Bonito

A Warning

Missives could be found pinned across the areas encompassing Dobrov.

To the surge of visitors and curious eyes, our Dobrov is not a home to all, and you need not make it yours. However, you need not make it your graveyard either. Bodies have been found in our forest. It has been many years since incidents like these occurred, and so we have deemed it a cause for alarm. If it is newcomers who come in search of answers, I urge you to find them outside of our woods. And if absolutely necessary, do not enter beneath the moonlight. You will find only terrors there.

Ramasar 

Paradise of the Lost

Out in the great seas is where Ramasar waits. It remains a land of people strengthened by every peril that has come ashore, and sands that bury echoes of a bloody past.

Inhabitants

The lands of Ramasar are home to a vast swathe of people. The region is divided in two by natives, where the humans typically reside in the south and Mali’ker further north. Tensions are thick, with the dark elves heavily distrustful and wary of their southern neighbors. The presence of dwarves and Mali’thill is practically unheard of, though there remains a presence of Orcs, Mali’ame, and Kharajyr scattered across the sands.

A Mali’ker woman of the north.

Northerners

The north is a markedly Mali’ker region. Foreigners are not rare, for the northern culture attracts all manner of eyes. The north is home to the island’s most diverse climates, which in turn leads to a varied people. Some of the native elves choose to settle along the borders of the volcanic mountains close to the realm’s center, while others reside far northwest in the murky bogs. Regardless of where they call home, the northerners are a proud people, united in faith. It is also this unity that makes them distrustful of outsiders, for history has shown them to be dangerous.

A scout for the Southern Dahaanir Province.

Southerners

This region is defined by humanity, the most common denominator being the farfolk. Dark skin is prevalent, and within certain territories, pale people are deemed a curiosity. It was, after all,  the R’thorian pilgrimage that marked their first notable presence. Towns and kingdoms litter the heart and shorelines of Ramasar, while the grandest of these states remains Mihyaar, a bustling pillar of trade situated next to the Havahn river. Southerners are known to be lucrative and fierce; living brief and harsh lives, they know well to make the best of it.

Wildlife

Stilt Striders populate the north, used as a mode of transportation for the Mali’ker treading the region. Passive beasts, whose eggs make for a great omelet. They tower over descendants at fifteen to twenty meters, though it does not hinder the bond their tamers forge with them.

Hornheads serve great cultural significance for the warrior oriented settlements in the south, as young boys are often sent to hunt these creatures as a test of strength. They are troublesome beasts, known to accidentally wander into villages and kill livestock during migrational periods for their herds.

Shriekers are scattered all across Ramasar, dangerous hounds that can stalk their prey for weeks before making a move. The females are easily identifiable by the pups that cling to their backs, making for a haunting sight while also serving as the tall tale northerners spread: that these are actually descendant babes snatched from their cribs for bad behavior, raised to become shriekers.

Ghrendals have been spotted on rare occasions to the south, but they primarily inhabit the volcanic region closer to the north. They are often tamed by the ashlanders who live on the borders, with these creatures impressively adept at scaling sharp inclines and uneven stone.

There persists a curiosity, a remnant of the Founders, of unusual beasts; Creatures born under unique circumstances that roam the sands. They carry no one specific name, but they are unique to Ramasar, often the source of many tales and myths.

The Lands

Kruhso, a Mali’ker town on the border of the swamps.

If the climate of Ramasar were to be described in a single word, it would be dry. The far south consists mostly of desert with the rare fields here and there, while the north is home to the land’s infamous volcanoes. The most humid area would be the swamps northwest, though they are far from cozy to newcomers.

The streets of Mihyaar.

Mihyaar is the unofficial capital of the south, a city rich with history and curiosities, this was the seat of humanity’s power, even after it was first toppled during the R’thor conflict.  It is the home of many merchants, both foreign and domestic, and houses one of the largest institutes of learning on the island; established by survivors of Baal-Hazor.

Deep in the flaming mountain range.

The middle of the island is marked by a collection of volcanoes. It is highly inhospitable, yet small bands of northerners do so anyway, nomadic encampments that run along the borders. This region is said to be the most unexplored, housing the most valued riches yet to be found.

An anomaly somewhere in the south.

Given the general term of anomalies, these locations are in line with the beasts of a similar nature; particular areas and structures owed to the Founders of an age long past, they are the source of many treasured relics, as well as vital information that allowed the early settlers to flourish. The largest anomaly, some say, is the island itself, for no cartographer has ever been able to ascertain Ramasar’s location. Many say it appears only to returning natives and before those who are lost, as it did for the aimless sailors who first stumbled upon the island so long ago. Throughout history, there are different counts of a distant island that, when described, much resembles Ramasar. These same counts also note the island having vanished not long after, as if a dream.

History

First Era

Ramasar began far before the arrival of descendants, when others claimed this place their home. In the present, they are given many names, known simply as the Founders in common. They were a highly advanced society, deeply engrossed in the study of glimmer points. It had long been a goal to tame and control them, but instead, the Founders vanished overnight. None know how or why, with many varying theories on their fate, but Ramasar’s prehistory traces itself to the relics and structures that were found by the early descendant settlers. Even today, there are ruins still unearthed with incomprehensible knowledge.

Second Era

The modern beginnings of Ramasar lay in the sea. In what can be deemed its earliest history, when records were sparse, it is said a band of sailors washed up on sandy shores. Lost in the desert, they soon became entranced by a river, and after days of travel, they reached a great pyramid, today known as Osavva. This was the beginning of Gilead, today known as Mihyaar. A group of navigators shipwrecked several months after and, upon reaching the same pyramid, helped these sailors establish a home. In the far north, bands of Mali’ker wash up as well, though they never reach Osavva. Instead, they discover another oddity: an obelisk, known to them as Zan Athlar. This was a time when resources were scarce, and death from heat stroke, dehydration, or starvation was common. 

Third Era

Marking the start of this era is the discovery of the first ruin belonging to the Founders by a Seyami explorer. By then, a decent foothold had been secured in several regions, and many more drifting souls had found Ramasar -- none by choice. The uncovering of the founders’ remnants revealed forgotten pieces of knowledge. This newfound information thrust the denizens of Ramasar into a frantic delve for the sands, and this period is noteworthy for uniting the northern and southern fragments of settlers. None prospered more from this knowledge than the people of Gilead. It was the start to many of their noble families, some of which still exist today, and overwhelming wealth, but these discoveries brought with them rising tensions; indecisiveness over who was privy to this sacred information lead to many disputes. 

Fourth Era

Strife began to break out across Ramasar, gradual at first. Lords of Gilead ventured into distant towns and villages, brokering alliances with outsiders to raid their enemies. The arrival of the exiles from R’thor only made matters worse, as their spread of conflicting faith and knowledge brought on further bloodshed. This era is significant for the eradication of many significant families across the island, the destruction of Gilead, and the beginning of Mali’ker resentment towards their southern neighbors. 

Fifth Era

War begins to subside as the territories are gradually brought under one banner, that of a R’thorian, and the northerners distance themselves from a markedly meaningless fight for a cause that was no longer theirs. To this day, the centermost region of Ramasar is volatile and dangerous, populated by small camps and outposts that still thrive on the conflict. This brief period is the only recorded instance where all of the south was amassed under one conglomerate, which heralded a syncretism between the island’s many cultures. Gilead is rebuilt as Mihyaar, and becomes the capital of the south. 

Sixth Era

Some generations after the death of the beloved R’thorian Emperor, animosity once more begins to resurface. In an effort to quell another potential war, some territories are granted their independence. By this point, the northerners had rebuilt and were flourishing, leading small bands of farfolk to migrate. The strength of the south is no longer what it was, and unease fills the future of Ramasar. Many natives set off, seeking to make a name for themselves and spread their glory before war takes another hold.

Purpose