I really need to draw a map of the Grandia world (or get a hold of a cloth map, but as those only came out in Japan, they're really hard to find!), but until I get around to doing that, here's a list of places and their descriptions. There are five basic locations, each one a continent or geographical area. Some of the locations in the list I created, but most were actual towns or geographical areas in the game.
Messina: Parm, Marna Road, Sult Ruins, Sult, Leck, Ardycee, Ghost Ship
Elencia: New Parm, Merrill Road, Merrill, Merrill Hills, Rangle Mountains, Dom Desert, Dom Ruins, Farina, Farina Base, Misty Forest, Luc, Light Mountain, End of the World
The Lost World: Flying Dragon Valley, Dight, Typhoon Mountain, Teleportation Hill, Lama Mountains, Ganbo, Mt. Alta, Khanh Desert, Twin Towers, Mermaid Sea
Jesora (East Elencia): Virgin Forest, Cafu, Petrified Forest, Tower of Doom, Zil Desert, Zil Padon, Jinro Savanna, Iris, Brinan Mountains, Laine, Rainbow Mountain, Alent, Luzet Mountains, J Base
The Western Lands:
- The Continent of Messina
The center of a bustling Industrial Revolution and a rather cosmopolitan, growing culture, Messina is home to a country also called Messina, governed by the Joule Foundation with a military called the Garlyle Forces. Messina exercises a great deal of political control over many newly discovered lands, including Elencia. Natives of Messina include General Baal, Justin, Sue, and Lily. Messina is only one of many western nations that form a cultural and geographical group something like 16th century Europe, but with an Industrial Revolution reminiscent of the end of the 19th century.
- Parm
While not the capital of Messina or even one of its biggest cities, Parm is especially important to the country as the major port city on the eastern coast. Nearly all trade between Messina and Elencia passes through Parm, and it is a center of industry and transportation. In recent years it has also become known for its archaeological museum and noted archaeologists, primarily as a result of its proximity to the Sult Ruins. Culturally, Parm is a bit like some of the larger cities on America's east coast during the Victorian era, but with a few European elements tossed in; for example, their favorite kinds of music have a definite Celtic flair. Parm is not a particularly artistic town, but its residents appreciate a good song at the end of the work day as much as anyone else.- Marna Road
One of the continent's main highways, traveling from Parm to Sult and on through to the northwest, eventually passing through Ardycee, the capital of Messina. Usually a highly traveled road, particularly by traders.- The Sult Ruins
The Sult Ruins are the largest ever discovered on the continent of Messina. Found by Justin's grandfather as he explored some unusual caves, the ruins were named after the nearby town of Sult. Speculation continues on exactly what the ruins used to be, but many believe they were once a city, built underground as a refuge from some sort of danger. There are many traps and mazes in the city, possibly used as defenses, and in the far reaches of the caves can be found a temple, which was locked for many years, until Justin opened it with his Spirit Stone. Archaeologists speculate that the temple was built to safeguard knowledge, as evidenced by the story of Angelou told in stylized murals on its walls, and by the communication orb allowing one to speak with Liete in Alent. The orb itself no longer functions, leading many to believe that it will only work if Liete is there to accept the connection on the other side; Liete herself refuses to comment. (In fact, it has been a long time since anyone has seen or heard from her at all...) Some believe that the orb may also work as a holographic projector and a transport for small items, though it cannot handle transport of people or large objects. Since the temple may only be opened with the Spirit Stone, so far as anyone knows, archaeologists believe that after Gaia was destroyed for the first time and the Spirit Stone split into seven pieces, each piece was given to a different person or group for safekeeping. The temple in the Sult Ruins likely had a high priest or priestess, who guarded the Spirit Stone and communicated with Liete.- Sult
Once a relatively quiet community that was a common stop for traders on their way to Parm or Ardycee, the town of Sult has been revolutionized by the discovery of the Sult Ruins and the renewed interest in archaeology and humanity's origins. While its size and influence cannot rival Parm's, it has become a center of education and home of the Sult University of Archaeology and Ancient History. While the university specializes in those subjects, scholars of all types tend to congregate in the town, primarily those who study literature, language, humanities, and social sciences.- Leck
An old mining town in the southwestern mountains of Messina, one can only get to Leck by taking a day-long journey from Parm by train. The outskirts of Leck were home to the famous adventurer Java until his death a couple years ago, and until about a decade ago, it was nearly a ghost town. The influx of new immigrants after the War of Gaia led to the town's revitalization, particularly by Lainians who were used to high altitudes and harsh climates. Although the coal mines were exhausted many years ago, the Lainians have managed to turn the harsh land into a profitable agricultural community. Small mines have begun to harvest other sorts of minerals, metals, and stones from the mountains, and the mining and agricultural industries of the area are booming once again, despite the exhaustion of the coal.- Ardycee
Messina's capital was already a rapidly growing metropolis when Justin began his adventures, and now that immigrants from all over the world have begun to enter Messina, Ardycee is even bigger, more economically powerful, and more cosmopolitan than ever before. One of the larger cities in the western lands, it is a little like New York is to us, as well as a particularly important center of art and culture. Most of Messina's great musicians, artists, and writers can be found in Ardycee. It is also beginning to develop a good educational system, having founded several art and music conservatories in recent years. Ardycee is also a major political center, being one of the largest and most influential of the major cities of the western lands.- The Ghost Ship
No one is entirely certain of the origin of the Ghost Ship in the eastern sea. It appears to have been controlled by a giant squid of some sort; according to sailors, it is not the first time a giant sea creatue has been sighted. Superstitious sailors often count such sea monsters as a sign of the Sea Spirits' displeasure. It may be that they are only another example of the huge and bizarre creatures found in the east. Some believe that the squid is of a type that attacks ships, devours the crew, and then "wears" the vessel, much as a hermit crab wears the empty shells of other sea creatures. Zoologists are quite interested in the mysteries that lie in the depths of the sea, but as yet they have no way of exploring this frontier. As for the ship itself, it was a relic of an earlier age. Justin, Feena, and Sue discovered old maps and a globe of the world aboard. Many discount such representations of the world as fantasy, but it may be that they were right and the world is round; this has yet to be proved or disproved.
- The New Continent of Elencia
The New Continent was discovered between 100 and 150 years ago. Before that time, there had been legends that another land lay across the sea, but few believed it, and the eastern sea was known for its storms and other perils. Some said it was cursed. Ghost ships were sighted, strange monsters surfaced from the deep. Finally some explorers braved these perils and landed on Elencia; others followed when tales of the continent's lushness and riches returned to the western lands with the sailors. Messina and many of the other nations of the west sent ships to explore Elencia, resulting in more than one battle for the continent's wealth. Finally a truce was settled, and though Messina now controls much of the continent, it sends regular shares of the products and wealth obtained from Elencia to many of the other nations of the west. After the wars were over, the Age of Adventures continued on until about a generation ago, with pirates and explorers seeking wealth in the new lands. Adventurers finally began to decline in number and popularity after the End of the World was discovered on Elencia and it was believed that there were no more frontiers left in the world.
- New Parm
New Parm is the major port town of Elencia, probably the biggest city on the continent. Its culture has a slightly western/southwestern American flavor, and everyone there is very laid back and loves to celebrate. No one knows festivals like the people of Elencia; it's rather reminiscent of Mardi Gras or the whole California fun-and-sun attitude. They will use any excuse for a party—weddings and even funerals are celebrated by all, no matter who's getting married, and people will often celebrate their own funerals, with the theory that you should enjoy your own party while you're alive. The people of New Parm are very creative, and major industries include crafts of all kinds such as pottery, weaving, jewelry making, etc., and also fishing, farming, and touristry. New Parm is very warm, and many people take siestas in the afternoon. There is an abundance of lush, tropical fruits and other crops, and game is decent as well, though people in Elencia do not generally eat as much meat as westerners. Overall, it is a very friendly, welcoming, and relaxed place to be—little wonder that people come to Elencia from both east and west!- Merrill Road
One of the major highways of Elencia, leading generally southwest to northeast. It starts in New Parm and ends at the coastal military town of Farina, near the old Garlyle Farina Base.- Merrill
The town of Merrill is a quiet one, somewhat small, but important nonetheless because of its location along a major trade route. The people of the town are relaxed and friendly, like most Elencians, but they keep to themselves for the most part.- Merrill Hills
These softly rolling, windswept green hills lie on the outskirts of Merrill. Feena's house is located in one of the meadowed valleys in between these hills, a quiet location some distance from the village, but close enough to periodically go into town for supplies. The Merrill Hills are home to a wide variety of plants, many of them medicinal. As a result, the nearby town is rather well known for the medicines it produces, some of which are transported as far as Messina and the western continents to treat illnesses and injuries.- Rangle Mountains
The Rangles are a relatively low range of a mountains, but one that spans quite a distance across the eastern part of West Elencia. They are very rocky but covered with lush greenery, and they have some of the most breathtaking views that can be found on the continent. There are some lovely waterfalls as well, and the Adventurer's Society sometimes sends groups to hike the mountains. Certain places are particularly well situated to look out across the vast Misty Forest to the east, and on a clear day, one can see the End of the World out beyond the forest.- Dom Desert
In the southeastern part of West Elencia is the Dom Desert, a very dry (but not particularly sandy) area populated with a variety of desert creatures and may types of cacti and desert plants and flowers. Many archaeologists believe that under the dry soil and sparse vegetation of the desert lie many ruins and artifacts, not just of the Angelou Civilization, but also of later ages. There are many questions to be answered, not the least of which is why so few natives were found on this lush continent when it was discovered by westerners from Messina. Scientists have recently begun trying to get funding for a major archaeological survey of the desert.- Dom Ruins
An archaeologist's dream, the Dom Ruins are the largest Angelou ruins ever discovered. They are vast and labyrinthine, likely once a great city. Scholars believe they were built before Angelou's downfall, and later became a refuge once the civilization was destroyed. Another temple and communication orb were built deep in the maze of Dom, likely a place where yet another piece of Spirit Stone was safeguarded at one time. Dom may also have served as an outpost when the End of the World was first constructed, built to watch over the barrier, and to give warning and serve as the first line of defense if Gaia were ever to cross the wall. The city was not particularly designed for defense at first, but newer additions show that it was made into something like fortress at a much later date than its original construction.- Farina
A small, coastal town in the north, Farina has become somewhat industrialized. They are known for their mining and manufacturing, industries of which Garlyle has made much use. This is likely a major reason for the construction of the nearby military facility, the main Garlyle base on Elencia known as Farina Base.- Garlyle Farina Base
The main Garlyle facility on Elencia, the Farina base was once in charge of civil defense in Elencia, though they spent a great deal of their time in mysterious operations whose purpose only became clear after Justin revealed Baal's plans. Garlyle still controls the base, but it has become a much more defensive base, its soldiers far more involved in their original role of civil defense.- Misty Forest
The Misty Forest is vast beyond comprehension, and incredibly dense, with few trails or paths of any kind through it. The thick mist makes visibility almost zero, and strange animals prowl through the woods. The forest creatures are not usually terribly aggressive, but there are one or two that can be very dangerous, and the biggest danger is getting lost. Very few have ever made it out of the Misty Forest. The train from Farina passes by the forest's edge, but few have ever ventured very far into it; until Justin, Feena, and Sue, none who entered the Misty Forest had ever returned again to tell about it. A few explorers have ventured in since then; many were lost, although those who took special precautions and brought special supplies returned safely. The best way to get through the Misty Forest is to employ a beastman from Luc or one of the other hidden villages in the forest as a guide. The beastmen seldom leave their village, but a few have begun to venture out of the forest, going to live in New Parm, Merrill, Farina, and the other cities, towns and villages of Elencia...sometimes even as far as Messina and the other western lands.- Luc
Luc is the largest of the hidden towns and villages of the forest. Most of them have a rather tribal form of government, and many of its people live with their extended families, forming rather large households. They have a very rich mythology, an interesting take on the legend of Angelou and its fall. They believe that their ancestors attempted to steal the Icarians' wings, and as a result, the light of their world became corrupted. The beastmen say they hid in the forest to escape the light, and the Spirits eventually drove out the evil light with the mist that hides and protects them. They claim to seek out the warmth of the pure sunlight using their horns. Such a legend shows how important light is to the Misty Forest beastmen; each village has a shrine to the Light Spirits (much as sailors often have a shrine aboard their ships to the Sea Spirits). The growing number of anthropologists back in Messina are eager to create a road through the Misty Forest in order to more easily visit the villages and learn from the beastmen, who have much lore and legend to share, as well as the semi-magical plants they grow in the woods that provide them with fruits and nuts that have special properties. Consequently, botanists are also fascinated by the area and the many plants the forest contains.- Light Mountain
The central place of Light Spirit worship, of course, is on Light Mountain. The Luc villagers' idol, which used to represent the Spirits of Light because of the light-emitting Spirit Stone imbedded in its heart, was broken when the Garlyle Forces stole the Stone, but now the broken statue stands in a special position at the top of the mountain. At dawn on the summer solstice, the sun's rays strike the top of the statue and filter through its jagged edges and the gap where the Spirit Stone used to be, shining on a nearby flat rock and making an image that looks strangely like an Icarian's wings. The site is just as holy to the Misty Forest beastmen as it ever was, and it is a place of rich legend and history. - The End of the World
The End of the World is quite possiblity the most incredible, awe-inspiring, unbelievable thing one can see anywhere in the world of Grandia. One can only marvel and wonder how on earth even the powerful people of Angelou managed to build it, and where they acquired the materials; the strange golden stone is unlike any found in any known quarries elswhere in the world. How they transported the giant blocks, and where they continue to come from, is a complete mystery. When the wall was first begun, the people of Angelou created machines and programmed them with instructions to continue to build the wall higher and higher. Likely those who began the building of the wall expected to be around to manage its progress, but they vanished not long after the project was begun. The strange machines must have been made with Spirit power or some comparable energy source, because they continued to run for thousands of years. Some broke down, but enough machines continued to build the wall so far across the horizon that no one has ever found its end, and so high in places that one can't even see the top. Villagers in Luc remember how only two or three generations ago, the top of the End of the World was visible from Light Mountain, but now it is too high to see where it ends. Justin, Feena, and Sue discovered the machines that are continually building the wall higher when they climbed it; some of the flying ones dropped them over the side, apparently programmed to keep anyone or anything attempting to cross the wall on the east side. Other forms of protection include various traps, falling blocks, golems (some broken down), lasers, monsters and other living guardians. The wall was obviously intended to be climbed, but only by those who knew its secrets or had the power to overcome the traps and guardians; it is possible that such people were meant to be guardians of the Spirit Stones. The wall is not just impressive because of its size; it is also a work of art. The patterns on the blocks repeat themselves eventually, but the number of carvings on the golden stone is vast, and each carving has a mysterious quality to it that was unique to the Angelou civilization. One can only imagine just how many artists worked to carve the original designs, of which the machines later made copies. Although the End of the World has now been crossed, first by Garlyle airships and later by other flying vehicles, Justin, Feena, and Sue remain the only ones ever able to complete the climb on foot, and even their great accomplishment can never diminish the awe-inspiring beauty of what is likely the most incredible structure ever built in the world of Grandia.
- The Lost World (Eastern Elencia)
The Lost World, or the eastern half of the continent of Elencia, is populated by beastmen distantly related to those of the Misty Forest. The plants there are huge and brightly colored, the animals are bizarrely unusual, and the land itself rolls in ways that seem alien to those from the west. There are tall rock spires dotting the landscape in the west, and the climate is strongly tied to the movements of the land, not just to the flow of air and water. This may explain some of the strange weather phenomena that Eastern Elencia has seen in the past.- Flying Dragon Valley
Named for the strange reptilian creatures that many of Dight's better hunters choose for their game, the Flying Dragon Valley is a huge jungle of lush, colorful, and gigantic plant life and bizarre animals. It is a dangerous valley, many of the animals and even the plants being hostile, but it is also beautiful. Beastmen and women from Dight and the surrounding villagers usually know how to safely travel the jungle and where to find some valuable plants with many uses.- Dight
Dight is a northern coastal fishing village, one of the largest on the north end of the continent. The people there use fish for just about everything; even their houses and boats are made in the shape of fish, and sometimes large preserved fins and heads are used as decoration. Some of the aquatic life in the nearby ocean is absolutely huge, like many of the plants and animals in the area. The eastern side of the content is not nearly as hot as it is across the End of the World, likely because of varying ocean currents; as a result, Dight is in a temperate area. The people of Dight are very formal and traditional, yet welcoming of visitors. They particularly value strength, skill, hard work, and pushing oneself to the limit. (They're actually very Japanese in a lot of ways.) They are very well acquainted with the sea and have a certain affinity with the Sea Spirits, but they never venture out of sight of land. Mermaids are far more common some ways to the south, but they have been known to venture as far north as Dight, and huge sea creatures live far from shore. Thus, the people of Dight are quite comfortable where they are; it is dangerous enough as it is to sufficiently challenge and test the strength that they value so much.- Typhoon Mountain
Typhoon Mountain was once home to Typhoon Tower, a structure so old that the people of Dight had forgotten where it came from. It was not quite as old as Angelou, but scholars believe it was built soon after Angelou's destruction, most likely to honor the Air and Sea Spirits, possibly hoping to calm the weather with their prayers. No one is entirely sure what happened when the strange, deadly rains began coming from the Tower; it is possible that it was somehow related to Gaia's rebirth, which seems most likely, though it may also have been due to a massive amount of spiritual power or weather magic that slowly built up over the years in which the tower was not in use. The Spear of Heroes may actually have been a focus for such energy, and removing it from the tower broke the dangerous buildup of weather magic...but then, that is just speculation. Archaeologists have only speculated so far; there are so many sites to dig, it will take a long time to get to them all. But the peak of Typhoon Mountain is definitely on their list!- Teleportation Hill
The Teleportation Orb, despite its onetime use, is so powerful that it is believed to be a relic from Angelou. In fact, scientists who have speculated on it believe that it may not be a onetime use artifact...but it takes a very long time to recharge, possibly as much as a generation or two. Teleportation Hill is very old, and the pillars and gates around it are crumbling and weathered. The site may be an old transport center, perhaps so old that they were built even before Angelou reached its height. This is another mystery that remains very much speculation, however.- Lama Mountains
The Lama Mountains are not particularly exciting; they are very rocky, though some of the flatter areas are grassy, and they seldom receive much snow except in winter. Some of the locals have built wood-and-rope lifts working by pulleys to carry people from one peak to another; suspension bridges are also in use in some places.- Ganbo
Ganbo is a very exotic town with lush vegetation, moderate humidity, and high but not crippling heat; it's sort of the Hawaii of Grandia. ^_^ The people there are very friendly and love to party, and romance blossoms everywhere—so much it's almost sickening. =P Admittedly, it was much worse after the whole incident with the fire dragon, when people were afraid of being together with the opposite sex for fear they would be sacrificed; after they were free of the curse, everyone wanted to get hooked up because they were starved for romance. Things are much better now, but Ganbo is still known as a lover's paradise. The people make their living by fishing, hunting, and growing a few crops. Plants grow easily in the lush, tropical climate of the southern shore, and most of the animals there, while varied and often beautiful, are not so dangerous as their northern cousins. An unusual aspect of Ganbo is the villagers' obsession with frogs; they are believed to be a representation of Water Spirits. The people of Ganbo are somewhat superstitious and tend to rely on prophecies, though these are not always accurate. Human sacrifice is, as near as anyone can tell, a fluke occurrence, evidenced by the fact that the townspeople did not actually attempt to kill Justin and Feena themselves, only sent them to the volcano to face the dragon. The people of Ganbo have always been peaceful in the past, and quite willing to share the fruits of their paradise home.- Mt. Alta (volcano)
Mt. Alta has been active for many years, but it has seldom erupted with much violence. On the contrary, the volcano's heat is spread by the continent's unusual winds and helps to make the southern coast warm and lush. The appearance of the fire dragon that Justin and Feena vanquished is still something of a mystery. Justin and Feena later claimed that they saw a huge mass of Fire Spirits released just before the volcano erupted, after they had defeated the Fire Dragon. One wonders if the disappearance or imprisonment of the Spirits had anything to do with Gaia...- Khanh Desert
A small but very hot and dry desert, it lies to the west of Ganbo, between the village and the Twin Towers. It is rocky and hotter in its eastern part, and sandy and slightly cooler in the west. It is very difficult to cross, so if the people of southeastern Elencia ever need to go to the Twin Towers for fishing or gathering rare plants, they almost always go along the coast in a boat.- Twin Towers
The Twin Towers are yet another set of ruins in which there is a communication device that contacts Liete. The pattern seems to be that the largest ruins have such devices; most likely the biggest cities were built around temples where Spirit Stone pieces were safeguarded. The Twin Towers, however, are not a city; instead, they seem to be a temple of history and knowledge, built to honor the Icarians and the Spirits. Statues and murals of Icarians fill every room and cover many of the walls. The towers reach toward the sky, as if trying to touch the stars and reach as high as an Icarian's wings might. It may have been built as a memorial to the Icarians who gave their lives to save humanity. Much of the Twin Towers are unexplored, and it is a somewhat dangerous place, with a few old guardians lurking around corners and mazes everywhere, particularly at the base. The Twin Towers are located not far from the southern coast, just a short walk from the beach, and also at the western edge of the Khanh Desert.- Mermaid Sea
The Mermaid Sea is inhabited by mermaids, aggressive, shape-changing creatures without much in the way of morals, who prey on seafaring young men. It is possible that mermaids hibernate during the winter, as they seem to be much more active in the summer, and more sailors and fishermen are lost then. They do not often come close to shore, but sailors along Elencia's eastern coast must always beware. Legend has it that a mermaid's song is entrancing; thus, many seafarers carry a supply of earplugs close to hand when they set sail.
- Jesora
- Virgin Forest
The Virgin or Untouched Forest is a thick, lush jungle on the northwest coast of Jesora, filled with huge and colorful plants that rival those of even eastern Elencia. The jungle can be quite dangerous—quicksand, pools of water with hidden predators, aggressive plant life, and poisonous plants and animals are among the perils one faces there. However, the people who live on the jungle's edge greatly revere it. They use it for hunting, gathering plants for food and medicine and weaving, and catching the animals for their sleep-inducing secretions, which can be used in medicine as well. The people of Cafu and the surrounding villages have done their best to keep the Virgin Forest as untouched as possible throughout the centuries.- Cafu
The people of Cafu and the surrounding villages mostly have tribal societies, though complex ones with a heavy emphasis on tradition. In keeping with their reverence toward the jungle, they live in houses made from giant fruits that are still living, and they care for them diligently in a symbiotic relationship. They do cultivate some crops, but they are primarily hunter-gatherers. Major exports include medicines and potions made from plant and animal materials gathered from teh jungle, and almost any type of plant-based product there is, including some of the most beautiful threads and yarns on the continent. There is a heavy trade between Cafu and Zil Padon—Cafu textiles and threads are traded for the beautiful cloth and rugs that the Alqada make from them. People of Cafu are big on tradition, but many consider their lack of more civilized refinement uncouth and primitive. They are generally a friendly and kind people, but they have a distrust of outsiders and new ways and a lack of concern for the southern idea of manners that most people consider rude.- Petrified Forest
The Petrified Forest is the northeastern section of the Virgin Forest that was turned to stone by the Gaia embryo once grown in the Tower of Doom. When all the life in it was turned to stone, and the original Cafu village on its outskirts, the tragedy was more than just a loss of friends and family—it was a betrayal and an attack on everything they believed. The Garlyle Forces had not just hurt the people of Cafu, they had hurt the forest...and that was unforgiveable. Cafu beastpeople still harbor resentment toward outsiders in general and westerners in particular, even though the forest has now been restored to life and is as lush as it was before. In places a few dead leaves turned to stone still remain, to remind the people of Cafu of what happened a generation ago.- Tower of Doom
The Tower of Doom, while a Garlyle military base, primarily served as a genetic research lab, using offshoots and spores of the original Gaia cocoon to experiment with new techniques to help Gaia grow faster. The research aided General Baal in his quest, though ultimately he was to discover that he needed a complete Spirit Stone for Gaia to feed on. Many lives of soldiers and nearby villagers, not to mention nearby plant and animal life, were destroyed in the research process. Smaller research bases dotted the length and breadth of Jesora, resulting in the destruction or devastation of other towns and villages, such as Iris and Laine. The Tower of Doom is now abandoned and unofficially off limits; many would like to forget it exists because of the memories it holds of the horrible things that were done there in order to revive a great evil.- Zil Desert
The Zil Desert is one of the hotter and dryer deserts across the eastern continents; it is also the sandiest, with rolling dunes untouched for miles by any greenery. The sun reflects harshly on the sand, intensifying the heat enough to drop travelers from heatstroke very quickly if they have not taken sufficient precautions. Odd creatures live in the desert, mostly small ones, but some poisonous. There are few oases, but those that do exist are lush and green, a cool, miniature paradise among the burning sands. This desert is yet another area that archaeologists believe may hold many secrets, although little has been found beyond small, everyday artifacts from times more recent than the Angelou civilization.- Zil Padon
A city built on the largest of the Zil Desert's oases, Zil Padon enjoys the sweetest, most plentiful water found in central Jesora, pumped from below ground by the sophisticated water systems the Mogay created many generations ago. Zil Padon is very middle eastern in style, though it is also rather cosmopolitan, due to the influx of refugees from other parts of the continent. The Mogay are by far the oldest, with more tradition and memories than they have ever cared to reveal. Zil Padon was built several thousand years ago, though one would not know to look at it, as it has been rebuilt and the architecture updated often. However, the great wall surrounding it is painted with eyes, a symbol of wisdom found often in Angelou ruins. Indeed, some scholars call Zil Padon a living ruin itself. It was built over the remains of an ancient Angelou floating shrine, a temple to wisdom which was partially destroyed and struck down to earth during Angelou's fall. The Mogay were set to guard its remains and the sacred treasure it held, including the Medal of Knowledge, key to Zil Padon's sister city of Alent, the floating shrine of knowledge. If anyone besides the Mogay ever knew of the underground shrine's existence, that knowledge was lost centuries ago. The Zil Padon of today is a thriving, growing city, vastly different from the dead ruins it conceals. Water runs through the streets and even the buildings in little canals and aqueducts that provide refreshment and decoration, and exquisitely crafted fountains mark every square. The city is divided into three parts, each with its own cultural distinctions and race. The Alqada are very middle eastern, both in culture and architecture. The Mogay have a traditional and family-oriented, somewhat Italian culture and live houses burrowed into the sides of artificial banks of earth. The Rafane are very European in dress and architecture, living in apartment buildings without much decoration on the outside, but with elaborate furnishings within. Overall, Zil Padon is probably one of the largest cities in the world, bigger than Parm, though smaller than Ardycee. It is constantly growing and changing, yet with a rich history—a complex blend of old and new.- Jinro Savanna
A wilderness of grassland, a dry area but home to many kinds of animals. An occasional town dots the savanna, but not many. Like the Zil Desert, it is relatively unpopulated; much of Jesora's population lives near coastal areas.- Iris
A Rafane town that was destroyed by genetic experimentation with Gaia. Those that survived were offered refuge in Zil Padon.- Brinan Mountains
The Brinan Mountains are one of the largest and tallest mountain ranges in the world. The higher elevations are permanently snow-covered, and the highest peaks and crags are rocky, icy, and practically unscaleable. The foothills are gentler in climate and footing, but they are vast, blanketing much of southern Jesora. The central elevations are home to many mountain-dwelling people, most notably the Lainians. Laine is only one of the many alpine towns that can be found throughout the vast Brinans, but they are one of the most important and keepers of some very ancient knowledge.- Laine
Laine is a small, simple town, but its rustic setting fools many. Behind the simple wood-and-stone houses with snow-covered roofs are rocky cliffs and caves, several of which hide ancient shrines and temples. Lainian men are known for their knowledge and intelligence, which may be one reason why they were chosen to hold the secrets of Alent as the Mogay hold the secrets of Zil Padon. The women of Laine are intelligent but more included to concern themselves with simple or practical matters, so it is the men who keep the legends and history of Angelou in their records and their memories. Lainians are also guardians of the pathway up the mysterious Rainbow Mountain, and once in a while they will make pilgrimages to the Rainbow Spring at its peak, to pray to the Spirits of the Sky and Stars.- Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain looks simple and unexciting at first glance, though pleasant...but then one realizes that this tall mountain peak with its incredible vistas and view of the surrounding snow-covered mountains is, unlike its neighbors, covered with grass and sunlight, rather than with ice and snow and clouds. It is by no means a warm place, but its coolness is pleasant. The cliffs are covered with soft, green grass and brush, and the musically rushing streams, rivers, and waterfalls that cascade down the mountainside are icily cold, but not frozen. These streams flow from the crystal clear Rainbow Spring at the mountain's peak; miniature rainbows arc across its rippling surface. It is certainly beautiful, but it does appear ordinary; however, if one drops the Medal of Knowledge in the spring, a scintillating pillar of rainbow light appears, reaching up into the heavens. The magical power that holds Alent aloft and connects it to the mountain peak by an invisible link filters down through the atmosphere, attracting Spirits of light and warmth that help the mountain peak to thrive with life. - Alent
Alent is sister to the Zil Padon Shrine of Wisdom. Once, long, long ago, it floated in the sky above the capital of Angelou, its shape somewhat spherical and with the great eye of knowledge and wisdom depicted on its side. Underneath the city were transports that led to and from the ground, and the floating city continually circled the great tower on which the shining Spirit Stone rested. Alent was a holy city, populated primarily by priests and priestesses; some scholars speculate that it may also have been the home of the Icarians. The temple at the city's center was surrounded by a lush and beautiful garden, with buildings and walkways carved of the purest, most softly and beautifully colored stone in he world, formed in exquisite and intricate designs. Everything was made beautiful, now matter how menial its purpose. Alent was famed for its beauty and wonder. It was nearly destroyed in Angelou's fall, however, and what little was saved became a shrine of knowledge and history, meant to preserve the past for some purpose that may have been unknown even to the people who created it. Alent was raised even higher into the sky, even as the Zil Padon shrine, once floating several miles away, was lowered underground.Now Alent is only a shell of what it once was, the gardens all dead, the roads and buildings chipped and worn with the force of time. Some of the mechanical tenders of gardens and transport systems still work, but others are broken down or destroyed. A harsh wind blows through the once lovely city, carrying sand and the dust of edges with it. The only place of peace and refuge in this city is the temple, through which water still runs in mysterious springs that seem to defy gravity; delicate filigree of gold and silver decorates the shrine, and shapes of light and illusion dance. But this place, no matter how peaceful and serene, is a place of illusion, not of life; of a past age frozen in time. It is not dead, but it is not alive, either; perhaps, deep in her heart of hearts, Liete, felt much the same way during her waking sleep during which she guarded the city, waiting for thousands of years, waiting for perhaps even she knew not what....- Luzet Mountains
The Luzet Mountains are a rocky but low mountain range in eastern Jesora. They are hard and unforgiving, and little grows there. Some animals roam the cliffs and plateaus in search of the occasional patch of dry brush, but for the most part, there is little of any interest in the Luzets. The Garlyle Forces did find, however, that it made a good defensive barrier, and it also kept the Jesoran people from prying into just what they were doing at their main base...- J Base
The central military base of the Garlyle Forces on the continent of Jesora, J Base was second in size and importance only to the Ardycee Base, back in Messina. J Base was the heart of General Baal's "Operation Yggdrassil," an ideal location because of its geographical isolation and distance from any large cities or settlements, and also because it was as far as he could conceivably be from his superiors, making it easy for him to continue his experiments without risking discovery from those who supposedly controlled the Garlyle Forces. J Base may actually have been the site where Baal discovered either the first trace of Gaia or the first piece of the Spirit Stone; either is possible. In fact, it may have been that the ruins of an Angelou city that lie underneath J Base are the remains of the Angelou capital, where Gaia was born and then later destroyed the first time around. Perhaps this is where Baal found the seed that remained dormant for thousands of years. In any case, J Base is now mostly destroyed, but atop it stands the tallest and strangest tree in the world, with green fronds and four large branches, a great living thing exuding life and joy and peace, with Spirits floating in its leaves. No one can stand before what was once Gaia and not feel awe and wonder, and sometimes peace and joy. It is beyond comprehension for most to understand how a creature of death and evil that nearly devoured the world has become what many have come to call the Tree of Life. It is no wonder that the tree's branches remind one of an Icarian's wings, lit by Spirit light and bearing the name of a powerful, life-giving Icarian magic.
- The Western Lands
I was going to put up a section about the lands west of Messina, but I've decided it would be best to save that as a surprise in the game. (No, it's not because I haven't created them yet! Why would you think that?? =P ) You're welcome to play a character from an as yet "undiscovered" land, however, so drop me an email if you want to discuss your options. I do have a few ideas, just none I'm ready to put up here. ^_^
