Kallystria is a world (continent?) dominated by humans, but it was not always like this...

In the old days High Elves (Nonplayables. Akin to Tolkien's elves. Not god-like, but almost super-humans) dominated the Whole continent. But some elves distanced themselves from the "old ways" and lost much of the former power of their race.

Then came the humans from the east, with their short but industrious lives. They defeated and displaced this "lesser elves". Many fled to their High elves "cousins" in search of refuge. Today, most of the remaining lesser elves (the playable elf races) live mong the humans. Just a few still live free in the woods, afar from humans, mostly on the Druid's pass.

The High elves live in the north, on the Uncharted lands, and Humans are no match for them, specially when in their own woods, but they show little interest in southern affairs. High elves are not known to trade or treat with humans in any place, and the little that it's known of them is from travelers from centuries ago, or from Elvish legends. No one in recent history has come back from the uncharted lands.

The places painted with opaque colors and banners in their names are realms with organized goverment, mostly feudal. The more traslucent colors are "the free people". Represents a region dominated largely by people that are part of the same cultural group, but they don't have a central goverment and not necesarily have "internal peace". Some are known to trade, but most just have a very basic economy.

Fyrwen:

A old and proud kingdom. A land of Knights, Clerics, Big cities and large plains with fertile lands. The center of the Kingdom is a big and old forest populated by small villagers of farmers or hunters. It has a very important trade network. The old Road crosses severall of the Free people's lands, but it was broken in the middle by time and wars. originally conected east and west by the Marlow Pass. Its main and most improtant port its located in the North sea, near the capital. It's capital city is the Royal City of Fyronze.

Ivarra:

A great kingdom dedicated largely to trade and industry. It was once aimed to become a great empire, with a inmense fleet and ports along the cost both to the north and east. Also dominated several isles along "the Route of Silver". But years of wars in different fronts wear out the kingdom, which ended converting most of its war fleet into a trade fleet. The land of Ivarra is somewhat barren, but it has large valuable mineral deposits and important industries. Its capital is the port city of Almurria, in the south.

Icûss

Expert sailors and traders. Has a small but flexible war fleet to protect its waters and a immense trade fleet of longboats. It was long ago a "Protectorate" of Ivarra, but it freed itself and is now its main trade partner.

Myrenn

Started as an importan port in the Sea of gold where tradeships would make repairs and resupply. in the old days it had one of the most important dockyard s of all Kallystria, but it has now been surpassed by those of Ivarra and Icûss. Nonetheless it aspires to be a great trade empire like Icûss but its wars with Kult has took a toll of much of its potential. The capital city is Ky-Myrenn, built around the Temple of Kös. It has formally a king but the high priest of the city holds most of the power there.

Kult, the iron Kingdom.

Kult has a weird History. It involves a mysterious religion, a long war with the Dwarves of the Grey Mountain, and religious fanatics that, at some point, made a 180° turn and allied itself with its former enemies (the dwarfs) and together formed one of the most brutal kingdoms in all of Kallystria. A kingdom of warriors, blacksmiths and crafters. It's also the provider of the best quality iron and weapons and the main consumer of slaves. Theyt are sometimes called "halfdwarfs" by the close bond between both people, though they are actually separated, above the ground are the human part of the kingdom and below the Dwarven part. Its capital city is Deeptown, in the Grey Mountain, in the halls of what is was long ago Krymtal, the destroyed capital of the dwarves, and is the only place shared by humans and dwarfs, half and half.

Gadruän.

An inescrupulous kingdom of slavers and smuglers, is the main provider of slaves to the kingdom of Kult though it also trades with more traditional goods with Myrenn and the Dalvën Imperium. Its cities and ports in the mainland are dedicated to trade and capture slaves from the free people. These borderline towns are a hub for mercenaries, bounty hunters and adventurers of all kind (but mostly of the amoral kind). Its capital city is The forbiden city of Gadur.

Galturnia.

A landlocked kingdom of farmers adapted to cultivate in the rocky ground, shepherds and goat herders. They still have many tribal traditions among which is a curious fighting style involving two handed swords and pikes. The kingdom is known for its rangers and warriors. Along its crown, the king holds the ceremonial title of "Keeper of the Marlow pass" which they take very seriously. Its capital city is Orwall, the great city of brass.

The Dalvën Imperium

Once a great empire that held almost all of the east half of Kallystria, reaching to the Annarax pillars, and with several colonies across the sea of worms, it was a builder of roads and founder of ports. Many of today Kingdoms were built uppon the ruins of this expansion of the Dalvën Imperium in its early days and they still share much of their blood with todays Dalvënians. But in the War of the long winter the Empire was shattered legion after legion by the Fenian Barbarians and much of its people died or were enslaved, and the rest fleed to the south or west. The Dalvën empire on its part recoiled back to its origin behind the Qos and the Ivr rivers, shielding itself with three buffer states. the People of Irkal, Sammitra and Kal Aël who all cooperate to defend from the barbarians. Its capital city is Byzora.



The Free Peoples:

- Yrmaless: Rangers, druids and Barbarians. This primitive peoples have an odd culture that is a mix of many old religions, animism, ancestors veneration and barbaric rituals from an age when men wasn't men. There is a great deal of elvish blood in them, probably more that in any other human culture, and they have great respect for elves and semielves.

- Marshers: Hunters, fishers and fishing-nets weavers. Mostly peaceful peoples, if in the need to fight, will use harpoons and nets. They resent the Yrmaless peoples for their barbaric customs and fear the elves from the North.

- Örlens: Probably the most civilized of the free people, have been subjected to the rule of almost everyone of their neighbours. Have a deeply warrior culture, and in times of grave danger they act akin to a confederation of clans, aiding themselfs or one of the great powers that happens to be ally at the moment.

- Aulans: A ferocious culture that values strength and cunning above all else. They have a custom of stealing cattle and kidnaping brides (mainly among their own, but can even raid other's people lands if its more convenient). They dislike magic and gods alike, but are more willing to let pass a magic user if he shows cunning as his main resource. They might even end up following him, if brave enough.

- Galmaths: Poisoners, thievs, bards and clerics. To them, Singing and praying, loving and dying, and so on, are two sides of the same coin. They are a charismatic people. Everything of importance has to happen in public, and the bravest of heroes are also expected to be the singers of their own tales. Excentric on nature, they are not renowed as merchants, farmers or conquerors, but as scoundrels and bandits.

- Rattlings: Not much known. They are a sturdy but primitive people that lives in the middle of nowhere. They are the frecuent victims of both Slavers and Fenian Barbarians. Have come to be experts in hiding in their woods and setting traps. Are known of dresing in the skin of different beast according to their own status in the tribe. When are not under attack from the outside are usually fighting each other.

- Millgard: Once a core part of The Dalvën Imperium, have become free once again and with so many dangers lurking from east and north for the imperium, Millgard has been let to his own design. Since then, Millgardians have fallen back to its own, more primitive way of life, but still retained much of the customs, science and technology of its former ruler. Mostly peaceful fishers, farmers and crafters, they are also able sailors and warriors. Though they have some trade with Gadruän and The Dalvën Imperium, relations are always tense.

- Fenian Barbarians: Odd barbaric people of unknown origin, religion or languaje, that came from the far and exotic east. They once pushed their way west, looting and killing everything in their path, crushing a proud empire in the process. For some mysterious reasons they haven't pushed west again in several centuries, but they remain always lurking and raiding what has come to be known as "The Bleak Lands". Sometimes they even get pass that mark and reach the Kingdom of Galturnia, the Rattlings people or The Dalvën Imperium, razing and pillaging some unprepared village, to leave no suvivors.

- Massälta: A lair of pirates, thieves, renegades and outlaws. Experts sailors that can steal a ship, maneuver around the Mailström and get back to their lair like no one else.

- Dalta: A neutral island. Agreed to be let alone by both Ivarra and Icûss after decades of war and devastation. Its peoples are known to be grim and surly. they are very suspicious of strangers, and only trade with a small number of known traders from both countries.

- Nook: Somewhat primitive and insignificant people that live in the middle of the most significant and profitable sea of all kallystria. Long ago they were the firsts in mastering the art of celestial navigation and fishing techniques for the deep sea. Have been subject to most of their bigger neighbors, but are now moslty free people, though they still have to pay tribute to the kingdom of Kult for protection. Myrenn and The Dalvën Imperium have agreed to let them alone... for now.

- Lyra: Is not a town, a people or even a culture. Lyra is a myth. Its part of the Uncharted Lands and is belived that this is the place from where "The Wanderer", a Ghost Ship, has port. Some belive that its a pirate ship from the High Elves, other think its full of ghosts, and some thing they are regular pirates in a magical vessel.

The Uncharted Lands:

Where High Elves still live. No man has came back alive from there in centuries. Map of the Uncharted Lands are obviously innacurate. Mountains trees as well as the great lake of blood are not known for their exact location, and there are probably also rivers, cities and other geographical features present that are widely unknown to man.