The Human Realms I (Vilnis/Frontia)

The human realms are a grouping of four countries that take up most of the area of the eastern continent. The northernmost countries of the human lands are Vilnis and Frontia, separated by the River Kasteel.

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VILNIS

Out of all the human nations, Vilnis is the closest to the elves. In the past, many elves interbred with the humans of Vilnis, creating strong ties and strong bloodlines. Nearly all humans from Vilnis can trace their heritage back to an elf, and as such, the humans of Vilnis tend to be a hardier, longer-living breed than those humans of other countries. People from Vilnis are the only humans allowed free passage between their land and the elven realms, and a great number of Vilnians have been trained in woodcraft by the elven people. These Vilnians are known as the Vilnis Guides, and they are greatly sought out by other nations who seek experienced trackers and hunters.

Vilnis is a heavily forested land, with those forests broken up by spans of rolling hills and open plains. It is said that Vilnis is the most beautiful place on Elaria, except for the Elven Realms. Vilnis is ruled over by a royal family of human/elven descent.

NATURAL FEATURES (VILNIS)

ADELE HILLS: These foothills of the Mordain Mountains are populated by scattered tribes and villages of goliaths. They tend toward solitude, and have little or nothing to do with their human and dwarven neighbors.

FOREST OF SHADOWS: This mysterious forest occupies the south-east portion of Vilnis. It is a dark and foreboding place, and even the Vilnis Guides enter it warily, and only when there is no other choice. As often as not, those who enter are never seen again.

KHALM GORGE: This massive crack in the earth runs clean through the eastern continent, separating Vilnis and Frontia from Westenra to the south. A powerful, ocean-fed river flows through the gorge, emptying out into the sea.

LAKE FREA: Situated in the high hills to the north of Arton Village. A river, called by most "Varencia River," flows south from the lake, until it reaches the capital city of Varencia. The river's course has been altered to encircle the city, creating a moat and providing the city with a fresh water supply.

LAKE HYRON / HYRON RIVER: The Hyron River flows south from the Mordain Mountains, emptying into Lake Hyron. Its waters are clear and cold, and the lake is full of fish, providing the village built upon its shores with a nearly limitless food supply.

MYSTILE MARSHES: These marshlands are formed where the southern branch of the elven Thuliel River, the River Reina, and the River Kasteel all meet.

OLROS FALLS: The ocean thunders down these falls into the dangerous and quickly flowing river at the bottom of Khalm Gorge.

RIVER KASTEEL: Branching off and flowing south from River Reina, Kasteel acts as the border between the human kingdoms of Vilnis and Frontia.

RIVER REINA: This is the wide, rapidly flowing river that flows down from the Mordain Mountains, separating the elven lands from the human kingdoms to the south. For this reason, it is often called the Boundary River.

SETTLEMENTS (VILNIS)

ACADEMIA ARCANA: The Academia Arcana is not actually a part of Vilnis, but rather is a political entity all of its own. It is the most famous school for the practice of the arcane arts upon the world of Elaria, but little is known of its inner workings, for only those Mage Gifted are allowed upon the island’s shores, and those who leave are sworn to secrecy.

ARTON VILLAGE: Arton is one of what are called the "Five Points." The Five Points are a group of five villages that surround the capital city, each with a garrison of soldiers that provide protection for the villages and Varencia itself.

BULLON VILLAGE: This village is another of the Five Points. It straddles both sides of the western-running trade road.

ELLIS VILLAGE: Ellis is another of the Five Points, and its job is to protect Varencia from any possible threat from Frontia, which is highly unlikely, but always possible.

HYRON VILLAGE: This village is built on the shores of the Hyron Lake. The people there are fisher folk mostly, and they make their living by selling and trading fish caught in the lake for goods from other villages.

KARIN VILLAGE: One of the Five Points, Karin lies due south from Varencia, and with Tomlin it possesses one of the largest forces of Vilnis soldiers, so that no threat can come from the south.

SILVUS: Silvus is the northernmost city in Vilnis, and the second largest settlement after Varencia. It is surrounded by thick forests, and acts as a waypoint for those journeying north to the elven lands, and those journeying south from them.

TOMLIN VILLAGE: Tomlin is one of the southern-most of the Five Points, and it boasts one of the largest concentrations of soldiers.

TORIN VILLAGE: This small village sits beside the great road that runs north and south through Vilnis.

VARENCIA: The capital of Vilnis. Varencia is encircled by a natural moat formed by the so-called "Varencia River." The city is a near-magical place, for the elves helped greatly in its construction hundreds of years ago. It is a massive, fort-like place constructed almost entirely of wood that has been treated magically by the elves to be nearly as strong as stone.

MILITARY OUTPOSTS (VILNIS)

FORT KHALM: This fort is not a civilian settlement. Rather, it is a massive stone fortress carved out from the Mordain Mountains, and it mans the Vilnis side of an ancient stone bridge that spans the Khalm Gorge. This bridge is the only land route across the gorge, and the southern side is manned by Westenra.

FRONTIA

Frontia is a flat country, with little other features. Much of the land is cultivated for farming, and it is through farming that most of the people of Frontia make their living. While most of the population of Frontia is human, there are also many halflings living there. Agriculture isn’t Frontia’s only cause for notoriety, though: it is also something of a cultural capitol of the eastern continent, boasting an impressive number of artists, musicians, explorers, inventers, and the like.

Frontia is ruled by a King, though this King is not decided by a royal line. Rather, the King is chosen by a council made up of the leaders of each of the villages and cities of Frontia. Each year, the council meets to decide whether or not a new King should be chosen.

NATURAL FEATURES (FRONTIA)

GUILDEN PLAINS: Most of Frontia is made up of plains-lands, the largest and most sprawling of which is the Guilden Plains. Much of the Guilden Plains have been given over to farmland.

TWIN BRANCH RIVER: This river flows south from River Reina, and joins with River Kasteel just north of the city of Pullar. It flows around a great hill, upon which the capital city of Strata is built.

SETTLEMENTS (FRONTIA)

CITY OF THE PLAINS: This is the second largest city in Frontia, after Strata. It is a major trade hub, with roads running north, south, east, and west outward.

LYTA VILLAGE: A small village built below the hills to the north of the City of the Plains.

NOD VILLAGE: Nod is built right against the Mystile Marshes, and the people there often journey into the marshes in search of rare herbs and ritual components. By doing this, the village is able to make a living by shipping their harvested goods south to Strata, where they are sold in the market.

NORTH POINTE VILLAGE: This village is the northernmost settlement in Frontia. They are pretty secluded from the rest of the settlements, and actually have a cordial relationship with the elves of the north, who periodically visit and trade with them.

PORT KALAY: This port city receives goods and travelers from Westenra or Indra in the south. Lumber is transported overland from Trawl Village for the building of docks and ships. From Kalay, several expeditions have sailed due east, to establish colonies on the barely explored western continent.

PULLAR: Pullar is a city built near the banks of the Kasteel River and its tributaries. Many materials and supplies are sent south from the Strata and the village of Riverton on barges, which then dock at Pullar, are unloaded, and sent overland to their ultimate destinations.

RIVERTON VILLAGE: Built at the point where the west and east branches of the Twin Branch River rejoin, Riverton is used to ship goods south upon the river.

SOUTH POINTE VILLAGE: The southernmost settlement of Frontia.

STRATA: The capital city of Frontia, where the elected King rules from. Strata is built upon a high hill, and surrounded on all sides by the Twin Branch River. It is a city of high stone towers, and though it has been ages since war visited Frontia, the capital city is still surrounded by a thick stone wall. The land between the city of Strata and the rivers is dominated by farms.

TRAWL VILLAGE: Trawl Village is built on the outskirts of the Forest of Shadows. For generations, the people of Trawl have harvested lumber from the outer parts of the forest, and they seem to be left alone so long as they don't venture in too deep.

TYR: A large city built on a plain to the west of Strata.