Midland

## The Continent of Midland

On the planet of **Terra**, nestled between a northern icy glacier-mass called **The Icecrown**, and a southern inhospitable wasteland known as **The Austral Wastes**, is a place known as **Midland**. A massive continent of mountains, rivers, lakes, valleys and plains, and home to at least four major empires. The population of Midland is varied and diverse, containing Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes, Orcs, Dragonborn and Tieflings. Other races live on the fringes of civilizations but are also native to Midland, such as Goblins, Kobolds, Genasi, Giants, Goliaths, and many others.

## Current Era / Recent History

The year is **1681 AC** (After the Crash) on the Planet of **Terra**, in a region known as **Midland. Midland** is the name for the large continent between **The Icecrown** and **The Austral Wastes**. Very few explorers or travellers come back from beyond the **Austral Wastes**, or the **Icecrown**, and both remain largely unexplored due to extreme weather events. **Midland**, the land between these two extreme places is a land of forests, mountains, cities and deserts, and home to multiple vast empires wrestling for control. The main three being The **Kingdom of Kaeldonia**, **The Republic of Velero** and **The Free Coalition.** A fourth empire, **The Draconic Dynasties**, now a land torn apart by civil war and no central government, still exists but barely exerts control in the political affairs of **Midland**.

**The Great Crash** refers to an event which is called by many names from all over the continent of Midland. The beings of the old world called it **The Cosmic Spear**, the Elves knew it as **The Sundering**, The Dwarves: **The Calamity Above,** The Gnomes called it **The Starseed.** In all accounts a massive cosmic object crashed into the planet, leaving a molten crater which eventually formed a large set of canyons in the southern central region of **Midland**—a tear in the earth known as **The Great Rift**. While many believed **The Great Crash** to be the anger of the Gods and their revenge against the races of **Terra**, others believed it was the result of a war between the Gods themselves, and the Scorching of **Terra** simply a side effect of their inter-planar warfare. Of all the Old races, only the Elves came out relatively unscathed, shielded by an arcane barrier which held off the heat and explosive energy, though as a result they became corrupted by an inter-generational plague called **The Deepsorrow**.

After a few years, **Terra** cooled and began to rejuvenate itself, those who survived began to notice strange creatures roaming the lands that had never been seen before. **The Empire of Lymeria** continued to expand westward--growing rapidly and spreading their gods and cultural myths as they expanded. **Eastern Lymeria** became known simply as **Velero**, while the older western region called themselves **Kaeldonia**, naming themselves after a legendary Saint. After many years of small contested hotspots and continued expansion, the two regions became embroiled in a long, bitter civil war which would be known as the **99-year war**. Many of the older generation of humans fought in the war, as it's end was nearly 40 years from the current date.

## The Current Empires of Midland

### The Kingdom of Kaeldonia

Most of the western landmass belongs to **The Kingdom of Kaeldonia,** a monarchy ruled by a lineage of kings and queens with regional appointed barons reigning over fiefdoms. **Kaeldonia** is the largest Empire currently in Midland. It's power is centralized in **Eladon City**. Once called **The Lymerian Empire**, it's origins trace back to the first humans who crossed **The Cold Sea** and formed the great walled **Eladon City** on it's western bank.  **Kaeldonia** is a nation of traditions and honoring the gods of the Seven Heavens, of oaths held by Knights of noble houses, of court Wizards who advise Kings and Barons like in the days of old. Smaller but perhaps more centralized than it’s former **Lymerian Empire**, which collapsed after **The Great Crash**, **Kaeldonia** is one of the most powerful empires on the continent and still wields the greatest political and military power.

### The Republic of Velero

The eastern middle region is known as **The Republic of Velero**. It is a young, new Republic with democratic-appointed representatives that values progress and equality. The nation of **Velero** was established after the 99-year war, rising from the ashes of death and destruction. **The Plains of Sorrow** near the outskirts of **Velero** are named so that the people of the great nation will never forget the bloody battles that were fought so it could exist and prosper. **Shaldora City**, the capital, is called The City of Spires and is a home to various different races and sub-cultures. A technologically-advanced city of winding alleyways and tall towers that stretch across the horizon. In southern **Velero**, the city of **Samal**, often called The Jewel of the Desert, defends itself against Undead and Orcs which relentlessly assault trade-lines and caravans.

### The Free Coalition

The dense northern wilderness is protected by a governing body called **The Free Coalition**. It is an anarchistic loosely-organized group with a focus on retribution against civilization and conquerors that seek to ravage their lands and steal their resources. **The Big Four**, as they're called, are The Elves, The Dwarves, The Halflings and The Goliath Tribes, who have unified under the same banner. Many other races fight alongside **The Free Coalition**, seeing it as their only hope against the consistent, numerous and powerful empires of the south. Every year an annual state of affairs is held called **Skymoot**, at the base of **Mt. Skypeak** where the leader of the **Big Four** meet to celebrate nature's blessings.

### **The Draconic Dynasties**

In the Southeast is the ancient and magical **Draconic Dynasty**, which spans the arid drylands of **Ashatan**, **The Desert of Carth** and the **Coast of Scales** which is littered with tropical islands. The **Dragonlords** once enslaved the Elves, Orcs, and other free native races of **Midland**, and fought in many wars throughout history against **The Lymerians**. With the power of Dragons at their side, they had superior firepower over any army that would oppose them. But one day the Elder Dragons left for **The Astral Sea**, leaving their children The Dragonborn on Terra. True Dragons still roam the lands, but are very rare and not on the same scale of The Elder Dragons which were massive and powerful. **The Draconic Dynasty** is currently a shadow of it's former self, torn apart by civil war, widespread famine and harsh climates. Some say the draconic prophecies will one day come to fruition, and the Dragons will rule all once again.