Wennovi
A Smuggler's Guide to the Divided Continent
An accurate map is vital in my line of work. The wrong port, route, or cove and I could easily find myself facing prison or worse.
Introduction
I grew up on the island nation of Mantalos, and yet, I probably know Wennovi better than anyone from the Divided Continent. I know of no one else who has traveled through both subcontinents, Paltetia and Imbria. The two halves are so thoroughly divided, the coasts are so well-guarded, and imports are so tightly controlled that travel between the two subcontinents is unheard of and each people believe the other to not even exist.Map of Wennovi
The Great Woods is an impassible forest full of strange and dangerous creatures. No one could live there. It's illegal even to go in there, unless you're one of them hunters, don't you know?
Yeah, a group of nomas escaped into the west after the Paltetian Revolution. There's no way they could've survived though. Everyone knows the west is a barren wasteland.
The Great Divide
The Great Divide is a magical wonder. The invisible, impassible barrier is marked only by a line of scorched earth bisecting the continent of Wennovi at it's narrowest point. It has stood for over 1000 years, and in that time, no one has been able to create anything like it, even on a much smaller scale Erected at the end of the Paltetian Revolution, it allows the western half of Wennovi to remain free from magic and its influence. As such, Imbria and Paltetia have developed along divergent paths for over 1000 years. I have yet to visit this site myself, but I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of energy that exudes from this incredible feat of magic.Magic & Technology
In Paltetia, magic is not only outlawed, but the people there truly don't believe in it. Sure, there are some underground occult groups, but they have no understanding of magic. Neverthaless, Paltetians have managed to create extremely tall buildings and objects that approximate the conveniences of magic. They call this "technology" and assure me it is not magic. I have visited little of Paltetia, conducting most of my trade along the port cities and in Theden. Theden is a large, busy city full of wonderous technology. Imbria is a land where the ruling class is made of high-level magic weilders. Each country has their own beliefs and practices surrounding magic, which greatly influences they type of magic people learn.Economy & Trade
Paltetia is a fairly self-reliant country, though they do conduct some trade with the Western Continent and accept mundane textiles from Mantalos. All imports are known to be thoroughly inspected. Port Authority is operated by the military and smuggling magically imbued items is particularly difficult if you don't know where to land. Salaris is the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful nation of Imbria. They control many of the major trade routes, and have recently placed an embargo upon Mantali goods, which has struck a large blow to my nation. I do no direct trade with Torverath or Rhovan.Geography
Furhan Mountains
The northern mountain range includes a section of mountains named the Furhan Mountains, which is where Necros's prized Lifestones are mined, along with other precious gems. Other stones, ores, and precious metals are mined from the northern mountains as well.The Great Woods
A section of forest in the center of Wennovi. The Eldahi people claim the majority of the Great Woods. It holds great significance to the Eldahi people, and legend has it they have been guardians of that forest for thousands of years. it is a dense forest that is not welcoming to strangers. The Great Woods extends into Paltetia, though little of it remains on the Paltetian side, and what is there is thought to be impenetrable and full of dangerous creatures.Fauna & Flora
Wennovi hosts a wide variety of plant and animal life. However, the most notable creature of Wennovi is the magimandus, a creature known to sense magic. Their primary habitat is the Great Woods, where in Imbria they range freely in the wild. They are known to be very territorial.
Paltetia claims a narrow swath of the Great Woods, wherein magimandi should roam. However, the area is known to be he heavily patrolled by Paltetian Hunters, a secret military organization believed by Paltetians to protect them from the beasties of the Great Woods. When asked about the magimandi, various Paltetian citizens had never heard the word, let alone seen one. My guess is they've either been hunted to extinction or weaponized by the Hunters in their quest to suppress any and all occurrences of natural magic.
Natural Resources
Mantalos imports many natural resources from Wennovi where possible. My trading vessel commonly carries:
- Timber from Eldahi
- Stones, metals, and other minerals from Necros and Rhovan
- Grains and other foodstuffs
- Magimandus scales, ethically sourced from Eldahi
- Lifestones from Necros
Summary
Paltetia
- A united nation divided into provinces
- Magic forbidden and unknown
- "Tech" used to approximate magic
- Government: Elected officials
- Laws: strict with harsh penalties
- Separate independent countries
- Magic known & impacts daily life
- Many applications of magic
- Government: varies by country
- Laws: varies, more personal freedoms
Wennovi by hcraven using Azgaar's
Alternative Name(s)
The Western Continent
The Divided Continent
The Divided Continent
Type
Continent
Included Locations
Included Organizations
Characters in Location
Inhabiting Species
Related Myths
Geography Summary
Wennovi - continentPaltetia - subcontinent & united nation
Imbria - subcontinent
Nearby nation
- Mantalos - island nation
Matthew McKay
Really like the concept of the magic eaters and the way the article was done from the viewpoint of a smuggler! Great work!
Thank you :)