Arestoneiam

A map of Arestoneiam's regions: The Northernlands (blue); The Kinglands (red); The Ruins of Illyria (orange): The Rape of Okysus (yellow); and the Forest of the Children (green).

**Arestoneiam** is the Realm of Idris’ second-largest and populous continent. Its heart and physical center is the Ruins of Illyria, its largest region and the name given to the seven city states found within. The lesser populated Kinglands are home to more than two dozen kingdoms and even-more-so war. Stretching in the far north are the Northenlands, a region populated by small towns and tribes. The fishing villages in the far east provide a system of trade for the rest of the Rape of Okysus, and the Forest of the Children is magically alive and not a proper home or place for anyone wishing to discover it.

Arestoneiam has diverse climates and year-round seasons that affect each region differently. The Northernlands enjoy permafrost
 but rare storms. In the middle of the region, you'll find that the
region is both warm and cold depending on the season, as well as wet and
 dry. In the south, the yearly climate is mostly hot and wet, but it
does experience periodical warmth during the winter.

The population is significantly smaller in Arestoneiam as opposed to Asaland which has twice as many inhabitants. Still, Arestoneiam has some of the realm's largest cities
 and possesses less racial troubles than its sister continent. The bulk
of the population is in the Ruins of Illyria and the Kinglands, however
there is still life in the Northernlands and the Rape of Okysus. There
is a lack of intelligent life in the Forest of the Children due to its
liveliness. Arestoneiam is also home to the largest gangs and criminal
activity in the realm which is focused in the Ruins of Illyria, but has
the potential to branch out into other regions and even Asaland.

## Geography

### The Ruins of Illyria

The Ruins of Illyria
 is the name for the largest region in Arestoneiam, as well as the
collection of seven city states that are the pinnacle of the region and
the continent. The cities are: Illyria, Illantia, Lykarria, Lymeria, Illantis, Iccalia, and Larantia.
 Though the cities are largely independent of each other, they are still
 associated in trade and culture, as much of it has remained the same in
 the one thousand years since the Reign of Fire.
 The region is dominated by small patches of forest and frequent
clearings. There are miles of clearings surrounding each city where
peasants farm. The Ruins of Illyria is also dominated by criminal
activity which is mostly active outside the cities. The cause of the
criminal activity are the fighting pits,
 illegal underground fights where enslavers pit their slaves against
each other. Enslavers seek out the strongest and most fierce warriors,
which is why there is a lot of trafficking of shapeshifters, vampires
 and other non-human races. There are also various establishments owned
by these gangs positioned far from the seven Ruins of Illyria.

### The Kinglands

The Kinglands is the region located south of the Northernlands. The region is dominated by small kingdoms and fiefs
 that are linked in never ending wars over who should be the king of a
land. There are more than thirty kingdoms and over seventy self-claiming
 kings
 of these lands. It's difficult to keep an accurate account of the
current kingdoms and their rulers because the constant war is constantly
 changing ownership and borders. These lands are largely impoverished
and lack major resources because there is a large need for war: most
kingdoms get their resources by toppling another and taking theirs.
There are some stable kingdoms in the west, such as Reikhafen.

### The Rape of Okysus

The Rape of Okysus is the smallest region in Arestoneiam, which received its name after the First Shapeshifter, Okysus,
 pillaged many of the fishing villages and raped many villagers on the
west coast. The region is currently home to many small towns on the
west coast as well as villages on the mainland. There is an immense lack
 of a proper population for the region's size . That, and the fact that
the Rape of Okysus holds Valhalla is the reason why a higher power hasn't tried to unite the establishments, meaning every village and town is independent and is its own highest form of government.

### The Northernlands

The Northernlands
 is an expansive permafrost that is overran with hills, mountains and
snowy prairies. There is a major lack of life in the Northernlands as
the frozen ground isn't ideal for growing crops. There are a few small
towns which are established and nomadic tribes of various races.
 They survives largely on the wild life and the limited area near
springs where crops can grow. Some elvish tribes receive food from the Paladin Order, which they're paid for their work in crafting weapons and armor for the military order.

### The Forest of the Children

The Forest of the Children
 is located in the deep south of Arestoneiam. It's namesake comes from
the belief that the expansive forest was the birthplace of the Children of A New, the deities of the Realm's mainstream religion, the Eight Pillars.
 The region is over characterized by the stories produced by others who
have learned of the horrors of the forest. It's said to be alive, based
on the accounts of those who have entered and were mislead outside of
the forest, a distance away from where they entered. There are small
establishments outlining the forest's border as well as some sacred
grounds for followers of the Eight Pillars.

## Climate & Seasons

Climate in Arestoneiam varies depending on the region and the time of
 the year. In the Northernlands, the climate is harshly cold and the
terrain is dry because any
precipitation is snow or sleet. There are infrequent blizzards in
Arestoneiam. The Kinglands is cooler throughout the year and experiences
 harsh snow during the winter. The area is dry during the winter and wet
 during the springs. It’s driest in the summer. The Ruins of Illyria and
 the Rape of Okysus enjoy moderate climates, equally balanced by warmth
and cold, dry and wet. They’re dry in winter and wet in the spring.

The seasons also work differently by region. Winter is naturally
longer in the Northernlands and the Kinglands, whereas it's equally as
long in the Ruins of Illyria and the Rape of Okysus. It's predicted that
 summer is the longest region the Forest of the Children. Winter plays a
 major role in Arestoneiam's farming. During winter, crops and livestock
 die from the cold which is why many establishments have to add to a
supplies of food that they save for winter.