02. Geography of Teria

"So you've seen it, right mister?" the kid's eyes were simply glowing with awe   Orshen open his mouth and closed almost instantly. He might be an orc, but he grew up in Paashils, far east from  here, but still in Arcana Empire, still in Trat. He had no idea that his ancestors came from Kingdom of Larari, a Legrun land. All he knew that he liked chemistry, and explosives. But has he seen Trat? The orc frowned at young boy.     "No"     "But you're not like Jonah, or Leslie! You have a weird name, and you talk funny. I won't tell if you are from the new continent!"     "I am not" he grew tired of this inquiry, he packed the fireworks and handed the bag boy's father     "I apologize. We moved from Falport, and Liam just looks for new friends" boy's father patted his son's head with a smile     Falport is far north. Newspapers wrote about some kind of disease killing people by thousands in the north. Orshen stuck his hands in pockets and retrieved a hanky. He nodded at the man to put the coin on the counter. The customers were rushed out and the orc closed the doors behind them. He scurried to the back of his shop to find a bucket and cleaning fluid. Time to sanitize this place. He briefly considered visiting the local hospital to notify of his customer. Decided to go to a police station instead. Right after the cleaning.

Trat and Eters

World of Teria consists of two continents, Trat, on the west and Eters, on the east. Between them there's Kori semi-continent - the cradle of Phax, goblins who once ruled almost entire Teria.

Raxal Mountains, Ribs of Trat

In the middle of Trat, there's a blank space on our political map. The terrain of Raxal Mountains is basically not for humans, the low temperatures, almost no air.   Our motherland - the Arcana Empire takes almost all of Trat continent, all the way to Kori archipelago, from where Phax originated. Arcana Empire started in the far west of Trat - Knighpass, Tar, and Machia provinces. Whilst you should know our history at least a bit, it's no longer the center of our Shru culture. The life of Arcana Empire is centered in the biggest, most technologically advanced, and the wettest city in the whole Teria - Arcania City.

Arcana Empire

The Empire is vast. After the Endless War that lasted almost a millenium, the Empire covers almost entire Trat continent. There are few exceptions - The United Provinces of Trat, city states, Arcane Federation of Kori Tribes, which is basically a fancy name for Arcana Empire, but with their own puppet Chancellor who responds to the Emperor, and Dominion of Kori - the Phax. There are also disputed teritorries, or Wilds.

Arcania City

In the beggining of the Endless War, almost eight centuries ago, when the first witch awakened and wiped the local Phax army, the Arcanist Tower was built. It was a place where the horrid rite of awakening took place, in order to create more arcanists. The most powerful ones took hard task of training fledglings, and the city grew naturally around the tower. After few decades it became the busiest and the most important city in the Shru nation. Population is almost a million. Aside from Arcanist Tower, there's Arcania University, and of course, the Emperor's palace.   Snowstar coast is rainy, and Dunrokia marshlands are almost at sea level, this unique combination makes Arcania City the wettest place in the world. Invest in good wellies and umbrella. Or several.

Provinces

There was a schism just before the end of the Endless War with the Dominion of Kori. Some Shru cities desired to have separate governments, openly criticising Arcanists, even to a point of disgust. Thus city states broke away from the Empire. One of the most important is Senia City. Provinces take a small territory in the south-western part of Trat.

Senia City

Population of Senia City is around 70,000. The climate is tropical, sunny, humid. Lot of greens, beautiful beaches, sunny and warm, some would say it is a paradise. Senia City is ruled by a duke, as well as the surrounding land.   Senia has its own university, one that could rival Arcania City one.   The one major difference between Arcana Empire and Senia is the law regarding Arcanists. Witches who didn't finish the rite of awakening are executed on the spot, no explanation is given nor needed. The awakened ones are free to roam, that includes Arcane Empire citizens. Senians just kill their own ones.

Arcane Federation of Kori Tribes

It's Arcana Empire, or Arcana Tribes, the politically correct name for the Kori territories that were taken by the Empire during the Kori Campaign - an over 50 year war effort that resulted in freeing the territories from Dragongel to Kleab, almost entire Slah peninsula. Kori Tribes are governed by the Kori Chiftains - three elected officials, and one Chancellor. There are Empire's armies stationed in the peninsula. Most Phax cities have now Shru ruler, most often than not, a one that cannot even speak Kori. Oh, and the ritual sacrifices are not allowed. Unless it's a part of the rite of the awakening.

The Dominion of Kori

This is our nemesis. We fought them for almost a millenia, just because they gutted and bled our ancestors. And then we kind of got used to it. And now? They are just the green guys. They sacrifice their people, we do that too, just call it differently. Potato, po-teh-to? They make it for demons, oh, right, their religion is about demons. Demons are awesome. And real. So they gut entire cities to appease one of the edge lords from time to time. Have you ever been to Rezul? Yeah, me neither. Just imagine city as high as wide, buzzing with electricity, loaded with tons of information, travelling at the speed of light. A ziggurat in the middle of it, soaked with blood of another hundred thousands, decapitated by a ray thin as a thread, heads rolling down the stairs to rot several kilometers below, in dark uncharted caves of old city.   Phax are small. And damn brilliant. Also brutal. You know the guy that gets you the arcana circuits without the Imperial Intelligence seal? Yeah, the one with the orc nerd. No idea what happened to the orc's legs? I'd wager he tried to go independent. Friendships are forever, especially those which benefit green guys.   The Dominon was always there, no one can remember the time when there was no Phax. It's said they were the first ones, demon spawn, just when the Teria was created. It's not only Phax, the Dominion is all kinds, all races, but the Phax are only allowed to hold any positions or titles of value, rest is just living sacrifice. Their ziggurats, old settlements, ruins are still present in the Empire. Some of them are extensivelly researched. Dominion's technological advancement is not constant like ours. They have jumps and the changes are quite rapid. Almost as the tech came from elsewhere, was given, or taken. It's still of value, and several scientific outpost across the Empire researches old Dominion tech.  

The East

We don't know much about the other continent, the expasion and diplomatic relations only began around hundred years ago. And from what the newspaper says, they were busy fighting the Dominion too. I guess the ritual sacrifices didn't help, huh.