Setting

Key Locations

Location	Type	Demographics	Description
Commonwealth of Greater Norfair	Nation in Norfair, unitary presidential republic, market economy	Notably multi-ethnic with a human majority closesly followed by halflings, sizeable dwarven minority in the southeastern mountains.	The Commonwealth is the union of what were previously independent nationstates similar to the Heartland Kingdoms in political structure. It is the beating heart of industrialism in not just Norfair but arguably the entire Material Plane. Commonwealth artifice is known worldwide and is reponsible for the proliferation of, if not the invention of, warforged. Its culture is socially liberal and its society is economically prosperous, although its increasing reliance on automation and proclivity for extractivism have drawn criticism.
The Heartland Kingdoms	Three different sovereign nations in Norfair, each a constitutional monarchy, market economy.	Historically the ruling class have been mostly (sun) high elves presiding over mostly human commoners, but with the decline of the old feudal system and the accompanying dramatic increase in the "half-elven" population is leading to the assimilation of various ethnicities in each kingdom into a single national identity.	The Heartland Kingdoms are the final remaining vestiges of High Elvish aristocracy in Norfair, and take pride in conserving their rich national histories and cultures. Artisinal crafts and agriculture form the backbone of the Heartlands economy, and its metropolitan centers are noted for being enclaves of scholarship--not just in the arcane sciences, but in disciplines such as history, folklore, and fine art as well. Cultural attitudes across the Heartland Kingdoms range from socially conservative to socially liberal on various axes in ways that may appear contradictory: e.g. the improved social mobility of humans (relative to its neighboring kingdoms) in Marcourt, which also has the most oppressive gender norms of the Heartland Kingdoms.
The Northlands	Region in Norfair populated by several autonomous clans with variable territories encompassing one or more villages each. Most clans are governed by a gerontocratic council.	Human, halfling, and dwarvish. Small goliath population.	The Northlands are not a single political unit but rather a vast region in northmost Norfair notable for never having been under High Elvish monarchist rule. In contrast to the Commonwealth, the Northlands are for the most part not industrialized, although some of its societies are agrarian.
Selas	Continent containing several independent city-states unified into a confederation called the Crescent Alliance, as well as several unaffiliated "autonomous regions", planned socialist economy.	Moon elven majority living primarily in the citadels, wood elves and some humans living both within the citadels and outside them in contested regions.	Although the populations of Selasi city-states are by no means limited to moon elves, they are commonly referred to as "moon elven citadels" in everyday conversation as traditionally moon elven cultural traits dominate Selasi society (Seldarine-worship most noticably). The Crescent Alliance promotes values such as public welfare and interdependence; as a result the nominally independent citadels functionally operate as a confederacy and cooperate in pursuit of their shared goals, which include improving access to public education and expanding metropolitan infrastructure. Some argue that the Crescent Alliance also seeks to further culturally homogenize Selas and position itself as inheritor of an "ur-Elvish" historical legacy.
Highwater	Region between Norfair and Selas containing several islands that are variously independent sovereign micro-nations, vassal/tributary states of Norfain or Selasi nations, or colonies of Norfain or Selasi nations.	Mostly human, higher halfling population in the northern isles and higher moon elf population in the southern isles.	Owing to its frequently stormy weather and high levels of pirate activity, Highwater has a reputation as a dangerous place, and most continental folk who pass through try not to stay for long. The island nations of Highwater have managed to remain more or less independent since the Convergence, although most are heavily dependent on mainland trade partners for several key imports and have limited capacity for self-suffciency as a result of the wars and natural disaster that characterize the region's history. Some entrepreneurial individuals in northern Highwater are attempting to "rehabilitate" its public image and transform it into a destination for leisure.
Mistyreach and the Valemount	Nation in the Airofell, federal parliamentary republic which unites the kingdom of Valemount with the kingdom of Mistyreach under a centralized government. (Usually referred to as just "Mistyreach" with the "and the Valemount" implied in casual conversation.)	Primarily folk of fey descent, including high elves, gnomes, firbolgs, goblin peoples, and even some “wild” eladrin, with a sizable dwarven population in the highlands and a mountain dwarf majority in the Valemount.	Thousands of years ago, Mistyreach was the imperial core of the Fey Empyre which ruled over most of the Lonelands. To this day, it retains a reputation as a land of myth and magic. Its inhabitants dwell mostly in modest towns and villages dotting the lowland heath and hills of the highlands, with the exception of those who call the city of Blackbay, former capital of the Empyre, home. The Underhalls of the Valemount were once a mountain dwarf megalopolis, but many of their levels have since become occupied by inhabitants of the Underdark...Or even stranger beings.
Aeon	Sprawling city-state in the northeastern Airofell which is divided into "Inner Aeon," "Eastern Aeon," and "Western Aeon." The government is composed of a democratically elected legislature and a theocratic executive.	Almost exclusively high elves, with an eladrin ecclesiastical elite.	"Aeon" was originally a name given only to the innermost citadel wherein the eladrin clerics of the Seldarine dwell, with the region to its east and west known as Myth Solar and Myth Lunar respectively. As Myth Solar and Myth Lunar expanded and urbanized over time, the two converged with Aeon and in doing so, became a vast megalopolis. Although the population is technically a mixture of two distinct groups of high elves, the sun elves of Myth Solar and moon elves of Myth Lunar, in reality the lines between the two groups have become blurred over time. Sun elves and moon elves from Aeon are far more similar to one another in culture and appearance than the sun elves of Norfair and the moon elves of Selas.
Myrmigon	Continent containing several small sovereign nations united under the intergovernmental organization called Realms of Myrmigon, market economy.	Mostly human.	Once the seat of the Myrithic Empire, the land of Myrmigon is now fragmented into many different kingdoms—the borders of which much resemble those of the ruined demesnes that form their foundations. The land itself suffered severe blight in the events that led to the downfall of the Myrithic empire, but the spirit of the once-Myrithian people is resilient: they are known as a devout folk, stalwartly dedicated to the pantheon of saints that reigned over Myrmigon in their mortal days. Since agriculture in the region is extremely limited by the barren vegetation of the region, the economy is based primarily on mining, fishing, and wool-based textile crafts utilizing the fleece of hardy Myrmigon golden-faced sheep.
Luz Ucyra	Large continent south of Myrmigon that is home to many nations and cultures. The nation of Thay takes up the eastern third or so of the continent; its remainder is organized mostly into independent city-states.	Orcish (in the Odonti forest, Tanarruk dunes, Imaskar mountains, and caverns of Orog), dragonborn (in Tehanuket and other monasteries), genasi (on the plateau of Szul) and human (in miscellaneous city-states and Thay.	The vast continent of Luz Ucyra in the Lonelands hemisphere of Caél contains a wealth of ecological and cultural diversity: many years of history and influence from all across Caél are evident in its present-day peoples and locales. It is well-known for being the homeland of the orcs and the dragonborn (though it has a sizable human and genasi population as well), and its world-renowned Glittering Coast is where the last remnants of the cult of the Platinum Dragon can be found. Unusual natural phenomena lend certain regions of the continent a unique flair, such as the wild magic surges which characterize the plateu of Szul and the domesticated dinosaurs which form the foundation for livelihood in Dendaret.
Thay	Magocratic, oligarchic nation in the eastern region of Luz Ucyra.	Predominantly human.	In a bygone era, the nation of Thay was known as Thazalhar, and was populated by humans who claimed descent from survivors of the fall of Orbedal (a Myrithian floating enclave). These Thazalharians believed that the Folly of Karsus was a divine punishment for the Myrithic Empire's overuse of magic, and their society held a deep distrust for the arcane arts. Not so the Thayvians: the modern nation of Thay is ruled by a group of wizards called the Council of Zulkirs, and its magic-using elite are referred to as "the Red Wizards" on account of their distinctly hued robes. (Sumptuary laws prevent all other Thayvians from wearing the color red.) The arcane artifice of these Red Wizards is legendary, and magic items, spell scrolls, and even artifacts can be found at Thayan enclaves (embassy-like trade outposts) in major cities across Luz Ucyra and even in such far-away locales as Myrmigon and eastern Norfair.