Land of Erna Wikia

Welcome to the Land of Erna Wikia
The fictional land of Erna is a high fantasy setting created for use in RPG adventures, primarily D&D. Any images found on the site that I didn't make myself are strictly for personal use and can be followed back to the source material.

The level of technological development in Erna roughly corresponds to the High Medieval era (1000-1200). Some areas are more developed than others, depending mainly on the size/concentration of settlements and access to magic. Magic has bypassed and in some cases stunted technological and medical advancement (for example, the spell Cure Disease), and some spells approach replication of modern technology in the most developed areas.

Planes of Existence
The universe of Erna is organized according to the system set out by Dungeons and Dragons, 5th edition. This includes:
 * The Material Plane, its echo, the Feywild, and its shade, Shadowfell
 * The Transitive Planes, the Ethereal (between locations on the Prime Material Plane) and Astral (between the Material Plane and other Planes)
 * The Inner Elemental Planes of fire, earth, air, and water
 * The Outer Planes, which correspond with the sixteen different alignments
 * The Positive and Negative Energy Planes

Races
Most people's culture comes not from their race, but from where they live, as there are few racially homogeneous settlements in Erna. One notable exception, however, is the orcs of The Rahklands. At middle age: -1 Str, Dex, and Con, +1 Int, Wis, and Cha. Negatives increase to -2 at old age and -3 at venerable age. Max age is rolled secretly.

Ethnicity and Culture
All real world cultures and ethnicities can be found in Erna. Ethnic diversity can be found across all of the fantasy races (including elves, dwarves, gnomes, orcs, etc), and various nations have cultures that can be compared to real world cultures for ease of reference.

Geography
The continent of Erna is approximately 2,500 miles east to west and approximately 1,400 miles north to south (roughly the size of the continental United States) and is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Erna has a diverse range of ecological climates, ranging from tundra and sweeping marshlands in the north to temperate plains in the south.The Sage Mountains to the west and the Grand Line Mountain Range to the east are both rich in valuable ores and precious metals, and the sweeping forests of the central regions provide a steady supply of lumber for bustling economies throughout the land.

The southern continent of Cartha is hotter and more inhospitable, composed primarily of mountain ranges, dense jungles, and vast deserts.

The Sea of Storms borders Erna to the south, and is plagued by near constant storms and unstable ocean currents, making it extremely difficult to navigate. The Mercy Sea to the east is much more placid, and hundreds of islands small and large have fostered an advanced maritime industry. The Kalight Ocean to the East is vast beyond measure, but the coastal waters are rich with fish and other aquatic resources. To date, no expedition has discovered land masses beyond Erna and returned to report of it.

History
The history of modern day Erna begins 300 years ago with the collapse of the Carthic Empire. Fierce and disciplined, the empire moved across the Great Strait and conquered and subjugated almost all of the main Erna continent. At the height of its power some, the Carthic Empire was the sole cultural, economic, and political power in the world. However, stagnation, natural disasters, and poor leadership eventually lead to the weakening of the empire's grasp. The lands that now make up Harkath were the first to revolt, and pushed the empire out of the eastern half of the continent. The final blow to the empire's supremacy came when the lands that currently make up Gastonia also declared their independence, reasserting hereditary monarchies that had been whipped into obscurity generations ago. Its back broken by these defeats, the empire crumbled, with even the city states of its homeland going their separate ways. Contact with the southern half of Cartha was mostly lost, and Erna became the center of growth and change in the world.

The Carthinans had their own calendar, which was largely rejected by the people of Erna when their empire lost its hold on the continent. A new calendar of years gained prominence that started with the Harkath Rebellion, with CA (Cartha Ascendant) tracking backward and AE (After Empire) tracking forward. The Rebellion began in 0AE. It is currently 308AE. According to the Carthic calendar, the year is 2157.

Demographics
The total population of the established nations of Erna as of 308AE is approximately 50 million. This includes primarily humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, and trace numbers of more exotic races, like dragonborn, half-orcs, and tieflings. The Rahklands contain the largest concentrations of orcs, kobolds, and goblinoids, which if counted brings the population of the two continents to 53 million. Neither count includes the scattered populations of intelligent yet naturally hostile life, such as harpies, gnolls, or trolls.

Magic is relatively rare in Erna. A town may house 1-5 mages of level 3 or lower. A regional, medium sized city may house several practitioners of level 4-6. Magic users of level 7-12 can only be found in the largest of cities or working with the strongest governments of the land. Mages beyond level 15 rarely bother with the affairs of nations or the Material Plane, and as such their presence is rarely felt.

Politics
The main political forces on Erna are The Kingdom of Harkath and The United Kingdoms of Gastonia, and the two superpowers have been locked in a 11 year war, which began in 290AE and cooled into an unofficial ceasefire in 301AE. The Dwarven Kingdom of Jetstone is the third most powerful, militarily, and remained neutral for all of the conflict, along with the rest of the smaller nations. The Ecaz Conglomerate is an economic powerhouse, maintaining its independence through complex, interdependent trade arrangements with all sides. Willesa is a center of arts and culture, and its loosely organized city states coordinate only in times of extreme strife. The Republic of Tandrice suffered through a bitter civil war that left the nation's government permanently divided. The scattered villages of Ruud have relied on the harsh terrain to repel numerous advances by invaders, and its people only banded together as an egalitarian collective for the purposes of negotiation with other nations. Jakka is a mysterious police state that relies on its isolation in the Sea of Storms to remain shrouded in secrecy. Ginzaz was once a colony of Harkath, but gained its independence in much the same way that Harkath rebelled against Cartha, and secured its status by making quick treaties with the land's other powers. Sesset is a young nation, carved out of mostly unclaimed lands by the Sorcerer King Findalimus 91 years ago in 210AE. Freeland is younger still, and its claim to sovereignty is only dubiously recognized by the greater powers. The Rahklands make up the prairies and brushlands west of Ruud, and are populated mostly by "uncivilized" races such as orcs and kobolds. They aren't recognized as a goverment or state, but their control of the region is secure enough to warrant the respect of nearby nations

Together, the cultural, economic, and military influence of each nation has combined to form a tenuous peace and an age of growth.

Gods and Religions of Erna
Though there are many recognized deities in Erna, there is a certain pantheon of gods that are primarily worshiped throughout most of the modern nations. Traditional D&D gods such as Tiamat, Bahamat, and others have their followers, but worship of pagan deities is frowned upon in most civilized settlements.

A more in-depth description of the major gods and religions of Erna can be found here.

Magical Organizations
Not all magic users congregate, organize, or seek to spread their influence. However, some groups on Erna, founded by divine, arcane, and natural casters, have stood the test of time. They can be found here.

Miscellaneous Tidbits
Some organizations, unique people and creatures, or events don't yet fit into an existing of this wiki. Such things can be found here.