Living gods. Ancient magic. Gnomish technology.
The world of Andaria has been dominated by the Ancients as far back as history can remember. Now, rumor speaks of another battle to come in the Celestial War. Our story begins in the Sunken City, a thriving trade city run by the dragon Ember who lives deep beneath its streets.
A Free City formed after the Dragon Wars, by all different species from all around Andaria that sought to escape the influence of Dragons, Dominating Ancients and powerful city states. Located underground near The Sunken City, and under the governing of the praised Gun Wizard, citizens earn their right to be a part of Anwar society. Anwar's economy runs on some Mining , Moss farms, trade from the Overworld above and The Dark below as well as the scavenging of many great and powerful items from a nearby ruined underground city who followed the Ancient, The Collector.
Arlight, A gem of the northern lands & the true heart of the Northern Kingdom of Oakfrost. Loyal to the Ancient, The Keeper armed with a very devout order of monks, Arlight managed stay almost completely out of all war ergo standing as a symbol of Andaria at it's most righteous. Many who travel to Arlight do so for the kindness in its streets or the beautiful handcrafted ancient architecture. That's not all you'll find though in the streets of Arlight. Every morning vessels leave for deeper waters merrchant vessels arrive with the newest wares and warehouse move their cargo as quickly as they can.
The Elven Kingdom defines itself by the nature around it. The Forests around them are sacred, magical, guarded and in it's center contains the TREE OF AUTUMN LIGHT, an enchanted tree containing the light of 1000s of Druids. Everyone knows why the tree was built... and it's frightening. As told to children at night in the lands of Falindor, the tree must be safeguarded, as it grows down to the center of the world wrapping its deep roots around the core of the world and imprisoning the great evil known as DROGONO. Culturally, the elves are magical, calm and friendly but trade very little. They do not cut their forests unless it is necessity and if they trade what they call "FOREST WOOD" to others, it is also because of strong and just cause. They do however have a love for fine foods, spices, wine and the occasional fine garment.
Ironstone, a prominent DARK dwarven civilization with one of the biggest known mines of crystal, iron and gold on Andaria, is also an ally to some nations above in the OVERWORLD. Life in Ironstone is about perfecting one's self. While gnomes seek for clever innovation, dwarves seek to form metal and stone into designs as natural as a growing tree. Geographically, running through the center of Ironstone, is Dium's Cavern, a deep crevasse with lava flow at it's depth intersecting with a strong running river from the overworld. Dium, its namesake was the founder of Ironstone and led the first dwarves lost in the dark into an era of peace & stability. A skilled miner by trade, he realized the value of the crevasse and staked the dwarven civilization for all future dwarves and weary travelers. These days, Ironstone has been through war and back. Now, more than ever, they stay vigilant to survive.
The true Fortress of The Ancient, The Lion. Here he ruled justly over the Beast Born Citizens of his Realm. Forest Hold is a city within a giant vined fortress that seems melded with the rainforest around it. It was built to be highly defendable and was utilized much in the early Celestial War battling the nearby realm of the Arch Mage.
A Triad Member City State , Rock Bottom lies at the end of the magnificent waterway that begins at The Sunken City , Hundreds of Miles above. It is ruled , like all Triad Cities, by a council of gnomes , humans, and dwarves and is known for it's greed and internal conflicts for power amongst The other Dark Civilizations.
In the Realm of the Dwarven King, Dune Hammer is more underground than above linked by a great Gate. Some dwarves prefer to live underground while others venture through the arid and mountainous lands around it. It is said that most Dwarves see the over world as exposed without the safety of stone walls and caverns while the rest of the world sees the underground as an enclosed sunless domain. Dune Hammer is the capital city of the entire Dwarven Kingdom that spent most of its years fighting in the Celestial War or in its own civil war. Mining, Strong Culture, Symbols of Honor, and Crafting are the ways of a Dwarf in Andaria.
Queensland, a colony of the Ancient THE QUEEN, was conqurered early in the Celestial War and is widely known for its fleet of merchant ships selling everything from spices, wines, exotic food and garments. Every corner of the world has a Queen's ship it is commonly said... it's probably true. Regarding other cultural aspects, The people in Queensland enjoy the dramtatics in life are intrigued by combat in the arena, theatrics & religously worship the Immortal Drogono. They see him as a tragic figure, tortured against the Powerful Andar.
A fishing port city turned lawless by the rogue merchant ships that visited led by the Pirate known as Raven. The Red Kingdom attempted come to the aid of Raven's Claw (Forest Port) when the takeover took place but were simply ill equipped for a fleet of ships bombarding the shores. The Red Knights were forced to retreat. Raven's Claw was eventually conquered by Wraygar in later years who still struggle to bring order to the once peaceful Forest Port, no matter what the Wraygarian King says.
Widely feared or misunderstood, Soulst, or Arcane City, as known to it's citizens, was an Arch Mage City State for much of it's years after the Dragon Wars but eventually fell quietly into the clutches of the dark magic of Necromancers, originally worshipers of Drogono who favored dark magic. The City famously boasts the mysterious Walking Tower, built by the most powerful wizards along with the Archmage. Soulst when it's ports are open has a large community for trade being located in the center of the known world.
In Dune Hammer's history , it's many miners below were cut off in great chasms meant for giants. So far below were the miners that they lost hope of returning and began a city known as Greystone named after the ruling mining Clan. Living now below in the Dark They began to hold great resentment for the dwarves in Dune Hammer above and consider themselves True Dwarves who have been truly tested by the Dark below.
In the early days of civilization and war, the elves traveled below the surface into the Dark to protect the Great Tree of Autumn Light as it grew it's roots into the core of the world to entrap the immortal Drogono. The endeavor was successful and many elves stayed behind within the strong field and light of the tree. Overtime these elves would be known as Dark Elves and would develop an entirely different culture seeing themselves as guardians of the tree against Drogono.
A fishing port city turned lawless by the rogue merchant ships that visited led by the Pirate known as Raven. The Red Kingdom attempted come to the aid of Raven's Claw (Forest Port) when the takeover took place but were simply ill equipped for a fleet of ships bombarding the shores. The Red Knights were forced to retreat. Raven's Claw was eventually conquered by Wraygar in later years who still struggle to bring order to the once peaceful Forest Port, no matter what the Wraygarian King says.
Wraygar, considered the true Kingdom of Gnomes in the overworld, is known for its mountain fortress city built in the Western Waters. The gnomes here are very active on trade and focus on manufacturing not only as a way of society but for great standing amongst their guilds and society Wraygar is also the source for the world's leading innovations such as Steam Technology, Mining Techniques & most off all Crystal Technology, using Soul Crystals in an assortment of ways for power and utility.
The Red City, the capital city of the Red Kingdom, has a long and powerful lineage of Knights, Honor & Bloodshed. A Nation set in the the western desert over an oasis is referred to with many names over the ages such as , The Red Dust, The Dust, or the Rusted Kingdom. Truth be told The Red Kingdom has put itself in harms way countless times to safeguard Andaria from tyrants and proclaimed dangerous Ancients. Geographicly, the nation is safeguarded by the endless arid land around it. To attack it would take numerous resources and is tactically atrributed to the following of the Red Knight who says " To win in war , you must always fight it & be willing to sacrifice what others are not." Culturally the Red Kingdom is focused on the Knighthood with high trade in Red Steel, used for weapons and Armor around the world.
The Sunken City is one of the busiest port cities in all of Andaria. Governed by Gnomish Guilds the city has been at the center of war as well as a hub for gnomish innovation through out its existence. The Red King , Kalor Dragon Rider is famously quoted on his thoughts of the western nations. " The Red Kingdom is the Sword & Shield, The Kingdom Oakfrost our peace , Arlight our mind, The Forest Port our Joy and The Sunken City our Passion and our heart? All of our citizens." The Sunken City, named as such for it's constant flooding and the thought that any day the city would be washed out into the western ocean. The flooding is actually due to its low elevation and tremendous underground caverns below. The Sunken City has no fleet of vessels but simply relies on its own innovation and the simple truth that those in the west will travel to them. Finally, the Sunken City is most known for its Dragon Lord Ember, who resided over the city since the Dragon Wars till a few decades ago. Ember , as part of a great bargain daily would use her dragon's fire to power the great forge below, powering all the forges above. Some consider this the secret to The Sunken City's success in crafting which still has dwarves scratching their heads.
A Dark Dwarven Civilization that is located in the Black Mountain Spires above the famous Elven Tree of Autumn Light. A peaceful city, the Spires is said to contain dwarves whose iron hearts have been melted by the The Tree's unusual Purple Light.
The city of Elden is located in the mountains north of the Red Kingdom. It is also located on the ever so important river that feeds the water into many cities of the Red Kingdom. Because of this Elden has spent much of it’s years under Red Kingdom rule weather they like it or not. Within the city life is simple and straightforward. Some hale it as one of the most beautiful human civilzations on Andaria.