Regions
Io: This world, encompassing two great continents, the Great Channel between them, and the surrounding ocean. Perhaps more lies beyond the sea…
Cirrhonia: The eastern continent of Io, named so for the storm giants of Cirrhos who are said to have once roamed the land.
Kuythus: The western continent of Io, named so for the Divine Half-Dragon Kuyutha.
Great Channel: The wide ocean separating Cirrhonia and Kuythus. Crossing the Channel is a famously dangerous journey, and many a superstitious sailor has compared it to “sailing right into the Jaws of C’tar,” or so the turn of phrase goes.
Coeurl Island: A sizable island sitting at the center of the Great Channel. It was jointly claimed several decades ago by the Khyne Technocracy and the Divine Kingdom of Theanill, and the building of Coeurl Port as well as the major trade route it represents is a symbol of the collaboration between the two nations.
Neck of the Giant: The region of Cirrhonia west of the Gulf of Karr-Kyall, separating the Altus Highlands from the rest of the continent.
Altus Highlands: The general term for the mountainous northern region of Cirrhonia, beginning at the Neck of the Giant and continuing east to the Cape of Stormwhale. The climate ranges from chilly to inhospitably cold, and the land here is rocky and difficult to till, so the region is sparsely populated compared to the bountiful Cirrhonian Plains.
Gulf of Karr-Kyall: A massive gulf in northeast Cirrhonia.
Czych Sea: A body of water on the southern coast of Cirrhonia, shaped somewhat like a Czych, a type of fish abundant in the region. Whether the fish or the sea came first is a matter of much debate. The area is the hub of maritime trade in the southern Provinces, and much of the seafood in central Cirrhonia is caught here.
Black Coast: A coastline adjacent to the Czych Sea named both for its beaches of black sand, and for its infamy as a center of organized crime. Any Cirrhonian pirate worth their salt has spent time fighting for supremacy on the seas of the Black Coast. The two bays of the Black Coast are called the Twin Thieves, named Al’meer and Al’dyrrne, respectively.
Kell’ar Mountain Range: A range of brutally cold mountains located in the west of Kuythus. Neither the Divine Kingdom nor the Shogunate has laid claim over it, owing to its climate.
Malakas: A large island off the northeastern coast of Taguzen. It is officially unpopulated, and it’s a popular spot for Taguzen icerider coves.
Bay of Swords: A bay in northern Taguzen. It’s said Bishamon, the god of war, once manifested here to fight in a mighty duel, carving out the land that would become the bay. When he returned to Acheron, his body dissolved into ten thousand powerful blades that fell to the ground, and which now lie at the bottom of the bay. The Tournament of Swords, a battle festival held in honor of Bishamon, is held at an arena overlooking the bay.
Khyne Desert: The particularly dry and arid western region of the Cirrhonian continent, where little grows and the sun beats down especially hard.
Glass Desert: A peculiar region of the Khyne Desert where the sand is made of an extremely fine crystalline material that gleams and sparkles like glass dust. As the desert wind blows, the sand refracts the light of the sun, causing brilliant rainbows to ripple across the land.
Cirrhonian Plains: The bountiful central region of Cirrhonia, where fields of crops stretch out as far as the eye can see. Some of the longest-standing dukedoms of the Provinces originated here.
Towns and Cities
Braham: The capital of the Divine Kingdom of Theanill, located just off the Avus River. It is home to the High Temple of the Church of Kuyutha, and is both the center of worship and governance for the Divine Kingdom. At the highest point of the High Temple gleams a platinum light where Her Divinity Theanill sits, overlooking her people.
Hizu: A bustling merchant city of gambling and gold in the Taguzen Shogunate, forming the westernmost end of the cross-Channel trade route. For most non-Taguzen citizens, this is the most of the country you can see legally. Many highly sought-after goods produced in Taguzen can only be found here, although the un-savvy may find themselves paying a hefty premium, or duped out of the right product altogether.
Coeurl Port: A large port located on the southern side of Coeurl Island, a major resupply point for ships looking to cross the Channel, and the hottest vacation destination this side of the Great Channel.
Coeurl Town: A small island village just behind Coeurl Port, where most of those who work on the island live.
Labyros: A compact walled city of stone, labyrinthine in its arrangement. Named for Labyros, the grand labyrinth, the entrance to which sits at the northern end of the city.
Aqaba: The capital city of the Khyne Technocracy, center of magical and technological innovation, and home to the highest per-capita density of wizard towers in all of Io. It’s named for the lake it sits next to, and the Mage’s Tower of Aqaba is a grand metallic spire which rises from the water.
Nimbarre: The capital city of the Carta Dukedom, located at the heart of the Cirrhonian continent. The Grand Trials of the Counsel are held here every year. This is also where the headquarters of the Adventurer’s Guild is located.
Kyosa: The capital city of the Taguzen Shogunate, where the Headquarters of the Imperial Army is located, and seat of the Shogunate’s military power. Few here aren’t directly involved with the Imperial Army or its administration.
Shora: A coastal town in the Altus Highlands that trades mainly on fish and other maritime goods. Home to the biggest icerider scene west of the Gulf.
Lindwurm: A city in central Theanill, known for hosting the Spirit-Lord’s Trial. As the legend goes, the site where a powerful demon was sealed at the hands of a great hero.
Meethassin: A small port town on the eastern coast of the Divine Kingdom. A common port-of-entry for ships making the journey across the Great Channel.
Brethesey: A small port town on the western coast of the Khyne Technocracy. A common port-of-entry for ships making the journey across the Great Channel.
Places of Note
Aurathys Peak: The highest peak of the Kell’ar Mountains, near the northern end of the range. The area near the peak has the worst blizzards of the whole area, but it’s said the peak itself is as calm as a summer’s day.
Snowcloak Trail: A treacherous trail through the Kell’ar Mountain Range, beginning usually around the southern end of the range and concluding at Aurathys Peak, the highest point of the range. For some hardcore survivalist adventurers it’s a rite of passage to mark one’s mastery of the environment and their skills, but for most people, it’s a subzero death trap.
Great Pit of Carne: A huge pit with walls that seem to be made of some kind of organic, fleshy material, located in the southwestern region of the Divine Kingdom of Theanill. It was under strict government control since its discovery, but recently public access has been opened up, and the nearby town of Carne has enjoyed using it as a tourist attraction of sorts.
Stratus Academy: An academy in the Cirrhonian Provinces with a long and storied history, established long ago as as a way to educate young Cirrhonian nobles. It technically occupies unclaimed territory, and is therefore not beholden to the laws of any specific dukedom.
The White Fox: The biggest gambling-house in Hizu, and possibly all of Io. The sprawling complex of the White Fox is almost a city unto itself inside Hizu, and a distillation of what it means to be in Fu`una’s Cradle. Any and every method of gambling, avenue of indulgence, and substance (licit or otherwise) can be found here courtesy of the Kitsu Group, the owner and proprietor of the White Fox.
It goes without saying that the White Fox has unearthly amounts of gold to fund its operations, but some rumors say that it goes beyond coin—when someone wagers a treasure, property, or even their life, the White Fox will accept. Presumably all of it must be stored somewhere…
The Inverted City of Xxylph: A mysterious city of stone suspended upside-down in the deepest depths of the Great Channel, above the body of C’tarnidd the Eldest. There were people here long ago, it seems, but now it seems all but abandoned.