Gaia

Gaia is the central continent on Tartarus.

## Geography

Gaia is a large, wide continent, similar in size and shape to North America. To the north of Gaia lies the Sea of Black Ice, a large frozen ocean separating Gaia from the continent Parón. Surrounding the rest of Gaia's coasts is the Umbral Ocean, a vast body of water known for it's black sand coloration. Traveling further east will show the island nation of Ki-no-ōkoku, and going even further east will find you in Parelthón. The southern coast of Gaia sits on the narrow Sunless Sea, across which lies the desert known as Arkhosia. Arkhosia is the only thing that separates Gaia from the southern continent of Méllon.

Gaia was divided into five kingdoms during the time of the Hundred Years War, and was finally unified under one rule with Archimedes Valenrow's victory during the war. At the end of the war, all kingdoms of Gaia were unified under the King Above All.

### Fæstning

See also: *Fæstning*

Fæstning is the largest of the five kingdoms, roughly the size of Canada. Due to a majority of it's lands being wilderness, forests, hills and mountains, Fæstning is sparsely populated by civilized peoples. It is almost always in a state of winter or near winter-like climate.

House Dundaarson has ruled over Fæstning since the days prior to the Storm, but have been officially titled the Guard of the Winterlands for the last thousand years or so. The people of Fæstning are hearty and strong, as well as being highly devoted to honor above all else. Orphaned/bastard youths are given the surname Frost.

### Osândit

See also: *Osândit*

Spanning the entire western coast of Gaia is Osândit, a kingdom known as being covered in trees, mountains, rivers, and rocky-dense soil unsuitable for farming. It is, however, the largest producer of minerals/metals in all of Gaia, and as such the standard coin the Silver Lion is minted in Silvermoore and distributed around the continent.

After not being involved in the Hundred Years War, House Naphtali were officially given the title of Warden of Silvermoore for their work curing the Lycophage (a disease which physically altered every male citizen of the region). Orphaned/bastard youths are given the surname Moon.

### Kingswich

See also: *Kingswich*

The second largest kingdom in Gaia, Kingswich encompasses the entire central portion of the continent. It is the most fertile part of Gaia, and has by far the largest population in the entire continent. By the end of the Hundred Years War, the people of Kingswich were unified under the rule of House Blackgard. After Lord Horas Blackgard's refusal to bow to King Above All Archimedes Valenrow, he was executed publicly above Dinton Hold. His son, Benjamin Blackgard, would immediately swear fealty under House Valenrow, granting House Blackgard the title of Lord Protector of the Heartlands. Orphaned/bastard youths are given the surname Hart.

### Kéyah

See also: *Kéyah*

Before the Storm, Kéyah was the sacred land to the Niichaad, a peaceful people who lived off the land in small tribes. Kéyah is an untamed wilderness, struggling with it's roots to the Gaagii (or Old Way) and the encroachment of civilization. They are the only kingdom who do not have any regal houses, however, there is a high likeliness of getting the first Niichaad noble house within this generation.

### Íroas

See also: *Íroas*

Encompassing the entire southern coast is the land of Íroas, a mountainous, rocky, region with some minor plains. After acknowledging the rule of the King Above All, House Ala was given the title of the Winged Lord after the sacrifice of Duelo Ala. Orphaned/bastard youths are given the surname Legend.

## God's Peak and Halfway

In the northern-center of Gaia stands a mountain range called the Broken Spine, with the God's Peak mountain piercing through it's center. God's Peak is believed to be the tallest mountain in all of Tartarus, with many of the worlds religions noting it as a place to come and be close to the Gods. As such, it was a fitting place for House Valenrow to establish their claim as King Above All.

The city of Halfway was built at the mountains feet, and has became the largest place for trade in all of the world. Although prosperous for the entire continent, the city itself is rife with a criminal underground known as the Black Network.

## Climate

One of the only innately magical things remaining about Gaia since the Storm is it's climate. Each region of the continent experience different season lengths, with the most extreme being Fæstning (near permanent winter) and Íroas (near permanent summer). It wasn't this way prior to the Storm, but ever since they had been severed from the other continents some force has caused the change in seasons.

## Races of Gaia

### Sentient Races

The following is a list of sentient species commonly found in Gaia, although many others have found their way over the seas in exploration of foreign lands:

* **Humans** - humans of Tartarus vary greatly from humans from Earth. It is known that humans are able to procreate with most, if not all, of the sentient humanoid species. Certain physical/psychological traits are almost always passed down to human descendants, most notably hair color, eye color, and demeanor.
* **Dwarves** - dwarves of Tartarus, also known as the Morndinsamman, are seemingly ageless craftsmen and warriors who wander the world. It is said that when the last dwarf dies, they are reborn from the stone, dirt, and clay without any recollection of their previous life.
* **Mousefolk** - the gentle folk of Gaia, the mousefolk are revered as the most honest, honorable, and kind of all the sentient races (outside of their ratlike-cousins). Otherwise unremarkable, many mousefolk families offer their children as servants/squires to the noble houses. The mousefolk have a motto to live life as a "Story Worth Remembering", yearning to make a legacy for their people.
* **Shifters** - the shifters are the descendants of those who fought and survived the blight of the Lycophage. Seemingly both beast and man, shifters are wild souls who are rarely found contained in the confines of civilization.
* **Niichaad** - the Niichaad are said to be the descendants of the tribes of Norah, beings with the primal strength and endurance to survive the Land of Monsters.

### Uncommon Races (1 per party)

* **Hitobito** - the elves of the Kingdom of Trees are a reclusive and alien people, only allowing one of their kind to visit the outside lands. Due to their long lifespans, the Far Traveler will live nearly his entire life among humanity before returning home with knowledge for the shogun.
* **D'yavoly** - commonly called "Devils", the people of Bael Turath are just as tough as they are cunning. Due to the growing tensions of a Civil War, the Premier has decreed a border lockdown. Any d'yavoly found outside of Bael Turath would be considered a refugee and traitor to the Congregate.
* **Quatzalkan** - This race of bipedal reptiles are the rulers of the Huran Empire. They have expanded far across the jungles and deserts of Méllon, but recent reports have spoken of warbands attacking the south-eastern settlements of Kingswich.