World Scar

The World Scar is an unfathomably large depression; deep enough to have weather patterns form inside it, and wide enough that you can see the other side in only a few places. Such a grand geological feature has significance in many cultures and religions, and as such, pilgrimages into the Scar are not uncommon. Over time, a certain route into the Scar became quite popular due to its generally easy to traverse terrain. This route, known in the modern age as the Pilgrims' Path, has 4 small outposts along its length so that the pilgrims may restock on supplies, and enterprising merchants may separate them from their money.
Seen as a holy place by many, the divinity is only reinforced by what is inside the Scar. All religions in the world claim the Scar as their holy place and all people of great faith or love for knowlege long to go there. They set of on the Pilgrimage Path with 12 Dolas prepared. Or even more if they wish for deeper enlightenment. What is a Dola? It's a small green, piece of cloth with magical symbols in slightly lighter green engraved in it. If the symbols are even slightly wrong one will be chased off and bared entry by the Keepers of the Scar.
One is only permitted to enter the scar half a year. It is unknown why. The Keepers of the Scar have skin made out of metal and dress in odd ways. Mainly depending on the "Park" they chaperone.
The World Scar is number three on Laelaz's list of natural splendours, though his writings on the topic focus on natural features rather than the Park.
==== The Parks ====
There is 7 Parks which are remnants of ancient amusement parks.
Park of the Mouse This park teaches us ancient tales, of valour nobility and femininity. In plays and dogs. It is a great honour to meet one of the Princesses of this Park. All such meetings are commemorated with paintings.
The Park of the Cow It is a land reminiscent of the desert. Where the art of "pistols" dueling is paramount. These Izitzil relics are common here. The Keepers of the Cow are the warriors and soldiers of the Parks. Teaching us of honour, Valor and justice. The values of the Wild Vest, if one embodies such values they get to wear such a Vest themselves.
Park of the Bear It is a fake Forrest with the flora and fauna of the ancients and divines. Here one can learn how to maintain forrests and manage fires. It is a holy place for druids and Treant worshippers.
Park of the Kraken A holy place for the people of the Black and Storm island as well as many sailors. Here one can learn of the deeds of heroic pirates. Ancient beasts of the sea and various tips on ship building and sailing.
Path of the Divine Beasts A park where one admires ancient divine beasts. Dragons, Dinosaurs, Giant Lions and more. One learns how they live, their anatomy and much more. It's a divine place for the people of the Khanate and Orde's.
Park of the Eagle Seen as a holy place by the Techpriest of Goldland. This place teaches the history of Godmachines. The battles they fought in space against one another in ancient mythical times. This Place even includes a few Godmachines! One can learn basics of Godmachine repair here as well.
Park of the Star A land which the Priests of Gloria and Etalia take as their own. Rokets displayed here reflect the ancient horses the two Gods visited the world on. In this place one learns astronomy and of the many races which live on other worlds. As well as of the land of the Gods.
==== The Keepers ====
The Keepers in spite of gaining sentience still follow the same goals they were programmed to follow: 1. Maintain the Park 2. Entertain the guests 3. Act as if it's all real. On top of those directives new goals emerged. Combat Androids were created to keep the Fire elementals at bay. Mining outposts were created to provide materials to keep everything running. The Keepers themselves only ever leave the Scar to hunt down someone who stole something from the Park.
==== Outside the Parks ====
The World Scar is a large place, mostly full of plains and rivers. Being on an old Supervolcano it is full of geysers and all the water is building and full of sulphur. The Parks are climatised, but the outside temperature is usually 40-60C. In the 6 months the Scar is closed it goes above 100C. And that is when the heftiest wars with the elementals happen.
The cliffside of the Scar is riddled with Moleman outposts and villages. They often stage raids to steal technology as sacrifices to the Effigy. Thus are hunted down. The only other sentient inhabitant of the Scar are Dwarves. They can simply handle the heat. Various minor Dwarven tribes live there. Some allied to the Parks, others isolationist, some work together with the Molemen and the last ones have signed a pact with the Fire Elementals and are openly hostile with a small nation of their own existing in the scar.
==== Origin ====
The World Scar was formed by the eruption of a supervolcano in the distant past.
The world Scar used to be a mix of no man's land (like Antarctica,) and national Park (Yellowstone).
4 companies once managed to obtain the right to build theme parks there. The 7 theme parks, were a fad which passed soon, but being located in no man's land the companies kept them arround to do illegal robotics research there.
After the collapse of civilisation only the automatons survived in the Scar. Running the empty parks untill magic returned to the world. The scar is the most magically active area of the world. Thus on one hand the Keepers gained sentience on the other the will of the ancient Supervolcano became manifest in fire elementals which wish to spread death and destruction.
When entrances to the scar were rediscovered it was by primitive people. Who saw everything they saw as holy and divine. And skills taught to kids by play, were actually very useful to those primitives. As such the scar became a place of worship and knowlage.
Category:Geopolitics
Category:Central Plains