The World
Niorath itself is a varied world, consisting out of many different biomes. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet.
Around Niorath there are two moons in orbit, the large moon Naelik and the smaller Aziel. These moons create larger than usual tides which causes most civilizations to have their harbors in bays with minimal tide differences.
The planet is slightly tilted giving Niorath 4 seasons, each lasting about 98 days. A total year on Niorath last 392 days. Most civilizations have divided it into months loosely based on the cycle of the largest moon Naelik. This means that they have 8 months of 39 days and 2 of 40 days.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Continents
Farlis
Geography
Most of the continent is rather temperate but the south is home to areas such as the Volker desert and the Baidan Jungle. Although the desert is quite a hostile region the country of Kevarim is quite populous thanks to the large river that flows through it. The Baidan Jungle is quite large and not easy to travel through so most large settlements there are found near the coast.
Along the east coast, where most Humans live, the nations have varying biomes. The northern part of Terios is temperate while its southern regions and the country of Varena have a warmer climate which allows them to grow crops like wine and olives.
The west and north coastlines are generally colder environments and less populated than the other regions. The Dwarves of the Arendor States, however, occupy quite a large region consisting mostly out of underground settlements.
The continent is also home to some inhospitable regions such as the chaos areas of the
Silent Forest and the ruins of the Avaronian capital, Bagor. Also the Visar Volcanoes are not known to have any settlements.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Countries
Farlis is a rather mixed continent where almost all species can be found. In ancient times it housed the center of the Avaronian Empire and many of its ruins can still be found to this day.
Today only the Elven successor nations such as Mervidel, Aelerium and Kavonia remain of this once large nation. The eastern part of the continent is mainly controlled by Human countries while the north is in large part under control of the Dwarven Arendor States. In the central region there is the Dragonborn nation of Aldhir. The rest of the central regions and west are mostly in the hands of Elven nations.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Pavanor
Geography
The western part of the continent if full of fertile lands seperated from the rest by some mountain ranges. Most of the rivers of this region come together in the Pares inner sea which also form the heartlands of the
Pavan Empire. In the south-eastern mountain ranges of that area it is common to find karst mountains.
The northern and north-eastern regions of the continent are dominated by coldere biomes such as taiga. Some of the colder areas are even clasified as tundra. Still the eastern coast has some fertile river regions with a warmer climate.
South of the large mountain ranges of the continent the climate is much drier. From west to east a large band of desertlike biomes seperates the continent from the Mizarion region to the south. The western desert is a rather sandy desert while the eastern area is actually more of an arid land closer to savannahs.
To the west of the main continent there are also the Elervir Isles which have a great range of different biomes. The northern islands are rather warm temperate while the most southern islands actually have some desertlike areas.
Countries
Pavanor is the continent with the highest concentration of Humans and the largest Human country, the
Pavan Empire. Other common races on Pavanor are Half-Elves, Dwarves and ORC's. One of the Dwarven nations, Crevania, is also a vassal state of the Pavan Empire.
Along the north and north-east coast there are several independent nations that are either under Human or Dwarven control. Some of these regions used to be under the rule of the first Pavan Empire but they were never reunified with the current one.
South-east from the Pavan Empire there are several mainly Human nations but more importantly the large Half-Elf nation of Ceprin. Arkhan is the odd one out as it is the main
ORC nation of the region.
In the western desert and the savannah at its edge one can find Savanor and Evilyea. Both are mainly Human nations but also have a fair amount of Beastfolk.
Mizarin
Geography
Originally Mizarin was not considered a continent as its northern region were associated with Pavanor while the south was linked to Oneraga. But due to the large differences in culture and biomes with its neighbours it was given the status as continent.
The continent itself was named for its largest region the Mizarin Jungle. This jungle can be found all around the Sandokashi inner sea and also covers a large region to the east until it reaches the mountain ranges seperating it from Oneraga. The Risha River that flows through the eastern region of the jungle is the largest drainage basin of the planet. The region itself is also home to the mysterious
Mizarin Nightlights trees which are know to have some degree of intelligence.
Along the edges of the continent there are savannah and temperate biomes. The only exception to this are the
Arkash Volcanoes which are a mostly inhospitable place. Because they are dangerous to ships that pass near them the inner Sandokashi sea receives less travel than one would normally expect.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Countries
The Mizarin is one of the most mixed regions in the world in terms of species. In the nations along the northern edges it is more common to encounter Humans and Half-Elves while the southern regions are home to Gnomes. But the true melting pot can be found within the jungle and all areas around it.
The center of the jungle, around the Risha River, is home to all types of Beastfolk. This is the general name giving to all species that in some way resemble animals such as the catlike Nekorians and the lizardfolk. It is not known how many types of beastfolk live in the region exactly but it is estimated to be at least 20. Some even suggest that the
Selefer who used to live near the Arkash volcanoes are also a type of beastfolk.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Oneraga
Geography
Oneraga used to be a continent shrouded in mystery. The main reason for this was because it was quite a long and dangerous journey to travel there.
On both of its coastlines there are large desert region with warm regions or jungles along its edges. These used to be the main reason why Oneraga remained more isolated as only very few natural harbors exist around these areas. If any travel entered Onerage it was either through the southern edge of the Mizarin region or through the region north of the Epil Desert.
Another region that was difficult to traverse was the
Crystal Valley which used to frequent
Chaos Tempests for a long time. Now that it has become an important region as the central region of the
Raitin.
The entire south-eastern region, however, consists mainly out of very fertile lands able to support a large number of people. The most peculiar region of this part of the continent is one filled with floating islands very similar to the ones found in the Crystal Valley to the north.
The continent is also home to several Chaos areas such as the Zandarka and Oneraga chaos. The most peculiar of these is however the Fungi Chaos which is very different from the regular ones as it is home to less
Chaos Tempests but still strange due to the alien looking fungi that can be found there.
Countries
The majority of the countries in Oneraga are either Gnome, Dragonborn or Halfling. In the southern fertile region the largest nation is the Crystal Empire which has remained unchanged for most of history. The nations east of it, however, have changed reguraly due to frequent wars and internal strife. The northern nation of this region are known for the skills in martial arts.
In the western desert there are also some other Gnome nations who not played a large role in the history of the world. Only the nation of Zarkerik is a wealthy nation due to its long history of being a gateway to the rest of Oneraga.
To the north there are Dragonborn and Halfling nations that are the main trading hubs between Oneraga and Farlis since the end of the Avaronian Era. The Epil Desert is home to various desert tribes which are in general left alone by the neighbouring nations.
Avak'am
Geography
A large area of the continent is taken up by desert biomes which are in part created by the two mountain ranges surrounding it. Not many people live their currently but the area is still filled with many ruins.
The most northern region of Avak'am is filled with jungles where most of the populated areas are near the coasts. On the other side of the desert the southern area of the continent is rather temperate and has in general rather fertile land.
Still the continent is not very hospitable as it is home to 3 chaos areas. To the west there is the Wasai Chaos and to the south the Basto Chaos. At the very center there is also a Chaos area but only nomads come near that area. All of them are believed to have been caused by either
Selefer or Dragons.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Countries
Avak’am is a rather remote continent that is not included in most standard trade routes. There are several nations along the coastlines but many areas of the continent remain unexplored.
The reason for this is that it used to be populated mainly by Dragons in ancient times until the vast majority of the them died due to the
Dragon Scourge, making it the least populated continent. Before the Dragons though it is thought to have been the orignal home of the Selefer.
The nations north of the desert are home to mostly Elves and Dragonborn. Further to the east Achanim and Anolane are primarly inhabited by Humans while the nation of Eperi is a mix between Humans and Gnomes. This same mix of Gnome and Humans societies is found in the other regions south of the mountains.
The countries between the two chaos areas and also the desert itself are home to many Dragons and Beastfolk. Only the Mizarin jungle has a larger amount of Beastfolk inhabiting it.
This map shows the world of Niorath and its various biomes and nations. The north and south pole areas are still rather unexplored because they are frequently covered in ice. Various species live there but they have not played any major role in the history of the planet. The other continents are much more populated and have seen their fair share of changing occupants.
Some areas of the world are quite different from the normal natural biomes. These are chaos areas, region affected by the dangerous
Chaos Tempests who can corrupt the land beyond recognition. Many of these are the result of forbidden magic going very wrong and have often meant the end of the empires that performed the related rituals.
Idravil
Geography
Idravil is perhaps the most unexplored continent in Niorath and therefore much of its geography remains unknown. The main reason for this is because the most northern areas of the continent are extremely cold. The large sheets of ices in the seas surrounding it also make it impossible to explore its coasts with ships.
The south is a little bit better and has areas of taiga and tundra making it at least possible for people to survive there. Many fjords can be found there in which there are still favourable conditions in the spring and summer.
Countries
As far as people know there is no one living in the most northern regions of Idravil. It is still possible that some hardier species like Dragons, Dragonborn and ORCs could survive there.
South of the icy regions the majority of the nations are actually just general names for a number of clans or tribes which often share somewhat the same culture. Within each of these groups there is frequent infighting and it any unification attempts did not last long so far.
The Western Tribes exists mainly out of Humand and Dwarves while the clans to the east are a strange mix between ORCs, Dragonborn, Dwarves, Humans and even some Elves.
The only somewhat 'real' nation is Ivalem. This Dwarven country has managed to keep the marauding tribes away from its borders and has remained stable since its founding 500 years ago.
this is a thorough and very attractive article. the maps are great and everything flows. i love geography and this hits the spot. thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the kind words ! ^^ Put quite some work in the maps so I am glad that they are well liked :)