Euthora
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Euthora is a planet of the Manaverse, slightly smaller in size than Earth. It orbits a single sun, Cor, and in turn is orbited by two moons, Shyr and Rae, named after the two gods of this planet and a sacred dragon. It consists of five main continents, most of which are broken into several countries.
Geography
Euthora's geography is greatly varied, but mountains and forests(or similar habitats, such as jungles) seem to dominate the planet. Euthora is roughly 50% ocean, but the water is far deeper than on planets such as Earth, making up for the apparent lack of water. Rivers and lakes are very common, particularly in the northern hemisphere, and in the southern hemisphere tend to have the greatest percentage of cities. Aside from that, however, human settlements tend to be spread out over flat plainland or nestled in the shelter of a mountainside.
Continents
Acaran
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Acaran is consistently the most heavily populated by humans throughout the eras. Commonly considered the most mythologically-influenced region of Euthora, this continent includes Carisitai, the country in which Aravolta Darz is located, and Ferinael, the country which worships the Lupynn as a sacred animal. Near Ferinael, as well, is the area in which Shyr was believed to have been raised. Carisitai is perhaps the most magically advanced country on the planet, and it and several other Acaran countries have established trade with Durasken and Nienearcl.
Ethanol
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Ethanol is a large island continent in the northern reaches of Euthora. Blanketed in snow year-round and dotted with sharp, steep mountains, this area shows scattered signs of Radiant and Dissonant Era settlement, mostly in the form of an enormous castle in the north. Preserved from the harsh passage of time by the extreme cold and everlasting winter, more than the constant blizzard conditions keep explorers at bay. The castle itself has a fierce guardian in the form of the Skull Wyrm, the magically-reanimated skeleton of a Firedrake.
At the time of Fyreborne and later, this area has no permanent human civilizations, though hardy dragons and Shapeshifters eke out a living along the southern shore of the continent, and the smaller island nearby. Both of these races, however, are notably more territorial and less sapient than their cousins on other parts of the world, due to their extremely limited contact with human civilization.
Euthorica Islands
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Just west of Forvolrasuls lies an island chain that was first inhabited by Sky Serpents in the early Dissonant Era. Euthorica, bearing the name of the planet and "ica"(full word being icara, which was originally a word meaning "beauty") holds a very dense population from the Rosean Empire and Mantuanese Sky Serpent nomads alike, being one of the most diverse areas of Euthora. For the moment, only four countries are recognized within the region: Aierma Rosea, Azuma island and the Commonwealth of Namine, Nova Scoiné, and Ciastilla. Each country belongs to or has belonged to one planet except for a disputed island between Aierma Rosea and the Commonwealth of Namine. Most of the island's weather is warm and humid, but does retain a ridiculous amount of rain per season. The animals found on Euthorica range from hawks down to silverfish and chameleons. Euthorica is mainly inhabited by humans from Syelsumoia, Greniou, Mantua, and Celaflora, but there is a very strong Sky Serpent presence and of other unknown races from Mantua such as the Blood Scripter as a result of the large amount of interstellar trading posts found.
Farixya
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Forvolrasuls
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Forvolrasuls is less populated by humans than most of the other continents, but the sheer number of dragons and Shapeshifters makes up for it. It consists of the third fewest amount of countries, at merely six. Of these, the most human-populated is Durasken, however dragons and Shapeshifters also heavily inhabit this area as well. Seotara and Nienearcl both come in as close seconds, and have far fewer "wild" races within cities. There are, however, several species of dragons within the mountain ranges; and Shapeshifters stalk the forests, keeping to the wild more consistently than their Durasken relatives. Durasken boasts the strongest land-based military on the planet- often overpowering its neighbor to the east in resource battles- and Nienearcl is indisputably the most technologically advanced country.
Regions
Most areas on Euthora do not separate the countries further, so the vast majority of non-country "regions" are oceans and mountain ranges. However, Durasken has established a sub-country in the form of a long landmass in its northwestern area, Kelvelas. Seotara has a small island/ice cap chain collectively known as the Seotara Ice Caps, though the islands themselves are also known as the Dragon's Claw. Ethanol is separated into a vast mainland and a small- but still quite large- island to the east. Farixya, as well, is broken into three areas; a mainland, and two islands.
Major Landmarks
Carisitai's Divine Range and Durasken's Kelvelas Range rival each other for the tallest mountains on Euthora, with the Plateau Range(also in Durasken) not too far behind. Boasting the tallest point on Euthora is Aravolta Darz, the mountaintop on which Cor and Rae are said to reside. The Kelvelas Range, likewise, holds the highest plateau- the Hunter's Nest, where Shyr is known to rest before taking flight again.
Nienearcl's vast desert is dominated by a flat plain of shining, perfectly smooth glass. This is a result of Corian Fyreborne; in his rage early in the Dissonant Era, he soared over the desert and scorched the sands, melting it into glass. The locals take advantage of this; one of the most common occupations there is "glass mining", or cutting away glass for use in building and other activities.
Ustream shows signs of Radiant Era-settlement, though these were brief and isolated incidents. All that remains afterwards are a Seotaran military outpost, a tower, and two small castles that show signs of decay. A more interesting landmark, however, is a chasm said to be the gateway to other dimensions.
Northern Ethanol's steep mountain ranges hide a decrepit castle, older and larger than the castles in Ustream, in which the Skull Wyrm makes its home.
Ecology
Races
Most of Euthora is settled by humans, like other planets in the Manaverse. However, there are also four other races created by the Divine Spirits; the most well-known of these are the planet's dragons, a diverse race of several different species that appear more common than they actually are. There are also Shapeshifters anywhere that can possibly support Euthoran life, both in cities and in the wilderness. Rarer races are the elusive Lupynn and the almost never-seen Phoenix.
Native Species
Before the Reformative Era, Euthoran wildlife is similar to Earth's, though the species are unrelated. This includes wolves and leopards- the former of which resembles more a thick-furred, wolf-sized fox, and the latter resembles a spotted Terran cougar. Among other creatures, however, are beasts that resemble no animal of Earth, such as the Féniul and Sélrakh. Most species on Euthora are pack-based and predatory, and the few herbivores are either fleet of foot or sturdy enough to take little damage from a direct attack. Aggression is common on both sides and many creatures exist in multiple habitats.
Culture
Euthoran countries rarely interact except to trade or go to war. Usually, if two countries do not trade and have never warred with each other, they are completely neutral until they have a reason not to be. Prime examples are Ferinael, which has never interacted with neighboring countries except through travelers, and Durasken, which has established alliances and trading with a few countries but actively wars with Seotara for resources and land.
Language
The majority of Euthora speaks English or Acaranian, and other languages tend to vary by region. Some parts of Durasken, Seotara, Nienearcl, and Carisitai may also speak Latin. English is believed to have been instilled by the spirits themselves, as it seems to be a universal but Terran language. Acaranian is the dominant language of Acaran and Farixya, having originated in the former. Latin is more of an unknown- however, it appeared on Euthora after dragons had begun to evolve, so it is thought that Voidwalkers took a liking to the language's smooth sound and imported it to their home planet.
The other main, planet-wide language is Drakine. This is the native language of Euthoran dragons, and the harsh, sibilant sounds are meant for the throat of a creature who spends much of its vocalizations roaring, growling, or breathing fire. This also causes an accent in dragons speaking a language other than Drakine. Other species, such as humans, have difficulty mastering the language due to the inhuman sounds. Shapeshifters, on the other hand, speak it almost as well as dragons themselves. This is possibly a result of the Shapeshifter adjusting the shape and strength of its vocal cords to match a dragon's as well as possible.
Technology
Euthoran technology remains far behind other planets such as Phantasia and even Earth during the course of its timeline, despite the surge in advancement during the Harmonic Era. Nienearcl is generally the forerunner of technological advancements, developing railroads, warships, and firearms in the early Dissonant Era, which countries trading with it did not receive until much later. Radiant Era technology is nonexistent; the furthest the planet gets with it is basic lever systems. Coal-based fuel is used early in the Dissonant Era, while fire- and later electricity- is not harnessed fully until centuries later.
The Harmonic Era is where the advancement picks up, now that most countries are not actively at war and have time to research and experiment with new ideas. Between Nienearcl and interplanetary trade, by the end of the Harmonic Era, Euthora has gained hologram technology, electric lights, and true motors, among other luxuries and even weaponry. While they cannot use technology to travel to other worlds(though they have other means), the planet still uses it to make Euthoran life easier and perhaps make offworlders feel more comfortable.
All progress gained up to this point is destroyed in the beginning of the Reformative Era, and is never picked up again. Humans do not exist on Euthora after this point, and the few sapient species that linger have little to no interest in the technology of humans.
Theology
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Euthoran religious beliefs center mostly on the two gods and the four Divine Spirits under them. According to legend, Cor and Rae created life on Euthora when it was nothing more than a barren stone orbiting a star. The world flourished in the sunlight, but most animals feared the night and "howling wolves warn(ed) of the moon". In anger, Rae- being the goddess of the moon- fought with her counterpart, Cor. The resulting battle lasted for years and nearly destroyed Euthora.
As a compromise, Cor and Rae created the four Divine Spirits to fight for them, with less damage to the planet. Instead they worked together to rebuild Euthora and created four of the five main races of the planet: humans, Shapeshifters, Lupynn, and Phoenixes. They quickly realized that their desired unity is ignored if each of them worked alone, so as their creators slowly came to a shaky truce, the Divine Spirits worked as one to create the dragon that would later be known by the name Shyr.
Euthora's theology is planet-wide and accepted as a whole by the populace. It has also been a major influence in other areas: their sun is named "Cor", and their moons "Rae" and "Shyr"(Shyr being the smaller of the two).
A smaller part of general Euthoran theology is the varied concepts of the afterlife for each individual species. Like on many planets, humans typically have a concept of hell or torturous underworld as punishment for evil deeds during their lives; other options tend to be thought of less, though many just assume death otherwise means oblivion or wandering the planet as a spirit. The more cynical believe that an underworld awaits after death no matter what the individual does during his or her lifetime, though this is mostly restricted to mainland Forvolrasuls.
Shapeshifters share a rougher version of the humans' concept of the underworld, but have a far more developed- and accepted- idea of the afterlife otherwise. A Shapeshifter's soul will remain beside the corpse until it decays or is otherwise destroyed, as a reminder to the individual that all forms are temporary. Afterwards, their soul separates into each individual form that Shapeshifter had, and each of these spirit forms goes into creating new life of that form's species. This has been known to- on multiple occasions- bring back an animal species from the brink of extinction, or even resurrect a species that had gone extinct during the Shapeshifter's lifetime.
Dragons have no concept of the underworld. Instead, all dragons share a "cultural" belief that wrongdoing on a large enough scale will result in their spirit becoming a Phasma, a non-sapient, ghostly dragon that wanders the line between light and shadow, emerging only to kill those who still dare to be alive when it is not. This both causes and results from an instinctual aversion all dragons have to the Phasma, to the point where they will almost invariably flee from one. If the dragon did not commit a deed abhorrent enough to warrant afterlife as a Phasma, their spirit channels into the next clutch of hatchlings in their bloodline, strengthening the hatchlings and thus strengthening the family.
Lupynn and Phoenixes give little thought to life after death. Phoenixes do not die of age and are difficult- if not nearly impossible- to truly kill by force. For the Lupynn, death merely means the start of a new type of life. Most Lupynn believe that their spirits will wander after death, even if it is not Euthora that they wander. One example of this is Aniu, a Lupynn spirit that found himself on Phantasia rather than his home planet. One thing Lupynn do seem cautious about, however, is becoming permanently lost in their wanderings, never being able to find their way back to where they came from.
Of lesser note is that three primary species- humans, Shapeshifters, and dragons- are considered the regulators of nature's balance. Shapeshifters create life, through their ability to mate with almost any species and bring creatures back from extinction. Dragons destroy life, with their fire or other natural weaponry, as well as their inherent aggression. Humans do both- often warring with each other and killing animals for more than simply food, but make up for it by farming and raising civilization, or saving creatures that would otherwise have little chance on their own.
Humans have an inherent and mutual dislike for shapeshifters and dragons, though this is most apparent in the country of Durasken, where all three may live in the same area. Shapeshifters and dragons, however, have a neutral- if not friendly- regard for each other, possibly stemming from the fact that the two species are distantly related.
Gods
Euthora has two gods, Vol en-ait Cor(often shortened to simply "Cor") and Vol en-ait Rae(shortened to "Rae"). Cor is the god of the sun, representing the day: light and warmth. He is also said to be the embodiment of confidence and valor, bestowing these traits to those who gain his favor. Rae, on the other hand, is his counterpart. The goddess of the moon, she represents the night- darkness and cold. However, she is not evil, blessing her own favored individuals with adaptability and common sense.
The two gods are inherently neutral, though they still land opposite each other on a typical alignment chart: Cor being Lawful, Rae being Chaotic. This as well as their ancient feud causes them to conflict often, though after the Harmonic Era begins this tapers off into a sort of competitive rivalry.
The two gods are able to mate with mortals, although Cor disdains the idea and simply watches life unfold. Rae, however, has done this on three occasions- twice with Shyr, in order to start dragons as a species; and once with Mordicai, where her intentions are still mostly unknown, despite her assurances that she knew she needed to place the resulting offspring(Jason) and Mordicai himself in position to interfere with the ongoing Fyreborne War in Durasken.
Divine Spirits
The four Divine Spirits include Kohal en Myyr, Kohal en Zyel, Kohal en Kuu, and Kohal en Taelos. These are simply shortened to Myyr, Zyel, Kuu, and Taelos respectively. Though originally created by the gods to settle the feud between them, they instead coexist in harmony to both ensure the continued survival of Euthora and to mediate the fight between their creators. Each of them embodies an element and represents certain aspects of Euthora.
Myyr is the spirit of fire, having created the Phoenix. He is one of Cor's creations and represents the autumn, when the leaves turn fiery colors before falling like ash. He tends to take the form of a six-winged Phoenix or a Firedrake with certain areas ablaze, or otherwise an orb of red light. Out of the four spirits, he is the most likely to interact with mortals, at one point leading a small group of dragons across Durasken to aid both his purpose and theirs. He values freedom and does what he can to grant it to the oppressed.
Zyel, one of Rae's creations, embodies earth. He created the humans and often takes the form of one, but rarely associates with them. He spends more time as an orb of gray light. He represents the winter, when cold climates leave the earth and trees bare of vegetation before the snow begins to fall. He grants mortals the determination to see a task through, possibly resulting in humans being the only Euthoran species to actively create civilization.
Kuu is another of Rae's creations and embodies the water. Her creation is the Shapeshifter, a creature whose form shifts are as smooth and fluid as running water. Because her creation has no true form, she typically spends her time as an orb of blue light, but may take the shape of an Iceraze otherwise. Her season is spring, when the snow melts and an abundance of rain brings dormant plant life back from the brink of death. Though she does not usually appear before mortals, she is deeply compassionate, often doing what she can to save a life from needlessly being taken, and those with her blessing show this level of care as well.
Taelos, the final of the four spirits, is Cor's creation and is the spirit of wind. She created the Lupynn and takes one as her form when she appears before mortals, but more often an orb of pale green light. Her represented season is summer, when storms and high winds are common. Though more likely to interact with lesser beings than Zyel or Kuu, it is still rare, and she usually keeps to herself- or keeps Myyr out of trouble caused by his curiosity. She is wise and intelligent, granting this trait to the Lupynn species as a whole, as well as other creatures that may have her blessing.
Demigods
The only true demigod of Euthora is Jason Shaver, a half-dragon Shapeshifter and Rae's son. He becomes a true- if lesser- god early in the Harmonic Era. Often depicted in a human or wolf form with a dragon's wings, he is considered to be a guardian of nature's balance. As a divine creature that is half dragon, raised as a Shapeshifter, and spends most of his time as a human, he is possibly the most inherently "balanced" being on Euthora.
He has a friendly relationship with the four Divine Spirits, a somewhat neutral one with Shyr, and- despite the truce between Cor and Rae later on- a tense relationship with the sun god. The tense relationship is mutual and primarily stems from an incident in which, purely in defense of Rae, Jason attacked and badly injured Cor.
Proxies
Euthoran proxies tend to come and go, as the four spirits will use a mortal to achieve an end that they are either unable or unwilling to take on themselves. The three "permanent" proxies, however, are all dragons- Shyr, and Jason's Familiars, Mimring and Starlight Thunderscale. These three are spared from the catastrophe at the end of the Harmonic Era purely for their close relation to divine beings.
Though not divine themselves, all three are widely considered sacred beasts, even after the Reformative Era begins.
Politics
Euthoran politics are extremely region-specific. Countries tend to leave each other alone unless they are at war or trading. Because they are most willing to create cities, humans are usually the most politically-oriented; most other races settle disputes by fighting. Democracy is rare on Euthora; countries are usually magocracies or oligarchies, which allow the ruling class only to make important decisions. This has led to war in many places.
Of note is that certain races are hated in certain areas. Durasken has a long history of this; beginning at the start of the Dissonant Era, humans hunt dragons nearly to regional extinction- killing the Firedrake completely. For the next five centuries, Durasken's military kills dragons whenever possible. This is only ended after Corian Fyreborne is killed, ending the Fyreborne War. Also throughout Durasken's history is a long and bitter rivalry between humans and Shapeshifters, which involves the latter being treated as lower-class citizens and ends with the Shapeshifter Revolt. Humans are driven out of Durasken and are likely to be hunted down and killed upon reentry.
The Euthoran Calendar
The Euthoran calendar is superficially similar to the Terran calendar. A year consists of three hundred and sixty days- twelve months of thirty days each. This is broken down further into six weeks of five days. Each season has three months.
Euthoran holidays center mostly on the turn of seasons- particularly the Teiin Ketra, or Summer Solstice, which is the Euthoran New Year in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere's equivalent on the same day is the Zieli Ketra, the Winter Solstice. This day is the most celebrated holiday of the year, resulting in festivals and similar celebrations.
Inhabitants
Notable Characters
- Jason Shaver
- Mimring Thunderscale
- Starlight Thunderscale
- Cresius Tasque
- Sagitrai Kerasado
- Careodry
- (there are so many I'll finish the list later)
History
Radiant Era
The Radiant Era is better known by Euthorans as "the days of the Skyking". It involves the creation and advancement of early Euthoran life. Cor and Rae have an unsteady truce, but nothing comes of it until the Dissonant Era. Dragons in these days are far rarer than in the Dissonant Era and considerably more powerful, ruling over small regions known as protectorates and given the title of Skyking. Society is generally little more than small towns and clusters of houses that pass for villages, and aside from the occasional feud, the land is relatively peaceful. These are the days of Shyr and his offspring, of Skyking Súndávr, and of Koth Grimseeker.
Dissonant Era
The Dissonant Era is also known as Euthora's Song. This period of time is defined by harsh conflict, particularly on the continent of Forvolrasuls, possibly influenced by the ever-growing tension between Cor and Rae. Many species of dragon go extinct in this era, and Durasken's rivalry between humans and Shapeshifters causes at least two small wars, in addition to a revolt that drives humans out of Durasken entirely. This revolt leads Jason Shaver on the path to divinity, eliciting reverence from his own species and dragons, and mixed feelings from humans.
Harmonic Era
The Harmonic Era is defined by both divine and mortal peace, with few wars and vast technological advancement. During this era, Euthora establishes trade with other planets in commodities such as stained glass, jewelry, furs, and exotic fruit. However, near the end of this era, most species on Euthora- including Shapeshifters, Lupynn, and most of the remaining dragons- go completely extinct. The end of the Harmonic Era is marked by the pantheon eradicating all life on Euthora in order to gain a fresh start.
Reformative Era
The Reformative Era begins with life returning to Euthora. While most old species- such as humans and shapeshifters- are absent, many beasts such as the Féniul and Sélrakh remain, as well as two species of dragon- the Voidwalker(now known as the Véredey) and Phasma(now known as the Setati). A few planets that had been trading with Euthora in the Harmonic Era probe for human life, and are met with harsh resistance as the planet seems to be actively attempting to kill them. The Voidwalker takes over as the dominant species on Euthora and no friendly contact with other planets is reestablished.
