I have spoken of some of the places within Ethecorra, trusting you to imagine where they lie. This, however, may be a better way of telling you the stories of this planet. For Ethecorra is a beautiful world.
Montarvia, the continent you can see above, lies in the northern hemisphere of the planet. From the snowy peaks of the Vaelspire Mountains that dominate the central landscape, to the mist-drenched coastal waters of Velastra in the east, its landscape varies as much as its people. Endurance in the north, along Winterglass Bay, is about enduring the coldness that the depth of winter brings. Yet in the south, far beyond the forested border, Stygian is a land that is, to humens, full of mystery and danger. It’s not a place of endurance, but of avoidance. However, for the Bloodbound that call it home, the humid and warm conditions nearly year round is a simple pleasure in an eternal life. The savanna grasslands of Southfell give way to desert, and rivers flow from Blackburn Mountain right into the Lucent Gulf.
Desert spans much of Vitrum, and yet life endures- animals continue to thrive in the heat and dust. The northern reaches, where Vitrum becomes Albenton and beyond, runs from grassland to forest. The islands around Winterglass Bay, at the very northern tips, give way to marsh and wetlands. The broken islands of Shattered Bay in the west are not to be traversed lightly- ancient magic lingers there, far older than any civilization that now stands.
The ancient trees of Silva Folium Forest are a sight to behold, especially as Blackburn Mountains rise to the north-east of it, though most humens will only ever glimpse the trees from afar. I’ve often heard the howls echo through the canopy, and many know the old tales that speak of unnaturally large creatures that stalk the forest floor. Within this ancient forest, the Leyweave still hums; one of the only places magic exists in Montarvia.
No one wishes to be caught within that forest after nightfall. The humen Council forbid access, day or night, but should you choose to enter then you do so at your own peril. For they say that only one may enter freely of the forest and to pass through safely, permission should be granted from that individual.
I have stood at the edge of this forest, and felt the weight of the magic that surrounds it. One hundred miles in any direction, stretching over six hundred miles from coast to coast. It truly is a sight to behold, and I can almost understand why humens fear it so. I have felt the age of the trees, and the anguish they have witnessed. I have caught glimpses of the creatures who roam through those woods- and truly, they are better left as the figures of legend and myth.
I have seen the one who grants permission; even from them, I keep a respectable distance.
Yes, Montarvia is a place of wonder and beauty. It’s a place of danger and caution. Its geographical landscape is as fraught as its political and spiritual landscape. Yet, I cannot help but be in awe of it; of the resilience of its people, the adaptability of its animals…but most of all, I’m in awe of the beauty of it.
~ Nerien.