Mu Xian’va
in World AtlasThe Continent of Mu Xian’va
Mu Xian'va (moo-SHAWN-va) is the fourth continent of known Raios for which we will provide details, with content similar to that released for the initial continent, Aorlan. We intend to release that additional Mu Xian'va content in early November 2025, nine months after initial release.
Most of the former continent of Mu Xian'va is now sunken below the seas, a shallow region now called the Sea of Mu Xian'va. The formerly-great Empire of Mu Xian'va has regressed into tribal or feudal communities primarily on the largest of the remaining islands. The other scattered islands of remaining land are ruled either by tribes, fuedal lords or, often, settlements of the Veng, legendary pirates not just of this Sea but of waters far to the west, around Nhullokarnum and Centakus. Only the Valmyrrian Navy is strong enough to avoid raids of Veng ships and slavers.
In fact, it is the Valmyrri Elves who say that the Veng are newly-mutated humans who used to be Mu Xian'va - though neither the Veng nor the Mu Xian'va accept this idea and they will often react badly if it is spoken in their presence. Whether this shared ancestry is true or not, their mutual enmity is understandable given their struggle, violence and slavery in and around the Sea of Mu Xian'va.
Cultural information about player characters hailing from either society is available in the player's handbook.
As far and as isolated as it has been from the rest of civilized Raios, Mu Xian'va is very distinct in its language, culture, philosophy, arts and warfare. It is dominated by a legendary warrior caste whose strongest and most capable warlords become fuedal lords of great power and occasional legend. Indeed, their isolation is willful: trade and commerce are rejected from outsiders more often than they are accepted, and dealing with them is known to be difficult, unpredictable and dangerous. The warrior leaders of Mu Xian'va are famously arrogant, indeed calling anyone not Mu a "foreign barbarian."
Their legendary steel blades - which they will not trade to foreign barbarians, for any price - are said to be superior even to Dwarf or Elf smithing. And their warriors are reputed to be fearless, disciplined and strangely different from warriors in the other lands of Riaos. Because of their isolation, there is little else known to outsiders about this continent and its people.
Much more is known and spoken of the Veng, as they sail, pirate, raid and trade in lands far to the west, including the Chuulonian Empire. Salacious tales of the Veng include gills, webbed fingers and toes, and that the women and men among the Veng all sail topless and shoeless, their bodies tanned dark by the sun and covered with exotic tattoos.
Mu Xian’va stands today as a sad remnant of a once great continent. As the Great Cataclysm struck, more than half of the old continent submerged below sea level, leaving only the highland areas still above the waves. Today the remaining lands consist of hills that are highly dissected by streams. Most of the islands lie within a calm shallow sea.
Climate and Ecosystems: The subtropical climate changes with the seasons. Most of the precipitation falls during the cooler winter months while during the hot days of summer rainfall becomes scarcer. The vegetation varies between savanna and subtropical forest, and subtropical scrub. Rainfall increases as you go west due to a warm tropical current flowing up from the south. Substantial populations of fish live within the shallow sea of Mu Xian’va.
Geographic Areas and Dominant Races: Humans still dominate the overall population of Mu Xian’va, especially on the great island, but several races of humanoid abominations, such as the Veng, Kuru, and Gillmen steadily increase in numbers. The human denizens consist of are of Mu ethnicity. They live in a near subsistence level agrarian society that has forgotten most of their history and advanced knowledge.
History and the Great Cataclysm: The Great Cataclysm devastated the population with the subsidence beneath the sea of much of the continent over a few short months. While many initially survived the great inundation by taking boats to highland areas, the disruption led to war and famine, causing a sharp drop in population and the subsequent collapse of governmental control.
Magical and Mystical Sites: Many great temples and holy areas still exist, but most of them have been lost to knowledge. The inhabitants, caught up in a struggle to survive, have lost most knowledge of their historical past.
Dangers and Threats: The primary threat in the islands lies with the humanoid abominations. The barbaric sea raiding Veng, gather most of what they need by living off the sea and raiding human settlements. Their ships are fast and well built, and they frequently attack any sailing vessels they encounter.
Climate and Ecosystems: The subtropical climate changes with the seasons. Most of the precipitation falls during the cooler winter months while during the hot days of summer rainfall becomes scarcer. The vegetation varies between savanna and subtropical forest, and subtropical scrub. Rainfall increases as you go west due to a warm tropical current flowing up from the south. Substantial populations of fish live within the shallow sea of Mu Xian’va.
Geographic Areas and Dominant Races: Humans still dominate the overall population of Mu Xian’va, especially on the great island, but several races of humanoid abominations, such as the Veng, Kuru, and Gillmen steadily increase in numbers. The human denizens consist of are of Mu ethnicity. They live in a near subsistence level agrarian society that has forgotten most of their history and advanced knowledge.
History and the Great Cataclysm: The Great Cataclysm devastated the population with the subsidence beneath the sea of much of the continent over a few short months. While many initially survived the great inundation by taking boats to highland areas, the disruption led to war and famine, causing a sharp drop in population and the subsequent collapse of governmental control.
Magical and Mystical Sites: Many great temples and holy areas still exist, but most of them have been lost to knowledge. The inhabitants, caught up in a struggle to survive, have lost most knowledge of their historical past.
Dangers and Threats: The primary threat in the islands lies with the humanoid abominations. The barbaric sea raiding Veng, gather most of what they need by living off the sea and raiding human settlements. Their ships are fast and well built, and they frequently attack any sailing vessels they encounter.
You can open folders in the World Codex tree to see the locations by type within this continent. You can also navigate from the tree, of course:
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All artwork generated by Midjourney using prompts from R. Hayes