Central Al'Akwannon

Commonly known as the Sunken Sea region, the Sunken Sea was formerly a great desert called the Gran Kalari which collapsed during the age known as the Holocaust. Filled with water, the Sunken Sea is predominately a fresh water sea, though some salinity is recognized near Lor'Aserion where large salt deposits west of the city continue to seep into the sea, creating a small micro-climate in that vicinity. The sea has provided coastal ports to five of the seven great cities; Isengrim, Cirdan, Lor'Aserion and Tynderius, as well as, Morgana due to the massive headwaters of the Zaron River, one of the two major outflows of the Sunken Sea. At their height all five of these cities had populations of over a million residents, though now, they range from roughly 300,000 at the low end to nearly 2 million as of the Age of Darkness.

the Great Cities and City States

• Isengrim & Cirdan - The first of the great cities began as mining towns for the great metropolis of Isengaard, the first and greatest of the human cities. At the height of the Age of Enlightenment, these two cities both boasted populations well over a million strong and were the largest cities on the planet. Isengrim known for its stone quarries and provisions of the most excellent building materials, Cirdan known for the veins of iron ore in the nearby foothills of the Ash Mountains and its supply of metal for weapons, armor and infrastructure. Additionally they were the first to benefit from ritual enchantments during the Age of Magic by the magic council with enchanted walls, despite having city circumferences near a hundred miles in total, and the first enchanted "highways." Both have a feel similar to a fantasy version of France or Gaul and have relatable pseudo naming conventions. They each have significant ports on the Sunken Sea and each city state has numerous towns and villages to support the mega cities. The city state of Isengrim is #1 on the western continent of the global map; Cirdan is #2.
  
  
  
• Lor'Aserion - In the ancient past, a city on the border of a great desert which is now the Sunken Sea. Initially, simply a trading hub in the middle of the desert managed expertly by seven merchant families, the city grew into a major hub between the great city of Isengaard and the growing great cities. After the Holocaust, the desert plate collapsed and filled with water, becoming the Sunken Sea and providing Lor'Aserion with a port. Before the Age of Darkness, Lor'Aserion grew to be the largest city by population, sprawling into the desert in every direction from the sea. A melting pot type of city, neither the France, Spain or Italian vibe is overwhelming, in fact the city sort of has a vibe of north african Spain with naming conventions that seem to fall like those with a Spanish/Arabic feel. The ruins of the great city of Isengaard also resides within the city state, roughly 250 miles north of the capital. The city state of Lor'Aserion is #3 on the global map.
  
  
  
• Tynderius - Also known as the Exalted Theonomy of Tynderius, this city has always been known for its military might. Initially built as a southern fortress on the edge of the Gran Khalari desert, it became a center for military training and truly took off after the fall of Isengaard. The city also boasts a circumference of nearly 100 miles and a massive city wall fifty feet high, eighty feet thick and with a fifty foot wide causeway on the top. Since the Age of Darkness, the power of god Ares has grown and the church of Ares runs Tynderius and is very serious about stemming the flow of undead. The capital city of Tynderius has a bit of a Greek/Roman vibe, but naming is in the fantasy Italian/Spanish/Roman sort of flavor for the most part. Additionally, the Veldt is located within the city state as a self governed dominion of the Lionmen in the NE of the state. The Theonomy of Tynderius is #4 on the global map.
  
  
  
• Morgana - Initially a center for timber, Morgana came into its own after the elves forcibly ejected the humans from their sacred forest. This brought the Great Army from Isengaard which crushed the elves and Morgana became a launching point for multiple offensives against the elves and orcs. Eventually, the human state became a buffer zone between the elves, orcs and to a lesser extent, the dwarves and has provided many opportunities for peace talks in the great city. Unfortunately it seems any peace accords always seem to eventually break between these two racial groups. Additionally, Morgana is well known for its elite force of the Rangers of Morgana who are generally respected by the orc and elf countries that flank it and are generally given jurisdiction within their borders. The city state of Morgana is located at #5 on the global map.
  
  
  
  
  
• Hippocrane - The shipping capital of the world and at multiple times, the richest city on the planet. Hippocrane possesses the largest ports in the world and is the lynchpin of the Golden Triangle, a shipping consortium with Tanis and Mandino on the continent of Torosia, and Ungor and other cities on the Southwest Peninsular coast. The great city has swapped the largest population in the world honors with Lor'Aserion several times in the past four centuries. Additionally, Hippocrane is home to the Amethyst Eye, the magic school of oracles, diviners and seers and the only such divination school on the planet. The city state of Hippocrane is located at #6 on the global map.
  

the non-Human Countries

• East Wood - The traditional home of the orcs, which has been a peninsula since the Holocaust, is a mostly forested area known simply as East Wood. Populated predominately by orcs with the most ancient clan ties and historical information that roots many age old hatreds for the elves and to a lesser extent, the dwarves. Within East Wood are various clan holdings that have remained for milennia as well as a significant presences of the Sinti (similar to the Roma), a nomadic group of humans who trade throughout East Wood and Morgana. East Wood is #8 on the global map.
  
  
  
• Silverlode - The original home of the dwarves is predominately subterranean within the great mountain called Silverlode, the borders of their lands are predominately meant to be hundreds of miles of buffer between other races. Hill dwarves do populate various hill country, but the land is mostly undesireable, being salt flats, badlands and rocky desert areas. To this day, dwarves are highly resistant to assimilation as a society, with only dwarves who seek such things leaving their homeland to experience other places and things. The original dwarven kingdom is #9 on the global map.
  
  
  
• Lothlorien - The great forest of the elves is effectively a massive living entity and home to what was once the greatest non-human empire. Due to the longevity of elves and their slow birth rate, the population has still not recovered from the Age of Wars despite that being over 2000 years in the past. There is still a large population within the capital Halfirien and the forest is persistently monitored and protected by the elves who seem to be in tune with anything that disrupts the natural order of the forest. Lothlorien is #10 on the global map.
  
  
  

Other Central Al'Akwannon Countries

• Krystallia - the site of the seventh and smallest of the great cities and the "capital" of what was formerly known as the "barbarian north". Originally started by predominately Norlan (Scandinavian type) humans, the city is surrounded by a massive, magically enchanted ice wall. Ruled by the Jarl triad and unified with the city states that surround the Sunken Sea. The city state of Krystallia is located at #7 on the global map.
  
  
  
• the Icelands, Valley of the Horsemen and Hold of the Ice Barons - Norlan/Seynorian states of the north, each founder was a Norlan field marshall under Hernan in the Great Army and founded these early "barbarian" states. The Icelands is #27 on the global map, the Valley of the Horsemen has a very Rohan (Tolkein) style vibe and is #50 on the global map, while the Hold of the Ice Barons is #30 on the global map.
  
  
  
• the Fang Lands - State of the the Occitani slaves of the ancient area of Cirdan and Isengrim. The slaves were released during a time of accepting slavery to be a bad idea and the Occitani were "gifted" by the kings of Isengrim and Cirdan a fairly shitty landscape to govern on their own. This area that is comprised predominately badlands and the southern hill slopes of the Ashwind Mountains, the Fang Lands have simply become a realm of survivors. The Fang Lands is #15 on the global map.
  
  
  
• the Al'Makkar and the Southern Empire - In the ancient past thought to be the boundaries of the south, these two countries were predominately populated by the Quandin sub-race and created two strong political states. The Al'Makkar also has the Great Rift, a massive canyon with sheer, two mile deep walls locking it off fromt the rest of the world and also a location of dinosaurs and primitive man. The Al'Makkar's government has been secretly overthrown by a powerful Death Master, whiles the Southern Empire is still going strong as part of the Golden Triangle. The Al'Makkar is #16 on the global map and the Southern Empire is #18.
  
  
  
• Kingdom of Sarad - Owners of the western half of the Plantina mountain range and and the larger quantity of platinum veins able to be mined, they are a good trading partner with both Hippocrane and southern Morgana. Predominately populated with a Quandin/Ebonite mix of human peoples and some half elves nearer to Lothlorien, the area has a bit of a Guyana feel to it. Sarad is #34 on the global map.
  
  
  

Selection of images to help visualize the locations in the Central/Sunken Sea region

• Area visuals image repository - below are a variety of images representing various Central Al'Akwannon areas

Cirdan Foothills
/territory visuals/central/Cirdan Foothills.jpg
490px x 310px

City of Tynderius Rough
/territory visuals/central/City of Tynderius Rough.jpg
1355px x 1435px

East Wood Draft
/territory visuals/central/East Wood Draft.jpg
551px x 321px

East Wood Trail
/territory visuals/central/East Wood Trail.jpg
500px x 295px

NE Tynderius
/territory visuals/central/NE Tynderius.jpg
463px x 404px

Sunken Sea
/territory visuals/central/Sunken Sea.jpg
624px x 481px

Tynderius Chasm Bridge
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius Chasm Bridge.jpg
300px x 443px

Tynderius Farm Land
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius Farm Land.jpg
400px x 300px

Tynderius Rune Sea
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius Rune Sea.jpg
400px x 300px

Tynderius SW
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius SW.jpg
335px x 448px

Tynderius Sunken Coast
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius Sunken Coast.jpg
468px x 311px

Tynderius Veldt
/territory visuals/central/Tynderius Veldt.jpg
640px x 480px

Hippocrane Beach
/territory visuals/central/hippocrane/Hippocrane Beach.jpg
1024px x 768px

Hippocrane Highlands
/territory visuals/central/hippocrane/Hippocrane Highlands.jpg
3008px x 2000px

Hippocrane Mangrove
/territory visuals/central/hippocrane/Hippocrane Mangrove.jpg
400px x 263px

Lor'Aserion City View 2
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion City View 2.jpg
720px x 540px

Lor'Aserion City View
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion City View.jpg
2592px x 1936px

Lor'Aserion Coast
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Coast.jpg
800px x 600px

Lor'Aserion Desert
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Desert.jpg
400px x 300px

Lor'Aserion Hills
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Hills.jpg
448px x 299px

Lor'Aserion Isengaard Ruins
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Isengaard Ruins.jpg
474px x 356px

Lor'Aserion Oasis
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Oasis.jpg
1600px x 1200px

Lor'Aserion Salt Mine
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion Salt Mine.jpg
709px x 473px

Lor'Aserion White Mtns
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/Lor'Aserion White Mtns.jpg
551px x 364px

aserion market 1
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/aserion market 1.jpg
512px x 640px

aserionimarket
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/aserionimarket.jpg
854px x 404px

asmar2
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/asmar2.jpg
512px x 640px

desrain
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/desrain.jpg
1280px x 720px

loras1
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/loras1.png
512px x 640px

loras2
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/loras2.png
512px x 640px

loras3
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/loras3.png
512px x 640px

vLor'Aserion Seven v4
/territory visuals/central/lor'aserion/vLor'Aserion Seven v4.jpg
819px x 740px

Morgana 1
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana 1.png
512px x 640px

Morgana 7
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana 7.png
512px x 640px

Morgana 8
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana 8.png
512px x 640px

Morgana 9
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana 9.png
512px x 640px

Morgana Central Forest
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Central Forest.jpg
390px x 259px

Morgana Environs
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Environs.jpg
1024px x 768px

Morgana Northern Reach
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Northern Reach.jpg
500px x 334px

Morgana Southern Farm
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Southern Farm.jpg
400px x 300px

Morgana Waterfalls
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Waterfalls.jpg
420px x 319px

Morgana Zaron View
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Morgana Zaron View.jpg
572px x 414px

Rainy Morgana
/territory visuals/central/morgana/Rainy Morgana.png
512px x 640px

morgalley
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgalley.png
512px x 640px

morgana 4
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgana 4.png
512px x 640px

morgana 5
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgana 5.png
512px x 640px

morgana 6
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgana 6.png
512px x 640px

morgcity
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgcity.png
512px x 640px

morgday1
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgday1.png
512px x 640px

morgedist
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgedist.png
512px x 640px

morgstreets
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgstreets.png
512px x 640px

morgstreets2
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgstreets2.png
512px x 640px

morgwall
/territory visuals/central/morgana/morgwall.png
512px x 640px

vMorgana Updated
/territory visuals/central/morgana/vMorgana Updated.png
1500px x 1620px

• Images repository (specifically for almanac connections to regional imagery to help visualize)