Continent of Gavis-Lune
By far the largest of Valerick's inhabited and habitable continents, those that make up the 'known' or 'civilized' realms. Gavis-Lune by comparison of Durol and particularly Wyriel is utterly massive. Easily having over double the land mass of either continent, and having a population well in excess of double either landmass, Gavis-Lune could perhaps be labeled the 'center' of the known world. It is a land of many cultures, even if they seem tied into but four large 'realms' of sorts, and with the widest variety and breadth of climates and biomes, with a temperate northern region that gives way to cloud forests, jungles, plains and savannahs, and even a massive desert. The biodiversity on Gavis-Lune is also without peer, offering the widest range of climates and biomes, this should be unsurprising.
The continent is home to many natural wonders, and home to four nation states of sorts, each unique in their own right. Rohara, the Great Plains, an agricultural superpower, earning a reputation as the breadbasket of the world. Valewyr, the Cloudwoad, the militant mountainous nation well known for their military prowess and militarial based society and hierarchy. Susma, the Kingdom of Kingdoms, the loose coalition of many desert merchant fiefdoms and territories, a land ruled by trade, commerce and mercantile savvy. Finally, Kang-Chorath, a culture and people well known for their industrious nature, and the tight bonds of their communities and cultural sense of communal responsibility.
Gavis-Lune is the center of the civilized world in many ways, and this also means it is the place that sees the most....contention and diplomatic jockeying between the powers of the land. Even with relative peace and constant external threats from the likes of feral bestial hordes, greenskin armies, joten war tribes and more, these established powers have begun to find plentiful opportunity to jockey, skirmish and politic with and over each other and disputed holdings. Besides this, the largest cities in Valerick today are found here, naturally, as are the highest populations. These cultures, and even different regions within these larger nations or kingdoms offer a massive scope of experiences for those well traveled, from an amazing variance of foods, drinks and other delights, to studies of language and linguistics. From traditions and rituals to local legends and myths.
The continent is home to many natural wonders, and home to four nation states of sorts, each unique in their own right. Rohara, the Great Plains, an agricultural superpower, earning a reputation as the breadbasket of the world. Valewyr, the Cloudwoad, the militant mountainous nation well known for their military prowess and militarial based society and hierarchy. Susma, the Kingdom of Kingdoms, the loose coalition of many desert merchant fiefdoms and territories, a land ruled by trade, commerce and mercantile savvy. Finally, Kang-Chorath, a culture and people well known for their industrious nature, and the tight bonds of their communities and cultural sense of communal responsibility.
Gavis-Lune is the center of the civilized world in many ways, and this also means it is the place that sees the most....contention and diplomatic jockeying between the powers of the land. Even with relative peace and constant external threats from the likes of feral bestial hordes, greenskin armies, joten war tribes and more, these established powers have begun to find plentiful opportunity to jockey, skirmish and politic with and over each other and disputed holdings. Besides this, the largest cities in Valerick today are found here, naturally, as are the highest populations. These cultures, and even different regions within these larger nations or kingdoms offer a massive scope of experiences for those well traveled, from an amazing variance of foods, drinks and other delights, to studies of language and linguistics. From traditions and rituals to local legends and myths.
Geography
The continent of Gavis-Lune is very broadly best addressed when speaking of its geography and climates by discussing it in four major 'zones' based more or less upon the four major biomes that sort of dominate large swathes of land uninterrupted. This is the approach we shall use here to give you, dear reader, an overview of the continent.
This temperate region, though it sees mild winters, they do still see snow and ice for a few months of the year, particularly the northern region detached from the mainland. However these winters only last three months, and the rest of the year makes for a robust growing season where, when done right, crops like grains, barleys, corns and other such mass crops can be grown in such as way as to get two or even three harvests a year. This is in large part why this region is known as Valerick's Breadbasket. The prairies and grasslands are prime farmland, and so the wild prairies and savannahs are broken up only by large farming communities. Even the surrounding hill lands and woodlands are prime agricultural land, these being very often cattle ranches and other such small tightknit communities for larger livestock populations. Despite this, a lot of this ranching is done with the wilderness intact, leaving a natural wild frontier surrounding the massive plains and grasslands of the Grazea.
This massive mountain range gives its name to Valewyr, and this region is vast, made up of what is theorized to be the oldest mountain range on the planet. Erosion and time have seen them smooth, less jagged and with less massive jutting cliffs and peaks, however the karsts and steep slopes of these mineral rich mountains and the topsoils of them, along with their naturally damp climate and the temperate to sub-tropic temperature ranges have seen a mighty and ancient forest take grip here. The valleys hide endless streams and rivers, small wetland waterways oft filled with plentiful dangers, visicious Hiskars and other scaled kindred hunt the mists and clouds of these valleys. The karsts and highland roads and routes, as well as the airways of the cloud jungles of the Shelf are where one will find the peoples of Valewyr and their civlization, marvelous cities grown and carved from stone and jungle tree, a hybrid of elements, much like the militant Skye Elves themselves, said to be a branch from true elves, those of the Woad, and a cousin race to dwarves. However this region is ultimately a land of mysteries as well, for the clouds and mists hide many things and many treasures, but also many dangers.
Dominating the southern half of the continent, the Great Bala Desert is a sand covered wasteland of sorts, or at least that is what one might imagine. Though this is true, there are large portions of the Bala and its surrounding environs that are naught but sun scorched wastelands of various types, this place is not without life nor without diversity all its own. The Bala holds many secrets, its oases and the scrublands and savannahs of its outer regions a harsh, but expansive and plentiful land, for those whom know how to work with and live within its grips. However the desert herself is a deadly place, and though one might think the heat and lack of resources should make it an empty and inhospitable place, this is far from true. Out in the Bala there are plentiful enough denizens whom pose great threat to a unwary or unskilled traveler.
Though split up across three landmasses technically, this massive jungle and wetlands expanse all share the same name. Sometimes known as the Chora Glades as well, this name is borne of a particular type of tree that only grows here, nowhere else in the world. The Chora is a thick and true jungle a full tropical climate known for having a monsoon season, being oppressively humid all year around, and for its massive biodiversity, particularly in its insects, birds and reptiles and amphibians. The Chora Tree itself, this species, is something of a marvel, with a great deal of uses, and thus they are cultivated as best as one can by those whom live here and are cared for and protected, including having legal protections. The Chora is also a floodplain jungle, that is one should be careful if traveling on foot, as there is just as much marshy land and everglade as their is solid ground. During the Monsoon season in fact it is often true there is actively less solid land by a large margin.
The Grazea
This temperate region, though it sees mild winters, they do still see snow and ice for a few months of the year, particularly the northern region detached from the mainland. However these winters only last three months, and the rest of the year makes for a robust growing season where, when done right, crops like grains, barleys, corns and other such mass crops can be grown in such as way as to get two or even three harvests a year. This is in large part why this region is known as Valerick's Breadbasket. The prairies and grasslands are prime farmland, and so the wild prairies and savannahs are broken up only by large farming communities. Even the surrounding hill lands and woodlands are prime agricultural land, these being very often cattle ranches and other such small tightknit communities for larger livestock populations. Despite this, a lot of this ranching is done with the wilderness intact, leaving a natural wild frontier surrounding the massive plains and grasslands of the Grazea.
The Valeyri Shelf
This massive mountain range gives its name to Valewyr, and this region is vast, made up of what is theorized to be the oldest mountain range on the planet. Erosion and time have seen them smooth, less jagged and with less massive jutting cliffs and peaks, however the karsts and steep slopes of these mineral rich mountains and the topsoils of them, along with their naturally damp climate and the temperate to sub-tropic temperature ranges have seen a mighty and ancient forest take grip here. The valleys hide endless streams and rivers, small wetland waterways oft filled with plentiful dangers, visicious Hiskars and other scaled kindred hunt the mists and clouds of these valleys. The karsts and highland roads and routes, as well as the airways of the cloud jungles of the Shelf are where one will find the peoples of Valewyr and their civlization, marvelous cities grown and carved from stone and jungle tree, a hybrid of elements, much like the militant Skye Elves themselves, said to be a branch from true elves, those of the Woad, and a cousin race to dwarves. However this region is ultimately a land of mysteries as well, for the clouds and mists hide many things and many treasures, but also many dangers.
Dominating the southern half of the continent, the Great Bala Desert is a sand covered wasteland of sorts, or at least that is what one might imagine. Though this is true, there are large portions of the Bala and its surrounding environs that are naught but sun scorched wastelands of various types, this place is not without life nor without diversity all its own. The Bala holds many secrets, its oases and the scrublands and savannahs of its outer regions a harsh, but expansive and plentiful land, for those whom know how to work with and live within its grips. However the desert herself is a deadly place, and though one might think the heat and lack of resources should make it an empty and inhospitable place, this is far from true. Out in the Bala there are plentiful enough denizens whom pose great threat to a unwary or unskilled traveler.
The Chora Jungles
Though split up across three landmasses technically, this massive jungle and wetlands expanse all share the same name. Sometimes known as the Chora Glades as well, this name is borne of a particular type of tree that only grows here, nowhere else in the world. The Chora is a thick and true jungle a full tropical climate known for having a monsoon season, being oppressively humid all year around, and for its massive biodiversity, particularly in its insects, birds and reptiles and amphibians. The Chora Tree itself, this species, is something of a marvel, with a great deal of uses, and thus they are cultivated as best as one can by those whom live here and are cared for and protected, including having legal protections. The Chora is also a floodplain jungle, that is one should be careful if traveling on foot, as there is just as much marshy land and everglade as their is solid ground. During the Monsoon season in fact it is often true there is actively less solid land by a large margin.
Localized Phenomena
Given how large Gavis-Lune is, one would be better served perhaps familiarizing one's self with the phenomena and weather patterns of the region in particular that one is intending to travel through or in.
Fauna & Flora
Gavis-Lune, due to in no small part to its size as a landmass, and the sheer diversity of climates its various regions possess, is home to by far the most biodiversity of any continent known on Valerick. As such, once again one would be better served educating one's self with more focused based on the region and area one is in and its ecology.
Natural Resources
Across the width and breadth of Gavis-Lune, one can find a great deal of variety in her natural resources, as a continent she would lack for nothing. However her concentration of some things, such as certain ores, minerals, crops (particularly fruits and nuts like apples, walnuts, or other such produce) are less numerous than her population would demand. As such the nations here still engage with trade from other continents to feed certain needs and export excesses. Rohara for example has a massive surplus of grains, potatoes and other such vegetables and tuber crops, and these are easy to keep stable and ship long distances. The livestock industry in Rohara also provides plentiful hides and feeds a healthy leather industry. Fishing, the sub-tropic and tropic seas around Kang-Chorath similarly see bounties of the sea a large surplus that get shipped all over. Salt and other such preservatives that can be found in different parts of the Bala are a huge industry in Susma. Valewyr has a booming timber industry as well as being the world's leading parchment and paper producer.
Maps
-
Continent of Gavis-Lune
Type
Continent
Inhabiting Species
Nice introduction to this continent which reminds me that I also have to write two of those articles …