Kern

Kern

Kern (pronounced KURN) is the central setting of the world of The Silly Campaign and its subsequent volumes. The map is heavily stylized so your imagination can fill in the gaps. I don’t expect you to read this whole thing. Below is a list of the named locations, towns, cities, and nations of the world along with a brief description of what they are.

Location Summaries (Brief)

Anything you read about the below locations that isn’t explicitly stated I would like for you all to fill in with your imagination. Below is a brief summary of each named location listed in this document.

Far Country – A sprawling, untamed land of wildlife, vegetation, trees, cliffs, rivers, and mountains.

Last ‘Stoppe Inn – A moderately-sized inn located between the last cities/small towns of the western plains and the Far Country.

Town of Arlen – A small, quaint town that prides itself on their agriculture and hard work.

City of Aestros – A robust city-state whose economy is centered around the fabrication and production of natural resources. They are the world’s foremost exporters of quality steel.

Town of Amberwell – A smallish town situated right in the narrowest part of the western plains just before crossing over into the Feller Isles.

Goblin Settlement – An abandoned mine claimed by the largest group of goblins as their permanent home.

Gleaming Forest – One of two known and consistent sources of wild magic in the world. A very silly place.

City of Lyre – The western world’s metropolis.

City of Gleam – A satellite state of Lyre. Has a decent-but-not-prestigious magic college.

Town of Lochfog – A tourist trap town with a beautiful lake.

Town of Balaris & Balaris Fishing Settlement – An unassuming, curmudgeonly town who are the world’s #1 exporters of fresh fish.

Town of Haxby – A popular vacation spot full of casinos, bars, and other related entertainment. Also a major exporter of grain and other related crops.

City of Scotchwood – Is basically a dwarven-ethnostate that is on the rise to becoming the world’s largest exporters of natural resources from their mines. They have a corporatist government that uses private militias to govern the area.

Town of Fillmore – A major world exporter of tobacco and other agricultural products, but also notably the only fishing rivals of Balaris.

Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Glaggleland – An autocratic dictatorship from which no visitor has ever returned.

Clank – A desolate, hard-boiled desert town known for their simple living and illegal activities.

Ares’ Trap – Recently-reopened coliseum that hosts all kinds of competitions, including the world’s most renowned fighting tournaments.

Kingdom of Straetos – One of the biggest nations in the world. It is a gigantic plateau lifted up a mile high out of the ocean. It is inhabited mainly by Straetofolk, a race of people who are made of clouds.

Nation of Lodistan – A smallish dictatorship that acts as the world’s authority on and foremost exporter of tobacco.

Xantoh’s Watch – A trading headquarters for all things illegal and contraband.

Kingdom of Valysir – The main state of the Valysirian Empire. The Keep is the most populous area in the world and is the eastern world’s metropolis. It is home to the international headquarters of Magicorp.

City of Ecil – Territory of the Valysirian Empire. Ecil has the world’s leading, extremely-prestigious magic college. They are also known for their musical compositions and galas.

Dragon’s Thumb Forest – The other source of wild magic in the world. Once used as a battleground in an ancient war involving the Oerlikon.

Vale’s Retreat – A small nation who are known for producing Crystal Ball films and shows.

Land’s End – A derelict old village where people outcast from the Valysirian Empire usually turn up.

Kingdom of Vanda – A proud, agrarian kingdom known for its scenic beauty and natural landscape features begins at the mountain range separating their lands from the Dragon’s Thumb forest in southern Valysir.

Kingdom of Ylvin – The primary elvish homeland scattered with majestic mountain peaks, ancient castles, and beautiful landscape.

Nation of Tharic – A democratic mountain nation under heavy political and economic pressure from Valysir due to their close proximity.

Northwest

Far Country

The Far Country is an extremely wide sprawl of untamed forests in the northern end of the continent. It is filled with lush, bucolic rivers, plains, and waterfalls hidden from the exposure of the outside world thanks to the thick vegetation surrounding the area.

It is home to a whole ecosystem of different types of life, including the Oerlikon. Overlooking the entrance to the forest from the south is Mt. Gôl.

During the nighttime, the Far Country becomes a hostile environment of monsters and predators when all of the more tempered creatures are home, giving them the ability to stalk the night. The area is well-known for the variety of monsters and other bizarre creatures that may show up during the night. Some downplay the events of this forest as superstition.

Northwestern Major Region

Last ‘Stoppe Inn

The Last ‘Stoppe Inn is an inn located between Arlen and Mt. Gôl, acting as the point of no return for adventurers travelling to the north of the continent. The Far Country is uninhabitable by normal means, so no buildings or cities can be constructed within. There are small settlements of fey creatures and other animals within, however.

Town of Arlen

Marketplace and Trade. Agriculture, mostly grains/wheat/barley type stuff as well as honey and mead production from local wildflowers. Animal husbandry and leatherworking are also common professions.

Population Size. Small; ~600 people on any given day, with more depending on current travel and trade activities.

Population Density. Arlen’s quaint architecture, small size, and location in the plains of the Northwestern Major Region allow for it to be populated less-densely than other areas in the world.

Demonym. ‘Arlenians’

Population Demographics. Arlen is mostly human and half-elf, though tieflings and dwarves are also seen from time to time. The non-human/elf races tend to work manual labor jobs other than farming, like merchandisers and garbage collection.

Government. Arlen is basically a wild-west type town protected and governed by their local constabulary that reports to a mayor.

Culture. Arlen is known for their practice of cultivating luminescent mushrooms that only grow in the moonlight. The mushrooms are seen extensively throughout the town and in their designs. During the fall, they have a rich competitive scarecrow designing-scene, hosting annual festivals attracting visitors to witness the most creatively scary or funny scarecrows. They have four inns, a blacksmith, five Arlenerns, and a proportionally-large farming sector that supports their economy.

City of Aestros

Marketplace and Trade. Aestros is a powerhouse of fabrication and natural resource production. Their outputs include coal, wood, and stone from their local mines, but they are most notable as the world’s biggest exporter of quality steel. Craftsmen in their shopping sector sell handmade gemstone rings and other jewelry.

Population Size. Medium: Aestros is home to a registered population of 75,000 people, the majority of whom are employed in the mining and steel industries.

Population Density. Aestros has an historic downtown with lofts and townhouses, as well as the occasional rural area, but their city is populated by large housing complexes and neighborhoods for their workers, located near the industrial sectors.

Demonym. ‘Aestrians’

Population Demographics. Aestros has a notable elf and half-elf population, roughly outnumbering humans. Many dwarves who were born in Arlen or Amberwell end up traveling to Aestros for work in their mines, hoping to find the means to start their adventure.

Government. Aestros employs the help of the Silver Cloak, an organization of knights who offer protection services for a fee. The city collects the dues for the knights annually, and in exchange, they patrol the streets and act as their law enforcement. The city’s politics are largely centered around this issue as well as their place in the world economy, being a major exporter of steel and iron.

Culture. An eccentric group of masons who call themselves the ‘stone whisperers’ claim to communicate with the spirits within their rocks, enhancing the quality of the stone and other materials they mine. Each year, the town hosts a "Wooden Beard" competition, where locals carve elaborate and impractical beards out of wood.

West

Western Major Region

Town of Amberwell

Marketplace and Trade. Amberwell is the trade hot spot of the western world. They primarily export coal and all manners of mid-climate fruits while using the revenue generated by their canal to supplement their income, which acts as a gateway through the western region.

The wine the city produces is frequently the idol of desire for their Goblin neighbors to the south. They also have a modest fishing industry that perpetually lives in the shadow of Balaris’s.

Population Size. Medium: They have a registered population of 35,000 people, though the downtown area sees far more than that each day due to the canal.

Population Density. Besides their downtown area, Amberwell is a sprawling area of agriculture with a central mine on the outskirts of town; the area is more loosely populated and is more or less a much bigger Arlen. The trading sector is almost always busy.

Demonym. ‘Amberwellns’

Population Demographics. Amberwell is predominantly human but with significant elf, half-elf, tiefling, and halfling populations.

Government. Like their neighbor Aestros, Amberwell is protected by the Silver Cloak and pays annual dues via taxation in the city and through revenue generated by the canal. A particular interest in the town’s politics revolves around the pirate presence in the canal.

Culture. Amberwell's skilled agriculturists and herbalists have developed a hybrid fruit called the "Flamefruit," which, when consumed, gives a mild warming sensation. Locals frequently report ghost sightings in the canal at night, especially those involving pirates and ghost ships.

Goblin Settlement

Marketplace and Trade. The goblins are frequent buyers and sellers of items that are usually on their way to Xantoh’s Watch or the hands of pirates. Their stock, if they let you buy any, is mainly stolen wines from Amberwell’s cellars. They do tend to hoard stranger items as well.

Population Size. Large: A wise old man in Amberwell estimates there could be anywhere from 400 to 10,000 Goblins living in the caves underneath the desert.

Population Density. Extremely dense: Word-of-mouth travels far and fast among the Goblins.

Population Demographics. Only Goblins. Anyone who is not a Goblin must earn their trust in order to remain in the settlement come nightfall.

Government. The Goblins run an authoritarian commune that prides themselves on theft, profit, mayhem, and spontaneous acts of violence above all else. Concepts like weakness and compassion are a show of cowardice among them.

Culture. The vast majority of Goblins are insufferable xenophobic kleptomaniacs, though the rare outliers are not to be found in their den. The average goblin is a mass-murderer due to their culture’s prioritization of conquest and looting, which spurs a debate in Kern on whether the actions of Goblins are acquired via nature vs. nurture.

West Feller Isles

Gleaming Forest

Resting between the Goblin Settlement and the bustling nation of Lyre is the Gleaming Forest. It is a relatively small, but dense and pronounced area of lush vegetation and critters. Alongside the Dragon’s Thumb Forest, it is one of two known and consistent sources of wild magic. While there is a main highway through the forest, it is surprisingly easy to become lost, and even the more seasoned adventurers of Kern are prone to getting turned around in it.

City of Lyre

Marketplace and Trade. As the third most-populous area in the world, Lyre collects an astonishing deal of traffic for trading and shipping. Their domestic activities include Crystal Ball programming, exquisite art, sculptures and paintings, and the world's finest shipbuilders.

They are world-renowned for their restaurant district, especially pertaining to seafood. The Balaris Fishing Settlement to the east is their main exporter of product to this end.

Population Size. Enormous: Lyre has a registered population of 840,000 as well as a great deal more who are visiting at a time.

Population Density. Because of their population size, Lyre is full of housing complexes, bodegas, flats, townhouses, and apartment complexes that scatter the area. It is a distinctly urban environment, and all three classes are represented in the city.

Demonym. ‘Lyrians’

Population Demographics. Lyre was founded by a group of human and dwarf settlers, and as such, they comprise the simple majority. Various different creatures and races from every sort of walk of life visit Lyre each day, however.

Government. Lyre is a democratic nation-state with their own armed forces, including one of the most formidable navies on the face of the earth. They have a prime minister and parliament and are a major governing authority in the area. The town is also home to the headquarters of the Silver Cloak.

Culture. There is legitimate talent to be found in their dining sector. One restaurant has mastered the art of brewing enchanted broths that alter the emotions of those who consume them. A world-famous Crystal Ball show produced here is “Gleam Shore: Wizards Gone Wild,” a reality program about the students of Gleam’s magic college located in the area to the south of Lyre.

City of Gleam

Marketplace and Trade. Gleam is home to a modest but not prestigious magic college, which lets them sell spell scrolls and other magical services. Because of their laissez-faire attitude towards magic, experimental magic contraptions are worked on in small-but-prominent groups by wizards, artificers, and sorcerers alike, which leads to commission-based, under-the-table work being common.

Population Size. Large: Gleam is home to roughly 75,000 people, with a large student population.

Population Density. Much like Lyre, Gleam has a similarly dense population in the center that becomes sparser as you move away from it.

Demonym. ‘Gleamans’

Population Demographics. Gleam draws in a mostly-human population but with many more halflings, dwarves, and tieflings.

Government. Gleam is a satellite city of Lyre, who protects them with their militia and navy. Salutary neglect enables them to continue their obsession with forbidden and illegal magic, like the extremely dangerous pastime of flying carpet racing. One political issue that is gaining more notoriety in Gleam is the prospect of their independence.

Culture. The city’s magic college is the setting of a student-made Crystal Ball show called “Gleam Shore: Wizards Gone Wild”. The show is filmed without the consent of the superiors of the school, who are in constant quarrel with the series’ creator, who outsources the production to executives in Lyre. A frequent element of the show is documenting flying carpet races held among the students, as well as the extensive modifications, preparation, and magic placed on the carpets to get ahead of one another. The producers are powerful illusionist wizards who are not so easy to contact, let alone break a contract with.

Along the outskirts of town are a seemingly-endless number of flying carpet racetracks. An especially-popular one located in a hollowed-out steel foundry consistently gathers a crowd each weekend. The city abandoned the foundry amid mafia pressure and being unable to keep up with Aestros’ production of steel.

Town of Lochfog

Marketplace and Trade. Lochfog is a token tourist trap of the area that is known for its’ admittedly beautiful and temperate lake. Commonly owned by the upper class of Lyre are lake houses and watercrafts for recreation on the lake and in the surrounding sea.  

Population Size. Small: Lochfog is home to roughly 4,000 people year-round, with more than 20 times that during hotter stretches of the year due to tourism.

Population Density. The vast majority of Lochfog’s real estate is centered around their lake, with homes becoming fewer and further in between the further away from the lake you are, not to mention more inexpensive.

Demonym. ‘Lochs’

Population Demographics. Lochfog’s town demographics are similarly proportional to Lyre and Gleam.

Government. Lochfog peacefully bargained for their independence from Lyre years ago, and as such, they are protected by the Silver Cloak in a similar process to Aestros and Amberwell.

Culture. Lochfog does not export or produce anything in notable quantities or qualities. However, entertainment and dining are just as prevalent here as they are in Lyre. The town has an ostentatious spa service using local herbs and natural resources, as well as fashion and clothing produced by local designers.

Town of Balaris

Marketplace and Trade. Balaris relies almost exclusively on the profits of the fishing settlement to their north. The townsfolk shun and mock those who do not fish to the point of running them out of town. Naturally, Balaris is the world’s foremost fishing accessory supplier. Commonly traded unrelated items are simple armaments and pearls and other undersea treasures.

Population Size. Small: Balaris only houses roughly 1,500 people year-round. There are more Balarians to the north who live year-round in the fishing settlement for employment.

Population Density. Tight; the town is squeezed up to the other side of a small mountain to the east of Lyre and is surrounded by water on a peninsula. A dock beckons to their expansive fishing settlement across the water to their north.

Demonym. ‘Balarians’

Population Demographics. Humans and other air-breathing creatures are the minority in Balaris, as the majority of their denizens are Siluriformuloids and other forms of bipedal fish that can also breath air.

Government. Balaris has a rudimentary constabulary that controls the area.

Culture. To those who pay the city their dues, Balaris is a quaint, idyllic town with all the basic necessities of simple life. The townsfolk ruminate incessantly of a tall tale about a man run out of town on a rail named Tommy Timblebock, who hated fishing.

Balaris Fishing Settlement

Marketplace and Trade. The Balaris Fishing Settlement is the #1 exporter of fish in the entire world, and they are consequently a crucial component of Lyre’s fine dining sector. All noteworthy things fish and fish-related come from Balaris, which is the home to some of the best fishing poles and baits in the world.

Population Size. Tiny: The fishing settlement only has 200-1,000 people roaming it at a time.

Population Density. Sparse: The only creatures allowed to fish in the settlement are Siluriformuloids and other aquatic bipeds.

Population Demographics. Much like the town, humans and other air-breathers are the distinct minority in the fishing settlement. The majority are Siluriformuloids.

Government. The fishing settlement is the closest thing to anarchy on this side of the world. The rest of the world perceives it as an exceedingly-dangerous area.

Culture. Disclosing another person ’s secret fishing spot is typically grounds for murder in the fishing settlement. Balarians will also do anything to get their hands (or fins) on the coveted alcohol produced by the neighboring town of Haxby.

East Feller Isles

Town of Haxby

Marketplace and Trade. Haxby is a popular vacation spot for the manual laborers of the surrounding areas, especially Balaris and Scotchwood. The town is world-renowned for their fine liquors and spirits of all varieties, and this is paired well with their gambling district. Three enormous casinos dominate the area and provide backhanded hospitality to the denizens of the city. An equally-large employer of Haxby is their farming sector, with more than 12,000 workers who produce grain, hops, barley, and all kinds of vegetables.  

Population Size. Large: Haxby’ three casinos employ a combined total of about 10,000 people on top of the town’s registered population of 100,000. The city’s world-renowned liquor provides the basis for a sophisticated and complex Arlenern industry unlike any other in the world.

Population Density. Tight; Haxby is a mostly urban area with fields of barley and grain.

Demonym. ‘Haxans’

Population Demographics. Haxby is a relatively diverse area that attracts all different kinds of creatures for their gambling and spirits.

Government. Haxby falls under the protection of the Silver Cloak, an order of knights based out of Lyre who provide protective services for a fee collected annually. They have a city council that makes decisions more specific to the town.

Culture. Haxby is a relatively small, but notable party town. The casinos and Arlenern scene play the key role in this. The casinos are home to magic shows, musical acts, dances, adult entertainment, and more.

City of Scotchwood

Marketplace and Trade. Scotchwood has spent many years on the rise as the world’s foremost mining settlement. Their main exports are high-quality furniture and fixtures, jewelry, and other items from the gemstones found in their mines.

Population Size. Huge: Scotchwood’s mines attract a considerable workforce, with loads of money tied up in the profits of those mines. The city’s registered population is 400,000.

Population Density. Extremely dense: Because most of Scotchwood’s area is occupied by mines and dense vegetation, the living arrangements of their citizens accommodate this by relying mainly on apartment-style units.

Demonym. ‘Scots’

Population Demographics. Scotchwood is a dwarven-majority area, with all other races being the vast minority. For every 99 dwarves, there might be one different kind of creature like a human or tiefling or goblin, but each of which is equally-unlikely.

Government. Scotchwood’s corporatist government is strong and affluent enough to protect their area via private militias employed by the mining companies, who have a very strong say in the government.

Culture. Scotchwood is sometimes regarded as an austere, stoic place, and while this is partially-true, their residents frequently vacation to their neighbor, Haxby, a party hot spot.

Town of Fillmore

Marketplace and Trade. The fishers of Fillmore have a bitter rivalry with their neighbors to the north, Balaris. Their fishing exports are on track with, but not exceeding those of their competitors. Despite this, their farming and Arlenern industries are robust enough to keep the town running. Another major export of theirs is tobacco and related products.

Population Size. Huge: Fillmore is a relatively-urban area with a registered population of 199,000.

Population Density. Diverse: Any type of home can be found in Fillmore, with homes and apartments making equal numbers in the city.

Demonym. ‘Fillmoreans’

Population Demographics. Fillmore is about 80% human, with the remaining 20% comprising other races like dwarves, elves, tieflings, and halflings in equal numbers.

Government. Fillmore is governed democratically. One hot political issue for them (and the rest of the Feller Isles) is that they have continued to refuse service from the knights of the Silver Cloak.

Culture. Fillmore is a town whose name around the world reeks of aspiration for their desire to best the Balarians in who are the better fishermen.

Southwest

Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Glaggleland

Marketplace and Trade. Nothing. The DPRG is a leech on the world economy.

Population Size. Unknown.

Population Density. Unknown.

Demonym. ‘Glaggalians’

Population Demographics. Speculative at best. As the DPRG is an animalistic, war-hungry nation, their military forces have been observed to be mostly human or human-adjacent.

Government. The Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Glaggleland is known to the world as a brutal, autocratic dictatorship run by an individual called “Dangerous Dan,” who frequently antagonizes other world leaders.

Culture. Everyone fucking hates this country.

Southwestern Major Region

Clank

Marketplace and Trade. Clank is a deceptively-not very affluent area for their lack of authority, but it is a hot spot for illegal items, mainly custom explosives and illicit drugs. They receive a great deal of traffic for these commodities from pirates, shoppers headed to or from Xantoh’s Watch, and sometimes even (allegedly) world governments and/or politicians.

Population Size. Small: Clank’s population is roughly 1,500. It grew rapidly from roughly 45 since the advent of Ares’ Trap, a re-opening of an ancient coliseum located nearby.

Population Density. Sparse: Clank is entirely in the desert and enjoys their broad land use.

Demonym. ‘Clanks’ / ‘Clankers’

Population Demographics. This area is the frequent destination of all of the much-stranger creatures of the world as well those who have been excommunicated, shunned, or outcast.

Government. Clank has no formal government. Certain villages may have some sort of ‘sheriff’ figure. The country’s bombs were once the subject of a massive scandal in Lyre over whether or not that country purchased and used illegal runepowder bombs from Clank during a war with the DPRG.

Culture. Crotchety old locals and high heat make for a grumpy locale in Clank. There are mixed opinions of the coliseum to the south. Because explosives are so commonly-accepted in their society, the fireworks and related shows produced by Clank are surprisingly among the finest in the world.

Ares’ Trap

Marketplace and Trade. The main commodity of Ares’ Trap are their fights, which continue nearly constantly. The world’s most prestigious fighting tournaments are held within. Occasionally, the arena will hold non-blood sport competitions, but they’re far less common. Crystal Ball crews televise the fights and collect wagers.

Population Size. The arena has a maximum occupancy of 20,000.

Population Demographics. The arena draws all sorts of strange and unusual creatures.

Government. The arena is governed by followers of the god of war. He rarely intervenes in the matters of the coliseum, so it is largely up to the followers.

Culture. Ares’ Trap is viewed as a comically-risky place to visit, posing a risk both to your gold and/or your life.

South

Kingdom of Straetos

Marketplace and Trade. Straetos is world-renowned for their textiles and fabrics, which fetch a high price no matter where they’re sold. They have an equally-formidable farming and jewelry sector. The country is also known for their magic items.

Population Size. Enormous: Straetos is a floating behemoth of a country of one million people.

Population Density. Extremely Dense: You try to pack a million people onto one island. You have to get creative.

Demonym. ‘Stratofolk’

Population Demographics. Straetos is comprised of about 75% Straetosfolk, a type of creature composed entirely of clouds. The remaining 25% are a mix of all other creatures.

Government. Straetos is a monarchy ruled by a king. His policies are, for the most part, well-liked by the citizens and his public perception is high. They have a comparably-rudimentary military, in large part due to the general opinion that a land invasion of them would be extremely unlikely to succeed, as the country is lifted up on an enormous plateau about a mile high in the middle of the ocean.

Culture. The jovial Straetosfolk are known around the world for their parties and unique way of life. Crystal Ball stations produce coverage of sporting events held in the nation’s arenas.

Southeast

Nation of Lodistan

Marketplace and Trade. Though all other countries in the world also produce tobacco, Lodistan is the foremost exporter of it. Their farming sector employs more than 10,000 people and is as world-renowned as the cigars they manufacture. They are also known for their unique and exotic weapons.

Population Size. Large: Lodistan has about 55,000 people living in it.

Population Density. Relatively sparse. Mainly homes and a large castle/semi-urban area.

Demonym. ‘Lodistanians’

Population Demographics. About half-and-half of humans and tieflings. There are notable halfling and dwarf populations as well.

Government. Lodistan is an autocratic dictatorship that values submission to authority. They have a sizable military that recruits members via conscription in order to maintain enough power to keep their land free from pirates and warlords.

Culture. Lodistanis are the frequent butt of jokes made all around the more-democratic areas of the world. Their cigars are a highly sought-after resource. Apart from some of their architecture, Lodistan is less conducive to the arts.

Xantoh’s Watch

Marketplace and Trade. You can buy and sell anything at this place. Xantoh’s Watch is the premier source of the world’s illegal goods. Commonly sought-after “exotic” goods and services include weapons, illicit drugs, explosives, prostitution, slaves, mercenaries, hitmen, workers, and so on.

Population Size. Large: Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-40,000 people are estimated to be roaming Xantoh’s Watch at all times, though global activities sometimes cause this number to fluctuate in either direction.

Population Density. Being located on the beach of a desert tends to draw all who are trapped there towards it. The city is exceptionally densely-packed with merchants and bodegas.

Population Demographics. All kinds of non-human races take residence or do business in Xantoh’s Watch. Only the strongest, cunning, or bravest humans travel to the area due to the unparalleled danger its’ inhabitants pose. Most who decide to live in Xantoh’s Watch usually do not do so for long.

Government. There is no government in Xantoh’s Watch except for what little honor there may lie among thieves.

Culture. At Xantoh’s Watch, everything has a price. The area is commonly referred to under the colloquialism “The Market.” Though a brief ocean separates them, common patrons of Ares’ Trap are also seen here with frequency (and vice versa). The city’s unique graffiti art is revered around the world for its’ sardonic and twisted sense of humor.

East

Valysirian Empire

Kingdom of Valysir

Marketplace and Trade. As the largest nation in the world, Valysir imports and exports a little bit of everything. There are numerous national banks in the heart of the capitol, some benevolent, others with power and influence. Valysir are the only manufacturers in the world of airships. The airships are powered by magical means and are essentially just blimps outfitted with thrusters or propellers and such. They are capable of moving relatively quickly through the air and serve as an alternative for travel for those who lack a Teleport spell.  

Population Size. #1: Valysir has a registered population of 1.2 million.

Population Density. Variety: There are all sorts of housing arrangements in Valysir. There is a sizable homeless population as well as waves of affluent neighborhoods.

Population Demographics. Though it was much different many scores of years ago, the kingdom is now the most diverse area in the world.

Government. Valysir is a monarchy ruled by a king, though he is a king in name only; the CEO of Magicorp, Jimmy Richardson III, abuses his financial power to control the royal family. Valysir is also referred to as the Valysirian Empire due to their two other regions, Vale’s Retreat and Ecil. The royal system is very controversial, both politically and in actuality. The presence of diversity in the kingdom is a political discussion that has been held at length by the populous. The kingdom’s navy is feared far and wide and is rivaled only by that of Lyre’s, and their other armed forces have been seen as equally-formidable at times before as well. Their most-recent, not-as-well-known development is that of an air force utilizing fighters and projectiles on flying carpets and airships.

Culture. The kingdom has produced many, if not most of the world’s most prominent works of art, literature, and more. There are dozens of Crystal Ball stations in the area that broadcast globally, including Schmickelodeon, a station that specializes in animations created by illusionist wizards. The city is peppered with all sorts of museums, cathedrals, performing arts centers, and national parks. In recent years, a powerful vigilante has been spotted roaming the streets and apprehending criminals.

City of Ecil

Marketplace and Trade. Ecil’s marketplace is based upon the trade routes from Valysir. Because of the presence of their prestigious magic college, they are world-renowned for their custom and unique magic items. The college also employs over 20,000 staff members in order to operate due to its’ size.

Population Size. Huge: Ecil has a registered population of 490,000.

Population Density. Variety: Ecil’s population density is similar to that of Valysir.

Population Demographics. Elves are the most common race in Ecil, followed by a tie between humans and tieflings, a minority of dwarves, and small amounts of other creatures scattered around.

Government. Ecil is a part of the Valysirian Empire. They are protected by their kingdom’s army. They have a remarkably-uncontroversial existence.

Culture. Ecil boasts of a very large student population that have contributed greatly to the city’s arts and entertainment. The college has a film school that has produced scores of Crystal Ball films and shows over the years. The music produced by the city, however, is widely-agreed to be among the most exquisite in the world.

Dragon’s Thumb Forest

Like the Gleaming Forest, Dragon’s Thumb is the only other known, consistent source of wild magic in the world. It is a forest that grew in the ruins of a battleground torn asunder by the Oerlikon when they warred with the first great necromancer one thousand years ago.

The forest is full of castle ruins, caves, cliffs, and waterfalls the whole way through. There is a highway between Valysir and Ecil, but it is a very seedy place where crime rates are high, usually related to the interception of goods on their way between the two cities.

Northeast

Vale’s Retreat

Marketplace and Trade. Vale’s Retreat boasts of world-class industries in film, restaurants, entertainment, liquor, and magic-related services.

Population Size. Huge: Vale’s Retreat has a registered population of 314,000.

Population Density. Tight: The whole area is on a small island connected via bridge to Valysir.

Population Demographics. Elves are the most prominent race in Vale’s Retreat, but it remains a fairly multicultural area due to the high demand for Crystal Ball actors. There are large communities of humans as well.

Government. As a part of the Valysirian Empire, Vale’s Retreat is directly governed and protected by their king and their armed forces.

Culture. Vale’s Retreat is the world’s foremost producers of Crystal Ball films and shows. They also have a prominent theater industry, some of which is televised, some not. They are a direct competitor of Lyre’s restaurant industry.

Land’s End

A derelict old village nestled in the foreground of the mountain range beyond. All of the most-bizarre outcasts and rejects of the world may at some point end up here. Some refer to it as a ghost town.

North

Kingdom of Vanda

Marketplace and Trade. Vanda’s primary trades are masonry, mining, lumber production, and agriculture. Another noteworthy source of income to the country is the canal located on its northwestern border, which it shares by written agreement with Ylvin.

Population Size. Vanda has a population of roughly a million-strong.

Population Density. Vanda’s immense territory lets their citizens spread out fairly generously, so all different types of housing plans are viable in this nation.

Demonym. ‘Vandians’

Population Demographics. Humans and half-elves make up the basic majority of the population, followed by elves, dwarves, and halfings in equal numbers, then anthropomorphic animals, and finally miscellaneous creatures.

Government. Vanda is a monarchy ruled by an austere, but righteous king. His rule has been put to the test because of the increasing pressure from Valysir and Magicorp threatening to invade them, and the ongoing war between the two countries is a major source of geopolitical conflict and tension. Magicorp wants to take the canal for itself at all costs.

Culture. Vandians are generally extremely proud of their country and heritage, and for the most part, they have a well-liked king. He can be viewed as rash and sometimes strict, but he is decidedly not an evil man. He is especially popular due to being one of the few world leaders who sees through Richardson’s lies.

Kingdom of Ylvin

Marketplace and Trade. Ylvin relies on the proceeds from their canal which they share with Vanda to supplement the income they make from mining and lumber production. Magicorp fights tirelessly to acquire these industries from them, but the particularly business-savvy elven entrepreneurs have given him a challenge for once in his life.

Population Size. Ylvin’s population is roughly 750,000.

Population Density. Like Vanda and Tharic, Ylvin has a considerable amount of land with which to spread out their settlements and towns, allowing for all different kinds of housing.

Demonym. ‘Ylvians’

Population Demographics. Ylvin is an elf and half-elven majority state; after them, halflings, then humans, and then everyone else.

Government. Ylvin is a matriarchal society ruled by a queen. She and Vanda’s king are sometimes rivals, sometimes good neighbors, and the two countries generally get along nicely for their land arrangement. Both members of the royalty are committed to simply ensuring that their lands are places pleasant to live.

Culture. Ylvin is known for their rich celebration of and propagation of elf and other non-human culture. Their queen rules with compassion and is very well-received by her denizens.

Nation of Tharic

Marketplace and Trade. Tharic is one of the world’s #1 mining syndicate companies because of their location. These companies are subsidiaries of Magicorp, and all of their proceeds are transferred upwards to their executives. Tharic is a de facto colony of Valysir because of this. They do not have very many other industries, except for masonry, and they are supplemented by rudimentary assistance from Valysir.

Population Size. Tharic is a nation of roughly 700,000.

Population Density. Because of Valysir’s involvement, middle- and lower-class Tharicians are largely unable to purchase houses and instead have to live in mining syndicate housing projects for exorbitant prices. The rich are able to live in exquisite palaces.

Demonym. ‘Tharicians’

Population Demographics. Humans, half-elves, and halfings are the main races, followed by elves and dwarves, and finally anthropomorphic animals.

Government. Tharic is a democratic country, though it is basically only so in name only. Valysir has heavily-compromised this nation’s politics to the point that the people have lost control of the country.

Culture. Tharic has a convoluted, sometimes unhinged culture and relationship towards work. “Non-productive” members of their society are scorned upon, while “productive” members, who are relentlessly worked to the bone, are seen as better or superior to the others. They are a tense society under the spell of Valysir.