The Realm of Elysia

Overview
Official Name:	The Realm of Elysia
Common name:	Elysia
Pronun.:	il-ISS-ee-uh
Astronomy
Sun:	Hel (Yellow Star)
Planets:	Five
Position from sun:	Third
Moons:	Neme (visible) and Selene (invisible)
Geography
Cont.:	Five (Elysia, Dardanos, the North and South Poles, and a small landmass in the west)
Oceans:	Two (Ao Sea and Nereid Ocean)
Area:	6,498,224 sq mi (mainland) 3,516,696 sq mi (Dardanos)
Climate:	Varied (like Earth)
Capital:	New Alexandria
Regions:	Alexshire The Ao Coast The Daire Flatlands The Apolli & Dusky Mts. The Fae & Chandric Forests The Scorpion Desert The Yondallar Rainforest The Nereid Coast
Landmarks:	The Ceracen Is. The Coliseum The Cloud Palace The Fae Tree
Unrestricted Portals:	New Alexandria Espur The Cloud Palace The Fae Tree
Restricted Portals:	Sequoia Village Rowan Caverns
Statistics
Currency:	Xanthai (ζ)
Calendar:	Xanth's Arrival (XT)
Languages:	Elysian, Anyeli, English, Sylvan, Zanaryan
Population:	3,836,876 (mainland) 778,673 (Dardanos)
Races:	Anyeli (31%), Dracovari (10.5%), Human (11%), Nymph (16%), Therian (24%), Vampire (0.5%), Zanaryan (2%)
Primary Religion:	Priesthood of Xanth

The realm of Elysia was created in 6,300 XA (1,700 BC) as a refuge from the persecutions suffered at the hands of humans back on Earth. According to legends and religious texts, it was to be a place where non-humans could wander at will and with pride, safe from the superstitions and suspicions of their ancestors.

In the beginning, the majority of Elysians looked to the Priesthood of Xanth for guidance, and they to their Creator. However, over time, the temples were allowed to fall into ruin and the stories were forgotten as the population turned to secular governments for leadership.

And Elysia has not been without its troubles. War broke out across the mountains and raged for centuries, decimating the Anyeli population. Elysians began to fear the dragons just as the humans had, eventually persuading Nirim to close its portals against visitors. Zanaryans, too, were eventually forced into a realm of their own (though this was quite possibly due to the general intolerance of the smell they produce as much as any prejudices against them).

It was only when the first Vampires swept a bloody path across the known realms that, provided with a common enemy, the Elysian races began to truly pull together the way Xanth had intended.

Despite their differences, however, the peoples of Elysia have ultimately thrived here, and have even accepted some of their human brethren into their midst. Recently, negotiations have opened Nirim's borders and the Dracovari have been reunited with their ancestors. A revival of the Priesthood of Xanth has revitalised the religions of old and reopened doors long forgotten. And, finally, it seems there may be lasting peace between the warring Anyeli factions.

The Priesthood of Xanth

The Priesthood of Xanth has long been the direct link between Elysians and their Creator since the first High Priest, Danyel, witnessed her arrival in 8,000 BC (0 XA). Much of this early history has since been lost to the general public (though the Old Society claims to know more), but it is assumed that Danyel was instrumental not only in founding the Priesthood but also in setting Xanth up as a god. He's also assumed to be the chief designer of the first temple, though it's doubtful he survived to see it built.

In the first few millennia of Xanth's reign as a goddess, the Priesthood was devout and enjoyed a great deal of power across the Earth. They built several temples in her honour and many more shrines; some theologians and historians even believe that the Priesthood is the founding father of many modern religions.

However, around the time of Elysia's creation and the mass exodus of Xanth's children from Earth, the Priesthood floundered. Their temples, though supposedly transported along with the population, were apparently left to fall into ruin. Some believe there was a mass crisis of faith, with the Priesthood disagreeing with Xanth's decision and consequently abandoning her; others believe the crisis was caused by Xanth's abandoning them first. Whatever the reason, Xanth's shrines lasted far longer than her temples, with Elysians continuing to pay homage to her long after the Priests stopped, but they eventually fell into ruin as well. Only one, located at the heart of New Alexandria and supposedly tended by Xanth herself, survived the centuries.

In recent years, there have been murmurings of sightings of Priests across Elysia, but these were attributed to flights of fancy. During the Xanth Day festivities of 2007, however, the Priesthood's revival was confirmed as girls bearing the traditional mark of the Priesthood passed out invitations to a special celebration.

Since then, the Priesthood has grown and reorganised, electing a real leadership and petitioning the Council of Alexshire for the building of a new temple as well as official recognition. There are already plans in other towns for the construction of shrines and statues and, all across the realm, Priests are reviving the enthusiasm for, and belief in, the Creator.

Currently located in a small, unassuming office in New Alexandria, the Priesthood is led by High Priest Fay Prydwen, who has been working hard to re-establish the Mark of Xanth. Whether Xanth recognises them officially remains to be seen.

The Mark of Xanth

The Priests of Xanth are marked by a small butterfly that is tattooed on the back of their hand. While on official business, they also wear long, hooded robes. The colour of the tattoo and robes depends on the rank of the priest:

Acolyte: White robes with no tabard; plain black tattoo.
Priest: White robes with a purple tabard; plain purple tattoo.
High Priest: White robes with a purple tabard and gold trim; purple tattoo with gold detailing.

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Alexshire & New Alexandria

Alexshire covers approximately 300 square miles and is made up of mostly picturesque farmland, with New Alexandria, a sprawling city built across the River Cora, at its centre. The largest of the big cities, it is the capital of Elysia's mainland and lies at the heart of commerce and the portal nexus.

As the last known statue of Xanth is located here, Alexshire has become the home of the revitalised Priesthood of Xanth, which has been lobbying for the building of a new temple. The city is also the seat of the humans' Old Society, the Vampires' Crypt, and the best shopping in Elysia.

Despite its location just south of the equator, Alexshire's climate is surprisingly mild, a fact that is largely unexplained but attributed by far-fetched superstition to wraiths that are said to migrate north from Banshee Bogg, or by the Priests to Xanth. Whatever the reason, Alexshire is far from being a tropical paradise, as one might expect, and is instead a temperate region with plenty of sun in the summer and plenty of rain throughout the year. Temperatures typically range between 8° and 20° centigrade (46° and 68° fahrenheit), but can drop below freezing at the height of winter.

The City

New Alexandria is actually only the inner-most part of Alexshire's urban sprawl, 2½ square miles on the west bank that is surrounded by a high defensive wall meant to deter predators and nuisances. Inside this wall is the bustling heart of the town with the majority of its shops, the Great Library, and upper-class residences that are inhabited by less than 5,000 people. The market square, portal plaza and the Quadrangle are also found here.

Outside the wall, the city stretches across both sides of the River Cora and is home to approximately 200,000 Elysians from all walks of life. Many of these live on the east bank where different neighbourhoods have sprung up, from the cramped four-storey housing on the riverbank to the more spacious two-storey units on the outer edges of the town.

With the majority of the residential areas on the east side of the river, New Alexandria's west side is mostly commercial and industrial with several bridges to connect the two. The west bank is lined with warehouses as well as trade and fishing docks, though the latter don't seem to be having much luck in recent years.

The Underground

Once known as "The Elysian Underground", the unnatural cavern beneath the city of New Alexandria is now known simply as "The Underground", with a few fanciful names bandied about by the poets. Its walls are lined with crystals of various colours that quietly hum, and the stalactites that drip from the ceiling often glow faintly.

Despite the underground nature of the caverns, the ceiling looks like a completely natural skyline and there are even clouds and rain on occasion (though the weather is usually perfectly clear). This makes for a tranquil, appealing atmosphere that is ideal for the luxury boutiques that have developed here.

Legends abound about this large cavern and its mysteries. Some stories say that the crystals are magical and responsible for the false atmosphere; others claim those same crystals were cursed to prevent people from trying to take them. One legend even suggests that the humming of the crystals is a reflection of Xanth's singing!

The Crypt

The Crypt Hotel is a sanctuary for Vampires, named as a joke on the many myths and stories about vampires that have evolved throughout history. Its design is just as much of a joke but, manned by a staff who also tend to see the funnier side of the horror stories and revel in "putting their creep on" for the guests, the Crypt nevertheless offers sanctuary to any vampire who needs shelter or a bite to eat.

From the outside, the Crypt looks more like a mausoleum than a hotel, with the name "The Crypt" engraved in the stone over the heavy oak doors. Inside, the hotel is dimly lit by wall-mounted oil lamps, which exaggerates the grandeur of the opulent marble and thick burgundy carpet. Tying into this elaborate play on vampire legend is the basement bar beneath the hotel which, though spacious, seems much cosier with lots of shadow and private booths to creep into.

For those who need help and not just a place to hang out, the Vampires' leader, Bailey Adams, keeps a room for herself in the hotel, with the others offered as a temporary shelter to those in need. The bar also offers a bloody cocktail menu as well as light meals containing blood, making the Crypt a great place for vampires to find their own kin and an easy meal.

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The Ao Coast

The Ao Coast is a stretch of limestone cliffs, bluffs and sandy beaches that drives along the southern and eastern coasts of the mainland. It's arguably the most dangerous place in the realm with frequent sightings of griffin, hydra and kraken, but also one of the most beautiful and certainly one of the most profitable.

Dropping off into the Ao Sea, the Ao Coast supports massive numbers of wildlife that hunt the teeming fish knots and massive bird flocks all along the coast. Because of the dangerous creatures that inhabit the area, it's a popular destination for warriors in training as well as hunters and questers. Due to the abundance of elemental energy here - particular Water and Air - the coast is also a hotspot for Nymph activity and training.

Despite the dangers, there are many small villages dotted along the coast, from the sea-weathered fishing villages on the Nubian Delta to the quarry town of Despina located at the southern foot of the Dusky Mountains. Many of these villages have a guard force of sorts that protects against monster incursions, making the coast safer for youngsters (though caution is definitely advised if leaving urban zones, and patrols rarely extend more than a couple of miles outside their village).

It's for this reason that merchant caravans tend to include a bodyguard or some other form of protection. The cost of such protection is eased to a degree by the fact that traffic to and from the coast is funnelled through a portal in Espur, a handy short-cut that reduces at least some of the distances travelled to transport goods from the coast to the rest of the realm. This can only be a good thing, as much of Elysia's food is produced here in the fishing villages scattered along the coast and the vast farm ranges spreading north into the Daire Flatlands.

The Coliseum

A large structure fashioned out of huge limestone blocks, the Coliseum stands atop a craggy island about a mile off the coast of Espur. This island is barely large enough to safely house the monument, but a winding path leads from the ferry dock up a steep incline before passing through the main archway into the seating tiers and arena.

The Coliseum overlooks a rocky bluff and, on a clear day, you can see the beaches of the Ao Coast. Though its main purpose is for scraps, training battles and fighting tournaments, it's also the most coveted stage for many of Elysia's plays and concerts.

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The Daire Flatlands

Daire is a massive region that covers the entire south-western quarter of the mainland and consists of a great deal of fertile territory, consequently becoming Elysia's primary source of a wide variety of foodstuffs.

The terrain is generally described as wet with a good deal of rain, with temperatures naturally cooling away from the equator. While the amount of rain provides good soil for the most part, there are marshy areas and peat bogs in places, particularly around Lake Cora where the wraith and tepua reside.

Along with the massive export industry generated by its farms and fishing villages, Daire has a steady income from tourism and hunting. Despite its riches, however, the region has maintained a picturesque rural quality with small communities being the norm.

Daire (pronounced DARE) was originally named the O'Dáire Flatlands in honour of Ardghal O'Dáire, the most famous of the first immigrants, and began as little more than a smattering of tiny fishing and farming communities along the coastline and river delta. Its original name, Dáire (pronounced DAW-ra), means fruitful and/or fertile, an apt name for such a bountiful area. As it became more apparent just how fertile the area was, more and more Elysians immigrated and the region quickly became the primary source of food for the realm.

As merchants established their trade routes, more settlements appeared along the Dusky and Espira rivers, growing wealthy out of the pockets of travellers. With the discovery of previously untapped resources in the Nubian foothills, and the successful capture of dangerous creatures at Lake Cora (which inevitably led to the development of a hunting industry there) the region continued to bloom and grow, becoming the wealthiest in all Elysia.

Transportation in Daire

For the most part, the citizens of Daire get around on foot or on mounts, these being the cheapest methods, while merchants and traders carry cargo up and down the river in barges or over land in drawn carts. Passenger ferries travel twice a day up- and downriver from Espur and Nubia to a dock near Kyriake, but recent developments have seen a trend in a rather different form of travel that deserves a note: Anka.

The fastest (and consequently the most expensive) means of transportation, especially in southern Daire, anka are raised on small farms around Espur. These massive birds prefer arctic climates in the wild but have been domesticated and adapted to the warmer temperatures on the Flatlands and are trained to ferry passengers and carry cargo across Daire.

Architectural Styles

So much of Daire is a soggy, marshy wetland that, though perfect ground for growing the majority of Elysia's crops, it's not stable enough to build permanent homes. For this reason, the majority of buildings in the region are made of wood and are built on stilts that keep the floors at least three feet above the ground, which allows plenty of room for flooding (and, coincidentally, protects against the incursion of beasts and pests).

For all its wealth, Daire architecture tends to be much less extravagant than that of other regions, with a much more homely, even rustic, feel. Naturally, the need to keep structures light on their stilts means a trend in one-storey homes with separate buildings for stables, barns and the like. The occasional 'ambitious' structure does appear, but these tend not to last very long.

The Nubian Delta

Smack in the middle of the southern coastline, the Nubian Delta is a series of rivers that have branched off the River Espira on its way to the sea, creating a fertile floodplain that is constantly regenerating itself. The geography is also constantly changing as silt in the riverbeds builds up and changes the flow of the tributaries, so maps of the delta can never be entirely accurate. This doesn't stop the locals from reaping the benefits, however, and the Nubian Delta is home to two of the three largest cities on the mainland.

A vital farming region, the delta supports lush green vegetation that stretches for miles upriver and across the floodplain, and even the scattered pockets of marshland are put to good use. Jade snakes are common on the delta, as well, making it a good destination for herbalists and healers on harvesting expeditions.

The city of Nubia

The delta was named after the town of Nubia, which has a population of just under 150,000 people and competes with Espur for the title of Daire's capital. While it doesn't enjoy the same connections as Espur, the soil is better suited to the more profitable crops and the nearby foothills hold several valuable resources which bring in plenty of revenue. With a plethora of jobs on offer, great views in all directions, and enough wealth to make the town attractive, Nubia is an appealing place for people looking for employment and a nice place to live.

The city of Espur

Espur is the second largest city on the mainland, closely rivalled by its sister, Nubia. As well as its prime location as a fishing and farming town, it is situated right on top of the portal that serves the Ao Coast and subsequently acts as a go-between for tourists and merchants alike. Its location also makes it the perfect port town, as all cargo and passengers travelling to and from Dardanos must pass through Espur first.

Supporting nearly 160,000 people, the town sprawls along the southern bank of the Espur River and is a bustling area with the common joke that there's an inn or hotel every other step. Merchants pass through the town on a frequent basis, transporting goods all over the realm, but the town gets most of its income from the tourists on sight-seeing trips to places like the Ceracen Islands or the Coliseum.

Lake Cora

Known for its isolation and the rare creatures that live in or around it, Lake Cora is a nearly intraversible wetland. The marsh that covers the lake thickens dramatically on its way east, leading into the dangerous Banshee Bogg where wraiths hide in the mist. This peat bog is also home to the man-eating tepua plant, the fire-lighting lampyridae and plenty of other bugs and snakes.

Because the marsh covering the lake is so dense, travelling across the water by boat is difficult and, in some places, even impossible. However, while one might expect the dangers of the Bogg to scare off settlers, the area is appealing enough in its own way for small villages to have popped up at opposite ends of the lake, with one such village - Danurai - growing into a sizable town. This is because, despite the dangers, the lake supports several species that provide highly profitable ingredients, such as the tepua's healing gas. There's also plenty of appeal for hunters who are willing to pay exorbitant fees for hunting licenses in order to test themselves against the more dangerous creatures, so the area is surprisingly wealthy.

One couldn't know this just by looking at the town of Danurai, however. Built on stilts across a spit of land at the centre of the lake, the town is deceptively run-down under constant weathering caused by the salty water and peaty bog. Its location also isolates the town as cutting across the lake is almost impossible, which forces people to travel by road all the way around the lake. Until recently, this was the only way in and out of the town but a recent swell in the number of anka taxis has made Danurai much more accessible and it has enjoyed a boom in tourism as a result.

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The Apolli & Dusky Mountains

The Apolli and Dusky Mountains are a long, forked range of ice-capped peaks that split the mainland in half and traverse the breadth - and half the length - of the continent. Flanked by coniferous forests and pitted with glacier lakes, the mountains are the home and domain of the winged Anyeli, supporting a far larger population than they might have otherwise. The mountains are also home to any number of animal, from the tiger gazelle to the blue panther that hunts it, as well as griffins, firefoxes, ruby weevils, kumo, and even the deadly vlareon.

Despite the dangers, numerous villages, towns and forts nestle between the craggy giants, living off the animals that make their home here and exporting the minerals, gems and precious metals they mine. Though most villages here have cause for success, there are a startling number of ruins scattered throughout the mountains as a result of the Civil War between the Anyeli factions. It's because of this war that a region that should be the wealthiest in the realm is actually one of the poorest despite providing a massive portion of Elysia's raw materials.

Griffin's Peak

Griffin's Peak is the tallest mountain in the entire split range at approximately 20,000 feet and has been the home of the Anyeli's Cloud Palace sanctuary since it was relocated in 6,300 XA (1,700 BC). Considered a national landmark - a kind of flagship for the Anyeli people - the massive peak is so tall that a layer of cloud surrounds it like a skirt. It's above this "skirt" that the Cloud Palace was built on a convenient plateau, a monument to what their race can accomplish when they aren't fighting.

But it's not just the Anyeli that make the mountains their home, though they can reach places the non-winged races can't. One can find pockets of other races scattered throughout the mountains in isolated villages, especially in the valleys where cave systems provide easy access to minerals and jewels. While transport has been an issue in the past, recent developments, (including the anka that are being used more and more) mean that merchants no longer find those hard-to-reach places quite so hard to reach.

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The Scorpion Desert

Named for the giant scorptions that swarm here, the Scorpion Desert is a swathe of yellow-white dunes in the south-western tip of the mainland. Famed for its utter lawlessness, the area has been home to any number of criminal "organisations" over the centuries, offering freedoms found nowhere else in the realms (if, that is, one can stand the heat).

But the desert is also home to a variety of creatures, from the near-humanoid naga, desert lions and the rare scorpion king, to the small nomadic tribes that live off the scattered oases and the Great Cactus.

The Great Cactus

This giant cluster of cacti, which is situated almost directly on top of the largest and only permanent oasis, is located at the heart of the desert and miraculously survived the catastrophic Great Flood of 2007. It blossoms only once a year in December, and the red and white flowers only last a day before falling away.

Built around the oasis is the most lasting desert village, which is made up of intersecting tents and is more a bazaar than a place to live. The nomadic tribes pass through here regularly to buy supplies, restock their water and sell on any goods (such as naga hides, scorpion parts, meat, and so on) they've acquired on their travels.

The Great Flood

The Great Flood of 2007 lasted several months and wiped out a great deal of the desert's inhabitants, forcing others to move out (including the Storm Riders who were the strongest organisation and considered the desert's authority at the time). Since the floodwaters receded, there have been constant squabbles among new criminal groups but none have yet established control. Other lifeforms seem largely unaffected by the flood despite taking severe losses, but the waters did clear out much of the vast scorpion population to a point where their swarms are now far more managable.

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The Fae & Chandric Forests

The Fae and Chandric forests are often considered to be one giant mass of trees that covers more than three quarters of the western half of the mainland. However, they are separate entities, distinct from one another, and easily identifiable purely by the atmosphere found within them.

The Fae Forest

Much brighter and far more cheerful and welcoming, the Fae Forest is the larger of the two and has much more of a magical quality to it. The deciduous trees here are enormous with several canopy layers, and yet despite the density of the trees is quite bright with plenty of sun reaching ground level.

Any number of creatures can be found here, from the adorable cheefle and imps to the mystical unicorns. It's the domain of both the Nymphs and the Therians, who have both built sanctuaries here, and provides the vast majority of the ingredients for herbal remedies and curatives.

The Fae Tree

Life in the Fae Forest revolves around the spectacular Fae Tree, an ancient and enormous tree believed to have magical properties. Many Nymph ceremonies take place here, a hard day's walk from Sequoia Village, and Elysia's largest imp nation (which considers itself the capital of Elysia) is crammed into its gnarled branches.

The Fae Tree's central role is magnified by the location of the forest's main portal a mere 20 yards away, making it one of the first things forest visitors see.

Sequoia Village

The Nymph's ancestral home and sanctuary rests between the lowest and highest canopies of the Fae Forest a full day's slog from the Fae Tree. Sequoia Village is protected against intruders by the glittering stream that surrounds it like a moat and by the eagle-eyed sentries who patrol the treetops. As the seat of the Nymphs' government, it is where the Rowan and the majority of the important figures reside. It is also a place steeped in ceremony, where all Nymphs come to choose their Element and begin their rituals (which usually involve the day-long trek to the Fae Tree).

The village never grows too large as the Nymphs who live here are sworn to only take what they need. Rather than cutting down or mining the necessary building materials, they encourage the trees to grow into the shape of homes and necessary structures, making the village a wonder of nature that is - sadly - rarely seen by anyone not of the Nymph race.

Despite the fact that Sequoia Village is serviced by a restricted portal, villagers are discouraged from using it unless they're too young to travel to the forest's main portal alone as Nymphs are, in many ways, an isolationist people who firmly believe in self-sufficiency and encourage their people to use their own two feet.

The Rowan Caverns

The Rowan Caverns take the name of the Nymph's leader (the Rowan), perhaps in tribute to the symbiotic relationship between Nymphs and Therians. A network of tunnels found and further developed centuries ago, the caverns stretch for miles beneath the forest and the Sunset Foothills. They're a wonder of nature and technology combined, providing shelter to younglings and adults alike. Reinforced walls ensure safety from cave-ins and the multiple exits are hidden behind trees and bushes deliberately nurtured to conceal the comings and goings of the inhabitants.

The Sentinel's office and personal quarters are here, as are all the places important to Therians, including the arena where challengers fight for the position of Sentinel. Just like the Nymphs of Sequoia Village, the caverns are serviced by a restricted portal and, just like the Nymphs, use of this portal is usually discouraged for anyone capable of making the day-long trip to the Fae Tree. However, Therians are far less restrictive and their portal is situated outside of the caverns proper, so they don't mind so much if non-Therians pop out once in a while (as long as such folk don't attempt to breach Cavern security).

Underground, the caverns are lit by long-lasting crystals that glow softly and are harvested from the deeper tunnels. Sections of these tunnels are closed off and guarded, however, as there are dangerous creatures living there, including kumo and vlareon.

Chandric Forest

Chandric Forest is the dark and twisted sibling of the Fae and is located to the north. It's full of outlaws and other unpleasant folk as well as far more dangerous creatures including the monoceros, spine-tail and stymphalian. One can immediately detect the boundary between the Fae and Chandric forests as the latter is much darker despite the trees being sparser, and there's very little colour.

In the densest part of the Chandric Forest is a closely guarded portal located about a week and a half's walk north from the Fae Tree. This portal leads to the hidden realm of Acantha (which belongs to Xanth's rival, Dananka), but few who stumble across it survive to tell of its existence.

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Yondallar Rainforest

Yondallar Rainforest is a stretch of jungle that covers a large area to the east of the Dusky Mountains. Like any jungle, the foliage here is dense and the trees enormous, providing plenty of food and perfect homes for a whole host of creatures, including the stymphalian, cheefle and baby hydra.

The law does not extend to the rainforest and it's easy to get lost here, but that doesn't stop hunters and sportsmen alike from traversing its white-water rivers or coming to view the gigantic buttresses. Many of the plants provide ingredients for a wide variety of potions, and there's a high demand for the exotic pets captured here.

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The Ceracen Islands

Despite the name and its nature, the Ceracen Islands is not a geological feature; it is, in fact, a massive leviathan. This creature is so huge and long-lived that, in the course of its travels throughout the oceans of Elysia, ice and dirt have collected on its back to form a large cluster of islands.

Acting much like a comet, the leviathan returns to Elysia's coast once every few hundred years. It travels so slowly that its journey west, past the southern coastline of Dardanos, takes around 50 years to complete. In that time, the frozen wonderland on its back begins to melt, refreezing again once it passes the halfway mark and never completely thawing out.

Ceracen is a popular spot for tourists, a permanent icescape with frigid waterfalls and slushy inland pools. It's a perfect venue for ice-skating and year-round snowball fights, as well as an exceptional place for Nyad to practise their more advanced elemental skills.

To reach the islands, tourists must travel first to Dardanos, via Espur, to catch a ferry. Because of this, most visitors to the islands make the trip a week-long holiday.

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Dardanos

Dardanos is roughly a third of the size of the mainland and is located in the southern hemisphere between Elysia and the South Pole. A crescent of highly active volcanoes in the south puts the continent under constant threat so a much simpler and more relaxed way of life has developed here.

The volcanic activity scares off many potential immigrants so its population is small and scattered for its size. However, its temperate climate and frequent eruptions give it highly fertile farmland, producing some of the more rare and expensive goods highly sought by Elysians on the mainland, so living and working here is a highly rewarding effort.

Dardanians have learned to channel the lava flows with a combination of manmade canals and the use of elemental power, so Nereid and Ifrit will always be welcome here. However, there are simply too many eruptions to risk building anything on a grand scale, so most buildings are made of wood and thatch instead of stone. Most Dardanians have also been forced to rebuild their homes at least once in their lifetimes.

That said, life here is fairly provincial. Dardanians honour hard work and manual labour, with the majority of the population living on scattered farms several miles from one another. Most are content to exist in their own little world, rarely meeting strangers. They're mostly self-sufficient, buying anything they can't make or grow for themselves while selling their own goods to the travelling merchants who stop by once in a while.

Further to the north, several hundred miles from the volcanoes, the lifestyle and structures are slightly more ambitious with a few bricks and stones here and there. Small towns and villages are dotted along the northern coast, although the placement of these is restricted by the powerful riptides and sharp rock formations along the coastline that make fishing and transport impossible.

Here in the north, the farms are closer together with dirt roads leading into town so farmers and their families can socialise more often. Without the constant threat of eruptions wiping out all their hard work, Northerners tend to be a little more productive.

During the years that the Ceracen Islands visit the Dardanos coast, the continent sees more visitors as they pass through from Espur on their way to tour the frozen leviathan. During these seasons, many villagers open spare rooms to tourists in lieu of permanent hotels, providing beds and meals in exchange for news from the mainland.

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