The World

Unicornia is a small southern Kingdom situated on a planet not very different from Earth. It’s a world of fantasy however, and is populated by a number of different humanoid races and fantastical creatures.

The Kingdom faces the vast, warm, blue sea on one side, and four neighbouring Kingdoms on the other. The smallest is a dwarven Kingdom named Barral, and to the East of that is a landmass ruled over by the Crescent Alliance; three golem tribes named the sun tribe, the moon tribe and the star tribe. Separated by water is an elven kingdom that is mostly forest with the exception of their fiercely guarded lake, El’ille’un. On the southern border lies the Dragon-nation of Nytengale where dragons and humans rule together.

What lies beyond the vast sea no-one knows, since the waters are too traitorous to cross. Many explorers have perished or simply vanished into the thick fogs trying to search for gold and glory.

Climate

Being a southern Kingdom, Unicornians enjoy mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The only place to find snow is the Unresting Hills mountain range, as well as the smaller mountain peaks that are scattered among Unicornia’s coastline. Further up around the Forbidden Ruins and close to Barral and the edges of the Crescent Alliance is a wetland commonly called The Bogs. In the hottest days of summer, the waters of the Bog will release fog and appear to be boiling. It’s a hot and humid place to be, and only fools would venture there due to more than just the weather.

Flora

Unicornia is mostly made up of vast grasslands with leafy forests scattered throughout. The Kingdom has one big forest; The Forest of Voices, that consists of old creaky oaks and other leafy species. Higher up in the wetlands there are small mangrove forests, and closer to the mountains different species of evergreens grow.

Unicornian’s have cultivated the wild grapes and olive-trees that grow in the warmer parts of the land, making famous wines and tasty olive snacks. They also have a lot of flowering plants, that are used for both medicine as well as decoration. During spring, sometimes vast areas of grassland explode with all the colours of the rainbow due to these flowers!

Notable Unicornian Places

Corne D’or

Corne D’or, or “the Golden Horn” as travelers call it when they can’t pronounce french, is the capital city of Unicornia. It’s the only city in the Kingdom, as all other settlements are only big enough to be called villages at the most.

Being the only city makes Corne D’or gigantic, most of the population calls its golden walls home. It has its own farming community built around it to sustain the cities residents, and a working water supply made up of aqueducts.

In the city center is the royal palace, surrounded by a vast garden and hunting ground for the royals to enjoy themselves in; though the King doesn’t exercise that right personally. Palais originated from the Palace Stables.

Corne D’or is known for its bustling markets; it’s said that they have one market for everything, tomato market, jewelry market, unicorn market, you name it.

It’s also a very diverse city in its population, there are golems, dragons, elves and dwarves to name a few. Corne D’or humans are very used to not being the only ones around, and are very accepting compared to the more rural areas of Unicornia. Though you might have to work harder as an Elf than you would as a human.

Map and more information yet to come

Trouét Waystation

Trouét Waystation, or “that weird hole” as it’s known locally, is a traveling point between Unicornia and other dimensions. It is the heart of the Boucle Unicorn importing trade, and Unicornia can prosper because of its existence.

There are usually hundreds of guests daily at the Trouét Inn, and the surrounding village is staffed with stablehands, registry clerks and representatives for the Unicornian Boucle Breeder Association. It’s a bustling welcoming community in itself, and has a wide mix of cultures from Earth and Unicornia among others.

Pond of Memories

The Pond of Memories is really a lake, but Unicornians have a very weird sense of humour.

It sits at the center of a ring of Deity Shrines, and is commonly used for family members that want to send messages to their deceased relatives. Most often the mourner writes down a happy or sad memory and places it in bottle, throwing it in the lake. Others might tie something heavy to the bottle so that it will sink to the bottom.
Trinkets that meant a lot to the deceased are often left by the edge of the lake.

The Unresting Hills

A wide and extensive mountain chain that stretches over the “horn” of the Kingdom of Unicornia, The Unresting Hills snowy and steep. They provide a barrier between the stormy seas and the There are paths and valleys that travelers can explore, and as there is a lot of mystery surrounding the mountains a lot of adventurers try their luck at finding something.

There have been tales of deer-horned Boucles spotted in the area.

Bluegem Isles

No one has been to the Bluegem Isles. ‘Tis a bunch of rocks. No one knows why the islands have such a pretty name.

The Shrines of Unicornia

  • The Shrine of Light – Lux, The Goddess of Light
    Situated on a rocky coastline, the shrine is built into the bottom of a constantly glowing lighthouse. The tower has a crystal at the top, pulsing with light magic that illuminates the dark, stormy seas. This shrine is the most popular one, as many worship Lux.
  • The Shrine of Darkness – Nox, The God of Darkness
    The shrine of darkness sits in the forbidden ruins, hidden among the mists. Few dare to visit it since the area is extremely dangerous, so worshippers of Nox build little shrines were they live in order to give thanks to the god of night.
  • The Shrine of Blood – Sanguis, The Deity of Blood
    The shrine of blood, like the shrine of darkness is situated in the forbidden ruins. Since this shrine is not accessible to the weak of body and mind, small shrines are commonly built in hospitals and near graveyards.
  • The Shrine of Creation – Aedifex, The Deity of Creation
    It is said that Aedifex’s shrine is located beyond the forest of voices, on a closed off clearing overlooking lake El’ille’un. No one knows for sure though, and those who claim to have visited it appear very confused.
  • The Shrine of Illusion – Umbra, The Goddess of Illusion
    The shrine of illusion is near the edge of the forest of voices. They say that if you meditate in the shrine you will hear the goddess speak to you. A few even claim that they have seen her in the form of a beautiful woman. It’s a place shrouded in mystery, one that is frequented by magic-users.
  • The Shrine of Telepathy – Animo, The Deity of Telepathy
    The shrine of telepathy is situated in one of the three towers of the Temples of the Mind. It is frequented by the scholars of the temples, but many visitors pay interest to the shrine of telepathy in particular. Hopeful magic users and those who wish to hear the many-voiced deity will spend weeks meditating by it.
  • The Shrine of Dreams – Dormito, The Goddess of Dreams
    The shrine of dreams, like the shrine of telepathy is in one of the three towers of the Temples of the Mind. It is a place for tired souls to rest, and scholars take care of weary patients in the rooms of the tower. It is said Dormito herself is always present, watching over the people and unicorns that reside there and giving them sweet dreams.
  • The Shrine of Time – Tempus, The God of Time
    The shrine of time is in one of the three towers of the Temples of the Mind. It’s a strange shrine, one of the few that still seems to possess a great amount of magic. Time seems to move slower when you meditate in the shrine, what felt like an hour could have been mere minutes.
  • The Shrine of Water – Aqua, The Goddess of Water
    One of many in the circle of shrines, the water shrine is mainly visited by fishermen, sailors and those who wish for bountiful rains to water their crops and quench their thirsts. Decorated with constantly flowing fountains, it’s a very revered shrine, as Aqua, like Ignis is said to be a goddess of rebirth.
  • The Shrine of Fire – Ignis, The Deity of Fire
    The shrine of Fire is in the circle of shrines, with a blue neverending fire burning in the middle. It’s a place for those of passion and strong emotions, but also for those who pray for rebirth after the dry summer fires that help the green lands stay healthy.
  • The Shrine of Earth – Surculus, The Deity of Earth
    In the circle of shrines, the shrine of earth often stands out with it’s overgrown roof and exotic flowers.It’s a popular shrine for farmers and gardeners, but also for those who want some peace of mind.
  • The Shrine of Air – Caeli, The Deity of Air
    The shrine of Air is in the circle of shrines. To get to the shrine, you have to climb several steep steps – or fly there if you can! Caeli is the deity of jokes and fun, sometimes a strong gust might come to knock you down a few steps as you try to climb them.
  • The Shrine of Electricity – Fulmen, The God of Electricity
    The shrine of electricity is on the edge of Unicornia’s “mouth”. Sharp mountains in the distance surround it on the outsides, and being the only tall object in the plains it’s in it is frequently struck by lightning. Brave souls travel to the shrine in hopes that they will communicate with the gods when the lightning strikes.
  • The Shrine of Stone – Saxum, The God of Stone
    The shrine of stone is situated outside the circle of shrines. It’s a shrine for miners and treasure-seekers, those who love the thrill of exploring caves and searching through old ruins. It’s important to meditate and take your time by the shrine before venturing out.
  • The Shrine of Metal – Aes, The Deity of Metal
    The shrine of Aes, in the circle of shrines, is the shrine for protection and loyalty. Many of the army soldiers frequent this shrine, mourning lost comrades and praying for continued peace.
  • The Shrine of Ice – Crustallus, The God of Ice
    The shrine of ice is in the circle of shrines, close to the sea. It’s cool inside the shrine, even in the midst of summer, and people gather there to cool off after the long walk to the shrines. It’s a place for those who value focus and scholars are drawn to the shrine during their studies.

Ruines de guerre – “The Forbidden Ruins”

The forbidden ruins is the site of what was once the largest city in Unicornia, Corne Noire. It spanned from the Unresting Hills to the border of Barral, and was a bustling trade-magnet. The royal family had their seat there, before the war, enjoying a castle large enough to fit a rather large town within its confines.

Now however, it is a desolate wasteland, filled with monsters and literal rifts in reality. If you don’t watch yourself among the ruins you might find yourself transported to another world. Feral Batailles are known to roam here.

The Fortress of the Knights of Durant

This black ruin was once a mighty fortress surrounded by the bustling city. It was the headquarters of the former King Durant’s most trusted Knight’s Circle. Now that the knights have vanished however, a strange cult have taken residence within its thick walls. No one has gotten close enough to know what they are doing there, but rumours speak of dark magic being practiced by them, and it’s theorised this is where some of the Batailles escaped from.

La Tourbière – “The Bog”

Swampy, foggy and humid on the best of days, the bog is not somewhere you want to be unless you happen to be a Boghorse. The area is scattered with skeletons of travelers, humans and unicorns alike. Treasure seekers that are brave (or just plain stupid) enough may venture into the swamps in order to find gemstone skeletons that have not been consumed yet, but that often ends with the traveler in the jaws of a swamp-monster. Feral Batailles were first spotted here.

Forest of Voices

The Forest of Voices is a vast, thickly grown wood, mostly made up of ancient, creaky oaks. Few enter the forest but fools and adventurers because it is said that the forest is filled with unrestful spirits, lost after the bloody battles of the war and with nowhere to go. When standing at its border, all you will hear is the faint creaking of old oak-trees, the branches singing with the wind. When you enter the forest however, it is said that the voices of the dead overwhelm you. You see strange visions, and you are easily led astray if you do not know the forest by heart. Few return from its shadowy depths, and those who do are always…different.

Bogbeast Lake

It is said that Boghorses lurk in these dark, murky waters. Their jaws open and ready for anything to fall in the water, or they just might lure an already confused traveler down into the depths.

Lux’s Tears

It’s not often that the deities interfere with the mortal realm, but the war was such an occasion. When all hope seemed to be lost, Lux, the goddess of Light came down from her place in the sky. She allowed King Lancelet to ride her into battle, blinding and turning those impure into dust. Thus the battle was won, but Lux, stricken with grief at the sight of the bloody battlefield fled into the Forest of Voices. There it is said she collapsed, crying as she left her mortal body behind. It created a lake of pure light, with water so pure that only those with kind hearts could drink it. Travelers that have braved the forest speak of light blinding them, and a warm, soothing voice urging them to take a drink and a rest. Sadly, no one can tell what the water tastes like, as no returning traveler has ever tried it.

Rust Plains

The Rust Plains is the site of the last battle in the war. Still scattered with swords, spears and skeletons, the ground is coloured a deep rusty red from all the blood that drained into it. It’s impossible to reach except for traveling through the Forest of Voices, or taking the long route around and going through Nytengale, but the whole plain is covered in a thick fog and Nytengalians won’t set a foot near the place as they say it is cursed.

El’ille’un

A grand lake, belonging to and fiercely protected by the elven peoples of Ai’slaitish. They were there first they say, and therefore any fishing and traveling rights are theirs. The other kingdoms dislike having arrows in them enough to not disagree. The lake is inhabited by cheeky miniature mermaids that like to play tricks on any fisherman or boaters that venture out on the waters. The elves usually just whack them with their oars until they give up.