Icalar (EE-kah-larr)

Icalar is our initial setting-continent. It is the only land its inhabitants (Icalarans) know, and consists of an extremely high isolated plateau (similar to a tuya) surrounded by cloudcover. No one has ever successfully descended this plateau, or returned from attempting it. The edge of this plateau, no matter the location or type of geography, is called the Precipice. Approximately, at its widest from north to south is fifty leagues (~150 miles at its widest from east to west is sixty-seven leagues (~201 miles).

Borders

Icalar is broken into six countries (or kingdoms): Ustraria, Unenshuut, Iyr, Kiva, Balaqalneyis, and Seyis-Gol. All of these countries are currently experiencing a period of widespread mourning, devastation, and economic hardship (the Long Wake) brought about by the War of the Six -- the largest conflict in modern history -- and the unprecedented Plague of the Bitter Hand that abruptly ended it. Though it is peacetime, they are reeling from decimated populations and uncertainty about their borders and futures.

Climate & Ecology

Although Icalar is not entirely desert or even arid, there is great reliance on and reverence of the water cycle; the vast majority of the countries' fresh water supply descends from a system of lakes seated in great mountains in the north, known as the Creqira, that flows south in a series of rivers, and a handful of freshwater lakes and springs. The continent has experienced sporadic earthquakes in the past, ranging from mild to severe, which are growing stronger and more frequent. There are also popular oral traditions of once-in-a-generation, continent-wide storms. Kiva's climate tends to be arid, windy, and susceptible to extreme temperatures. Ustraria and Unenshuut benefit from the most rain due to the nearby presence of the Iyran Plateau, though Ustraria is more arid than northern Unenshuut, which is in turn more arid than southern Unenshuut; both countries trend to the more temperate throughout the year, but their seasons tend to be subtler. Iyr receives a decent amount of rain and its seasons are more pronounced, but its winters are the harshest outside the Creqira and the Horizon Watchers. Balaqalneyis is the most arid of the countries and its seasons are the most subtle, noticeable only by the spikes in daytime and nighttime temperatures. Seyis-Gol's climate is in keeping with southern Unenshuut, having the most rain of all the countries and remaining temperate year-round, as well as windy.

Inhabitants

Most of the flora and fauna have evolved to adapt to water scarcity to one degree or another. There is an even balance of mammals, birds, reptilians and amphibians. Fauna larger than an average horse are uncommon. The intelligent humanoid species of Icalar are humans, nae'cthosai, eova, fauns, klatuut, and eisorcei. Many species are well-distributed throughout Icalar, but the eisorcei are predominantly found in Balaqalneyis, the nae'cthosai in Unenshuut, and the klatuut in Seyis-Gol.

Culture

There are four primary languages spoken: Mesik, Klao, Shekoldahn, and Bel'Eishar. Pikpik is a derivative of Mesik. Luk'Eishar is the more archaic parent of Bel'Eishar. Mesik is the common tongue and is spoken by all sapient species to some degree. Additional regional dialects have been preserved in remote areas or nomadic peoples (such as Kivans), and have influenced local accents in more cosmopolitan areas. With the exception of the klatuut and the eisorcei, most have reached and welcomed pre-industrialization and are entering early industrialization; this shift is having an impact (pre-war) on trade and manufacturing (including fashion), and thus also influencing a shift from semi-nomadic lifestyles and purely practical goods to more stationary lifestyles and access to luxury goods. Formalized education systems and other civil standardization (such as a census) are beginning to spread. Each country -- with the exception of Iyr and Ustraria -- have their own currencies, though these are generally accepted tender amongst each other. The faiths of Icalar include Sehndism, the Phaetun Creed, the Order of the Burning Crown, and the Cradle of Mists: these are a blend of organized, shamanistic, and environment-based spiritualism. Agnosticism, atheism, and nihilism are also present. There is a high level of widespread religious tolerance. Governmental systems, meanwhile, vary between countries (and sometimes internally) and range from democratically-elected governments, theocracies, tribalism, oligarchies, and monarchies. Regardless of faith or politics, astrology continues to be popular -- either as divination or entertainment -- and is remarkably uniform across cultures. Notably, there is elemental magic present in the world that is usable to one degree or another by all intelligent sentient humanoid species, and widely-accepted. This is known as Ega, and those who can use it are known in general as channelers; channelers can also see the Ega in all organic matter, as well as strong gathering-points for it known as Roots. Ega typically manifests via channelers in three 'trees' -- fire (Rel), life (Aré), and ice (Uon) -- and can be used offensively, defensively, in healing, or simply as a utility. It is not fully understood why additional elements of air, water, and earth/stone cannot be manifested, or why metal is uniquely an 'Ega-void'. Standardization and conduct guidelines for channeling are sparse and without central governance, relying instead on an honor system that was by and large enough; now, however, in the wake of the war and the pushing of boundaries by warlocks, concern is growing.

Timekeeping

One Year = 300 Days / 4 Months
One “Month” = 75 Days
One Day = 24 Hours

The four “months” are roughly equivalent to seasons, and their names are leftover from the primordial religion. The New Year begins on the first day of Spring.

(Spring) Season of Opening, noted numerically as 1
(Summer) Season of Ripening, noted numerically as 2
(Autumn) Season of Closing, noted numerically as 3
(Winter) Season of Waiting, noted numerically as 4

Dates are written: 65th Day of the Season of Waiting, 985th Year (or simply 985AC), OR 65/W/985 Most cultures have, out of convenience, defaulted to a date system proposed by the Order of the Burning Crown based on the central concept of the Placing of the Crown creation myth: that they are currently living in a time above the clouds and thus there must have been a time below the clouds. This gave rise to the terms 'Belowcloud' (BC) and 'Abovecloud' (AC). Scholars are also generally agreed on certain loose historical eras:

c.941AC to Present -- the Age of Enlightenment
c.700AC to c.860AC -- the Age of Reformation
c.600AC to 778AC -- the Bloodwater Period
c.400AC to c.600AC -- the Almighty Shift
c.330AC to c.450AC -- the Age of Discovery
0AC to c.330AC -- the Lost Era
Any time before 0AC, i.e., Belowcloud -- the Deep Age

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Icalar (EE-kah-larr)

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Climate & Ecology

Inhabitants

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Timekeeping

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Icalaran Astrology

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