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Author Topic: Masterwork: Mapping and Overview of Cyhalloi  (Read 31638 times)
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Val O´Neil
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« Reply #45 on: 10 August 2014, 03:12:49 »

Thank you very much, Arti. :) I sometimes miss "u"s, being American. ;P Anyway--
I'll make sure to correct all of that tonight, or within the next week at least.

However- Qu'prur was an intentional misspelling of the Goddess's name. I was even thinking of changing it just a touch more, as the Kasumarii have been separated from Sarvonia for so long (2000 some years). Since they have an affinity for starting names with "K" and "Ts", I was thinking " Tsu'prur " maybe- I really like the "prur" part of her name (because it sounds like "pure" to me, and Tsu'prur would sound like "So pure"- which makes a weird kinda sense with the way that they regard her as not just Death, but as infinity, so to speak.)

Also, a lot changed between the last time I tossed out a map and now. In fact, pretty shortly after making that map I made huge alterations to the entry and switched things around yet again. Tuttinbu was only there because I was trying to make some kind of weird language for the Faburi- a tribe that I ultimately decided not to add to the continent. I do like the Faburi, however, and I kind of hope that they get added into the world yet, just to a different continent as they don't suit Cyhalloi in my mind. Maybe if the Orcs didn't live here already, the Faburi would have a place- but that isn't the case.

As for the distances... it really kind of makes my brain turn into a pile of lifeless sludge to try to do that kind of math. (Or any kind of math beyond counting on my fingers, really.) Talia was saying I should put the time the voyage would take? And Mina was saying I should put the distances too, because I should know the distances? But I don't know any distances. And I have no idea how much sea a trade ship can cross in the span of a day or a week. But I'll try to figure it out buck

Anyway. I'll do my best to get a map set up for you soon with correct places names and another with tribe territories laid out.
« Last Edit: 10 August 2014, 03:23:38 by Val O´Neil » Logged

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« Reply #46 on: 10 August 2014, 14:53:11 »

As for distances: Well, I don't know it wasn't mentioned already, but there's Talia's thread on the topic (see here). Combined with the rough overall map (see here) you could draw some conclusions regarding distances.

Now regarding sea travel time: Here's a fascinating site I found: Sea-Distances.org. The cool thing is you can just put in two countries/ports and the site calculates distance and time of travel. And because you can also put in the speed of the ship in knots you can simulate medieval travel time :) For instance: Let's simulate Christopher Columbus discovery of America, which means starting off in Spain, land first reached were the Bahamas. According to another site ships travelled about 5-8 knots in medieval times, so let's say 5 knots of speed given the fact that the ship was probably quite heavy. So the calculator's result is: 31 days and 4 hours... So let's see if this is realistic, thus I checked the Wikipedia page on the Voyages of Christopher Columbus and according to that page he sighted land after 29 days... :D So methinks this is pretty close and should make us happy! Given these parameters it should be possible to put these distances thingy to bed once and for all! lol

As for Qu'prur/Quep'rur: Ah yes, maybe we discussed that already (I faintly remember something, but it seems ages ago... ;)). Well, "Qu" is usually spelled like "K" and given the fact that the Kasumarii often use "Ks", why not try to change the spelling somewhat in this direction. Then it looks considerably different, but still has that source. Also in the entry on the Goddess and older form is mentioned "Queprpur", so maybe there could be something used from that idea? And/or throw some more ancient spelling stuff in, like an "ae" instead of a simple "e", resulting in something like "Kae'pr'pur". Anyway, the more it looks different but still retains its source somehow, the better I'd say. Just some thoughts on this from here.
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Val O´Neil
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« Reply #47 on: 11 August 2014, 03:34:00 »

Perhaps I was reaching a little bit with "Tsu'prur" (or "Tscu'prur) in trying to change the pronunciation a little bit as well. But I'm not so keen on "Kae'pr'pur".  "Kae" could work, but I would probably prefer "Kae'prur" if I went that way. I just don't like the excited use of apostrophes, if it can be avoided. :P

I'll take a look at the sea-distances site. Thanks for the reference.
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« Reply #48 on: 11 August 2014, 12:35:27 »

Kooprur
Kuprur
Kyper
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« Reply #49 on: 11 August 2014, 19:58:23 »

"K" to "ts" feels a little unusual to me, at least in the absence of "i" or "y". 

"U" could perhaps written as "oo".  "Qu" to "p" is possible, but might make the name sound a little repetitive.  I think "p" to "h" is attested, so you could try that too.  Inserting a vowel between "p" and "r" would alter the number of syllables, which should help to make it look more different.  It might also be possible for "rur" to merge into something like how the "er" in "water" is pronounced in American English.

If you're going to borrow more names, keep in mind that sound changes tend to be consistent across the language (or, at least, the dialect).  If, for example, you have "t" become "ch" before "i" in one of the names, it should probably happen in the other names as well. 

Some ideas:
Kheproor
Peherur
Peher

Edit: You could also merge a title or honorific into it, I think.  Greek "Zeus" and Latin "Jupiter" both derived from the same word, but "Jupiter" also included the word for "father", producing the rather different result.
« Last Edit: 12 August 2014, 10:28:35 by Mina » Logged

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« Reply #50 on: 02 November 2015, 10:28:18 »

This is such a hauntingly beautiful entry about such a hauntingly beautiful place. I really loved the language that you used, but I just had a handful of little nitpicky things that are in green below. My BBCode is pretty terrible, so forgive the misplaced quotation marks. In general for the green parts, the italics are my suggestions for you, while the un-italicized bits are your words that I'm talking about.

-OVERVIEW-
Cyhalloi is Caereleth's northernmost archipelago continent it's not the northermost archipelago continent, it's the northermost contiment and can be found about a five to ten weeks voyage from the port of Carbrand, being no need for "being" here the closest and most commonly used port by the natives that make trade with Sarvonia. It relates is similar? in size to Akdor, also being one of the smaller continents of Caereleths, composed of an upwards of eight sets of islands and isles, and is roughly a third of the size of Nybelmar. The Kasumar'ii-Men, Cyhallrhim Elves, and Gharengukh-oc take up residency here, surviving the best they can with the limited resources that they are afforded. This land is a cold and seemingly desolate place to outsiders, where the moon dominates the sky and the Void seeps out into the dark seas lapping at the northern and eastern shores. Due to the constant snows and ice, and the unyielding winds ripping across the continent, most of the grounds here are barren and unsuitable for crops. It makes survival much more complicated in this frozen wasteland, yet life can be found even in the most severe conditions. Nowhere else is the moon larger, brighter, or more revered and hated than it is here, upon these islands. For this reason, it is believed that the mythical Ulvur stalk the forests of the northernmost mainland, Folasch, their secrets hidden deep within the forested canyon there.

-LOCATION-
On the map, Cyhalloi is can be found northeast of the motherland continent? it's not the motherland to most of the peoples of Cyhalloi of Sarvonia, and east of the Icelands. It takes about eight to twelve weeks to sail to Ludor Port from Remusiat and five to ten weeks from the port of Margith, depending upon the weather conditions and time of year.

-DESCRIPTION-
Cyhalloi is Caereleth's northernmost archipelago and is comprised of a number of small isles, with three mainland islands at its center; Guldor, Dorolak, and Folasch. The isles flow out and away from the corners of the mainlands, giving one a sense of a spiraling motion. Each island has its own unique geography, as if patch-worked together by the gods; from rolling dunes of snow and bedraggled beaches, to wintry marshlands and jagged mountains. The rather sizable bay, dubbed the Ice Plains, at the heart of the continent is frozen over and bridges the gap between the three larger islands, the waters beneath of which this is a run on. you need to break it up somehow, maybe with just a period. are a torrential clash of currents. The bay serves as a home to various seafaring creatures, and hunting grounds for animal and natives alike.

The land is eerily still half of the year and bitterly windy the other, but leaves one with the initial impression that it is a frostbitten waste wasteland? either way. As one approaches the two southern mainlands, the beaches seem surprisingly snowless for such a frigid climate and the nearly-constant snow trickling down from the skies. However, such is not the case. Black sands cover the expansive beaches here, muddying up the crisp whiteness of even virgin snow where ice has not taken hold. "The frost has bitten the color from the land,"the Kasumarii would say. The southern isles are rocky and very boggy, the smaller spats of land even being lost to the sea whenever a heavy storm rolls over. All of the isles are covered in at least a light dusting of snow year-round, with the weird notable? exception of the northeastern most set.

``It has been fortnight since we left the trading port of Ludor, and we are approaching Guldor now; the turbulence of the waters is only matched by the howling winds. It is a rough morning at sea, to be sure, but only by counting the hours would you know that the night had passed. Apparently at this time of year, the sun is reluctant to climb to its perch in the sky, and when it does finally do so it sits low and lazy in the clouds. Despite the light snows, which are constant so I'm told, the shores are black as far as I can see. The captain tells me that it will be a few days, perhaps even a week, before we reach Winking Moon Port. The sailors rush to man the sails as the winds kick up, and I have to grip the railing to not be knocked down by the sheer force of it. I take one long look at the shore before returning to the cabin and my simple sketches of these foreign lands.``

Guldor
The most prominent mainland landmass? is Guldor, with its rich and wide landscape that holds the majority of the few areas that life thrives in. Here, farming is possible in the bay along the southern coast, the rich fertile soils beneath the water producing and supporting all manner of sea-foliage and sea-dwelling creatures. Starting at the southern peninsula, however, one would not get such an impression from the island. The ground there is mostly flat and rocky, jagged stalagmites like teeth sparsely scattered across the landscape, stretching out to the north with no mountains or trees to protect from the winds. Halfway up the peninsula is Qu'prur's Pass, a dark valley between two jagged mountains with sheer cliffs. A lone standing mountain on the east coast, directly north of the pass, has been made into a city of sorts by the Kasumarii. The tundra here spans the entire midsection of the island, covering nearly a third of the island. It is protected by icy mountains, Dying Ice Ridge, on the east and Evathryón Ecúan, a mountain range stretching from the northwestern shore of the southern peninsula to the northernmost edge of the tundra along the western coast. The mountains here protect the island from the ices that threaten to creep up out of the bay. A wide forest, Sálen'Phýr, stretches out across the southern shores, shielding the belly of the land from the winds that sweep up the dark shoreline there. Black sands cover the shores here, as it is not sand at all I wouldn't say it sand, and then say it isn't in the next sentance but soil, and the turbulent currents sloshing across the shore prevents the ice from fully settling, and the heavy winds usually whip away the rest of the snow that might whiten the coast.The entirety of the northernmost peninsula is littered with a forest of icy stalagmites that loom over head, and cause the area to glow softly in varying degrees, echoing the light of the moon. Just past this one can see the occasional Cyhalrhim ice tower, which stands out amongst the stalagmites only due to their non-luminescent quality opaqueness?.

Dorolak
Upon On? the second largest island, Dorolak, the grounds are either frozen or extremely rocky and provides little in the way of edible foliage. The island is the equivalent of a snowy desert, resources scarce for the orcs that live there, whose pillage and plunder attitude evens out their lack-there-of. However, even in the desert life can be found. The tundra reaches across the northern tip of the island, but is nowhere near as protected from the bay as the part spanning Guldor. Low lying mountains are scattered haphazardly around the middle of the island, as if carelessly tossed to land where they may. Small, sparsely wooded forests are tucked in the shallow valleys between neighboring mountains, and against any other landmass that may shield from the gales of wind coming off the bay. Few animals make home here, as there is little for game such as Elk to dine upon and, by extension, little for predators to hunt. The tail of the island is filled with caves that flow toward the north, tucked into the crevices of the rocky landscape there. However, it one couldn't say that the island is completely barren, as yet very little is known about what may be residing in these caves. I think this sentence could do with a bit of a rephrasing.

Folasch
The smallest mainland island primary island? is Folasch, sitting at the northern end of the bay which has claimed the entire southern shore. Long tendrils of ice, like fingers, creep inland from the Ice Plain Bay, as if holding the island in the palm of its hand. Eventually the streams of ice, at least a dash wide, are lost beneath the hills beyond the southern beach. The western beach has not succumbed to the ices, but is long and shallow, slushy waters about a ped deep reaching inland for roughly 8 dashes. A small wooded area separates the beach from the Rolling Snows which is prime Troll territory in Cyhalloi. The huge powdery hills shift and move on a daily basis, much like dunes of sand in the desert. As the hills flow northwards, they very quickly gain altitude before dropping off, abruptly in some places, into a canyon. The deep and very eerie Shade Crest Canyon, set in the northern majority of the island, is thickly forested and is believed to be where the mythical Ulvur reside in secrecy. However, not many people would dare venture across the Rolling Snows, as packs of Snow Trolls can oft be found tolling around those parts, as if they were unofficial I would cut these words out sentinels of the forest in the canyon beyond.

Ice Plains
The bay between the three mainlands, called the Ice Plains, is a death trap just waiting for foolish ships to haphazardly sail into its midst. The surface of the bay is frozen, a mixture of varying degrees of ice. The southern most part of the bay's frozen surface is often crashed into by icebergs pulled in by the current, clearing away large amounts of thin ice and leaving the impression that a ship could perhaps sail through. Such is not the case. A little further north one might think the ice is thick enough cross on foot, as no cracks are apparent and the heavy snows often hide any fractures in the ice. This is called the "False Bridge" and, as its name would suggest, sure-footing is not something to be found. North of there, at the heart of the bay, is a huge gaping hole in the ice where torrential waters swirl and slosh, angrily splashing and frothing as if trying to reclaim its frozen surface. The Kasumarii call this place Nexus, and avoid visiting it altogether. Fishing here, they say, is a fruitless endeavour, presumably because the currents near the surface are too strong and quickly whisk away anything that may get caught up in it. Northwest of Nexus lay mountainous ice cliffs that rise up high above the sea level between Dorolak and Folasch, huge chunks of ice occasionally breaking off the face to float away in the waters below. Where the bay has latched onto the southern shores of Folasch with long icy fingers lays a hidden ice ravine, called "Qu'prur's Palm". Hidden away by mounds of snow, it is often the final resting place of those that do not take care in where they step. Just east of here, wedged between Guldor and Folasch, one can find the Ice Shelves where many fauna, such as the Nexus Wallub and the Spotted Pinnup, can be found throughout the summer and winter months.

Waning Island
The small island of Waning, also known as Winking Moon Cove, is directly to the east of Guldor and is a craggy little island that serves as one of the main cities of the Kasumar'ii-men, and has been found to not be open to outsiders. It was here that this particular tribe of humans initially began to flourish during the days of the Hiding, when the Gharenghukh-orcs had driven them from the tundra by relentlessly burning and plundering their villages following their arrival to the island continent. This port city sits at the middle of the island and spans about an eighth of its entirety. When they first arrived, surely the entire isle was thickly wooded I don't understand what you're getting at here. Now, the city that the Hiding built there is a maze of wooden walkways and docks along the crescent of the northern coast and southernmost point of the small Crescent Bay, which is cradled safely away from the cold sea. Rows of trees that have grown so close together that one could barely step through the gaps between have been left standing along the walkways, acting as natural walls. In the majority of this city's inner areas slanted canopies made of wood or leathers have been built above the walkway for further protection from the elements. Along the southern coast are jagged rocks that stand, in some places, as tall as the trees themselves. Here, usable plants and animals are scarce and are mainly found hidden in the crannies of the southern rocks in the form of algae and crustaceans.

Void Isles
The wintry climate only becomes more bitter-cold and nigh unbearable as one ventures further north and, ultimately, closer to the Void. The northeastern most isles are unique in geography from the others in that they are, surprisingly, not dominated by ice. Each isle, save for the largest in the middle, seems to be nothing more than mountains jutting up out of the sea. Deep caves dot the mountainsides, and the fierce winds of the region howl ominously through the openings there. Some seem to think that the islands connect to each other under the frigid waves by way of caverns. It is home to the Quasurhiim tribe, and surely to many cave dwelling creatures, not yet discovered as little is said about the mountain isles by those whom visit them. I would replace this with, "as those who visit these isles say little about them"

Deity Isles
Found just to the west of Folasch on the map not just on the map, in real life too., these isles are locked together by ice and generally have an unremarkable landscape. While mostly flat, heavy snowfall attributes to the hilly impression one gets of these isles upon approach by boat. Low areas in the land here tend to be heavily pitted, covered in slush and only giving the illusion of solid ground. The largest isle is covered in trees that sit so widely apart that one couldn't quite call it a forest. At the heart of the island sits what the Kasumarii call Deity's Grove, what the isles were ultimately named after. Sheltered from the winds by close-standing trees, tall craggy bushes and boulders that are uncharacteristic of this particular string of isles, it is a place filled with carvings of animals and various other offerings for a god or goddess unknown. It is said that when one spends almost any amount of time in the strangely quiet clearing, you'll be compelled to leave an offering of your very own before you can bring yourself to leave. It is assumed that it was once a place of worship for a people who lived here. However, all other remnants of anyone making home here have vanished into the ice and snow. Now, occasionally, Snow Trolls can be found mulling around eastern spits of lands in this string of isles, as they are connected to Folasch by the ice and ice shelves I would replace this with either ice or ice shelves not both there.

Qu'prur's Necklace
The southernmost string of isles, found just below the mainland islands on the map, are called Qu'prur's Necklace. Here, the beaches are lightly rocky, though not nearly as rocky as the southern shores of Dorolak. The largest of the isles, Lockette, is the westernmost and largest of the isles, and also the most dangerous to approach by ship. Here, huge rocks jutting up out of the waters and many treacherous reefs form a barrier around this island, making it impossible to approach by ship. The difficulty of reaching the island has left it nearly untouched by mer or man, and the large boulders lining the coasts protect the thicket of woods at its center from the chilly winds. Many land bound birds can be seen scoring the beaches for food and are believed to roost in the underbrush there. It is said that the Heart of Qu'prur herself is hidden in the woods, though what form it takes is unknown. Just northeast of Lockette, upon one of smallest "beads" of Qu'prur's Necklace is a small trade city that the Stormcloaks, a Kasumar'ii-men guild, have established quite recently called Ludor Port.


-CLIMATE-
In Cyhalloi, it seems that winter will never end; snows fall nearly every day, coating the land. Here, the winter never fully thaws away, and most of the northern half of the islands have fallen victim to the ice creeping out of the bay. Though the chilled winter mostly drowns out the other seasons that may come to pass, the snows become torrential and rarely stop in the spring as the weather warms just a little. However, summer is quick on spring's heels. Heavy, warm winds sweeps away and melts at least half of the snows that spring left in its wake, and steals away most seedlings that would try to take hold. During fall and winter, the land falls under such a stillness that it makes one want to hold their breath. There is not much, if any wind at all, and the snow, when it falls, trickles gently from the sky. It is claimed mainly by the Kasumarii, despite being the coldest time of the year, is the best time of year: "The land is eerie, and downright beautiful in its uncanny quiet. As if Qu'prur, Herself, stole breath from the very air. beautiful!"

Darkness prevails upon these islands, the sky often times shrouded with a heavy layer of clouds or short lived flurries blotting out the sun this is a bit of a run on. maybe break . At night the weather seems more calm, and when the moon is full it lights up the sky as if it were the sun, setting the snow drenched land aglow. When coming from anywhere else, one would swear that the days were shorter here than they ought to be, while the nighttime would seem to stretch on as if it would never end. The sun seems I would cut this out and just say "is" lazy to rise and early to set, giving the impression that it is hard pressed to cast its light on such a distant horizon.


-FLORA-
The variety of plants upon land that are usable resources are scarce, making survival particularly tricky, especially since faring the icy waters around the islands is such a risky affair. Trees such as the Cyhalloian Pine and Snow Firs stand tall in most of the wooded areas here, acting as homes to Squirm Moss and other such plants. Not very many bush type plants bushes? take up residency here, as the climate does not allow it, but the low-lying Craggy Tuft can be found in places shielded from the winds. Many of the plants found here that are abundant enough to be a reliable resource are found in the cold, fertile waters surrounding the islands. The most prominently depended upon plant would probably be the Tyrscaru, a sea lilly that grows in surprising abundance along the southern and eastern coasts of Guldor, but can be found all around the islands.


-FAUNA-
Few animals have the hardy constitution required for living in such a harsh climate as that of Cyhalloi. Herding animals are nonexistent domesticated animals? pastoral animals? I don't understand what you're getting at here, though there are a scant few species of game to be found. An offshoot of the Thunderfoot lives exclusively in the tundra sprawling across the waist of Guldor, named Íl’thróg by the Cyhalrhim elves. Animals such as the Cloaked Elk, Leveret Rabbit and the Cragdashlive throughout the islands, leaping through the snows and hiding in the forests, though the latter-most beast tends to keep to the steep mountainsides. There are, however, plenty of predatory animals calling this continent home, like the Cyhalloian Slinker, the Mithrilene Lingradau, or the fierce White Bear. Animals that live on the ice, such as the Spotted Pinnip and the Nexus Wallub, prey on the abundant supply of fish that live in the cold waters around the islands, along with any other crustaceans that they may find. The Verhon, a bird that lives sparsely across the Ice Plains, provides the occasional meal to a quick Wallub, generally tends to keep south of Nexus when pecking for food and is suspected to be the main cause in cracking the ice and making False Bridge even more treacherous than it already is. Fishing here is the easiest dinner to be caught, the SpearHead Trout being the most abundant, but is still quite the dangerous endeavor from encounters with the terrifying Krrroa'Haxpattl to simply falling into the frigid waters. Also, surprisingly, a good handful of many? land bound birds, such as the Snow Gynnia and the Pendant Hopper, can be found all across the continent. The Eagle, one of the largest predatory birds in Caelereth, calls home to many of the mountains particularly along the western coast of Guldor and the Shade Crest Canyon.


-RACES-
The tribes inhabiting Cyhalloi are few and far between, not many people would choose to live here- other than the elves, of course. However, once a place has become a people's home, no matter how harsh it is to live there, it tends to turn into a place of importance for them and the majority would not choose to live anywhere else.

Cyhalrhim Elves
These elves were the first to stumble across these arctic islands, hence the similarity between the names, but have since become feral, so to speak, and scattered themselves across the islands. They live in seclusion, keeping to themselves, the forest, and their ice towers that stand tall across the northern peninsula of Guldor. Having rarely interacted with their neighboring tribes, the elves are far from anyone's thoughts and a silent kill of a well-aimed arrow may be the only trace left behind by one of them, if any trace at all.

Gharengukh-oc
Unwanted by other tribes, and unknown if the elves bother living there I don't understand what you're getting out here, these orcs dominate the eastern and second largest mainland, Dorolak, which is an unfortunate and desolate place. So inbred with each other and the tribes around them, these orcs could hardly be considered orcs at all. Aggressive, but dumb, they do little more than attack and pillage all around them in hopes of acquiring usable resources and whatever else they can get their hands on. Mostly, they live in shoddily made ship-homes that are barely puddle-worthy, much less seaworthy, in order to get from island to island. They carry on an ongoing struggle with the other inhabitants of the region, trying their best to claim Guldor for themselves. Having been driven from the tundra, they also have the tip of the southern peninsula of Guldor under their control, but their attempts to push north into more fruitful lands are constantly squelched by the humans living there.

Kasumarii-Men
The Kasumarii men are a battle borne tribe, well learned in the arts of guerrilla warfare, stealth and the dark arts. In their first years upon the islands, they were met with many difficulties. Not only was the climate unforgiving and alien to them, but the Orcs of the region pillaged and plundered any settlements that they built. Once they learned to fend off these raiders and master the harsh land, they flourished and seized control of the majority of Guldor. They were also the first to establish trade with Sarvonia and have a port city, Winking Moon Port, located on Waning Island.
 
Quasurhiim
An offshoot of the Kasumarii-Men, this tribe was established shortly after the orcs had first begun driving the humans out of the tundra following their arrival to the islands. After many raids and skirmishes, a large group of Kar'ii fled to the north where the orcs never ventured due to the increasingly frigid climate, weary of the bloodshed that they had witnessed. They searched for a home where conflict with other peoples could be avoided, and where they could live peacefully with each other. It is said that upon finding an Ice Tower, the group pleaded with the elves residing there for shelter from the bitter-cold by offering them the frozen remains of two elk they had felled in the forest along the way. The Cyhalrhim elves took pity upon the downtrodden humans, allowing them to stay and learn how to survive by watching and participating in their everyday lives. Once sure of the knowledge they had gained, and that they would not perish should they journey out into the wilderness, they left the elves in search of a home that they could truly call their own. Something was calling to them from the north, it seemed, a lulling voice so beautiful that they could not refuse its beckoning nice idea. So it was north that they travelled, ever north, until they discovered the Void Isles, naked of snow, and they receded into the extensive caves and caverns throughout those mountains.

Snow Trolls
All across the northern half of the continent of Cyhalloi, one can find these Trolls trudging around through the snowy landscape. Not too much is known about this brutish tribe, as they tend to be particularly hostile towards anything that isn't a Troll as well. Oddly, despite their size, they have been known to be spotted from a distance and then seemingly just vanish into the snow, even when one doesn't look away. It is thought that they tend to keep mainly to Folasch island, but have been spotted briefly in the tundra of Guldor and the northern areas of Dorolak. While there are no reports of them across the southernmost areas of the continent, it does not mean that they are not there, though the notion seems unlikely. Because of their ferocity and their elusive nature, the Kasumarii use the hunt and defeat of one of these hulking beings as a final test to become a member of the Echilliianni Order; alone, they must track and kill and bring back the body of the troll as proof of their victory.

Ulvur
The Ulvur, thought to be merely creatures of myth by most, are said to reside in the northernmost forests tucked inside a surprisingly deep canyon in the northern island of Folasch. It is said that their song can be heard, howling with the winds on nights of the full moon. While no one has officially seen a member of this tribe in the remembered past officially? I would replace this with "While no one has reported seeing a member of this tribe,", Shade Crest Canyon is respected as their home and none dare to trespass on their land. That is, assuming that they make it past the Snow Trolls and survive the treacherous climb down the canyon wall first.


-MYTHOLOGY-
There is nowhere else in the world that the moon is larger, brighter, nor more revered and hated than it is here, upon these isles. Because of this, it is believed that the mythical Ulvur stalk the forests of the northernmost mainland, Folasch, their secrets hidden deep within the canyon nestled in the north majority of the island. This is, however, only the most prevalent and well known myth of the region and there are many others to be told; such as the Tundra Beast and the Lindorm.

The Pilgrimage
Long ago Qu'prur came unto the Kasumar'ii-men to show them the path through the darkness. "Need not the light," She said, "as it can be just as blinding as the darkness- but nothing else is as absolute." I don't understand whether you are saying here. Is the light absolute or is the dark? Then, with a wave of Her pallid hand, death swept the land and drove them into the dark.

Her children must face her, to love her, and like all those learning, must be pushed to do so with a firm but patient hand. The weak would fall and the strong would thrive, but she did not discriminate. She taught that all had strength, they had but to grasp and utilize that strength. In the eyes of Qu'prur, only the fearlessly strong are worthy of reaching the land that she gave birth to intended as paradise to her children. Her love is hard and earned, and that much more gratifying to receive because of it.

Great ships brought them to Cyhalloi, many along the journey perished and the deserving- the ones that fell fighting- were wrapped in night cloak and kept safe as to be reborn. They had followed Her voice through the turbulent seas, and by the time they stood once more upon still ground they had lost track of how long they had been wandering through the darkness. However, reaching the land wasn't the last of their trials. Further tribulations lay ahead.

The inhabitants of the region proved to be aggressive and ruthless in their assault on the Kasumarii, and they had to fight tooth and nail just to survive. It taught them that the strength of will they were born with was not enough, they must aspire to be more. It taught them patience, and it was down this arduous path that they would learn such patience. The Kasumarii became the Hiding then, using the shadows to their advantage in order to slip by their foes. This gave them the time to calculate, to learn, to grow. And once they were strong enough and brave enough, they conquered the orcs and drove them out of their paradise.

It was then that Qu'prur looked down upon her children with respect and provided them her favor- granting them power that only the Moon had to offer. For, while her love was hard, it was true and absolute; as deep as the Darkness, and endless as Life and Death.


Deity's Grove
Deity's Grove is said to be the final resting place of a long forgotten god, and it is certainly eerie to behold. Whether or not the celestial being is male or female, one may never know; but the strange primal magic and the huge totem looming in the middle of the clearing, thickens the very air. The grove itself is actually a breathtaking sight, seemingly unscathed by whatever the world may bring to pass and the crisp white snow appearing untouched by wind or animal or anything else, as though it has always just fallen. It seems too white, too virgin, and glitters in the sunlight in a way that doesn't seem quite right for snow, though it is impossible to say exactly why. Even compared to the Shade Crest Canyon, it takes the cake in giving one the heebie-jeebies a big change in tone..

The clearing itself is surrounded by huge boulders, as though put there by someone on purpose, however it would have taken incredible ingenuity or a giant to move such large rocks. Only a small gap between two of the boulders on the southeastern side of the grove allows admittance into the area. As stated before, a huge totem sits quietly in the midst of the clearing. A wide, oval base with all manner of carvings and drawings around its sides has bowls chipped right into the surface, presumably where offerings are to be placed.

The totem itself stands tall, reaching at least 5 peds in height, and is solid stone. Strange, swirling designs that glow much like LuneWeep stones are said to be traced all over the rock, however those whom had reported stumbling across this particular place all describe different designs. One particular Shade Cleric who claims to have seen the grove states that the designs played out a story; telling the birth, life, and death of Qu'prur. Others have said to have seen their own lives, and their own death, upon the stone. But all say the same, that the stone seemed to have gnarled black antlers growing out of its crown, like burnt jagged hands reaching up to grab the very sky.

Others, still, reported even stranger things:
"I could hear it, the big stone in the middle, like it was whispering to me- couldn't make out the words, though. But the sound of it buzzed around in the back of my head, barely noticeable. It wanted something, I could feel it. So I slit the throat of my leveret on the base and kneeled in the snow until the blood froze." -Shade Cleric

"It was so quiet there, like the air was holding its breath. It could have been peaceful, I suppose, except that it seemed that the silence itself was loud and screaming, drowning out the rest of the world." -Korenjaan

Qu'prur's Heart
It is told in stories that hidden deep in the woods, which thickly cover the entirety of Lockette island, is a sacred place where Qu'prur herself hid her heart after she was scorned by the sun.
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Val O´Neil
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« Reply #51 on: 02 November 2015, 13:33:03 »

Thank you. I wrote this so long ago. It's hard to recognize problems with something you've reread and rewritten bits of separately, you kind of become desensitized to it as a whole. I'm fairly certain that I have addressed and fixed all things that you have pointed out, as well as rewritten a few bits of it. However, I was unable to color the revisions as I am at work and doing this via an iPad- writing code without a real keyboard or mouse is pretty tedious.

I kindly ask you not to worry about the Orcs bit, as they will be completely revised and everything written about them will most likely be completely disposed of. At the time I wrote it, I was heavily prejudiced against orcs. Lol, much like the Kasumarii are. Anyway, I am currently trying to come up with a new name for the orcs.

My list of tribe names are:
FrostFoot orc  :  K'mul'bora-oc
FrostFang orc  :  K'mul'ruk-oc
FrostTusk orc  :  K'mul'tuk-oc
FrostMoon orc  :  K'mul'polk-oc

MoonBlood orc  :  Polk'tlor-oc  /  Polk'vok-oc
MoonFoot orc  :  Polk'bora-oc
MoonFang orc  :  Polk'ruk-oc
MoonRock orc  :  Polk'inuk-oc

BloodMoon orc  :  Vok'polk-oc  /  Tlor'polk-oc

ColdFoot orc  :  Wrosz'bora-oc
ColdBlood orc  :  Wrosz'vok-oc  /  Wrozs'tlok-oc
ColdRock orc  :  Wrosz'inuk-oc
ColdMoon orc  :  Wrosz'polk-oc

suggestions for "ice" in orcish:  roszul ,  wr'ul ,  k'rosz
« Last Edit: 03 November 2015, 14:00:12 by Val O´Neil » Logged

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« Reply #52 on: 07 November 2015, 07:39:02 »

Would you benefit from further comments at this point, or are you rewriting and preferring us to hold our horses?
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« Reply #53 on: 08 November 2015, 08:12:12 »

Comments would be most appreciated, Shabby! I am welcoming any comments, questions, and suggestions for all areas of this. I just ask to keep in mind that the current Orcs are going to be scrapped for new either cave dwelling or ship/barge dwelling orcs that are more Viking esque.  Also, more Myths and Lores are being composed- and the myth for Qu'prur's Heart is still unfinished.

Ohh.... Snow orcs. Rumored to have bolstered their numbers by interbreeding with Snow Trolls. Whether these claims hold any merit is questionable, especially considering the source of the information. Especially since the Kasumarii are notorious for their hate of the orcs of the region....?

Thoughts?
« Last Edit: 08 November 2015, 09:23:38 by Val O´Neil » Logged

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« Reply #54 on: 22 November 2015, 14:11:57 »

I have rewritten the orcs and I believe that I have accurately found all of the instances where I mentioned them and put the same name for them. It's been kind of difficult to get feedback on a name for them, so I combined cold and frost to make a word for Ice. I'm no linguist though, so it's entirely likely that it's nonsensical. Anyway, the entire entry is finished and ready to be reviewed, torn apart, or whathaveyou. Please and very much thank you.
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Nature is our wildest home. It includes the oceans that provide our rain, the trees that give us air to breathe, the ancestral habitats we shared with countless kinds of animals that now exist only by our sufferance or under our heel.-Edward Hoagland
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« Reply #55 on: 24 November 2015, 04:35:49 »

Well, you have your very own expert on Kh'omchr'om here, but I have absolutely no idea for what you should choose. Wroszul sounds good to me, but so does Hef Oc (imposing orc), or Mxas Oc (not-hot orcs).

All of those sound great to me, and I look forward to reading more about the Orcen people of Cyhalloi.

The description works perfectly and seems to me a great place to start for an entry of their own, either written by you or someone else.
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« Reply #56 on: 24 November 2015, 17:52:11 »

Well, I think I've mentioned it before, but I don't think Kh'omchr'om should be used, seeing as they're on a different continent entirely and probably have almost no contact.  That said, Wroszul does sound good.  The word for 'orc' doesn't have to sound like "orc" either; it's 'azhad' in the Volkek-oshra language, for example.  Tharian presumably got the word from Kh'omchr'om. 
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« Reply #57 on: 25 November 2015, 06:49:07 »

Mina, I completely forgot that Kh'omchr'om was a Sarvonian language. So my advice is entirely irrelevant, so you can scratch my prior post!  buck

Though if the laws of regular evolution, and hence genetic drift, don't apply in Santharia, why would linguistic change over time occur in Caelereth? I guess that's just one of those hand-wavey things that must be done to construct a fantasy world.
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