Thread: The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing -:-Haru|Deviant-:-

Our tale takes place in the world of Arboria , a vast collection of continents inhabited by all manner of races and monsters. Khorvaire Khorvaire is the primary continent on the World of Arboria. Khorvaire is found in Arboria's northern hemisphere. It is bounded by the Bitter Sea to the north, the Lhazaar Sea to the east, the Barren Sea to the west and the Thunder Sea to the south. The landscape of Khorvaire varies greatly, from wastelands and forbidding mountains in the north to deserts and jungles in the south, with everything in between. Khorvaire is a large continent with many nations and autonomous regions. The borders of many of these areas are disputed, despite having been determined in the Treaty of Thronehold. The major nations and regions of Khorvaire are Aundair, Breland, Karrnath, Thrane, and MournlandFormerly known as Cyre. Many races make Khorvaire their home. The continent's largest cities are melting pots of many different species and cultures. Sarlona Sarlona is a continent to the East of Khorvaire. It is the cradle of human civilization as it was once the only continent featuring the presence of the human race. Sarlona lies opposite Khorvaire and north of Argonnessen. It stretches from southern tropics to northern tundras and includes a number of inland lakes that are large enough to support navies and maritime trade. It has seas on all fronts, the Sea of Rage to the West, the White Sea to the North and the Barren Sea to the South-East. Sarlona is larger than Khorvaire, it's Northern apex in the Tashana Tundra measured down to it's Southern antapex in Adar is roughly over 3300 miles. Most forms of geography can be found in Sarlona from the Tashana Tundra to the plains of Syrkarn to the mountains of Adar and to the desert of Riedra. The weather in Sarlona is more unpredictable and harsher than that of Khorvaire's with many storms of which most are focussed in Adar. Sarlona has frequent and unexplanable planar effects unlike any other continent in Arboria. It is frequently the host to extraplanar breaches, manifest zones and reality storms that effect the landscape and physics of the land. Xen'Drik The mysterious continent of Xen'drik is a massive landmass that exists south of the continent of Khorvaire, beyond Shargon's Teeth and Thunder Sea. It has recently begun to be explored by agents of the Four Nations in hopes of making profit from the relics found there amongst other natural resources. Hidden within the wild and untamed land are the desolate ruins of the ancient Giant Civilization. After battling the Quori the Giant Civilization was destroyed by the Dragon population of Argonnessen when they attempted to use their highly advanced devices to put down a elven slave revolt. Aerenal Elves trace their origins to Xen'drik in the long forgotten past. Xen'drik is now a continent mostly inhabited by drow, and degenerate Giants. It is a wild and untamed place with fabulous eldritch machines along with unimaginable treasures. It is still largely unexplored. Argonnesson A continent to the far east of Khorvaire and south of Sarlona. The continent of Argonnessen is almost totally unexplored by any race of Khorvaire due to the fact that it is inhabited primarily by Dragons. The continent went to war with Aerenal and destroyed the Giant civilization. Argonnessen occupies the southeastern part of the world. Off of Argonnessen lies the island of Seren. Argonnessen and Seren are for the most part off limits to the lesser races. The continent and island are also inhabited by dragon-worshipping human barbarians. One race which does seem to inhabit the island are the Dragonborn. The wars with the Giants and the Aerenal Elves and the Quori have reduced the numbers of Dragons drastically - to the point that a dragon has not been seen in the flesh for over three centuries. Those who have moved to explore the vast continent have never returned, leaving information about it very rare and often incomplete. Aerenal Aerenal is an island continent inhabited by elves that lies to the southeast of Khorvaire. After the fall of the giant civilization in Xen'Drik much of the elven race fled to Aerenal. Here they have established their own nation where a court of Undying rules over the living. Straddling the Thunder Sea and the Dragonreach Sea, the island nation of Aerenal lies between the continents of Khorvaire and Argonnessen roughly at the equator of Arboria. Nearly the entire chain of islands is Jagd. Aerenal is the ancient island kingdom of the Aereni elves, who take their name from Aeren, a mythical hero said to have freed the elves from the giants of Xen'drik. It is also home to the deathless Undying Court. Aerenal is ruled by both the Sibling Kings, a brother and sister pair that serves as the temporal authority of Aerenal who rule from Shae Cairdal, and the Undying Court, the religious leader of the elves, which resides in Shae Mordai, the City of the Dead. In addition to the Aereni elves, a small group of Tairnadal elves inhabits the northern steppes of Aerenal, though many have since migrated to Valenar. While the Aereni despise the creation of the undead, the deathless of Aerenal, unlike the undead, draw power from positive, rather than negative energy, and are generally good in nature. A manifest zone of Irian is thought to make the existence of The Undying Court possible. Aerenal is heavily forested, and many exotic plants grow there, such as the soarwood tree, whose wood is used to build airship hulls, and the necromatically charged Covadish plant. ---------- One of the many races to inhabit the world of Arboria are the Wolfen. Shifters, akin to lycan, that can assume a hybrid form of animal and human. No elves or dwarves nor any other race have this ability to transform into a beast save for humans - at least without powerful magic. Some humans embrace this ability, and yet others strive to never transform... though there is one thing which can force a transformation, even unwanted. Emotional distress, or the sight of one's own blood. Unlike lycans, who bend to the lunar cycle, Wolfen usually have complete control and can change at their own whim, save for the above mentioned stimuli. Grau d'Lian was one such Wolfen , and had spent many years learning control of his bestial side. A superb swordsman the young man of nineteen years was in fact more of a lover and not a fighter, a pacifist at heart with a wild animal that resided behind his ice-blue eyes, surveying the world with an old wisdom and knowing in his heart that he could not keep the beast at bay forever. It was part of what he had trained for, becoming one of the top students of the famed swordmaster, Horace Yurimoto . It was Master Yurimoto that helped him focus his wild instinct, harness it, lending the strength and speed of the beast to his swordplay. Eventually it came to pass that Grau developed his own style, a two bladed style that Master Yurimoto helped him hone. Now that his training is complete he heads to the Magical Academy where his sister has studied for a number of years, getting a grasp upon her own abilities. Close to the Eldan Reaches, Grau had trained at the Wolf's Paw, the martial school for Wolfen, and his sister had schooled just to the north, in Mossmantle. Both were in the continent of Khorvaire. ------------ Grau arrived at the doorstep of the Academy after several days travel, and was met by the Headmaster on the step of the university. Grau! It is good to see you my boy! Headmaster Tollin said, and caught Grau in an embrace. I know you are here for your sister, and I have sent for her. As you know, no Wolfen is allowed to step foot in the university. he said, his look apologetic. I know the rules headmaster Tollin, and would never think of breaking them. Grau said, and smiled, waiting patiently for his sister to be brought out to him. He was nervous and had not seen her for several years, both of them having likely grown quite some bit.