Erodas (Eh-roe-das)
Geography
The world of Erodas serves as the Minute Hand of The Clock, and specifically references the surface face upon which the light of Iyl Draconys shines its benevolence. It is a circular world consisting of four large landmasses seperated out by tempestuous seas and numerous islands untethered around the centre. These central islands orbit a vast hole set beneath the ocean, a pass to the other side and through which the world is connected to The Hand. Named The Bore by most, it is the reason for the dire seas, its appearance that of an enormous whirlpool that buffets the ocean tides and excites the winds to fury.
The edge of Erodas is that of a strange waterfall, with seas connecting from both faces transferring between each other. From here, should one avoid being pulled over the rim, one can see the gems set within The Clock's frame, and on a clear night, perhaps even catch sight of the frame itself shining beneath reflected light. At all times visible from the world is Calir'Nach, The Aberrat Spyre, which emerges from The Arm to which Erodas is connected. Though it runs beneath the face, a seeming flaw in its construction has warped the metal, creating a jutting tower much akin to a mountain across its length. From this aberration is cast a vast shadow by the sun, and as the face turns, those lands caught beneath are subject to darkness, and thus is night created.
The shape of the world, and the currents of the sea and ocean, are formed by the great network of gears beneath the ground. Should one find themselves far below the mantle, they will witness rivers of clockwork grinding on endlessly, dedicated to perpetuating the existence of The World-Engine. These paths of brass and cog appear to possess no pattern, their placement nearly random and yet obviously not. There is no part of Erodas free of these strange chains, and many a mining congolmerate or expedition into the deeps has been stalled by their discovery, for they cannot be marked by even the strongest steel. Plenty of tunnels and natural caves can be found with a single gear piercing throught the stone, indicating the presence of a larger river nearby, and the Dwarves have become well accustomed to building their empire around these occurances.
Ecosystem
Erodas is generally temperate, though with occasional areas of extreme variation and inhospitable nature. Days last twenty-four hours of which night is roughly eight, and the darkness during this time is nearly total. There are a large variety of species dwelling upon Erodas, including many complex chains of biological function that are incredibly delicate. Farming is simple across much of the world and the soil is frequently refreshed by tides spanning from The Bore's rage.
In short, were it not for the nature of sentient life, the myriad beasts and fell creatures living in the unknown places, and the plots of Cryptic agents, this world would be nearly a paradise. Of course, each landmass bears its own difficulties and obstacles to be overcome, but generally the world is well suited to life.
Ecosystem Cycles
Due to its 'locked' nature, Erodas does not experience seasons as other worlds might. For most of an Era, the world enjoys a pleasant existence, stable and without change. For five years however, as Erodas passes through The Great Veil, the land is plunged into winter. What great thing that dims the light, that casts the shadow behind which madness lies, also feeds greedily upon the warmth. These times are dark indeed, for food does not grow easily and animals die in droves as civilisation finds itself pushed to the limit of its ability to endure. Even the most ardent preparations often fail, for such times harken bloodshed and war, as reavers seek to take what they themselves did not store.
During this time, many creatures have developed strategies to survive, with most of them involving some form of hibernation. Others live existences accepting of their demise should they be born during such an event, while a rare few come into their element. The hunters and darkest beasts thrive during the winter, as prey proves abundant enough to carry them through. A few beasts migrate, escaping to distant lands though these are few and far between, for no part of Erodas is safe from the chill touch of The Veil.
Those that dwell upon the central islands suffer the most, for the waters freeze over, and even where the ice can be broken, little bounty can be found beneath. Here, legends state that the fish and ocean beings flee through The Bore by ancient pact, escaping to the other side, though few take these tales seriously. Rather, they argue, the deeps are safer during the winter, and the creatures of the sea slip far below where even the greatest net can reach. Fortunately, with the calm of the ocean comes the calm of storm, and the islanders set sail en-masse. Where the waters cannot provide, the now reachable shores of distant nations most certainly can.
The coming of summer again, though eagerly desired, is welcomed with destruction and rage. The sudden changes in temperature evoke terrible storms across the world, as The Bore once more sparks to life, recouping for lost time. Great rains and tempests span the land, and flooding reaches all but the most prepared. For a year this continues, and a year only, but should one survive all of this then they will find a sweet welcome in another half-century of peace ahead.
Localized Phenomena
Erodas is possessed of a few truly unique phenomena. Most of these replicate recognisable events upon more traditional worlds, but the means by which they occur are particular in this brazen land.
Being a world defined by the gears beneath the ground, it is not surprising that sometimes something will break, either intenionally or not. The cogs will be interrupted or stalled, and as the might of The World-Engine turns to its remedy, the land above can tear itself to pieces. Gearbreaks, as they are commonly called, or 'Stutters', range from mild shivers through the plates, to catastrophic eruptions of earth and water that level all within miles. There is no warning for these events, no way to prepare or guess at how devastating it will become, yet somehow cats are able to predict their arrival. Should a clowder of such animals appear, or should all felines mysteriously vanish, it is not the worst idea to cut your losses and run.
Night upon Erodas is also unusual, for it is not a slow darkening of evening into twilight, but rather an overt shift from day into nothing. The shadow cast by The Aberrat Spyre reveals itself as a wall of black that approachs and cloaks all within its guise. Likewise, does dawn appears as a dazzling event, with a clear line visible upon the ground seperating both. Occasionally, one can see stars far above, even during the day, a usual impossibility since the gems embedded within The Clock are far below the rim of the world. What causes this, seemingly random as it is, is unknown, but many cultures have ascribed strange omens to their appearance. Despite academic skepticism, they do appear to harken monumental events.
Lastly, dotted around the world are strange places of total death. They appear sporadically, usually following a Stutter or Gearbreak, and eventually fade away, leaving no sign that once they were. During this time, all life within it dies. Living creatures that enter the region slowly wilt away, and Cryptics begin to evaporate. Most ascribe these regions to areas where The Clock has failed, where the gears beneath the ground have rusted away and died. That The World-Engine appears to repair such sites of damage leaves these as little more than natural phenomena, to be managed and dealt with as required. In recent years however, there have been increased sighting of such places, and few can explain why this might be.
Fauna & Flora
The world of Erodas is home to a variety of animals and plants, with two seemingly distinct groups having formed over the eras. In broad terms, there are those who possess within themselves an innate understanding and manipulation of magic, and those that do not. Beings such as the Elves are capable of interfacing with The Shade, albeit in a minor fashion, while Humanity and Uluks must seek out Cryptic Pacts for even the most basic interactions. Likewise, amongst less intelligent animals and the flora of Erodas, there are those who exist casually with The Shade, and those seemingly forbidden from its touch. Within these two branches creatures have changed, certainly, but in similar fashions and distinct in nature from the other path.
This distinct seperation has led some to conclude of a vast migratory event from Syrindis, which legend states became abandoned and empty of life shortly after its formation. None can agree which branch moved where however, and plenty have provided alternate explanations for this division in evolution, such as the Elves close association with dragons over the eras. There are other complications to this simple theory well, stemming from ancient stories that speak of creatures now mundane, once possessed of the arcane gift, and those born with material practicality now lost to the touch of The Shade. As such, though many may espouse these certainties, there is little doubt that the truth is far different in nature than just a simple leap of faith. The answer may not be complex, but it cannot merely be defined as a binary coincidence.
Natural Resources
Most forms of natural metals, ores and materials can be found on Erodas. From the living creatures come bone and leathers, skins and stranger reagents, as well as woods and fibers from the flora around. Countless unique ingredients and substances can be located across its surface, either manufactured or natural, but the most prominent of these is Glint, a substance truly unique to this Hand.
Glint shares much in common with Glym, the metal of The Clock, for it serves as the foundation of its alloyed nature. Through artifice are the Dwarves of Makir capable of producing this substance, though more commonly do they claim to find it deep in the depths. Examination of the alloy reveals that it possesses much of the strength of Clock-Steel, yet the sickening aura and toxic touch is heavily reduced. While one will not feel comfotable wielding such a tool, it will not prove instantly fatal. Likewise does it possess a durability similar to Glym, and like its kindred, it is capable of storing a vast amount of arcane energy within it. Cryptics do not take kindly to this material however, regarding it as aberrant and sickly. It is not uncommon for one to spend a fortune aquiring some blade or tinket made of Glint, only to be hunted down in turn for such contempt. The reason for this appears to be in some measure due to its formation. Glint contains within it a small mixture of Glym and other metals, bound together by The Fel. Fortunately, the brackish magic is rendered inert during the mixture, but loses none of its dark potency.
History
The world of Erodas began as nothing, an empty space with no land or trees or life. The Arm that bore it carried nothing as it came into existence. Rather, its time began as The Hands moved, with Syrindis being the first formed. As The Second Hand scraped against the rim of The Clock, the material dragged and shattered clung to The Arm, building upon itself to slowly create the shell that would become the world. The Minute Hand followed suit, collecting stray debris abandoned by Syrindis and itself grazing against The Clock, defining its image from the battered steel rent from its surface.
Thus did Erodas come into existence, a molten core of charged Glym whose passage around The Clock began to shape it. As the metal cooled, the clockwork rivers began to form within, settling into place and driving into action. Somehow, perhaps through coincidence, perhaps by divine intent, the chains of gear and cog connected themselves to The Arm beneath, and so brought life to the world. Year by year, era by era, the rim was smoothed as it pressed against The Clock, the land within shaped by the grinding gears beneath the ground that span with seeming intent. The great clouds of steam that first emerged as boiling metal pooled onto a frozen Arm began to solidify, forming great rains and storms, filling the gaps between land with vast oceans and mighty seas.
The Bore began to grow as the teeth beneath the ground continued their mandate, binding together in greater chains, digging deeper beneath the earth. They hollowed through rock and steel, binding themselves to The Arm beneath, their route leaving behind a vast hole through the centre of the world. Connected finally to The Clock, their turning shifted in line with that of The World-Engine, and so order was bestowed upon Erodas. Its lands in constant turmoil began to calm, its oceans bewitched by rage sought peace, and magic flourished. Eventually, creatures and plants began to emerge, and Cryptics unknown before now began to appear. They reflected emotion and civilisation, vice and virtue, and they flocked to this new world.
How it is that life precisely occured is a great mystery to the mortal races, a missing step between understand the world around them and their place within it. Many have put forward answers, but never provided proof. The older Cryptics, should they know, do not speak of it, and those born as a consequence of life were never witness to its novelty. Such is an academic view however, for life came to be, and so it is.
Comments