Westlands
      • Northlands
    • Shintenchi
      • Volaria
      • Losenji
    • Caldonia
      • Tiria
      • The Barrens
    • Arteghia
    • G'ael
      • Northern G'ael
      • Southern G'ael
    • Aelora
 
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Terra

Midlands: The Midlands where once a diverse and multicultural region filled both with sprawling cities and vast woodlands. Its former prosperity has given way to ruin though as it found itself at the nexus point of the cataclysmic anomalies that tore across the planet. Its former levels of safety and prosperity have fallen to anarchy and desperation. The remnants of the TNG have abandoned it, deeming the region uninhabitable due to the sheer concentration and severity of the planar instability that has turned the Midlands upside down. In a massive evacuation, much of the populace has been scattered across Valore while the TNG maintains active border patrols to discourage people from entering the Midlands, and to aid stragglers fleeing the Midlands. However, despite the dangers of the Midlands, many have chosen to remain behind and weather out the storm so to speak. Many, like Varnathus, blame the TNG for the ills that have befallen them and have lost faith or trust in their former government. Others are too stubborn to leave their homes, a trait that runs strong within the people of Terra. Many more still are simply quick to prey upon the lawlessness of the region to make a name or place for themselves, far from the reach of any government authority. Many of the Midlands cities and towns sit eerily empty, but some maintain pocket groups of survivors, and even small communities.

Westeria City: - This city once served as the pinnacle of Valoran diversity - that is to say it was a city that served as a melting pot of all walks of life. Every race, culture, religion, ethnicity, and species could be found walking the streets of Westeria City. It also served as one of the major hubs for international travel between Terra and the other countries of Valore.

Though that is not to say that the city was not without its ills. Of all the regions of Valore, Terra was infamous for its planar instabilities and Westeria was a hot spot for supernatural occurrences. The citizens of Westeria routinely faced down their share of threats from demon-lords-of-chaos, to demigods and everything in between.

Despite this, Westeria enjoyed a moderately high level of prosperity for a time, but all things have their breaking point. Torn asunder by the growing planar instabilities of the Midlands, the city has buckled and fallen to anarchy. Deemed uninhabitable by the TNG and abandoned, the city now flounders onward, serving as home to pockets of civilization too stubborn to evacuate it when it fell to chaos.

Large swaths of the city remain uninhabited while pockets of life converge together in the safer sections of the city. A large forest sweeps through much of the central regions of the city, and once tall skyscrapers lay crumbled in the streets of other regions. Charred stone and bullet holes speak of the battles that have swept its streets.

With no overarching government or system of law in place, what civilization still remains within the city has begun to splinter into clan like entities, each maintaining their own hold over various regions of the city - some more well maintained and safer than others.

Many individuals choose to cloister together within the bubble of safety that these locations offer, while others make their living scavenging from the abandoned districts, facing whatever ills now crawl the streets of this once proud city.

How long the city can endure on in such a state is anyone's guess, but with no means of trade or governmental aid, it's only a matter of time before resources run thin.



Westlands: The Westlands - like the Midlands - are a place of diversity; both in geography and in culture. A fact only furthered as refugees flood in from the east.

From the sprawling mountain peaks of the east, to rolling green fields and forests that stretch to the southern coasts it holds a picturesque image. Abundant forests, rivers and lakes provide a patch-work of pleasant scenery. Unfortunately this image does little to speak of the struggles within.

The sheer quantity of refugees fleeing the Midlands has placed an immense strain upon the region, and with the TNG on its last legs there is little government support to aid with the massive influx of arrivals. Barely self-sustaining refugee camps are a growing concern as little sense of governance is being maintained over them. Much of the regional economy has been all but destroyed as trade has been disrupted all over the planet, and many resources are being diverted to help sustain a massive displaced population.

For all of its economic woes though, the Westlands remains largely stable, planarly speaking. After the initial upheaval passed, the anomalies and planar rifts remain largely centralized to the Midlands and seem to have maintained no ongoing effects within the Westlands. At least not with any great regularity or concentration. That is not to say that the Westlands went unscathed though. After all, those sprawling mountain peaks didn't used to exist and the numerous towns that once stood in their place have remained lost.



Eastlands: Wartorn, the Eastlands have become a region of persecution and struggle. Triggered by their desperation and fear, Varnathus has seen to the outlawing of magic and non-human species, and a fierce push has begun to remove them from the Eastlands. The cool, open foothills of the northern regions have always been the most abundant and yet least populated of the Eastlands and now its scattered pockets of forests and foothills serve as shelter for fleeing refugees and resistance groups. The more open sprawling grasslands of the central Eastlands - the area where the fighting is the most violent - have fast become an inhospitable place for those on the run.

Varnathus: Varnathus is country that seemingly rose overnight in the aftermath of the destruction that swept across Valore. Declaring its independence from the TNG, Varnathus has become an entity in its own right. With the TNG in tatters, there are few to contend Varnathus' claim over much of the Eastlands and fewer still to challenge their belief that the cataclysmic events that shook the planet were a product of the TNG and rampant abuse of magic and other supernatural forms of destruction. With this belief to drive them, those heading this burgeoning country have begun a violent purge of anything deemed unnatural. In a single-minded obsession the nation of Varnathus has unleashed infernal machines with the likeness of giant beasts upon the countryside to cow the populace and to hunt down those that would threaten their world further. Varnathus' outrage hasn't stopped with just the magic users of the Eastlands though, and even historical locations and hot-spots of magic have fallen under Varnathus' path of destruction.

Tersyr: Tersyr is a sprawling stretch of the Eastlands that is largely comprised of vast lowland plains, river networks, and forested foothills that extend into the northern highlands. Tersyr is home to a large denomination of centaur and other tribal people that are indigenous to the plains of Terra and seek to maintain their ancestral ways. Tersyr formerly lay within TNG jurisdiction, but by treaty had maintained a semi-autonomous state of self-governance under the leadership of [redacted] of the centaur people. With the fall of the TNG though, Tersyr now finds itself isolated and alone with the ferocity of Varnathus bearing down upon its borders. A ferocity that Tersyr is more than prepared to match with its own though. The centaur of Tersyr in particular are renowned for their hardened independence and Legendary skill at seamlessly fusing magic into their weapons and armor and engineering machines of war of the likes to give even the fiercest invaders pause for alarm. With ancient roots into druidism and mysticism, their weapons and armor are said to breathe a life of their own.

Acarna Ma'ta sits as the capital of the Tersyr plains tribes and it's situated at the base of the northern highlands where it serves as a cultural center for the numerous tribes and clans that find sanctuary within Tersyr. Though historically Tersyr named itself as refuge to the tribal people of the Eastlands, it now serves as temporary haven to all persecuted and driven northward by Varnathus' genocidal spread.



Northlands:

Windcrest City:

Nasazura's Rest:
 
Shintenchi

Volaria:

Losenji:
 
Caldonia

Caldonia: Caldonia is a large continental landmass south of Terra. Though no large bodies of water separate the two continents, the climate and geography are a stark contrast. None of Terra's lush forests and grasslands can be found within Caldonia. Only desert and rocky mountains stretch for as far as the eye can see. The northern sands of Caldonia have been aptly named 'The Dying Sands' in a grim but accurate depiction of their desolate nature. The desert grows more habitable and prosperous further south along the enormous river of Koramir that bisects the continent nearly in two, but further south yet the more prosperous sands give way to the rocky Barrens. Though not as desolate as the Dying Sands, the rocky Barrens is no place to be traveled lightly. Perhaps more so because of the presence of large reptilian and draconic carnivores, and multitudes of venomous reptiles, insects, and arachnids. Despite the dangers of the Barrens, numerous tribal groups call the region home.

Tiria: Rebuilt from the ashes of a war nearly a millennium past, this predominantly human-populated country has long since returned to a state of growth and prosperity. Located near the eastern reaches of Caldonia, Tiria is dominated by sprawling desert and rocky mountain ranges. Lorandor, the capital city of Tiria, is a major trading hub for the surrounding towns - largely situated along the Koramir river - and can be located at the base of the mountains. The city houses the Castle Elantil, an impressive fortress and home to the reigning monarch.

Given the relatively unscathed state of the country, one might be led to assume it had the fortune of remaining untouched by the anomalies that had swept the planet. That is, until one considers that the Elantil monarch had died out nearly fifteen-hundred years ago, and Tiria with it.

Forever a mystery to archaeologists and historians, Tiria had seemingly vanished from Valore without so much as a trace. Many speculated if it had ever existed in the first place, but records and archaeological evidence remained strong within neighboring regions and suggested that this little known nation did indeed once exist. Perhaps the mystery of its disappearance lays within its abrupt re-appearance.

Tiria grew to its prime in an era dominated by sword and magic, long before the influence of technological advancements took hold over the direction and evolution of magic. As such it now finds itself in a strange and alien world with little understanding or knowledge of the magitech developments that lay beyond its borders.

The Barrens: The Barrens encompass the entire range of Caldonia south of the Koramir river. Once a place teaming with life and prosperity, this region once served as the homeland of the draconians and supported a multitude of human tribes. Ravished by war and the destruction of the draconian empire nearly a millennium past, nothing but barren wasteland remains. Only the hardiest of tribes still carve out a life in these desolate lands, and only the desperate seek refuge within the Barrens.

Or so it once was. The return of the extinct Barrens tribes from nearly fifteen-hundred years ago is no doubt linked to the return of the equally archaic and neighboring country of Tiria. Like Tiria, the Barrens tribes have no experience or knowledge of the development of magitech that has taken place in the intervening years since their disappearance and return. They instead rely upon more primitive and primal forms of magic.
 
Arteghia

Arteghia: While many regions of Terra struggle to pick up the fractured pieces of a broken world, some might say that Arteghia has suffered the peculiar opposite. At least, depending on whose perspective you are viewing the situation from. Once suffering the plight of heavy deforestation and dwindling resources due to encroachment and over-farming, the once lush rainforests of Arteghia have seemingly been restored to their former glory. Lumber camps, towns and even cities have been all but swallowed up by the forests that now claim 90% of the vast continent. For those living within these locations, one might find their current state of being to be less than ideal, but for the native tribes peoples that had been pushed back and relegated to small reservations and remote corners of the rainforests this development has been met with more than a small measure of rejoice. While many throughout the world view the recent events as nothing short of apocalyptic, many of the Arteghian tribespeople view is a rebirth of sorts. A second chance to heal what was broken and to take better care this time around.
 
G'ael

Northern G'ael: Northern G'ael is a dark land, its people dominated by superstition and fear. Well known for its rolling highlands and vast woodland valleys, this region was once a place of great beauty before the land grew sickly. Currently a thick smog has settled over the countryside; overcast skies and heavy rainfall only add to the gloom and depression of the region. Life in northern G'ael is centered around the scattered settlements that make up this region. With little to no contact with neighboring towns or travelers, each settlement is self-sufficient. Outsiders are viewed with great mistrust and only barely tolerated until they move on.

Southern G'ael: Southern G'ael is a harsh and rugged land, its people fierce warriors. Its predominant feature is that of its vast and rolling highlands. Populated by a multitude of scattered clans, southern G'ael has no overarching system of government or law, but rather each clan manages their own internal affairs. Wars and skirmishes between the clans, over land or perceived slights, is not uncommon. From time to time clans have been known to unite under a single overarching banner or clan-leader, but such a time has not transpired in many generations.
 
Aelora

Aelora: Aelora is a land forgotten. Legend tells of a blight known only as The Void that spread through Aelora two millennia ago. As nation after nation fell the last of the Aeloran races joined together to seal Aelora away in a final effort to contain the blight from spreading to other continents of Valore. A veil was erected and Aelora was lost to time and memory.

For two millennia the veil held and none could enter nor leave Aelora, and for two millennia the war with the void raged on. Nations were shattered, races driven into extinction, and what survivors remained retreated into mountain strongholds until the tides were turned with the return of the Elysian Vanguard - a fabled order of heroes and legends.

With the blight driven back the races of Aelora have stepped forward to reclaim their ancestral homes, but they aren't alone. With the passing of time the veil that separates Aelora from world beyond has begun to fray. Crossroads, or points at which the veil is weakest, have begun to form. These crossroads are typically places of power with high concentrations of magical energies that serve as temporary gateways between Aelora and the outside world. Should one happen upon one of those crossroads they might find themselves within this fantastical land of myth and legend. A crossroads can appear at any location without warning and often one does not know when or where a crossroads will appear, or for how long it will remain.

Due to the high concentration of both void and fey magic within the lands of Aelora, both the flora and the fauna of the continent have been greatly influenced to give birth to all manner of fantastical species exclusive to this unique landscape.
 
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