This is a glossary of "common knowledge" about the surrounding world. For relative locations of nations and cities, see the world map.
Alderdeen: A major city in Otaboa. Host of the University of Otaboa, a major center of learning.
Andros Islands: An isolated, barely visited island chain composed of dense jungles.
Arator: See Hegemony of Arator.
Barheim: A remote, frontier region with similarity to Alaska. Trade between isolated settlements mostly occurs in the summer months when the rivers thaw. Barheim is currently experiencing a gold rush, with many rickety settlements tripling in size overnight. Barheim’s government is a loose confederation of independent city-states. They would be easily conquered, but Barheim is such a great distance from imperial powers that it would be too difficult to govern.The Windward Pass is the primary overland trade connection between Barheim and the outside world.
East Feldost: The western portion of the island of Feldost, currently governed by the Republic of Feldost, which is an active rebellion against the Hegemony of Arator’s colonial government. East Feldost is generally rural and agricultural, and is far more sparsely populated than the more urban west.
Eyr: A city-state located on a small peninsula on the edge of the Quavaran Waste. Formerly an Aratori colony, Eyr’s successful revolution a generation ago led it to become an independent, democratic city-state based on trade. Eyri are plucky and self-sufficient, with an optimistic attitude that resembles the early USA, but without the vast territory. Eyr’s primary settlement is located on top of and inside the Rock of Eyr, an isolated rounded mountain. It maintains its independence in the face of far larger militaries by withdrawing into the impregnable fortress of the Rock.
Erilon: An island nation off the coast of Otaboa. Formerly controlled by Loyavas, but won its independence along with Quellon and Mardos.
Feldost: A large, temperate island with a climate similar to New Zealand. Currently experiencing a war between Arator’s Feldost Colony and the newly-declared Feldosti Republic.
Feldost Colony: The Aratori colonial government that officially governs the island of Feldost. In practice, the eastern portion of the island is currently controlled by the rebellious Republic of Feldost, and the Feldost Colony controls only West Feldost.
Feldosti Republic: See Republic of Feldost.
Frondpool: An oasis town in the Great Quavaran Desert. Controlled in an indirect fashion by Yhont.
Great Quavaran Desert: see Quavaran Waste.
Hegemony of Arator: A proud imperial civilization, with elements of the British Empire and the Roman Empire. Their homeland is semi-arid, with a climate resembling the southwestern US. Arator has an overseas colonial empire which is frequently troublesome. Currently it controls colonies in West Feldost and Rakuria. It formerly controlled all of Feldost, and also the peninsula of Eyr.
Kelakaria: A large jungle island that has resisted all efforts at colonization or exploration. Its jungle is generally less visibly forbidding than Rakuria’s, but all explorers have quickly succumbed to a fever disease within a week of setting foot on the island.
Loyavas: A vast nation near the center of the world. Loyavas means “Land of the Loya”. The coastal region adjoining the Quellon Sea is fertile and fairly densely settled, with several major cities. It has a subtropical forest climate. The interior hinterland is spacious, sparsely settled grasslands resembling the old great plains of the USA. With few known natural resources, most people live as nomadic herders, except for a few fixed settlements near the rivers. The river system provides the only transportation into the region. Two high passes provide land routes into Yavar, but these are little routes, as the sea route is preferred. No road broader than a path crosses the higher mountains that separate the Loyavasi Hinterland from the Great Quavaran Desert. Loyavas most closely resembles Argentina, with its strong division between the urban Rio de la Plata region and the rural Patagonia. Loyavas is a Constitutional Monarchy.
Mardos: A small island adjacent to Erilon. Formerly controlled by Loyavas, but won its independence along with Quellon and Erilon. Its economy is small and mostly based on fishing.
Otaboa: A coastal kingdom whose environment resembles the eastern USA. Otaboa enjoys a central location and plentiful mineral resources. Its numerous steep rivers provided an early advantage for manufacturing, and it is now a manufacturing center. Its chief regional rival is Loyavas. At two points in history, the two kingdoms have been combined as a Dual Monarchy, but neither lasted long.
Presmar: An island kingdom with dramatically steep mountains and cliffs. Presmari are notoriously isolationist and have never demonstrated colonial ambitions. They are ancient rivals with Arator. Presmar’s terrain is very difficult and as a result, the Presmari have invested heavily in primitive aerial transportation. This includes hot air balloon technology, and simple gliders which are lifted by updrafts from the mountain slopes. Presmari people generally think of themselves as being culturally superior to other nations, especially Arator.
Quavaran Waste: The world’s largest known desert. The Waste is predominantly sandy and almost entirely uninhabitable. It presents a major barrier to trade. Oases exist but are jealously guarded secrets of Yhonti traders.
Quellon: An island nation adjacent to Loyavas. Quellon was once a Loyavasi colony, but has since rebelled along with Erilon and Mardos. Features a fertile mediterranean climate.
Rakuria: An island covered with thick, dark jungle. Officially, a colony of Arator. In practice, Arator’s control does not extend more than a few miles from its coastal settlements. Nonetheless, this is a very profitable agricultural colony.
Republic of Feldost: The recently-declared independent government of the island of Feldost. Currently controls the eastern two-thirds of the island. The rest is still controlled by Arator’s Feldost Colony.
Rock of Eyr: A rounded, isolated mountain that is the dominant landscape feature of the city-state of Eyr. The city is primarily built on top of the rock, and within it. During Eyr’s rebellion against Arator, the Aratori besieged the Rock for seven months, but were unable to subdue it. The rock’s remarkable defensive characteristics allow Eyr to remain safe and independent in the face of external threats.
Sennevons: A Yhonti city known for trading in rare and magical artifacts. They also have sent a team in pursuit of the ancient city, under the command of Madou Orjea, a rival of Professor Hilbert's.
Starfall: A cold, snowy country with an intellectual bent. Their main city is at a big wall across the major pass that connects them to the Northern Vastness. They defend this wall against the totally-not-cliche evil of the north, whatever that is - zombies? virus?
West Feldost: The western portion of the island of Feldost, currently governed by Arator as its Feldost Colony. West Feldost has the majority of the island’s natural resources, cities, and manufacturing.
Windward Pass: A high mountain pass between Barheim and the Quavaran Waste. The primary trade connection to Barheim, but still a very difficult road.
Wingship: A type of vessel from Presmar. Generally considered to be the fastest vessels in the world, though they are generally fairly small compared to other nations’ trade ships. Wingships gain their speed from primitive hydrofoils that lift the vessel out of the water once it gains speed. Most Wingships are catamaran or trimaran designs for stability. These ships are coastal and not meant for truly open seas.
Yavari League: A mysterious and isolated trading civilization on the west coast of the continent. Yavar is a confederation of five semi-independent Emirates. Yavari traders are the only people who have regular contact with the even-more-mysterious civilization on the other side of the western ocean. They control all sea trade across the western ocean, and to Barheim.
Xylos: A distant island chain dominated by an enormous active volcano.
Yhont: A slaver civilization based around a great river, somewhat similar to ancient Egypt. Largely controls trade across the Quavaran Waste. Its river is a major component of the route over the Windward Pass to Barheim and the Yavari League.