Ravnsríki

Ravnsríki (pronounced RAVNS-ree-kee, with rolled 'r's) is Raven's Realm. It is the home of Humans whose customs and religious beliefs strongly resemble those of the Old Norse from 1500 years ago. The kingdom is an inherited monarchy ruled by a king and advised by court advisors. The capital is Ravnborg (Raven's City).

Ravnsríki lies in the middle of three kingdoms jutting out in the Norðrlönd Peninsula in the Norðrsær (North Sea). To the northwest lies the Dwarfinn Kingdom of Dûrgath, and to the southeast lies the Aelfinn kingdom called AEldoria. Sitting in the westernmost part of Ravnsríki is a place called 'Hel' based on the myth about Hel, daughter of Loki, and her domain inhabited by Dragons. About a hundred years ago, the Wyverns pushed the Humans back to the Helsgaard Plateau and vanished during a conflict. Their disappearance made them into tavern tales and nighttime stories for the following generations.

The chief industry exports are food (grains and cattle) and lumber. They clear the trees to make room for farms and ranches. King Valdissen aspires to export warrior defense to the whole Norðrlönd Peninsula.

Located in the western part of Ravnsríki is an area known as Hel—a volcanic plain with a cavernous labyrinth rumored to house Wyverns. The Wyverns haven't been seen for a hundred years, but there are growing reports of very large bats flying at night and missing cattle. Relative peace has existed between the Wyverns and the Humans for the last hundred years. As Humans migrate and expanded their dominion over the land ruled by King Valdissen, known as Ravnsríki, the Wyverns chose to move away from the encroaching human settlements, preferring avoidance over conflict. Until recently, human expansion in the valley, which the Wyverns call the Verdant Valley and the Humans call Helsgaard Frontier, was non-existent. Peace reigned in Helsgaard and the surrounding areas.

Hel is geologically unique in that it has active volcanic flows with large volcanic caverns and a lush valley to the east. This suited the Wyverns as the temperatures in the Verdant Valley are relatively temperate, occasionally snowing, so the Wyverns keep to the caverns in the winter and harvest deer and elk in the lush forest the rest of the year, building up fat stores in their massive tails to hold them through their winter hibernation.

Further east of the forest, a sharp wall rises up to the Helsgaard Plateau 1500 feet above the valley floor named the Western Helsgaard Wall. Over the years, a narrow animal trail had been carved out as animals migrated between the cooler summer plateau and the warmer winter valley. Even further east of the plateau lies the Eastern Helsgaard Wall—a near-vertical cliff completely unnavigable except by flight, and for one trail that is easy to go down and impossible to go up. This puts the plateau in a relatively safe location, as the only access was from the northern mountains and the southern forests.

A small sea was far to the south of Hel and the Helsgaard Frontier (Verdant Valley). Recently, humans built a small fishing port town there called South Shore. Since the scouts discovered Hel and reported the northern areas to be uninhabitable, the humans didn't venture too far from the port, which suited the Wyverns. 

To the west of Hel lies a high desert with scrub vegetation inhabited by small animals such as rabbits and coyotes. This area is unsuitable for Wyvernkind. Beyond that lies the Ironroot Mountains, a rugged range occupied by the Dwarfinn folk.

To the north of the Helsgaard Plateau, another sharp, mountainous, tree-covered cliff rises to complete the lush valley. Past that plateau are very tall mountains with their eternally snow-capped peaks. A group of humans are known to live in relatively lower elevations in a place called the Aethel Monastery. They never ventured into the valley, living simply off the gardens they maintain and the elk they harvest from the forest and focusing on philosophy, telekinesis and other things that don't concern hungry Wyverns.

Click to view larger map

AEldoria

AEldoria is the home of the Aelfs. The Aelfs are typically taller, and 98% have platinum blonde hair and are very slender. This leads to extreme agility and grace as they move through the forest. They excel at archery and mystical medicines, including herbalism and no-touch healing (known in the Far East as Reiki).

The government has a king appointed by the Council of Elders, which operates out of the capital, Eryn Lasgalen. It comprises the twelve wisest elders from the local cities/towns/regions elected by the local populace to represent them. The Council is politically divided between "conservors," who want to keep things as they are and remain isolated from Humans, and the "progressors," who want to make progress toward peace and cooperation with Humans. As a result of the two factions, the king is usually a representative of the majority of the Elders.

As a rule, Aelfs are very elegant and strongly emphasize protocol and etiquette. Their speech is grammatically perfect, and they look down on the common rendition of language. They are universally bilingual, speaking the Aelfinn tongue and the common tongue of Humans and other races.

This leads to a feeling of superiority and supremacy over the Humans.

Sadly, the 18-year war destroyed their economy due to restrictions on legitimate trade. Their exports are medicinals, healing potions, healing services, and finely crafted swords, all of which were embargoed by the Humans during the war.

Click to view larger map

Kingdom of Dûrgath

Dûrgath (pronounced DOOR-gath) is a dispersed community of several cities, each operating as meritocracies, with the most skilled Dwarf claiming the title of Clan Leader. The High King, Durgrin Ironbrow, rules from Thunderstrike and is advised by a council of Elders, with representatives from each of the Clan's around the realm. These representatives are the most experienced and respected members of each clan. This council guides on governance, trade, and defense, ensuring the kingdom's continued prosperity and stability.

Dwarfinn culture emphasizes excellence, tradition, and ancestral wisdom. This reverence for the past can be a source of strength, providing a solid foundation for governance and decision-making. However, it can also lead to resistance to change and innovation, potentially hindering progress in certain areas.

The people of Dûrgath are typically short in stature, very muscular, and predominately red-haired. They excel at mining irons and crafting iron products like axes, swords, and armor.

There may be a splinter group that focuses on advancing technology. Fable says they built a city out of iron and called it Jarnborg, or "Iron City." Jarnborg and the Wyverns had a war 300 years ago and allegedly destroyed the city of Jarnborg.

Click to view larger map

Gorathökk (pronounced GOR-ah-theck) - The land of the Orc. Little is known about them, except they love to fight and raid. They excel at melee combat, foraging, and not much else. After the attack on South Shore, the Rangers of Helsgaard got to see Orcs close up, with their blue-green skin, overdeveloped mandible, and protruding lower tusks. Most of them have mohawk-style haircuts.

Fortunately, they are not seafaring, and the Gorathökksaer (Orc Sea) separates them from everyone else... for now... So one should ask how Orc Undead showed up in Dûrgath and Ravnsríki if they aren't seafaring. Ooohhh... Mysteries...

Skullsplitter's Shoal is an island between Dûrgath and Gorathökk, and it looks like the Necromancers used it as a stepping stone to cross over and invade Dûrgath and take over the town of Copperhearth as a base of operations.

Map to be published once the Gorathökk Expedition launches.

Gorathökk