Kishar

[Matt Larkin (author)]

The new Kishar website is up.

[note]For a while now I have been working on revising and reworking my main setting, Kishar (my only current setting).

Oh, and credit for the banner goes to Ishmayl.

I strongly recommend viewing the site in Firefox.  The menu is problematic in IE7, though I'm working on it.

If you find yourself confused on any points, find typos, bad links (especially please), inconsistencies, or other issues, please let me know.[/note]

I am curious what people like and would like to see in more detail, and what things perhaps need a little work.

Post all comments here.

[ooc]Not sure where to start?
On the main page of the site, at the bottom is a tour that should give you a good idea where to begin.  There's now a fair amount of information up, so this pointer should help.

Kishar is a semi-dark fantasy world, drawn from mythology and folklore.  Many of themes and concepts come from Hinduism or Indian philosophy.  Most of these ideas are explained in the Cosmology page, which is why I recommend starting there.

All the various supernatural creatures (animas) come from various folklores around the world, appearing in whatever area of the world corresponds to their point of origin.[/ooc]


Where did this come from?
Curious about the inspiration for a name or country?  I'll try to explain a little below.

Agria
Agria is mostly inspired by northern Africa.  The name I just made up with a word that "sounded" right for the source of inspiration.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Kerm [/td]
[td] The ancient empire of Mali [/td]
[td] modification of â,¬Å"Kurufaâ,¬Â? [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Bregia [/td]
[td] savanna [/td]
[td] Plain in Arthurian legend [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Simbel [/td]
[td] Ancient Egypt[/td]
[td] Abu Simbel in Egypt [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Kush [/td]
[td] Cush and the tribes of the Sahara [/td]
[td] ancient country [/td]
[/tr]
 [/table]

Asaland
Asaland â,¬' far eastern Asia.  The name comes from Norse mythology.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Ayutthaya [/td]
[td] Thailand [/td]
[td] former capital of Thailand [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Bana [/td]
[td] Philippines [/td]
[td] Derived from Banaue (terraces) [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Camda [/td]
[td] Cambodia[/td]
[td] Derived from Cambodia [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Guiyu[/td]
[td] Ancient China [/td]
[td] Made up to sound right?[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Gogur [/td]
[td] Korea [/td]
[td] Derived from Goguryeo [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Sundaland [/td]
[td] Indonesia/Malaysia[/td]
[td] Real name [/td]
[/tr]

[tr]
[td] Taprobana [/td]
[td] Tibet [/td]
[td] phantom island and real island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Terza [/td]
[td] Japan [/td]
[td] Made up. [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Xionga [/td]
[td] Mongolia [/td]
[td] Derived from Xiongnu [/td]
[/tr]
 [/table]

Hyperborea
The north pole and Greenland.  Name comes from Greek myth.

Kalakti
South America.  Derived from Kalakmul.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Teoti[/td]
[td] Aztec civilization [/td]
[td] Derived from Teotihuacán [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Zacoba[/td]
[td] Maya civilization [/td]
[td] I donâ,¬,,¢t remember; thought I had a reason [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Tollan [/td]
[td] Central America[/td]
[td] Name of Aztec city [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Muiz[/td]
[td] Columbia and Venezuela [/td]
[td] Derived from the Muiscas[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Vilcaana [/td]
[td] Inca Empire[/td]
[td] Derived from Vilcabamba [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Valdiv [/td]
[td] Indonesia/Malaysia[/td]
[td] Derived from Valdivia [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Tamaochan [/td]
[td] Western South America[/td]
[td] mythical location in Mesoamerica [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Mictlan [/td]
[td] Land of lamiae [/td]
[td] Aztec myth [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Pacar [/td]
[td] Chile [/td]
[td] Derived from Pacaritambo [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Huar [/td]
[td] southern South America [/td]
[td] Derived from Huari culture [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Aymar [/td]
[td] Southern South America [/td]
[td] Aymar [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Chima [/td]
[td] Southern South America [/td]
[td] Derived from Chimar[/td]
[/tr]
 [/table]


Lemuria
Lemuria is inspired by the mythological land of the same name.

Rapan is inspired by Rapa Nui (Easter Island), which is sometimes associated with Lemuria.  


Midgard
Midgard is inspired by Europe and the Middle East.  The name is from Norse myth.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Bjarmaland [/td]
[td] Early Russia [/td]
[td] Norse mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Celtic Isles [/td]
[td] British Isles [/td]
[td] pretty obvious [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Cercet [/td]
[td] Scythia/Sarmatia [/td]
[td] Derived from the Cercetae tribe [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Daga [/td]
[td] Romania [/td]
[td] Derived from Roman Dacia [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Elysium [/td]
[td] Rome [/td]
[td] Greek mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Ersony [/td]
[td] Greece [/td]
[td] Made up; Hellas too heavily tied to real-world Greece [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Hesper [/td]
[td] Italy [/td]
[td] Derived from ancient Greek name for Italy [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Hunaland [/td]
[td] Early Germany [/td]
[td] Norse mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Lyonesse [/td]
[td] Early France[/td]
[td] British legend [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Nostir [/td]
[td] Scandinavia [/td]
[td] Made up, with the intent it would sound â,¬Å"Norseâ,¬Â [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Reidgotaland [/td]
[td] Poland [/td]
[td] Norse mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Nagryth [/td]
[td] proto-Celtic culture influenced by Germanic cultures[/td]
[td] I completely made this one up [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Thule [/td]
[td] Iceland [/td]
[td] Ancient European legendary island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Valador [/td]
[td] (loosely) ancient Phoenicia [/td]
[td] A real name, but not related to anything [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Jotunheim [/td]
[td] Siberia; Jotunheim [/td]
[td] Norse mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Nazca [/td]
[td] Nazca (Peru); I know itâ,¬,,¢s out of place [/td]
[td] A real place! [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Nidafjoll [/td]
[td] Nidafjoll [/td]
[td] Norse mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Naraka [/td]
[td] A land of darkness where a demon rules [/td]
[td] Hindu mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Shambala [/td]
[td] Nepal [/td]
[td] Tibetan mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Kirahr [/td]
[td] India [/td]
[td] Named after Kirran, which is derived from Indian name [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Ahlia [/td]
[td] Arabia, Persia, Mesopotamia [/td]
[td] It just sounded right [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Antia [/td]
[td] Anatolia [/td]
[td] Derived from Anatolia [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Ophir [/td]
[td] Ophir [/td]
[td] Jewish mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Airyana [/td]
[td] Jordan/Israel [/td]
[td] Iranian mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Lanka [/td]
[td] Island of the rakshasa [/td]
[td] Hindu mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Gore [/td]
[td] Spain [/td]
[td] Celtic mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Momur [/td]
[td] Fae island [/td]
[td] British? Folktale [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Baltia [/td]
[td] Legendary island [/td]
[td] Roman mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Ogygia [/td]
[td] Crete [/td]
[td] Greek mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Icaria [/td]
[td] Mediterranean island [/td]
[td] real island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Bospor [/td]
[td] Crimean island nation [/td]
[td] Kingdom of Bosporus [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Buyan [/td]
[td] Buyan [/td]
[td] Russian mythology [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Antillia [/td]
[td] Antillia; Isles of the Blessed [/td]
[td] Phantom island; Greek myth [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Atlantis [/td]
[td] Atlantis [/td]
[td] Greek mythology [/td]
[/tr]
 [/table]

Mahimata
Central and South Africa.  The name comes from Indian mythology name for a mother goddess.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Kongo [/td]
[td] Congo [/td]
[td] Derived from Congo[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Libi [/td]
[td] Lybia [/td]
[td] Greek mythology/real country [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Genna[/td]
[td] South Africa[/td]
[td] Derived from Ghana Empire [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Zanj[/td]
[td] South African nation [/td]
[td] Arab name for eastern Africa [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Awkar [/td]
[td] Ancient Ghana [/td]
[td] Real region of Ghana [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Aksu[/td]
[td] Ancient Ethiopia[/td]
[td] Derived from Aksum [/td]
[/tr]
[/table]


Muspelheim
Muspelheim is inspired by the Norse mythological land of the same name.

Niflheim
Lemuria is inspired by the south pole.  Name comes from Norse myth.

Norumbega
North America.  The name comes from a legendary settlement there.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Saguenay[/td]
[td] South/Central North America [/td]
[td] Legendary country [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Drogeo [/td]
[td] Northern NA [/td]
[td] Phantom island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Estotiland [/td]
[td] Canada[/td]
[td] Fake land formerly on maps [/td]
[/tr]
 [tr]
[td] Bacalao[/td]
[td] Newfoundland [/td]
[td] Phantom island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Groclant [/td]
[td] Groclant [/td]
[td] Phantom island [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Elekax[/td]
[td] Alaska[/td]
[td] Derived from original name of Alaska [/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

Terraust
Australia.  The name comes from ancient geography.
[td] Nation [/td]
[td] Inspiration [/td]
[td] Name[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Sanesian Islands [/td]
[td] Polynesia [/td]
[td] Made up [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Zelandia [/td]
[td] New Zealand [/td]
[td] poetic name for New Zealand [/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td] Dougherty[/td]
[td] Part of Australia[/td]
[td] phantom island [/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

The Wasteland
The name comes from Celtic mythology.  The names of the prior kingdoms there, also come from mythology.

[Epic Meepo]

Classy-looking website. After a quick perusal, I'd say the first thing you need is a map with darker lines. Once you set up an entire site for a campaign world, the map becomes an important feature, and the one you have is so light (on my screen, anyway) that its hard to see anything but the text and the white background.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Classy-looking website.

Thanks.  I found a website a better way of organizing content than a static layout.  But I cannot take credit for all of it's design.  I received help from brainface and another friend from an old gaming group.

Epic Campaign Maps[/url] thread on WotC's Campaigns board.  Khoras also has some awesome maps.  

[~Kalin~]

Ive recently been incorperating norse mythology into my campaign world and I would be interested to know more about how you have incorperated the Yggdrasil into your world. Where is it located? how big is it? Is it actually the tree that shelters the world(s)? or is it a magical tree located somewhere in the world?

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Ive recently been incorperating norse mythology into my campaign world and I would be interested to know more about how you have incorperated the Yggdrasil into your world. Where is it located? how big is it? Is it actually the tree that shelters the world(s)? or is it a magical tree located somewhere in the world?

Thanks for the question, Kalin.  Norse mythology is one of the more interesting ones, and I suppose I've more of that than some others, though I still probably draw more from Hinduism and Gnosticism.

To the specific question:

Yggdrasil is a physical tree on Kishar, located on Atlantis.  Atlantis was submerged beneath the waves since the fall of the Encaran Empire 10,000 years ago, but the Omega used an ancient sidhe magical device to resurface it.

The Encarans found the tree and felt its power, and thus built a temple around it, and their capital city (Ys) around that.  At the base of the tree it is hollow, with a cavern for the Star of Life.  One would have to descend fairly deep into the earth to reach it.

The tree stands nearly 700 feet above ground, though it may sometimes appear somewhat smaller, but its roots run much deeper, stretch far physically, and farther when seen metaphorically as energy reaching throughout the planet.  It is a physical representation of the life of the planet and the Goddess, and thus when things are well, it is at its full height and well in bloom, but may dwindle in times when the planet is weakened.

The tree is not, however, as in Norse cosmology, a cradle upon which all worlds rest.  It has nothing to do with planar layout or anything like that.  As stated, I do add some new twists.

Good luck with your own interpretation.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Well, I replaced the map, making it darker.  It kind of adds shadows behind the text, but I think it's still much clearer.

I may still work on the map section a little.

I also added a little more formatting updates.

Other suggestions?

[~Kalin~]

Some of the names on your map are still hard to read, especially the names of the islands.

Atlantis was submerged beneath the waves since the fall of the Encaran Empire 10,000 years ago, but the Omega used an ancient sidhe magical device to resurface it.

Good luck with your own interpretation.
[/quote]

thanks, and sorry about all the questions, but i really like your setting and would like to know more

[brainface]

Classy-looking website.

Agreed. Possibly even snazzy.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Oh, Kalin, I appreciate questions.  Besides the encouragement of someone showing interest, they force me to think about aspects of the setting.

I'll try to answer them in order.

I agree the map is far from perfect.  A side effect of darkening the image was that the text became harder to read both because shadows popped up around it and because the lines it sits on top of were now closer to its color.  Eventually I'd like to have a wonderful, full color map, as I mentioned in an earlier post.  For the more immediate future, I may try to work to darkening the lines in photoshop before having the text layers.  Computer graphics art is not easy for me, though I might want to learn eventually.

Atlantis was the center of the Encaran Empire and the site of their capital, Ys.  I hope to add history of the world to the site eventually.  However, the jist of it is that they were the first race, established an empire that ruled Kishar for 6000 years, but were destroyed when the fae rebelled against them and drew the other races to their side.  Terrible fae magic destroyed Atlantis, causing the entire island-continent to sink beneath the waves (though it is possible that this was not the intent of the fae); this effectively spelled the begining of the end for the encarans.  Following the war, they were subjected to genocide which only ended when the fae believed the entire race destroyed.  Encaran ruins still litter Kishar across the world, remanants of a more advanced age.  The empire fell about 10,000 years ago.

Can Yggdrasil be harnessed by anything?  Not directly, though I suppose in a sense, ley lines flow from it, and they can be harnessed.  See "The World" on the site, the same area that mentions Yggdrasil.

The encaran temple does still exist around Yggdrasil, though it is in ruins.  The real wonder is that it survived at all after 10,000 years beneath the sea.

No one directly protects the tree, though, until recently it was at the bottom of the ocean, anyway.  The tree is incredibly thick and resilient, so it would be hard to permanently harm.  I suppose if one tried, they would attract the attention of Ladon, the primal dragon guardian of the Goddess (he doesn't live on Atlantis, but he'd probably come in a hurry).


Thanks, brainface, both for the compliment and for your help in setting it up.

[Captain Obvious]

Okay, well, first of all, very nice website for it. well made, well layed out and looks pretty.

I like the quotes added in all over the place (i enjoy those things. they add a nice touch of extra realism to a setting). Haven't had a chance to read through the fiction yet, but hopefully i'll have a chance soon.

I like the map. It can be a bit difficult to view, cause of it's size, but that's a minor thing. More importantly i like the fact that it's heavily inspired b names of places from different earth mythologies and these places somewhat corespond the the real life locations of the people who beleieve them. i had considered something like this for a setting of mine, too.

...and i have run out of time, but will continue this later.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Okay, well, first of all, very nice website for it. well made, well layed out and looks pretty.

I like the quotes added in all over the place (i enjoy those things. they add a nice touch of extra realism to a setting). Haven't had a chance to read through the fiction yet, but hopefully i'll have a chance soon.[/quote]
Yeah, the quotations are to kind of give people a feel for how characters in the setting might think.  Right now, I only have a very short piece up (the same one that was previously on my hold Kishar post here).

Incorporating various aspects of mythology and folklore became an increasing focus as the project grew.  I worked harder to incorporate more of them, and later to name almost all new stuff after mythical or historical places.  Also, you'll see the names for almost all animas (certainly all major ones except maybe a few fae) come from some mythology.  I hope to have information on specific animas soon - I've been working on that all day, but it's a long process.

The map needs work, but I think having a mediocre map is better than no map.

I look foward to seeing your thoughts on the setting when you have more time to look it over.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Okay, I now have a new maps page.  I spent quite a while on it, but the map is cleaned up a lot, and hopefully will be easier to read.  It is still just a broad political map, with no color of terrain, but I'll worry about that in the future.  I want to focus on other content first.

I have the map in two sizes now, the original full size (about the size of four pieces of printer paper), and half size.  Also a smaller map of a few of the continents.  I have cut outs for the other continents, and may post them later.  But Midgard and Khaltesh are those most standard stories would take place in, as that covers Europe and Asia style countries (you can also see Agria on the Midgard map).

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Fairly significant updates.

First of all, I have a review badge (thanks ElDo!)

I added quite a bit more detail about the structure of angels and archons.  For any of following it, I changed the chief archon from Ma'at to Shamash (Shamshiel), for semi-complex reasons, but partly because he could be more easily equated a being actually called an archon in some religious texts.

Theres also anima pages for a few new types of anima, such the djinn.

I also added a cast page, which lists a brief description of characters in the setting.  At the moment, it's just the named Primordials and a few aeons.  The name links to a more detailed bio.  There's only a lot of detail for a few, like Mithra and Theletus, but there should be enough to give the general idea of who a character is and where they fit into the cosmic hierarchy.  I am, of course, intrested to hear if there are specific characters anyone would like me to write more on.

There were also a few glossary updates, and now there are links to a map for each continent (except the ones for the north and south poles).

I added a few questions from posters here to the FAQ.

Anyway, I would appreciate some input on what areas everyone would like to see more work, as well as any inconsistencies one sees.

-Happy Holidays

[~Kalin~]

Looking through the long list of primordials ive noticed that you missed Loki and Kali, was that intentional or did you just miss them by accident?


Edit: I havent found any inconsistancies yet but i havent read all the new stuff yet, once i read through it all ill give you another report.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Kalin, I sent you a PM with a review badge for your many comments.

Looking through the long list of primordials ive noticed that you missed Loki and Kali, was that intentional or did you just miss them by accident?

It is intentional.  I have not quite decided what to do with those two, for different reasons.

Kali, I considering making an archdemon Primordial, for she has demonic aspects.  But the deity is a lot more complicated than that, with other aspects.  I also use most of the TriDevi stuff as variations incarnations of a mortal soul (the Alpha, the feminine half of the Omega, which is in many ways similar to the Trimurti).  Thus I may actually make Kali a historical woman, or just a metaphor.  Since all that is really the subject of The Omega Crucible (parts of which I ran as a campaign), which is what I really want to write the novels on, it's a big deal, but I don't want to get too much into it.

Loki is also complex.  Obviously he betrays the Primordials at some point, and I considered making this in the past, and thus making him a demon.  In the myth, he does so and sparks Ragnarok, but that wouldn't work well here, since that would mean he probably wouldn't be around as a Primordial.  I also considered that he be yet another aspect of Theletus (Prometheus), that would eventually betray the Conclave in order to further his schemes with humanity.  While I like this idea, it has some issues I'm still trying to work out.  Loki is certainly more malicious a trickster than the trickster figures that Theletus is usually representing, and moreover, that would mean he has two Primordial identities (if I make Loki a Primordial), which even he would be hard-pressed to pull off.  Of course, there are some similarities in the Loki myth to those of Prometheus (being chained to a rock, association with giants, defying gods, and so forth).

I wanted to go ahead and get information on the others up, without delaying while I try to figure out where these two fit in.