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Continent of Taladas

Taladas is often considered the unknown continent, since very few inhabitants of Ansalon, the larger land mass, know of Taladas. Taladas was struck by the Cataclysm, although not with the same effect as was Ansalon. Taladas suffered from a single tremor, which left the eastern part of the continent totally uninhabitable. In it’s relative seclusion, it is nearly unknown as to the fate of this continent in more contemporary times. One can only assume that the League is still the major power, and that the minotaurs are plotting over how to best conquer all of Taladas.

Southern Hosk

Southern Hosk is the most populated region of Taladas and also the most powerful. Three great nations constantly vie for dominance in that part of the continent. Other areas of Taladas are inhabited but are far lesser in importance than the realm of Southern Hosk.

Thenol

The Thenols are devout followers of Hith (Hiddukel) and are completely focussed on dominating the other races upon Taladas. The Thenols constantly build their army and augment their ranks by having the priests of Hith, raise the dead and incorporate them into the army.

The League of Minotaurs

The League is comprised of fierce warriors and able politicians who have subjugated the other races in their region. These races: humans, dwarves, elves, and kender, are now slaves to the League of Minotaurs. The League worships and works for the glory of Sargonnas.

Armach

Armach is the kingdom of elves. Long ago, Silvanesti mariners who went way off course, discovered a large forested portion of Southern Hosk. They built a kingdom in this forest which would mirror their original home of Silvanesti. The Armach elves do not have any contact with their Ansalon cousins, and have chosen to remain in Taladas. They are hostile to almost all outsiders and prefer to keep entirely to themselves.

The Huldrefolk

In Southern Hosk, to the northeast of Thenol lies a great forest. This is actually a magical forest similar in some respects to the Wayreth forest. The wood changes shape to confuse travellers as to where they are going. The Huldrefolk live within this magical forest, which protects them from the outside world.

The Othlorx

During the War of the Lance, Takhisis called her chromatic dragons to aid her. Some chromatics refused her call and chose to remain on Taladas. Takhisis cursed the chromatics with the following. Reds lost their confidence, blacks became xenophobic, blues lost magical power and must always honor their word, greens are bound to their land where they live, white lost magical power and were made mute. Good dragons came to Taladas during the War of the Lance to search for the missing eggs. Some chose not to participate in the Ansalonian War, and remained in Taladas. These dragons were shunned, and soon all of the outcast dragons learned to work together against common dangers. The collective group of metallics and chromatics came to be known as the Othlorx. The Othlorx have carved out a small empire for themselves near the Steam Mountains.

Blackwater Glade

The Bakali (lizard-men) rule the swamplands of Blackwater Glade. They are a savage race, who vanished from Ansalon a long time ago, albeit they have re-emerged from the dark reaches of Ansalon in recent times. The swamplands are seen as useless by all other races, and thus the Bakali have ruled here uncontested for a long time.

Marak

Marak is a series of lush valleys, which is also the main home of the kender of Taladas. Like the Bakali, Marak has always remained unconquered, as neither the League nor the Thenols, wish to have any dealing at all with kender.

Steam Mountains

Steam Mountains are inhabited by two races. The Fianawar dwarves and the Dragon Knights. The dwarves live in small dwellings outside the mountains, as they have a considerably large fear of the underground. The Dragon Knights live in villages around the mountains and are in league with the Othlorx. They serve the dragons and in turn the dragons will serve the knights as their mounts, much like the Dragon Highlords and their personal dragons.

Northern Hosk

Northern Hosk consists of vast plains and desolate wastelands. It is inhabited by the Uigan, the Elven Clans, the Alan-Atu and the Ilquar goblins. All of these groups are nomadic and they constantly war amongst one another. This keeps a certain balance to Northern Hosk, as no one group is allowed to get the upper hand.

The Shining Land

The Shining Land is a huge barren ice desert. Chilly winds blast across the plains and a freezing temperature rules the area. It is quite similar to Icereach in Ansalon. The inhabitants of the Shining Land are ice barbarians who navigate with the use of glass ships, they live in the mountains to protect themselves from the freezing temperatures.

Payan Mako

The Payan Mako are a sea-going nation who live off the land and sea. They are simple, peaceful folk, who must constantly defend their homes against the shark-men and hobgoblins that plague their area.

Neron

Neron is a forested region that is governed by the Cha’asii elves. The thick forests of Neron provide a great deal of seclusion for the elves. They are very isolationist like the Armach elves. The Cha’asii use a unique form of nature magic to assist in keeping outsiders out of their realm.

The Rainward Isles

After the Cataclysm, the human, kender and dwarven inhabitants of this region, banded together to protect each other in their new land. The three races learnt to live in peace as brothers, and founded the only true paradise upon Taladas. Also on the Rainward Isles are the Ring Mountains. The Ring Mountains are home to Abaqua (ogres). These ogres are primitive and not too intelligent, however they are capable of compassion and will often assist other races in need.

The Burning Sea

The Burning Sea is home to the gnomes of Taladas. The gnomes live in huge towers and travel in flying ships, which can fly across the lava of Hitehkel. These gnomes are similar in many respects to Ansalonian gnomes, except that their inventions often work. The gnomes are divided into two factions, the gnomoi and the minoi. The gnomoi are the scientists who make all the inventions, and the minoi are the warriors.

Other Realms

Outside of the two major continents, Ansalon and Taladas, lie smaller isles and islands. Some are widely known, others are practically unheard of.

Dragon Isles

The Dragon Isles lie directly north of Ansalon. There are eight islands in the chain, they are named from left to right in the chain: Alarm, Mind, Misty Isle, Jaentarth, Heart, Berann, Winged Majesty and Tayol. The islands are in the centre of the tropics, the heart of Krynn. They reflect almost every type of terrain and weather conditions, to suit each type of metallic dragon.

Anaiatha

Near the Dragon Isles is Anaiatha, the Island of the Irda. Anaiatha was where the High King of the Irda, and all the Irda, loyal to the good gods resided. During the Cataclysm, Anaiatha was struck and the largest part drifted away from Taladas, in the direction of the Dragon Isles, where it eventually settled. The fragments of Anaiatha that were split from the main body, became known as the Spine of Taladas. The true Irda all remained on the main body of Anaiatha and were kept safe during this time. The race lived peacefully until the splitting of the Greygem during the Summer of Chaos. The freeing of Ionthas, saw the destruction of the Irda’s island and the annihilation of the Irda themselves. It is uncertain as to whether any Irda survived the incident.

Chorane

Far to the south, at the furthest point of Icereach lies several fissures. The largest is known as Amesh’s Rent, and the other two are known as ‘The Little Crack’ and ‘Three-Mile Gorge’. If one was to journey down into these fissures, at 2000 feet down, they would discover the first parts of a vast underground civilisation known as Chorane. The deepest tribes live at 3400 feet below the surface, and all manner of creatures and tribes lie between. Within Chorane are three tribes of ice barbarians (the Amesh, Yaluu and Vodar), a clan of Theiwar dwarves and a tribe of beings known as the kendar, who are an offshoot from the kender race. The Theiwar and kendar are very similar to their kin in Thorbardin and in Goodlund, however there are also some differences. The origins of this branch of kender and Theiwar are embroiled in mystery, as no-one knows how they actually got there.

The Spine of Taladas

The Spine of Taladas is group of islands that lie close to the continent of Taladas. They were once part of the great island known as Anaiatha, but were split from the island, forming a small island chain during the Cataclysm. Selasia is the largest island in the chain, and houses the descendants of the Irda, the Mischta. The Mischta are those few Irda that were living on the portions of Anaiatha that split off from the main body. Selasia is also is the home of the Bolandi, a mischievious subspecies of the ogre race. The other islands in the Spine are: Vorm, Odith, Fedron, Abshu, Chandion, and Little Taladas. Vorm is a fiery island that has little on it, other than volcanoes, molten rock and fertile soil. It is home to a small clan of red Othlorx, but is otherwise uninhabited. Odith is similarly uninhabited by humanoids. It was once home to a small tribe of minotaurs (an offshoot of the League), but now it’s only residents are rocs, sea-birds and the occasional amphidragon. Abshu has mountains filled with precious metals, and occasionally human explorers will visit to gather the metals. The Orughi fiercely defend Abshu and will attack any humanoids they discover (excepting their Nzunta masters). Chandion was once a minotaur haven, although it was overrun by Orughi a long time ago. The Orughi of Chandion do not serve the Nzunta, and are a cannibalistic tribe, rife with disease and devout worshippers of Zeboim. There is little on note on this island. Little Taladas is a thick jungle covered island that has practically nothing of interest on it. Fedron is the home of the Nzunta ogres and their Orughi slaves. There are four large settlements upon Fedron as well as a clan of blue Othlorx whom serve the high ogres.

Watermere

South-west of Taladas and north-east of Ansalon lies the giant underwater kingdom of Watermere. Whilst there are smaller tribes and settlements elsewhere on the ocean floor, Watermere is the major kingdom of the Dargonesti elves. Established during the Age of Might after long bloody wars against the koalinth, the Dargonesti have built a huge empire, even though they have had strong opposition by the koalinth and Sagarassi the Sea Witch. The capital Takaluras is comprised of several castles and great towers, as well as huge buildings of every type. It is also home to the Speaker of the Moon, leader of the Dargonesti.

The Isle of the Brutes

To the far east of Ansalon, deep in the Courrain Ocean, lies the Isle of the Brutes. The island is quite large and dominated by the large buildings of the Tarmak. The vast city of the Tarmak houses around one hundred and fifty thousand people. The island once housed three great warlike tribes: the Tarmak, Damjatt and Keena. The Tarmak warred upon both tribes and eventually crushed both, assimilating the survivors into their culture. The largest monument on the island is the Tarmak amphitheatre, in which all their bloody battles are fought. The brutes believe in living and dying by the sword, and are much more akin to minotaurs than any other type of human civilisation.

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