Aphelion (WikiCraft)

*Note: This page is written in a nonfictional perspective, meaning it most accurately reflects the physical landscape of the continent on the server. Many descriptions are nonetheless fictional exaggerations of notable in-game sights.*

**Aphelion**, rarely known colloquially as **Aphel,** is a large, burgeoning continent in the world of Aquila, situated roughly two hundred thousand blocks from the southern tip of Eletsya. It is home to a diverse expanse of biomes, a plethora of flora and fauna, a few fledgling states and towns, statesmen and pirates, and people of all colors and creeds imaginable. In between its stunning fields lay treacherous valleys and dangerous caves packed with monsters and all manner of treasure. For the would-be Aphelian explorer, it is wise to bring a handbook, and remember that some of what glitters may bite.

## Notable Locations

* Dreiton - Largest city on the server and the first large player hub.
* Russia - Abandoned city, former rival to Dreitonese players.
* Ville - First village found by Dreitonese players, shortly after the foundation of Old Dreiton. Former source of sustenance, now a ghost town in-game.
* Dashari - In-game, this is a large modified village with added food and buildings, found by MC\_Zoomer during a northward horse ride.
* Tyfen - In-game, this is a port village, and the southwesternmost population center in Aphelion.

## Geography

**Bold** denotes broad locations, such as regions or large land formations.

*Italic* denotes specific locations, such as cities or rivers.

Due to its recent discovery and sheer size, it is currently impossible to present an entirely clear picture of Aphelion in its entirety. However, certain areas of great interest have been mapped out, and they are listed here in order of their relative locations. As additional information, their level of danger is rated on a scale from 1 to 100.

### Southern Aphelion

* **South Dreitonese Sea - *Level 10* -** A sprawling ocean, dotted with islands housing all sorts of terrain and wildlife. Most are under Dreitonese control, but some persist as havens for piracy. It serves as the perceived dividing line between Dreiton and the incredibly expansive Avunian Ocean.
* **Dreiton** - ***Level 1* -** Rapidly expanding city and the seat of power of the Dreitonese empire. Home to the emperor and top military officials. It is the primary economic powerhouse of the region, and a haven for the savvy Aquilan trader. The city proper continues to expand at a rapid pace into the forests and plains nearby. During the first wave of Aphelian settlement two centuries ago, most newcomers decided to make a home here, causing it to grow swiftly. The Outlanders were known visitors, but it is unknown if they ever truly lived here.
* **Artemisian Peninsula** - ***Level 5* -** Large peninsula, and the southernmost tip of Aphelion. Home mostly to scouring rangers and entrepreneurial Dreitonese conquistadors and imperialists.
* *Artemis Bay - **Level 10*** **-**DividesDreiton and the Artemisian Peninsula, offshoot of the South Dreitonese Sea.
* *Lost Estuary* - ***Level 15* -**Mysterious wetlands shrouded in magicks. To the naked eye, it is little more than a haven for sheep and other wildlife.
* *Dig Site 69 -*  *Level 255 - The ultimate challenge. An unimaginably potent evil is sealed deep within.*

### South-Central Aphelion

* **Kantoonese Mountains - *Level 15* -** Unimaginably large mountain belt. Home to a sizeable population of Kantoonese, a race of mountain-dwellers who, despite being fiercely territorial, devote themselves strongly to education and research, particularly in the area of redstone and aviation. The Kantoonese are also Dragoons, a class of warriors who jump to the skies with a spear or javelin to defeat foes from above. The many different clans of Kantoonese seem to be at peace, for now. Outside of their home, Kantoonese are perhaps best known for being ardent and fearsome mercenaries worldwide.
* *Ville* - ***Level 5* -** A large village at the edge of a Taiga. It is home to a friendly populace comprised mostly of lumberjacks, farmers, and iron miners. Historically it was the second town founded after Dreiton, and the two have been sister cities since. It was the first province of the Dreitonese empire, and continues to be a key agricultural supplier. Its wellbeing is tied inextricably with Dreiton's.
* *Placia* - ***Level 10* -** A sizeable town at the foothills of the Kantoonese mountains, in a large forest clearing. They are inhabited solely by woodlanders and plain-dwelling people. The inhabitants are friendly, and love a good trade. It is under military control by Dreiton, but the village manages its own affairs, for the most part.
* *Omsk -* ***Level 25* -** A fledgling settlement populated by the region's finest swordsmen, archers, and bounty hunters. Despite their violent reputation, they are known for their diligence, and the small minority who leave its borders have made excellent workers in neighboring areas.
* *Kantoon Peak* - ***Level 20* -** Holy area - not much else is known.
* *Kantoon Canyon* - ***Level 20* -** Kantoonese burial ground - not much else is known.
* *Old Orleans* - ***Level 25* -** Mysterious swamp due north of the Kantoon area. Although it is supposedly inhabited, very little is known, and the supposed natives are devout isolationists, with the weapons to defend it. The wildest rumors say it is home to reclusive mages.
* *The Loop* - ***Level 30* -** A mysterious land bridge interrupting a river. A dark atmosphere pervades the area; undead monsters are a common sight.

### North-Central Aphelion

* **The Boreal** - ***Level 30* -**The name given to all the forests of this area, collectively. Interestingly, giant friendly rabbits have been rumored to live in the area.
* *Prairie Town - **Level 20*** **-**Perhaps the only bastion of civilization in the area. Prairie town is a small town home to a rough and rugged warrior clan dedicated to cleansing the Boreal of hostile creatures. It is an oasis and offers a helping hand to any wounded traveller with no ulterior motives, so long as they leave promptly.
* *Horseshoe Bay* - ***Level 20* -** Minute settlement composed mostly of a small harbor and tiny residences, and populated by daring Dreitonese colonizers who are part of a project to tap into the north's great many resources. The area is mostly peaceful.
* *Blooming Cave* - ***Level 1* -** A beautiful flower forest, and a supplier of decor for Dreiton.
* *Ravaged Plains - **Level 80*** **-** Remnants of a legendary clash.
* *Shattered Fields - **Level 80*** **-** Remnants of a legendary clash.
* *Meteor Crater - **Level 90*** **-** *???*

### North Aphelion

* **Titans' Cliffs** - ***Level 55* -** A gargantuan mountain belt of legend. There is said to be a holy archway at its center leading into a treacherous ravine. The content of said ravine differs from myth to myth - some dream about a wealth of gems, others of a mythical race of benevolent giants.
* *The Spine* - ***Level 50* -** The thin clearing that leads into the isthmus that keeps the continent together. Due to the turbulent waters around the area, it is a well-known ship graveyard; consequently, any travel due north of here is often undertaken by foot. Unfortunately, it is home to a great many species of hostile native life, as well.
* *Corona* - ***Level 40* -** A sizeable, wealthy town populated by conquistadors who found the terrain too alluring to want to return to their homelands. However, it is under the military control of the Dreitonese empire regardless, and the surrounding area is a key supplier of lumber, coal, and diamonds. Slavery is rumored to exist.
* *Hero's Ascent* - ***Level 60* -** The mysterious northernmost point of Aphelion. Occasionally, unimaginably beautiful trails of rainbow light can be seen from its hills. Said to be the point of return for the gods into Aquila.

### West Aphelion

* **Muramasa Plain - *Level 15* -** The vast plains surrounding the port town of Tyfen. A hotbed of criminal activity home to everything from petty bandits to lone, crazed mages. Lynxes are a noted problem. The Dreitonese empire has steered clear of the area.
* **Bakadaj Cliffs** - ***Level 20* -** Sizeable coastal mountain belt, due north of Tyfen. It is home to an aggressive and territorial clan, the Bakad. Not only do they invade the plains and occasionally the port town itself, but they have captured enough ships to make them a semi-seafaring force, commonly firing upon Tyfenian ships. Passage is highly discouraged.
* **Furnic Straits - *Level 30* -** The body of water due west of Aphelion. No systematic effort to chart it has begun. Playground for Tyfenian and Bakad sailors alike.
* *Tyfen* - ***Level 5* -** A large, bustling port town on the coast of the Furnic Straits. It is home to a diverse population of entrepreneurs, fishermen, farmers, sailors, and rugged pirates. Being independent from both the Aquilan Republic and the Dreitonese Empire, the townspeople have developed a strong libertarian mindset, and have a military meant only to protect themselves from the Bakad and the baddies of the Muramasa. Very welcoming to unarmed strangers, and its ships sail to most parts of Aphelion, so long as barbarians do not fire on them.
* *Kalassa* - ***Level 20* -** Large island separated from the Aphelian mainland by a thin river. It is home to a few ranger clans, who at this stage are mostly hunter-gatherers and have advanced to shacks in terms of architecture. Not very warm to visitors.
* *Lake Pax* - ***Level 1* -** Small idyllic lake due south of Tyfen. A perfect rustic retreat for the reclusive kind, but it is currently uninhabited, as far as the Empire's cartographers can see.
* *Ominous Clearing* - ***Level 60* -** Mysterious plain situated in a clearing between two mountain belts. Crawling with all sorts of hostile life. Furthermore, the brave few who have come and return say it feels as if the land itself is a hostile force, threatening to choke the soul out of adventurers.
* *Black Wetlands* - ***Level 10* -** Rough, mysterious marshes said to be inhabited by hostile mutant fauna, and more eerily, rogue mages. Not much else is known.
* *Cavern of the Lost* - ***Level 80* -** ???
* *Gateway to Below* - ***Level 90* -** ???

### Aphelian Gulf

* **Aphelian Gulf** - ***Level 15*** - Large aquatic expanse separating the northernmost reaches of the Dreitonese empire from the Dashari tribal area. Mostly water, save for a few very interesting landmasses. Similar to the Furnic Straits, it is home to sailors, barbarians, and bloodthirsty aquatic creatures alike. The Dashari are absent due to their distaste for water.
* **Dashari Desert** - ***Level 30*** - Massive, arid desert home to the militaristic Dashari tribe, which has nominal control of much of its land area. Holy tribal temples litter the landscape. Certain areas have been reported to house abnormal amounts of hostile life, but research has stopped out of both fear and respect of the Dashari.
* *Alcyon* - ***Level 5*** - Nascent port town on the coast of the Gulf, partially built on the water itself. It is currently the permanent home of a few fishermen and sailors. It is a popular detour for the weary adventurer, due in large part to its hot meals and even hotter women. It is protected by a small force of rangers and mariners, and is currently of no interest to the Empire.
* *Alcyon Forest* - ***Level 10*** - A stunning peninsula home to diverse wildlife and a vibrant flower forest. It is untouched and mostly unheard of, save for a few in the know in elite cartography circles. Said to be the home of a beautiful spring goddess.
* *Dashari* - ***Level 20*** - A large desert city replete with imposing sandstone and clay structures. It is home not only to many architectural wonders, but also to a biologically and socially peculiar race of people. Dashari females grow considerably larger and sturdier than males, and are typically drafted into its fearsome military force after their adolescence after rigorous training, becoming part of either their deadeye sentry division or their renowned Earthbreaker division, composed of the strongest soldiers who are tasked with cleansing their borders of any hostile creature. The men tend to become homemakers if not architects or scientists. Despite their reputable land force, they have no navy. While unwelcoming to strangers, they do not partake in needless violence, and tend to help passersby.
* *Dorama Island* - ***Level 50*** - Odd savannah island beyond the southernmost reaches of the Dashari desert. Not of much interest to the Empire besides its bountiful reserves of acacia trees, which are popular decor in Dreiton and considered exotic signs of wealth.
* *Savannah of Solitude* - ***Level 60*** - Mysterious savannah that seems to be perpetually covered in fog to outsiders; once inside, however, the sky is clear. All but the most dedicated cartographers generally steer clear, as a low, deep rumbling is said to be audible everywhere in the savannah. The Dashari are particularly wary, due to religious myths pervading the area.
* *Island of the Void* - ***Level 60*** - Large desert island, rumored to house a portal to the End itself in its bowels. This is unconfirmed.
* *Black Trench - **Level 40** -* Dashari-operated obsidian mine. Of much interest to prospective colonizers, but it is fiercely guarded by tribeswomen.
* *Cavern of Decay* - ***Level 50*** - A small cavern that seems to suffocate the life around it. Home to unsightly hostiles.
* *Forbidden Shrine* - ***Level 70 -*** A small sandstone cavern, engulfed in a hostile magical atmosphere. From far, there seems to be a mysterious crystal within.
* *Shrine of Duality* - ***Level 1/60*** - A sizeable cave system with two paths; one is a peaceful, unassuming cave, while the other is a trove of minerals guarded by an army of powerful undead.
* *Forsaken Mine* - ***Level 60*** - An abandoned coal mine operated in the early days of Aphelian exploration. It has since fallen into disrepair. The earth seldom quakes within the cave system, leading some to believe a mythical creature has made it its home.
* *Golden Beach* - ***Level 1*** - A serene seashore.
* *Temple of Strife* - ***Level 45*** - A centuries-old Dashari cultural site. A legendary battle is said to have raged around it, but little is known to outsiders. Ghosts of tribeswomen are rumored to roam the area.
* *Matriarch's Tomb* - ***Level 1*** - Resting place of a legendary Dashari leader. The land around it is calm.
* *Exile's Tomb* - ***Level 80*** - Resting place of a violent, divisive figure in tribal history. A quiet hatred has festered here for centuries, but it seems to be held back by its counterpart. Incursion is discouraged.
* *Scorching Tunnel - **Level 90*** - A tunnel that plunges into the boiling bowels of the Earth. It is considered a formidable and intimidating challenge to the finest warriors, in the desert and abroad. In tribal mythology, a powerful and vengeful fire deity sleeps in the most scalding depths.
* *Island of Another World* - ***Level ???*** - ???

### Northeastern Expanse

* ***Fields of Bygone Dreams*** - ***Level 75*** - Beautiful small plain. Visitors speak of seeing the apparitions of historical heroes roam the area, but this is unconfirmed.
* ***Plateau of Broken Promises*** - ***Level 75*** - Beautiful small plain. Visitors speak of seeing the apparitions of distant friends and relatives, but this is unconfirmed.
* *Mobius Cavern* - ***Level 100** -* Small cavern that seems to only have one possible exit, in that its walls are impermeable and all paths taken lead to the same point. In Oceanic myth, it is home to a dimension-breaking deity. *I eagerly await.*