Tisserais

## The Continent

Tisserais is the largest continent on Feralas, and the centre of most of the storylines in the Weaver series. The continent is situated on the converging points of several Ley Lines, creating an incredible font of mana that gives the land its magical properties. It is also home to many diverse peoples, including Humans, the Fae, Elves, Orcs, Goblins, and Dwarves. All the races on Tisserais live in a relative peace.

The continent houses many different kinds of biomes across its land. Surrounded by various seas, the continent's magical roots creates polarizing biomes, as seen in the western side which houses both the arid mountains of Peakstone as well as the freezing peaks of Neigara, the Winter Court, just a couple of kilometres north. The Court of Winter sits atop the peak of Neigara, Mt Verigis, a testament to the rise of the Dark Elves' prominence in society and their relationship with the Winter Court.

Contrasting to this, Astutar, the Court of Summer, sits nestled in the outskirts of the Elderwoade, surrounded in verdant growth. This seat of power houses the High Elves and the High Council, the most influential seats of power on Tisserais.

The majority of Tisserais is covered in lush forestry, nurtured by the Fae. To the south of Tisserais lays Ishera and the Highlands, hilly plains and mountains littered with forests. Situated on the eastern side of the continent lies the Elderwoade, an ancient and magical forest that is renown for the abundance of Unseelie Fae that inhabits its woods. The Elderwoade is the heart of the continent, with the roots of the trees reaching the magical core of the plant itself. These roots help sustain the Elderwoade and help to maintain its power and life. Tied to the magical woods is the Weeping Woods, a corrupted corner of the woodlands that lays scarred after the First Tear many years ago. The corruption of the Tear left scars in the woodland that couldn't be healed completely, and it has become a dark corner that many residents of Tisserais avoid, spreading tales of dark creatures that still lurk in the shadows of the woods. The very north of the continent, also known as the northern shelf, holds the icy coast of Glacen. This decrepit port town was originally planned to be a central hub for all shipping affairs with other continents when Humans first landed on Tisserais, but slowly a harsh winter befell the port town, halting all progress and rendering the cold shelf essentially uninhabitable. Nowadays, Glacen is known as a bandit haven, the ruins of the old shipyards now housing what remains of the Bandit Clans of old.

Resting in the heart of the continent is Valloreine, the aptly named capitol of Tisserais. Originally the seat of Human reign in Tisserais, Valloreine became a hub for all walks of life and the heart of the higher races of Tisserais following the closing of the Second Tear. The remnants of the Federation of Tisserais, originally founded to help defend the continent from demon invasions, can be found here.

### Mana and Mana Crystals

Because of the heavy flows of mana across the continent Mana Crystals form across the land. These potent gems are imbued with pure energies of various forms of Mana, from Life, Gaia and Water to Gravity, Air and even Poisons. These crystals have been harvested across Tisserais for various means, primarily for use in magical weapons. The Mana Crystals, although stable, can be activated through catalyst reactions causing mana explosions.

### The High Council and the Laws of the Land

Although Valloreine is ruled by a monarch, the High Council are the true rulers of the land. The High Council was formed following the First Tear in order to maintain a balance of Mana across the continent and sustain the Veil, the barrier between our realm and the Realm of Deimos. The High Council consists of members that have proven their unbiased loyalty to the people and to the balance of mana, although not all members will often see eye to eye. The council is often called to cast judgement on matters of grave consequence to the balance of nature, anything from major trails for criminal activity to passing permits for new building and harvesting plantations.

### The Provinces

Shortly after humans established themselves on the magical continent, the High Council established the Provinces to help create a regulated sense of authority. In these provinces were to be governed by the a seat of power elected by the people who lived in said province. In concept, the High Council wished to establish a governing body that could better manage the ongoing of the people across Tisserais, rather than having to manage the whole continent themselves. In hindsight, the High Council never considered the clashes that could come from this hierarchy.

Each Province established an identical chain of command - a Count or Countess, who appointed a number of Lords for their Province to sit in their Council. These councils would dictate subjects such as taxes, their own laws, festivals and events and other traditions as well as influencing the growth of their Provinces through expansion and design. The Provinces were spread evenly amongst the living races of Tisserais.

The Highlands were given to the Humans (which consisted of both the Highlands and the Northlands at the time). The Elderwoade to the High Elves, the trusted allies and friends of the Summer Fae.

Neigara to the Dark Elves, the Winter Court had found a kinship with the Dark Elven society and taken them in after the Umbral Dawn. the Desert to the Orcs, Ishera to the Dwarves.

These regions have changed and their leaders and territories have changed through trade, bargaining and even conquests as time has passed.