Syaoto, the Medieval World

• Size: Medium to large
• Population: Large
• Era: Medieval European
• Seasons: Temperate
• Familiarity: Earth-like
• Language: Syaotoan (fair, chivalric, prim)
• Monikers: The ‘Good World’, the ‘Holy World.’
• Races: humans, Typhoenexians, Arozians, dwarves, elves.

Syaoto is known as a just, righteous world that raises its knights to be fair and true. Its people are both hardened and kind. Their knights train equally in combat and outdoors skills, making them excellent travelers and warriors. The world is known as one to arrange treaties between other kingdoms. Syaoto’s only known common enemy is Orden.

Demons flock the world at night, and are stronger further away from civilization. Half-breeds in common races are not unfamiliar to them. Old myth dictates dragons could smell gold from thousands of miles away, suggesting dragons live or lived here. Syaoto is known as an even community, women are respected, hold trades, commerce, revolutionized the courtesan trade, and uphold farms and estates. 

Syaoto is a world with some forests, rolling plains stretching in all directions, jungles, catacombs, enormous temples, and tundra further north. Syaoto’s moon is supersized, night fully falls when it completes its cycle. Locals worship the spirits of their ancestors.

Prominent Locations:

• Anvil Mountains – Syaoto’s greatest mountain range taking up most of its central-eastern side. The rumors of these mountains are endless, ranging from giants to orcs, fantastical creatures and hidden races.
• Ashar – nestled near the Rashar volcanoes on the northern side. They are known for worshipping the lava-filled mountains and even offering sacrifices to keep their people safe.
• Balegar – once thought to not exist. Brom’s home, and known as a place of savages that live off the swamp.
• Balgena: Known as the ‘magic capital’ of Syaoto, in competition with the Capital. While Syaoto raises an army, Balgena supplies the mages. It is home to three prestigious academies: the Royal Syaotoan Swordsmanship Academy, the Balgena Academy of Sorcery, and the School of Black. The Mandrake family rules over this city as duke. Also home of the Stillwater Orphanage.
• Biddik – swamp village constantly at odds with the others. They have extended to the beaches and built themselves an isolated navy.
• Blud Woods – woods that are seldom trespassed upon due to vampiric rumors.
• Bosch – city near Balgena. Controls much of the entry into the caves of the Anvil Mountains, though few want to go there anyway.
• Dorrymik – dwarven mountain kingdom expanding across the northern plains. A great forge exists here, well known in Syaoto.
• Centri Woods – last stretch of forest before the dividing river. Sightings of odd, fantastical creatures have long been recorded here.
• Elbont – central trade city to many of the Western lands. They frequently have to rebuild their bridge due to the velocity of the river.
• Enthrall – village on the border of the vast jungle. They are quite poor, but their soldiers are known far and wide for being ruthless.
• Enthralmen Jungle: An enormous, twisted jungle to the south of the Capital. Wrought with danger, few have explored its entire depths.
• Fort Issomas: A northern keep. Seen over by the Bassonet royal family.
• Leion Lake – said to be the resting grounds of one of the old kings. Though quite far north, it never freezes over.
• Meriele – an isolated city on the stem between Midivid Lake and the center of the Syaotoan River. A prosperous fishing city that have mastered boating and living off the water.
• Midivid Lake – central lake to Syaoto. Helps divide much of the West from the rest of Syaoto.
• Midpoint Tavern – well-defended tavern seen as a traveling midway between the Capital and the Enthralmen Jungle, or Thralle.
• Molkdom – village nestled next to the Rashar volcanoes. Nearby kingdoms and towns leave it alone, convinced that its fate is already sealed.
• Nilvar Mountains – northern sharp mountain range protecting the northern face of Fort Issilmar. Few dare tread here as giants are supposedly commonplace.
• Reulio – small village near the Capital. Considered one of the safest places to be besides the Capital.
• Rondelvar – fortress city known to have the most advanced library in Syaoto, though an untrusted and elusive one. Being so resolute, it is hard for the kingdoms to govern. It experiences demonic waves harsher than most.
• Royal Forest: The forest surrounding Syaoto Capital. Mostly used for royal hunts, it is frequented by game and generally harmless.
  • Clamber’s Plateau: A romantic site in the Royal Forest, somewhat elevated over the forest.
• Simolva Temple – abandoned temple in the midst of the desert. The lands here are so harsh that people may have not set foot here in centuries.
• Shamir – Typhoenexian city in the eastern desert. Their lands are seldom trespassed upon by others.
• Sh’dun – Typhoenexian settlement in the eastern desert. Known to have some navy power and considered unapproachable.
• Sh’eli Woods – northern forest bordered by sea and mountains.
• Southall – thought to be the furthest south point of Syaoto for a long time. Its people are resentful of the swamp folk, who they call savages.
• Syaoto Capital: The capital of this world, an enormous kingdom visible from almost anywhere in the world. The kingdom is built with ancient stones that defend the city from demons. The Pendragon family rules over all from this city.
• Syaotoan Plains – covers the entirety of Syaoto that isn’t taken by forest and mountains.to the west reach into the sky like jagged fingers. Grassy, rolling hills and plains.
• Sylicia – elven kingdom on the border of the desert. They control passage between the desert, the badlands, and the plateau.
• Sylum – named by the first elves that came through the Enthralmen Jungle. A swampy town, it is home to elves and humans who have learned to live off the swamp.
• Tennam – western town in the thick of the badlands. Known to be a wholly unsavory place and the center of the black market.
• Thralle: A rustic kingdom near the Enthralmen Jungle. Frequented by traveling merchants.
• Trigg – part of the northern border, a blockade for unknowns that may be heading to Fort Issilmar.
• Trugata Ravine – a steep ravine to the west. Sparse and unfriendly.
• Trugate – town near the ravine. It connects to Elbont and little else in the way of trade, as it is on the other end of Trugata Ravine’s higher cliffs.
• Western Wildlands – Lands west of the Capital, mostly sparse woods and rolling hills.

Prominent Characters:

• Syaoto Capital:
  • Will Ramun: Ryoku’s best friend, the ‘outdoorsman in steel’. Easily likable. Honorable and brave. A median-rank soldier.
  • Alex Retton: An excitable young knight and novice in the army. Highly outspoken and considered brash, but brave and kind.
  • Leif Cartos: A comical young knight, a median-rank soldier. More respectable than Alex. Dreams of adventure.
  • Oliver Rouge: A high-ranking soldier. Stern, just, kind, and fatherly. Treats Will like a son.
  • Lancet Cooper: A field commander in the army. Prone to corruption and likely to take bribes.
  • Lionel Pendragon: Reigning king of Syaoto, a kind and just man with noble intentions.
  • Brom Gerenadh: The lord commander of Syaoto’s armies. Called names such as the ‘Iron Bear.’ Loyal to a fault.
  • Jason Ramun: Will’s father. An old hero, now a drunken lout.
  • Koteran Ruesto: A knight of the King’s Own. Known for entering the prestigious ranks at a young age.
  • Rena Stillwater: An orphan girl from Balgena’s Stillwater orphanage.
• Balgena:
  • Arthexus Mandrake: The snobbish son of the Duke of Balgena. Considered conniving and dangerous.
  • Ragekku Gero: A free-spirited knight who does as his heart tells him.

Prominent Lore & Objects:

• Syaoto’s Ranking System: Soldiers of Syaoto are ranked by their armor, weapons, and duties. Field soldiers work outside the city and as supplementary forces to other worlds. Their training consists of outdoors skills, tracking, and hunting as well as combat. Novices dress in blue with bronze armor; medians dress in green with steel armor; elites dress in silver with gold armor; and field commanders don a red cape and helm in addition to Elite colors. Castle soldiers consist of city guards, castle guards, personal guards, and more. Their ranking system is formed from shades, darker grey or black showing highest rank. Auxiliary forces are conscripts to the army, normally militia or personal soldiers.
• The King’s Own: A mighty team assigned as personal knights to the king himself. Vincent Ordenstraum renamed his as the Dark Ring.
• Lord Commander: Named title for the commander of the army and of the King’s Own. Answers only to the King. Vincent renamed his as Master General.
• Ranking and titles are deemed of the highest order, and misnaming rank is a serious offense.
• The Syaoto Bladerunners are the Capital’s most notorious group of organized crime. Their rivals are the Balgena Flaming Arrows.
• The Rim of Balgena is a legendary gem beset in the crown of King Menophres, which is rumored to glow in the presence of royalty. The gem is a purified form of those in the Wall.
• The Scepter of Blight was held by King Ramenas Pendragon, the first king of Syaoto, and is said to negate magic used against it.
• Legend of Dragonstone: The stones used in the making of the Wall and the Rim of Balgena are said to stem from a lake buried far beneath the castle.
• The Pendragon and Mandrake families were once tied in royalty, but stemmed off in Menophres’ era, causing the feud between the two kingdoms.