Ferro
Although Ferro is relatively new to the known world, it’s roots of civilization go far deeper than any would have thought. Ferro came into existence suddenly in the current era 109 years ago, spotted by Lisian trade ships on the horizon of once open ocean. The general consensus among scholars is that Ferro was teleported from a far away horizon beyond the known world, likely by some puckish god, or spirited into existence by said god for unknowable reasons. As a scholar however, it is my duty to take an unbiased view and suggest the theory of the great dream, a controversial observation that our world is transient in it’s existence, and that Ferro is one of many ancient realms that blinks in and out of reality.
We may never know how or why Ferro came into being, but it’s inhabitants are very real, and so too are it’s treasures, both physical and immaterial. The call to adventure tempts many from all over the world so that we may bring this wild continent into the fold.
eography
Ferro’s terrain varies wildly depending on the region.
The North-West Peninsula
Starting from the North-West, the high craggy terrain of Skahlia is a windswept barren landscape lacking of trees. Many peat bogs and moors dominate this area, gradually giving way southward to a vast forested wilderness that comprises most of the northern half of the continent.
The Wilderness
The upper center of Ferro is a great vast wilderness, once home to the wild tribes before the kingdoms formed. At present, none of the kingdoms of Ferro have deemed it worth exploring or expanding into such land, rendering it uncharted, mysterious, and lawless. People do travel between the kingdoms here, but there are no signs of civilization larger than the remote outpost or fort.
The North-East Peninsula
To the North-East, the forests fade again as you venture further towards the peninsula which is controlled by the kingdom of Rifta. Here the wind sighs, the land becoming a drier, warmer scrubland where soil is acidic and rainfall is rare.
The Cradle of Gamba
To the South-East, along the curving coast, a mountain range forms and travels inland, then abruptly turns to the south and continues until it returns to the sea. These mountains are the boundaries of Gamba, a lush and fertile valley with many forests, springs, and pleasant weather.
The Gold Belt
The Southern half of the continent is ruled by the Kingdom of Bandar, a generally developed landscape of farmlands, pastures, and managed nature preserves. The natural geography consists of low rolling hills, rising to occasional mountain peaks which contrast with the vast flat golden fields in between.
The Volcanic South
At the most Southern tip of the continent volcanic activity is abundant, causing steep rises and outcroppings of sharp stone with many fjords and inlets along the coast. Even further south volcanic activity increases, eventually breaking the land apart into an archipelago. The many channels and sea passages in this area are dangerous to navigate due to the many eruptions and hostile vapors which bubble from the sea.
ingdoms
Bandar
Empire of Bandar controls the largest part of Ferro, known as the gold belt. It’s plains and wide open spaces gave the Bandarians easy access to land, which fueled their expansion across the large southern half of the continent in the past. Their leaders seek control and order above all else. At present, they have accepted contact with the known world rather tepidly, seeing foreigners as more of a nuisance than anything. Port Town is the largest port on the east coast, and your best chance if you wish to head inland, but beware of crime as the city’s population is quickly outgrowing it’s ability to maintain order.
Gamba
The Kingdom of Gamba is known as the heart of the continent, it’s fertile soil and emerald green landscape said to be infused with the ancient magicks. Indeed, there are many tales of heroes and villains having battled in this region. People claim these battles resulted in the terraced hills, broken landscape and protective mountain ranges which cradle the kingdom against the sea. And yet, a great evil has been said to lurk among the swampy coast, the kingdom’s once great port cities now abandoned ruins. If you wish to visit this beautiful place, it would be wise instead to travel the overland route from Bandar.
Skahlia
Great Old Skahlia lies to the Northwest, a land of dragon riders and exotic rituals. Their peculiar ways and custom of wearing ornamental masks has made it difficult for foreigners to learn much about them. They live in sprawling subterranean cities, as their nation gradually rises towards the ocean, ending in great cliff cities where they breed their dragon mounts. In order to travel in Skahlia you must have a patron of skahlian descent as your chaperone. This is not a suggestion, but rather a rule of law, as any foreigners who disobey are subject to summary execution.
Rifta
Rifta, a temperate peninsula to the Northeast, could hardly be called a united Nation. The origin of the state traces back to a shaky alliance amongst thieves centuries ago, long outlasting the original founders, yet even now they remain unified. To the eyes of my colleagues Rifta is seen as a cancerous nodule on the world which has been allowed to fester for far too long. Despite this view, I have come to find that they have a tenacity and shrewdness when dealing in business, a trait which has gained both the envy and enmity of many foreigners. It should be emphasized that under no circumstances should one ever trust a man from Rifta, especially when it comes to money.
