Saldaria

A map of Saldaria

## History

Saldaria was founded by the Snow Elves, approximately 50,000 years ago. The only race native to the area is the Eborim, who reside within the Burning Wastes. However upon the arrival of the Snow Elves (Silari) they immediately began colonising various swathes of the land, including what is now the capital; Osmia.

Although the Silari arrived from a different dimension, the humans of Saldaria arrived from a different continent. The Snow Elves welcomed these new people, recognising their worth as a labor caste and all but enslaved the entire race. In time humans and select Snow Elves secretly began to reproduce creating the half-elves, or Wood Elves as they'd later come to be known. Repulsed by this, and threatened the superior numbers of the humans (who could reproduce ten times faster than the Silari), the Snow Elves decided that they could not remain in Saldaria. As a result the monarch of the time, Queen Theliea opened a portal to a pocket dimension, whereupon the Snow Elves left Saldaria to found the Seven Cities.

## Geography

Saldaria is a continent with an ocean off the western and southern coasts. Many towns and cities dot the coast, due to the relative danger of the countryside. Saldaria has several biomes, most prominently grassland, with large swathes of forest. To the north, away from the coast, you will find the Burning Wastes, which bisects the land and surrounds the Brittle Peaks - Saldaria's only mountain range. There are several rivers in Saldaria, creating a generally temperate landscape for the inhabitants.

Off the coasts are several islands, only a couple of which are inhabitated - the most prominent of which is Cherry Town, to the south of Estoria.

## Notable Settlements

### Osmia

The capital city of Saldaria and the seat of power for Emperor Mathieu, the leader of the Osmian Empire. The city dwarfs other settlements in Saldaria, boasting several distint districts surrounding the Emperor's palace in the centre. The districts are Old Town, the Trade District, the Mage's Quarter, and the Military District.

Old Town is the richest part of Osmia and is where the wealthiest residents of the city live. The district houses both the museum and the Cathedral to the Twins, which supports both a seperate cemetary and an old crypt.

The Trade District is to the eastern side of the city and is where the merchants and traders live, as well as the vast majority of the poorer members of society. The district houses shops and also street vendors, who hope to sell their wares of vegetables, fish, meat or spirits in the hope of making money.

The Mage's Quarter is the most vibrant district as it hosts Osmia's only park, the Mage's Tower, the College and the Sylvanian Embassy. As a result this district houses the elven community in Osmia.

Despite the relative peace in Saldaria, the Osmian Empire maintains a standing army in the Military District. Many consider this a waste of resources, especially considering the unchecked dangers of the countryside, which seem to go unchallenged by the military. Nevertheless, an entire quarter of the city is dedicated to housing and training the Empire's army. This district is where the weaponsmiths and armoursmiths reside and regular citizens as well as military are able to purchase goods here. In the centre is a fort, where Lord General Harrod of the army resides.

As a coastal city Osmia has a port, where large ships dock from all over the land. This allows connection between Osmia and other coastal towns such as Estoria and Port Lansmoor, as well as a bustling fishing community that helps feed the residents of the city. The city also uses its ocean connection for trade, as the roads of Saldaria are often beset by bandits and elemental monsters, making the shipping lines paramount for feeding the people and bringing in exotic goods.

Though unknown to most, Osmia resides upon the ruins of an ancient underground Snow Elven city, Xelaenor.

### Estoria

Estoria is the largest town after the city of Osmia. The coastal town benefits from its trade links with the capital as well as other coastal settlements in Saldaria, especially seeing as it is essentially cut off from the rest of the Empire by land, with the only route to Osmia being through the Sylvanian Forest, which is itself considered a kingdom. This makes trade by land to anywhere further than Vaelys impractical.

Estoria is home to the College of Estoria, which is considered by most to be on par with the college in Osmia despite being smaller and out of the way for many. The College focuses on both practical and theoretical magic, as well as other subjects such as history and archaeology. Due to the close proximity of elven ruins to the north of the town, many expeditions and much close study of the tower has been done, and many in the College tend to focus on elven history.

### Vaelys

The capital city of the Sylvanian Forest, Vaelys is incredibly significant for the Wood Elves of Saldaria. It is for many of them their ancestral home, with only a select few elves living elsewhere in Saldaria. Those who do not live in Vaelys live either in Osmia, where attaining citizenship is considered by many too difficult to attempt, or Filna Doriel, a small elven community deeper in the forest. As the capital, Vaelys hosts the Council Hall, where the Lord or Lady of Vaelys resides. The Hall houses the Great Hall, where debates and meetings are held by the Sylvanian Council. Council seats are by and large hereditary positions, though there are many who consider this to be old-fashioned and limiting to the future of the forest.

### Cherry Town

An island town. Cherry Town is overlooked by many of the residents of the mainland. Not large enough for farms, the island instead focuses on cultivating cherry trees, the fruit of which it ferments into Cherry Wine - its main, and only, export.

### Port Lansmoor

A fishing community, Port Lansmoor is situated between Estoria and Osmia and boasts shipping connections with both. The town supplies both with seafood, as well as Fort Vien, to the north-east along the road. Due to its position on the coast Port Lansmoor is often beset by pirates who aim to distrupt the shipping lines.

### Madwick

A small farming community, Madwick is situated just north of the edge of the Sylvanian Forest. The village supplies the forest with grains and vegetables the elves cannot raise in return for the bounty of the forest.

### Littlefield

Situated on the main road, Littlefield raises both crops and livestock, which it trades by road with Fort Vien and Osmia, though the road north is often plagued by bandits.

### Fort Vien

Located between Port Lansmoor and the Sylvanian Forest, Fort Vien is the largest garrison outside of Osmia. The soldiers maintain that they are stationed there in order to protect the road, but many who travel it fall prey to bandits, monsters and savage wildlife, prompting dissatisfaction from many of the locals. Nevertheless the Fort offers employment for many who do not wish to farm or fish, and enrollment in the army results in a decent enough pension for many to sign up, despite - or perhaps because of - the unlikeliness of combat.

### Brightsands

The only human settlement in the Burning Wastes, Brightsands is protected by an ancient and powerful gem known as the Sun Jewel. The people of the village are proud of their ability to survive in the desert but are wary of the Goblins that attack their caravans, stealing their supplied.

## Races

### Humans

Humans are the predominant race in Saldaria. They make up the bulk of the empire and have founded the majority of the settlements.

### Wood-Elves

The second most dominant species in Saldaria, they are mostly found in the Sylvanian Forest, which they consider their ancestral home.

### Eborim

The only true natives of Saldaria, these 'Goblins' are found in the Burning Wastes where they attack human caravans for supplies.

### Orcs

Considered by many to be a blight upon the land, very little is known about the history or culture of the orcs.

## Religion

### The Twins

The most popular deities in Saldaria, the Twins are the embodiment of creation and destruction. The Brother is associated with life, birth, creation and light, while the Sister is known for death, destruction and calamity. The Twins have a slew of churches and cathedrals throughout the land, but are not worshipped by any but the humans - and even then their pool of worshippers are diminishing.

### The Sun God

A little-known deity, the Sun God, also known as Ruael, is worshipped by the people of the desert - namely the humans of Brightsands. The god governs the rise of the sun and the location of water in the otherwise parched desert.