Country: The Nevarand Wasteland (formerly the Nevarand Empire)
Landmass: Large
General Climate: Arid desert
Estimated Population: 95,000
-Human: Common
-Dwarf: None
-Centaur: None
-Half Orc: Rare
-Gnome: None
-Goblinoid: Rare
-Harpy: Rare
-Giant: Rare
-Minotaur: Rare
Type of Government: Military control with obeisance to their corresponding countries in non-Neverand invaded areas; loose city-state magiocracy or anarchy in hidden, Neverand remnant areas.
Current Ruler: None (formerly Emperor Eliran Desai)
Economy: Mining (gold, copper, crystal, salt), farming, trading, slavery
Known Enemies: Sandaria Waste, Oprys, Dodira, Erema, Valune, Typhon
Common Language: High Nevarandi (rare, formal language of Nevarand wizards, nobility, and royalty), Sandspeech (uncommon, informal trade language of all Nevarandi and their slaves), Tobias (common)
Capital City: None (formerly Maajiraja)
History: The Nevarand Empire was once a powerful empire and magiogracy ruled by a long succession of dynasties. The Empire was founded by Archmage Solidh Nevarand of the Nevarand dynasty. Emperor Solidh Nevarand appointed provincial governors and lords throughout the desert. Within 480 years, the rest of the continental desert was conquered up to the reaches of the Sandaria Waste. Local kingdoms, city-states, and warlords were conquered and brought into the fold of the Empire. The Empire was known for its magical power and development, but also for its aggression and hunger for power.
The latest emperor was Eliran Desai. He participated in the most profane magical experiment throughout the history of the Empire: the forced ascension of the Nevarand wizards into the celestial realms, which would grant them immortality and untold power.
Before its fruition, many of the most talented mages from throughout Thesilliar combined forces, teleported to the site of the ascension ritual, and destroyed it. Emperor Desai and the participants were all assassinated, and the experiment was turned into a weapon of genocide. The ritual annihilated Maajiraja, the capitol city, and left a seemingly bottomless pit where the city once stood. For miles and miles, the sands around the former capitol were stained blood-red by an unknown force, and the Empire was thrown into disarray. Almost all of the Nevarandi and their slaves were killed in the ensuing curse upon the land. The remaining Nevarand are wizards with varying power and number in the dozens, their slaves in the hundreds.
The curse reduced the once-powerful desert empire into a nearly lifeless wasteland. The Imperial remnants have either collected together as hidden city-states, or banded into gangs of raiders.
Sandaria Waste, Oprys, Dodira, and Erema have installed invasion forces into the land to hunt down surviving Nevarandi and to raze their settlements.
Because of the cruelty of the people and the possible threat they still hold for turning the curse and restoring the Empire, a high bounty is placed on each Nevarand captured or slain. Captured or slain nobles and high-ranking prelates of the Nevarandi are rewarded with a higher bounty... these bounties may be collected with the invading countries.
Culture: The harsh land of the once magnificent desert Empire has colored the view of the Nevarandi. They believe magic to be the most pure creation in the multiverse, and this is the power that drives and controls. The Nevarandi are graceful, exotic, stoic and cruel humans. All non-humans are enslaved non-citizens. Every citizen born is trained in the lore of magic, and the talent shows itself at puberty. However, any citizen found without magical talent is seen as an abomination to magic, and is slain. Likewise, slaves found with magical talent are slain, as the Nevarandi view that magic belongs only in the hands of the pure: humans.
Notes:
The whereabouts of the remnant city-states are unknown bastions of Nevarandi wizards and their slaves. Their power is unknown, but invaders seek them out day and night.
Some abandoned cities and towns remain, but none know what they dangers and wonders they contain.
Nevarandi that did not join city-states created bands of raiders to prey upon patrols and foreign-occupied areas.
Some Nevarandi opt to live alone.
The death of Emperor Desai and all of his ritual participants have been confirmed.
Notable Locations:
- Maajiraja Crater: Before you arrive at the crater itself, the coarse sand is notably red, and stretches on to the horizon. The crater itself is miles wide, and emits negative energy that slowly causes explorers to waste away. The crater seems to be bottomless. This place was once the location of Maajiraja, capitol city of the former Nevarand Empire.
- Sekhefar: The curse of the Nevarand has affected this ghost city in a strange way. Any doorway or window entered leads you to another part of the city. You could step into a door on the street and step out of a bedroom window several stories high. Wizards from invading forts are researching this phenomenon, as they suspect that a specific doorway or combination thereof may lead them to a secret place, perhaps to a hidden pack of Nevarandi.
- Inkannat: The city is strangely in complete ruins, except for a pool of pure water near the river. The water of this pool is normal water and can be safely ingested. However, when gazed upon for long, the gazer's reflection sometimes changes into a creature or person from the gazer's last dream or nightmare, coalesces, and enters the city. The aberration looks and acts exactly as it does in the dream, but degrades into nothing within a few minutes. The mental degradation causes them to act unpredictably.
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Town Name: Batau
Landmass: Nevarand Wastland
General Climate: Desert
Denizens: None
Type of Government: Anarchy
Common Language: None
History: Before the fall of the Nevarandi Empire, Batau was a quiet town that enjoyed the benefits of a natural well. The Nevarandi built a shrine to Onet over the well. Travelers treated the town as an oasis in the desert, and the citizens used the water to grow farms, gardens, and even a small orchard. However, shortly before the Empire's destruction, the town's well completely dried up. The denizens abandoned the town and never returned... the only water left in the town is a large puddle of stagnant water that was once the pristine pool in the lord's manor.
Notes: No living thing remains in Batau. The buildings are in relatively good condition and a few goods still stand in the town's bazaar. Almost everything of value was taken with the denizens, but a few non-magical weapons, clothes, and other common objects are still scattered about. Colorful frescoes designed from colored sand still adorn the walls of the manor - they were built into the walls - otherwise, nothing remains in the manor itself. The abandoned town serves well against the elements, and will shield travelers from sandstorms, wind, and some of the heat. However, Batau is a deadly place to live; there is no water left, as the well has completely dried. All of the crops have long since perished, and no traces of trees remain.
The jars all contain dust, sand, or trash.
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Village Name: Filat, meaning "The Gods Protect"
Landmass: Onchet, at the Standing Cliffs north of Shardia
General Climate: Mountain, tundra / taiga
Denizens: All human, belonging to a dying tribe known as the Olegmir
Type of Government: Tribe, with single chieftain and no council. The Chieftain is Rurik, who dwells with the tribal folk near the ever-burning fire at the center of the village. The elder is Yermolai, an eccentric, very old shaman living alone above the village. The various other hundred denizens are hunters, masons, scavengers, tanners, and various other simple tradesmen.
Common Language: Westdorf
History: The Olegmir used to be more prolific. They were spread throughout the mountains north of Shardia and all throughout the mountains north in Desia. They were highly territorial, and often attacked anyone who ventured too far into the mountains. However, they respected strength and endurance; anyone, man or woman, who could best one of their tribesmen over the dangerous, rocky terrain could join their tribe. This was difficult, as the Olegmir attacked with ranged weapons such as javelins or spears, and the tribesmen could move very quickly through the mountains. However, as time passed and civilizations encroached on their lands, they were pushed back until only a few settlements remained in Onchet and Desia. The Olegmir have since calmed their aggression into simple caution.
Notes: - This village is situated at an elevation close to 9,000 ft. The air is breathable, but inconvenient for those not used to high altitudes.
- The hunters of Filat are highly skilled in the ways of traveling over mountainous terrain. They are highly dexterous and resistant to the biting cold, and can free-climb the icy Standing Cliffs, seemingly without effort. Athletes from near and far travel to this village to learn their dangerous mountain-climbing skills. This specific training can take a few months, is highly dangerous, and often ends with the trainee falling to his or her death.
- The villagers are generally cautious of outsiders, but will teach their skills to those who trade weapons, food, equipment, ropes, or furs. They will not accept money or gemstones, as they will only barter in practical goods.
- The villagers will also teach the art of survival in freezing conditions. This includes basic herbal medicine of the local area. This training can take 3 - 4 months to complete.
- Rurik will no longer accept new members into the tribe from outsiders.
- Yermolai acts strangely and unpredictably. He will trade and deal with those who have the gift of magic. Sometimes he will try to set his hut on fire. He also may disappear for days at a time, and return with unusual and fantastical stories of his journeys (which no one believes).
Subject: Suggest! Places 
Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:38 pm
