Elinor

for the new September 2020 show on PBS see w:c:Elinor-Wonders-Why

Welcome to the world of Elinor!

Elinor… a huge continent, situated in the middle of a boundless ocean.
The nature of this world is rich and diverse – hight mountains, deep forests,
endless prairies, severe snows of the North and arid deserts of the South

The Valley of
the Ancestors, situated in the heart of continent, is a cradle of civilization.
It is exactly here that the new civilisation was born, the third race of the
human generation. Four Great Cities stand on the crossroads of trade routes
from faraway lands and states – Dalaal, Konolwar, Mata-Mata and Eavette. A
countless number of tiny settlements and trading posts are scattered across the
Valley of the Ancestors near the Ancient Cities. But the heart of the Valley is
the Stone of the Ancestors, an ancient relic, which preserves the magic and
power of the first race, which inhabited Elinor in ancient times…

Now,
let’s begins our journey around the continent!

The major part of the northern lands is occupied by the Ito Empire,
wallowing in impenetrable dark mists. Its inhabitants – the Itoshins – are
tough and fearless warriors, who have dedicated their lives to battling against
the horrifying demons that appear from the depths of the mists.

In
the North-West of Elinor, among the high mountains, hides the Celestial
Plateau, inhabited by the Ulutau people. These are wise and spiritualized
people who spend their lives in self enlightenment and cultivation of the self
through meditation and tempering of the spirit. Worldly troubles are foreign to
the Ulutau, and so this mountain people rarely descends from its highlands.

The
Western part of Elinor is occupied by the ancient forest Dockol-Mo, which
translated into the common tongue means “dark forest”. Its inhabitants, the
Vedichs – an ancient and withdrawn people, who leave their deep thicket only in
the case of great need. For a short period of time the Vedichs can turn into
wild animals. They also retain the knowledge of witchery and medicasterizm.

Slightly
to the South, the Nanol-Mo can be found – a “beautiful forest”, where the Taurs
live. The Taurs are stately, powerful and their life spans for more than a
hundred years. All this is due to the blessing of their protectrix, the forest
goddess Ayduen. The Taurs trade with other nations, actively take part in the
life of the Valley of the Ancestors and welcome any guests. However, one site
in their forest is forever forbidden to outsiders – the Sacred Grove, the
sacred abode of the serene goddess.

Almost
the entire southern part of Elinor is taken up be the Great Desert – the
territory of the wise and inventive Djunitian people, a nation of brave
warriors and talented scientists. Observatories, academies and alchemical
laboratories in Djunitian city-oases are known throughout all of Elinor.
Moreover, the Djunits are knowledgeable in medicine, engineering and astronomy.

And
to the Southeast of the continent rests the archipelago of the Guawars – the
Fellow Islands. The Guawars are skilled sailors, whose ships trade with all the
coastal settlements on the continent, as well as roam the uncharted expanses of
waters, aiming to discover new lands. Guawars are stubborn, hot-tempered and
occasionally rude. But at the same time they value entertainment and place
friendship above everything else.

To the East
of the Valley stretch boundless plains inhabited by people called Chekatta. The Chekatta are free hunters that respect other nations, but do not trade with
them, for they are simple and selfless. They do not pursue material amenities.
On the other hand, Chekatta shamans can hear the voices of their ancestors, who
designate their distant descendants their life journey.

And
finally, in the Northeast of Elinor among damp gray cliffs stretches the Reyro
Peninsula, the Kingdom of the Tausmatus, or Mechanics. It is the name given by
other states to the youngest nation on Elinor. Their inquisitive minds and wit
allowed the Tausmatus people to learn the secrets of complex mechanisms, which
made their life in the inhospitable lands much more comfortable.

And we come
back to the Valley of the Ancestors, the trading, cultural and historical
center of the continent, where the paths of the eight Elinor nations come
together. The mild climate, extensive trade and innovative ideas of Elinors’
most outstanding thinkers – all this is what made the Great Cities of the
Valley increasingly more powerful and prosperous.

But in the
year 530 of the Third Era, the unconceivable happened… The valley became
deserted! One day its population simply disappeared without a trace. The rulers
of all the Elinor nations began to assemble convoys of warriors, sages, traders
and settlers to re-fill the Great Cities with life and find out what had
actually happened in the Valley of the Ancestors.