1. The Olde World
-
For years,
Furres lived in the Olde World to the east. They thought that this
was the *whole* world. They didn't have Mages yet. There were no
Bugges or Wyrmmes (sentient Dragons) or Phoenixes, and the only
riding animals were Ostrixes.
In prehistoric times, a few inhabitants of the realms of the
Primes were allowed to enter the Olde World. Originally servitors
of Jujinka, Ahroth, and a few others, these "Elementals"
eventually married mortal furre to beget the first kind of "Demifane",
mortal furres with Fey blood.
_The_Olde_World____________________________________
Duvlin, ERIU | \_/\ / ( |
Londra, ALBION | ,-, |/ / |
Moscavy, RRUSSIA (m)| _ ( / /\ | m |
Bearlin, ALEMANISH | / ||L| ( /______\ |
P'ree, FRRANCE | |_D//__) _----' |
Vorsava, MTN.LANDS | ,----' B V |
Theriopolis, CATOLIA| `, P _ |
Athenz, GRREECE | ____| ____/\ T\\ ___ ,---_--. |
Marmoristan,KOHAZZAH| / _/ `\__ |`\ A\ `-- _M|_______/ |
Inigo, PORTIGAL | |I Z_/ () | | ``\::. |__/_/ |
Zara, ESPALLIA | |___/ () (_/ `: | |
Tunis (t) Valgor (v)| _/\______--t. () \____ |
Aegyptian Lands (Ae)| _/ v |---_______-----___ | |
Katenga Coast (k) |_/________________k__________Ae____\_______/_______|
2. The Establishment of Kasuria
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Three centuries ago, the compass was perfected in
Catolia, and Furres could sail west, away from the coast. They
discovered a large lush island continent, home to enormous flying
birds they called Scarhawks, and the arts of falconry grew into
Birdmastery. There was a great golden age of chivalry, as the
Raptor Knights rose to power. Wars broke out, but in time one lord
rose to power. His name was King Constantine the First, and he
called his domain Kasuria. He brought peace by ordering the Olde
Worlde nobles (the Great Houses) to each ally with the strongest
Kasurian forces. The young governors he knighted, and their
businesses and families became the Lesser Houses.
Noble
families of Kasuria
Commoner families
of Kasuria
Constantine established
the Council in his capital city Malgrave. The King makes the laws but
he shares control of the nation with the Counts. The newly-discovered
Magical Arts he ordered protected.
From the caverns below
came the Vampyre furres: spawn of mages cursed long ago by the Dark
Prime Suffrith for attempting to set Mirmoggin free.
Constantine successfully
destroyed the rising scourge of the Vampyre Bandit Lords. With the
hearty backing of the Counts and Countesses, it became illegal to
inflict vampirism on a Furre, a law which stands to this day in
Kasuria. A number of the Vampyre Furres fled to the Olde World.
Conversely, a number of
Fey-bloods from the Olde World emigrated to Kasuria, and became the
Elvenfurres, a race unto themselves.
It was during his great-granddaughter's reign as Queen
Karena that the Faerie Furres sent forth an emissary: Sir Destiny, the
Fox Knight of Faerie. Sir Destiny revealed the existence of Seelie
Court (but not its location). Queen Karena granted protection to the
forests of the north-western lands and made the Treaty of Oak with the
Faerie Queen Titaniel.
Color
Map of Kasuria
Inset Map of
Malgrave
...1 ..2
CITIES . `. .Kosh .,.3.
1 Pt.Payne 15 Pt.Kazwell .Lithe Hurpha`.4
2 Kreegor 16 Challiston . Mt. 5 `6
3 Freemarket 17 Aldriston .Aldric 7 A'Kerry Spreekle
4 Sheel 18 Falbert . Raideth 8 `....''
5 Leejis 19 Tilgore ,9. ''.;'. Malcom 10 Glasny .
6 Alkus 20 Ram 11 Sormegar 12'
7 Treebore 21 Hawkmount 13 Ralston .
8 Skyhaven 22 Zaydore .Sontray 14 ..,..,'
9 Dragonclaw 23 Pt.Lethora 15 Challis'.
10 Terris 24 Saffingwell .'' 16 ...
11 Songhigh 25 Ridanya . ''(*) 17.
12 Sephion 26 Modesty . 18 MALGRAVE 19 Darvin .
13 Zellis 27 Bannisard ... 20.
14 Raffamond 28 Moorim Harfang .Rovarri Mt.Kasuria .'
. . 21 `.
' ; . .
~----++----~ '22 23 Symbidia 24 .
K A S U R I A . 25 .Desdemond
~----++----~ . ``.26 .
.27. Tranzish.' `. .
..28...''
3. Drakoria: Threat from the West
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It was in the reign of Lord Constantine ti'Haala
the 8th, 150 years ago, that the Kasurian skies were first
darkened by the wings and sails of the forces of Drakoria. The
invaders were scaly and lizardlike, some with wings but most
without. The Furres dubbed them Wyrmmes. Arriving on quadrupedal
flying dragons and magnificent many-sailed airships, the Wyrmmes
raided and plundered the Kasurian cities for food, craft goods,
and slaves.
The song-epics of the court of Kasuria tell of many
hawk-riders facing the Wyrmmes in aerial combat. The Furres also
countered with magic use but the range of attack was usually too far
to be effective. Using longbows (crossbows had not yet been
developed), the Wyrmmes were driven back. The Furre casualties were
severe. Several northern Counts and Countesses made compacts with
Vampyre Furres, employing them as mercenaries in exchange for safe
haven.
One order of Raptor Knights at this time grew into a
mighty force, eventually establishing the Principality of Hawkmount
near the middle of Kasuria. Their leader, the Prince of Swords (and,
several times, it has been a Princess), is responsible to the King of
Kasuria alone.
-
The Mysterious Cold. Some say that Prime
Viverravus himself brought the change about. Others say that it
was a mighty spell worked by the Magi. All that can be said for
sure is that the Wyrmme invasion was ended by cold weather that
made it very difficult for the reptilians to stay awake. The cold
part of Kasuria came to be known as the Highlands, and it is
still, for the most part, still too cold for Scarhawks, Wyrmmes or
Dragons.
-
The Age of Seas gave way to the Age of Skies.
Brave Furre explorers using captured airships eventually found the
rocky lands of Drakoria. After several decades, the first Furre
Dracoriders appeared, having learned to tame and raise the
beautiful metallic-colored True Dragon mounts.
A surprising discovery was
made less than five years ago: primitive Furre tribes live in Drakoria.
Because they were hunted by Wyrmmes for sport or even food, they could
not develop the skills for taming Dracosaurs. Instead, the Nomads
use the flightless nocturnal and dayblind Nightdrakes for riding and
digging underground warrens.
Many primordial monsters
roam Drakoria. The furre-eating Leotaurs and Wolventaurs prey upon
each other as well. The shapeshifting Lycanthians, "were-furres".
have their origin in Drakoria as well.
*There is some mysterious phenomena in Drakoria that
causes all metal implements to turn to powder within a few days.
Because of this, Drakorians do not use metal tools or weapons. This
has proven fortunate for the Kasurians, who can defend their lands
with crossbows and
even ballistas.
Map
of Drakoria
`.
`. ..1. .'2. CITY-STATES
^ `' ..... `.' ` 1 Tmenzu
^^ 3 `.. . 2 ZaaMaloor
^ Great 4`... ..' '. ... 3 K'Regmot
^^ Vibranna ``.....'''... `' `. 4 AhKoomaal
^ ^ Forest `.. 5. ``. 5 Tmamoshaa
^ ,..' .. 6 . 6 SsiSsaron
Mountains of 7 .' Chasha . . 7 J'Voon
Ssaa Sahoon `... Bay . .' 8 LowTmonzik
^ ^ `. `. `, *9 GreatGraa
^ .' ` . 10 Hashaasmi
^ 8 ..,' .' 11 Ithalak
^ ^ Plains *9 .' ``... `'. 12 BalaNa-Shra
^ ^ of Goresh 11 ,.' ``. . 13 Marmaa
^^ Mahoon .' .'` ` `..''`.
^ ^ . 12' ``..., . .".
^ 13 ..'' ~-----+o+-----~ ; . `'
^ ,..''' D R A K O R I A Birga`..`'`.
..'' ~-----+o+-----~ Peninsula `''#Harshlaw
...''
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Gifts of the Insect People: There came a wave of
insect-people, riding in little flying canoes with long
outriggers. They had no sails; they rowed through the air with big
feathered paddles. They brought with them little miniature
dragons, and they earned the friendship of many Furres with gifts
of Minidrake eggs. They also shared the secret of making of
airships, involving a glue-like stuff produced naturally by their
own larvae.
As the Furres learned the Bugge language, a sad tale
emerged: the Wyrmmes had enslaved the Bugges, and these were refugees
from the west. They also brought a dire warning: the Drakorians were
once again gearing up for an invasion!
Mage-power is somewhat hereditary, and the Olde World
had no native-born mages until around 1175. Mages for this time in
history ought to be born in either Kasuria or Drakoria.
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