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THE
NORTHERN
SARVONIAN
CONTINENT |
Northern Sarvonia is but a half of the largest continent of Caelereth, Sarvonia. The southern area of the continent is composed of the United Kingdom of Santharia. The rest of the continent is Northern Sarvonia, or as the Santharians simply call it, "The Far North" or simply the "Northlands". The more civilized southern inhabitants view the Northlands as a barbarous place of little worth or importance, even though Northern Sarvonia is much larger in size. If the Santharians truly knew what the rest of the continent was like, they might change their minds about it. However, it is very difficult to pass over the Tandala Highlands, or to sail the seas near many of the ice ridden coasts. Thus, Northern Sarvonia is one of the last places of mystery in this civilized world. Also it must be noted that a persistent Northern legend states that as one travels further North, darkness becomes ever a closer companion, until when at the tip of Northern Sarvonia, one will never see the light of day.
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Picture description. Scenes from the vast, seemingly endless landscape of Northern Sarvonia, the impressive mountain ranges and it at times menacing skies. Pictures drawn by Faugar, Eratin and Ingeborg. |
Description. Most
unusual is the shaping of this enormous landmass. Several jagged peninsulas
stick out from the central areas as if tacked on as afterthoughts. Scattered
islands of ice and rock lay to the far northeast, and lands lost to the hunger
of the seas lay to the southeast. A famous poet of the Injerín elves went so far
as to name this land the “Unfinished Dream”, for its odd land formation,
turbulent weather, and chaotic history.
The central part of the landmass curves into an enormous horseshoe shape,
seemingly cradling the Aelyvian Sea. From this main area, four distinct
peninsulas slice into the icy seas. The southernmost peninsula is the Peninsula
of Kr’uul. This blighted land was once a beautiful and tranquil region, but now
stands as a testament to the folly of grasping for too much power.
The most prominent peninsula is the area called Caaehl’heroth, it is by far the
largest and most inhabited of these outcroppings of land. Though in truth, many
would consider this an ugly growth that cannot be removed rather than anything
of the natural order. It splits as does a serpents tongue to form the Peninsula
of Aden, and the Icelands of Aeh’Os’the’er’oc. It is a place of beauty, though
the underlying shadow and vileness makes it seem a mockery.
The centrally located Peninsula of Iol is known to the inhabitants as the
"Broken Land". This is due to a large central lake in the peninsula, with a
thousand rivers leading from it to the oceans, so that instead of a single area
it rather appears to be hundreds of separate islands that are close to each
other. The smallest of the outcroppings is the Icelands Coast. It is a place of
cold beauty, where the land shifts depending upon the breaking of the ice and
the warmth of the water.
There is a final peninsula, though it is not truly counted as thus. It is the
Peninsula of Glandor. It is not counted because once it was wholly connected to
the main land, it was simply the highlands area of a large valley. Then, an
earthquake sent the valley under the sea and left the highlands free, thus
forming a peninsula.
The central land mass is not only the most rugged, but also the most diverse.
The area just north of the Tandala Highlands,
while being cold, is still relatively easy to live in. Located here are quiet
forests, and golden plains. The marshes of the once grand
elven empire of
Fá’áv’cál’âr sit like a seeping sore in the midst of the land. Its slow
decay and destruction seeming to silently slip out of its waters and infect the
surrounding areas. To the east is an interesting phenomenon, great mountains and
plateaus surround the Kanapans' land, and
this along with the weather patterns of the area gives it a climate similar to
that found in central Santharia. While just to the
North is a vast wasteland of jumbled rock and petrified trees.
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Picture description. Map of the Northern Sarvonian Continent. Move the
mouse over the map to view the locations of the tribes. Map drawn by
Artimidor, tribes by
Drogo.
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Location. Northern
Sarvonia is the most northerly of all the landmasses of the
continent of Sarvonia, in fact in high summer when a boat can force its way
through the frozen seas, one can come to the northern
Ethereal Void in but a day or two’s time.
Santharia, as has been mentioned, lies to the south
and shares the same landmass. Both, the continent of
Nybelmar and the Isles of Ru’nor lie to the
southwest, while the continent of Akdor is simply slightly southwest. To the
east is the frozen land of Cyhalloi. Past that it is though there is nothing but
empty seas and the end of the world.
People. While not
necessarily harboring all the culture and refined tastes as its southern
neighbour, if all rumors can be believed, then it has even more races in its
wide lands. It is theorized that there are as many orcs
in Northern Sarvonia as there are men. This may be the only place left in Caelereth,
where man is outnumbered by the other races. Northern Sarvonia also has the
largest concentration of races and tribes deemed of a dark nature. This area is
still the land of Coór, perhaps not in
worship, but his chaos still reigns here.
The Humans of Northern Sarvonia
There are five separate groups of humans, though myths of a sixth still persist.
The Kuglimz
The most readily known tribe of the North are the Kuglimz.
This group is made up of the main Kuglimz who live in the
Celeste Lowlands and are in truth much more
civilized than previously thought. The barbarian prejudices the
Santharians have concerning the peoples of the
Northlands mostly stem from the
Ash’marian tribe which can be said to be a vicious exiled tribe that follows
every word of the nearby dark elves.
The Ash'mari ("Rabid Wolf Tribe")
The Ash'mari ("Rabid Wolf Tribe")
were once of the
Kuglimz,
but were in time corrupted and then subjugated to the
Diorye'oleal. They have little
will of their own, rather being used as the martial force of the dark elves.
Their reputation as intelligent savages is well earned and they take pleasure in
that reputation. Ash'mari are dark of
eye and hair with green eyes being a rather uncommon sight.
The Kanapan ("Black Humans")
The Kanapan ("Black Humans") are
considered by many to be an odd people who inhabit the self-named land in the
southeast of Northern Sarvonia. They are an isolated people who practice their
religion almost zealously. Physically, they are a dark skinned people composed
of six distinct sub-tribes. Their geographical situation so isolates them from
the world that they have only tales and stories of the other races, and live
quite in their own world.
The Ice Tribes
North of the Kanapans lie the
uncountable Ice Tribes. The
Ice Tribes are a collection of
twelve human tribes living a hard life in the north eastern edge of the
Sarvonian continent. They usually lead a nomadic life
and live in a state of constant warfare. They have not developed a sense of
solidarity for each other, although the ice tribes have a vestigial sense of
their “national” identity. The natural boundaries that separated have left the
field open for many local variations in their ethics and way of life. Of these,
the Remusians are the most
civilized and most numerous.
The Antislar
The Iol Peninsula is home to the Antislar people. Coming from a people that have
lived in the north from time immemorial, they were forced from the Icelands by
the Ice Tribes. They are a people
who inhabit the southern half of the peninsula, and make their living by herding
stock in the south, and trapping fur in the north areas of the peninsula. They
are a far traveling people, who trade with many of the other tribes, both
human and other, across the north. This has
resulted in the Antislar being a mongrel tribe, with many racial mixes within
it.
The Dinali
The Dinali are a human tribe long extinct, but
rumors still abound of their secret, shadowy presence in the blighted lands of
Kru'ul. The Dinali were aggressive barbarians who settled the peninsula of
Kru'ul during the latter half of the Era of Sundering. They began making
conquests into Caaehl'heroth and fought long standing wars with the orcs and
dark elves there. It is believed that most of the Dinali perished when the
Shadespell Gorge burst open with the
survivors slowly dwindling off over the ensuing decades.
The Elves of Northern Sarvonia
Seven documented elven tribes are known to live in the North. Of these six tribes, three are composed of dark elves. The other three tribes vary in culture. One tribe has a love of the water and are excellent sailors and navigators. The fifth tribe are mostly nomadic, wandering the wilderness without no permanent home. The sixth tribe is the largest elven tribe in the North and are the most peaceful.
The
Ak'váth'rhím Elves ("High Beauty Tribe")
The elven Ak'váth'rhím tribe (initially called
"Akái'aváth'rhím" or Styrásh
Akái'aváth'rhím,
lit. "High Beauty Tribe")
is made up of various looks, however the general appearance is jet black hair
with coloured streaks throughout. Their skin is rather pale. Their attitudes
differ from most dark elves in that they are somewhat self-serving, honouring
beauty and status within their tribe more so than anything else. Status being
held by beautiful objects and so forth, money value is nothing. These elves will
often do what ever is necessary to keep their public appearance as being one of
the most beautiful and respected of all elven tribes. However their attitudes
towards others tend to hinder this, causing more disliking towards people not of
their tribe.
The Injerín Elves ("Guiding Tribe")
The Injerín tribe is the largest tribe
of elves in Northern Sarvonia. They make their
home in the vast Shaded Forest, which is in the
center of the land. The Injerín were
originally a large group of refugees from the destruction of
Fá'áv'cál'âr. They are said to be the wisest of elves
excepting the light elves, their doom from Coór
is to be at eternal strife with the nearby orcs,
so that their knowledge might fade in time or eventually be destroyed. These
elves take sanctuary in the Shaded Forest which is south of the
Prominent Mountains.
The Arthyrón
("Blessed Sea Elves")
The Arthyrón elves (Styrásh
Arthyrón, short for Arthanhe'tyrón, "blessed sea") have always been rather
adventurous for elves. First they left the
Injerín elves, and became known as the Folkmore Elves, for the area that
they settled. However they were forced to leave during the destruction of
Parthenon by Gouran in 1649 b.S. In their flight of terror they found haven in
the seas and upon the islands in the Eight Winds bay. Thus did they name
themselves the Arthyrón. Since that time they have explored the rivers of North
Eastern Sarvonia, and the Eastern Seas.
The Mélad'rhím ("Grey Elves")
The Mélad'rhím (Styrásh
Mélad'rhím)
or "Grey Elves" are best described as a nomadic gathering of elves from both the
Injerín and the
Artyrhón tribes. The first references
to them appear to suggest that they have their origins some time around 500
b.S., though much lore in the North is spoken, so their precise derivations are
difficult to acertain. While originally simply a gathering of descending
elves from other tribes, they are now a
distinctive bloodline, and so may finally deserve the title of tribe.
The
Diorye’oleal ("Hidden Wind Elves")
It is said that all true threats of the dark elves can be traced back to a
single tribe: the
Diorye’oleal. They reside
in the Hovel Frond Forest north of the
Tandala and believe themselves hand picked
by Coór to stop peace and unity in the
North. To that end they sent members up to the dark elves to the north and
forged an empire that was to be behind SW III. The dark elves of Caaehl’heroth
are split into several different tribes that vie for power using the orcs in the
area as pawns in their petty wars.
The Móh'rhím
("Shadow Elves")
The Móh'rhím (Stýrash
"Black Tribe"), or the "Shadow Elves",
as they are also sometimes known, are considered a mythical
elven tribe where little is known about them.
Their realm is the noxious and odoriferous Water Marshes in Northern Sarvonia
where the Injèrá has hid her countenance from
for many a millenia. The origins of the
Móh'rhím are as nebulous as their dark-lit lands but it is said that the
present Water Marshes reside upon the ruins of the legendary and fabled
elven city of
Fá'áv'cál'âr and the Shadow Elves
are the descendents of those who had refused to abandon the city even after it
was laid to dust by the Gods.
The
Evathonrhim Elves
The Evathonrhim are a tribe of so-called "ice elves" who live at the
northernmost tip of the peninsula of Iol in the frozen
Contamar Forest. Very little is know about
them as there has yet to be any detailed research on their culture. It is said
that they once warred with the human
Ice Tribes long ago, but the
history of those conflicts is vague and little known. The Evathonrhim keep to
themselves and are rarely seen, even by their closest neighbors the
human Filmainrim tribe.
The Dwarves of Northern Sarvonia
Of the dwarven tribes in the North, two are well known and documented. The Kurakim are renowned for their smithing and masonry skills. The Imlith dwarves are more hidden and quiet, but possess fierce skills in battle against their orc enemies. The third tribe is little known and many myths and stories exist about the mysterious Black Dwarves of Caaehl'heroth.
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The Kurakim Dwarves
The Kurakim Dwarves (Thergerim
name Kurakergerim or
Kurakergerim)
are the most important Thergerim clan of the
three known to reside in Northern Sarvonia. Located in the recesses of the
craggy, conifer-clad Prominent Mountains,
they are undisputed masters at smithery, as with most
dwarves, but even more notable for their
masonry. Many of the great bridges, fortifications, and cities in the region
were built by
Kurakim
masons and architects, sometimes in conjunction with
human effort or
elven magery.
The Susilgerim
("Quiet Clan", "Imlith Dwarves")
The
Imlith dwarves, as they are
commonly referred to by humans, live in
Northern Sarvonia in the aptly-named Imlith Mountains. Amongst their own kind
though they refer to themselves by the name
"Susilgerim" (Thergerim
Susilgerim),
which is believed to have been taken from "Susilthergetyr" (Susilthergetyr),
literally "quiet clan", a curse the Rhom-Oc
utter when they have been ambushed yet again. The
Imlith dwarves are very unlike
other dwarves of
Sarvonia, and this has led a few researchers to claim that they are in fact
not true dwarves, but rather a sub-species of
dwarf. This opinion has not been widely
popularized and one can only hope it never comes to the ears of the
Susilgerim...
The Black Dwarves
The final group of dwarves of the Sarvonian
North are the mysterious Black Dwarves. They are also known as the Delvers. It
is said that they helped to build the Deep Winds Portal of Osthemangar in the
far northern peninsula of Caaehl'heroth and also dug the labyrinths underneath
it. This tribe has never truly been documented beyond the obscure
orc or dark elven myths and some scholars think
them extinct.
Many different tribes of orcs exist in the North, though they can generally be divided up into three separate tribes. The first being along the Eastern Coast of the Southwest section of Northern Sarvonia, these are the Ashz-Oc and Losh-Oc orcs. The Ashz-Oc orcs are easily the most civilized of the orcs, while it is thought the Losh-Oc are the most cunning. Roaming the vast Heaths of Wilderon are the innumerable Rhom-Oc orcs; there are hundreds of nomadic families that wander the Heaths. The orcs of Caaehl’heroth, known as the Osther-Oc, once served as mercenaries for the dark elves who once ruled there.
The Ashz-Oc ("Noble
Orcs")
The orcish tribe known as the
Ashz-Oc ("Noble Orcs") live in the
southern hills and valleys of the Prominent
Mountains in Northern Sarvonia. They're famous for their military strength
and their skills in combat, but also for their strong steel and dyed clothes.
Although most other races see orcs as hostile monsters, the
Ashz-Oc became known as honorable and
worthy enemies despite many raids that were caused by clans from their lands.
Most of them are not interested in conquering more lands, but defending what
they believe is rightfully their home since they crossed the mountains.
The Losh-Oc ("True
Orcs")
The orcish
Losh-Oc ("The True Orcs") tribes live in the harsh hills of Oro north of the
Tandalas, forming a loose federation of
related clans and families. Therefore they are also refered to as the "Orcs of
Oro". They see themselves as the only orcs that
still follow the religious trails of the Old and the ones that will gain fame
when the "world will fall apart" as it has been in the old times with the Fall
of Fá'áv'cál'âr. From their point of view the
arrogance of the elves and the ignorance of man
were the fault for the Rage of the Gods and with this argument they think it
justified to attack and massacre all the other races in
Northern Sarvonia. The
Losh-Oc are even hated by other
orcs like the
Ashz-Oc who call them "unhonourable
scum" and "barbaric".
The Osther-Oc
("Mount Osthen Orcs")
The orcish
Osther-Oc tribes inhabit the Northern
Sarvonian region of of Caael'heroth and have played a key role in any military
conflict fought by the dark elven cities of the north for centuries. Since the
end of the Third Sarvonian War, the
Osther-Oc culture have settled relatively peacefully and only occasionally
war with each other. Magnificent ruins of the Ae'Os'th'er'oc, the
Osther-Oc ancestors, still stand all
over Caaehl'heroth.
The Rhom-Oc Orcs
The term Rhom-Oc covers all orcish tribes living
in the vast Heath of Wilderon. Most of these orcs
live in small family communities scattered over the plains and got known due to
their close relationship with wargs with
which they hunt the huge herds of reindeers that wander these harsh regions.
Usually the Rhom-Oc avoid direct
contact with other races except for occasional raids on villages and caravans
for which they are feared for and where they use the vastness of the Heaths to
escape from anyone who might pursue them.
The Gob-Oc Orcs ("Goblins")
The Goblins are often treated as a race of
their own, though in fact they have orcish
origins and are categorized by scholars as the
Gob-Oc Orcs. It was not until centuries after the Third Sarvonian War
(298-203 b.S.) when rumors spread about this new race living deep under the
Tandalas. The vast cave systems once created
by the Ylossian dwarves had become
the home to a powerful but unknown orcish nation
that seized it in the aftermath of the war. Most of the tunnels used by the
advancing armies were destroyed, but the Gob-Oc
proved to be as determined and energetic as the
dwarves in working the stone and in later centuries they reopened new routes
to even greater cave systems which (at least it is said) connect nearly the
whole Sarvonian North with the Tandalas.
The
Kaaer'dár'shín Half-Orcs
The Kaaer'dár'shín is a tribe composed of humans
with orcen ancestry. This tribe was originally a
part of the Kuglimz tribe and broke
off from the main Kuglimz before the
Third Sarvonian war of 298 b.S. They were subjugated by the
Osther-Oc orcs for many years during
the war and inter-breeding produced a new tribe of mixed
human and orcen
people. The Kaaer'dár'shín worship nature and the beasts of the
earth, but are not savage barbarians.
Instead, they are a relatively peaceful people but have harbored much hatred
towards the orcs and dark elves and are cunning and fearless in battle.
Others races of Northern Sarvonia
Aside from the main races there are also areas in Northern Sarvonia where minor races such as psyrpents, ogres and trolls can be found.
The Psyrpent Lizards
The Psyrpents are a lizard race, mainly
living in the northwestern parts of Sarvonia in the
Celeste Mountain range. They are said to
stem from a wizard's experiment, in which they were created as servants to the
mage, who are themselves capable of casting magic.
From the first created experiment, called the Protosyrpent, the Psyrpent race
has developed in the course of time with free different breeds who form a
society of their own.
The Ogres
There are three known tribes of ogres in
Caelereth but one is known to live in the North. The
Gob-Ur-Nak ogres are a small,
fierce tribe of ogres that inhabits the Imlith
Mountains and the surrounding Shadowlands. The ogre in question is unusual in a
couple of ways; the most noticeable difference between this tribe and all others
is that stealth has become an asset for these beasts. It is in part thanks to
the fact that it has a smaller stature than most ogres, but also its long gangly
legs and its skin colour help them blend in naturally to the rock of the Imlith
Mountains. It is with this stealth that the
Gob-Ur-Nak acquires the vast
majority of its prey, preferring stealth to open combat or a long chase.
The Trolls
There are three varieties of trolls that inhabit the wilds of the North. The
Tandala Highlands are home to
cave trolls who live in canyons and
caves throught the region. They are often at war with the
Ban-Yuk ogres in territorial disputes.
The second tribe, known as mountain trolls, are known to hunt the crags and
peaks of the Caaehl Mountains of peninsula of Caaehl'heroth. The third tribe,
called stone trolls, are commonly found in the
Stone Fields of Peat. This region borders the Icelands and the
humans there are often at war with the stone
troll clans.
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