| The Kingdom of Terra |
Terra is an underground kingdom where the people truly believe that community must come first in all things. They don’t need laws to enforce this, their society is built around this concept. They work hard and they celebrate just as hard.
Stop the Press! This Isn't Right! |
History
When people were first deposited haphazardly on the continent of Novitas a disproportionate number of Earthkin were deposited in the Thunderguard Mountains. This was a problem because this was the only part of all of Novitas that was already inhabited by a pre-existing civilization. Even before the Gods’ War the Dragons occupied the Thunderguard Mountainrange and during the Gods’ War they had grown accustomed to being the most powerful beings around. They had no interest in sharing their land with soft skinned bipedal things of any variety. The Dragons demanded tribute in livestock, wealth, goods, and labor. In response to this the Earthkin organized themselves by profession to appease the Dragons. These became the first of the clans. The clans were named accordingly, the Rockcutters, the Brewmixers, the Steelforgers and some of those clans exist to this day. Appeasement wasn’t enough though, the Earthkin were not going to accept such tyranny as their new lot in life. While the crafters kept the Dragons satisfied, the miners got to work digging. The earthkin were not strangers to the underground. On Vargainen they had been first transformed deep underground near Volcanus, the forge of the Craftsman. Though they emigrated to the surface in time they had always maintained their roots doing much of the mining in ancient Andar. Now those ancestral skills were being called upon once more. The earthkin burrowed deep into the mountains prepared to build a new civilization there using as little of the surface as possible. They had limited access to plants that could grow underground and they knew what needed to be done to cultivate more but they were going to need time. With tremendous luck they stumbled upon the Glittering Caverns, a massive enclosure replete with precious gems and ore. In time they would establish their largest and greatest city here, Earthhold. For now their focus was simply leaving the surface world behind. The gems were used to buy respite from the Dragons. It worked for a while, but then the Dragons wanted more. Eventually another great find was discovered. A tremendous forge constructed by the Craftsman laid buried deep beneath the mountains. It was dubbed Voltanicus in honor of the forge where the earthkin first communed with the Craftsman. If this wasn’t a sign of divine guidance, nothing could be. Envoys carefully snuck out of the mountains. They were sent to gather other Earthkin who had arrived elsewhere on Novitas. The newcomers were told to bring with them any plant or animal they knew could thrive underground and preserved foods. One by one the Earthkin came from all corners of Novitas. The Glittering Caverns filled and soon it was time for them to spread further. The Earthkin spread out, building a large network of tunnels and cities embedded into the caverns. Clans stayed together finding that organizing by profession was a remarkable way to advance their techniques and create works of mastery. The society was stronger with each part working to make a stronger whole. Each of the great caverns came to be known as provinces with the Province of the Glittering Caverns as the largest and central most one. One by one clans were needed to organize and guide this burgeoning earthkin society. These came to be the noble clans who would act as the leaders keeping this new civilization flourishing. The first of these was the Quartzhammer Clan of the Glittering Caverns Province. Each Province came to have its own noble clan with some having more than one in some exceptional circumstances. Different clans earned the distinction for different reasons. Exceptional services, sacrifices, mastery of their craft and more were all potential reasons why clans were chosen for leadership. With more time the noble clans needed structure too, and it was decided that one clan should be elevated further to lead them all. Once more it was the Quartzhammer Clan who received this honor becoming the only royal clan. On September 3rd, 324 NL, The first decree of the first King, Titanite Quartzhammer, was to name this underground earthkin kingdom, the Kingdom of Terra. Terrans still celebrate this holiday now, calling it Foundation Day. Still the Dragons watched from the surface. They knew about the quantity of gems under the mountains and as far as they were concerned the Earthkin were meant to be subjugated. Few among the Dragons were small enough to go underground themselves so they sent their Reptilian slaves led by Drake subjects instead. The settlements closest to the surface bore the brunt of disruption. It wasn’t an all out attack, but the expeditions certainly weren’t peaceful. Sidebar: The Tale of Konbar Oresmelter In those days many earthkin earned new names in battle. Konbar Oresmelter was one of those who lived in the caverns of Voltanicus. As his name suggests his clan smelted ore, refining it into pure metals. Like other earthkin Konbar minded his manners and took pride in his work. Then the tyrant dragon lord Lithisulus came to oppress Konbar’s clan. This was when Konbar became more than just an oresmelter. Lithisulus demanded constant tribute and labor from the earthkin and the Dragon would occasionally kill any who wandered to the surface, solely for entertainment. It was Konbar Oresmelter who rose up against the tyrant Lithisulus and inspired his clan and other nearby clans to gather and destroy this dragon who tormented them. Some of the more outlandish accounts even say that Konbar and Lithisulus fought in solo combat atop a high mountain cliff where Konbar wielded a giant hammer made of pure light and crushed the dragon’s head with one mighty blow. Most of the stories though emphasize his ability to bring people together to unite them for a common purpose. Regardless, he was no longer known as Oresmelter from that day. The people called him Konbar Drakesmelter instead, and he was named their leader. He became the first clanmaster of the new Drakesmelter Clan. Eventually the Drakesmelter Clan rose to be one of the noble clans. They are still around to this day, ruling the province of Stoneward in northern Terra. <end sidebar> The young Terran society had no wish to live in a constant state of battle with the dragons and their forces. They set to work building great gates each composed of many portable pieces. Once the gates were ready each time they fought the drakes and reptilians back they brought the components with them and installed them at the entrance to the tunnels. After being put into place the gates were reinforced to withstand even the mightiest dragon’s rage. Though the reptilians were no strangers to digging the Terrans were better. Any tunnels that attempted to bypass the gates were collapsed from a distance through expert digging that ruined the stability of anything that posed a problem. One by one the entrances to the underground were sealed, the dragons repelled, their forces dispatched. In time the dragons concluded the Terrans weren’t worth the trouble and they moved on to other matters. By 800 NL the Terrans no longer feared the dragons. The surface still belonged to the Draconic empire but no longer did the dragons pose any threat to the underground kingdom. Unbeknownst to the Terrans the dragons had other concerns at this point. For the first time the Terrans started limited trade with the surface world. Only a few of the great gates were useful for this purpose. Most were too deep inside of the Thunderguard mountain range and would still have to contend with the Dragons. A few were far enough east that Terrans could trade with the people of Quaradar and Civen. The merchant gates stayed open until 991 NL. Terrans were the first to see the signs of the end for the Draconic Empire. For some reason the dragons were in hiding leaving only the drakes to oversee a very angry society of poorly treated reptilian slaves. With foresight and wisdom King Variscite Quartzhammer ordered the great gates sealed shut. When the rebellion began in earnest Terra was already sealed away, completely secure. The reptilians recalled their many failed attempts to enter the Terran tunnels and they would not repeat that mistake again. They poured forth to the east and it was Terra’s neighbors who suffered. When the reptilians were defeated, their forces scattered in 1005NL. Terra once more opened their gates. This time though with a new purpose. Terran forces were uncomfortable on the surface but they weren’t leaving the dragons’ ill gotten gains for scavengers. Nor were they letting others claim their territory. The Terrans scoured the former Draconic Empire for anything remaining of value. With Quaradar no more and the reptilian occupying force scattered, portions of what was once Quaradar were claimed for Terra, enough to make their domain secure but no more. The Terrans were not greedy, particularly not with land on the surface. But then the question became who would live on the surface to keep others from trying to settle these lands? Some of the Terrans came to enjoy life on the surface, they were the first to settle there. But that still wasn’t quite enough. King Variscite considered sending the merchants who wished to trade with other nations there, but they needed access below ground and most of them missed their home as they journeyed Novitas. Terran society worked because of everyone functioning in harmony, to remove the merchants was to disrupt that harmony. That was when he realized the solution. Those who disrupted the harmony of Terra would be sent to live on the surface. They would, in a fashion, still be Terran citizens but they would no longer disrupt the underground portion of their society. Those people sent to the surface came to be called Reavers. They would act as the first line of defense from the surface, traders with foreigners, and a humane method of ostracizing those who did not belong. When the War of the Avatars broke out Terra stayed uninvolved. They saw no reason to participate in surface wars. Terra was safe and secure and it would remain so. After the war drew to a close Terra was prepared to return to trade with the surface. Though Terra was proud of its level of near-complete independence they did relish having access to lumber and other plants they couldn’t grow beneath the ground. Slowly the Kingdom got more and more involved in surface politics. When the Treaty of Ghage was signed Terra was there to help guide the agreement. As the people of Adecia, now Vlean grew tired of the Civen occupation Terra was there, selling arms to both sides. While Gersh grew from a miserable people in a permanent blizzard to a resilient Kingdom of ice, Terra was there trading them what they needed to survive. As they grew upward they also grew downwards as well. New provinces were founded and new clans emerged to lead them. In the deepest provinces Terrans started disappearing. There were never any witnesses, just a miner alone in a tunnel lost one day. The next day a craftsman working at her forge vanished. No one knew what was happening, only that bones with tooth marks would sometimes be found in the lower caves. Rumors spread of Terrans who had dug too deep and found Darkness waiting for them. They were called the “Deepkin” but no one could confirm their existence. Others suggested the much more plausible idea that some beast or another had found its way into the tunnel system. The myth remained. With growth has come conflict. Some of the noble clans see reliance on outsiders to be a flawed plan. There are significant voices in Terra who see isolation as strength. The Quartzhammer clan does its best to balance these two factions, and most agree they do this well. In 1590NL isolationism ceased to be an option. The Kingdom was shocked to discover that the Deepkin were in fact real when they abducted Princess Amber Quartzhammer and fled through the tunnels. Not only were the Deepkin real but the Deepkin king was an avatar of Darkness. Tracking them through the tunnels they were found to have traveled to the shores of lake Nalbendel in the Freelands. There in the small town of Pinedale the Princess was rescued by a local earthkin adventurer and returned to her home safely. The King, Amber’s father, Rhodonite Quartzhammer continued his rule to the best of his considerable ability. He arranged a marriage between his eldest child Pyrite and Celestine Quartzhammer, a member of his clan but not of his family. In time he might have arranged marriages for his second child Erythrite and Amber, the youngest, as well were it not for his untimely death at the hands of an assassin. Pyrite Quartzhammer is now prepared to ascend the throne. Many wonder if he will continue his father’s ways of interacting with the surface or if he will return to the days when Terra kept contact with the surface to a minimum. Noble houses have begun to prepare for both options… and they’ve started to try to have an influence on the outcome.
Culture
Terran society is split up into three major groups: province, clan, and family. Provinces are based on where a Terran lives. All of Terra is divided into provinces, typically centering on natural caverns. Many outsiders don’t see the difference between clan and family, especially because many clans are one very large family. Families are always related by blood. With a clan this is not always the case. Clans are based on common purpose. Originally this was what professions they all practiced, but in time it evolved to also include other roles such as the noble clans who oversee provinces, and those clans who earned distinction for actions taken in crisis. The values of the Craftsman have had a tremendous impact on Terran culture. As a Terran, family and community always come first. Everyone contributes to the community and everyone has a role to fill. Many times this role can be determined before a Terran is even born. Those that do not fit in with the community for whatever reason are encouraged to leave. Some of these go on to become Reavers living on the surface of the nation still among other Terrans, others depart for a life elsewhere, most commonly the Freelands. Earthkin with Faekin lineage in particular are known to not have a temperament for this lifestyle. While they are not forcefully expelled it is very common for them to choose to depart on their own. A desire to leave or go exploring is not common among Terran society. Those who choose to depart even temporarily are rarely welcomed back. Only those seen as having a legitimate reason for leaving such as nobles, diplomats, merchants, and soldiers are excluded from this treatment. Even then if they stay gone for too long they are likely to have a hard time returning. The great majority of Terrans spend their lives never seeing the sky and they die with no regrets on the subject. Those who have traveled to the surface often report feelings of extreme vertigo and fear of floating off, “falling into the sky”. This adjustment can sometimes take years for those determined (or forced) to live on the surface. For Terrans being offended is a skill. Once someone has done something worthy of upsetting a Terran they can expect a long period of tremendous drama as the offended party makes a show out of the severity of the offense. Others will instantly band together with the offended party, how dare you do such a thing. Ignorance is not an excuse for such rudeness. This can often last until the offended Terran does something rude back at which time everything flips and community sentiment is now on the other side of the rift. For this reason Terrans who are offended will often minimally comply with all requests from the person who offended them, complaining the entire way, so as to keep the community sympathy on their side. Those Terrans who don’t fit in stand out drastically. Wanting to leave is an unusual trait, but when you have lived your entire life in such a community departing is hard. These Terrans often become Reavers. Reavers are a mixture of those Terrans cast out by choice or by their communities, criminals, and those who feel that honor requires that they leave. Most go to the surface just outside the great gates where everything is just a little different. For some this isn’t far enough and they leave Terra entirely roaming Novitas looking for a new home. Others seek a way to restore their honor, though some think that such restoration is impossible and the only action is to find a way to die honorably. Once they’ve adjusted to life on the surface Terrans eventually prosper just fine. The surface cities are similar to cities elsewhere in the world, just in somewhat more perilous locations on the sides of mountains. There Terrans practice agriculture that is only possible with sunlight, they trade with outsiders not ready or not welcome to enter the tunnels of the underground. Some reaver settlements are more organized than others, largely depending on the cause for why most of them are there. Settlements made of a larger number of criminals than others tend to more lawless and complex structures where the power dynamics can be quite unusual for Terrans.
Lifestyles
Terrans take the workday incredibly seriously, if the community has needs, Terrans aim to get it done. Once that’s taken care of they take their alcohol just as seriously. Brewing is just as important a craft as masonry or smithing. The most popular modern drink is a blend of fermented mushrooms known as Terran Thunder. Business is arranged over drinks. Two Terrans will typically drain a mug of ale to seal an agreement. Finishing one’s drink is also expected when toasting another person or otherwise proving one’s honor. An inability to drink heavily is a sign of weakness, and lacking the fortitude to finish a promised drink is a dire insult. There are some who believe that this is the root of poor Terran relations with other nations.
Art
Terran art is deeply practical. It is almost never decorative for decorations sake. Instead each object that could be useful is made well and any decorations go into that item in a way that does not impact the item’s functionality. A Terran hammer is better made and more ornate than one made in Civen. Their pottery is durable and fancy. Furniture and deeply utilitarian items are where the Terran artist demonstrates their skill. Jewelry is one of the few decorative elements that one might see from Terrans. It can generally be identified by the use of many precious stones or gems. Singing or other music that can be performed while working is not uncommon to encounter. Drinking halls also have a tendency to spontaneously burst into song as well. Despite this love of music there isn’t a lot of recreational music in Terra. It’s not active enough for recreation and not productive enough for work time. The same can be said for Terran theater. Some Terrans are very interested in performing it, but few have any interest in watching it. Literature tends to lean towards non-fiction. All manner of manuals, textbooks, and training volumes can be found all over Terra. Fiction books do exist there, but they aren’t as popular as somewhat embellished tales of real world bravery.
Inhabitants
Nearly all Terrans are Earthkin. Visitors from the surface are allowed in for a limited amount of time and they stand out immediately. Some stay for extended periods but almost none become permanent residents. Non-earthkin who wish to be called a Terran must get approval from the King. It’s certainly possible but it’s only ever happened a handful of times in the entire history of Terra. More reavers have been restored to full status than immigrants approved to become Terrans. Few want it, and even fewer are considered worthy of it. To earn the honor requires a clear demonstration of willingness to work to the benefit of all Terrans and assurances that the individual’s presence would not harm the community either.
Naming Conventions
Terrans when making the most formal of introductions always go from largest community to smallest. To a Terran the idea of community always comes first. They will start by listing being part of Terra, then they will name their province, their community, their clan, their family and finally their own name, in that order. When traveling outside of Terra they will generally alter their names to best fit in with the new community they belong to using the form of individual name followed by clan name. It is not uncommon for Terrans new to the surface to struggle with which name is most appropriate and to do something somewhere in between the two extremes.
Religion
Worship of the Sept is the dominant religion, and it is done as a community. Even silent prayer is done in groups. Prayers focus on what the Sept can do for the community, not for the individual. Though all of the Sept is worshiped, favoritism is shown for the Craftsman in daily activities. It is incredibly common to see forges and workshops dedicated to the Craftsman. Terran Septons play a large role in society. They teach the value of community, family, and conformity. It is common to hear them talk about how dedicating one’s life to mastery of a craft helps to bring order and make Terra a better place for all.
Economy
Terra supplies a great deal of raw minerals and goods derived from those minerals to much of Novitas. People know the value of good Terran craftsmanship and it is in high demand elsewhere. Alcohol is traded throughout Terra and Novitas. Each province has different brews they are known for and a good Terran alehouse carries them all. Terran booze can be found all over Novitas. Gersh in particular has a love/ hate relationship with Terran alcohols. They are a major importer of Terran brews, but Gershan brewers claim their Gershan Thunder has superior flavor to Terran Thunder. Terrans scoff at this idea, if a drink is so strong it will kill you without magical defenses, it’s not really a drink is it? Merchants from Terra do travel to trade outside of the Kingdom but they are not incredibly common. Most exchanges with Terra are done by outsiders who travel to Terra in order to get the best products.
Merchant opportunities
Terra is a merchant’s greatest ally. They have numerous goods they wish to export and little desire to export them personally. Characters who want to build a business can make a huge profit working with a Terran craftsperson or better a clan. Not only do they have many items to export with high demands, Terra wants imports too. They need lumber from Civen, perfumes from Evenandra, herbs from the Great Forest, and they’d even take food from Vlean.
Government
Terra is a Monarchy. Rule passes down through one family in the Quartzhammer clan and has since the inception of Terra. Each province has a noble clan that is nominally in charge of that province and any local clans follow that noble clan. Some provinces may have additional noble clans who have earned the prestige to be called noble, but only one is ever in charge of a given province. With so much of Terran culture built around an individual’s place in society there is relatively little upheaval though many of the noble clans have turned jockeying for position and prestige into an art form. Terrans are so focused on their work life and jobs that Nobles sometimes have trouble fitting in. The best of them take the leadership of their fellow Terran as a sacred duty and lead to the best of their ability. These individuals take honor as a critical part of their mission and take any slight to their clans personally… even if the insult is completely true. Instead they expect information about failings in their clan to be explained in a subtle (read easily deniable) fashion so that they can look into matters personally. This allows them to fix the problem without anyone appearing at fault. Those Terrans who don’t adapt well to the noble life sometimes resemble the worst of other cultures. Chasing leisure activities and creating drama just to stay entertained. Some nobles have stopped trying to do their jobs due to a feeling of uselessness managing citizens who don’t need to be managed. They’ve turned their attention to hobbies and frivolous pursuits. It is believed some have even quietly fallen to temptations from Darkness.
Authority
The last King of Terra was Rhodonite Quartzhammer the second. He was killed by a noble of Terra who lived so long on the surface she went insane. The Blackthunder clan who once called the assassin, Lilith, their kin are working their hardest to maintain their standing. Terrans understand though that the surface is a scary place and clearly this is what drove Lilith to madness. Some question the wisdom of the King for having invited Lilith to one of his gatherings in the first place. Rhodonite’s eldest son, Pyrite, is now set to ascend to the throne.
Laws
Terra needs relatively few laws. The Terran people WANT to do what is best for the community. Instead most of Terra’s government is built around reacting rather than preventing. When something goes wrong they react to it and deal with it as needed. There are laws but they mostly relate to matters of who has the authority to make decisions and who is and isn’t allowed in the kingdom.
Military
There is no standing military in Terra, none is needed. The halls of Terra are some of the most secure places in the world. Instead the King’s Guard acts as the only official security force in Terra as a whole. Though some nobles do have their own guards they are unique to each province. The King’s Guard acts to protect the royal family and can be hired by others in Terra for situations that require a military presence such as when some creature or another finds its way below ground. On the surface Reavers serve as a first line of defense whether they wish to or not. Any who would wish to invade Terra must first pass through one of these communities. Every so often hostile creatures try to make their way in and whenever this occurs the Reavers are there to prevent it from happening. Were they to fail the presence of the Reavers also gives time to close the gates and deliver warnings to those below. It is seen as a great honor to fight and die to give time for the Kingdom to prepare its defenses. This provides a way for those Reavers to demonstrate their dedication and loyalty. Not all of them wish to do this, but for some this is exactly what they want.
Status Opportunities
The brave venture forth from Terra to meet people from all over Novitas. Those who wish to return one day have a reason they travel for Terra. Some are nobles advancing their clan’s interests, some serve all of Terra on semi-official business, others are just merchants but all those who plan on going back serve some purpose for Terran society. One way to tie into that idea is by taking status with the group being represented. On the surface there are also the Reavers who by their very nature are disconnected from the core of Terran society. Many of them still want to be Terran, but some have accepted that they only just barely qualify as Terrans, assuming they do at all. These former Terrans will find new causes to join, becoming part of something different to maintain that feeling of community. More than any other people Terrans want to belong as part of something larger and this lends them to being good candidates for having Status with some group or another.
Views
Civen
Terra and Civen have long been solid trade partners. Lumber from Civen for ore from Terra. This doesn’t mean Civen makes any sense at all to Terrans. Civen is a nation of laws where individuals work but also live very free lives that are often quite self centered. People in Civen gather together into units that are kind of like clans but those units focus on collective empowerment over other Civen citizens. They’re so close to understanding how to live properly but they just don’t want to cross the finish line. Those Terrans who dare to spend time in Civen do eventually come to understand that even though Civen doesn’t entirely understand the concept of working hard, at least Sol Centura understands how to spend their time off to the fullest. With alcohol of course.
Evenandra
There has been a longstanding feud between Terra and Evenandra first started when Evenandra sent a delegation to meet King Quartzhammer in 829 NL. Terrans value practicality and logic, while the High Elves value beauty and emotion. Terrans prefer to remain neutral whenever possible in affairs of the world while the High Elves are prone to meddling. To a Terran the individual is a cog in a greater machine, while High Elves see understanding the individual to be the purest form of beauty. Worst of all the elves can’t seem to hold their liquor.
Fionn A’ilean
The People of the Great Forest are quite strange to the average Terran. They are lazy, unproductive people who have little of value to trade other than what the forest provides them. For some reason they have a military force which patrols this forest that they don’t utilize, which shelters no assets worth protecting. The Great Forest is a chaotic, untamed land and few Terran merchants see any reason to visit it.
Gersh
Terrans will trade with anyone, but their relationship with Gersh is often strained. Most Terrans find goblin iron to be an appalling medium to work with. The idea of tainting metal is nearly sacrilege to most Terrans. To make matters worse snow goblins live in a state of constant conflict with one another, and they often bring that conflict to Terran goods. They insult Terran masters and claim they have superior goods. It is a wholly alien way of doing things to a Terran. Most Terrans do not like Gershans at all.
The Dellin Tribelands
Terrans have little reason to interact with Dellins. They don’t produce much for trade and are never at international diplomatic events. Plus they don’t use coins and that’s just weird. Oddly the tribal culture of the Dellins is one of the things the Terrans understand most about the Dell. The tribes aren’t incredibly different from Terran clans. Dellin’s are also very capable drinkers. So while there is little reason for Terrans and Dellins to interact when they do, most Terrans think highly of Dellins, they’re just a bit primitive.
The Freelands
Outcasts from other societies who do little work and don’t understand true craftsmanship. They are to be pitied. The resolve it takes to live in so dangerous a place alone is respectable however and they did rescue Princess Amber when it mattered. Since that time “safaris” into the Freelands have become more popular particularly with nobles who are curious to find out exactly what it’s like on the surface.
Vlean
In the war between Civen and Vlean, Terra took no sides, selling arms to both. Vlean models itself on obeying the Sept and they follow strict laws to that end. Most Terrans don’t understand the need for such laws, working for the greater good comes naturally to them. Vleanoan society greatly resembles Terran society through a strange lens where people need to be forced to behave like Terrans. Terrans often find the whole thing, deeply unsettling.
Vargainen
Few in Terra can get past the idea of the Decade. There is no excuse for worship of the Dark Three, it doesn’t serve the community. These people create dissent with their very presence and should be treated much like Reavers, exiled and forgotten by proper society.
Notable Locations
Earthhold
The capital of Terra is also the largest natural cavern in it. Known as the Glittering Caverns province, its high ceiling reaches up into darkness and the fires in the city cause the gemstones within to sparkle, making the ceiling appear similar to a night sky full of stars. This city is the home of the monarchy and the whole province is run by the Royal Clan, clan Quartzhammer. As Earthhold is also relatively close to the surface it also serves as a main trading hub with outside merchants willing to venture into the underground.
Crown’s Keep
The Goldwright noble clan sits in charge of the Gildencrest province which contains this city. The city is located on a large seam of gold that has been mined for generations. Much of that gold resides in the palace of the clan master of the Goldwright clan, Midas Goldwright who spends his days counting his endless golden treasures.
Voltanicus
Home of the Craftsman’s forge, this is the greatest workshop in all of Terra, Novitas, and likely the world. No one individual is allowed to control it. Instead each Terran who has demonstrated mastery of a craft is allowed to use it once in their lifetime. There they bring the finest raw materials and they are given seven weeks to use the forge for themselves. When their time is up, the next master gets to use the forge for the same amount of time. For some this is a holy journey to create a legendary item that will outlive them. Others are broken by the experience, finding that they don’t have a work of art in them that is worthy of such a place. Non-Terrans are permitted to view it but are never given time to work there.
Room for Growth
These locations are deliberately minimally defined. Players and Gamemasters alike are encouraged to develop these locations further in ways that other players can add on more details later.
Greybeard’s Post
This trading post serves as the only meaningful source of lumber in all of Terra. It’s also the largest city near the border with the Great Forest, Gersh or the Freelands. Merchants who have no wish to travel into the underground often choose this location to trade with Terrans. As a result the population has far more non-reavers than any other surface city. The city is located on land that was once part of Quaradar and that sometimes brings with it surprise archaeological finds.
Rocksend Castle
When the Terrans first came to the surface and fought off the remnants of the Draconic Empire, they found some structures still occupied by the Drakes. The Drakes had taken refuge from their former servants. This castle is one of them. The Drakes were no more liked than the Dragons before them and they were defeated just as the reptilians were. Afterwards the Terrans put the structures to good use and made them their own. Though it isn’t near any of the great gates to the underground, Rocksend Castle is a fortress used by the Reavers to hunt hostile creatures that live in the wilds of the Thunderguard Mountains. It also contains most of the only Terrans who know how to build boats and are experienced fishers.
Salt Ridge Tower
For some reason the Dragons had their reptilian slaves build this lighthouse on the coast. The Dragons didn’t sail, they didn’t need light to guide them, and they didn’t care about any of their neighbors so why did they build it? Many suspect the answer has to do with the Piscenes but if that is true no one was there to see any interactions between them or why the Piscenes would need a lighthouse either.
The Narrows
This city contains one of the great gates to the underground. Here merchants from Civen will stop to trade with Terra. The name refers to the narrow canyons that must be traveled to get there. They are just wide enough for a single caravan to travel at a time. This sometimes leads to conflict if two parties are trying to traverse it in opposite directions. The Terrans could have widened the canyons at any time but they feel that it teaches Civenites to work together to plan their journeys.
Underfall
Located in one of the deepest of all provinces, Burnglow, the town of Underfall can be found by those willing to travel deep enough. The town is seated near a sea of underground lava, with a giant lavafall pouring down from above. Terrans claim the town is perfectly safe and has existed for hundreds of years without being flooded in magma, but only the most adventurous outsiders dare travel there to see its natural beauty.
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