Morgaea

**Morgaea** is a continent, and home to Dwarves, Elves, and Humans.

It's name originates from ancient Rigoric, once referring to all lands beyond the Adamantine Imperium; it eventually came to encompass the entire continent. A native of Morgaea is referred to as a *Morgaean*.

The mysterious lands of Sudern, the homeland of the Orcimar and, according to some scholars, humans, lies to the southwest of the continent.

## Geography

### Surface

* Adamantium - a nation in southern Morgaea
* Anderlay - a kindgom in central Morgaea
* Elveshaal - the first elven kingdom (destroyed)
* Freemarks - a confederation of city-states in midwestern Morgaea
* Ghallen - a kindgom in southwestern Morgaea
* Lysadore - a kingdom in southwestern Morgaea
* Maudet - an empire in northeastern Morgaea
* Netheren - a kingdom in southeastern Morgaea
* Nordain - a kingdom in northwestern Morgaea
* Sudern - an island in southwestern Morgaea
* Verullus - an island in southern Morgaea

### Oceans and Seas

* **Aebarrow Ocean** - in the west
* **Delsuren Ocean** - in the south, surrounding Sudern and the Verullus archipelago
* **Corea Bay** - between Netheren and Verullus
* **Glacial Seas** - northwest of Nordain
* **Narrow Sea** - between Nordain, Maudet, and the Freemarks
* **Norella Sea** - on the northeastern edge of Maudet
* **Oremeni Bay** - south of the Adamantium, including the Artosus Straits
* **Oster Sea** - east of Netheren
* **Stansar Sea** - between Ghallen and Sudern, including the Southern Passage leading into the Aebarrow Ocean

### Lakes

* **Lago di Corvo** - in Lysadore
* **Lake Celestis** - in the Heartlands of Maudet
* **Lake Lontan** - in Nordain
* **Lake Lugas**- a small lake north of Lake Lontan
* **The Sulfic Lakes** - north of Maudet

### Mountains

* **Ansoun Mountains** - in northern Freemarks
* **Dragonmount** - an extinct volcano located near Dersoden
* **Hunteron Mountains**- in eastern Maudet and between Maudet and Netheren
* **The White Spine** - separating Nordain from Maudet

### Forests

* **Hathalas Forest** - in the Adamantium's far west
* **Wanderer's Wood** - in southwestern Nordain, near Coltherstone
* **Welserine Wilds** - in northern Nordain
* **Umbradal Forest** - in northwestern Nordain

### Underground

There are numerous underground locations scattered across Morgaea. A vast majority of these underground passageways, cavern systems, and tombs can be accessed through active and abandoned mines, former Ranger Keeps, disregarded fortresses, forgotten elven ruins, vast chasms, embankment openings, ancient Adamantine ruins, lost dwarven hewnholds and Underways entrances.

The Underways span the length and breadth of Morgaea which connect the countless hewnhold of the dwarven empire. However after the empire's decline the last four major kingdoms of the dwarves are the following, though only two are still inhabited:

* **Bhorndan** (lost)
* **Dighagh** (lost)
* **Nar-Lodahr** - located beneath the Hunteron Mountains (inhabited)
* **Ondrathum** - located beneath the White Spine (inhabited)

## Beyond Morgaea

Few details are available concerning the lands that lie beyond the boundaries of Morgaea.

* Beyond the Welserine Wilds and Boreal Wilds to the north there is a frozen wasteland called the Frosted Expanse. These lands are covered in snow for most of the year. Despite the inhospitality of the Frosted Expanse, they are inhabited by people who are called "Megadi" by the Welserine, which means "exile" in their language. It's been theorized that the Megadi may have been expelled from the Welserine Wilds, and splintered off into their own culture.
* There is land to the east of Morgaea, although the Hunteron Mountains inhibit travel, as do the jungles of the Hilsain the southeast. The Adamantium calls these lands the 'Viridia'; "The Green," and have rumors of wingless dragons, and flying chimeras, inhabiting the jungles.
	+ The Hilsain jungle is where Maudesians get their chocolate from. It's also the place of origin of dracabulli, which are powerful mounts related to dragons and wyverns. Dracabulli were first used by hunters from the Hilsain.

* Until the early Fourth Age, the Netheric city of Layth traded with ships that came across the Oster Sea. The travelers, according to Netheric legend, are named 'Vothai', and had an excessive interest in lucenium. All Vothai ships were captained by dwarves. Adamantine expeditions to reach the homeland of the Vothai had failed, with no ship ever coming back. In recent times, however, rumors have risen that the Vothai ships have returned, bringing with them tales of a 'massive cataclysm'.
* There are numerous islands in the Delsuren Ocean. Some are havens for pirates, others are colonies of the Adamantium or the Orcimar, but others have indigenous populations; the most famous of which is the near-mythical Pan Laria. The Panlarians are rumored to have the best coastal defenses in Morgaea, practice arts similar to the Ghalleni seeresses, and to be adorned in gold and jewels.
* The Orcimar originate from a land far to the west, beyond the Delsuren Ocean.
* The land beyond the Aebarrow Ocean is referred to in myths as 'Aeborron.' Aeborron is said to be devoid of any sentient species, and all Morgaean attempts of colonization have failed. Legends tell that later expeditions found former settlements empty and that the only survivor was driven mad by something, killing himself a short time after being discovered.
	+ Drahanim leader Heford left his homeland and sailed west into the unknown fringes of the Aebarrow Ocean. He was never heard from again.

## Notes

* Morgaea has one moon named Vaina, from which the holiday Vainalis gets its name.