Excerpt from Dolom’s Thesis, circa 5th Century of the Age of Wandering
“This brings us to Meidokand, an island nation far to the west across the Crystal Abyss. The land possesses a unique geometry. It is on a great, colossal spire, rising from the depths and cutting through the clouds. There are countless settlements and ecosystems on Meidokand, but I have separated them into four major areas, or Stratums, for documentation.
1st Stratum
The 1st Stratum’s features are most easily visible. Beyond its initial beaches, we can see rolling hills, plains, and lush vegetation. There was a harbor, but due to the nature of our visit, we did not draw near. Further in the interior of the 1st Stratum, the core of Meidokand’s spire rises, walling the plains off from the western beach and casting a shadow on many city-states. These civilizations are not any less advanced than many of our own. They possess siege engines and familiar architecture, most likely brought to his land in our first expeditions over a century ago.
2nd Stratum
The 2nd Stratum is nearly entirely lost to us. The spire rises into a plate, eclipsing nearly all of the stratum below it. This layer of the spire is seemingly a slab of stone, but curiosities on its exterior have led me to believe a series of caverns lay within. We had only discovered a single way of accessing the 2nd Stratum: through a sealed mine shaft leading up through the spire. However, our initial probing into the shaft led to the disappearances of nearly every single team. The members that did return to us were plagued with hysteria and dire wounds. Due to the shape of the wounds, we could only imagine the work of great beasts. Climbing the exterior of the plate was out of the question, given its terrible size, and we were forced to abandon the expedition at this stage.
3rd Stratum
The third is where Meidokand meets the clouds. Storms are perpetual here, possibly due to magnetism within the rock. We could only observe from sea level, hence the lack of documentation. The sky is always black, only spears of lightning penetrating the veil. One of the shipwrights claimed she had glimpsed some great winged creature, but when she pointed out the spot to me, I could see it was only a strange shape in the stone, possibly the work of a people, but most likely coincidence.
4th Stratum
The fourth is only hearsay. What we believe lay beyond the storms is the spire’s peak, though what that entails differs from tale to tale. Our insurgents found many such tales, wilder and wilder as they progressed, but they all call the peak Mount Amathet. We have been reliably informed of the existence of a civilization here, though they are shrouded in myth. If these people do exist, we can only conclude that Amathet is a full ecosystem, though of what type we are unsure. We have been told by some that it is a paradise, a place where souls go to rest, watched over by the gods. Others claim it is a place of eternal torture, where demons battle one another and create tidal waves and falling fire. We had once captured a man who claimed he was Amathetian, but under interrogation he admitted only to having met one, a man with fangs like a beast. The information he has relayed to us indicate that Amathet is a warrior society, surrounded by sprawling jungle and treacherous cliffs, where only the truly hardy survive, and a place steeped in voodoo rituals and witchcraft.
Religion
Meidokand, as a whole, is an increasingly atheistic land. Places of worship are few and far between, and those that exist are usually under constant scrutiny. It was very difficult for us to research religious beliefs, but what we could find, we compiled into this list.
Oyuhcal
Deity representing nature, hunting and farming. Depicted as female, sometimes as a tree.
Quos
Deity of fire, storms, and anger. Often shown as evil, or a reluctant hero. Often a mountain.
Ousuo
Deity of rain and water, brother of Quos.
Tsernym
Deity of wind. Depicted as a winged man or a bolt of lightning.
Jassran
Deity representing both stone and death. Often feared, but not evil.
Kaio
Deity of wisdom. Sometimes appears as an elk.
Xaro
Deity of battle and beasts. Depicted often as a sabercat chasing an elk.
Ancani
Deity of winter and darkness. Depicted as a wall.
Shinan
Seems to be the great evil. Usually a great black cloud, but sometimes a snake.
Loc
The deity that created life. Represented as the moon.
Races
Meidokand, on its surface, is only hardly diverse in genetics. Our 1st Stratum inhabitants are as follows:
Gardien
Our own race of people. We are diverse, tall and short, thick and thin, with round ears and short teeth. We possess four appendages, and skin that is pale, dark, or anywhere in-between. Our hair is dark, and our eyes are brown or blue. I will use our own capabilities as a comparison with other races, so in this regard, we are “average” in our strength and longevity.
Parakan
The people descended from ancient Paraka are an enigma to us. They have incredibly long lives and bright features, often white eyes and bright yellow hair. Half-breeds are known, though the Parakans typically do not mingle with Gardiens due to both cultural differences and differences in how their minds process information. They are somewhat frail compared to us, though quick, and very tall. Myths claim the Parakan were once powerful sorcerers, though my scientific mind is now questioning why I even included such a ridiculous statement.
Anoum
The only people known to be unique to Meidokand, the Anoum claim to have come from even further west. Their skin takes on a blue color, ranging from black-blue like the twilight sky to a pale sapphire, and their hair is white as often as black. Their ears are covered in hair, and often resemble a beast’s. They are quite physically strong, though their culture, I find, is somewhat lacking in…scientific pursuits.
The upper stratums are allegedly home to a myriad of sentient creatures, but until we have conclusive reports, the information below is only speculation.
Amathetian
Our reports indicate the Amathetian people are much like Gardiens, with the exception that they have fangs, and their eyes and hair can take on unnatural colors like verdant and indigo. They are allegedly much hardier than us, though that trait I believe stems from their culture, not heredities. Nothing else is known at this point.
Iredian
According to some secluded folklore, Ireda is a nation within the 3rd Stratum, though what remains of the truth after so many years I am doubtful of. The Iredians are said to have enslaved many other peoples dwelling within the upper stratums, and hostility is always coupled with their tales. They are allegedly a winged race, with horns, pointed devilish ears, claws and scales, truly demonic in appearance.
Gosman
A word in Undertongue meaning "night hunter". Our insurgents have found only one depiction containing the word, and it is a symbol representing a brutish two-legged creature, a mountain of fur with a long snout and huge claws. This might be some insight as to the inhabitants of the 2nd Stratum, and potentially our way of bypassing it. I will continue research on the Gosman.
There are countless other peoples mentioned in lore here, but none of any logical bearing, and none worth recording. They only exist in the realms of fantasy and superstition."
“This brings us to Meidokand, an island nation far to the west across the Crystal Abyss. The land possesses a unique geometry. It is on a great, colossal spire, rising from the depths and cutting through the clouds. There are countless settlements and ecosystems on Meidokand, but I have separated them into four major areas, or Stratums, for documentation.
1st Stratum
The 1st Stratum’s features are most easily visible. Beyond its initial beaches, we can see rolling hills, plains, and lush vegetation. There was a harbor, but due to the nature of our visit, we did not draw near. Further in the interior of the 1st Stratum, the core of Meidokand’s spire rises, walling the plains off from the western beach and casting a shadow on many city-states. These civilizations are not any less advanced than many of our own. They possess siege engines and familiar architecture, most likely brought to his land in our first expeditions over a century ago.
2nd Stratum
The 2nd Stratum is nearly entirely lost to us. The spire rises into a plate, eclipsing nearly all of the stratum below it. This layer of the spire is seemingly a slab of stone, but curiosities on its exterior have led me to believe a series of caverns lay within. We had only discovered a single way of accessing the 2nd Stratum: through a sealed mine shaft leading up through the spire. However, our initial probing into the shaft led to the disappearances of nearly every single team. The members that did return to us were plagued with hysteria and dire wounds. Due to the shape of the wounds, we could only imagine the work of great beasts. Climbing the exterior of the plate was out of the question, given its terrible size, and we were forced to abandon the expedition at this stage.
3rd Stratum
The third is where Meidokand meets the clouds. Storms are perpetual here, possibly due to magnetism within the rock. We could only observe from sea level, hence the lack of documentation. The sky is always black, only spears of lightning penetrating the veil. One of the shipwrights claimed she had glimpsed some great winged creature, but when she pointed out the spot to me, I could see it was only a strange shape in the stone, possibly the work of a people, but most likely coincidence.
4th Stratum
The fourth is only hearsay. What we believe lay beyond the storms is the spire’s peak, though what that entails differs from tale to tale. Our insurgents found many such tales, wilder and wilder as they progressed, but they all call the peak Mount Amathet. We have been reliably informed of the existence of a civilization here, though they are shrouded in myth. If these people do exist, we can only conclude that Amathet is a full ecosystem, though of what type we are unsure. We have been told by some that it is a paradise, a place where souls go to rest, watched over by the gods. Others claim it is a place of eternal torture, where demons battle one another and create tidal waves and falling fire. We had once captured a man who claimed he was Amathetian, but under interrogation he admitted only to having met one, a man with fangs like a beast. The information he has relayed to us indicate that Amathet is a warrior society, surrounded by sprawling jungle and treacherous cliffs, where only the truly hardy survive, and a place steeped in voodoo rituals and witchcraft.
Religion
Meidokand, as a whole, is an increasingly atheistic land. Places of worship are few and far between, and those that exist are usually under constant scrutiny. It was very difficult for us to research religious beliefs, but what we could find, we compiled into this list.
Oyuhcal
Deity representing nature, hunting and farming. Depicted as female, sometimes as a tree.
Quos
Deity of fire, storms, and anger. Often shown as evil, or a reluctant hero. Often a mountain.
Ousuo
Deity of rain and water, brother of Quos.
Tsernym
Deity of wind. Depicted as a winged man or a bolt of lightning.
Jassran
Deity representing both stone and death. Often feared, but not evil.
Kaio
Deity of wisdom. Sometimes appears as an elk.
Xaro
Deity of battle and beasts. Depicted often as a sabercat chasing an elk.
Ancani
Deity of winter and darkness. Depicted as a wall.
Shinan
Seems to be the great evil. Usually a great black cloud, but sometimes a snake.
Loc
The deity that created life. Represented as the moon.
Races
Meidokand, on its surface, is only hardly diverse in genetics. Our 1st Stratum inhabitants are as follows:
Gardien
Our own race of people. We are diverse, tall and short, thick and thin, with round ears and short teeth. We possess four appendages, and skin that is pale, dark, or anywhere in-between. Our hair is dark, and our eyes are brown or blue. I will use our own capabilities as a comparison with other races, so in this regard, we are “average” in our strength and longevity.
Parakan
The people descended from ancient Paraka are an enigma to us. They have incredibly long lives and bright features, often white eyes and bright yellow hair. Half-breeds are known, though the Parakans typically do not mingle with Gardiens due to both cultural differences and differences in how their minds process information. They are somewhat frail compared to us, though quick, and very tall. Myths claim the Parakan were once powerful sorcerers, though my scientific mind is now questioning why I even included such a ridiculous statement.
Anoum
The only people known to be unique to Meidokand, the Anoum claim to have come from even further west. Their skin takes on a blue color, ranging from black-blue like the twilight sky to a pale sapphire, and their hair is white as often as black. Their ears are covered in hair, and often resemble a beast’s. They are quite physically strong, though their culture, I find, is somewhat lacking in…scientific pursuits.
The upper stratums are allegedly home to a myriad of sentient creatures, but until we have conclusive reports, the information below is only speculation.
Amathetian
Our reports indicate the Amathetian people are much like Gardiens, with the exception that they have fangs, and their eyes and hair can take on unnatural colors like verdant and indigo. They are allegedly much hardier than us, though that trait I believe stems from their culture, not heredities. Nothing else is known at this point.
Iredian
According to some secluded folklore, Ireda is a nation within the 3rd Stratum, though what remains of the truth after so many years I am doubtful of. The Iredians are said to have enslaved many other peoples dwelling within the upper stratums, and hostility is always coupled with their tales. They are allegedly a winged race, with horns, pointed devilish ears, claws and scales, truly demonic in appearance.
Gosman
A word in Undertongue meaning "night hunter". Our insurgents have found only one depiction containing the word, and it is a symbol representing a brutish two-legged creature, a mountain of fur with a long snout and huge claws. This might be some insight as to the inhabitants of the 2nd Stratum, and potentially our way of bypassing it. I will continue research on the Gosman.
There are countless other peoples mentioned in lore here, but none of any logical bearing, and none worth recording. They only exist in the realms of fantasy and superstition."