Cosmology
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The cosmos, in its entirety, has always been a complex and challenging entity to research and learn from, due to its complexity and limiting factors, such as the state and range of ocular equipment and many other reasons. As such, only a very small amount of information has been amassed by scholars over the course of many centuries since the calamity. Those far-away areas, which have not been researched or which no scholar can research due to their unfathomable distance, have been classified as being part of the Shroud. Any celestial body inside the Aetherium behind the Shroud is part of a blend of stars, with only a select few distinguishable from the rest.
| A quote from Preceptor Radebod Bain, Astronomer of the Conclave: |
| “Well, you see, my students, the stars hold great importance and power, their seemingly erratic movement twisting about the minds of man and nature, causing great change to follow in their wake. The commoner might look at the firmament and see only chaos, but we, astronomers, know of the precise accuracy the cosmos follows, more faithfully than any clockwork, and transmute it into divination...” |
Celestial Bodies
So far, researchers and scholars have observed a handful of celestial bodies in a closer manner, either through the use of telescopes or even without any tools. Their regular movements through the heavens and relative brightness made it clear that they must surround Eseron far closer than the Shroud lies. Due to such behaviour, the scholars have been able to classify them as semi-planetary, planetary bodies or as stars.
Zon - The lightbringer
A majority of the celestial bodies of the known solar system seem to circle Zon, the star which enlightens most of them. As such, it is the centre of the solar system, acting as the most important source of energy for life on Eseron. Due to such, it has been an object of veneration in many cultures and a central subject of astronomical research since antiquity.
Skelva - The nightly guidance
Those living on Eseron are familiar with the ever-returning guidance of Skelva, the moon of Eseron. Due to its proximity, this semi-planetary body, which circles Eseron instead of the sun, has been one of the most researched objects outside of Eseron, as it can be spotted with the naked eye and even closer with telescopes. As it circles Eseron, it steadily reflects a portion of the sunlight, which causes Skelva to release a faint, blueish-green light upon those lands on Eseron which have entered nightfall. Some old legends and myths speculate that this object was once damaged by something or someone, yet such legends and myths rarely hold any truth.
Eridan - The ancient sister
Old legends have spoken about a sister planet of Eseron, one just as lush and green as Eseron itself, yet if one were able to spot Eridan in its current day and age with the help of a telescope they could easily figure out that such is not much more than a mere legend, as they would only spot a greyish-black object at the edge of the sun, void of any green or blue coloration. Besides such not a lot is known about this planetary body, as it circles the sun at a similar speed to Eseron does, yet in a nearly mirrored position. As such, it can only be spotted with a lot of luck and during an eclipse, as otherwise the sunlight would make such visibility impossible.
Morgand - The dread star
Even Eldland's most prestigious arcane scholars have been unable to predict the erratic movement of the large comet which courses through the void around Eseron. Sometimes it appears many times a year, sometimes not for a decade, one time it is far away, the next time so close it can be seen with the naked eye. Morgand’s appearance has been linked to many things, but most see an evil omen in its passage. The great speed the titanic comet moves makes it impossible for even the most intricate telescopes to fully unveil its nature, but scholars are sure about it being unlike any other celestial body in the cosmos. A long cloud of debris and stardust follows it, sparkling in many colours, which causes a spectacular rain of shooting stars to fall when the comet passes. The rural folk of all realms have been known to discover monstrous beasts in their fields after such a starshower, and some learned men tell of a terrible titanic face being visible when the comet is close to earth, giving it a grim reputation as harbinger of evil.
Others - The unknown
Besides those four major celestial bodies, there have also been speculations about several more bodies within the solar system, which can’t be spotted by mere eyesight or any fancy tools. Those bodies would be the realms of the elements and of the unknown and occult, including Aaros, Kor, Ignos, Aether, Shyir and Sylverix. However, not a lot is known about those realms and their actual position within the solar system, yet, as they are tied to magecraft, it has been assumed that they lie somewhere outside of the researchable range of mere scholars. Besides, such strange asteroids have been spotted in the night sky, which seemingly return in a set cycle. What their origins are and how they came to be is, however, unknown.
Eseron
Unlike other celestial objects, Eseron is the place everyone treads upon. It is home to many species, such as Humans, Elves, Denur and Tieflings, but also many other creatures and plant life. To the civilised world’s inhabitants, four major continental areas are known, being split into the west, east, north and south, and each unique in its topography and geological layouts.
Calaron
The western continent, Calaron, is currently under the strict rule of elvenkin and consists of a vast, nearly tropical landscape, which goes on as far as one's eyes reach. Oceanic currents and a rather flat topography cause the whole landmass to feature hot, mostly tropical weather, without a spread of large climate zones. A great desert in the continent’s west acts as the only exception to the humid climate of the landmass. The lush valleys of the continent are filled with major plant growth in the form of jungles, only rarely broken by stark mountain ranges which tower to the heavens. In those sparse regions, geothermal vents have been found, often covering a vast area with a heavy and dense fog, clouding most mountain peaks permanently, which earned the peaks a reputation as seats of the divine.
Strican
Unlike the much warmer western continent, Strican covers most of the northern sections of Eseron and has barely been chartered or explored due to its dangerous climate and impossibly high mountain ranges. As it's closer to the northern pole of Eseron, it is permanently covered by a thick layer of ice and snow, making explorations extremely dangerous and sometimes impossible. Those few areas, which can be passed by regular means, are often crossed alongside mountain ranges, making every misstep just as deadly as slipping on a high rope. Tales spun by the few survivors who saw the lands of Strican with their own eyes tell of humongous animals and giants in continuous combat with the biting frost.
Varenne
Most of the southern continent is covered by the ocean, hiding most of its topography from the eyes of scholars. Its landscape above the waves consists of untamed archipelagos and smaller islands, which are surrounded by tidal flats. As such, it's customary for local folk to travel on foot from one island to another during low tide, while it becomes impossible without a boat during high tide. Merchants, travellers and even entire armies are at the mercy of the tidal movement in the frequently changing lands of Varenne, which has formed an ecosystem unlike anywhere else on Eseron. It is not uncommon for smaller islands to vanish over the years, just for new ones to reform at a different spot. Besides the tidal flats, the archipelagos are also home to many coral reefs in the deeper underwater sections, which are less affected by the tides, and house a wide variety of oceanic creatures, as well as pose a grave danger to any inexperienced captain.
Jordun
The continent Jordun can be found on the eastern half of Eseron, containing a wide variety of unique regions and landscapes, which are encapsulated by towering, vast mountain ranges. Derived from ancient Denurûm, the continent's name means “Land of the alder trees”, referring to a time long gone by, when the whole of Jordun was warm and lush. Nowadays, only small parts of the continent are humid, with mountain ranges often acting as a natural barrier between large steppe basins and small green valleys. Moving from one landscape to the next becomes a hard and tedious task, while at the same time, the natural barrier acts as a protective layer from any possible dangers that might lurk just on the other side of the next mountain range. Due to this layout, after the Denur people retreated into the mountains, no other realm managed to conquer significant parts of Jordun, leaving it a land of petty kingdoms and wilderness. One of those many landscapes is Eldland, harbouring on the western coast of Jordun, encompassed by mountain ranges to the eastern side of it and consisting of a wide variety of smaller regions within.