Kulamaos, The Lands Between

• Intro: Kulamaos is the one place in Traedaloss where everything comes together in a perfect balance. In Kulamaos, peoples of all walks of life, species, and religions live and work in harmony. The land most affected by war and conflict between the other kingdoms, Kulamaos nevertheless has power over the others as the central hub of the continent.
• Culture: Perhaps its only weakness, Kulamaos lacks a specific cultural identity. Its position as a melting pot makes it so that everyone has a differing opinion, and if the principles of Kulamaos ever came under attack, it is doubtful that the kingdom would stand together as a whole. Kulamoas combines the other kingdoms cultures into one massive society, exemplifying industry, ambition, freedom, expression, tradition, and all the other cultural principles of the other kingdoms.
• Economy: Kulamaos is primarily a trade nation, using its central position and political influence to broker deals between the other kingdoms. Many shipments travel through here, and as such heroes and guards are highly paid to take on the multitude of criminals who try to steal the many goods transported throughout the kingdom.
• Peoples:
• Humans: While humans exist in all the kingdoms, being the most widespread of the humanoids, their homeland is Kulamaos, where they thrive as the diverse rulers of a diverse kingdom. While their short lives often mean they lack the wisdom of the longer lived species, their ambition and adaptability mean that no matter what happens, they can lead the other kingdoms in whatever threats they face.
• Capital: The capital of Kulamaos is known simply as The Bejewelled City. Carved from a mixture of Glacier Ice from Cetas and Spell Gems from Luenspac, The Bejewelled City is an architectural wonder, its impossible spires and arches stretching in ways that seem to defy gravity. The Bejewelled City is melting pot for everyone, and it embodies Kulamaos to the fullest: diverse,  
• Landmarks:
• Velayxith: Velayxith is the premier mages guild and magic school in Traedaloss. Consisting of three impossibly tall stone towers, one for the school, one for the guild, and one that operates as a residential area, Velayxith is essentially its own city. Ruled by a council of eight archmages, Velayxith is known for its strict traditions about arcane magic and rumors of strange experiments performed in the dead of night.
• Blexith Bay: An inlet in the coastline of Kulamaos, Blexith Bay is the continent's premier trade and shipping hub. The docks are always busy, and the city is home to artists, revolutionaries, and all sorts of strange individuals looking to make their mark.
• Geography: The geography of Kulamaos is the easiest to traverse of all the kingdoms. Forested hills, open meadows, and gentle rivers are the hallmarks of Kulamaos’s landscape. 
• Religion: In Kulamaos, all the gods are worshipped. However, a recent revolutionary movement in Blexith Bay has caused tensions to boil: a group calling themselves The Fates has started to convince people that the gods were actually slain in the First War, and that their devotion has instead been turned towards the dragon gods.

Vilas, The Ancient Forest: 

• Intro: Vilas is a place of abundant life, great art and achievement, and natural beauty. It is ruled by three clans, each of whom has their oldest member be their representative of the Triad, the ruling council of Vilas. The three clans are: 
• The mysterious Dark Clan, which lurks within the misty depths of the forest, worshipping the gods in strange rites; 
• the powerful High Clan, which live among crystalline cities among the treetops, developing arcane magic to its extreme;
• The stoic Wood Clan, who live among all corners of the forest, keeping the other two from unbalancing the natural order.
• Orb: The people of Vilas possess the Earth Orb, which has been hidden away, embedded deep within the heart of the Elder Evergreen, from which the headwater of the Taiv River flows. Guarding it is the Earth Branch of the Order of the Orb, where the hill goliaths of the branch keep the elves in check from abusing the orb's power.
• Culture: Society in Vilas is vibrant and peaceful, and as such rates of crime and death are low. In Vilas, elders are to be treated with the utmost respect, and the eldest member of each clan is always chosen to lead that clan. Disrespect of an elder is punishable as a crime. Of note is the thriving topiary art industry, where various artists sculpt and shape shrubbery and whole gardens into exquisite works of art, becoming celebrities in their own right.
• Economy: Vilas thrives on agriculture, utilizing the power of their orbs to increase the abundance and heartiness of the plants they foster. Almost everyone is vegetarian, and many restaurants serve exquisite dishes made from magically cultivated plants. Vilas also possesses a booming trade in plant-based alcohol, potions, herbal concoctions, and narcotics. 
• Peoples:
• Elves: The three elven clans of Vilas are the rulers of the kingdom, wielding wisdom and cooperation to bring about a society for all. While their goals are benevolent, their long lives lead them to not consider the repercussions for shorter lived races. 
• Forest Gnomes: the forest gnomes of Vilas, while not included in the ruling councils of Vilas, have risen to prominence within Vilas for their talents of illusion, which many gnomes have used to become stars in the topiary art industry, combing plant magic, skilled precision, and a dash of illusion to create some truly spectacular works of art.
• Hill Goliaths: As each of the kingdoms do, Vilas possesses a branch of the Order of the Orb, and a number of Hill Goliaths live in Vilas, keeping an eye on the ambitious elves. Less trusting than the gnomes of the elves, they generally keep to themselves, though they have been known to let loose and become the life of the party. A saying many young elves have in Vilas is “If you haven’t partied with a goliath, you haven’t partied”
• Capital: The capital of Vilas is Alefretone, a splendid city among the boughs of the largest tree in the forest: the Elder Evergreen. The Elder Evergreen has stood for thousands of years, its strong branches reaching impossibly high towards the sky. The city itself is nestled inside and between the branches and trunks of the great tree, composed of a beautiful crystalline substance of unknown origins, though those versed in nature magic sense it not actually some form of stone, but instead a plant.
• Landmarks:
• The Shadow Glades, deep in the forest, where the dark clan rules. A strange black spire has been erected in its center, visible above the top of the treeline, but the Dark Clan is too secretive to share its true purpose or nature.
• The Taiv River, which cuts through the center of the forest, and brings vigor to the plants and animals who draw from it. Its headwater is the Elder Evergreen, where the Earth Orb embedded in the tree’s heart suffuses the water with life-giving energy.
• The Crater, a clearing barren of trees, where a massive crater has been carved into the earth. At the bottom of the crater rests a strange device that emits waves of psionic energy that rends the minds of all who come too close.
• Geography: The geography of Vilas is mainly thick, vibrant forest. Everything there is green, full of life, though as of late the forest seems almost angry, causing the terrain to be more difficult to cross, as plants overgrow paths at a rapid rate, and puddles of mud and pits of quicksand dot the once peaceful landscape, waiting to trap an unsuspecting traveler.
• Religion: The most commonly worshipped deity in Vilas is Corellon, though worship is usually not done out in the open. Instead, religion is viewed as a private, personal thing, for each person to engage with if they so wish.

Plaus, The Endless Mire

• Intro: Plaus is a place of contrasts. Hot and cold. Death and life. Hardship and community. Its people live simple lives, carving out their own little home in the unforgiving terrain of the bog. Everyone in Plaus has a purpose, and that purpose is family and contentment.
• Orb: The people of Plaus are in possession of the Ice Orb. While the influence of the naturally counteracts the hot, humid environment of their home, the halflings of Plaus don’t actively try to resist its influence. Instead, they keep it in a place known as the Drautus, utilizing its power to keep their meat frozen.
• Culture: The culture of Plaus is one of perseverance and teamwork. The people of Plaus live simple lives, unconcerned with the elegance of Vilas or the hardships of Tresmude. Plaus has no official leadership, just loose groups of people known as families. While these Families can be composed of familial connections, many others not blood-related are welcomed into these families, and many visitors who make a good impression are often adopted into these families.
• Economy: The economy of Plaus depends almost entirely on hunting. While many of the plants in the swamp are toxic, beasts abound in the wilds, and their meat is especially succulent. As such, hunting is the main profession of most Plausians. Despite most of their society thriving on death, the people of Plaus show great respect to the dead, and make sure to utilize everything from the beasts they kill. They maintain relations with the many spirits that lurk deep within the woods, and some Plausians become Mire-Walkers, shamans able to fend off spirits in order to guide travelers along their way.
• Peoples:
• Halflings: Halflings are the main inhabitants of Plaus, though by no means do they claim superiority over the other peoples of Plaus as the ruling species, unlike other kingdoms. Instead, they merely keep the peace by being the majority population. Generally, they are a friendly sort, always willing to share a campfire with strangers. 
• Frost Goliaths: While most folk in Plaus are generally content, the frost goliaths of Plaus are somewhat of an oddity. Having been stationed there centuries ago by the leaders of the Order of the Orb, they have never quite adjusted, the environment and terrain chafing against their chillier sensibilities. Where they do excel in society though, is as hunters. All of the most successful families possess frost goliaths among their ranks, their natural ability to freeze things in place and powerful strength making them valuable allies and renowned hunters even among a society revolving around hunting.  
• Capital: Unlike many other kingdoms, Plaus has no central capital, just as it lacks a real government. Each family is nomadic, and when two families meet in the vast expanse of the swamp, they will often congregate and commune with each other, though Plaus lacks a central meeting place for the tribes.
• Landmarks:
• The Drautus: An underground vault with walls of ice, The Drautus is where many of Plaus’s residents store what meat they do not eat immediately. It acts both as a place to keep meat fresh and an emergency food storage. The vault is guarded by the Cibus Custos, the only family who is not nomadic in all of Plaus. 
• The Den: A massive, circular chasm in the southernmost portion of the swamp, like a giant shaft dug into the earth, so deep you can’t hear a rock hit the bottom. Cut through the walls of the Den is an expansive cave system, where many wild beasts and vicious monsters lair. 
• Wellspring Lake: A large lake set in the center of the kingdom, Wellspring Lake is home to a hot spring that feeds all the waters of the swamp. In its center is Wellspring Isle, a small island of mysterious contents, for fog constantly surrounds it, and sharp rocks make going to the island all but impossible. Some say they have seen a titanic beast moving among the mists.
• Geography: Plaus is the quintessential swamp. The mire is sticky, the air humid and hot. Patches of dried mud dot the bayou, and large, twisting trees with strands of hanging moss twist their roots through the murky waters, making the use of boats almost impossible. Instead, the shamans of Plaus have used the Orb to shape roadways of Ice that snake through the swamp above the water.
• Religion: Religion in Plaus is mostly focused on Yondolla, and many pray to her for bounty and good health. Worship is a communal thing, less about devotion to a god and more about the joining of a people.

Snom, The Towering Peaks

• Intro: Snom is a place of great invention. Utilizing Magi-tech, the people of Snom have made a haven for themselves among the high, unforgiving peaks of the east. In Caeltus, magi-tech is used to power many inventions, including highly advanced golems and other tools used to create many wonders of innovation.
• Orb: The people of Snom possess the Storm Orb, and they use it to great effect. With the help of the Storm Goliaths of the Order of the Orb, they have utilized the orb in a unique way: They have embedded the orb within a golem, which gives the golem sentience. This golem, known as S.P.A.R.K, rules over the people of Snom, and is possessed of a keen intellect and arcane power.
• Culture: In Snom, innovation is the number one priority. The people of Snom are strong and focused, and everyone has a place in society, whether that be shaping steel, drawing up blue-prints, or testing dangerous inventions. The culture of Snom is a well-oiled machine, where everyone has a job. Hard work, perseverance, and creativity are encouraged, and the skills of every individual are used for the common good of the people.
• Economy: In the face of war, the other kingdoms have turned to the magi-technological wonders of Snom to protect them, and the many artificers and scientists of Snom have gladly taken up the challenge. The many scientists and artificers of Snom have gladly taken to the task, and Snom has started to release many magi-technological wonders in hopes of improving the lives of people everywhere. Pressure from the other kingdoms has caused them to start releasing more experimental products, despite their insistence that some may be unstable.
• Peoples: 
• Dwarves: The main population of Snom is the multitude of dwarven clans that live in the mountains. With their natural talent and inclination for craft, the dwarves of Snom have been the driving force behind the success of Snom’s work culture and economic prosperity.
• Storm Goliaths: While some kingdoms view the goliaths of their kingdoms as of little importance, mere imposers of some foreign organizations rules, the people of Snom have integrated the goliaths sent to watch over their orb gladly, partnering with them to advance the state of common living for all. These goliaths range from mages using their primal power to manipulate devices and fix them, to mighty workers who build massive machines atop the peaks.
• Capital: The capital of Snom is a place called Caeltus, which is a hanging city built into the overhang of a massive mountain known as Storm Sentinel Peak. Caeltus is a place of industry, a main hub for all the various operations going on across the mountain ranges. Many travelers stop there on the way to various peaks, and at all hours of the day you can find the airship docks filled with cargo being loaded and unloaded.
• Landmarks:
• The Apparatus: At the top of Storm Sentinel Peak sits the Apparatus, a massive machine that channels the power of the storm by using the Storm Orb to draw energy from nearby weather to power the machines of Snom. It is guarded night and day by a contingent of the Order of the Orb.
• Titan’s Peak: The most dangerous place in all of Snom, Titan’s Peak is the tallest mountain in the region, but no humanoid has ever summited it, due to the reclusive and temperamental giants that lair upon it. While some goliath explorers have been set free, warned to never return, it takes an incredible feat of strength to impress the giants of Titan’s Peak, and any humanoid found weak is put to death
• Geography: The geography of Snom is all unforgiving mountains, snowy peaks, and steep cliffs. Over the years, explorers have carved trails into the mountain-sides, though these paths are often poorly maintained and dangerous. 
• Religion: The people of Snom primarily worship Moradin, and many in Snom view him as the progenitor of the world, and therefore the most creative and inventive of all the gods. While religious beliefs are commonly shared among citizens, the faith of Snom is kept hidden to outsiders, for the progressive ideologies of the people often clash with the tradition focused order of the other kingdoms.

Tresmude, The Shifting Sands

• Intro: Burning sun, swirling sands, chants to the ancestral spirits. This is the atmosphere of Tresmude, a remote place set apart from the other kingdoms. Within its borders lie ancient ruins, wild sandstorms, and traditions of an age long past. Tresmude is a place of mystery, one that outsiders are eager to unravel.
• Orb: The orb of Tresmude has long been locked away, kept in the Vault of the Ancestors. Containing the power of wind, the people of Tresmude despite it for, for its volatile power whips up the desert winds into tempestuous dust storms when not contained within the Vault
• Culture: The culture of Tresmude is one of respect and honor. Children are brought up from a young age by the edicts of Alremuoon, the ancestral collective. Most of all, age is a thing to be respected, and to disrespect an elder is not only deeply frowned upon, but a crime. Of note is the current political conflict between the peoples of Tresmude: One side views the increasing number of visitors and treasure hunters to be a blessing both on the economy but also on the increase of cultural awareness. The other party, however, views the outsiders as thieves and corruptors here to pervert the ancient way of life practiced in the desert.
• Economy: The economy of Tresmude is almost nonexistent, its people being almost entirely self-dependent. However, wealthy travelers, both adventurers and historians,  seeking to cross the desert sands in search of ancient ruins have made being a sand skiff pilot a relatively lucrative trade.
• Peoples:
• Orcs: The main population of Tresmude are orcs. Their natural endurance and tall frames lend themselves well to traversing the desert sands of Tresmude.
• Wind Goliaths: Also known as Cloud Goliaths, these giant-kin are a stark contrast to the serious orcs of the wastes. Rather, they possess a keen wit, and a mirthful laugh, their breezy attitudes making them most hospitable hosts to travelers of the desert.
• Capital: The capital of Tresmude is Oracle Oasis, a speck of paradise in the midst of the harsh landscape. Centered around a bubbling spring of fresh water, various tents and buildings have been made into a home camp for the traveling expeditions that explore the wastes.
• Landmarks:
• Vault of the Ancestors: Deep underground, buried beneath the desert sands, lies a tomb. The vault of the ancestors, where every 100 years the dead of Tresmude are buried in an ancient ritual. Within the depths of the vault, the Wind Orb is kept, guarded by a group of undead goliaths of the Order of the Orb.
• Ruins of Algerthond: Algerthond was once a magnificent desert fortress, from which a king known as Zalgal the Wraith once ruled. As all empires too, his realm crumbled into ruin, but he did not, preserving his life as an undead monstrosity. Now his ancient palace is home to hordes of undead which he commands to raid the surrounding towns.
• Geography: The terrain of Tresmude is fairly simple, consisting of endless sand dunes and rock outcroppings that dot the desolate landscape. During the day, temperatures blaze hot, and drop dangerously low at night, turning the fiery sands into an icy wasteland.
• Religion: The people of Tresmude have a strong relationship with the gods. While they are more open to the whole pantheon than other kingdoms, the primary focus of their worship is Gruumsh, whose toughness and tenacity inspire them to great heights. In addition, they view the ancestral spirits that are so tied to their way of life as extensions of him and his edicts of honor and glory.

Luenspac, The Deep Caverns

• Intro: Luenspac is a place of shining wealth and industrial magic. The citizens of this subterranean civilization are a society of mages, nobles, and miners who work to mine the main resource of the twisting caves below Traedaloss: Spell Gems, magical crystals that contain arcane power. 
• Orb: The orb of Luenspac is the Stone Orb, and the industrial success of Luenspac relies on its power for their main operations. The mages of Luenspac managed to split the stone orb into three separate pieces, each of them given to one of the mining companies, so as to increase the production. By harnessing the elemental power of the orb, the companies carve through the stone and draw forth the precious gems of the earth.
• Culture: The culture of Luenspac shares many similarities with the people of Snom, but while the culture of Snom focuses on innovation for the betterment of the common folk, the people of Luenspac are more pragmatic. After years of being ignored for not truly having their own lands and exports, the recent shifts in the Luenspacian political scene have inspired the people of Luenspac to become a force to be reckoned with, and to do this, they have pursued magical power with a passion and vigor.
• Economy: The economy of Luenspac depends upon the bountiful and expensive Spell Gems. Each of the three companies uses their part of the Stone Orb to aid in their massive mining operations, delving deep under the earth in search of more wealth to aid in their rise to becoming one of the most powerful kingdoms.
• Peoples: 
• Rock Gnomes: The rock gnomes of Luenspac are widespread in the depths of the caves. While most lack the physical strength to be miners, their affinity for magic allows them to utilize the power of the Stone Orb to great effect, as well as using the Spell Gems they mine to produce many magical effects.
• Stone Goliaths: While most goliaths would be uncomfortable in the cramped caves of Luenspac, the slender stone goliaths are not. Due to their connection with stone around them, they possess abilities to shape the stone around them, and their natural strength makes them valued members of Luenspac.
• Dwarves: the dwarves of Luenspac are a solid and stoic folk. Most dwarves, while strong assets to the mining operations of Luenspac, generally keep away from the jovial Gnomes and Goliaths of the caves. They have formed their own havens separate from the gnomes, the use of the stone orb to further their own selfish ambitions discomforting to them.
• Capital: The capital of Luenspac is a massive cavern known as Il-Quixerth. Shaped like a massive caldera, different rings line the walls, providing lairs to the magnificent city. The first tier is reserved for merchants and nobles, and it's where the business deals and trade routes are made. On the second lair, which is the main cultural hub of the city, homes, shops, and places of gathering are abundant. The third lair is the factory lair, where Spell Gems are processed, mining equipment is repaired, and new tools are developed. The deepest lair, the fourth, is the central hub where mining operations return to and depart from, and is known as The Port.
• Landmark:
• Proegoy: At the bottom of Il-Quixerth lies the lake of molten lava known as Proegoy. At its center lies an island sparkling with Spell Gems, but it has never been mined, for one simple reason: The magma itself seems to have a mind of its own, and rises to prevent any from reaching the crystal-studded shores.
• Zerlkaulusith: In the upper reaches of the caves lies a lone outpost, a bastion against the darkness of the caves: Zerlkaulusith, the home of a massive myconid colony. Their caverns, rather than gemstones, are adorned by vibrant fungi of all sorts. Outsiders are distrusted, but if they can prove themselves by passing one of the inscrutable tests of the Myconid, they will have a place, albeit a strange one, to rest whenever they are around.
• Caelix’s Hollow: Somewhere deep in the caves, there is said to be a series of three stone spires that form a triangle. In the middle of the triangle is a portal to a mystical cavern where it is said a reclusive tribe of dwarves have given up on technology and instead use spirit magic to give escaped constructs from Snom a soul and a new way to live.
• Geography: The geography of Luenspac is vast and varied. While most topsiders assume Luenspac consists of blank stone tunnels, the vast array of different types of terrain, elevation, and natural formations compose an underground world filled with wonder.
• Religion: In Luenspac, Garl is the main object of devotion. While the people of Luenspac have abandoned a lifestyle revolving around worship of the gods, they still show difference, if only for their own ends so as to not anger the gods.

Cetas, The Frigid Tundra

• Intro: While the world in general is wild and untamed, no kingdom is more inhospitable than the frozen wastes of Cetas. The snowy valley that is home to all manner of foul monsters is ringed by an nearly impassable glacial wall, within which dark shapes can be seen frozen in the ice.
• Orb: The orb of the Cetas is the Flame orb, though none have been able to access it for a long time. When the Order of the Orb was formed, the flame branch elected to seal their orb away in the ice of the glacier, keeping its volatile, destructive power away from the hands of those who would use it for evil. Over time, dark forces entombed within the ice have begun to influence it with dark magic, turning its once bright flames into hellish darkfire.
• Culture: The culture of Cetas 
• Economy: Cetas’s economy focuses mainly on the glaciers, for while many dark monsters are entombed within the ice, the ice itself is of a special, magic-infused variety that has the power to soothe wounds and close them, no matter how severe. Many operations seek to mine this for their own benefit, although the goliaths of the Order of the Orb seem unconcerned with using the ice for their own ends.
• Peoples: 
• Goliaths: While fire goliaths are the most prominent type of goliath in Cetas, their branch of the order being stationed there, all types of goliaths populate the tundra, using their natural strength and elemental affinity to carve out a place for themselves among the harsh landscape.
• Travelers: Creatures of all the humanoid species travel to Cetas to visit the temple of the six, and the many pilgrims who stay for extended periods of time before starting the journey home make Cetas one of the most diverse kingdoms in the realm.
• Capital: Known as The Outpost, Cetas’s capital is a city built into a massive spire of crystalline ice. Located at the center of the valley, if one climbs to the top of The Outpost one can see the whole of the valley.
• Landmarks:
• Temple of the Six: Located at the northernmost part of the valley, upon a massive hill, sits the Temple of the Six, a magnificent edifice to the gods. Tended by a solemn order of priests known as the Supplicants of the Six, many pilgrims from across Traedaloss travel to offer their prayers to their god of choice.
• The Glacier: A massive wall of ice that rings the valley except for one tunnel that allows access to the rest of the continent. The ice itself is of a strange, crystalline variety that contains life-giving magic within. When melted over a wound, it soothes pain and heals the flesh. Deep within the glacier lies many dark shapes, though no one is quite sure what the true nature of these creatures is.
• Geography: Surrounded by The Glacier, Cetas is essentially a massive, snowy valley. Frigid hills make up most of the terrain, with clusters of snow-laden pines providing cover from their fierce wintry storms that savage the region. Of note are the many tunnels carved out under the valley, the remnants of a horde of Remorhaz’s that plagued Cetas for decades.
• Religion: out of all the kingdoms, Cetas is the most religiously diverse. While the main patron of the Order and the goliaths is Annam, by no means is worship directed only at him. Instead, the people of Cetas have taken an almost pantheistic doctrine, seeing not only all the gods as part of one celestial force, but also all the world as a vessel for this divine soul.

Kulamaos, The Lands Between

• Intro: Kulamaos is the one place in Traedaloss where everything comes together in a perfect balance. In Kulamaos, peoples of all walks of life, species, and religions live and work in harmony. The land most affected by war and conflict between the other kingdoms, Kulamaos nevertheless has power over the others as the central hub of the continent.
• Culture: Perhaps its only weakness, Kulamaos lacks a specific cultural identity. Its position as a melting pot makes it so that everyone has a differing opinion, and if the principles of Kulamaos ever came under attack, it is doubtful that the kingdom would stand together as a whole. Kulamoas combines the other kingdoms cultures into one massive society, exemplifying industry, ambition, freedom, expression, tradition, and all the other cultural principles of the other kingdoms.
• Economy: Kulamaos is primarily a trade nation, using its central position and political influence to broker deals between the other kingdoms. Many shipments travel through here, and as such heroes and guards are highly paid to take on the multitude of criminals who try to steal the many goods transported throughout the kingdom.
• Peoples:
• Humans: While humans exist in all the kingdoms, being the most widespread of the humanoids, their homeland is Kulamaos, where they thrive as the diverse rulers of a diverse kingdom. While their short lives often mean they lack the wisdom of the longer lived species, their ambition and adaptability mean that no matter what happens, they can lead the other kingdoms in whatever threats they face.
• Capital: The capital of Kulamaos is known simply as The Bejewelled City. Carved from a mixture of Glacier Ice from Cetas and Spell Gems from Luenspac, The Bejewelled City is an architectural wonder, its impossible spires and arches stretching in ways that seem to defy gravity. The Bejewelled City is melting pot for everyone, and it embodies Kulamaos to the fullest: diverse,  
• Landmarks:
• Velayxith: Velayxith is the premier mages guild and magic school in Traedaloss. Consisting of three impossibly tall stone towers, one for the school, one for the guild, and one that operates as a residential area, Velayxith is essentially its own city. Ruled by a council of eight archmages, Velayxith is known for its strict traditions about arcane magic and rumors of strange experiments performed in the dead of night.
• Blexith Bay: An inlet in the coastline of Kulamaos, Blexith Bay is the continent's premier trade and shipping hub. The docks are always busy, and the city is home to artists, revolutionaries, and all sorts of strange individuals looking to make their mark.
• Geography: The geography of Kulamaos is the easiest to traverse of all the kingdoms. Forested hills, open meadows, and gentle rivers are the hallmarks of Kulamaos’s landscape. 
• Religion: In Kulamaos, all the gods are worshipped. However, a recent revolutionary movement in Blexith Bay has caused tensions to boil: a group calling themselves The Fates has started to convince people that the gods were actually slain in the First War, and that their devotion has instead been turned towards the dragon gods.

Vilas, The Ancient Forest: 

• Intro: Vilas is a place of abundant life, great art and achievement, and natural beauty. It is ruled by three clans, each of whom has their oldest member be their representative of the Triad, the ruling council of Vilas. The three clans are: 
• The mysterious Dark Clan, which lurks within the misty depths of the forest, worshipping the gods in strange rites; 
• the powerful High Clan, which live among crystalline cities among the treetops, developing arcane magic to its extreme;
• The stoic Wood Clan, who live among all corners of the forest, keeping the other two from unbalancing the natural order.
• Orb: The people of Vilas possess the Earth Orb, which has been hidden away, embedded deep within the heart of the Elder Evergreen, from which the headwater of the Taiv River flows. Guarding it is the Earth Branch of the Order of the Orb, where the hill goliaths of the branch keep the elves in check from abusing the orb's power.
• Culture: Society in Vilas is vibrant and peaceful, and as such rates of crime and death are low. In Vilas, elders are to be treated with the utmost respect, and the eldest member of each clan is always chosen to lead that clan. Disrespect of an elder is punishable as a crime. Of note is the thriving topiary art industry, where various artists sculpt and shape shrubbery and whole gardens into exquisite works of art, becoming celebrities in their own right.
• Economy: Vilas thrives on agriculture, utilizing the power of their orbs to increase the abundance and heartiness of the plants they foster. Almost everyone is vegetarian, and many restaurants serve exquisite dishes made from magically cultivated plants. Vilas also possesses a booming trade in plant-based alcohol, potions, herbal concoctions, and narcotics. 
• Peoples:
• Elves: The three elven clans of Vilas are the rulers of the kingdom, wielding wisdom and cooperation to bring about a society for all. While their goals are benevolent, their long lives lead them to not consider the repercussions for shorter lived races. 
• Forest Gnomes: the forest gnomes of Vilas, while not included in the ruling councils of Vilas, have risen to prominence within Vilas for their talents of illusion, which many gnomes have used to become stars in the topiary art industry, combing plant magic, skilled precision, and a dash of illusion to create some truly spectacular works of art.
• Hill Goliaths: As each of the kingdoms do, Vilas possesses a branch of the Order of the Orb, and a number of Hill Goliaths live in Vilas, keeping an eye on the ambitious elves. Less trusting than the gnomes of the elves, they generally keep to themselves, though they have been known to let loose and become the life of the party. A saying many young elves have in Vilas is “If you haven’t partied with a goliath, you haven’t partied”
• Capital: The capital of Vilas is Alefretone, a splendid city among the boughs of the largest tree in the forest: the Elder Evergreen. The Elder Evergreen has stood for thousands of years, its strong branches reaching impossibly high towards the sky. The city itself is nestled inside and between the branches and trunks of the great tree, composed of a beautiful crystalline substance of unknown origins, though those versed in nature magic sense it not actually some form of stone, but instead a plant.
• Landmarks:
• The Shadow Glades, deep in the forest, where the dark clan rules. A strange black spire has been erected in its center, visible above the top of the treeline, but the Dark Clan is too secretive to share its true purpose or nature.
• The Taiv River, which cuts through the center of the forest, and brings vigor to the plants and animals who draw from it. Its headwater is the Elder Evergreen, where the Earth Orb embedded in the tree’s heart suffuses the water with life-giving energy.
• The Crater, a clearing barren of trees, where a massive crater has been carved into the earth. At the bottom of the crater rests a strange device that emits waves of psionic energy that rends the minds of all who come too close.
• Geography: The geography of Vilas is mainly thick, vibrant forest. Everything there is green, full of life, though as of late the forest seems almost angry, causing the terrain to be more difficult to cross, as plants overgrow paths at a rapid rate, and puddles of mud and pits of quicksand dot the once peaceful landscape, waiting to trap an unsuspecting traveler.
• Religion: The most commonly worshipped deity in Vilas is Corellon, though worship is usually not done out in the open. Instead, religion is viewed as a private, personal thing, for each person to engage with if they so wish.

Plaus, The Endless Mire

• Intro: Plaus is a place of contrasts. Hot and cold. Death and life. Hardship and community. Its people live simple lives, carving out their own little home in the unforgiving terrain of the bog. Everyone in Plaus has a purpose, and that purpose is family and contentment.
• Orb: The people of Plaus are in possession of the Ice Orb. While the influence of the naturally counteracts the hot, humid environment of their home, the halflings of Plaus don’t actively try to resist its influence. Instead, they keep it in a place known as the Drautus, utilizing its power to keep their meat frozen.
• Culture: The culture of Plaus is one of perseverance and teamwork. The people of Plaus live simple lives, unconcerned with the elegance of Vilas or the hardships of Tresmude. Plaus has no official leadership, just loose groups of people known as families. While these Families can be composed of familial connections, many others not blood-related are welcomed into these families, and many visitors who make a good impression are often adopted into these families.
• Economy: The economy of Plaus depends almost entirely on hunting. While many of the plants in the swamp are toxic, beasts abound in the wilds, and their meat is especially succulent. As such, hunting is the main profession of most Plausians. Despite most of their society thriving on death, the people of Plaus show great respect to the dead, and make sure to utilize everything from the beasts they kill. They maintain relations with the many spirits that lurk deep within the woods, and some Plausians become Mire-Walkers, shamans able to fend off spirits in order to guide travelers along their way.
• Peoples:
• Halflings: Halflings are the main inhabitants of Plaus, though by no means do they claim superiority over the other peoples of Plaus as the ruling species, unlike other kingdoms. Instead, they merely keep the peace by being the majority population. Generally, they are a friendly sort, always willing to share a campfire with strangers. 
• Frost Goliaths: While most folk in Plaus are generally content, the frost goliaths of Plaus are somewhat of an oddity. Having been stationed there centuries ago by the leaders of the Order of the Orb, they have never quite adjusted, the environment and terrain chafing against their chillier sensibilities. Where they do excel in society though, is as hunters. All of the most successful families possess frost goliaths among their ranks, their natural ability to freeze things in place and powerful strength making them valuable allies and renowned hunters even among a society revolving around hunting.  
• Capital: Unlike many other kingdoms, Plaus has no central capital, just as it lacks a real government. Each family is nomadic, and when two families meet in the vast expanse of the swamp, they will often congregate and commune with each other, though Plaus lacks a central meeting place for the tribes.
• Landmarks:
• The Drautus: An underground vault with walls of ice, The Drautus is where many of Plaus’s residents store what meat they do not eat immediately. It acts both as a place to keep meat fresh and an emergency food storage. The vault is guarded by the Cibus Custos, the only family who is not nomadic in all of Plaus. 
• The Den: A massive, circular chasm in the southernmost portion of the swamp, like a giant shaft dug into the earth, so deep you can’t hear a rock hit the bottom. Cut through the walls of the Den is an expansive cave system, where many wild beasts and vicious monsters lair. 
• Wellspring Lake: A large lake set in the center of the kingdom, Wellspring Lake is home to a hot spring that feeds all the waters of the swamp. In its center is Wellspring Isle, a small island of mysterious contents, for fog constantly surrounds it, and sharp rocks make going to the island all but impossible. Some say they have seen a titanic beast moving among the mists.
• Geography: Plaus is the quintessential swamp. The mire is sticky, the air humid and hot. Patches of dried mud dot the bayou, and large, twisting trees with strands of hanging moss twist their roots through the murky waters, making the use of boats almost impossible. Instead, the shamans of Plaus have used the Orb to shape roadways of Ice that snake through the swamp above the water.
• Religion: Religion in Plaus is mostly focused on Yondolla, and many pray to her for bounty and good health. Worship is a communal thing, less about devotion to a god and more about the joining of a people.

Snom, The Towering Peaks

• Intro: Snom is a place of great invention. Utilizing Magi-tech, the people of Snom have made a haven for themselves among the high, unforgiving peaks of the east. In Caeltus, magi-tech is used to power many inventions, including highly advanced golems and other tools used to create many wonders of innovation.
• Orb: The people of Snom possess the Storm Orb, and they use it to great effect. With the help of the Storm Goliaths of the Order of the Orb, they have utilized the orb in a unique way: They have embedded the orb within a golem, which gives the golem sentience. This golem, known as S.P.A.R.K, rules over the people of Snom, and is possessed of a keen intellect and arcane power.
• Culture: In Snom, innovation is the number one priority. The people of Snom are strong and focused, and everyone has a place in society, whether that be shaping steel, drawing up blue-prints, or testing dangerous inventions. The culture of Snom is a well-oiled machine, where everyone has a job. Hard work, perseverance, and creativity are encouraged, and the skills of every individual are used for the common good of the people.
• Economy: In the face of war, the other kingdoms have turned to the magi-technological wonders of Snom to protect them, and the many artificers and scientists of Snom have gladly taken up the challenge. The many scientists and artificers of Snom have gladly taken to the task, and Snom has started to release many magi-technological wonders in hopes of improving the lives of people everywhere. Pressure from the other kingdoms has caused them to start releasing more experimental products, despite their insistence that some may be unstable.
• Peoples: 
• Dwarves: The main population of Snom is the multitude of dwarven clans that live in the mountains. With their natural talent and inclination for craft, the dwarves of Snom have been the driving force behind the success of Snom’s work culture and economic prosperity.
• Storm Goliaths: While some kingdoms view the goliaths of their kingdoms as of little importance, mere imposers of some foreign organizations rules, the people of Snom have integrated the goliaths sent to watch over their orb gladly, partnering with them to advance the state of common living for all. These goliaths range from mages using their primal power to manipulate devices and fix them, to mighty workers who build massive machines atop the peaks.
• Capital: The capital of Snom is a place called Caeltus, which is a hanging city built into the overhang of a massive mountain known as Storm Sentinel Peak. Caeltus is a place of industry, a main hub for all the various operations going on across the mountain ranges. Many travelers stop there on the way to various peaks, and at all hours of the day you can find the airship docks filled with cargo being loaded and unloaded.
• Landmarks:
• The Apparatus: At the top of Storm Sentinel Peak sits the Apparatus, a massive machine that channels the power of the storm by using the Storm Orb to draw energy from nearby weather to power the machines of Snom. It is guarded night and day by a contingent of the Order of the Orb.
• Titan’s Peak: The most dangerous place in all of Snom, Titan’s Peak is the tallest mountain in the region, but no humanoid has ever summited it, due to the reclusive and temperamental giants that lair upon it. While some goliath explorers have been set free, warned to never return, it takes an incredible feat of strength to impress the giants of Titan’s Peak, and any humanoid found weak is put to death
• Geography: The geography of Snom is all unforgiving mountains, snowy peaks, and steep cliffs. Over the years, explorers have carved trails into the mountain-sides, though these paths are often poorly maintained and dangerous. 
• Religion: The people of Snom primarily worship Moradin, and many in Snom view him as the progenitor of the world, and therefore the most creative and inventive of all the gods. While religious beliefs are commonly shared among citizens, the faith of Snom is kept hidden to outsiders, for the progressive ideologies of the people often clash with the tradition focused order of the other kingdoms.

Tresmude, The Shifting Sands

• Intro: Burning sun, swirling sands, chants to the ancestral spirits. This is the atmosphere of Tresmude, a remote place set apart from the other kingdoms. Within its borders lie ancient ruins, wild sandstorms, and traditions of an age long past. Tresmude is a place of mystery, one that outsiders are eager to unravel.
• Orb: The orb of Tresmude has long been locked away, kept in the Vault of the Ancestors. Containing the power of wind, the people of Tresmude despite it for, for its volatile power whips up the desert winds into tempestuous dust storms when not contained within the Vault
• Culture: The culture of Tresmude is one of respect and honor. Children are brought up from a young age by the edicts of Alremuoon, the ancestral collective. Most of all, age is a thing to be respected, and to disrespect an elder is not only deeply frowned upon, but a crime. Of note is the current political conflict between the peoples of Tresmude: One side views the increasing number of visitors and treasure hunters to be a blessing both on the economy but also on the increase of cultural awareness. The other party, however, views the outsiders as thieves and corruptors here to pervert the ancient way of life practiced in the desert.
• Economy: The economy of Tresmude is almost nonexistent, its people being almost entirely self-dependent. However, wealthy travelers, both adventurers and historians,  seeking to cross the desert sands in search of ancient ruins have made being a sand skiff pilot a relatively lucrative trade.
• Peoples:
• Orcs: The main population of Tresmude are orcs. Their natural endurance and tall frames lend themselves well to traversing the desert sands of Tresmude.
• Wind Goliaths: Also known as Cloud Goliaths, these giant-kin are a stark contrast to the serious orcs of the wastes. Rather, they possess a keen wit, and a mirthful laugh, their breezy attitudes making them most hospitable hosts to travelers of the desert.
• Capital: The capital of Tresmude is Oracle Oasis, a speck of paradise in the midst of the harsh landscape. Centered around a bubbling spring of fresh water, various tents and buildings have been made into a home camp for the traveling expeditions that explore the wastes.
• Landmarks:
• Vault of the Ancestors: Deep underground, buried beneath the desert sands, lies a tomb. The vault of the ancestors, where every 100 years the dead of Tresmude are buried in an ancient ritual. Within the depths of the vault, the Wind Orb is kept, guarded by a group of undead goliaths of the Order of the Orb.
• Ruins of Algerthond: Algerthond was once a magnificent desert fortress, from which a king known as Zalgal the Wraith once ruled. As all empires too, his realm crumbled into ruin, but he did not, preserving his life as an undead monstrosity. Now his ancient palace is home to hordes of undead which he commands to raid the surrounding towns.
• Geography: The terrain of Tresmude is fairly simple, consisting of endless sand dunes and rock outcroppings that dot the desolate landscape. During the day, temperatures blaze hot, and drop dangerously low at night, turning the fiery sands into an icy wasteland.
• Religion: The people of Tresmude have a strong relationship with the gods. While they are more open to the whole pantheon than other kingdoms, the primary focus of their worship is Gruumsh, whose toughness and tenacity inspire them to great heights. In addition, they view the ancestral spirits that are so tied to their way of life as extensions of him and his edicts of honor and glory.

Luenspac, The Deep Caverns

• Intro: Luenspac is a place of shining wealth and industrial magic. The citizens of this subterranean civilization are a society of mages, nobles, and miners who work to mine the main resource of the twisting caves below Traedaloss: Spell Gems, magical crystals that contain arcane power. 
• Orb: The orb of Luenspac is the Stone Orb, and the industrial success of Luenspac relies on its power for their main operations. The mages of Luenspac managed to split the stone orb into three separate pieces, each of them given to one of the mining companies, so as to increase the production. By harnessing the elemental power of the orb, the companies carve through the stone and draw forth the precious gems of the earth.
• Culture: The culture of Luenspac shares many similarities with the people of Snom, but while the culture of Snom focuses on innovation for the betterment of the common folk, the people of Luenspac are more pragmatic. After years of being ignored for not truly having their own lands and exports, the recent shifts in the Luenspacian political scene have inspired the people of Luenspac to become a force to be reckoned with, and to do this, they have pursued magical power with a passion and vigor.
• Economy: The economy of Luenspac depends upon the bountiful and expensive Spell Gems. Each of the three companies uses their part of the Stone Orb to aid in their massive mining operations, delving deep under the earth in search of more wealth to aid in their rise to becoming one of the most powerful kingdoms.
• Peoples: 
• Rock Gnomes: The rock gnomes of Luenspac are widespread in the depths of the caves. While most lack the physical strength to be miners, their affinity for magic allows them to utilize the power of the Stone Orb to great effect, as well as using the Spell Gems they mine to produce many magical effects.
• Stone Goliaths: While most goliaths would be uncomfortable in the cramped caves of Luenspac, the slender stone goliaths are not. Due to their connection with stone around them, they possess abilities to shape the stone around them, and their natural strength makes them valued members of Luenspac.
• Dwarves: the dwarves of Luenspac are a solid and stoic folk. Most dwarves, while strong assets to the mining operations of Luenspac, generally keep away from the jovial Gnomes and Goliaths of the caves. They have formed their own havens separate from the gnomes, the use of the stone orb to further their own selfish ambitions discomforting to them.
• Capital: The capital of Luenspac is a massive cavern known as Il-Quixerth. Shaped like a massive caldera, different rings line the walls, providing lairs to the magnificent city. The first tier is reserved for merchants and nobles, and it's where the business deals and trade routes are made. On the second lair, which is the main cultural hub of the city, homes, shops, and places of gathering are abundant. The third lair is the factory lair, where Spell Gems are processed, mining equipment is repaired, and new tools are developed. The deepest lair, the fourth, is the central hub where mining operations return to and depart from, and is known as The Port.
• Landmark:
• Proegoy: At the bottom of Il-Quixerth lies the lake of molten lava known as Proegoy. At its center lies an island sparkling with Spell Gems, but it has never been mined, for one simple reason: The magma itself seems to have a mind of its own, and rises to prevent any from reaching the crystal-studded shores.
• Zerlkaulusith: In the upper reaches of the caves lies a lone outpost, a bastion against the darkness of the caves: Zerlkaulusith, the home of a massive myconid colony. Their caverns, rather than gemstones, are adorned by vibrant fungi of all sorts. Outsiders are distrusted, but if they can prove themselves by passing one of the inscrutable tests of the Myconid, they will have a place, albeit a strange one, to rest whenever they are around.
• Caelix’s Hollow: Somewhere deep in the caves, there is said to be a series of three stone spires that form a triangle. In the middle of the triangle is a portal to a mystical cavern where it is said a reclusive tribe of dwarves have given up on technology and instead use spirit magic to give escaped constructs from Snom a soul and a new way to live.
• Geography: The geography of Luenspac is vast and varied. While most topsiders assume Luenspac consists of blank stone tunnels, the vast array of different types of terrain, elevation, and natural formations compose an underground world filled with wonder.
• Religion: In Luenspac, Garl is the main object of devotion. While the people of Luenspac have abandoned a lifestyle revolving around worship of the gods, they still show difference, if only for their own ends so as to not anger the gods.

Cetas, The Frigid Tundra

• Intro: While the world in general is wild and untamed, no kingdom is more inhospitable than the frozen wastes of Cetas. The snowy valley that is home to all manner of foul monsters is ringed by an nearly impassable glacial wall, within which dark shapes can be seen frozen in the ice.
• Orb: The orb of the Cetas is the Flame orb, though none have been able to access it for a long time. When the Order of the Orb was formed, the flame branch elected to seal their orb away in the ice of the glacier, keeping its volatile, destructive power away from the hands of those who would use it for evil. Over time, dark forces entombed within the ice have begun to influence it with dark magic, turning its once bright flames into hellish darkfire.
• Culture: The culture of Cetas 
• Economy: Cetas’s economy focuses mainly on the glaciers, for while many dark monsters are entombed within the ice, the ice itself is of a special, magic-infused variety that has the power to soothe wounds and close them, no matter how severe. Many operations seek to mine this for their own benefit, although the goliaths of the Order of the Orb seem unconcerned with using the ice for their own ends.
• Peoples: 
• Goliaths: While fire goliaths are the most prominent type of goliath in Cetas, their branch of the order being stationed there, all types of goliaths populate the tundra, using their natural strength and elemental affinity to carve out a place for themselves among the harsh landscape.
• Travelers: Creatures of all the humanoid species travel to Cetas to visit the temple of the six, and the many pilgrims who stay for extended periods of time before starting the journey home make Cetas one of the most diverse kingdoms in the realm.
• Capital: Known as The Outpost, Cetas’s capital is a city built into a massive spire of crystalline ice. Located at the center of the valley, if one climbs to the top of The Outpost one can see the whole of the valley.
• Landmarks:
• Temple of the Six: Located at the northernmost part of the valley, upon a massive hill, sits the Temple of the Six, a magnificent edifice to the gods. Tended by a solemn order of priests known as the Supplicants of the Six, many pilgrims from across Traedaloss travel to offer their prayers to their god of choice.
• The Glacier: A massive wall of ice that rings the valley except for one tunnel that allows access to the rest of the continent. The ice itself is of a strange, crystalline variety that contains life-giving magic within. When melted over a wound, it soothes pain and heals the flesh. Deep within the glacier lies many dark shapes, though no one is quite sure what the true nature of these creatures is.
• Geography: Surrounded by The Glacier, Cetas is essentially a massive, snowy valley. Frigid hills make up most of the terrain, with clusters of snow-laden pines providing cover from their fierce wintry storms that savage the region. Of note are the many tunnels carved out under the valley, the remnants of a horde of Remorhaz’s that plagued Cetas for decades.
• Religion: out of all the kingdoms, Cetas is the most religiously diverse. While the main patron of the Order and the goliaths is Annam, by no means is worship directed only at him. Instead, the people of Cetas have taken an almost pantheistic doctrine, seeing not only all the gods as part of one celestial force, but also all the world as a vessel for this divine soul.