Regions of Velios

Forest:
A dense expanse of trees extends before you. At first they were only sparsely scattered, but now, the giants loom all around you: the forest region. The thick wooded area is very poorly lit, even in the daytime, and the whole place makes the hair on your neck stand up. The unsettling region goes on for miles No one knows for sure how many deadly creatures lie within the unknown depths, but you can feel the unfriendly eyes glaring at you from every direction. You can only guess as to what kind of infected abomination they’re coming from. Safe travel is only possible through experienced guides and even then, the going is slow. The worst part begins when the sun sets. The trees hide what little light might have seeped in from the moon. Strange growls and rustlings plague the air and wake you in your sleep. It is hard to distinguish whether they are real, or your imagination. Needless to say, getting a good rest here is an accomplishment of its own. Yet here you are in the unfamiliar territory with your own task before you. Like it or not, you’re here for a reason, and there’s no going back now…

Coast:
A rare sight to behold, many do not come here in their entire lives. Though landlocked, the water reaches well past the horizon. It is another world completely. It is the coast of the sea. A peculiar feeling creeps over you when you gaze out to the aquatic region. It reminds you of your small, seemingly insignificant, place in the world. The waves and tides appear to be endless, stretching into infinity. They dance playfully in the dying light. The waters look almost childlike and innocent. You know better than to let your fantasies run away, however. The sea is notorious for its danger. Violent storms are not uncommon in this area. More than one life has been whisked away by the fickle body of water. You have even heard rumors of vile things lurking just below the surface. Although the tales of survivors are far and few between, they are unmistakable imminent. They all coincide perfectly together, and you are fairly sure that there are things out there. Both entrancing, and menacing, it is difficult to decipher your feelings towards this powerful force. Fear, or excitement, the sea probably won’t care either way.

Petrified Forest:
The bark is rough and dry on your skin. The wood has an unhealthy grey-brown hue and it is as hard as stone. All evidence points to it being dead. Yet your hand tingles slightly when you touch it, almost as if it is alive. Anyone who looks carefully and spends enough time in the musky woods will realize that the whole forest is living by some means: a living forest underneath a petrified tomb. For years it has astounded the greatest scholars. Researchers, wise men, powerful sorcerers, none could identify what caused this amazing phenomenon. Throughout the biome there is a layer of dust coating everything, presumably from older trees that have been ground down. It can be difficult to breathe at times, but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary seems to beset this place. It would appear that, although living, the forest cannot support any life. The only living creature you’ll encounter here are various races travelling through. The forest serves as more of an unusual and fascinating commodity, and something tells you that there is more hidden here than what is seen at point blank. Like the rest of the forest however, it remains a mystery. For now…

Plains:
A low annoying buzz relentlessly fills your head from insects hidden around you. Light brush layers the ground you walk upon. At some parts the grasses have grown higher than the average human, and sight is nearly impossible. Other times the only plants around are low growing shrubs or berries. This fringe area is an ideal habitat for the more docile creatures of the land, so it is unlikely one would encounter anything more dangerous than a deer. But you can never be too careful. The main road cuts straight through this aesthetically comely region. Caravans and beginning merchants can be found traveling this path often. The road is an important trade route connecting a whole network of cities and towns. As a result, bandits have been an increasing occurrence. The tall sea of grass provides excellent hiding for a band of marauders, especially at night. It is never a bad idea to be wary of unusual people on the road.

Mountains:
The air becomes thinner and it’s harder to breathe. The trees became scarce. Only pine trees remained. Very soon they will disappear altogether. Surrounding you is a large rocky outcrop, and below you, a magnificent view. You’re within a range of mountains. The mountains here are distinctly tall. The smaller ones reach up to 9,000ft. Some parts are as easy going as a typical trail, while other paths required a more vertical route. Climbing here is both an enjoyable pleasure, and a serious journey. The scenery from above is not easily matched in beauty. Numerous caverns can also be found if looked for, although, the creatures dwelling in the caves might not be too friendly. That is the main reason people shy away from this region. It’s unsuitable for growing food, cold, and inhabited by monsters. A well-seasoned adventurer should have no problem making their way through the mountains, however. Many loners survive here every day in isolation. It may not be quite as comfortable as home, but it does have its surprises.


Tundra:
You can see your breath. The icy chill seeps into you past the layers of clothing on you. Before your eyes is a frozen world. You are in one of nature’s most hostile creations, the tundra. The ground is coated with snow several feet deep. On top of this, lay a sheet of inch thick ice during most of the year. Careful footing is advised, lest you break the ice above a softer snow. You would think that surviving here is impossible, yet several creatures have managed to adapt to this subzero region. Most of them are quite large, and quite dangerous. It is wise to stick with a group here, for going off on your own is suicide. Food is scarce and warmth is even harder to find. A shelter is a necessity if you are going to make it through to the next day. Care must be taken if you are planning to make you way across this region as the inexperienced often meet and untimely fate. Do not enter this region unless you are absolutely prepared for its conditions.

Desert:
One might wonder why this area was ever even formed. Conditions are blazing hot in the day and below freezing at night. The only tall objects in this desert are strange rare rock formations carved out by the constant wind. The whole area is a massive pit of fine sand. Walking across it by normal means isn’t exactly the easiest. It is difficult to take even a few steps, never mind survive the extremely variable environment. Sandstorms often are whipped up without a moment’s notice, and if you are not properly prepared with water, the heat alone will kill you. The sun setting may be more of a curse than a blessing. Temperatures can drop to below zero within a few minutes. Strange burrowing creatures make their way up from underground to hunt for the night as well. Needless to say, one should only travel across here if they cannot avoid it. In some ways, the extremes of day and night can be more challenging than the icey tundra.

Volcano:
If you didn’t know better, you’d say your body was on fire. The heat around you was scorching from pools of magma. You can feel the burning spike in temperature whenever you stray closer to them. Your path has led you straight across the base of a live volcano. The rock here is rough and oddly deformed and ash flies everywhere from the crater. Usually the soot is so thick in the air that it blocks out the sun, leaving the region blank and emotionless. Only the toughest of creatures choose to make their home here. They have lived without competition in the isolated heat, and they probably won’t take kindly to your intrusion. You will have to navigate past them, the magma, and pools of harmful acid if you want to escape unscathed.


Marsh:
The smell of sulfur is in the air. Watch your footing. One wrong step and you could plummet under into the murky waters of the marsh. This region is one huge flat stagnant pool of stinking unhealthy water. The only refuges from this swampy water are the scattered pieces of land. It is tough to determine, however, which land is safe, and which is not. If you’re unfortunate enough to fall in, you’ll find several feet of cold fine silt at the bottom. The whole place is entirely creepy. The only forms of life above the water level are species of poisonous and unappetizing plants. Strange shapes at the surface of the water swirl and shift. You have no clue as to what they might be.

Hill:
A pleasant breeze wafts over the area, tickling your face as it passes. The wind ripples over the soft glittering grasses on the ground, revealing their dull silvery colored underside. The turf climbs gently up the rolling hills that cover the land. The hills were formed long ago from years of shifting plates and the climate is warm and kind during most of the seasons. As a result, there are now miles of the tiny slightly inclining mountains we call hills that are all topped off with a cornucopia of wild flowers and edible grasses. The landscape of the aptly named hill region enchants you in simple way like none has done before. You feel as though you could spend the rest of your life there in comfort and harmony. Monsters and travesties are far and few between here, yet, the knowledge of the outer world still enters your mind in this seemingly secluded region. Would you truly be happy here with everything you’ve witnessed? In your heart you know the answer, and would ignorance truly be bliss in this case?

Jungle:
If you could describe your current state, you would find no better word than: damp. Everything you had was coated with a heavy sticky wetness that appeared to emanate through the entire jungle region. The lush dark green, moss covered trees are tightly packed and everyone is in close quarters, which only adds to the sweat on your own body. There seems to be a consistent drizzle during the day, and the layers of canopy above only lock in the moisture, incubating and amplifying the heat. The canopy, however, is one of the most peculiar parts of this region. It was not an exaggeration to describe it in ‘layers’. The trees combine so thickly, that there are distinct levels of traversable area. Based on the varying height of the trees, you can walk among the top branches as if they were ‘stories’ to a large building. Each level of height adds a new thrill. The beasts, creatures, and even plants, adapted completely separate from their ancestors on the previous ‘floors’ making the jungle area one of the most diverse habitats known. Scientists flock from all over the land to study the inhabitants, but this research comes with a huge risk. Though many helpful medicines, they are dwarfed by the amount of poisons found. That is not the least of your worries though, the creatures, many still undiscovered, are some of the more potent and deadly of the land as well. There are even rumors of plants moving on their own...use extreme caution in this region.

Sky Island:
One of the wonders of the world. The concept, one that has baffled all, is impossible to comprehend by those who have not seen this natural amazement. A massive expanse of land, indeed the size of a large island, lies floating miles above the earth. It suspends in midair without any clue given as to why. The only information that was gathered was done so by the most intelligent of beings, and they could only discover a high natural magic content keeping the island afloat. It is still a mystery as to where and how this magic is formed and channeled in such a way. The sky island remains, however, a popular attraction for many. Airships ferry tourists up to the safer portions of the island, for a large fee of course, to allow them to partake in the beauty of this incredible site. Being extended into higher lands, however, the climates vary quite considerably. The range varies with the magical concentration. Some islands can be seen floating above the ground just a mile or two, while others soar high above the point any normal bird could fly. As a result, the islands have been inhabited by unusual pines and creatures. The inaccessibility of said islands fosters a unique environment where bizarre life can grow and develop unchallenged by the other species on the ground.

Plateau:
A natural landmark of notable presence, the plateau region is exactly what it sounds like. Just as any plateau, this region lays on elevated flat area. The climate varies with the amount of elevation and the location of the plateaus. Unlike most minor plateaus however, this region could extend far enough so as to encompass an entire country. The elevated ground proved the perfect protection from invading enemies and, as such, the immense plateaus have served many a wealthy nation in the past years. They now home many of the powerful nations and landmarks of today.

Forest Mountain:
Years of competitive growth from colonies of trees has led to this natural phenomenon. An entire mountain has been formed by the collection of thousands of tree species. The branches and trunks tangle together in knots as the heap climbs miles high and a thick blanket of leaves and vegetation is layered on top. Trekking up this obstacle is much more difficult than on an ordinary mountain. A path cluttered with roots might cause you to trip every now and then, while a mountain made completely out of roots is nigh impassable without a huge risk of injury. Occasionally one must climb hand over hand to reach the peak. Thankfully these do not scale nearly as high as a normal mountain, much to the relief of the tired traveler that has to climb over a forest mountain. The inhabitants are very much the same as those found in forests.

Frost Forest:
Nostalgia runs through your veins as you gaze upon the familiar sight of the woods. Leaves and branches extend upwards and outwards along the winding path. Yet this feeling is mixed with curiosity, disbelief and wonder. Everything is coated with frost or snow and there is something different about this forest. The land is obviously heavily enchanted. Anyone entering can feel the magical air emanating from the forest. The trees themselves actually consist of thick, solid ice yet they grow and procreate like an ordinary plant. These magical trees can be found in cold tundra and appear to survive entirely on their own without the need of water, warmth or even sunlight. Interested mages have observed this location and found a way to harness the magic within the trees leaves. New fields of powerful frost magic have been opened up by this discovery. It not known why these forests exist, but they have created homes for creatures that could not have survived in the area otherwise, and have intrigued people all around the world.

Infected
You look at the landscape around you, and you cant help but shed a single tear at the devastation ahead of you. The land has come alive, but with an unnatural infection spawned from the evil Cult that has been spreading its dark reach over the land. Animals become twisted monsters of their former selves, attacking and feasting on the flesh of all that come near. The infection turns the tree's and plants of an area into stationary death traps as the water they fed off of becomes a poisonous sludge. The entire land is covered in a short layer of dense pinkish white fog and the ground looks like a dark rotten flesh. At the border of the infections the flesh spreads into a webbing like that between the fingers of amphibians until it becomes like spider web, and stops. The smell is putrid and only gets worse as you go further and further into the infected regions, braving its dangerous to find the source of this hell on earth...


Silica Plains:
Before you a massive landscape of natural stone and metal extends to the horizon. Glowing magic freely swirls as consistently as the wind here. Your body shudders when you encounter this area and you feel a peculiar vibration throughout your entire being. A bizarre, powerful humming sound bellows in your ears and seems to penetrate into your mind. You soon adapt to the odd internal sensations of the world and begin to view the scenery. One of the most spectacular sights you could ever experience is found here. The stone around you shifts and moves with the flow of the magic and huge chunks of earth have been uprooted. They are now suspended in the air without any visible means of support. Rocks float past your face and the land is busy with movement. One of the most interesting spectacles of this area is that it is completely devoid of any form of natural life. Where there would be grass, semi-precious metals like copper and iron decorate the surface. Rock, metal and occasionally dirt mix together in chunks that twist and swirl to form the ground you walk upon. There are no plants or living creatures anywhere save for you and your group. Yet the land feels as though it is alive nonetheless. More careful inspection reveals the presence of mechanical beings: Golems, and lot of them. Given apparent life from the sheer mass amount of magic, Golems of all shapes and sized have come into existence. You notice small scrawny creatures crawling on the ground, things that you thought were ordinary boulders turned out to be large living hulks of materials, for a moment something catches your eye in the distance and you think you notices a human-shaped mountain move and tumble like a giant shifting in its sleep. This land of magic and wonder hold an journey fraught with mystery and adventure.