Aerois (Planet)

Aerois is a planet located beyond the Outer Sphere and behind the Shifting Straits, amid The Endless Sea. It was once a barren, lifeless rock until Siaska, when still a young divine, used The World Engine to bring life to it.

## **History**

### **Founding**

Aerois was discovered as a barren, empty world by the goddess Siaska (timeframe uncertain, although some time after the War of the Crimson Star). She hid the World Engine, a Genesis Relic that she had stolen from Kalus Valkyrian, at the heart of the world beneath the Starfall Archipelago. The World Engine changed the barren world of Aerois into a lush planet full of plant and animal life.

### **Pre-Sundering**

In time, Aerois became a thriving planet. It was made up of a single pangeagic supercontinent surrounded by oceans, and was split up into kingdoms called the Exalted Domains, each with a ruler knowns as the Divine Sentinel chosen by the Gods and blessed with abilities.

### **The Dark War**

The Dark War occurred approximately 500 years before the events of the start of the campaign.

Kalus claims that he gave Siaska an ultimatum (that was meant for the people of Aerois) and that she refused it on their behalf: surrender to the Valkyrian empire and be made a full citizen of the Empire. Those who do would be given a new home of their choosing from any of the worlds in the Empire, shelter, food, resources, and a job or opportunity to do as they wish. Alternatively, those who choose to resist would face a swift but merciful death. When Siaska refused Valkyrian's offer, there was war.

In the Dark War, Kalus Valkyrian invaded Aerois, seeking to take the World Engine from the planet's core so that he may use its power to stop, and possibly destroy, Hadar. Valkyrian's forces were responsible for much death and destruction in many places on Aerois, including Solwynn. There is little information on how long the Dark War lasted, but it concluded with the death of Siaska at Kalus' hands (the people of Aerois long believed that Siaska was murdered until it was later revealed that she had sacrificed herself in order to expel Kalus from the world of Aerois).

Upon Siaska's death, her essence leaves her body and becomes The Cradle, a barrier of multicoloured light that surrounds the planet of Aerois, and acts as a type of shield that both protects and obscures the planet from the outside world. Kalus is ejected from the planet back to his ship in Astral Space. Many of Valkyrian's soldiers remain trapped on the planet of Aerois, and later become known as The Remnant.

### **The Sundering**

On discovering that his mother, Siaska, had been slain, the titan, Atelicus, overcome with grief and rage, thrust his spear into the planet's crust at the Starfall Archipelago. This caused the pangaea of Aerois to split into many lands and seas. With many of the larger cities being in danger of being drowned by flood waters, the titan, H'esper, lifted seven of the cities, making them Sky Cities.

## **Locations**

### **The Skycities**

The remainders of the world before the Sundering, the Skycities were once 7 great cities home to elves on the pangaeic continent of Aerois until the Sundering, wherein H'esper raised them into the sky using his magic to save them from the destruction below. They had to adapt fast to their new lives in the sky, and the elves formed a set of rules dictating the strict rationing, taxes and boarder control due to limited space and resources. They are the only places where Aetherium is made, a substance unique to Aerois that can be harvested from the skies and clouds around the skycities. Skycities can be accessed by way of Skyship and teleportation circle. They float around many miles above the lowlands and follow set paths, upon which many lowland settlements have been built for ease of trade.

#### **Gusthaven**

Gusthaven is the most affluent of the Skycities due to it's advantageous trading position with the Lowlands. It floats along the Central Leyline, an air current that crosses three continents of the Lowlands, crossing over Rosehall during the Summer Festival. It is ruled over by Sky Prince Aridan Irisen-Pelony Starsorrow, and has an aristocracy of of noble families, Lucius Virion-Elluin Elenasto being the lord of House Elenasto.

#### **Horizon**

Though once ruled by Elven aristocracy, some time ago Horizon experienced an uprising against them due to increasing poor treatment of non-elven and non-noble citizens. It is now overseen by Steward of Horizon Dannica Bloodfire and is a wealthy trading port where freedom is celebrated.

#### **Kassatoris**

Little is known about Kassatoris, other than that it is uninhabited (a 'city of the dead' according to Kim). During the lifting of the Skycities by H'esper, errant magic also lifted the castle Shadowsong Pinnacle alongside Kassatoris, although the two were not bound together and Shadowsong remained hovering in-place. Kassatoris vanished and no one knew where it went.

When Kalus Valkyrian (AKA Kalus Starbane) was able to make his way back to Aerois, he began to use Kassatoris as his secret base on the planet. It was brought to the Skyfall Archipelago at the instruction of Tassadar so as to deliver Project Vanguard to the party (for use in the battle against Atelicus).

#### **Starbane's Skycity**

During a spell between herself and Kalus Starbane, Nova V'ger discovered a base of his set up on an abandoned Skycity. It is possible this is Kassatoris, however as little is known of many skycities, it is not certain.

### **The Lowlands**

Made up of 11 continents, the Lowlands are wild and rugged. With many great threats in monsters and natural hardships to contend with, the lands can be harsh, however many great communities have still blossomed from the ruins of the Sundering.

#### **Suvonna**

Once primarily dwarven, after the Sundering Suvonna became home to primarily a mix of humans, dwarves and halflings. It is split into two areas separated by the Deadlands - the western Bloodvale ruled by Bloodlord Uriyenna Vaschten, and the lands of Rooksfield ruled by King Telven Rooksilver. The area around the capital of Rooksfield, Goldthrone, is known as the breadbasket of Aerois, and produces a large amount of food that is traded with other areas.

#### **Voksar**

A large western continent. It is home to the Stormwall mountain range, home of the Aarakocra, as well as the Valley of Storms. Plagued by tempests until The Stormchasers' success in the Temple of H'esper within the valley, it's citizens are well weathered and supportive of one another against the natural threats.

#### **Aelseraph**

Aelseraph is a long continent situated at the north of maps of Aerois. It is very mountainous, and home to many Wild Elf clans. The skycity Kassatoris floats above it, as does Shadowsong Pinnacle. On the south coast is the Aelseraph Archipelago.

#### **Gisella**

A continent in the south-west of Aerois. It is heavily mountainous with a population of mostly Goliaths and Humans. It is the location of the Sanzesian Commonwealth, ruled by Princess Asayaeina. Upon the continent is also the territory of the Dragons and Dragonborn, the Vivex. Air travel without permission over this territory is strictly prohibited. The City of Glass is also located in Gisella.

#### **Jakkesh**

A continent in the north-east of Aerois, east of the Starfall Archipelago

#### **Xiphenna**

Represented by Grand Strategist Sumar Xemeks Elledovian at the Council of Leaders, Xiphenna is a long south-eastern continent.

#### **Hawk's Dawn Archipelago**

A series of islands run by a number of independant city states, home to Porta Sovrano and the Vintare Sorellenzi.

#### **Starfall Archipelago**

Once the centre of Aerois and the location in which Atelicus performed the Sundering. It is the home of the Halls of Infinite Resplendance and is surrounded by The Maelstrom - a gale of swirling winds and caused by Atelicus' spear when he Sundered the continent.

#### **Frostalon**

A small continent in the north west above Voksar and west of Kannarath.

#### **Kannarath**

A small continent in the north west above Voksar and east of Frostalon.

#### **Korsadi**

A small continent close to Suvonna to it's north, separated only by the Bay of Broken Arrows.

## References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/ERsSm1bXD84?t=2237
2. ↑ Episode 176
3. ↑ Episode xx: xxx and Episode 99: Shadowsong Pinnacle
4. ↑ Episode 176