Alpha Run Map

This is the the overview of the world.

Map

Scale: 10 pixels = 60 ml

• Blue = water
• Green = forest
• Yellow = plains
• Orange = hill
• Brown = mountain
• Gray = cold/tundra
• Peach = Desert (OK, I'm not exactly sure what the color is.)

• Big Star in circle = Capital/Center of continent
  

Each of these links contain a close-up picture of the continent in question. It also provides a history of the continent and a brief overview of its major (aka not all) cities.

1. Alenno
2. Balinden
3. The Floating Continent
4. The Mother Land
5. The Dreadland

Note: I'm not done with all of the continents, so I haven't drawn them in yet.

World History

      Chronologically, this run takes place after Power Stone War. Long enough so there are at least few generations between the time PSW takes place and this run takes place.

      Step One: Descent of the gods. Due to the deeds of the brave heroes, the mortal avatars finally regained their godly status! However, they needed rest, so the gods fell into a deep slumber.

      Step Two: Divine magic weakens. Without gods to bolster clerics and paladins, divine magic weakened. Almost no clerics could cast anything more than a 3rd level spell (ouch!) and paladins were limited to 1st level spells (don't worry, they could still use cure disease.) Only the clerics of Laniss (then called Cruelith) were capable of casting powerful divine spells. Nature is a strong force, but without a god to refine and channel its energies, druids and rangers were also castrated. Druids couldn't go past 4th level, and Rangers found it difficult to go past 1st level.

      Obviously, this caused a massive power imbalance as churches lost followers and druids were driven out of their groves by powerful governments and power-hungry monsters. The churches became subservient and the druids became even more reclusive.

      Step Three: The Wailing Night. About 100 years after the end of Power Stone War, several huge extradimensional portals opened up and spit out several thousand extradimensional creatures. Being the natural enemies that they are, they immediately began fighting. The continent of Ydorap was hit quite hard, as most of the buildings (and populace, and royalty) were destroyed in the fighting. The continent of Alanot was also hit hard. Most of the other continents had their fair share of destruction. Mages point out that right after the portals closed, extradimensional travel was impossible. No mage could open portals of any kind.

      Step Four: Mages in da hizhouse! With clerics reduced to almost nothing and many exttradimensional critters about, kings and researchers needed magical support. Mages quickly gained power as kings begged them to work for them. Mages were further paid with free access to the royal libraries. Many mages quickly and easily gained royalty status this way. Oh yeah, and powerful, noble magic users fought each other for power and the kings' favor. But I'm sure you guessed that already...

      Step Five: The Floating Continent! About 100 years after The Wailing Night, A big chunk of one of the continents broke off and began to slowly rise above the ground. Mages flocked over to the land to investigate its magical properties. The floating mass made spellcasting much easier than usual, so the mages decided to live there permanently.

      Step Six: Time passes. Enough time passes until about 1000 years before this run begins, so the DM can declare that any race who witnessed any of the previous events must have died by now. Yeah, that's it. Also, It's enough time for the various races to become familiar with each other, and possibly change their personalities. Hey, that's so convienient for me!

      Step Seven: Divine Divinity Descention! According to clerics, the gods returned to them and restored their powers! Most mages claim that the clerics actually studied the "far" superior ways of magic and just claim it to be divine magic. Whatever the reason, whatever remaining clerics, paladins, druids and rangers there were could use their divine magic casting to their fullest potential! Druids and rangers reclaimed their homes, and clerics and paladins busted corrupt wizard a$$! Religion (relatively) quickly regained its status. Actually, royalty consider them equal in terms of popularity and status. The run-of-the-mill public, however, love clerics because clerics give them that special protection mages could only dream of.

      Step Eight: Portals?
Demons, celestials, and other outsiders soon began to act strangely: Many of them went berserk and attacked each other. It was found out that someone had opened an incredible portal. It reponed extraplanar links with the outsiders, and most of them left the Material plane.

      Step Nine: Great Guardian Heroes
A group of five heroes had managed to stop the forces that kept the portal shut. But the price they paid was high. Sanjras, the barbarian, died while buying time for the others to survive. Mixle, the stealth expert, dissapeared soon after the task was completed. Diefron, the Cleric of Nirsi, was found 20 years after consorting with demons and was banished for his corruption. Sendrael, the transformation and alteration mage, went mad with power and was executed for her subsequent acts of evil. Heroni, the Mighty Paladin of Virton, was the only one of the five heroes who died peacefully. He was converted to an angel, and refuses to stay on this plane. Too many painful memories, he says.

History of the other places I haven't drawn yet

Undersea Kingdom

     The Undersea Kingdom primarily consists of Locathah, Tritons, and Merfolk. They braced together during the Black Night and forged an unwavering alliance. Using this principle, they have become very diplomatic. They easily make agreements with Balinden.
     Many of the citizens are playful as well as diplomatic. They enjoy a variety of arts, including dancing, theater, song, poetry, and acrobatics. Those less playful tend to be protective of the sea life. They have indicated several "no boat" and "no hunting" zones. Foreigners found in those areas are usually arrested. In return, the Undersea Kingdom patrols the shores of those areas and protects them from violent sea animals.
     The Undersea Kingdom and Balinden have become strong allies. They both believe in the protection and the creation of life. They are also good allies with The Mother Land.