Illyria

A small continent on the world of Exandria. The elven kingdom lies in the southwest with its capital city, Ellanna Easari. The human kingdom lies to the northwest. The human capital is Crystal Cove. The dwarves rule their kingdom in the Dragon Fang Mountains from their capital of Nor Dorahl. Other races have set up territories where they can carve out a niche. The races became isolated and xenophobic following the Dragon Wars.

In the years since the Dragon Wars, dragons have disappeared and travel and trade have recommenced between the races.

The known world of Illyria is a land of diverse terrain and climate. The twin moons, Ehren and Eralys, light the night sky. Ehren is the larger, closer of the two moons while Eralys is the smaller and further away.

The southwest region is a land of perpetual summer. Soft rains and abundant sunshine provide for a land of lush, green forest, sun swept meadows, and beautiful flowers. The fauna consists of common creatures such as rabbits and deer but there are also more fantastical creatures. Crystal clear streams flow through the forests and meadows. The great Avonmora Falls dominate the northern part of the region. Miles and miles of cascades empty into Lake Avonmora. The Eldoris river flows west into the Saarlynor Sea. The Nixie River flows east into the Marilla Sea.

This land is home to the elves. The elves believe that they and all life sprang forth from E’lise Meliae, the great mother tree. The tree grows on a large island in the Bay of Tears.

To the north of Avonmora Falls lies the land where the humans dwell. They believe that all life came from Lake Lausanne which they believe to be the womb of the world. The Araxie River leads from Lake Lausanne and feeds the Avonmora Falls. The land to the west is bordered by rolling hills overlooking the Orabel Sea. The plains provide fertile farmlands and the forests provide ample hunting. The Kamithar River stretches all the way from Lake Lausanne past Molehill Mountain and the Hellfire Mountains to the Withered Badlands far to the east.

The Hobbits make their home around Molehill Mountains. Valleys and dales, meadows and streams, forests and glens provide everything a Hobbit could need.

To the northwest of the human lands lies the Swamp of Serenity where few venture and from those who dare, fewer return.

To the north lies the Barlemead Highlands and the Dragon Fang Mountains. The gnomes make the Barlemead Highlands their home as well as the dwarves who populate the highlands as well as the mountains. The dwarves believe that they were the first creatures in Illyria. They believe that dwarves dug their way to the surface and their tunnels allowed all other creatures to spill into the outside world.

East of the Dragon Fang Mountains can be found the Frostbreath Plains and the Frostbite Expanse. A cold, harsh land, only the hardiest creatures can survive there.

To the south of the Frostbite Expanse is the Hellfire Mountains. The twin volcanoes Ebon and Ember dominate the mountain range. The area teems with geysers and thermal pools. Simmer Lake and the larger Vahanna’s Cauldron are large, thermal lakes that never freeze, even in the coldest winters.

South of Vahanna’s Cauldron and Simmer Lake, the land changes from plains and forests to red canyons and arid highlands. The Withered Badlands are a maze of canyons and rocky outcrops.

The Withered Badlands lead further south into the Filaree Desert. Most inhabitants live along the coasts or near the Pool of Tasnim or Lake Saffir.

It is said that long ago, the races lived in peace and harmony with each other and even dragons. The dragons lived amongst and traded with the other Illyrian inhabitants. As is wont to happen, some decided that with might, they could take over territory and resources for themselves and establish control of Illyria. Nobody can agree on who started the great war that became known as The Dragon Wars, but everyone can generally agree on basic details and the outcomes.

Some dragons sided with the elves and some with the humans while others banded together in an effort to gain dominance for the dragon race alone. The dwarves and gnomes disappeared underground where they locked out the outside world. The Hobbits, who tend to keep to themselves, stayed even closer to Molehill Mountain and avoided as much of the war as possible. The race of Dragonborns was hunted to near extinction during the Dragon Wars.  By the time the war had ended, the elves and humans no longer had any trust for the other and dragons were gone. Whether the dragons had simply left for parts unknown or had all been killed, nobody knew.

Dragonborn retreated to the Filaree Desert. “Lesser races” such as orcs and kobolds were relegated to the Withered Badlands or the Filaree Desert or other outlying areas. It was many years before tentative trade agreements were established between humans and elves. The dwarves and gnomes had reinstated trade with the outside world and Hobbits were once again interacting with the other races, as much as they ever had.

Things have remained much the same since the Dragon Wars although the races travel more freely amongst each other once more, albeit in smaller numbers. Dragonborn are no longer hunted nor shunned, although there are those who still harbor prejudice or fear.

Only in the trade city of Braymark where the Kamithar and Kelby Rivers meet will you find a large number of all races living in the same place. Some cities, such as Crystal Cove, and Nor Dorahl are very xenophobic.