Vesperia

The year is presently 2600 AUC. The place: the western continent, Vesperia. This vast expanse of forest, mountains, grasslands, and deserts was colonized by the great imperial powers of the east over four hundred years ago, forming a number of prosperous vassal states. With them came other species of humanoids, their near cousins: elves, dwarves, orcs, gnomes, and even other races like dragons, who all settled their own claims on the outskirts of the human colonies. In time, these colonies largely grew independent by war or diplomacy, and grew beyond their original borders.

Yet there are still great swaths of untamed wilderness in between the cities and towns. While there are thriving colonies between the coasts and the mountains, the lands in between have proven difficult to settle. These regions are dotted with the ruins of an ancient empire that is believed to have ruled the entire continent at one point before they vanished from the world, and the monsters and constructs they created still roam the wilds. Only a few city-states and small nations, most of them established by races who couldn't find a place elsewhere, have managed to take root. These are the Western Freeholds. Existence in this region can be harsh, but people continue to be lured by the promise of wealth, knowledge, land, or a fresh start.