Jump to: Geography | Climate | Major Races | Minor Races | Regions 

The continent of Penderyn gets its name from a gnomish word for "wide open space". It's one of five major continents of the world of Kyral, and one of the most abundant in natural resources and diversity of cultures. It has sophisticated multi-racial interaction and a relatively high level of technology compared to other continents.

Geography

Much of the northern end of the continent has high elevation plains and rugged mountain ranges. The center area, known as "The Midlands", is forested hills and rolling plains. The southern portion of Penderyn is mostly lowlands and low mountain ranges. Subterranean races have extensive territory underneath the mountain regions of the land as well in the form of endless tunnels and massive cavern complexes.

Climate

The climate of Penderyn runs the gamut from the frozen tundra and barely sub-arctic temperatures of the northwestern Glacial Plains to the arid, baking desert of the southeastern Bojorn region. The Midlands are a temperate climate, the pleasant mean between those two extremes.

Major Races

Humans, hobgoblins, and orcs populate every area of Penderyn to some degree. Various elf races have enclaves throughout the continent as well. Dwarves inhabit the northern mountain ranges, and their gnome brethren are found in all areas of the Midlands. Halflings are abundant in the very center of the continent, but rare elsewhere. The northern mountains and forests house giants, while their smaller giant-kin (ogres, ettins, cyclops) may be found throughout the continent, though rarely near human or elf civilizations. Kobolds and goblins are populous in the northern and southern mountains as well as the Midlands forests. Gnolls are common in the northeastern part of the Midlands, and bugbears in the western. There are dragons scattered throughout the continent, although they reside in the most secluded areas. Lizard men inhabit the swamps in the southwest, and hybsil roam the southern plains. Fairy creatures of every type are found in multitudes throughout the entire continent.

Minor Races

The deep forests and towering mountains of the continent offer nooks and crannies for countless other races of both benign and malign nature. The middle and southern territories are home to humanoid, demihuman, and sylvan races in abundance. In the northern regions during the past century, undead and other foul beings, including rumored otherworldly beasts, have become unnervingly common, and races thought to be long extinct are found occasionally in some secluded portion of the land. Magical and extra-planar being are (rarely) encountered as well in the less-frequented and ancient locations around the continent.

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Jump to: Bojorn | Ceryth Tabor | Cy'Pren Forest | Gerallik | Kyriss | Niryusk | Saraamon Baronies

Regions

Bojorn (Empty Lands)

Description:

This is a desert land in the southeast corner of the continent, with an active volcano and high mountains cutting the Bojorn off from the forested lands beyond. The effects of the volcanic activity and odd wind patterns from the sea keep this area dry and hot year round. Sulfur and magma pits, hot water pools, and steam geysers are common near Mt Cyrok. Earthquakes periodically occur, but none of any magnitude for concern in the last several
decades.

Culture:

Some wild elves and humans live here with gnomes, and humanoids and giant-kin of a sturdier sort than elsewhere. The lifestyle is greatly adopted from the desert-continent Koparin humans, and indeed many of the tribes in Bojorn are of Koparin trader descent.
Loose bands of families govern small trade towns and river ports in the friendlier regions, but in the hot interior of the volcanic plains life is harsher and lawless. There is no central government, but all the civilized towns cooperate neutrally for everyone's mutual benefit. This region remains largely unexplored by non-natives.

Bojorn Desert

Ceryth Taybor (The Midlands)

Description:

The Midlands of the continent are referred to as Ceryth Taybor (or just Taybor), meaning "United Lands" in the Common language. It's composed of several smaller original regions that were once individual human kingdoms: 

	Kapur: Western area of Ceryth Taybor
	Myracin: Northern area
	Urlin: Southern region of the Midlands, above the Zrandren Range
	Yanir: Eastern region, along the sea
	Ceravan: Central region

Culture:

Humans rule most of this land, and share territory with elves, gnomes, halflings, and various humanoid races such as goblins and orcs. The humans have the largest single government on the continent, ruled lawfully by a hereditary High King and influenced heavily by their religion. The elves operate under a similar royal liege system. The halflings and northern gnomes have a more democratic government consisting of a bewildering array of minor elected officials and public representatives, while the southern gnomes have banded into a loose patriarchal society under a "prince". The gnolls, orcs and goblinoids are generally nomadic tribes and clans who don't have allegiance to a larger ruling body, although sometimes a charismatic or powerful leader will band a few groups together. Nobody yet has figured out what sort of governing system is in place, if any, for the chaotic fairy creatures of the realms (not without developing a migraine, even though the sprites often insist that it's quite simple…)

The Midlands

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Cy'Pren Forest

Description:

This vast woodland stretches over the Midland's west coast of Penderyn. This is the largest unbroken woodland on the continent, and home to the majority of fairy races. Near the center of the forest (indistinguishable from the rest of the thousands of square miles of trees to all but the natives) is an area called the Holy Lands, where legend says the Faerie Queen Cy'Pren herself once ruled. The woodland is dark and verdant, and trees older than some civilizations have root here. Tales that the forest is enchanted are most certainly not all exaggerated…

Culture:

Most races who are not of fairy bloodlines stay to the outskirts of Cy'Pren Forest, if they
enter at all. The impressive numbers of good and magical creatures that live within the heart of the temperate woodlands protect the territory from the ravages of evil beasts and natural disaster. Elves of every kind, treants, sprites, unicorns, nymphs, sentient plants, even rumored elementals inhabit the land, along with the full complement of normal animals. The only known human settlement is the temple of the Servants of Ki. Despite the good-aligned nature of the very forest itself, there are tribes of kobolds, bugbear, giants, and other forest-dwelling ilk found in the area. After all, the land covered by Cy'Pren Forest is more vast than most travelers can comprehend; there's room for all nature of beings to find a niche.

Gerallik

Description:

Southernmost region of Penderyn, and a nation unto itself. Separated from the Midlands by the Zrandren Mountains.

Culture:

Founded by viking explorers from the polar continent Askigar. This land is rich in timber, fishing, and mining resources. Slavery has been accepted in this region for centuries, although among humans, indentured servitude is the more prevalent form of this institution now. The lifestyle is more primitive than elsewhere on Penderyn, with clerical and magical spellcasting less common than elsewhere (probably because they tend to be greatly superstitious), and a technological level lower than the other human cultures. The Geralliks tolerate humanoids more easily than other humans do, and trade with hobgoblins frequently. They are wary of elves and halflings, whom they don't encounter often. 

The Geralliks are a passionate, proud, aggressive, and hearty people. They put much stock in honor and physical prowess, or skill in an art or craft. They believe the strongest should rule, and the humans have a simple patriarchal feudal society under the rule of one leader. They do not consider this leader royalty, and the leadership position may pass at any time to another family that proves themselves more worthy (in battle, business, or even personal charisma) than whoever rules currently. The humanoids in Gerallik are surprisingly less chaotic than their brethren elsewhere, and several large coherent factions of orcs, hobgoblins, bugbears, and giant-kin form prominent nations in the south. This region is unrivaled in shipbuilding skills and lumbering.

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Kyriss

Description:

Northernmost region of the continent; generally anything north of the Kalimar mountain range is considered Kyriss. The central portion of the Kyriss, the Doko'Lon Range
surrounding Mt Durath, is under the influence and stern rule of the Dark Lord Vladimir, and commonly called the "Death Lands" by non-Kyrissians. The land is actually quite fertile in the Shadow Plains (so called because of the shadows cast over the flat lands by the surrounding mountains during much of the day), although little widespread agriculture is present.

Culture:

Humanoids and giant-kin of every sort, dwarves, and humans populate this region. There are no cities to speak of, although myriad fortified towns and even more villages are scattered erratically all over the Kyriss. The societies here are very rough, and outsiders are viewed with suspicion. The lifestyle is doubly harsh since the vampire lord's minions roam freely about this region, carrying out their nefarious duties. While outright mass warfare is uncommon, there are always skirmishes between the races and towns of this area, and there is no centralized government of any nature, save the vampire's loose control over the people.  The outlook and nature of Kyriss folk tend to be practical and efficient rather than artistic and educated. This is a very tough place to find one's self.

Niryusk (Glacial Plains)

Description: 

A sub-region of the Kyriss, this high, frozen land is divided from the Kyriss proper by the
sheer Phalar mountain range. Mostly frozen tundra, with little foliage except shrubs, there are ice fields and frozen lakes and rivers most of the year here. The dangerous mountain chains in Niryusk are rumored to be rich in metals and gems.

Culture:

Dwarves, gnomes, giant-kin, norkers, and few humans live here in tribal bands. The frigid climate from the high altitude and dangerous glacier terrain make this a most unwelcoming region (and the wild monsters that can survive in such a place usually ensure that other beings don't). During nine months out of the year, wintery conditions make survival a chore for the hearty only. The tribes living here are barbarians of unsophisticated class. There is no government outside of the tribal pecking order.

Glacial Plains

Saraamon Baronies

Description:

These are six independent states that were once a single kingdom in the southwestern region, below Cy'Pren Forest. The territory is fertile and natural resources of all types abound.

Culture:

Humans are the dominant race here, but live in close quarters with humanoids such as bugbears, gnolls, and ogres. The six baronies have closely controlled trading pacts, and as much of the commerce of this land comes from trade with outside nations as from domestic trade with their neighbors. The laws and alignments of the baronies vary sharply across the territory, as well as social customs, magic, and technology. Enclaves of land controlled by humanoids dot the land otherwise claimed by humans (much like in Ceryth Taybor) and these sporadic "mini-kingdoms" cause no small trouble for travelers who stumble onto them.

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