Purgaton

The world of Emerald Winter is named Purgaton. There are three continents in the known world, Alfeira, Intergard, and Entaria.

Alfeira

The northern continent in known as Alfeira. It has a cold climate and mountainous terrain. The towns located on this continent are colonies of the kingdom of Tristan, including Rien's home of North Village. These settlements are governed by their own elected leaders, but pay taxes to the mother country in return for services and military protection. During times of war, citizens of these colonies may be called into service in Tristan's armies.

The people of the colonies of Tristan hold a few beliefs which differ from their Tristanian allies, such as the belief that the use of magic is a perversion of the spirit of life. They disapprove of the Tristanian government's sanctioning of mages and outlaw even uses of magic that are productive to society. Still, between the two countries there is a sense of brotherhood. The people of Rien's town and the others surrounding it respect the king of Tristan in the highest regard, and hate their mutual enemies.

The country of Alortan is also located in the very northern region of the continent, where a magic field serves to both create a sub-tropical climate and prohibit humans from entering or even detecting its presence. The humans of the area are aware of something amiss and the occasional sightings of elves increase the paranoia concerning the race as a whole. Alortan is divided into two areas, the east which is called Esperon, ruled by Duke Rashall, and the west which is called Somerland, ruled by Dutchess Claudia. At the border where the two meet there is an enormous castle the size of a city named Spirit Spear (presumably because it looks as if it peirces the sky). The elves speak their own language, and very few know other languages.

Intergard

Tristan itself is located on a continent to the south of its colonies known as Intergard. A voyage between the two can take weeks, and Tristan's harbor is the most advantageous point to set out from. The northern area of the continent where Tristan is located is known for its harsh winters, but its terrain is much more inviting than that of the colonies to the north. The southern areas of the continent are moderate and quite pleasant to live in. The entire continent is rich with forests, plains, and rivers.

On this southern continent there are several countries all inhabited by humans. Though Tristan's language is spoken fluently throughout the continent, many of these countries use their own languages in vernacular. Trade and commerce between these nations is common, as is conflict and war. Currently the land is enveloped in a rare peace-time that has lasted since the end of the war between Starlake and Tristan thirteen years ago (in which Rien's father left the colonies to fight for Tristan). This is attributed to the new alliances throughout the nations formed by Tristan's widely popular king, Nicholas.

Entaria

In recent years, a third continent was discovered to the west called Entaria. Entaira is a far-away land inhabited by the dwarves. However, humans were also found on this continent--a group which had discovered the continent over two hundred years ago. The native dwarves and the inhabitants of the human settlement, Den Roh, rarely crossed paths as their lands were separated by a mountain range, but recent exploration by humans has connected these lands. As a result, within the last twenty years roughly, several half-breeds have been born between human and dwarf parents (Star is one of these).

The dwarves have inhabited the arid lands of the western continent for thousands of years. Plains and deserts cover the the lands past the mountain range. For most of their history, the dwarves led migratory lifestyles living in tribes. In the last few centuries, a group of dwarves founded a city called Teran. The inhabitants of Teran broke off from their ancestors and began to advance technologically, creating a huge metropolis. They were jubilant over contact with humans to the east, and have openly welcomed the foreigners.

The human settlement, Den Roh, to the north of Teran is populated by a group of people known as the Roh. The Roh are a reclusive people who value their spiritual beliefs. They have pioneered a new form of magic which utilizes the power within a person's own body rather than manipulating the elements. This art is called Arden Roh and is only practiced by monks of the Roh order. The Roh do not involve themselves with the politics of other groups, but they do send representatives to Tristan in situations that threaten the world as a whole.

It is an exciting time in the world as horizons expand and nations come together. However, there are serious side-effects to this fusion of races and ideas that will threaten more that political balance or individual belief.

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