World of Kralis
​Kralis is the 8th planet of 20 that circles a single yellow sun within the Omniverse in a system of stars called by sages and other learned individuals as the arphemhal (galaxy), specifically Murcarsius, which is one of several thousand within the Omniverse. It is but one world in a myriad of other arphemals, planets, planes, realms and alternate dimensions that make up the whole of the known and unknown Celestial Omniverse.
Kralis is a vast world nearly 27,000 miles in diameter at its equator and is made up of made up of four (known) major continents: Ta Los, Hurlan, Azar and Kalos. It also has two subcontinents: Iztalik and Gashinar, that make up the arctic and antarctic zones of the world.
It has world population of non-monstrous sentient humanoids of 584 million.
Ta Los
What adventurers and players experience in the known world is centered around the going ons on the greatest of its four
continents: Ta Los (Tä-Lãs) Celestial for “The Land”, Ta Los is the home to millions of beings spread across the breadth of its face.
Ta Los is also the focus of many of the deities in the celestial. It is the primary focus of the dark lord Azahak, it is the physical home of Gishra the Great Mother, and beneath it sits the prison of the Great Chaos, captured beneath its soil by the One during the time of creation.
Ta Los is divided into six major realms: the Northern Realms, the Southern Realms, the Western Realms, the Eastern Realms, the Baronies of Vishraan, and the Ice Kingdoms. It is also home to many kingdoms and settlements of other species: The Chovah Realm of Garandor, settled between the Southern Realms and the Western Realms; The Rhakas Nations of Ak-Riur surrounding the Baronies of Vishraan; The great bhahuul nation of Kaz-Nakiur; and the Forest Kingdom of Ta’ Kanasiti, the Ta'Jahu realm beyond that of their island nation of Lathia in the Vaheem: The Western Reach.
Finally it is home to many great nations, all ruled by a variety of individuals with a wide range of philosophical differences and different ways of dealing with the common folk.
Ta Los is a vast, weird and wild place. While there is a great amount known about Ta Los, and this volume attempts to shed light on most of it, there is still a great amount of things unknown about the world travelers live in.
There are hundreds of different species, most are call the world of Kralis home and are native to this world, but there are many that have found Kralis and Ta Los adoptive homes after losing their own. There are hundreds species, thousands of creatures, numerous cultures, many civilizations and new technology. Each of these have left its mark on the world, on Ta Los.
When you combine all this together, you get a land seemingly without reason, a place where the most unexpected things occur, and where there are often more questions than answers and more mysteries than can be solved and more danger than can be tamed.
While many sages agree that this is all a matter of perspective, it certainly is what most species agree on. For many this is the only world they have ever known, to others this is but one through out the Omniverse. In both cases each person and species toils to make sense of the world around them. They all work to make Ta Los their home.
Kalos
Kalos, often referred to as the “Sister World” to Ta Los or the “True World”; it geographically sits on the other side of the world, opposite of Ta Los.
It is a large, vast land that is well known for the fact that it sits almost directly between Iztalik and Gashinar.
Kalos is also well known for its massive mountain ranges that seem to cut the continent into 8 different sections. Its climates ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its central portion is primarily desert and arid that surrounds the lands only inner sea, while its outer areas are a combination of savanna plains and dense jungle regions.
It is a continent that is divided among 72 sovereign nations, realms and kingdoms. Unlike Ta Los where there are four major regions that break up the landscape, Kalos borders were drawn during the earliest memories of its homeland species. Many of these states are hampered by instability, corruption, violence and authoritarianism. The vast majority of these states tend to cycle through coups, often producing military dictatorships, magistracies and states ruled by dark, vile individuals.
Travelers to Kalos are taken aback by the enormous sizes of common creatures where a common cat in Ta Los is around 18” to 24” common cats in Kalos are 36” to 48”. Even the monstrous species seem to be one size larger than normal.
The dense jungles Kalos is brimming with life, both flora and fauna. One of the more unique creatures found in Kalos is the direhorse as well as the great lupunteryx, both are hexapodal creatures with bioluminescent qualities.
The vast desert valleys of the inner continent is home to a vast desert-dwelling creature known as the kutuphu, gigantic beasts that burrow through the earth and sand of the region.
Despite the dry arid desert of the central portion, its greatest feature is the inner sea called Sahulud. It is a salt sea that is extremely deep nearing nearly 10 miles in depth and is thought to be surrounded by a 1/2 mile layer of hard stone.
Kalos is predominately inhabited by Dejah humans, Ta'Jahu, jakara explorers, Bhahuul armies and troll clans. It is the native home of the species known as Jahuul. They are similar in size to that of a Fhen Khanur, but are leaner with longer legs and two additional arms. Jahuul tend to be of dark green to dark blue in color, are unable to grow beards but have long thick hair. The females tend to have a natural pattern of skin pigmentation that runs along their chest and over their back creating what can only be described as intricate looking tattoos.
Major Nations
There are 72 distinct nations that have divided up the more hospitable sections of this land. While the majority of these are small in size controlling or ruling over 1,200 miles of land, there are a just a handful of nations that dominate the more settled regions.
Hurlan
Often referred to the as the “Land of Ten-Thousand Seas”, Hurlan sits across the Vaheem: The Western Reach. It is nearly double the size of the Ta Los, yet unlike Ta Los or even Kalos, the whole of Hurlan has been carved into hundreds of pieces by hundreds of inner seas, great lakes and gigantic rivers.
Many of these lakes and seas are just mere feet deep and span hundreds of miles and others are incredibly deep reaching many miles in depth but are only mere miles in width.
Despite the fractured landscape there are whole islands are filled with dense forests, others covered with nothing but fine wind swept sand and still others covered in ice and snow. It is a land riddled with many port cities as well as cities completely landlocked.
Most Ta Losians are familiar with the few port cities along the Vaheem Coast that trade with vessels from the Kingdom of Nashatras and the wares of these trades make their way through out Kralis. It is a land of traditions, emperors, warring nations and raiding hordes.
Hurlan is a land of silks, incense, monasteries, and strange creatures. The depths of the culture of Hurlan have yet to be explored beyond the few port cities of the land.
Hurlan is home to a number of species other than humans. Ta'Jahu that established small kingdoms through out the lands, there are some 20 Chovah strongholds and realms in Hurlan, some having built stone cities on many of the smaller islands. Ghamur, while present, have not established any major realms or holds, Bhahuul have founded the Realm of Kultharix in the south-east near the Straits of Havdulth.
There are a large number of Acirean tribal lands in between the various human realms.
Major Realms
Hurlan is vast and while there are realms that have been defined, most of the land is wild, untamed and filled with greater dangers than within the various realms. Many small cities and towns have successfully established themselves in and there through out the land.
Naku - Naku is generally the first that travelers from Ta Los venture into. It dominates the western portion of Hurlan and controls the Sea of Jungan and most of the land within hundred miles around the sea.
Naku is predominately known for the large blue fin sagu fish that the Sea of Jungan seems to have unlimited amounts of. The bones of these fish are nearly as hard as steel making them valuable to fighters and warriors through out Hurlan for both armor and weapons.
Naku is divided amongst 4 ruthless and cunning brothers and their sister, all of whom view the other as a threat that must be defeated. While neither of the four nations have taken control, currently Naku is seen as being ruled by Hhunal Illithar from Kuthtal on the Isle of Ridul, which sits in the center of the Sea of Jungan.
Most of the region is connected by unkept roads, sailing ships or airships. There are several large cities along the coast of sea, of those there are four that are considered the metropolis’ of the realm and each ruled over by a brother or their sister: Kultik, Iron Keep, Jul-Tun, and Yutaun.
Tonghu Federation - The largest northern realm, Tonghu spreads east to west along th coast of the Sea of Kult. While it is not as large or as strong as many of the nations of the inner seas, it plays an important role of protecting the southern nations from the darkness that comes from the Lands of Iztalik. Tonghu sits at the top of the world of Hurlan and stretches some 2400 miles in length.
Tonghu is ruled by a council of 6 captains that each control a large swath of the land and sea that make up Tonghu, each roughly controlling 400 miles of territory and each reliant on the others for mutual defense against the onslaught from the darkness that dwells in Iztalik.
Kingdoms of Mhungwa - The central portion of Hurlan is dominated by the Empire of Mhungwa. Mhungwa is the largest of Hurlan’s nations and is considered by many a whole realm, in similar fashion as Ta Los’ Northern or Southern Realms are. The Empire is further divide into 7 kingdoms of pirate kings, barons and dukes and duchesses.
It is well known for the fine silks that the region produces from the giant alkhor spiders that haunt the various forests and caves spread through out the realm.
The various armies of Mhungwa are often made up of mercenaries from around Hurlan and are loyal only to the one the can pay the most. There have been records of these mercenary armies changing hands many times during a single battle as one or another pirate king, duke or duchess increases their pay.
Meishu - Like Naku, Meishu is one of the first realms that travelers from Ta Los become familiar with as they enter Hurlan. Residing in the north it joins Tonghu as one of the defenders of the north from the forces of Iztalik. Meishu is made up the Fyr Nation, the Yter Duchy, the Irth Empire and the Kingdom of Eyr.
Khongat Dominion- South of the Mhungwa Realms, Khongat dominates a large swath of open-ocean, inner sea and landmass on the southern waters of Hurlan. It is a realm that is filed with a number of smaller nations each claiming the world to be theirs. There are an estimated 150 nations in the realm, some not bigger than 1 mile in diameter.
The various nations of Khongat are well known for their dark dealings with things of the “otherwordly” purpose and power. Sages have long thought that while Chaos is locked deep beneath the lands of Ta Los, it is seeping its control into the lands of Khongat.
Chautan Federation- While the Mhungwa Realm is the largest controlled portion of Hurlan, Chautan is the largest realm in all of Hurlan and is composed of 359 City-States. Travelers in the region can easily pass through the influence of many other city-states in a single days travel while moving from one city-state to another. In one instance you could be a thief being chased by the local law of one city-state to suddenly find yourself safe from the chase as you cross into the region of another city-state.
Nation of Fuhar - Fuhar is truly both a realm and a nation under one rule that of King Tulhar Grymfol. Fuhar, like that of Naku, is a true Inner Sea Realm-Nation. King Tulhar rules over the Ghunlung Sea and the Four Tear Islands that reside in the dark blue waters.
Fuhar tends to keep to itself and is slightly xenophobic against one that is not of Fuhar. They trade very little with outsiders and those merchants that do tend to never return to the Four Tears, rather they set up large town-like ground on the edges of the realm where they store their wares to later be taken into the interior of Fuhar.
So great is this xenophobia that there hundreds of airships that patrol the borders of the realm to defend both from monsters but also from interloping travelers.
Major Ports
Khathgan - The largest western seaport city on the shores of Hurlan. It is located at the mouth of the Tungsa River as it spills into the Vaheem: The Western Reach. The city sits as far north as it can before running into the natural glaciers of the frigid north. It is built mostly on the raised mounds of earth that make up the area. Many of the buildings stand upon heavy log support legs so that the swampy areas beneath have continued to thrive. The harbor is deep and well dredged. Ships from Ta Los and the other coastal cities of Hurlan are constantly anchored here in search of trade for rice, silks and other exotic goods.
Like most port cities of Hurlan it is filled with strange sounds, exotic smells and packed with people. The city is roughly square in its layout with main streets running east to west in perfect symmetry. Minor streets run north to south and there are very few alleys or hidden places.
It is a city of laws, and rigid customs. The culture of all Hurlan can be felt and seen within this perfect city.
Roku - Situated on the sandy shores of the Plain of Gaituh the sprawling city of Roku greets visitors with its rich smells and nearly constant music that seems to come from every quarter of this roughly circular city. The city is known for its master entertainers and great chefs. Roku is also known for the vast undercity that lies beneath its busy streets. Roku was built upon the ruins the first great city Gaijah which was sundered some 5,000 years ago, its buildings and roads buried beneath a great tsunami.
Present-day Roku is a busy sea port popular most with the sailors from Ta Los for its cooking and its working class women. The Sihuru, or female Hurlan entertainers, whose skills include performing various arts, such as classical music and dance, have long been sought after by many.
Roku’s ports are shallow and can only be accessed by skinners or shore boats.
Dunghar - Cut from the jungles of Kuojo, Dunghar is a forest city built into the heavy trees that seem to grow hundreds of feet high and abut the Vaheem: The Western Reach with little, if any beachhead between the trees and the shore. Many trees have grown right from the briny sea water and have made for an interesting sea port as ships dock against these trees and crew must take a long winding stair up into the boughs of trees and the city.
It is a heavily populated city despite its odd local. While humans are the dominant species within the city, the city holds a great population of pithikos who are natural residents of these great trees.