From: djb6@ellis.uchicago.edu (Dennis Brennan)
Subject: ADMIN: Atlas & Map of the Known Lands
Reply-To: djb6@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 22:48:04 GMT



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                           THE OFFICIAL

                     ATLAS OF THE KNOWN LANDS
			 
           AS USED BY THE CARTOGRAPHER'S GUILD OF GENERICA

        A GAZETTEER OF THE LANDS OUTSIDE THE CITY OF GENERICA

New this week:
   Make that "month", rather.  I apologize for not posting the Atlas
   recently.

Submissions: email them to me at djb6@midway.uchicago.edu, or reply via mail
to this post.  I reserve the right to edit them into the format used herein or 
make grammatical and/or spelling corrections.  If your design conflicts with the
logic of the Known Lands (such as placing a maritime center in the Great Heath)
then I will advise you of this and we will work out a solution.

Alasir:

Lying on the coast of the Great Blue between Generica and Ydoine, the land of
Alasir is expanding at the the expense of its neighbors in response to the
growing power of its rival, Ydoine.  Its most recent conquests include the
lands of Sanakin, Vascondy and Varande.  Some speculate that the next target of
the Alasyrians is Specifica of Cod, the northernmost of the Specifican Triad.

The capital of Alasir is Aragat, where three kings (respectively ruling Alasir
proper, the annexed provinces and the military) sit under a single emperor,
called the Grand Lord.

Antilles:

A collection of islands, of various sizes, between Generica and the Dark
Continent.  The dark-skinned inhabitants, mostly fisherman, have at this stage
in history mostly fallen under the thumbs of seagoing powers like Alasir,
Ydoine, and Rameshan.  The Western Isle and Valkeer are north of the Antilles. 
Camequeva is the largest and best-known.

Bottleneck Pass:

     The pass is located toward the southern end of the range, through
the narrowest point along the Mysty Mountains.  It was excavated from
the original path a few hundred years ago by a group of ambitious
merchants.  Open to any who chose to travel there, it is lightly
patrolled by a volunteer army of civilians from Verland and its nearby
smaller towns to the west and some of the militia of the Barony of
Stifer to the east.  Its only features are Broken Stone, a huge
boulder with a reputation and the Ranger's Cabin, a small but sturdy
wood and stone structure near the apex of the pass, on the east side
of the Range.  The cabin is lightly stocked with food and firewood for
travellers who get caught in bad weather.


Camequeva:

A tropical island in the Antilles.  The people there, and on nearby islands,
are similar racially to the inhabitants of the Dark Continent.  They are mostly
fishermen, and spend most of their lives on the sea.  Many of the fishermen
tattoo themselves intricately in patterns denoting their family and personal
accomplishments.  They speak a dialect of Dark Common which is rendered
as somewhat like Jamaican English.

The Dark Continent:

To the south and west of Generica's continent lies a large continent, for the
most part unexplored by white-skinned man.  Most of the inhabitants are
dark-skinned.  The central portion of the continent is covered with the
Savannah, a wide grassland which has until recently been roamed by the nomadic
tribes of the Aradneh.  Now priests of Ilmater have come to the tribes and
taught them agriculture, as well as the Common tongue and other Northern
culture.  East of the Savannah is a high mountain range, over which lies a deep
bay, all that remains of the once-great Aradneh civilization after it was
destroyed by the gods centuries ago.  To the west lie swamps, populated by
lizard men and similar creatures.  To the south lie great jungles, populated by
pygmies and wild beasts of all kinds.  To the north lies a great desert. 
(Note: The Savannah and the ruins of the Aradneh civilization are reserved by
Aaron Humphrey.)

There are several civilizations still extant on the Continent.  On the north
coast, a formerly great kingdom is now under the subjugation of the kingdom of
Ydoine from Generica's continent.  On the south coast are several warring
kingdoms that are somewhat Aztec in flavour.  The language of Dark Common is
spoken in trade across the continent.  There are also several strange races to
be found here, including the lion-like Dragas on the Plains of Drotshava, far
to the west of the Savannah; reptilian Drists living in the northern deserts;
and elephantine Loxorians in the southern jungles.

The DiamondGate of North Glacier:

Over a thousand leagues north of Generica there lies a mountain range with a
big glacier in its center. On the top of a mountain surrounded by the North
Glacier lies the DiamondGate, a magical crystalline doorway to the world of
Titania. The other side of the gate is in the center of the city of
DiamondRise, last city of the Giants of Titania, still fighting a war against
the Hordes of the Demon Mother.

Etarus'ta:

An Oriental-type realm, mostly pending description by John Charles Fiala. 
Known for its exotic cuisine, Etarus'ian food is available in many of the more
cosmopolitan cities in the Known Lands.

The Fist

Also known as The Fist of God and The Devil's Grip.  Located at sea in a
general Northwest direction from Generica.  It never comes closer than within
200 miles of the City.  It covers an area of ocean that is approximately 85
square miles.  It is filled with varying winds of hurricane force.  It is very
dark with clouds, and thunder and lightning are continuous.  Visibility is
always less than a mile.  Seas usually run between 25 and 45 feet, depending on
how deep into the tempest one is.  The Fist wanders a range of about 400 miles.
There are stories that seem to suggest there may be some sort of intelligence
in the storm; however, no one has ever been able to determine whether or not
that is true.  Not with magic, neither pleas nor prayers.  Magic cannot affect
the strength of the storm.  Magic may protect travelers while passing through
The Fist to some extent, though it will be, at best, a miserable passage.  Some
survivors of encounters with the tempest report on a wild, rock-bound island
glimpsed through the darkness.  Apparently this island moves with the storm. 
Earliest recorded history of the City references The Fist.  It has been around
a long, long time.  Persons wishing to use The Fist are welcome to do so. 
There are no immutable plans for its future.  It would be nice to preserve some
of its mystery for at least a little while though.

Forgotten Realms:

Portal from the land of Generica to the Forgotten Realms lies to the southeast
and takes three days on horseback to reach.  The portal brings travellers to
the Great Desert, and this is two and a half weeks travel north of the nation
of Cormyr which is ruled by King Permus Tremor (thanks to the help of the
Luthor Questors).

Generica and surroundings:

Generica is a generic fantasy city.  It is approximately Rennaisance-level.
Technology excludes gunpowder, but includes glass cutting, crossbows and
sundials.  It is a city-state, run my Melwis the wise, a merchant.  It is a 
traders' city, on a very busy trade route by land, river and sea.  It is run by
merchant familes, and there are many guilds of various descriptions.  It is not
inherently corrupt, but money will get you far in this city, and there is not
much that you can't buy.  By day it is bustling with trade; by night there is
much action, festivities and so on.  In some areas, there is much evil.  It is
your average fantasy city.
Because of Generica's cosmopolitan status, at the center of trade routes on
this world and others, many religions are found, of any pantheon you can think
of, and they won't interfere (except tell that to the followers).  Magic is
active in many forms.  Many races also pass through. However, there are many of
the populace who are ignorant to the wider world, especially those in the
outlying farmlands.

The Great Blue:

This is the most common name for the ocean lying to the west of the Known Lands and
containing the Antilles, Camequeva and Valkeer.  Maritime nations bordering this sea include Rameshan, Ydione, Alasir and its subject states of Sanakin and Varande, and the city of Generica.

The Great Heath:

A thousand miles east of the Mysty Mountains is an area that is mostly spanned
by plains and moors.  Once, in ancient history, this area was ruled by a single
great conqueror, who died with twelve sons.  Since then, the area has been
divided and subdivided until it reached its current state--over a hundred petty
baronies, earldoms, duchies, and the like.  There is an Emperor, whose Empire
spans little more than the average earldom.  All the ruling families trace
their ancestry back to the Great Conqueror, and occasionally signs of
inbreeding are apparent.  Not all of the realms are on the plains--a few are in
small mountain ranges, some in swamps, forest, etc. 

Pappheymknaff:

Pappheymknaff is an orc-infested country in the north part of the Mysty
Mountains, northeast of Vascondy.  The inhabitants have not spoken Common for
long; some of the older people there still use their own language,
Udriapapfklai, which sounds quite funny for Common speakers.  The names of
persons and cities are still in that language.  Suffice it to say that the full
name of the Count who rules the place is Dalzpansen Pitscheknelz ov Gumsiaseer
Wachdosalm ond Kechlatza Pepadethruphla Unilak.

The Pappheymer are constantly battling hordes of orcs dwelling in the
mountains, so they are normally very experienced in fighting.  Magic other than
that of the priests of Fivririmirfi, the main deity there, is strictly
forbidden.

Rameshan:

A large country to the south of Generica, noted for the large Rezzian Desert. 
The capital of the country is called Pashar, and other cities include Orluccar
(the residence of the Great Oracle and the religious center of the country) and
Dansushar.  Rameshan lies next to the Great Blue and commands both a large
military navy and a fleet of merchant vessels.  Indeed, one of the sources of
Generica's economic success is Rameshan's trade through Generica's port to the
land of Alasir in the north.   Rameshander merchants specialize in dates,
hardwoods, goods from the tropics and the south, and slaves. The ruler of
Rameshan is known as the Shaheran, an immensely fat, cowardly man who speaks
through his palace eunuchs.  Much of the real power in the country is in the
hands of the merchants and the priests.  Clint Wolf pointed out that
Rameshan resembles Earth's Ottoman Empire during the 16th-18th centuries. 

The Running Lands:

    The Running Lands is the Ano name for the hot, dry steppes in the
distant southeast corner of the continent.  These plains are inhabited
mainly by the various tribes of the Ano, a race of generally peaceful
cat-footed centaur-like beings.  The deeper into the plains, the more
native and unspoiled the Ano tribe.  Closer to the border between the
Running Lands and where two-leggers reside, the tribes are more
aggressive and suspicious due to border disputes with the two-leggers
(humans, if you haven't guessed already).  The plains also support a
variety of timid wildlife, including what resembles a sort of
antelope, hunted by the Ano for food and materials.  Farming is
difficult, but not impossible.
     Currently, there is an uneasy truce on the border, recently
negotiated by a two-legger who spoke fluent Ano.

Satosi:

This city is also known as the City of Festivals.  It sits on the south coast
of the continent, south of the Great Heath.  Satosi draws thousands of tourists
a year for its festivals.  The city suffers from surprisingly little crime and
dishonesty.  Some attribute this to the enormous tree standing in the center of
the city, which also makes this city the center of druidic worship.  South of
Satosi is a large archipelago, similar to that in the Earthsea books.

The Southern Marshes:   

Surrounding the vast delta where the river meets the ocean 150 miles south of
Generica, these marshes were once the site of a prolonged conflict between
lizardpeople and Genericans.  Today an uneasy state of truce exists.  The
region is controlled by the united lizardman tribes but Genericans are
permitted to use the river and the periphery (for fishing, logging,
settlement...etc.) in exchange for trading goods and technical knowledge.
Despite the ever-expanding presence of civilization, the Southern Marshes are
vast.  They hold secrets and perils that cause even the fiercest lizardpeople
to shudder.

Specifica:

The name of several cities, each concentrating on a specific trade good.  Most
people tend to call each Specifica, but if distinction is required, the name of
the trade good is added to the name.  Thus we have...


Specifica of Cod: A small settlement north along the coast, exporting fish
southward to Generica.

Specifica of the Furs: A city which is 7 days north(upriver) of Generica and
has a primary export of furs, which it trades for goods from the south, like
sugar...

Specifica of the Sugars: A sister city to Generica which is south along the
coast, and trades sugar with Generica, in trade for goods from the north and
Valkeer.  First a central trading-place for the hopeful Genericans who attempted
to establish plantations in the Marsh, 'Sugars became an important strategic hold
during the Generica-Lizardman wars of the last generation.  Until very recently,
a kind of detente between the Generica-backed humans of 'Sugars and the local
lizardman tribes allowed mutual commerce to benefit both.  But in Thk's absence as leader of the lizard men, tribal agitators are fervently calling for a resumption
of the campaign against the human colonists.  Already there have been several
bloody skirmishes with no end to the escalation in sight...

Part II, and the map, follows...


-- 
Dennis Brennan
djb6@midway.uchicago.edu