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This article collects information regarding the conceptualisation of the game world of The Mana World.
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History
Ancient History
Before The War for Tonori
A century before the Quake, the land in Tonori was very fruitful; the plains were host to many Talponian farmers and Gispaan ranchers. Vast expanses of land were available at first, but as more Talponions settled, Tensions grew. When the Talponian kingdom of Debury started to expand East into Tonori, it was the city managers that voiced concern and stopped the intrusion. King Lurich of Debury agreed to cease northern expansion if he could develop a city around Talpa Bay with contractually negotiated boundaries. In exchange, Gispaan goods, most notably the precious stones from the mountains and wares from the ranchers, could be sold to the city for trade with other kingdoms overseas. As each race flourished from the benefits provided by Talpa, the cities grew and the people demanded more territory. Talpa's boundaries flexed, and the contract was broken. War was declared.
The War for Tonori
The Gispaans
The war united the Gispaans in a very strong way, and many of the miners left the mountains to join in the fighting. Precious stones became rare in the world and ranchers found their lands subject to terrorism. The decades long embargo Talponian's enforced on Gispaan goods hurt Gispaa's economy. In the decades leading up to the Great Quake, Talponians had hired privateers to raid Gispaan ships and started to blockade goos reaching from the sea. Gispaa smugglers supplied the town by trails through Southern jungles of Tempus and the mines in the Crystalline Spine.
The Talponian
When the War for Tonori broke out, the kingdoms of North and Layland decided not to become involved in military action. Against King Tanner's wishes, the city of Abel in the kingdom of Tempus provided supplies by sea to Talpa during the Siege of Talpa. Talpa's docks felt further stress as less traders made port for fear of attack on their boats by Gispaan Saboteurs. In the decades of war, the Gispaan force had Talpa's afluent citizens leaving in search of better investments, although many more citizens were still holding to the city in hopes of a miracle.
Effects on Tonori
As decades of war waged, The God Nu'rem looked down on Tonori and the escalating violence and greed. Tonori was yet another example of the darkness that was growing in humanity. During this time Nu'rem decided to slaughter mankind. Using his power to agitate the elements the world. During this cataclysm, the world was rent asunder. The ground cracked open to reveal long sealed caverns releasing the evils contained within. The Ocean rose up and swallowed whole cities, permanently submerging them. In remorse, Nu'rem sacrifices in order to replenish the world. It is believed that as his mana fell over the world, some part of his essence remained alive.
Recent History
After The Quake
A temporary truce was signed between the Talponians and Gispaans immediately after the Quake. Soon after, peace followed as the 2 kingdoms worked together to rebuild. The Gispaa Smugglers continued to run trade routes between Tempus and Gispaa. Meanwhile the port to Tulimshar, built on the ruins of Talpa, opened once again to trade from the other kingdoms. The farmers and ranchers displaced from decades of war had either moved into the cities or refugee camps. The farmers and ranchers that went into the refugee camps began to live a nomadic life. They call themselves the Wunish which means Home Free. As Nu'rem and decades of war had almost completely salted the Eastern Plains of Tonori. The plains are now a deep desert devoid of all but the hardest of vegetation and monsters.
Food and supplies were low in Gispaa and Tulimshar. Most of the back stock had been consumed during the war, destroyed by the Earthquake or Devoured by the lava. Shortly after, reports starting pouring in, Monsters, never before seen, had attacked caravans along the trade route between Tulimshar and Gispaa. Lieutenant Dausen sent out an expedition to discover the source of these monsters. So far they have only returned sightings that are odd. The survivors are often found to be hysterical, claiming the desert rose up and attacked them. Lieutenant Dausen appealed to the Council of Wizards to ask for help from neighboring cities. Messengers were sent by to the four corners of the world. The first to answer was nearby Hurnscald. The forests around Hurnscald provided much need food and healing supplies during the early days of the Great Earthquake. Soon after came the response from Nivalis, ships packed with ice and meat provided fresh drinking water and meat.
Soon after, other expeditions were launched to discover what new treasures the disasters had unearthed and what new terrors have be unleashed. In the Gispaa mines, rare ores & minerals were found in new caverns opened in the Crystalline Spine. Gisphar, once a rare Crystal, is now found throughout the mines and caverns. The increased availability will assuredly expedite research into new alloys and uses. One property of Gisphar is easy to discern, the luminescence tends to attract monsters to it. There is even a rumor of a monster that uses it as bait.
Gispaa wasn't alone in new areas to explore underground. In Tulimshar, the Sewers have been cleared and are once again irrigating fields and feeding running water to buildings. While excavating beneath the town to clear the debris in the sewers, ruins were discovered. No one is 100% sure what they are for, but the magic school seems to have quite the interest in them. Rumors point to a magical charm hidden behind multiple challenges. As the construction has finished, the Council approved more permits and new shops are opening up. The increased trade among the empire has benefited commerce in Tulimshar.
Even the Wunish,farmers turned nomadic, saw changes as the Great Rift appeared and rent Gispaan plain in twain. The Great Rift disrupted the old path between their northern and southern grazing grounds. As the volcanic soot began to fall on the Gispaan plain, it began to choke out all but the sturdiest of life. Only in parts of the Gispaan Plateaus can you find Savanna life blooming anymore. Desertification has settled over the northern plains choking out all but the sturdiest of life. The increased difficulty of the plains has forced some of the Wunish to give up their nomadic ways. Those that no longer make the trip, now spend their time Farming the southern plateaus for cactus and snakes. The ones that still travel the Deep Desert wander from oasis to oasis. Finding Wunish in the Deep Desert often always means there is water nearby.
The Earthquake was so strong it affected local geography as well. The Great Rift was formed during the Earthquake. A giant canyon that follows the fault line under the the Desert Trade Route, a scar across the Deep Desert, forever separating the northern desert from the southern plateaus. The canyon walls are pock-marked with, what were once subterranean, tunnels. The tunnels are now exposed to the light of day allowing access to the treasures inside, but the tunnels also provide an exit for anything inside. Adventurers often seek fame by going ever deeper in these tunnels to bring back riches. Many speculate about how far they go, as lost Gispaan miners have been found wandering the Great Rift after going to work in the Crystalline Spine.
Many miners were lost in the Crystalline Spine during the Earthquake as it collapsed as many tunnels as it opened. The Earthquake triggered the Crystalline Volcanoes to erupt, submerging some parts of the tunnels making them hazardous to walk without the proper protection. All the geologic activity as brought mineral deposits and ore veins up from the depths. Reports of Gisphar, a rare manaflorencent mineral, being found in the new tunnels continue to come in. All the recent activity from Gispaa under the tunnels has attracted monsters to the area and the Gispaa Guards will let only the most heroic of adventurers pass.
Cities
Tulimshar
Main article: Tulimshar
The city has a port off the inlet on the eastern coast of Tonori, where the major export is crystals found in the Gispaan Mountains. The growing number of snakes and black scorpions in the desert has made the outskirts of the city a very dangerous place for non-natives.
Gispaa
Main Article: Gispaa
Thirty years after the quake, with the restoration of Tulimshar nearly complete, many Gispaan miners (not used to city life) sought to return to the mountains to the west. Once an important source for iron ore, the miners made an historical discovery: Gisphar crystals.
Despite fears that the miners' tampering would reignite the volcanic anger within the rocks of the mountains, the small town of Gispaa was reforged at the summit as an outpost for the miners and a gateway for trade with Tulimshar.
Geography
The Desert Trade Path / The Great Rift
Merchants make their fortunes carting Gisphar crystals & Iron Ore into Tulimshar and returning to Gispaa with supplies for the miners. This central area is the safest of the deep desert, as such traffic has forced dangerous creatures further north and south. While there is no distinct path to follow through the sandstorm, practiced adventurers do well not to venture too far away from the corridor.
The Deep Desert
While the deep Tonori Desert, to the north and south of the central trade path, is blanketed with dangerous, violent, and poisonous creatures. The Wunish, a nomadic people, live in and migrate throughout the harsh environment after the quake turned the plains into barren sands. This hardened group presumably survives on snakes and cactus. The nomads are renowned for their leather, but live in despicable conditions that only tested adventurers dare traverse to seek them. The strong, red dye marks on their leather homes provide a guiding beacon for those in search of their wares.
The Crystalline Spine
Once cherished for bountiful ore deposits, the tops of these mountains exploded in lava during the Great Quake. Now quietly resting, the mountains have since become famous for bearing Gisphar crystals. Lone miners live scattered in tents, or come together in small groups to work the mountains despite fear of future volcanic activity. A pool of lava rests at the base of the two active volcanoes that make up the Crystalline Spine. Strange things dwell within the mountains, in places seemingly uninhabitable. A loud and violent region of lava, fire, and ash, the mountains are a place only for the strongest of curious adventurers.
Nu'rem's Respite
As Nu'rem's mana fell over the world, one of the larger masses crashed into the Crystalline Spine creating a volcano which has constant effusive eruptions. The locals have named it Nu'rem's Respite. They believe part of Nu'rem essence is imprisoned deep within. Many treasure hunters have died searching the tunnels below the volcano. No one knows for sure what might be at the bottom of that Abyss or what powers it may grant you or what sharp teeth it has.
Creatures
Maggot
- Eats: scavenges filth, gardens, corpses;
- Located: Within Tulimshar city limits, port, and city outskirts
Scorpion
- Eats: Maggots, fire goblins, scavenge
- Located: Within Tulimshar city limits, city outskirts
Bat
- Eats: Small bugs, possibly slime
- Located: Holes, caves throughout area, Tulimshar basements
Fire Goblin
- Eats: Maggots, scorpions, giant maggots
- Located: Tulimshar port, and city outskirts, Gispaa outskirts
Yellow Slime
- Eats: Unknown; possibly dead spiders, bat droppings, or mountain moisture
- Located: Gispaan Mountain caves
Red Slime
- Eats: Unknown; possibly dead spiders, bat droppings, or mountain moisture
- Located: Gispaan Mountain caves, C/N/S Tonori Desert caves
Red Scorpion
- Eats: Small bugs, scavenge corpses
- Located: Tulimshar basements, outskirts, within Gispaa limits, outskirts, C/S Tonori Desert
Giant Maggot
- Eats: Maggots, fire goblins, scorpions (rare), scavenge
- Located: Tulimshar city outskirts
Black Scorpion
- Eats: Red scorpions, black scorpions (cannibalistic), scavenge
- Located: Gispaa outskirts, Gispaa Mountains, mountain caves, C/N/S Tonori Desert, desert caves
Spider
- Eats: Attacks anything in its territory
- Located: Holes, caves throughout area, Tulimshar basements
Snake
- Eats: Spiders, scorpions, scavenges
- Located: N/S Tonori Desert, C Tonori Desert (rare), Gispaan Mountain caves, various holes caves throughout area
