Galben

Galben is the largest continent in Nova, with a landmass of approximately 4.7 million km². It usually takes three months to travel from the very west to the very east of Galben.

Characteristics

The races that inhabit Galben are extremely varied and the culture changes significantly. Although some regions are relatively safe, in most of Galben the inhabitants are concerned with surviving from day to day more than anything else. Battles and raids between countries occur regularly and there are many lairs of hostile creatures that aren't a part of society. Apart from the north of Galben, the climate is quite hot and dry, and vegetation is more scarce compared to the other two continents. Galben holds most of the precious metal deposits in Nova, so there are plenty of wealthy merchants that profit off this, as well as unusual crafts created by small settlements that are of a very different style than anything from Vaerun, so can be popular as ornaments. The unpleasant Sahuagin also have access to deep sea resources they would otherwise usually be completely inaccessible for other races. Finally, if looking for particularly cheap military or labourers, the slave masters of Herytrucharea are often willing to trade.

Regions

A map of the regions of Galben

• Réga: A prosperous merchant republic which controls almost all of the trade between Vaerun and Galben. Inhabitants are from a wide range of races. It has traditionally used zero-tolerance policing to enforce peace. Ascent is the capital city and holds the famous Golden Port.
• Roxaban: A messy collection of uncivilised races that often fight and argue, representing the barbarism Réga so carefully avoids. Orcs and goblins are especially rife, with a significant Drow underworld. The leader is traditionally an orc that inherits the title, but weekly duels to the death take place (providing there are challengers to the throne). The great metropolis of Zaxbar is the capital. The Great Kh'Zar, an adult brass dragon, also spends most of her time in this region, constantly fighting Zaxbar.
• Forgwyre: Swampland covers the entirety of Forgwyre as well as a thick, black fog. A purple, pulsing pin-prick of light glows through the darkness and can be seen for hundreds of kilometres away. Monstrosities roam around Forgwyre and occasionally rampage into neighbouring territory. The Darkness of these creatures can spread to others it comes into contact with, altering their personality and luring them to Forgwyre.
• Noirra: Creeping Darkness from Forgwyre has affected this region more than any other. Creatures here are nomadic and sparse, facing mortal danger on a daily basis. Those who survive are incredibly hardy and all kinds of creatures come together through pure survival instinct to live through the horrors the Darkness throws at them, so half-races are extremely common. Those who enter Noirra seem to have difficulty finding their way out again.
• Fracanor: The once great city of Hu Lao stood in Fracanor, but the region has been almost entirely abandoned for generations. Ruins of great cities remain and the grounds are often involved in battles between Réga. Roxaban and Won-Yuan. Creeping Darkness from Forgwyre is rapidly affecting this area, leading to a number of horrors beginning to settle here.
• Iseheim: Often referred to as The Land of Giants, this tundra is home to mammoths, polar bears, winter wolves, sabre-tooth tigers, remorhazes and frost giants. The frost giants rule here as a monarchy and are normally distracted fighting creatures tainted by Darkness, including their brethren who have become dark frost giants.
• Guansai: More ice than actual land, Guansai is inhabited by the shark-like sahuagin who live underwater, although they are sometimes found on the ground travelling, trading or scouting. Aside from the reclusive aquatic elves, the sahuagin are the only ones capable of harvesting deep sea treasures, such as pearls and many types of fish, so they often receive trade proposals.
• Darsh: The insect-like thri-keen are usually nomadic, but they have recently started to come together and have formed a coalition with the dwarven clan of Ironlight. The thri-keen hope to take back their homeland, the Darsh Desert, from the Yuan-ti and have offered to help the Ironlights with food and with fighting the sahuagin that are becoming increasingly aggressive.
• Won-Yuan: Yuan-ti have dedicated the Darsh Desert to their vile snake gods and continue to push their borders ever further. They believe to be ascended humanoids and crusade against every other sentient creature. They use both intrigue and might to take down their opponents and have proved to be a formidable foe.
• Advigar: If you're looking for an adventure, then look no further! The goblin king Great Grumble invites would-be adventurers to take part in one of his quests that usually take place in the abandoned dwarven kingdom of Diamaria for magnificent rewards! Disclaimer: Great Grumble accepts no responsibility of incidents that may occur during a quest, including but not limited to: death, dismemberment, being enslaved, becoming undead, psychically devoured brains, and PTSD.
• Fechin: An open-minded, sparsely populated region with small settlements of an incredibly wide range of races, including dragonborn, half-orcs and goblins. Every recognised settlement elects a leader to send to the high elf capital of Rysendrathalar to form a council that governs the region.
• Herytrucharea: High elves that didn't agree with Fechin's philosophy splintered to form their own country. They developed a strong justice system which quickly acts to take down those who don't conform to their high standards. Despite this, they are strong supporters of slavery, seeing it as a kind of charity-work for less fortunate species as they are given food, water and a place to sleep.
• Kurelivah: A number of orc clans hold Kurelivah who spend most of their time fighting each other and attempting to extend their own clan's influence. They will sometimes raid nearby regions and some clans may even attempt to trade. Occasionally a powerful leader will unite the clans and lead a powerful army, but this always inevitably collapses due to in-fighting.
• Dooplgood: A collection of kuo-toa villages that lack any real organisation or true government. This insane species finds gods in all they see and can suddenly show strong devotion to a god they have simply just made up. They are completely incapable of logical reasoning and tend to spend their lives attempting to convert other kuo-toa to their religion. The priest with the most influence declares itself their leader and its home the capital. They are usually harmless unless threatened, until a particularly zealous priest manages to convert most of the population.