Elysaria

Elysaria is the western of Mirintha's two continents – and the one that was settled first. From its southernmost point to its northernmost reaches, the continent spans roughly 4,000 kilometers. Its east-to-west width measures around 3,500 kilometers, giving Elysaria a total land area of nearly 9 million square kilometers. The highest point of the bigger of the two continents reaches an elevation of 6,724 meters – excluding the Floating Islands, whose exact altitude no one has ever been able to determine. Average temperatures vary from -14°C in the north, 26°C in the central regions, and a frigid -27°C in the south throughout the year. Large parts of Elysaria experience high levels of humidity, especially in the northwest, southwest, and east. However, the western coastal regions as well as the southeast also receive sufficient precipitation to support thriving settlements and make life there possible. Comparing these figures with those of Borendal, it becomes immediately apparent that Elysaria surpasses its eastern neighbour in every measured aspect. For those of you who aren’t particularly interested in geography, we’d like this article to at least give you a brief overview of what the continent has to offer and what you can expect if you’re planning to travel there. Among the many beautiful landscapes of the continent, some stand out in particular.

Zitate: Did you know, that there still is a constant path to Vaelora somewehre in the Sunbound Woods? That's why they won't let anyone in there, so nobody can find it!

Holy land my ass! Nothing holy about that place. You know why those trees have red leaves? It's because of all the damn blood sacrificies those grey-skinned bastards are performing. And that is why nobody is allowed to enter it, because they don't want us to find out!

The center

At the heart of this vast landmass lie the Skyforge Mountains. They are home to almost all Seramkerdil. Only a few outsiders have so far been permitted to enter the underground cities, and the Kerdil themselves never leave the mountain. Within the mountains themselves, one finds, besides the cities of the Kerdil, primarily mine shafts, caverns, tunnels, and stone. A great deal of stone, in fact. But what else would one expect from a vast mountain massif? There is not much more to tell about this region at this point. Further details can be found in the chapter dedicated specifically to the mountain range itself.

The west

To the west of the mountains, the Seramkerdil’s homeland is protected by nature, for this is where the largest desert in our world, the Eternal Sands, lies. The vast sandy desert is primarily traversed by the trading Qataban, who seem to be the only ones to have found safe routes through the monotonous, seemingly endless dune landscape. And they are not keen to share their secrets. However, the further west one travels, the more vegetation takes root, and the sandy desert slowly transforms first into a savannah, then into lush grassland, and finally into a green, dense jungle that stretches to the very edges of the continent and ends at the ... sea. The region that is made of savannah and grassland is known as the Hearthland Corridors, as it connects the parts north and south of the Eternal Sands with each other. At the north-western corner of the western part of Elysaria lies Summerhaze, a jungle region that. is part of the country of the Serelartin. It is the most wild and untamed part of their realm and home to quite a few species that are only known to exist there, be it flora or fauna. South of the Eternal Sands is a reminder for all of us, never to oppose the gods - the Spellscar Wastes. This region, once green and fertile, is now characterised above all by the Floating Islands and the barren wasteland beneath them. Eternal witnesses to the downfall of the Caelarin. Whilst the Floating Islands lie beyond the sphere of influence of all inhabitants, the region surrounding them is a wasteland where nothing grows and nothing lives, no matter how hard the Elarin have tried to make the region habitable again. North of the Hearthland Corridors lie the Sunbound Woods, known among the Serelarin as Cahaya's Autumn. This vast forest consists entirely of gold rain trees and sun birches. The trees' year-round golden-yellow leaves and white trunks are said to symbolize the light of Cahaya. To the Serelarin, this region is sacred, and permission to travel through it is granted only under exceptional circumstances. Beyond the forest – already more to the north than the west – lies the true homeland of the Serelarin: Silverfen. It is here that the capital of the Serelarin kingdom is located. For most travelers, arriving by ship is the only practical way to enter this secluded land.

The north

There is not much to say about the north of Elysaria. Directly west of the Sunbound Woods lies a vast region of swamps and marshes known as Brightmoor. The landscape is crisscrossed by several rivers and countless streams. Strange green lights can be seen from afar after nightfall, casting an eerie atmosphere over the entire region. We strongly advise travelers against venturing into Brightmoor. A far more pleasant journey awaits in Sunrest Vale, which lies between the marshes and the mountains. This sun-drenched expanse of grassland enjoys a mild climate and is an inviting destination for travelers crossing the region. North of this lies the Pale March, a largely uninhabited region of Elysaria. The landscape is barren, with the occasional lone tree and, if fortune smiles, a small grove. Overall, however, the area is rather unremarkable and of little significance. As one travels farther north, the vegetation gradually disappears until ice and snow replace the last traces of green. This frozen wilderness is inhabited by only a handful of hardy animal species.

The east

On the other side of the mountain range, the rugged peaks give way to rolling hills. This region is commonly known as the Million hills of Irda and is home to the Bukitkerdil, the Seramkerdil's close yet very different relatives. Although the landscape here is still rather barren at first, it becomes increasingly green the further one travels into the valley, with lush meadows dominating the scenery. At first sparse, then increasingly frequent, one encounters forests that grow ever denser the closer one gets to the sea. On this side of the continent, too, the forest eventually becomes a rainforest that ends at the coast and is known as the Sylvan Reach, home of the Tharnelarin. They live in small to medium-sized towns scattered throughout the land, primarily along the many rivers that flow through the region. The climate here is, as one would expect from a rainforest, characterized by consistently warm temperatures and very high humidity. This may well be one of the reasons why the Tharnelarin are known for their rather minimal approach to clothing. Farther north lie the Dawnfields, while the Windrun Plains stretch across the south. Both are fertile, temperate regions that are vital to the Tharnelarin's food production. Endless fields of grain extend as far as the eye can see, making these lands the agricultural heart of their kingdom. At the continent's eastern edge, the Windrun Plains border the Scarlet Forest. Much like the Sunbound Woods, this forest is considered sacred. Here, however, nearly the entire woodland consists of scarlet ash and crimson pine. As a result, the forest canopy glows in deep crimson hues throughout the year, standing in striking contrast to the dark, almost black trunks below.

The south

This brings us to the south of Elysaria. The Gloamwood stretches almost from coast to coast, interrupted only near the western shoreline by Greenveil, a vast marshland whose name can be somewhat misleading. It is certainly green, and the ever-present mist does indeed drape the landscape in a veil. Yet despite its inviting name, Greenveil is anything but welcoming. North of the Gloamwood and west of the Snowforge Mountains lies a region crisscrossed by countless rivers. It owes its name, the Forklands, to the way these waterways repeatedly branch and divide throughout the landscape. The Tilki, who originally inhabited lands farther to the south, gradually expanded into this territory. The Serelarin had long left it unsettled because of its proximity to the Spellscar Wastes, allowing the Tilki to establish themselves here in order to secure a more reliable food supply. Nestled among the many rivers and forests are numerous settlements of the foxfolk, surrounded by fertile pastures and farmland. If you follow the roads further south, the number of conifers increases exponentially, whilst the deciduous and mixed forests become increasingly sparse. Further south still, the land becomes barren, trees grow sparser, until vegetation is barely present at the edge of the Everfrost Expanse. This vast ice desert forms the southernmost part of the continent and is also home to the Skaeryn, the only civilised species, apart from the Elarin, to have existed since the First Age. Nearly at the very center of this endless frozen expanse rises a mountain range made entirely of ice, which some claim is not of natural origin. Others whisper that it is home to a vast, frozen city of the Skaeryn, supposedly built by their magic and constructed entirely from ice. We ventured into this frigid region ourselves and found no trace of any city. However, it is possible that the Skaeryn guides who accompanied us simply did not want us to discover it. Therefore, we cannot say whether this mysterious city truly exists or not.

We hope you have enjoyed this rather brief overview of Elysaria and highly recommend reading our report on the eastern continent of Borendal as well. In addition, we have documented the islands between the two continents in a separate short entry, as it is officially unclear to which continent they belong.