Ansella (continent)

Ansella is one of the main landmasses on Gaia. It resides almost entirely in the northern hemisphere, and encompasses a wide variety of biomes from the arctic northern regions of the White Wilderness to the tropical rainforests of the Forbidden Wilds.

## Alerron Sea

The Alerron Sea lies at the southern shore of Luferion, opening up to the wider oceans to the south. Due to the turbulent waters, many Luferian sailors prefer to avoid the sea when sailing to the shores of the southernmost Whispering Isles and go around through the Valvalis Strait instead, where they can ride the current back through Alerron.

## Allus

Allus is one of the three kingdoms of the Iron Region. Although they are the smallest, they often act as peace keepers and intermediaries in times of contention between Melmond and Dahlea. While they lack the resources of Melmond and the technology of Dahlea, they have held their own against their neighboring kingdoms through the sheer strength of their resolve, and have earned the respect of both their neighbors because of it.

## Allustrad

Although technically part of the Kingdom of Allus, Allustrad chiefly governs itself and simply answers to the crown in national matters. It's made up largely of scattered farming and hunting villages across the subtropical savanna south of the Iron Ridge, which is an excellent resource for exports like ivory.

## Ashbalt Sea

Lying just off the coast of Daguerra and the western shore of Onaeres, the Ashbalt sea is renowned for its abundance and quality of fish, so much so that ships from Orden and Luferion prefer to do their fishing there. This resource has been the cause of tensions between the southern peninsulas for centuries, and is often credited as the sole reason that shipbuilding and naval combat has evolved as far as it has throughout Ansella.

## Asura

Asura is an island about 200 miles off the northwest coasts of mainland Ansella. Although there are settlements in the northern side of the island, most of the population stays in the milder southern areas, particularly around the coastal cities. It's position near the Syldran Sea means that Erenastrian ships will often stop there to resupply, and the two nations have developed a good relationship as a result.

## Barren Flats

To the southwest of Erenastre lies the Barren Flats, and arid steppe that leads into the Blood Sands further west. The few settlements in the region tend to gravitate toward the peninsula to the north. Due to the game in this region being mainly prairie animals, the few people who call the Barren Flats home are very skilled at hunting on horseback.

## Beriat Bay

Beriat Bay is a large body of water that stretches deep into the heart of Ansella. The bay is wide enough that the currents wrap around two of the islands inside of it, creating a highway that makes travelling so swift that it's actually faster to travel to Luferion from Melmond by sea than it is by land, despite needing to go all the way around Onaeres.

## Blood Sands

Named for the color of its rolling dunes, the Blood Sands is a large, arid desert inhabited by many dangerous creatures. The most prominent of the threats are the red sahagin, humanoid lizard creatures with thick leathery skin that can burrow through the loose sand and catch would-be travelers off their guard.

## Daguerra

Daguerra lies on the peninsula south of the Blood Sands, the southern coast lined with fishing villages and shipyards taking advantage of the Ashbalt sea. Despite not having the vast forests of Onaeres to draw lumber from, Daguerra has consistently been at the forefront of modern shipbuilding, able to build the fastest, sturdiest ships with minimal amounts of wood. For this reason, Daguerra is also a popular hub for trade.

## Dahlean Empire

Dahlea is one of the oldest kingdoms of Ansella, and is also the most technologically advanced. The Dahlean capital, deep in the Iron Ridge, is characterized by its large structures of metal and stonework, and the forges are said to burn brighter and hotter than the very core of Gaia.

## Durgali Tundra

To the northeast of Erenaster lies the Durgali Tundra, an expanse of untamed subarctic wilderness that the Durgali call home. The Durgali are a loosely organized group of nomadic tribes that hunt and move with the herds. They're most known for their conflict with Rastre, which led to Erenastre's founding.

## Erenastre

Once two separate kingdoms named Erenia and Rastre, Erenastre is a republic that formed to fight against the Durgali to the northeast, the first of its kind in Ansella. It's known for its unique system of government, and for its Marshals who act as an extrajudicial arm of law enforcement, which differs significantly from the Marshals of Orden.

## Forbidden Wilds

The Forbidden Wilds is a dense tropical woodland that is home to an elder primal named Valvali, a giant tree said to be the common ancestor of many of Gaia's flora. Valvali's canopy can be seen for a hundred miles around, but very few have seen her trunk. This is because she is very hostile to settlers and visitors alike, particularly those who wield blades and axes. Very few dare to settle on the island, and those who do take great care to respect the forest.

## Thunder Valley

Nestled in between the southwestern peaks of Melmond, Thunder Valley is a place plagued with near constant thunder storms year round. It's reputation for being a cursed land led to a once prosperous kingdom becoming a haven for criminals and outlaws. The rolling thunder and gloomy skies make this an ideal place for sneaking around undetected and shaking unwanted pursuers.

## Valvalis Strait

A body of water connecting the Ashbalt and Merroch seas. Legends say that it was created by Valvali herself, whose roots run so long and so deep into the earth that she split the Forbidden Wilds away from the mainland in ancient times, knowing that people could not swim very far.