The World of Xephixir

The world of Xephixir is a richly elemental place, with many varying landscapes. From the kingdoms, to the colonies, to the many unclaimed areas, this section of the lexicon is dedicated to listing them all, describing them and listing their major locations.

The Eight Kingdoms
The circle of land where the Guardians chose to place their individual kingdoms, and thusly, the places with the most elemental charge to them. They are essentially the central hub of the planet, with all the colonies elsewhere answering to one of the eight.

Nintendria:
The Kingdom of Balance is one of the most varied of the main eight kingdoms, with both mountains and plains, coastlines and savannahs. Its population maintains no particular elemental slant, and Nintendrians of all eight affinities can be found here.

Important places in Nintendria:

 * Nintendria Castle: A decently-sized bastion with lovely gothic architecture, Nintendria Castle boasts stone walls and marble floors. Many have gathered here in recent times, from commoners, to other royals, to famous bands, to former outlaws. They are our friends, and they are helping fight this war against the gods of corruption. Its doors are seemingly always open, but you will find tough opposition should you ever consider trying to take us out.
 * Bellitudo Arbustum: Nintendria's capital city, often nicknamed Bel-Air. There is a popular TV series about a young man who moves from the poorer areas of the Lumentian city of Lumiére to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in this city. Bel-Air is considered a media hub, with many television and film studios finding their place here.
 * The Vargas Farmstead: A vast swath of land that's been reclaimed by nature over the last ten years since the family that owned it disappeared. It is considered by the Royal Family to be a nature preserve to be maintained by the family, now families, who live within it. It spans several miles in any direction, and is littered with deep woods, stretching plains and paths upon which to walk through them. The two families who live on the property, the Vargases and the Blackwoods, keep it maintained by driving out vandals and the like. It is a popular campsite, and the old, overgrown Vargas house is very popular to trespass in around Halloween, due to the mysterious circumstances behind the disappearances of every member of the family except one - a young woman and good friend named Midnight.

Lumentia:
The Kingdom of Light fancies itself more of a queendom, as its royal family is very matriarchal, to the point where most of the queens marry women. How they procreate afterward is something only the goddess Kerenza knows. The population, of course, finds itself mostly Light-elemental, with many of the most renowned healers and purifiers coming from here. Its landscape is very much a plains landscape, with the occasional patch of woods about, or a singular mountain or two.

Important places in Lumentia:

 * Lumentia Castle: If there's one thing this castle can be described as, it's grandiose. Its outer walls are carved from enchanted marble, and the interior is a bright golden color. The floors are artistic mosaic patterns done in some odd light blue stone. Many tapestries and works of art line the walls. The guards here are of course, mostly women. There is a passageway under the castle, heavily guarded, where the Reviver Stone chamber lies, but you cannot get into the vault unless accompanied by a royal.
 * Ville de Briller: The Lumentian capital city is perhaps the largest capital city of any of the eight kingdoms, spreading several miles in any one direction. It is characterized by its various locales - it is like there are several cities within the city. Ville de Briller is notable for its many pizzarias, and the many places that serve Magmarnian food, despite its status as a Lumentian city. Very many television shows are filmed here, as it is considered second only to the Nintendrian capital in terms of visual media.
 * Lumiére: If Ville de Briller is the capitol city, then Lumiére is its close second. It is very large, but perhaps not quite as large. It, unfortunately, does have a bit of a problem with poverty, which the Lumentian Royal Family works tirelessly to fix, and its west side is famously dangerous, as popularized by a famous sitcom about a young man who, due to getting into a fight, gets sent to live with family in Bellitudo Arbustum.

Shadowrian:
The Kingdom of Darkness is very curious indeed. It is always nighttime there, making it an ideal location for lovers' trysts and shady deals. Despite that, Shadowrinians are some of the most noble people I've ever seen. Its general landscape is mostly deciduous forest, and all the land and plants sparkle under the moonlight. It is truly a beautiful place.

Important places in Shadowrian:

 * Shadowrian Castle: A dark castle for a dark kingdom. Shadowrian's palace is rather easy to get to, but not nearly as easy to get inside if you're an intruder, because the whole thing is loaded with booby traps. Go the wrong direction and unless you've been invited in, you're stuck until the queen feels like dealing with you. It is hewn from dark black stones, the nature of which is unknown, and much like the land and plants outside, it all shimmers under the constant moonlight.
 * Shadowrian Undead Research Institute: Currently the leading institution in understanding all things undead, from lowly zombies to more ferocious monsters. Infamously known for an undead breakout 15 years ago, leading to the ravaging of a nearby town.
 * Syakali: The capitol city of Shadowrian, standing tall above the forests. Syakali is another locale known thoroughly for its food; there is something of a cold war between its residents and the residents of Ville de Briller over which city has the best pizza. It is also known for having several sportsball teams that consistently lose, with the sole exception being that the Syakali Blackwolves have won the... whatever the hockey tournament is, several times in the last ten years.

Zempheriea:
The Kingdom of the Moon is by and large a strange place. The trees boast lavender leaves, and the moon is always full and high in the sky. The people, who mostly use Lunar magic, can do many thing, from forming mirrors to defend themselves, to powerful psionics, to curious beastmasters, to terrifying berserkers. It is a rather mountainous region, with plenty of sharp cliffs and intriguing rick formations. Though there are also bountiful forests, where many a creature live. These are where the beastmasters go to tame wild bears, tigers, lions and other critters, big and small.

Important places in Zempheriea:

 * Zempheriea Castle: A vast palace placed at a high point, where the view of the moon is one of the best, Zempheriea Castle is very accessible from the capital city, and boasts the largest castle out of the kingdoms. However, despite its accessibility, its security system is the best in the kingdoms. This is because packs and prides of big cats roam the halls freely; they are the pets of the current king, and he loves them very much.
 * Försilvra City: The capital of Zempheriea. It's main attractions are a fantastically large stadium decorated in the phases of the moon, and a large tower faced entirely with glass. Every four years every kingdom and colony sends a delegation to this stadium in order to have a grand sports festival. The tower, meanwhile, is known as Zempheriea's business hub. The streets are paved in brick, and the intersections are decorated with the phases of the moon.
 * The Celestial Manor: Zempheriea's answer to the Manoir de Neige, this odd mansion is perfectly preserved. No one quite knows what it was used for, as all reports of those who try to get inside end in them being chased out. However, some records show that long ago, about five hundred years or so, it was noted as a hub of activity for a group dedicated to the worship of Serengarel. It is also placed directly on top of the largest known supply of Balancer Stones, though one does not have to go through the manor to access the mine.
 * The Forum of the Waxing Crescent: The vast outdoor theater of an old temple, and a sacred place to the goddess Serengarel. It is said you need her divine permission to host an event here, though it is popular with those who study magic and enjoy history. In the middle of a forest, this court is ornately decorated, with mosaic and silver dancing across its floor. It is also known as the best place, along with Zempheriea Castle, to view the moon.

Magmarne:
The Kingdom of Fire is a desert region, with its capitol surrounded by a volcanic region and its castle built on the inside of a volcano itself. Its political system is a bit different than the other kingdoms, in that it seats two kings or queens. One royal deals with purely military and external affairs, while the other keeps to handling internal affairs. Though its military is smaller, it has been known to rival Nintendria's army in power.

Important places in Magmarne:

 * Magmarne Castle: Situated inside of a large and active volcano, visiting the Magmarne castle is certainly a test of bravery. Thankfully, the entire structure is magically enchanted to be perfectly safe in the event of an eruption. The Magmarne castle walls are made purely from volcanic rock, creating intricate black and red patterns throughout the palace.
 * Fulliverd City: The capital of Magmarne, located at the base of the volcano that houses the castle. Unlike other capital cities which host the kingdom's finest in technology, Fulliverd is a major agricultural center for the kingdom. Thanks to the same magical protection that the castle receives, citizens can take full advantage of the fertile volcanic soot, enough to provide food to people who live in Magmarne's outer desert climates.
 * The Eye of Fire: On the opposite end of Fulliverd City from Magmarne's castle lies a cluster of very active volcanos. These volcanos are normally inhospitable for most people, save a famous clan of Brucitola. The harsh environment invites much superstition, and many foolhardy warriors to test their might.

Ventureni:
The Kingdom of Storms is characterized by its high, spire-like mountains and sloping plains, though it is best known for its mysterious floating rock quarries. Ventureni is the kingdom most influenced by harsh and quickly changing weather. It's also become a central hub for space and air travel.

Important places in Ventureni:

 * Ventureni Castle: Floating high above its capitol city is Ventureni's castle, supported entirely by floating spires and clouds. Those who are unable to fly directly to it must climb a nearby mountain and brave a pathway to the main gates. It's highly recommended that a guide escort all visitors to the royal palace, or to just hitch a ride on the next shenomire from the city below.
 * Kuukinoru City: The leading city for the design and manufacture of windboards. It is also known for massively popular Wind Ride Competition. In addition to standard windboard races, the entire city shuts down and scatters various windboards throughout the city. Each contestant is given a basic windboard and several hours to fly around the city to upgrade and trade out their windboard before facing off in a final contest.
 * Ventureni Space Station: The world's largest space station. Originally built and used for transportation to Cerphixen, it gets much less use after the planet's corruption. However, it still gets use from scientists who send off satilites to other far off planets.

Terrantia:
The Kingdom of Earth prides itself in purity and cleanliness. It is estimated that due to the vigor and freshness of the land there, native Terrantians live longer than most other kingdoms' people. Terrantia boasts tall mountains that shoot out of a dense rainforest landscape, and most of its people build their homes in or around the trees rather than clearing through them. It is renowned for its beautiful, pristine beaches and wonderful hiking and camping spots. Truly a brilliant vacation spot.

Important places in Terrantia:

 * Terrantia Castle: The castle for the Earth kingdom manifests from a distance as a solitary tower coated in ivy. Inside, the various storage closets, bedrooms, guest rooms and bathrooms are arranged around circular hallways, at the center of which are a staircase and elevator. At the very top is the chamber the Crystal of Terrantia was once housed in, and the throne room is on the first floor so as to be accessible to any visitors. Underneath its floors of green stones and mosaic, there is a basement, in which entertainment venues, training grounds and utilities are stored.
 * Cathair Nadur: The capital city of Terrantia. Its various venues are unique, in that they are built around the trees, instead of clearing them out, or building inside them. Because of this convention, older buildings tend to have more buildings built on top of them, higher in the tree, and these higher tree-buildings sometimes branch out over the streets, creating bridges from tree to tree.
 * Fionghort Shore: One of Terrantia's most famous beaches, which requires royal permission to be camped upon rather than just visited. Indeed, the Royal Family often rents it out to special visitors, should they ask. The Shore is kept utterly pristine, and cleanup crews are sent out immediately after any guests leave. Its sands are white, and its waters are clear, and the waves are usually perfect. It is so named for the nearby vineyards, where the finest wine in the kingdoms is grown.
 * The Grove of the Soul Fruit: Not far from Fionghort Shore is a trail that branches off. One goes to the main road, and one follows the beach. To get to the Grove, take the trail that follows the beach until you get to an area with Luna Berry trees, then search for a trail coated in moss. You must run past this trail, as the moss is man-eating and voracious. Once you pass that, you will find a shack. Entering this shack leads downward into a tunnel, guarded by Garden Spirits who will attack if you do not present a notice stating permission from the Royal Family. Once you pass that, you will be in the Grove of the Soul Fruit. Surrounded by mountains, this grove is quiet and calm, and dozens upon dozens of trees grow wild. During the harvest season, these trees can produce thousands of fruits, which are a necessary ingredient for Aura Crystals and Reviver Stones both. There is, however, a guardian to the area, a gigantic Kerenzian Flytrap, seemingly sentient, but not enough so to be capable of speech, and driven more by instinct than by rational thought.

Glacientyr:
The Kingdom of Frost finds itself locked eternally in snow. While it is not always caught up in blizzards, it usually is snowing there. It is estimated that ar least half the kingdom is actually a set of islands, where the sea is trapped under sheets of ice at least three feet thick in places. The people of Glacientyr, mostly Frost-element, have innate resistance to the constant cold, and indeed may be some of the only ones who can survive swimming in its frigid waters. The landscape, where it isn't estimated to be oceanic, is somewhat mountainous and rough, and lined with evergreen forests. The flowers that bloom here are curious specimens that cannot survive outside the cold.

Important places in Glacientyr:

 * Glacientyr Castle: Perhaps one of the most interesting of the eight kingdoms' castles, rivalling Magmarne's volcanic palace. It is not visible from the surface, instead forming a tower of ice down below the surface of the water that extends all the way down to the seafloor. There are few ways to get in, and most involve diving into Glacientyr's frigid seas, thus having one of the most secure castles out of the kingdoms, second only to Zempheriea's castle full of big cats. The inside of the palace is tiled with blue gemstones of all sorts, and completely dry as well, all except for the chamber that formerly housed the crystal, so I'm told.
 * The Manoir de Neige: A large, ornate mansion, located in the mountains. It is built very uniquely, using a combination of solid ice walls and conventional construction. It is unknown how long the Manoir has been standing, but judging by its long, branching hallways and many various underground passages and rooms, it may have been continually added onto for at least two-hundred years, at a generous estimate, before construction on it seems to have halted over a hundred years ago. They say that at one point, a pair of famous pirates was known to hide out there, and their hoarde of treasure still has not been found in the underground passages. Another tale about the strange mansion states that an infamous vampire lurked inside long ago, drawing her victims within with promises of treasure hunts and dungeons, and sucking them dry. Some more recent tales include that of the former queen, Nerissa ri Glacientyr, kidnapping the famous TV talk show host Clive Anil-Smith and hiding away there with the also-kidnapped Terra Ila Terrantia. And of course, most recently, it became the hideaway for the famous Merry Murderesses, before they absconded to Nintendria Castle.
 * [to be filled in later]

The Major Colonies
There are exactly eight major colonies belonging to one sole kingdom. These colonies all manifest their elemental charge in a way not seen anywhere else on the planet.

Vida del Cristaluz, the Land of Life and Crystals
This colony is on a continent all its own, as small a continent as it is. It is notable for somewhat mountainous terrain toward the coastlines, and sweeping plains in the center. It is also notable for the vast, massive crystals jutting out of the earth. People are known to carve houses into these sturdy crystals, they are so large. The villages here tend to be small, with only a few major cities - mostly along the coast, where fishing is plentiful. It is said the sun never truly sets in this colony. Its major exports are seafood and the Crystal Shells mined out of the mountain range near one particular small town. Crystal Shells are its most important export, being used for teleporter crystals, elemental charge stones for weaponry, and perhaps the most important, but most difficult to make, Reviver Stones.

Forabaisti, the Viridian Rainforest
This colony is an immense, many layered rainforest, teeming with unique forms of life. The trees here can often reach 50 feet in diameter, and a thousand feet in height, with their branches intertangling every several yards or so to create walkable floors. The bottom-most layer is cavernous in nature, being under the raised roots of the immense trees and covered with glowing fungi and mosses. It is very wet and marsh-like under here, but those who live in this underdark area make do.

The more middle layers, starting from the second to bottom all the way to the second to top, behave much like Terrantia's main rainforest, very lush and full of plant and animal-life. Other plants take root between the walkable branches of the trees, creating a floor that could easily be mistaken for solid earth.

The top most layer of the forest oftentimes cuts straight through the lowest cloud level, and the peoples who live up there build their homes out of leaves and solidified clouds. Cutting straight through the colony is a large, wide river in a deep canyon, that flows from one ocean on the side of the continent, all the way to the other ocean on the other side. Towns can be found on all layers, and all have their unique imports. However, it is very dangerous to explor the wilds of this colony if you are unaware of the dangers of poison or animal attacks.

Rata Partharom, the Shadowed Forest
After traversing the Dark Desert, the night becomes darker, and foliage begins to appear again, until you are standing at the edge of a vast forest, where the plants glimmer in the moonlight like stars in the night sky. Rata Partharom is a coniferous forest filled with old ruins and mires abound, a favorite place for archaeologists... provided they can find their way through and not get lost by the illusions. Indeed, a trademark of Rata Partharom is the various trickster spirits that prey upon travellers trying to reach the treasures in the ruins, or the cities that lay within the territory.

Adhi Rata ke Dvipa, the Midnight Isle
Across a channel from Rata Partharom lies Adhi Rata ke Dvipa, the Midnight Isle. It is less of an island proper, and more of a subcontinent. On the Midnight Isle is a lanscape quite similar to Shadowrian itself, though the fauna are markedly different due to their separation.

Sova Lejon
Off the coast of Malad Terre lies an island nearly the same size. This Zempheriea colony sees many cool, mild days, making it a comfortable place for its inhabitants to live. The peaceful setting is perfect for the monks who live there, and practice their psionics through meditation. The people of Sova Lejon live almost in perfect unity with the wild animals, thanks to their Beastmastery. Though one of the most peaceful colonies of Xephixir, it can also be one of the most brutal, as any advancing militaries must also face an army of wild animals.

Stjarna Rackvidd, the Starwood Mountains
Continuing Zempheriea's mountain range northward is the colony of Stjarna Rackvidd. The cold northern temperatures cause a low hanging fog that encircles the mountains. Due to a high amount of elemental energy, particles in the fog clump together and illuminate, causing the appearance of small stars. At the very peaks, above the fog line, the fake stars give the illusion that one is standing in the middle of the night sky.

Shifuto Hirogari, the Thunderstruck Desert
At first glance, Shifuto Hirogari may seem like an empty stretch of desert. However, at the heart of this colony is a society of hardworking engineers, working tirelessly to make the land habitable. In the center is a large metal spire, which uses a combination of magic and technology to create a constant, manmade thundercloud. It is from this storm that the people obtain electricity and clean water.

The Polar Icefields
The Polar Icefields are two large masses of ice on the northernmost and southernmost points on Xephixir. The Icefields were easily claimed as territory for Glacientyr due to no other kingdoms wanting the land, much less being able to inhabit it. There's not much on the Icefields for travelers, unless one was looking for endless snow and ice. Still, many Morozadved make their homes here.

Andhera-Caldo, The Dark Desert:
A joint colony between Magmarne and Shadowrian. The Dark Desert sits between [Magmarne Colony] and Rata Partharom. Despite its desert landscape, the never ending night it shares with Rata Partharom keeps the average temperature quite cool, allowing for many types of unique desert life that would otherwise be unable to live in the harsh Magmarnian desert heat. Similarly, this same ecosystem allows people to settle here from kingdoms and colonies that otherwise would not be able to tolerate the heat of a Magmarnian anything. Ruins from times long past can occasionally be found under the sands. Andhera-Caldo is notable for an increased population of Volco with a very distinct look from traditional Magmarnian Volco - they have much larger ears, more frail bodies, and much deeper, darker colors.

Kori no Tempede Ledyanoy, the Ice Storm Wastes:
Only a 'colony' in the loosest sense of the term, the blizzards are so intense and constant that even Glacientyrians cannot establish a home here for long. It has been a rumor for a long time that the Kingdoms of Ventureni and Glacientyr both can't decide what in blazes to do with it. The Ice Storm Wastes are known to be a ship graveyard of sorts, an eternal obstacle to those trying to get to [city] in [Glacientyr colony] - the fastest way through to the port from the main kingdoms is to try to sail through these treacherous waters. As such, it has gained something of a reputation for being host to hoards of treasure, despite the danger the colony poses to all but the goddesses Rin and Haizea.

Ke Dvipom la Penombre, the Twilit Isles:
The Twilit Isles are many and numerous. There are few large landmasses between them - most islands only spread about a mile in any direction, and as such are not logged on official maps. They bridge the sea between Rata Partharom and Vida Del Cristaluz. The magic in the air, and its conflicting nature, cause the sun and the moon to rest at opposite ends of the sky at all times, creating its famous permanent sunset. The sands on the shore glint vivid rainbows in the light, and the plants take on the shimmer of the Shadowranian forests. It is very much a tropical paradise, and a vacation spot whose popularity is only rivaled by the Shattered-Earth Archipelago to the north.

Cre Briste Alysida, the Shattered-Earth Archipelago:
The most popular tourist location in the kingdoms, besides perhaps the Twilit Isles. This colony is very interesting, in that many of the islands look broken up into pieces, with beautiful sandy shores on one end and high, rocky crags to the other end of most of the given isles. This unique geography makes it popular with thrill-seekers, both native and tourist alike. X-Games competitions are very frequently held on these islands. It is a very tropical place, with forests coating much of the individual islands. If one listens closely, one can hear a faint humming in the air if it's quiet enough.

Visiwa vya Roda Manen, Islands of the Red Moon:
The easternmost islands of Xephixir are known for a strange mix of fire and moon elements, making the moon's light red. The people of Visiwa vya Roda Manen are known to be some of the most passionate in every area from fighting to love making. They also boast some of the strongest berserkers in the world. So basically, a colony full of Luterminises.

Malad Terre, the Painted Land:
Sitting on the southern tip of the eastern continent, Malad Terre is known for its heavy concentration of art magic. The entire colony gleams with color. The consistently sunny days make the sky extra blue and the grass vibrantly green. The people who live here are known not only for their famously colorful clothing, but also their magnificent paintings and sculptures. A common theme in their art is the cycle of the moon, which glows even in the bright daylight.