Lore
Havens: There are five towers on the continent, named Midhaven, Northaven, Southaven, Easthaven, and Westhaven. These five Havens were constructed by the Ancients in an era long past, each one a vast sky-scraper built of a strange, indestructible substance. The towers possess no visible entrance, but certain mages have detected the presence of invisible teleportation rings that may grant entry. To date, no one has been able to enter a Haven. According to cave art discovered in recent excavations, the ball-like structure atop each Haven tower is a defense mechanism capable of firing deadly thunderbolts that even the gods would tremble at. They have never opened fire in recent memory.
Factions:
Drakengard: The kingdom that spans the whole of the southern territory. Lush and brimming with resources, it is the place where humanity first colonized this world. The kingdom is divided into twelve provinces, each governed by a noble lord. They used to be independent nations in their own right until the Unification War a couple centuries ago, which brought them under the control of King Edward Dragan, the legendary Hero King. His great-grandson Gerald Dragan now sits on the ancestral throne. He has proven himself a decent king, if a bit spineless at times.
Aetherion: The forested lands to the east, occupied by the elves. With all the nightmarish spells cast on it to keep visitors away, only the bravest souls dare to pass through it. Should one reach inhabited land, they would find a breathtakingly beautiful realm where technology and nature intertwine. Beneath the beauty and graceful facade lies a toxic culture of betrayal, backbiting, and brutal power struggles. The elves try to keep it under wraps to maintain their public image as godlike beings, but only non-elves buy it. They are deeply divided, with over several dozen independent factions and no less than three competing monarchs claiming to be the "One True God." The common folk generally couldn't care less, but their nobility are always dragging them into useless and petty wars.
Riftgard: The green, mountainous region to the west, occupied by the dwarves. It is named for the mysterious portal situated in the heart of Mount Magmoor. Magmoor is, as the name suggests, an active volcano where the great dragon Caradras makes his lair. This is NOT the dragon we're gunning for in this story, and for good reason - he's leagues smarter than the one that took Princess Prim. The dwarves that live under his protection are a peaceful lot, preferring to perfect artistic endeavors over warmongering. Their capital, Undermountain, is one of the great wonders of the world, an expansive and cavernous city where it is said that gems surpass sunlight, and the lowliest commoner's home would make a monarch blush. Not that outsiders would know, since Caradras maintains an impassable ring of fire around the mountain.
Fellmore: The cold, bitter tundra-desert where the orcs call home. While its earth is rich in metal ores, it is nearly barren of anything else. Nonetheless, the orcs have managed to make it (barely) hospitable with careful resource management and smart farming methods. Unfortunately, many orcs decided that they could farm each other for additional resources, leading to rampant cannibalism. When they're not eating each other, they're trying to invade everyone else. Not all orcs are behind this culture shift, with some trying to live honest lives, but those orcs rarely go on the warpath, and thus are rarely encountered.