Peridot
A tiny world in the roots of Yggdrasil's Sprout
The day that Shaundar realized he would never be a swordsinger was a beautiful, but otherwise ordinary day on the small world of Peridot. The elves loved their unusual home, with its great roots and branches that stretched all around into the starry firmament, and they called it Yggdrasil’s Sprout, or affectionately, “Old Man” after the Green Man god Bile. Even below, in the far reaches of the roots of the great cosmic tree, the climate was mild and temperate. It was bristling with old-growth forest too, which made it the perfect colony world for the families of the Avalonian Imperial Navy spacers who patrolled the great tree’s orbit policing pirates, which kept them in fighting shape, even though the Great War was long over.Peridot is the second-largest of three habitable planetoids in the roots of the Tree of Life known as Yggdrasil's Sprout. Its relationship as a Tree of Life's root-world grants it some distinct properties that would otherwise defy the laws of known physics. While Yggdrasil's Sprout is located in the far reaches of the Telasian System , the unique properties of the Cosmic Tree refract sunlight and heat. Thus, the surface of its contingent planetoids are a comfortable standard earth-like temperature, with a normal twelve hour day and night cycle, and even slight seasonal shifts. The roots of Yggdrasil's Sprout are not visible from the surface of its tiny worlds, even though they are clearly visible on the approach from space.
Geography
Map template created in Worldspinner & extensively altered in Photoshop.
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Peridotian Continent
Peridot has only one continent. It is divided into three strips of land, known as “branches,” extending from an oval land mass known as the “root.” About 80% of the continent is forested, which is no doubt why it was so attractive to the Elf and Gnome peoples who settled here.Mountains
Peridot is a geologically active planetoid, with a plethora of mountain ranges and volcanoes:
Skyreach Mountains by Albert Bierstadt
Ring of Troth
A ring of mountains encompassing the northern region of the central branch of the continent. It includes:- Northern Range: Runs along the northern coast.
- Morrigan’s Range: Runs along the east coast of the central branch. It is itself comprised of three sub-ranges, called The Maidens, The Mothers, and The Crones.
- Skyreach Mountains: A high-altitude range that runs along the west coast of the central branch. Includes part of the Skyreach Crown Colony.
Volcanoes:
Brighid’s Forge, Magical Peak, Arafel’s Mountain, Mount Ebony
Mjolnir Mountains Foothills from the Plains of Lugh by Ken Kistler
Western Ranges
Large ranges on the western branch include:- Mjolnir Mountains: Runs between Mount Loki and Lightning Peak along the west coast.
- Winged Mountains: Winged-shaped mountain ranges intersecting the Mjolnir Mountains and the western corner of Claastellin.
- The Jewels: A smaller mountain range south of the Winged Mountains, west of Lake Arianrhod. Known for its amazing diamond and peridot deposits.
Volcanoes:
Mount Loki, Mount Night, Dire Inferno: Tallest volcano on Peridot at 31,679 feet.
Skadi's Range by Jean Beaufort
Southern Ranges
The root has several notable mountain ranges, including:- The Sunpeaks & the Lunar Mountains: Two lines of mountains on opposite sides of the central interior of the root. The Lunar Mountains have a crescent shape.
- Skadi’s Range: Runs across the northeast of the permafrost. Named for the goddess of winter.
- Aurora Mountains: The southernmost mountain range, with excellent views of Peridot’s spectacular aurora polaris.
- Crystal Mountains: A large range in the southeast of the root. Their silicate structure and sheer icy peaks give them a crystalline appearance.
Snake Mountain by Loren Biser
Fang Mountains
- A large range along the eastern branch’s Shade Coast.
Volcanoes:
Snake Mountain
Evening Glacier by Jean Beaufort
Geological Landmarks
- Dead Devil Beach: A northern beach where giant kraken corpses wash up regularly.
- Wandwood: A forest in Kanothi where one can find branches to make powerful wands.
- Oakheart Island: An island near Skyreach. The Navy uses it as a high-security base. Rumours abound about what they’re doing there.
- Huginn & Muninn: The island and peninsula that form Odin’s Strait.
- Jade Island: A huge island on the west coast.
- Hope’s Forest: A forest of new deciduous trees, replacing old growth forest destroyed by fire, bordering four different biomes.
- Diamond Forest: A spectacular petrified forest near Snake Mountain.
- Fire Swamp: A swamp that vents flammable gasses on the Shade Coast.
- Lightning Peak: A tall mountain near the southern tip of the Mjolnir Mountains that attracts thousands of lightning strikes in every storm.
- Lands of Gems: A vast diamond and peridot deposit in the center of The Jewels.
- Mythic Glacier & Evening Glacier: Two large glaciers on the Southern Peninsula. Mythic Glacier is so clear it refracts the aurora polaris; Evening Glacier is dark blue, perhaps due to cobalt deposits.
Oceans & Water Bodies
Ships on the Well of Mimir by Michael Zeno Diemer
Oceans
Northern Ocean
Covers the entire North Pole region. Unlike many polar seas, it has no permanent icecap.Southern Ocean
Smaller than the Northern Ocean, and much colder. Giant icebergs form, and ice crystals routinely glisten in the air. Sometimes they are so large and sharp, they can impede breathing and even damage lungs.Well of Mimir
The largest body of water in the roots of Yggdrasil’s Sprout. Connects the western and eastern shores of the continent.
Prismatic Sea by Axelle B
Salt Water Bodies
- Aquamarine Sea: Divides the western and central branches of the continent. Kanothi and Skyreach lie along its shores.
- Odin’s Strait: A narrowing of the Aquamarine Sea that divides it from Eclipse Bay, formed from an island to the southwest and a peninsula to the northeast. Locals refer to them respectively as Huginn and Muninn, after Odin’s ravens.
- Eclipse Bay: Sandwiched between sun elven Claastellin and moon elven Adinnileelyth. Features several ports and harbours, but remains largely unexplored.
- Gulf of Fortune: Divides the central and eastern branch. Hosts the shores of Whirlybird.
- Prismatic Sea: A large fjord on the bottom of the continent. The frequent polar auroras reflect clearly in its dark waters.
- Fiddlestick’s Cove: South of the Gulf of Fortune, this giant cove hosts a famous resort.
- Fiddlestick’s Strait: Separates Fiddlestick’s Cove from the Gulf of Fortune, and The Moonwood from The Oakenwood.
- Jade Cove: A huge cove between Jade Island and the west coast of the continent.
- Plains of Lugh: Peridot's lone savannah and scrubland.
Beryl Lake by George Hodan
Fresh Water Bodies
- Sapphire Sea: An inland sea in the north of the central branch, near Kanothi.
- Beryl Lake: A large lake & major reservoir just northeast of the Sapphire Sea.
- Lake Arianrhod: A large, round lake in the west of The Snow Forest that is extremely cold and clear. Occasionally, gems can be found at the bottom or along the shore.
- Freya’s Lake & Freyr’s Lake: These twin lakes together form the shape of a heart. Conjoined by a tributary.
Shadowbracken River by George Hodan
Rivers
Peridot has few rivers large enough to register on a continental map, but it is crossed with thousands of tiny tributaries, creeks, wetlands, streams, lakes and ponds.- Shadowbracken River: Drains from the foothills of the Skyreach Mountains into Beryl Lake.
- Black River: Drains from deep in the Skyreach Mountains into Black Lake.
The Moonwood by Rajesh Misra
Biomes
Peridot's biomes run the gamut from steamy tropical rain forest, to permafrost. Most represent different kinds of forests, which are given broad regional names.Fauna & Flora
Starflower by Linnaea Mallette
- Cosmic Mistletoe: Giant mistletoe that lives on Trees of Life.
- Cosmic Moss: Phosphorescent moss that covers Starseed branches.
- Star Mushrooms: Giant phosphorescent mushrooms that grow on Trees of Life.
- Jewel-Bugs: Giant beetle-like insects that look like walking gemstones.
- Niri “Little Bears”: Large rodents resembling capybaras.
- Ratatosk: Sentient anthropomorphic squirrels; the self-appointed guardians of Trees of Life.
- Starflowers: Star-shaped purple-white flowering bushes that bloom at night and have phosphorescent centers. They produce a faintly phosphorescent fruit called “starberries” that taste something like sweet Saskatoons.
Immature Star Mushrooms by Rainforest World
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Alternative Name(s)
Skyreach
Type
Planetoid / Moon
Location under
Included Locations
Included Organizations
Owning Organization
Contested By
Characters in Location
Related Tradition (Primary)
Inhabiting Species
Government
Avalonian Imperial Navy Flag by Diane Morrison - ship by Aaron Siddall
Skyreach Crown Colony
Kanothi
Caution: Spoiler!
The spoiler below will ruin some of the fun for players & followers of the Toy Soldiers: Old School Twitch campaign. You have been warned!
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In recent history, the Duke incited controversy by annexing the original Peridotian Sidhe colony Rustharaethal, which bordered Kanothi. The Navy eventually negotiated a settlement in which displaced Sidhe were allowed to relocate to Adinnileelyth.
Whirlybird
Claastellin
Adinnileelyth
Caution: Spoiler!
The spoiler below will ruin some of the fun for players & followers of the Toy Soldiers: Old School Twitch campaign. You have been warned!
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Black Hole Division
Other Points of Interest
- Army of Stone: Thousands of stone statues of elven soldiers stand in formation, as if ready for battle. Who created them, or why, remains a mystery.
- Stone Gods: Four giant statues face the compass points. Again, their creation is a mystery.
- Temple of Emancipation: A brass and marble temple dedicated to personal freedoms.
- The Moon Court: A circle of mushrooms where a fairy queen holds court each full moon.
I love how you used the crest designs as pins on your map! The overall concept of the region being a part of Yggdrasil's root is neat! I'd like to see more supernatural activity specified because of that! This many be personal but I think more Nordic music would better set this article: https://youtu.be/xgIU9e1W0uU and this one would be best while people are reading because it is somber and not distracting: https://youtu.be/nVRqq947lNo I didn't feel much pirate culture, and had moreso Nordic, but I'm only basing that observation on this article only. Overall I love it, you have a gifted mind! ♥
Thanks Bunny, and especially thanks for the music suggestions! I found I was *really* limited in space by the word count requirement, and I do intend to expand extensively once the judging is done (since I was fortunate enough to make the shortlist.) I will take a note about supernatural activity and make sure to touch on that in the expansion. I agree with your cultural feel; I intend a strongly Norse and Celtic influenced culture (I go back to the roots of the stories of elves, and draw on the cultures they came from). I was in a bit of a rush with the music and just grabbed something that said "nautical" to me but wasn't too distracting. Your choice is better. :) I listen to a lot of Norse folk bands like Skald; I will find something along this line that is a whole album playlist perhaps (I like to have a good hour of music to play at once in my sidebars; it makes it easier to do RPGs in the world if people decide they want to.) I'm afraid I can't listen to the second video; it must be blocked in my country. Are you thinking more Norse ambient? Because I listen to that too and I can find stuff that would work. Or, I can go more Celtic too (I *do* have "Morrigan's Range" and "Lake Arianrhod," after all.) What do you think? Again, thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!