Universe Eight (Location)

# Universe Eight

Universe Eight is one of nine preternatural bodies of land and water that make up the Afterlife. Its origin, like the other nine universes, is shrouded in mystery. The known world of Universe Eight consists of two major continents: Thane's Isle, and Sunnas (where the Sun Nation resides). Between the two continents is a large ocean, known as "The Moon Sea." In the far southern portion of the Moon Sea are a string of twenty-seven islands, in the modern day referred to as the "Lightchild Islands. To the West of Thane's Isle is the "Black Hill Island," which was renamed "Oilton" after its colonization by the greater powers on Universe Eight. To the northwest and west of Thane's Isle are the ruins of the "Northern Isles", which no longer harbor civilized life.

Due to the oddities of the Moonstar, the trees on Universe Eight all appear to be red or violet, and much of the plantlife appears on the red color spectrum, as opposed to being green.

## History:

Universe Eight was initially connected to the greater Afterlife, and was not referred to as "Universe Eight." At the end of the Rift War, the nine bodies of the Afterlife split in the event that named the war; "The Rift." Before this event, not much is known of what Universe Eight looked like while it was connected to the greater Afterlife. Due to the cataclysmic nature of The Rift, it is assumed the landmasses and bodies of water changed significantly. It is unknown what part the then-connected Universe Eight played in the Rift War. There are disputes as to how old the land is, as the earliest records of human Afterlifian rulers and governments extend back at least 5000 years, but Neanderthal and Saurian empires were known to exist before this, implying Universe Eight (and the greater Afterlife) has existed for millions of years.

## Continents:

### Thane's Isle:

Located in the east of Universe Eight, Thane's Isle extends from it's northernmost point to the Strait of Africa, covering a distance of around 2,500 miles north-to-south. Due to the advent of the steam locomotive and the passenger train, it can be concluded based on the claims of the Eastern Gate Railroad; "A town an hour," that Universe Eight at it's widest point, is somewhere between 500-800 miles wide (Eastern Gate trains running east-west regularly reach 100 miles per hour, but it is unclear whether their 'town-an-hour' claim is accurate). Before the Thane's Isle Civil War, the continent was unified under the Thanerite of Gregoros, and is one of the many lands under control of the King of the Afterlife. In the year 20 A.O.G., the sitting Thane, Wynton Kellogg, was assassinated by agents of Zenzele (or by Zenzele himself), and a rebellion broke out in the northern region of the continent. The newly formed "Second Afterlifian People's Republik," claimed all territories north of the "central region" (the string of towns south of Sleeping Giant Mountain), and waged an initial guerilla war known as "The Tumult". Thane's Isle is currently governmentally run by Thane Zenzele Azikiwe of the Gregoronian Loyalists faction, and President Aengus McCallan of the Second Afterlifian People's Republik.

Thane's Isle is bordered by two seas; "The Moon Sea" to the west, and the unexplored "East Sea" to the east. To the south is "The Strait of Africa," and across that is the first of the eastern Lightchild Islands; The High Isle. To the immediate west of Thane's Isle is the island of Oilton. To the Northwest and west, are the remains of the Northern Isles. It takes ships many days to cross the Moon Sea, to reach the western continent of Sunnas.

### Sunnas (The Sun Nation):

Located in the western region of Universe Eight is a massive continent, known in the history books as "Sunnas." Though, most refer it to its dominant culture and nation; "The Sun Nation." Though no Thane's Isle citizen has stepped foot on the Sun Nation since the War of Seven-Eight, the Sun Nation is said to be at least twice as large as Thane's Isle, with a more horizontal east-west formation, as opposed to Thane's Isle's North-South orientation. The Sun Nation is the only independent nation on the Afterlife that rejects Gregoros's rule, and maintains its independence from the King and his laws. The Sun Nation is bordered by many islands, and it is said that the Sun Nation is mostly arid desert, with snowy mountains and pockets of oasis scattered about its vast lands. Due to its harsh terrain, and the apocolites who live on the Sun Nation, Gregoros has been unable to successfully annex the continent into his empire.

## Other Lands:

### Oilton:

Oilton, previously referred to as "Black Hill Island," is an island to the west of Thane's Isle. After the War of Seven-Eight, it was colonized by Thane's Isle and the Sun Nation both, who had recently discovered crude oil on their lands, and found copious amounts of it on the island. The natives of Black Hill initially fought against the colonizing powers, but ultimately failed, and the island was repatriated and renamed. During the tail end of the Moon Sea War, a massive tidal wave (of undetermined origin) destroyed the northern half of the island, created the Floodlands, and destroying the pumpjacks. This tidal wave released millions of gallons of crude oil into the sea, and what land remains in the Floodlands is uninhabitable by all life.

### The Northern Isles:

The Northern Isles consist of three semi-large islands to the northwest and west of north Thane's Isle. They are Flowergrove Island, The Deadshoal, and The Matchstick. At one point, there were civilizations here, which performed trade and commerce with Thane's Isle and the Sun Nation. During the Moon Sea War, a Sunnese fleet arrived to annex the islands, and did battle with the Thane's Isle navy under command of Wynton Kellogg. Three apocolites; Zenzele Azikiwe, Samwell the Longshoreman, and the newly-arrived Duncan Ulysses Wolf, arrived to combat the Sunnese fleet. Zenzele, a Child of Light, used his apocolite powers to destroy the fleet, but in the process also destroyed the islands, turning them into burned, volcanic shoals. The islands now are harsh, with limited plant and animal life. As of 27 A.O.G., the only human civilization upon the islands are fisher folk. The previous names of the islands (of which one was referred to as "Honeybee") were changed to match the island's current disposition.

### The Lightchild Islands:

Beginning at the southern tip of Thane's Isle, and extending in a chain across the Moon Sea, are a group of 27 islands known colloquially as "the lightchild islands." After the Moon Sea War and the Tumult, Thane Zenzele Azikiwe had them named in honor of his victory (similarly to the Strait of Africa). The High Isle is one of the largest, and sports limited human life, but features ruins of a past civilization on its surface, as well as a web of underground tunnels that seem to have no end. The only other islands named and known are "Bone Island," where a major battle of the Moon Sea War took place. It is assumed these islands are similar to the tropical islands of the pacific ocean on Earth.

## The Unexplored:

Many an explorer has travelled from Thane's Isle across the mysterious eastern sea, wondering what is at the far reaches of the known world of Universe Eight. None have returned. It is unknown whether the astral body of Universe Eight is round, or flat. Many legends persist of 'Gregoros's firewall', which burns all but the most sturdy bluesteel vessels. Other legends say the sea drops off into The Void. Those of the modern era who arrive on the Afterlife assume that Universe Eight is round, like the Earth.