Darago
Regions
There are four sub-regions of Darago - two surface regions and two interplanar regions.Merchant Lords rule the surface world from great towers. All nations come to them for the best metal goods and stoneware. The key to their success is access to the Fire Realm and Underworld via tunnels.
- The Black Hills is an upland area which encircles the north, east, and south of Desolation in a claw shape. The Black Hills is all that remains of the ancient dwarven land that was transmuted in the Desolation of Dwarves. The Black Hills look like rippled fields of bare obsidian and pumice with occasional steam vents, hot springs, warm lakes, caves, and spatter cones (miniature volcanoes). The Merchant Lords in this region dwell in towers near lakes, though a few of the lakes are underground. Most have quarries, particularly of marble.
- Desolation is the region flattened and transformed in the Desolation of Dwarves. Desolation features profuse vegetation growing in rich, black soil. These Merchant Lords live in fortified lighthouse-towers overlooking their productive villages.
The interplanar region consists of tunnels and caverns. Some cavern cities near the surface are lit by surface solar panels with a crystal version of fiber-optic cables. This subterranean world of stone gradually gives way to lands of fire. The interplanar cave cities are small but cosmopolitan. Every city is independent and unique.
- The Fire Realm is on the doorstep of the Plane of Fire. Deeper cities in the Fire Realm – the Red Cities – are lit by everlasting fire and powered by geothermal vents.
- Pravvus: One series of tunnels leads to a portion of the Abyss that neighbors the Plane of Fire. A single city, Pravvus aka the Rubbish Yard, lies at this conflux of Darago, the Fire Plane, and the Abyss.
Technology
The subterranean lands are a unique source of products from the Plane of Fire, the Abyss, and technologies based on metals and explosive chemistry. They guard their advanced metallurgy and firearms technologies zealously.
People and Magic
Humans tend to live on the surface. Their magic relies on manipulating vibrations in metals.
Azers (fire-dwarves), genasi (fire-humans), and tieflings (fiend-humans) tend to live in the subterranean locales. Their magic is sourced from efreeti and fiendish patrons.
Industry and Economy
A brisk slave trade exists between the worlds wherein each world sells its own kind to the other.
Darago – both surface and subsurface – has a monopoly on advanced metallurgy skills. Some creatures bring trade goods from deeper within the Plane of Fire and the Abyss to the subterranean cities. Some of those goods are permitted to be sold to the surface world, and some of that subset are traded to other peoples.
Fire Plane and Fire Realm art is popular.
The fertile coast subregion produces agriculture, dyes, and they are well known for their sculptures
Daragans are the masters of free trade and accounting throughout Tolmiros.
Religions and Culture
Daragan mythologies and religions tend toward elementalism. For example, one mythology holds that the goddess of earth, fire, and magic is the source of magical power and she is trapped within the world. Volcanoes are one evidence of her attempts to escape. Other mythologies claim that either the fiends or the elves blocked the gods from accessing this world through one means or another and for various reasons. Yet another is that magic itself is the spirit of a god made manifest.
Most people give religion little thought. The Merchant Lords act as intermediaries with the god(s they offer the necessary appeasements for the benefit of all.
Among surface humans, communities are loosely tribal and based around the great towers. The Merchant Lords act as chief judge, chief executive officer, and high priest. Men’s roles tend toward technical affairs; women rule the culture.
Climate
Fauna & Flora
Desolation - think Polynesia.
Maps
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Darago map
Source: Atlas_v7x at Deviant Art. Thanks for the original, mate!
This view covers 30°x30° = 1950mi x 1950 mi.
The pink mountains to the east of the mountain ridge are part of the Silver Forest.
Darago is the circular region in the center; it covers a 1300 mi diameter.
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