Tender Mercies: Book 1 - The World of Viconia

The Land:

The main continent of Viconia, called Belurian in old elvish, has three separate regions. As a whole, the world of Viconia is slightly warmer then the standard world. In the furthest northern regions snow still reaches, but only in the coldest of winters. The average temperature in the summer is about ninety-six degrees. The winter (death cycle, see below) consists of a rainy season most years, though occasional snow fall is seen.

The first region of Belurian is know to most as the Outer World. Ninety percent of the continents civilization lives and dies here. A chain of mountains know as the Periphery circles in the continent. In olden times it was nearly impossible to pass these mountains due to the fell creatures that patrolled and inhabited them. Passes have been found over the years, however, and occasional settlements can be found within the Periphery.

The second region of Belurian is called the Lost Lands. To most who see the Lost Lands it looks a natural paradise. The average humidity is lower on any given day by ten to fifteen percent, as is the temperature an average of ten to fifteen degrees cooler. It can be a deadly beauty though, for the Lost Lands is home to many varied powerful and fantastical creatures. Everything from dragons and clans of giants to armies of orcs and thundering packs of dinosaurs roam throughout the Lost Lands. In ancient times the forces of evil gathered here and prepared to ravage and destroy the rest of the world.

The third and final region of Belurian is the Center World. The Center World is in the middle of the continent. It is surrounded by another circular chain of mountains called the Gottwache. Gottwache is dwarven for "Defender of the Gods". A large pass to the south provides the only feasible access through the Gottwache, and at the end of it is a city of darkness known as Mezarbolle. The rest of the chain of mountains is so tall and treacherous that none have ever been able to pass through it, not even by air. Powerful and magical storms rage above the mountains from time to time, restricting any aerial attempts at breaching them. Within the Gottwache is a great inland sea called the Everthirst. The Everthirst is so highly concentrated with salt water that drinking its waters can be deadly. In the middle of the Everthirst is said to be an island so perfect and beautiful that even perfection fails to describe it. On this island is a truly immense castle wrought of pure adamantium, the hardest metal known to exist. It is within this magical castle that all of the Gods dwell.

Outside of Belurian, there are many large and small islands to the east of Viconia. Many of these are not so long in being discovered by Belurians. Piracy thrives on the commerce throughout these regions. In spite of that, the natives of the islands are known as Kachopeyans. Before the discovery by Belurians, Kachopeya was a mighty empire, filled with many city states ruled by families. Since the discovery, both Kachopeyans and Belurians secretly desire to conquer one another's lands, but they do not due to the fact that neither is likely to survive such a costly conflict. Honor is exceedingly important to the Kachopeyans, and their own civilization so vastly different then the Belurians that the two were destined to clash. In spite of misunderstandings, trade flourishes. The training, endurance, and martial discipline of the Kachopeyans is greater then the Belurians, but their numbers not so vast nor their equipment as high of quality. Kachopeya has little in the way of metal usable for tools and implements of war. Of gold and brass they have much. Steel and similar metals are nowhere to be found in the islands of Kachopeya. A kingdom of dwarves prospers here in spite of the lack of metals, as well as an island or two devoted to the elves. The dwarves do lay claim to two islands unique in the area. One island is the long ago landing site of a star that fell from the sky. As such, the dwarves have uncontested access to an incredible amount of starmetal (mithril). On the other island, the volcanic reactions have helped to produce the finest gems found throughout Viconia. Savage and uncivilized tribes of cannibalistic halflings can be found throughout the smaller islands. No large land masses have been discovered beyond the south of Belurian as yet.

The Climate:

As previously stated, Viconia is a warm world. The equator of Viconia lies on the southern sections of the main continent, making it the warmest. Any snow will only be seen in the most northern reaches of Belurian, or possibly on the tops of tall mountains. Due to the warm temperature and slight humidity, clothing is often sacrificed. Civilized and intelligent races developed clothing as they advanced throughout the years, but always it was developed with protection in mind. The warmth and heat of the world being constant, it never acquired the acceptance and even requirement that other societies place on it. As often as not, clothing can be considered a status symbol among the wealthy or noble. With regards to the general societies view of clothing and sexuality, it can be considered as being very similar to Earth's ancient Greece during the Age of Heroes

The Calendar:

Time in Viconia is based around the second. There are sixty seconds in a minute, and sixty minutes in an hour. A day consists of thirty hours. There are six days in a week, and twelve weeks in a cycle. A cycle consists of seventy-three days, with the final day of each cycle being spent in rest of celebration at the ending of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. There are four cycles in a year, making the year two-hundred-ninety-two days long. The year begins with the Birth Cycle (spring), continues into the Growth (summer) and the Life (autumn) Cycles, and ends in the Death Cycle (winter).