Cosmology

The cosmos is made up of a large number of complex celestial dimensions, interwoven realities that, together, form the whole of the known and unknown universe. Each dimension is unique, made up of their own natural laws that govern them, though many share similiar traits and qualities. All dimensions within the cosmos are accessible to each in some manner, whether directly or through flaws in the very fabric of the universe itself, which can allow for instantaneous travel between them - though for most, travel is long and arduous and many many adventures and hardships suffered before the journey complete.

At the very heart of the universe is the material dimension, where planets circle great suns and cluster together to form solar systems and galaxies and are spread across the vast reaches of space. Arrasia is found circling the sun at the very center of the material dimension. Surrounding and consuming the material dimension are the elemental dimensions of earth, fire, water and air - strange and harsh worlds filled only with their base element and only creatures that are able to survive there. Where they overlap - especially in the material dimension, which they help form - the elements clash and vie with one another for dominace, whipping up great storms and erruptions. Touching these are the ethereal and shadow dimensions - both bizarre unrealities which have no physical presence, but are rather worlds of the spirits and shadows. These planes dimensions connect much of the universe and are the principle ways that travel is possible from one dimension to another. The shadow dimension is also how the spirits of the dead travel to their final resting place.

The final dimensions are at the very furthest reaches of the cosmos and are where the Aslah themselves live. Once, when the universe was new, all the dimensions were one, called Damarkan, and all the Aslah lived there. But war and jealousy have seen the lands of Damarkan sundered from one another and now there are several dimensions, each distinct and goverened by their own laws. To each of the Aslah is given their own distinct area to govern, and though they may share a common dimension (for example, they are located on Damarkan or Herophet), they are nonetheless each distinct and unique and are considered dimensions in their own right.

Urd, the Great Gate of Many, is one of the strangest dimensions, being a seemingly an enormous tree of unknown, or perhaps endless, size that connects all of the dimensions. The protals are ever-shifting and only the denizens of Urd seem to know where a portal points at any given time. Urd was created by Shylar so that she could secretly travel the cosmos and filled it with her minions, though it has since become home to many ferocious beasts, both good and bad.

During the first sundering of Damarkan, which saw it split from the fiery hell of Gort's Herophet, Themex caused a great rift in the form of a river, which travelled through space and time and connected Herophet to Damarkan. This river was called the River Mothex and Themex gave his greatest servant, Oida, charge of it, to ferry those that wanted to travel between the two dimensions. With each sundering of the dimensions, a new shoot of the river would be created to link it with all the others and The River Mothex now connects each and every dimension with it's silvery thread and Oida and his servants ferry those who wish to travel along it. There is, of course, a price for such a journey, though the price is not always what might be expected. The River Mothex is a stange place, where water steams and becomes lava or shifting sand and sometimes seems to travel through the very reaches of the cosmos itself.

Outlined below are all the known dimensions, their general traits, and those that govern them, if any.

Material Dimension: At the heart of all creation sits the Material Dimension and at the heart of the Material Dimension sits the sun around which Arrasia orbits. It is in the Material Dimension that all aspects of the building blocks of the cosmos - Air, Earth, Fire, and Water - come together in equal measure and where all of the aspects of the cosmos can be found in some measure. Here they vie amongst themselves in a constant and never-ending battle for dominion. Although much of the Material Dimension is a great void, filled with rock and dust, Arrasia overflows with life, for it has become the garden of the Aslah themselves, where their creations dwell and evolve. For all but a tiny number of those that live there, Arrasia will be all they ever know.

Elemental Dimension of Air: A vital source and building block of the structure of the cosmos, the Elemental Dimension of Air is the source from which all air flows. Like all the elemental dimensions, it is an extreme place where only the hardiest can survive. Lashed by violent winds that whip through it at amazing speeds and great storms that last for hundreds of years, only those well adapted to such conditions can survive there. The air crackles with lightning and swirls in a wild and uncontrollable manner.

Elemental Dimension of Earth: An essential ingredient of the substance of creation, the Elemental Dimension of Earth is the source of all solid materials that are scattered throughout the cosmos. Rock, precious stone, gems, metal; all are offspring from the Elemental Dimension of Earth. A solid dimension, constructed of mud, rock, metal, glass and all manner of materials, the Elemental Plane of Earth shifts endlessly, causing the ground to shake and rumble in a deafening roar, forming vast networks of caves and tunnels on an almost unimaginable scale.

Elemental Dimension of Fire: One of the building blocks of the cosmos, the Elemental Dimension of Fire is the source of all fire. The Elemental Dimension of Fire is a hazardous and violent place, consumed with boiling magma, raging fires that have burnt since the beginning of time, and fireballs that shoot endlessly through the raging flames. It is home only to those that are capable of existing in such extremes.

Elemental Dimension of Water: One of the four building blocks of the cosmos, the Elemental Diemension of Water is the source and wellspring of all the seas, rivers, lakes and other sources of water that can be found almost everywhere. It is a place almost entirely filled with water, with raging currents and torrid underwater swells - a violent and unforgiving place which varies between being pitched in darkness or filled with light, with temperatures that range from freezing to boiling. In its dark depths lurk all manner of beasts, both savage and noble, that call this place home.

Ethereal Dimension: Co-existing with all the other dimensions, it sits around them like an envelope which cannot be seen except by extraordinary means. Those that travel or live in this dimension have no physical form and are invisible to those that dwell in the other dimensions, though they themselves can see into all the other dimensions except one, the Dimension of Shadow. It is a murky place where sound is dull and the shadows flicker in the corner of the eye; a stretched dimension where strange creatures live and pass through, where they share the same space and time as those in other dimensions, yet go unnoticed and unlooked for. The Ethereal Dimension is the most common route used to travel through the cosmos, though only powerful magic or rifts in the universe allow access to it.

Dimension of Shadow: Like the Ethereal Dimension, the Dimension of Shadow also exists and interacts with all the other dimensions, but is also invisible to them. Unlike the Ethereal Dimension, only the creatures of shadow may pass there - usuall the spirits of the dead. It is a strange and bleak world, a spatial dimension through which shadow and creatures of the night pass freely into and out of the other dimensions, including the Ethereal Dimension. As the name suggest, it is a dim world where blurred and indistinct shapes flicker and fade into and out of prominence. All other dimenions are visible to those traveling through the Dimension of Shadow, though it is indistinct, colorless, dim and shadowy. Those in the other dimensions cannot see into the Dimension of Shadow without magical means. It is also the dimension through which the spirits of the dead return to the Halls of the Dead or where those spirits travel when recalled from that place. It is not a place for the feint of heart.

River Mothex: A seemingly endless river that traverses the cosmos, linking all the known dimensions. The River Mothex was created by the Aslah Themex when Herophet was sundered from Damarkan. Oida was given the job of ferrying those that wanted passage across it, though price is not always obvious or immediately demanded, but must always be paid at the choosing of Oida. His own minions now also act as ferrymen. The river takes on many forms throughout the long course of its journey, fast furious to slow and meandering, glorious water to lava, dust, sand and all manner of other worldly substances. It is ever-changing along it's route, though the ferrymen always know how to navigate it. Towers line the banks of the river. Once they were filled with the servants of Themex, but now are home to many dark and foul creatures. The River Mothex is wild and dangerous and why most prefer to travel through the Ethereal Dimension.

Urd, the Great Gate of Many: Urd is a dimension created by Shylar to connect the cosmos and comes in the guise of a great tree - one so big, that whole races co-exist upon the brances, which seems as themselves great forests and fields. At the end of many of the branches are portals, each linked to different dimensions. These portals are ever-changing and no one is ever the same from one usage to the next. The world is full of strange denizens - including the squirrel and badger folk who are at constant war with one another. Both know the tree of Urd intimately and both seem to have an innate understanding of where each portal leads, no matter how often they change. It is a place filled with power enemies, including many dragons.

The Dimensions of Damarkan
Canath: Colossal mountain peaks reach into the sky and overlook the rocky plains below, where small pools of water form oases, with grass and trees and beautiful plants, amongst an otherwise barren landscape. The sky is always gray and heavy with swollen cloud, which often pounds the land with fist-sized hail or violent showers. This is the home of Kavak and is populated with a large number of dwarves and other earthen creatures. Kavak himself lives in the great citadel of Gank, which is built into the side of the mountain and runs deep into the rock, where forges constantly ring to the sound of metal being pounded, or to the ringing of steel on stone as they mine the monumental seams of gold and mithral.

Nuoria: Very much like Canath, Nuoria is dominated by vast mountain ranges that extend into the gray, swollen skies. Nuoria, however, is more pleasant, with greener plains, more trees and life, amidst which can be found Graxber in the Golden Hall of Respite, where he drinks and feasts. Heavy rains periodically fall from above and sweep across the exposed rock, forming raging rivers which flood down the mountains and cascade over the ledges in violent waterfalls, and sometimes massive hail stones crash down in a deafening roar, driving into and splintering the rock.

Karrabo: A complex of worked tunnels and caverns, Karrabo is beguiling to those who do not know it. What seems like hundreds of miles of tunnels carved out of the rock crisscross in an endless and incomprehensible web, interspersed with immense chambers of incredible beauty - with columns so vast that they disappear into the darkness above, with walls carved in bas relief of magnificent complexity. And all the while, echoing endlessly through the chambers in a mad and confusing cacophony is the ringing of the smithies pounding their anvils. At the very heart of Karrabo, in the Chamber of Dendennedor, can usually be found Grism, who sits in a great stone throne carved out of the very rock.

Thoran: The home of Fandor, the greatest of the Aslah of Damarkan, Thoran is a green and lush plane, with rolling hills, copses, gentle streams and blue skies. In the distance, as a hazy backdrop, the icy peaks of a mountain range can be glimpsed, but whose distance and perspective remain fixed on the horizon. In Thoran, there is no sun, though the skies are blue and the days bright, and the night falls quickly - it would be pitch but for the light of the stars which twinkle above. Here, there is always a feeling of serenity and tranquility. Dwellings are scattered around, where the denizens of Thoran live. At the heart of Thoran stands Arathas Castle, which shines like gold in the sun, and sits atop the tallest hill so that it can be seen from anywhere. This is the home of Fandor, a fantastic vision of vast towers, topped with coned roofs, atop which billow long flags.

Idor: In Idor, nothing is ever as it seems as it constantly shifts and transforms itself. The sky above is a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, caught in a perpetual state of flux. Rain falls from the sky without warning and great streaks of forked lightning constantly erupt all around. The soft, rubbery ground ripples and sways underfoot, morphing into new shapes at will - strange, dune-like hills appear and disappear without warning. Geysers of colored steam burst randomly from the ground and lakes and streams boil, but are icy cold, or freeze over yet are hot. The land is also dotted with enormous towers and the small encampments of those that dwell here.

Dennedain: Filled with intense bright white light, Dennedain is almost lost in its own brilliance. Both painful and serene, nothing seems to blemish the constant perfection that reveals itself to the senses, which are overwhelmed, but always greedy for more. Dennedain is a place where the forces of good are overwhelming and where peace and harmony fill the hearts of those that dwell here. And in this bright void, floating on the constant and refreshing breeze, are the great sailed monasteries and dwellings of those who live here. In a small and modest dwelling, that endlessly sails the winds of time, lives Jeyru, a powerful angel and minion of Fandor.

Eiyat: The endless Sea of Eiyat laps gently under the baking suns that warm even its greatest depths. The furthest reaches are filled with rays of light, which push away the darkness and fill the water with prismatic and dazzling displays. Enormous shoals of fish swim endlessly and dolphins skim the surface. The Sea of Eiyat teams with abundant life, with sprawling coral reefs and flamboyant and extravagant fish life. Along the bottom can be found the homes of those that live here, living amongst the seaweed and sea grasses, or in the giant coral, which they have carved out into water filled chambers and halls, and where some have constructed underwater buildings - elaborate and eclectic affairs built out of the most commonly found materials. It is also home to Azerond.

Irianya: In Irianya, nothing is certain and all perceived wisdom and accepted truth hold no bearing. Irianya is a maze of halls and rooms, without rhyme or reason. Vast ornate halls filled with but a single table and chair; miniature rooms with miniature doors and miniature furniture; small rooms packed tight with stacked furniture; rooms with trees; rooms with nothing in them at all; stairs leading to rooms where the floor falls away into the darkness; room after incomprehensible room. Gravity is never the same and the rooms reflect this; the floor suddenly becomes the ceiling, sending those upon it crashing down to the floor. Other rooms have no gravity at all. Here, all knowledge is challenged and only inner enlightenment offers sanctity away from the overwhelming chaos that is all pervading. Living here amid the chaos, the denizens have made their homes in the halls and chambers, according to their needs. Mostly they are simple affairs - ranging from a collection of foraged items, to bizarre, three-dimensional mazes, constructed out of an array of materials.

Tharaq Am: A bewildering web of rotating tube-like corridors connects spinning spherical rooms. The corridors, which flicker and shimmer in an array of kaleidoscopic color, are filled with doors and holes, which match with different points of exit as they endlessly spin and shift. There is no gravity here - no up or down - and the corridors run in all directions, filled with strange, floating debris of weird and unknown materials, which bang and knock against each other and the walls, sometimes disappearing into a new corridor, which suddenly reveals itself. All of the rooms are spherical and all spin, revealing yet more corridors, which lead to more rooms, each of which is a riot of color, which ripple and swirl when touched.

The chambers come in all sizes and contain an assortment of bizarre dwellings; ramshackle, eclectic collections of flotsam and jetsam that are held in place in the center of the chamber by taught steel rope, or a honeycomb-like labyrinth which fills the room and move as one. Some chambers are so large that great cities float on discs, rippling with color and energy. At the very heart of Tharaq Am floats a silvery ball, with millions of flat, sparkling edges, each of which contains motionless water. This is the Mirror of the Divine Eye, which is said to be all seeing and knowing for those with the power to control it. Tharaq Am is also the home of Concei-Japur.

Cerador: Rough cut, square stone archways, with dry and dusty paths, form pergolas that twist and wind their way like splayed fingers reaching into the vacuum of space. The path sometimes splits into two, forming a new arched route, or merges with another, and each seems to spiral endlessly into infinity. A sparse, vine-like plant, creeping from arch to arch, the leaves yellow-green and heavy with bunches of yellow, red and white hanging fruit, form a sparse roof. Along the way, where the covered paths meet as crossroads, sunken gardens, with rough cut stairs leading down to them, are each filled with a single ornate archway, between which shimmers a silver field of energy. These portals transport those that pass through them to random places within Cerador.

Some of the winding paths end in magnificent stone doors, which open onto many different worlds - wild rocky fens, filled with the thunder of horses rushing by; a great ocean, its seas wracked by violent winds; a land of fire and scolding, molten rock; freezing plains, so cold that flesh rots and withers; great voids of empty, timeless space; cities, filled with the hustle of activity; battlefields with scenes of chaotic melee, the ground strewn with the bodies of the dead; and countless more besides. Each of these represents a part of the tale of Uther, who dwells in a fabulous wooden longhouse in one such world. It is a place where his memories and experiences have been captured and contained and each is a magnificent world unto itself. At the very heart of Cerador, set in a sunken garden where many paths of the endless pergola meet, rests an exquisitely carved and ornately decorated sarcophagus that contains the body of Adria. The top of the sarcophagus is protected by a powerful magic which prevents anyone from reaching into it, but allows those that come here to stare upon her still and beautiful features, for she lies here in a state of perpetual sleep.

Cerawaru: A living, breathing organic world, the very substance of Cerawaru is alive and the constant and dull drone of what sounds like a heart beat echoes through the coiling chaos of arteries and chambers. The walls are sometimes thick and covered in a deep, corrosive slime, but sometimes thin, like a light film through which can be seen the silhouettes of billowing and writhing tentacles. A shallow, frothy stream of thick water covers most of the floor, and unattractive, misshapen bumps pulsate and ooze. Long, sticky follicles wriggle and dance and, occasionally, water rushes through the tunnel at great pace, consuming and washing away everything in its path. Cerawaru is a land of the hunter and the hunted, the stalker and the stalked, where wild and savage hunts are common. This is also the home of Nendagon, whose horn - the Horn of Hjomm - can sometimes be heard echoing through this strange world as he joins one of the hunts.

Garut: A bizarre water world, where enormous floating leaves and flowers provide homes for the surface dwelling denizens of Garut. In some places, the water is ankle deep, before suddenly plunging hundreds or even thousands of feet into the cold and dark depths below, which are home to all manner of life. On the surface, over-sized plants grow, sometimes forming floating platforms, interspersed with giant flowers, or jungles of dense and tough, tangled plants, where the atmosphere is heavy and the light dim. Many of those that live in Garut have made ships and boats for themselves out of the strange foliage or bark and make their way across the seas of Garut, following what appear to be entirely random winds and currents. This is also the home of Wesdan, who has long served Uther.

Amorria: A land of ragged, undulating, rocky hills, with a thick swirling mist which sits in the valleys and clings to the land, making underfoot treacherous, Amorria is both alien and recognizable at once. The land seems permanently covered in a white frost and the air is bitterly cold. Strange green-blue and purple lichen cover many of the rocks, its hairy follicles shifting and twitching and freezing further the air around it. Huge fungi trees sprout from the ground in fantastic and bizarre shapes, sometimes even forming large, alien forests, where the air is dense with spores and a thick, bright mist clings to the ground. Occasionally, an impenetrable and poisonous fog consumes the land. Amorria is the home to Gorazyn.

Golgoria: Once a place of beauty and serenity, Golgoria is now filled with sorrow and shadow. The ostentatious palace that was once home to Desdemar now houses the spirits of the dead, where they reside after their mortal bodies have withered away. This great palace is now called the Halls of the Dead and it is maintained by the Keeper of the Dead and his minions. The grass and flowers have long since withered away and in their place is a shadowy and dim world, where every rock and crack seems to flicker with indistinct possibility. Only the dead dwell here. The Keeper of the Dead is presently Pith, who can sometimes be found here.

Syrat: A great winding river, which intersects with the River Mothex, Syrat looks almost exactly like the Syramassa River in Arrasia, but lacks banks or any land, other than the occasional island. The river flows from no point of origin to no point of exit, yet its flow is perpetual. In some places, the river smashes angrily through razor sharp rocks, in others, the flow is gentle and the waters calm, while in yet others, a fine, impenetrable, layer of swirling mist sits eerily on the water's surface. To look away from the river is to look into infinity, as if the river itself is caught upon the currents of time. Great reeds and other underwater flora can be seen, waving this way and that in the underwater currents, while fish and other creatures constantly swim up and down the river's length. Here can be found Crayver, when he is not in the Syramassa River itself.

Tergor: A baking, dusty desert, the land cracked and barren, the sun beating down upon it, everyday Tergor transforms itself into a rich, fertile land, when it comes to life and the desert replaced with plenty, until it withers and dies and the desert returns, only for the cycle to continue in perpetuity. First the rains come and the baked lands turns to mud. Then come the saplings and first signs of growth and soon a once barren world is filled with lush fields of golden rapeseed, corn, and wheat and all manner of food. During this brief time, the denizens of Tergor come out from their homes and harvest, until the sun bakes the soil and everything dies and returns to desert. Tergor is also the home of Aruthane.

Aivas: An ever-changing world, where uncertainty and deception dominate and challenge the senses. Nothing is ever the same in Aivas - a world of shifting patterns and endless permutations that unnerve even the most assured. Only the dim light and heavy oppression remain constant - nothing here is sharp, but always blurred, hazy and indistinct. To cast your eyes upon Aivas is to discover a world unique to yourself, for no one sees the same as anyone else. Here, constants are unique to those viewing them, and the form of the world shifts endlessly, assaulting the senses and beguiling the mind. Great overbearing forests, with the glow of eyes peering out of the darkness, become the hall of a large and dim building, which opens up out onto a mountain eerie, which becomes a dark balcony overlooking a plague-ridden city. The permutations are limitless and the change unrelenting. This is the home of Pith, the Keeper of the Dead, where life and death merge into the nightmare that is Aivas.

Denezasax: A vast, fetid swamp, filled with swarms of flies and blood-sucking pests and where the air is filled with the stench of endless rotting and decay. Denezasax is the great swamp of Damarkan that Zidodd thought perfect for her home and from where she has ruled over the lizardfolk ever since. In some places, the swamp is dense with sunken trees and vegetation, while elsewhere great reeds form an endless sea of green or great rivers weave their way through islands of boggy land. The atmosphere is humid and the sun bright, beating down upon the fetid waters of Denezasax.

Ornefernen: Lush and fertile, Ornefernen is a land of rolling hills and gentle streams and lakes, filled with wild orchards that are ever ripe with juicy fruit and bushes covered in swollen berries. Animals scuttle around with their young in tow and birds fill the trees with their nests, with the sounds of their chicks ever present. Ornefernen is a pleasant land, filled with contentment. Villas with blood red tiles are dotted around, with chickens, goats and other such animals milling around. In an organic, almost woven nest-like structure at the very heart of Ornefernen, lives Omuz.

Egnarat: A ragged, barren rock, floating amidst a hazy void, upon which is built a sprawling city carved out of the very rock itself. Ornate towers emerge from a maze of narrow streets and alleys and reach into the sky, their height contradicting their apparent frailty. Lightning explodes around the tops of the towers, around which a strange and eerie light constantly crackles and glows. The narrow streets below are filled with the denizens of Egnarat - some are strange, alien and outlandish, while others akin to those that dwell in other dimensions, for in Egnarat, everyone is equal, though they do not always live easily together. Stone bridges span the fast flowing, dirty rivers, which pulsate with colorful energy, that pass through the city and tumble from the edges into the void. Fountains - each a fabulous art of work in itself - are dotted throughout the city, and fruit laden trees grow alongside the narrow roads. Otherwise there is little here in the way of natural beauty. A constant wind whips up the dust into swirling, chaffing clouds that dance constantly through the tight streets. Egnarat is the city of the Aslah, filled with political intrigue and betrayal. It is where the Aslah meet in secret, to form alliances, plot and scheme. It is owned by all the Aslah and none of them, all at once.

Ryzor: The Sea of Ryzor stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with an array of islands, both large and small, which float like ships upon the surface, bobbing and weaving on the waves, following the currents wherever they may take them. The weather in Ryzor is dramatic, the burning sun, which scorches the blue waters, quickly replaced by violent storms and raging winds. Many of the islands are barren rocks, but some are tropical paradises, covered with golden sand, palm trees, exotic animals, plants and denizens. In some places, the sea boils, or huge vents of steam or water erupt hundreds of feet into the sky, or a blanket of swirling mist hides the sea below it. A bank of fog endlessly travels the waters of Ryzor, obscuring everything that is consumed within it. At the edges of Ryzor, the sea suddenly falls away into waterfalls, which pour from the surface into a swirling, impenetrable spray below. This dramatic end, however, never lessens the waters of Ryzor.

Thesop: The thunderous roar of the Sea of Ryzor, as it falls from the skies above, forms a watery curtain around all of Thesop, which can be heard in its every nook and cranny. The spray that obscures the edges of Thesop, as it continues to wash passed into space below, forms raging rivers that tear their way through the saturated and boggy land. The air is filled with the sound of thunder and high winds savage the stark and unprotected plains. Underfoot, the ground shakes violently and fissures open and close as the ground moves. Geysers of steam burst randomly from the ground and rise hundreds of feet. In some places, the very earth slowly boils. Thesop is also the home of Pax.

Neresh: The sea that tumbles from the edges of Ryzor and roars passed Thesop, ends its journey in Neresh, where it crashes into the Ocean of Xarad with a deafening roar. The fine spray from the great falls, where beautiful rainbows form decorative archways, fill the air as a damp mist that consumes all of Neresh. In the middle of the Ocean of Xarad is an archipelago of tropical rain forests, heavy with a damp and humid atmosphere and filled with all manner of exotic beasts. Great islands - colossal lumps of rock - float above the swirling mists, baking under the sun. Clinging to the rocky bottoms are huge rope-like vines that drop to the ground below, locking the islands in place. On the surface, they are covered in lush vegetation, palm trees and beautiful flowers, with pools of fresh water forming amongst the rocks. Wooden winged ships, their sails filled with wind, sail the skies as they journey from one island to another.

Raman: A range of bottomless mountains, with jagged rocks and dramatic slopes which fall endlessly into the depths below, the Great Hall of Raman - built out of the rock and which runs deep into the side of the mountain - sits atop the highest peak, from where Destor can survey all. Here, the sun never ceases to shine and bakes the very rock, causing it to crack and crumble and fall into the depths below. The Great Hall of Raman is set into the side of the tallest peak, emerging from the rock out of which it was carved. Huge columns and pillars support its weight, as it precariously overhangs the dramatic slopes below. It also runs deep into the mountain, as a series of winding corridors and numerous chambers.

Hadria: Blue skies and gentle winds, heated by the baking sun, stretch away in all directions. On the horizon, emerging like rocky islands piercing through the sea, can be seen the vast peaks of a distant mountain range that can never be reached. Darkness never comes to Hadria, which is always bathed in the light of the sun that never dims. Vast silver clouds with great castles and cities upon them float endlessly on the winds. All of the buildings seem to be constructed out of the very substance of the cloud and shimmer under the rays of the sun.

Oradu: Lush green, rolling hills covered in fields ripe with oversized grain and corn, where enormous vegetables swelter under the always-glaring sun. It never rains here, the lands instead fed by a network of irrigation that is itself fed from the fresh waters of Phoras. It is always baking in Oradu and night never falls. The denizens of Oradu live in stone and wooden buildings, usually isolated. In the distance, the shimmering outline of a vast range of mountains can be seen, which never get any closer no matter how far one travels towards them. Oradu is the home of Rougon.

Phoras: A great sea of fresh water, surrounded by rocky shores that give way to the sheer slopes of mountains, which drive into the sky. Waterfalls crash over the rock and into the sea, forming raging waters and a fine, impenetrable spray. Always choppy, the water is kept warm by the unremitting, baking sun, which makes the rock painfully hot to touch. Rock falls tumble from the mountains above and crash violently into the sea, creating enormous waves which ripple, traveling quickly across the surface. Wild swirling currents, vortexes and hot vents make navigation underwater difficult and dangerous. Sharks and other underwater predators fill the water with menace. Pharos is also the home of Sassa.

Umersat: A dark and barren land, filled with grasping thorn, thistle and lifeless trees which seem to reach and grasp and whisper in the hot, dry wind. Hot and humid, the air is poisonous to breath and the lakes filled with acid that bubbles from the boiling heat. At worst, the darkness of Umersat is impenetrable, but usually the light is dim and shadowy. Everywhere, the dead walk and the land is filled with their moaning and screams, and the shadows move and flicker as if with a life of their own. Umersat is a dead land, filled with darkness and creatures of the night. It is also the home of Hayn.

Urgol: Wild plains stretch as far as the eye can see in all directions, the slightly undulating, green land covered in wild grasses and tangled, thorny bushes. Large moss-covered rocks and boulders protrude from the earth below, many carved into strange and distorted heads and faces, while others have been set into rings to form dramatic megaliths. Stone cairns and barrows are also common. The weather here is stark, with driving rains and high winds constantly battering the land. Urgol is the home of Urgomond.

Za: A wild and wind swept, slightly undulating land covered in wild grasses, mosses, thorny bushes and thistle. Moss covered, ancient rocks and boulders emerge from the earth, often forming circles, megaliths, stone cairns and barrows. The climate here varies dramatically, from intense sunshine to violent storms - a single day can produce an array of weather phenomenon. The land is also exceptionally fertile and wild orchard, root vegetables and berries are abundant. Wild animals run and bound everywhere, from rabbits to wolves and bears, as well as strange and bizarre species. Occasional stone buildings dot the landscape. Za is also the home of Ordal.

Astoz: An intense, brooding forest, the light here is dimmed under the thick canopy of intertwined branches and dark green leaves that form an awesome organic roof above. Rays of light, which burst through the dense canopy, momentarily streak downwards through the heavy atmosphere, as golden pillars, before flickering out, only to reappear elsewhere. Tracks and paths crisscross their way through the close trees, disappearing into the undergrowth as suddenly as they appear. It is very still here, the atmosphere humid and oppressive, with little or no wind to bring relief. Rustling can be heard all around and eyes stare out of the darkness like lights, which blink out, only to reappear elsewhere. The canopy itself is dense - a world in itself - and endless. No matter how far one climbs and struggles upwards, the top is never reached - with only the golden rays, bursting upon all that they touch, a tantalizing suggestion of a world of light above the forest.

Urdun: A large clearing, filled with beautiful copses, streams and lily-filled ponds, sits amid the foreboding Forest of Astoz, which can be seen standing like a great wall, stretching endlessly up into the sky, at the far edges of Urdun. A rocky canyon cuts the land in two, with a number of streams cascading down into the valley, forming beautiful waterfalls that crash into lakes below. All along the steep side of the valley - where ragged tracks zigzag their way downwards - stand great trees which seem to defy gravity and stand precariously upright. The valley itself is a lush haven, the rocks surrounded with lush green foliage, beautiful copses and ponds. The numerous waterfalls fill the valley with a fine, wet mist. Lanterns and wind chimes hang from the trees, dancing in the gentle breeze, and the ponds, covered in great lilies with magnificent flowers, are home to nymphs, pixies, sprites and other beautiful creatures. Urdun is also the home of Sha Dorrain.

Seraduz: A hilly and rocky terrain, interspersed with wild and raging rivers and great waterfalls that fall into sudden valleys. Dense copses break up what is otherwise an exposed landscape and all set to the backdrop of a dark forest, which sits on the very edge in all directions. The weather is also rough and unpredictable, with swirling rains and high winds regularly interspersed with bouts of intense sunshine.

Laffat: A vast, organic, tightly woven mass of ever writhing roots create an ever changing, mutable complex of tunnels and chambers which are a wonder to behold. An array of radiant, shifting colors and patterns, the thick root-like walls, floors and roof move like a bed of snakes, gently creaking and emitting a constant, dim green light. Beautiful orange and yellow fruits, which give off a lantern-like glow, dangle from branches, only to be pulled slowly back into the writhing walls, to reappear elsewhere. All manner of strange root vegetables and fruits can be found. New tunnels emerge suddenly, while others disappear without a trace, in what appears to be a world without rhyme or reason. Creatures scuttle along the floors - some emerging from or disappearing into the very walls themselves - or flit in the air. A gentle music seems to constantly fill the halls and chambers, but so faint and distant that it seems to be a trick of the imagination. Laffat is also the home of Malanon.

The Dimensions of Paradorn
Paradorn: A vast mountain whose snow peaked top reaches into the sky and seems made almost entirly from iron and other hard metals, treacherous metal scree which covers the slopes tumbles ever downwards in deadly cascade. Always covered in swirling snowstorms and a blanket of thick, damp cloud, vision is restricted and conditions underfoot are treacherous and dangerous, with hard, jutting rock, loose scree and solid iron jagged outcrops common features. Snow clings heavily to the rocks and the roar of avalanche are all too common. It is also bitingly cold. At the very top of the mountain sits the ice covered Hall of Divine Spirits, haunted by the spirits of the Aslah after their bodies have been destroyed and from which there is no escape. Great arches and macabre statues surround the magnificent building, which seems to grow from the rock and be made entirely out of iron. A vast, ornate door, flanked by the Guardians of the Spirit's Divine - two enormous statues - is frozen in place. Paradorn is protected by The Keeper of Divine Spirits.

Herok: Sitting on a vast, overhanging outcrop of some monumental iron-made mountain, which glistens and reflects the sun's rays and stretches away both above and below, sits a great building carved out of the very iron-rock itself. Statues of the Aslah flank the path that leads to the great doors, which are themselves flanked by enormous columns. Herok is the official meeting place of the Aslah, where they come to discuss matters of great importance. The building is grand in every manner and the halls and chambers are exquisite and beautiful to behold. At the very heart of the building can be found a permanently green and idyllic garden, filled with ponds and wonderful ever flowering plants, where the weather is always calm and pleasant and filled with a sense of contentment.

Taras: A wild and rocky landscape, with a glistening mountain that disappears into the cloud way above as a magnificent backdrop, and barren, rocky hills stretching away to the horizon, which shimmers with silver heat, Taras is the home of Mynax. A dry, warm wind constantly blows across the land, bringing with it a fine spray of sand that gathers like a light snow. Atop the highest hill, surveying all around it, sits a magnificent castle with vast battlements and crenellations defending the soaring towers, upon which billow great flags. The castle seems to rise from the very ground upon which it is built - the steep rocky cliffs giving it excellent natural defenses and elevation. A well-defended gate, with portcullis and drawbridge, give access to the vast courtyard, where those that dwell go about their business.

Heyzoz: A baking yellow sun - a fiery golden disk sitting high in the clear blue sky - roasts the golden dunes of the great desert of Heyzoz. The hazy horizon shimmers under the heat of the sun, while in the far distance a magnificent mountain glimmers against the blue skies, its peaks shrouded in wisps of mist. Swirling winds whip the sand into violent storms and the windswept dunes constantly creep. Vast structures and fabulous statues made out of sandstone rise from the sands and are home to many of those that dwell here. At night, the star-sprinkled skies are alive with meteor swarms, which pelt the land, exploding into balls of fire. Heyzoz is the home of Feyzeu.

Onop: The hot and humid atmosphere, the constant rain and cackle and wail of strange and exotic creatures, fill the dense jungle that is Onop. Above, fantastic, densely packed lush green trees rear upwards. In many places, the foliage is too dense to allow the light of the baking sun through, while in others the leaves glow luminous green as the sun's rays bake the overgrown and dense jungle floor. Water constantly drips from above, as the rain settles upon the huge leaves and falls slowly as large droplets or as gushes of streaming water, when the weight can no longer be maintained. A barrage of sound constantly fills the air, with unknown beasts crashing through the undergrowth, cackles, wails and all manner of strange noises. Ornately carved stone pyramids, with peaks that rise above the canopy of the jungle, or bizarre stone buildings, emerge in clearings, often half covered by the creeping jungle. Onop is also the home of Qayoba.

The Dimensions of Henipur
Henipur: A magnificent, sprawling forest, filled with exotic trees that stretch majestically into the sky, the undergrowth a bed of dense woven green foliage, Henipur ranks as amongst the most beautiful of all the dimensions. The huge silver barked Quru trees, which give off a warm white glow, fill the forest with their light and beauty and from them dangle wind chimes and small wooden carved objects that flutter in the wind. In places, the land undulates - in some places, quite steeply - with pits and craters filled with trees and shrubs. Streams meander gently, winding their way to and from some unknown source and all around, the atmosphere pervades a heavy sense of magic and mystery. Large clearings are home to all manner of wonderful flowers and plants and great lakes form spectacular scenery. The whole forest is alive, with all manner of animals crashing through the undergrowth or flitting around overhead and is where the high elves live. It is also home to all manner of fey creatures, as well as Tannun Maruth.

Dendor: Strange, raging rivers of thick, pea green waters, bubbling and swirling in complete chaos, crash against the numerous large and bizarre islands that are dotted around Dendor. Great forests of leaves and flowers float upon the surface and where the water foams, it is luminous green-yellow. Each of the islands is like a writhing mass of organic matter and each seems entirely unique. From islands covered in eel-like tentacles which writhe and sway, grasping out at those that pass, to cocoon-like islands, covered in seething organic material with cave-like entrances leading into the darkness of its interior, to jelly-like islands that bend and wobble and whose shape seems to constantly change, Dendor is truly a bizarre place. Here, the dark of night, with the light of the full moon, is constant and the roaring of the thick waters permanently fills the air. Dendor is also the home of Ky.

Goma: Carved into some immeasurable rock, long corridors connect ornately carved chambers, some of which are so vast that they seem to trail off into infinity. No corridor ever seems to lead to the same place twice - to go through the same door is to enter an entirely new place within the large complex. Some of the rooms are filled with an array of books, scrolls and parchment, scribed with arcane lore and knowledge, while others are places of calm and relaxation. A warm wind can be felt constantly whipping through the tunnels and the sound of ringing metal from the forges in the depths below fill every corner. Ornate stone doors give way to wind swept courtyards, where the sky shifts in a kaleidoscope of color and mountains stretch upwards on all sides.

Forasia: In many ways, Forasia is almost indistinguishable from Henipur, being a vast undulating forest of huge and beautiful trees, with dense foliage inhabited with all manner of wild beasts. However, Forasia is much closer than Henipur and, most noticeably, lacks the magnificent Quru trees. There are also no clearings - the wood is both constant and endless. Also, the sun never shines here and it is always night, with a bright full moon casting its light over the canopy of the forest, which filters through to the forest floor below. Forasia is the home of Ney Allond.

Theydoyn: A dramatic and wild landscape, with violent turns of weather and crashing seas, the fjords of Theydoyn are as dangerous and unpredictable as they are sublime. Dramatic, tree covered, rocky slopes rear out of the blue waters and trail away before crashing back down into the sea. A web of water channels and fabulous landscapes, the waters themselves are treacherous in the extreme, with razor sharp rocks just below the surface and crashing seas with strong tides that swirl without rhyme or reason. The weather here turns suddenly - from the freezing cold, which turns the very water to ice, to relentless, torrid winds, to scorching sun. Huge waves constantly flood up the fjords, consuming everything in their path and flooding the land beyond. Theydoyn is also the home of Vihahn.

Qathay: Room after room, filled with all manner of tomes, books, scraps of parchment and eclectic collections of objects and artifacts, of all shapes and sizes, in all languages, many lost to the vagaries of time, Qathay is otherwise known as the Great Library of All and is said to contain all the knowledge that has ever been. The rooms themselves constantly turn and move on intricate cogs, with floors suddenly disappearing into rooms below, or ceilings disappearing as the room merges with another above it. New exits to other rooms are constantly being exposed and the array of material kept here is so vast as to be bewildering. Qathay is also the home of Fyfreyn.

Jaramalay: The floor of a deep and apparently endless ocean, the seabed is a hive of activity. With vast forests of sea grasses, kelp, and all manner of giant plants waving in the gentle currents, the seafloor is awash with life. Although no natural light filters to such depths, huge billowing, tree-like plants glow green, blue or yellow, giving an eerie light amongst the darkness. Some of the plants grow to such huge sizes that they become homes to the inhabitants of the ocean and are always surrounded by fish, crustaceans and other small creatures, for protection from the predators that also live here. It is also home to Emmenauth Uthern, a powerful servant of Tannun Maruth's, who lives in a palace made of shell and coral.

Onkin: Nothing is at it seems, with powerful magic playing deceptive tricks on the mind. Those casting their eye over Onkin see a world different from that of those standing with them. Always cavernous, with chambers carved out of the hard stone and worked, natural columns, rearing up to the roof, the entire maze of halls and corridors is always different to each of those perceiving it. Some see leering eyes staring out of the stone itself, others mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth or arms that reach out at those passing them, or writhing tentacles. Some see beauty where others see horror, or light where others see only darkness. Onkin also seems to have been built above some fast flowing river. For some, it is a river of orange and red lava, over which arched stone bridges span. For others, it may be mud, or acid, or water, or even blood - it is almost never the same to any one person at any one time. Some only hear it and never see it. Some can hear the faint ringing of metal, like forges somewhere deep in the earth, while others can hear only the sound of their own heartbeat. This strange world is the home to Gungorn.

Faytoru: A dark and brooding forest, dimly lit from the little light that filters through the dense canopy, everything here is alive and the overwhelming sensation of being watched is tangible. The trees groan and moan and endlessly shift and shake, even if there is no wind to stir them. Branches block the way and spring back, scratching, cutting and entangling those that try to make their way through the forest. The heavy undergrowth makes movement difficult and, where before there seemed a clear path, suddenly grasping bushes or thick grasses appear and block the route, entangling themselves around the ankles and legs, blocking the route of those passing through. Creatures can be heard making their own way through the forest and strange, alien birds watch from the branches above. Faytoru is the home of Firngald.

Svirtald: A dark world of never ending stairs and spiral staircases connected by shifting bridges spanning the bottomless darkness. The stairs have no support and no sides and travel endlessly in the darkness, where all around a web of stairs and steps and bridges can be seen meandering their way to and from nowhere, trailing off into the dark distance. The bridges - some great arches that look like they should crumble under their own weight, or long, flat and narrows one, or steep concave brides which themselves are covered in steep steps - continuously shift, spanning the void and allowing access to the different columns of stairwells. Platforms occasionally break the endless path that the stairs follow, ranging from small to vast in size, and here can be found all manner of buildings - fortifications which block the way, small villages of stone huts, towers, standing stones into which are carved strange runes - or sometimes nothing at all.

The Dimensions of Wynord
Wynord: A lush green valley set atop a mammoth mountain, which falls away into the rocky depths, where a vast green valley can be seen, set into the mountain side. Wynord is home to the Light of Vaalea - a spectacular shining orb sat on a giant stone column, carved into the beautiful form of Shylar, whose arms reach up to the sky and in whose hands the orb sits, which constantly sheds its golden glow. The Light of Vaalea dominates the landscape, an enormous rocky platform, covered in lush grasses and beautiful trees. Small houses and settlements are found in beautiful valleys and amongst the trees, as is the great citadel of Wynord itself, The Great Stone Hall, which is home to Thim.

Tharad: Much like Wynord, Tharad is a lush green platform set into the side of a great mountain. Above, shines a golden light, which casts its golden glow over all the land, while below the mountain falls ever away. Way below, however, can be seen a green valley set into the mountain. Numerous small rocky paths lead into the mountain, heading both upwards and downwards, though soon disappear from view. At the very center of Tharad grows the most beautiful of all Quru trees, its glow enamored by that of the light that shines from above, its bark seeming to swirl in a fantastic display of light and color. Stone and wooden houses are scattered amongst the protected valley, where other, smaller valleys can be found, filled with waterfalls and lakes, where still more small dwellings can be found. Tharad is also the home of Olgden.

Neyz: Similar to both Wynord and Tharad, Neyz is a great valley set into the side of some vast mountain. Above, the mountain stretches away, from where a golden light tumbles down and shines over all of Neyz. Below, the rocky slopes continue ever downwards. Neyz is much more rugged and covered in more trees than either Wynord or Tharad, with forests of the silver barked Quru trees, dancing with spectacular displays of light under the golden glow that fills the skies from above. Fast flowing angry rivers tumble down into water filled valleys and long wild grasses and huge plants cling to the rock. Small dwellings form hamlets or villages and a large citadel, carved into the mountain itself, has an entrance carved into the head of a great dragon, it's front feet emerging from the rock and its mouth giving access to the depths beyond.

The Dimensions of Talakos
Talakos: A bleak, dusty and desolate wilderness, strewn with loose rocks and gray, swirling sand whipped up by the winds that sweep across the plains. Rocky, dusty hills, crags and crevices break the monotony of the landscape, and enormous canyons stretch down into the dusty earth. Everything here is a shade of gray, with absolutely no greenery or sprinkling of color to enliven it. Dry, rocky channels cut through the land where rivers once ran - for it has been long since any water came to Talakos - and above, the sky is colorless and oppressive, the atmosphere heavy, humid and uncomfortable. Geysers of hot gasses can be heard exploding all around in a great hiss of escaping air, flinging rock and clouds of dust into the atmosphere. Talakos is the home of Babbarax.

Fye: An unbroken, fetid swamp of blackened, poisonous water, filled with a dense layer of stark, lifeless trees with thick, twisted intertwined roots, which reach deep into the sickly water, making movement extremely difficult. Poisonous gasses escape the foul waters, bubbling to the surface where it forms pockets of green, deadly smog. Underfoot, sinkholes, quick sand and a mesh of dense, entangled undergrowth are all waiting to entrap the unwary. There are no islands here, no places of reprieve, except for the gray, dead, lifeless trees. The air is filled with swarms of tiny blood sucking flies and the water with all manner of terrifying beasts. It is also filled with those that died here, their lifeless, undead bodies damned to walk the Swamp of Fye forever. It is also the home of Setsop.

The Dimensions of Herophet
Herophet: Glowing, orange seas of molten, bubbling lava cover the surface, with huge blackened mountains, sprinkled with erupting volcanoes, emerging from the depths of the fiery oceans. The purple and red sky is filled with the deadly vapors of sulphur from vents that release their toxic load into the atmosphere. Fire constantly rains down with varying degrees of intensity and ferocity. Geysers shoot out jets of flame and dense, fiery cloud storms roll across the seas and mountain slopes. Only evil dwells here and the land is scattered with devils and the remnants of the damned. On a great blackened rock, with the lava lapping against it, sits the the dark and menacing Citadel of Herophet, its black, foreboding gates firmly closed. The black seemless walls sheer upwards to oversized crenellations and sinister towers rise from the courtyard, with black smoke billowing endlessly into the sky.

Beneath the citadel are the dungeons of Herophet - countless layers carved out of the rock since the beginning of time and each filled with all the malice, hate and evil that consumes Herophet itself. Each dungeon layer is a fiery hell, filled with lava, poison and flame and ruled by a powerful devil. Wars between the layers are common, and allegiances are quick to be made and quick to be broken, as each seeks the ultimate goal of the power of the Aslah. Herophet itself fir long sat empty after the fall of its two previous masters, Gort and Hakkan, both who now dwell in the Hall of Divine Spirits in Paradorn. But a new master has risen to claim the Throne of Herophet as his own, and the once Steward of Herophet, Zykerathox, is the new master there now.

Hul: A vast, frozen lump of rock, which stretches into infinity and falls away as sheer, ragged rocks into the vacuum of space below. The barren, frozen plains of Hul are dotted with snow covered towers that are home to the powerful devils who live here, and the white palace of Forosnos, which is home to Yerraz. The unprotected plains give no shelter to the ferocious winds which blow across the surface, whipping up the snow and driving it forward as an impenetrable cloud, before suddenly blowing out. The sun never shines here - the skies are a dull white-gray during the days and pitch at night - and the temperature is bitterly cold, especially when the biting winds rake across the plains. The land is covered in the endless wanderings of undead and is often the scene of huge battles between the powerful devil lords. A vast network of caves exist in rock below Hul, where the foul live and vie for power and control.

Thyro: A rocky landscape of crags and canyons, with rivers of fast flowing, boiling lava, the very rock smokes from the intense heat and cracks and splinters in deafening thunderous roars, with hot steam and gasses pouring out of the newly formed vents. Lava waterfalls cascade down into monumental canyons - bottomless pits which plunge into the darkness below - along the sides of which can be seen the walled fortresses and encampments of those that dwell here. Thyro is a land of the dead and is filled with the remnants of the haunted and tormented spirits of the once living, who now roam endlessly, filled with hate. It is also home to a multitude of evil devils, some of whom wield incredible power, as well as the Lord of the Dead, Arak Kal.

Karsia: High, swirling winds whip up the snow into wild blizzards that make the steep, rocky slopes of the mountains of Karsia treacherous and deadly. Huge, icy stalactites hang from the frozen cliffs and ledges and the ridges filled with frozen pools of ice, while snow sits heavily and precariously on the slopes and rocky outcrops, where it will eventually crash downwards into the swirling snow in a raging avalanche. Temperatures are freezing, quickly sucking the life out of those not able to endure such harsh conditions, and the biting winds drop the temperature even further. The entire mountain range is pierced with dark entrances leading into the cliff side - the cave entrances are often carved into sinister faces or shapes that warn of the evil that lurks within. Many powerful devils live here, including Wamranoch who serves Zykerathox.

Tuska: The bottomless pit, the rocky and ragged slopes of Tuska fall endlessly into the depths of despair. Surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs, over-hanging ridges, jutting outcrops and razor sharp, ragged rocks, that sheer ever upwards and ever downwards, with cascading walls of lava that pour from vents in the rock - some falling endlessly as a curtain of fire, while others smash against the rock, exploding in a hail of fiery pyrotechnics. Geysers expel violent jets of flame into the scolding atmosphere, and only those immune to the deadly and unrelenting environment thrive here. Great balls of fiery cloud intermittently consume the pit, rushing upwards at great speed and scorching the blackened, baking rock, down which run rivers of fire which spiral ever downwards. Misshapen bodies rain down the endless pit, which is consumed with the screams of the tormented, and cave entrances can be seen along the rock face, with narrow, steep paths, carved into the rock itself, crisscrossing endlessly on their eternal journey. The tunnels themselves echo with the sound of pain and horror. Somewhere, on the slopes of the flame scorched rock, on a rocky outcrop consumed in flame, can be found the Fountain of the Immortals.

Valvara: A vast ocean of orange and red magma, seething with boiling and spitting fire, the relentless, furnace-like atmosphere is itself aflame in swirling clouds of intense fire and dense smoke. In Valvara, everything is ablaze, even the small, jagged rocks which pierce the surface of the burning ocean are wreathed in flame. Enormous jets of magma spray explode from beneath the surface with enough power and energy to reach vast distances into the sky, before crashing back down to be consumed once again. Great stone bridges, cracked and blistered from the flames that consume them, span the rocky islands, where bizarre towers, fire licking out of their bleak windows, stand dark and ominous. Upon the sea float blazing boats, crewed by the dead, which float endlessly upon the hellish waters of Valvara. And the very flames of the sea itself seem to take the forms of figures, writhing in the agony of their endless suffering.

Gorodin: The deepest and coldest of all the hells, the very air blisters and freezes the flesh, until it cracks and crumbles into the frozen wastes. Fire will not burn in Gorodin, the freezing winds and biting chill consuming all heat. Stark rocks pierce the frozen white landscape that stretches to the horizon, which undulates steeply into rocky slopes and valleys, through which soar deadly winds. Hurricanes sweep over the land at terrific speed, sucking up the rock and ice and spitting it out as deadly shrapnel-like debris, crashing into the ground with a deafening boom, ripping and gouging the ice. Underfoot, the solid ice suddenly collapses into bottomless crevices, and from above, spear-like shards of ice fall as rain out of the sky. Gorodin is also the home of Hengar.

Pakara: Platforms of solid ice float on a black, icy cold sea, endlessly shifting, banging and crashing into one another with a deafening cracking of the compact structures, as they split asunder or are driven together. The water itself is thoroughly black and gloopy, like oil, and is an icy sludge that runs as deep as the ocean itself. Some of the icebergs are like floating mountains, with large slices sometimes breaking off and falling into the sea with a loud crash. There is no wind here, but the chill is bitter and life soon withers. Pakara is the home of Naberru.

Sota: Forests, grasses, streams and rolling hills stretch away in all directions and all burn with a raging, wild and uncontrollable fire that consumes everything in it's apocalypse. In Sota, even the very rock burns. High, superheated winds whip across the landscape, constantly blowing the raging flames in new directions. Enormous swirling tornadoes, roaring with a bright orange-yellow glow of billowing flames, move rapidly across the plains. The air is filled with booming thunder and the crack of lightning, which lights up the dim sky with its fork-like streaks, exploding on the ground. In the heart of Sota can be found the Palace of Voln, a place formed from the very fire itself, with vast sheets of flame and swirling fires forming the very structure of the building.

Tyr: An uncontrollable, freezing wind rages across the great plain of Tyr, with rocks and ice endlessly tossed through the air at high speeds, creating a deadly storm of debris so thick that it is almost impossible to penetrate. Underfoot, solid ice has been churned up by the pummeling of the violence around it and is so gouged and that movement is a dangerous task. The air is so cold, that flesh turns blue and then black, as it withers and dies, in minutes. And amongst this maelstrom, the very ice seems to rise up as a living beast, the debris of Tyr swirling around its form, and grasp out with violent intent to those that would pass it. Rising out of the ice, a rocky keep, frozen and turned white from the cold, stands unscathed from the battering of rock and ice that crash endlessly against it. This keep is the home of Ragmannon.

Ellari: A dark web of natural caves and tunnels, with great stalactite and stalagmite pillars, the stone spits and crackles from the scorching heat. Small jets of roaring flame explode from the rock, which randomly ignites into flame, molten drips causing glowing puddles. A wispy veil of hot steam sits above the floor, obscuring it from vision. Rivers and pools of boiling, molten rock give off an orange glow, where the shadows are indistinct and whatever lurks there hidden. The halls echo to the sound of distant battle, where screams of agony and suffering and the ring of steel can be faintly heard. Ellari is the home of Dyonicos.

Xanaxa: An undulating, barren and rocky landscape, parched dry and covered in fine rust-colored dust that swirls as small eddies, the environment is both desolate and bleak, the land cracked and baked. Steep ruddy colored cliffs cut up the land roughly, some falling away sharply to form canyons and gorges, while others form the banks of slow flowing rivers of mud, which boil slowly from the baking heat. The dim orange sky never varies and night never falls in Xanaxa. Badly constructed buildings, built from the baked earth, form small encampments. Many are empty and stand derelict, but others are home to those that dwell here. There are also large keeps and towers, encased in dust and baked solid, which are homes to the powerful demon princes of Xanaxa. It is also home to Gygafrak.

Altemeri: Vast, floating, rocky platforms, which can be seen in all directions, from which cascade waterfalls of vile green caustic acid, which tumble until they crash into other platforms, where they form angry, spitting lakes that flow over the sides and continue their journey. Some flow downwards, others upwards, where the tops of the platforms are reversed and look down upon the top of those below them. In other places, long, meandering rivers of bubbling, smoking acid traverse the space from one rock to another. Of all shapes and sizes, some of the platforms are nothing but seas of acid, while on others can be found vile, sprawling cities filled with foul beasts and stench and hate. On others, great fortresses emerge from the stone and stand as bastions of evil. Altemeri is the home of Narag Narg.

The Dimensions of Mulhata
Mulhata: A gloomy and insubstantial world, lost in the obscurity of its own shadow, Mulhata is dim and murky, where the shadows snake and writhe with a life of their own and cover all of Mulhata in their colorless shroud. Where the ground starts and ends cannot be discerned in the swirling shadow of Mulhata, for everything here shifts and changes before its form or meaning can be grasped. Dark shapes flitter around in the corners of the eyes, but are gone almost as soon as they appear. The constant gloom plays tricks on the mind, with a sense of panic and despair filling every sinew. Shapes, objects and imaginings all hover briefly on the edge of recognition, but disperse quickly back into the dim shadow, which writhes and seems to reach out with pleading arms. Somewhere in the gloom of Mulhata is the Shadow of Olmus - a dim and terrifying citadel imbued with evil and malice.

Murster: A chaotic world of ever shifting chambers of slime and gloop, which drip and ooze and bubble. Chambers are formed from popping pockets of air, and are slowly consumed under the weight of the sticky matter that forms this world. Here, matter is sucked into the treacle-like gloop, making movement extremely difficult, as long, sticky strands form, like stretched elastic, to everything that touches it. Sometimes, without warning, sections of the slime liquefy, tumbling those standing on it into a deep and deadly pool of acid, or large droplets fall from above, coating whatever it falls upon with its deadly eroding slime. Sometimes, the entire cavity turns to liquid and collapses. The gloopy substance also seems to mimic the colors, shapes and textures of that which it touches. It is also a highly poisonous world, filled with pockets of deadly gasses and spores and an overwhelming stench of rot and decay. It is also the home Tettungba.

Hitenen: Stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions, the land is strewn in a sea of the rotting carcasses of the dead, which endlessly writhe, wriggle and twitch. Rotting, half-eaten faces stare out from the heaving mass and arms reach and grasp, mouths bite and legs kick. In Hitenen, the stench of rot and death are heavy and the air filled with poisonous gasses and fumes. Wicked looking trees, with twisted, grasping, leafless branches, pierce the sea of dead and drive into the sky. From their foul branches dangle hung corpses, bloated and putrid, the rope creaking under their weight. This is a truly vile place, where the dead and the wicked get no peace. It is also the home of Torpeyak.