Elyndel

The continent of Elyndel is a vast landmass, covering four million square miles. It consists of eight mainland nations and pair of island nations in the north.

Two key factors have contributed to a set of common cultural elements that are generally shared across most regions:

First, like other continents, Elyndel has its own group of guardian deities, whose influence can be observed throughout the entire realm.

Second, the emergence of the Old Antum Empire forged enduring connections between the continental nations that persist long after the empire's collapse. Notably, the road networks established during that time continue to serve as crucial arteries for travel and trade.

The Ancient Era

The continent of Elyndel has been home to a myriad of civilizations across countless millennia. In his work, "Song of Cycles”, the late, great poet Haemon defined five distinct ages of history:

The Golden Age

The Golden Age was a time of prosperity and magic where all living things coexisted in a harmonious balance. Life was unending and there was no hunger, pain, or death.

The Silver Age

The Silver Age began with the Great Flood. It saw the structure of seasons, and the creation of agricultural practices leading to increased labor and the necessity of shelter.

The Bronze Age

The Bronze Age was defined by scarcity and struggle. Monsters began to rise from the shadows. Nations unraveled by their own acts of violence.

The Heroic Age

The Heroic Age was a time of legendary conflict between powerful forces of divine good and evil. This era forged many of history's most significant figures.

The Iron Age

The Iron Age saw the values of honor and chivalry come into conflict with a sense of "might makes right". Lies made bad people appear to be good.

The Common Era

It remains to be seen whether the present age will exceed the previous one or plunge the continent into darkness. They say the age of heroes will never come again, but legends seem to have a way of defying expectations. When first established, the Old Antum Empire demarcated past ages as a part of “the Ancient Era” and the present age as the beginning of “the Common Era”. It is currently the 11th century of the Common Era.

The Imperial Calendar

The Imperial Calendar was originally introduced by the Old Antum Empire during the transition from the Iron Age to a new era. This calendar is divided into 12 months, each consisting of 3 tenday weeks, resulting in a total of 360 days.

Months. Midwinter, Frostheart, Dawnthaw, Rainspring, Bloomwake, Goldenstar, Midsummer, Sunharvest, Crimsonleaf, Auburnfall, Woodspark, and Snowdrift.

Days. Monoday, Duoday, Triaday, Tetraday, Pentaday, Hexday, Heptaday, Octaday, Enneday, and Decaday.

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Sapient Life

Primal races account for half the population, but they are not evenly spread and may be far more prevalent in some regions than others. The population of the north looks very different from the population in the south, while New Antum is a crossroads of nations. Colloquially, the term "primal races" applies to nonhuman folk, even in the rare cases that humans predate their existence.

Humans make up the other half of the population and can be found throughout the continent – their greatest density remains in Antum. Humans have the unique capability of procreating with most primal races, but their children have historically presented as authentically human. In recent years, a small but growing fraction of the human populace has begun to exhibit minor traits from their primal bloodlines. At present, nearly one in every hundred newborn humans presents as a half-blood even if their primal ancestry originated many generations ago.

Feudalism

Most nations have adopted some form of feudal government, though there are certainly deviations. Liege lords are responsible for maintaining the peace within their borders, and in exchange collect taxes from their vassals to fund their governance. Each nation mints its own coins and all traders readily accept gold, silver, and copper coins.

Languages

Imperial Common, spoken by most people throughout the mainland of the continent.
Sylvan, spoken by the primal races of the north (elves, leprechauns, dwarves, etc.)
Daedric, spoken by the primal races of the south (centaurs, nymphs, satyrs, etc)

Magic & Technology

Magic is drawn from a source called the Wyrd which is believed to shape reality from the raw elements of the universe.

Spellcraft is the manipulation of this force. Heaps of arcane knowledge have been lost to the ages, limiting access to formal education in the field. Though minor magic is somewhat commonplace, fully trained mages have become much more uncommon since the fall of Old Antum. Depending on the region and context, advanced magic may be feared, glorified, or regulated.

Common technologies include masonry, ironworks, windmills and waterwheels, parchment production, sailing vessels, and siege engines. Minor magic may aid or enhance certain machine work, depending on the craftsman's access. Rarer forms of magic may simulate the effects of more advanced technologies.