After The Fallout: The World of the Old Gods

Ávran artists rendition of Ávra and Alealamia separated by the Firmament

Alealamia, a realm forgotten, but not lost...

Alealamia exists as a parallel world to Avra, separated by the enigmatic barrier known as the Firmament, and once served as the domain of the ancient Old Gods. Inhabitants of Ávra regarded this realm as a mythological space prior to the Shatter, unaware of its true existence. Alealamia once supported a thriving society (Known to Ávrans as The Old Gods) with advanced technology, who succumbed to the perils of greed and petty wars, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Over countless eons, Alealamia endured extreme climate fluctuations caused by the fallout of wars and underwent harsh continental shifts resulting from the mass destruction. In the last few thousand years, however, signs of healing have emerged, ushering in a resurgence of new life and the establishment of nascent civilizations. The scars of ancient conflicts are gradually fading as Alealamia embarks on a journey of renewal and regeneration.

The War of the Old Gods ended in the destruction of all advanced life

Cultures

Emerging from the enclaves of primitive life, a rich tapestry of cultures and communities has taken root. Despite the inherent linguistic and cultural barriers among the evolving species, a prevailing sense of peaceful cohabitation blankets the entire planet. The remnants of the world, abandoned by the Old Gods, have intricately woven themselves into the fabric of their cultures, shaping naming conventions for lands, borders, and the vast expanses of oceans and seas. In their quest for advancement, these burgeoning primitives have discovered solace in the remnants, with the last fragments of functional or semi-functional technology playing a crucial role in propelling their progress. These cultures manifest in various sizes across the remaining lands, ranging from small nomadic groups comprising a handful of individuals to larger, thriving towns accommodating hundreds to a few thousand residents. Presently existing in a transitional phase akin to a middle ground between the Stone and Bronze Ages, they are rapidly advancing toward the latter, spurred in part by access to remnants from the bygone society of the Old Gods.

The next generation of Alealamians

Geography

Alealamia's geography paints a haunting picture of a shattered and ravaged world. Once adorned with majestic continents, they now rest submerged beneath expansive oceans, replaced by fragmented shards and chains of islands. The devastating forces that swept across the lands left entire countries and territories obliterated, sinking them into the depths of the seas. In its current state, Alealamia stands as a mere remnant of its former glory, a poignant reminder etched across its altered landscape. This cautionary tale unfolds for any wanderer who ventures into the vast and ethereal galaxies beyond the Firmament, where the remnants of a once-vibrant world now float in solemn silence.

Ecosystem

Alealamia's geographical features pale in comparison to the diverse landscapes of Ávra. In the era preceding The Shatter , Alealamia stood as the domain of The Old Gods. The devastating conflict among these deities, culminating in The Shatter , led to the utter destruction of the realm. What remains is a desolate wasteland, a mere vestige of its former magnificence.
Once teeming with life, the lands of Alealamia now lie abandoned, reclaimed by nature in the aftermath of the gods' war. Where lush jungles and thriving forests once flourished, now only remnants persist, having taken over large swathes of land where magnificent cities once stood. Other areas have transformed into arid taundras and desert wastelands, serving as stark reminders of the immense destructive forces unleashed by The Old Gods in their final conflict. The scars etched across the landscape tell a tale of devastation, leaving Alealamia as a somber testament to the formidable weapons and powers wielded by these ancient deities.
Within these diverse ecosystems, the terrestrial beasts have ascended as the reigning entities in the remnants of the world. Through a combination of the inexorable passage of time coupled with natural evolution, or under the influence of The Old Gods before their grand conflict, these creatures have transcended their original forms. As epochs unfold and the land undergoes a gradual process of healing, a remarkable transformation is underway. Slowly, a new and diverse set of species is emerging, each adapting to the altered environment. These nascent life forms, in their myriad shapes and sizes, hold the promise of becoming the apex species of the planet in the distant future. The cycle of evolution persists, offering a glimpse into the ongoing resilience and regenerative power of the once-devastated land.

Ecosystem Cycles

Alealamia, once a realm with diverse seasons, underwent a profound transformation due to the catastrophic war of the old gods, altering the very fabric of its global climate. Presently, Alealamia is ensnared in an extended winter cycle, a consequence of the residual powers of the old gods poisoning the skies, curtailing the sun's light and warmth. During these protracted global winters, certain regions freeze entirely, rendering them habitable only to the most robust forms of life. Others, however, have been spared as their skies gradually recover from the lingering poisons of war, experiencing milder winters that can be endured even by more delicate creatures.
In stark contrast to the prolonged winter, summers in Alealamia are brief and intense. The thaw produces excess ground water, coupled with the oceans evaporating slightly each summer season, resulting in a humid and warm planet. These conditions prove conducive to the burgeoning new life on the planet. Rather than transitioning into a natural fall season, the summers abruptly yield to winter due to the annual roots taken by the poisons in the skies. Many lands experience sudden cold snaps over a span of a few days or short weeks.
Amidst the abrupt and prolonged winter and the fleeting summer season, a semblance of spring persists, if only to briefly thaw the world before the onset of summer heat. These dramatic and unpredictable seasonal shifts have deeply influenced the evolutionary track of primitive, nomadic species. These creatures have developed predictable migratory patterns, instinctively navigating the changing landscapes during the sudden transitions between seasons. Adaptation to the extremes of Alealamia's climate has become ingrained in their survival strategies, shaping the trajectory of their evolution in response to the challenges posed by the ever-shifting environmental conditions.

Only the fittest stock can survive the Alealamian winters

Fauna & Flora

The once-thriving planet was a tapestry of diverse life, yet vast populations of species faced slow extinction at the hands of the Old Gods themselves, with the majority succumbing to obliteration during the War. Those species that endured either followed their natural evolutionary trajectories as untamed creatures, while a select few transcended their feral stages to evolve into more sophisticated and socially advanced beings. These advanced primitives are now poised to ascend as the new stewards of the planet. 
One of the most peculiar remnants of the war lies in the unexpected advancement of flora. The energies and poisons left in the wake of the conflict, which contributed to the demise of much of the fauna, paradoxically fostered the flourishing of plant life on Alealamia. Some plant species have exhibited signs of sentience, undergoing mutations that far exceed the bounds of natural evolution. This extraordinary development suggests that the botanical realm has, in its own way, responded to the aftermath of the war with an unexpected leap in consciousness.

Natural Resources

Despite the war causing a desolation of many natural resources, and the subsequent aftermath further decimating the land, Alealamia retains an abundance of water. Fueled by its vast oceans, one of the initial natural domains to recover was the abundant sea life. This resurgence has catalyzed the gradual healing of inland water supplies, initiating a planet-wide recovery from the extensive and sudden devastation it endured.

Tourism

It remains a widely accepted belief that the denizens of Ávra  cannot traverse into The Firmament  and complete the perilous journey to Alealamia. Those who might have braved this treacherous passage between realms have vanished without a trace, leaving their fate unknown. The prevailing assumption is that the energies of Aura , still seeping from The Firmament t into Ávra , flow bidirectionally, particularly in sites like The Reliquary . Investigations in these regions have successfully transmitted objects to and from Alealamia, yet no living creature has returned during these experiments.
Aurafolk  are believed to derive their ability to summon items from the realm of Alealamia. Conjured objects seem to be directly extracted from Alealamia and, once their purpose is fulfilled, return to the same realm. This is evidenced by some conjured items having no known origin or utility in Ávra, spanning from weaponry to mysterious machines, and even mundane items such as clothing and books. Notably, any books or written material conjured by the Aurafolk  undergo a content wipe before passing through the Firmament into Ávra, rendering them useless as tools for unraveling the mysteries of the enigmatic realm.

"What lies beyond The Firmament is not truly known...But the old gods did not reside in nothingness. There must be world beyond our realm, and if we can access it, who knows, maybe we too could harness the powers of The Old Gods"

~ Excerpt from a speech given by Daerien Tutrous, one of the first Dunnywild Scientists to experiment on The Reliquary

Maps

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  Alealamia

Pronunciation

ā-yee-uh-lay-me-uh(click to hear)

Statistics

Diameter: 12,753 km/7,926 Miles
Mass: 6.5e21 tons
Density: 5,515 kg/m^3
Distance from its Sun: 145-150 million km

Alternative Name(s)

The Other Side, Realm of the Gods, The Firmament, Firmament Realm, Heavenly Realms, Holy Realm

Type

World

Location under

The Firmament

Known Former Inhabitants

Brandish 
Fell 
Valkyrie 
Cragg 
Istalrí 

Remnants of the Old Gods

Barren wastes make up most of Alealamia