Saturday, August 11, 2012

Geis Basics: Geography

Geis is a world that is slightly larger than the Earth, about half of the surface of Geis is covered by land.  There are four continents: Anterre, Lothgar, Mologan and Puentas.

Puentas is a hidden land due to a powerful mystic mist that covers it and prevents anyone or anything from going to or leaving from the continent.  Very few people on Geis are aware of Puentas, knowing only the Mist.  The Mist lies due south of Anterre and west of Mologan.

The continent of Anterre was, until a century and a half ago, occupied by the Empire.  Emperor Krol ruled the land with an iron fist until his seven centuries long rule was ended by Madigan the bard and his wife, the Moragai Laurel.  Now it is gripped in chaos.  The continent of Anterre is the central location of the Harmony series.  A large island lies off the south eastern coast.  Its close proximity to Anterre made it a target for conquest by Emperor Krol but in spite of all his power and his armies and navies, he was never successful.  This island is Jiorta, and the Manitou of Jiorta has close ties to the people that live there.  It is directly because of this bond that the Emperor was repelled, for every Jiorti ever born save one has psychic or magical ability.

Due west of Anterre is the Narean Ocean, which shares borders with the continents of Lothgar in the northern hemisphere and Mologan in the southern hemisphere.  Separating Lothgar and Mologan is the Great Reef, a massive living coral reef that causes dangerous currents and is the home of many submerged people, including the Maenier fishmen and the Merfolk as well as various marauding bands.

Lothgar is the home of several nation-kingdoms, some of the best known are Bel-Aq, Wyzeria, Kailang, Dogol and Tilshess.  Three mountain ranges, the Blackrock, the Gray and the Worldspine, and the east-west running Dogol River segregate the continent.  Nestled between these three ranges is the Forbidden Forest, a living thing that is the brother and home of Sairao Goldriver, called the Wolfmage, the High Warlock and most powerful mage on Geis.  South of the Dogol River lies the Great Desolation, a massive desert that was once the home of the Beltizhan empire.  It fell due to infighting fifty-three years ago and has remained a home to nomads ever since.  The great delta of the Dogol River is the home of the kingdom of Dogol, whose lands encompass the norther border of the river until it meets the Blackrock mountains.  North of Dogol are the frozen wastes, home to the endless snows.  East of the Great Desolation are the Great Plains and the Centaur Hills.  The edge of the plains is claimed by Wyzeria while the area of the Centaur Hills is owned by Bel-Aq.  At the southern junction of the Blackrock and Gray mountain ranges is the rocky home of Kailang.

Mologan is an area of strife at the time of the Harmony series and the central location of the Malesk series.  It is divided in three by two mountain ranges, the Helsfont and the Belkahr.  The northeastern portion of the the continent, north of the Helsfont, is known as the Madlands.  It is a lifeless wasteland, the Manitou of the area driven off by the energies unleashed on the last battleground of the final Psy-Mage war.  Rocks flow like ice and none live on the surface.  South of the Helsfont and east of the Belkahr are the Southern Kingdoms.  Seven kingdoms united in peace, they are ruled over by the High King.  The Royal Council selects one of their member as High King after the death of the previous High King, and they surrender their throne in order to place the priorities of the Southern Kingdoms above those of any one kingdom.  The Southern Kingdoms are the front lines in the current war against the Kol Draahl, who appear to have lived beneath the Badlands these many centuries.  West of the Belkahr lies the Verdant Land, a rain forest and swampy area that runs the length of the continent.  Many live in the Verdant Land, but mostly in small groups due to the many dangerous creatures prowling the land, trees, waters and skies.  It is currently home to the largest civilization of Sroloc, that most ancient of races.

In the middle of the Gesiar Ocean, at zero longitude and zero latitude, equally spaced between the three continents and the Mist, is the Moralay Archipelago and the Chaos Current.  The Chaos Current is a swirling whirlpool that randomly changes direction, submerging some islands and raising others as the waters shift.  The recent rise of skyships has revealed that the Chaos Current has an echoing wind storm above the waters, always spinning in the opposite direction.  Sages have been at a loss to discern the cause of this for the Chaos Current has always existed in every record of history.  The Moralay Archipelago is home to many island nations, some with long and storied histories.

No moon mars the stars above Geis.  Instead there is an Arc, the remains of a satellite that are being spread to form a ring around the planet.  Because of this, there are no tides.

This is the land in which my stories take place.

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