A. Locations & Basic Descriptions

[Arie]

locations

While it is always fun to start with a name, the most important thing is to determine the Background of your character. This includes their Country of Origin which determines the appearance and basic culture, Status of whether you are a villager, noble, or have a military background, and finally, Race.

At this time we are allowing the starting Races available in “The Eye of the World”. Without too many spoilers this will include; Aiel, Westland, and Seanchan Humans, Westland Ogier, Shadowspawn, & Wolfkin.
 

Nations

Amadicia : Andor : Arad Doman : Arafel : Altara : Cairhien : Illian : Ghealdan : Kandor : Murandy : Saldaea : Shienar : Tarabon :

 TearCity-States & Other

Far Madding : Mayene : Tar Valon : Falme : Other Towns and Villages

Amadicia

Amadicia was a monarchy, though the Power of the throne was severely limited due to the presence of the Children of the Light.

• General Location: South-west
• What does it Border: Altara, Tarabon, Ghealdan, The shadow coast
• General Appearance: Dark hair, dark eyes, etc.
• Type of Dress:
  Nobles: long colorful coats/dresses with ribbons. Wide-brimmed hats and deep bonnets.
  Commoners wear simple, modest clothing (black, mostly)
• Cultural Significance: Marriage Daggers

Groups of Note: Home of the Children of the Light

Andor

Andor is a landlocked monarchy always ruled by a queen, who is usually followed by her daughter, though this technically must be ratified by a majority of the leading nineteen houses. It is a wealthy and expansive nation, though like most nations, it claims more land than it actually controls.

• General Location: Central
• What does it Border: Murandy, Altara, Ghealdan, Almoth plain, Arad Doman, Caralain grass, Cairhien, Hills of Kintara
• General Appearance: Fair skinned, mostly dark hair, mostly dark eyes
• Type of Dress:
  Men: trousers, shirt, coat, sturdy boots and a cloak when its cold.
  Women: long, demure dresses, boots and a cloak when its cold
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Arad Doman

Arad Doman is a nation on the western coast. The king is chosen by the Council of Merchants, who also have the power to remove him if necessary.

• General Location: West
• What does it Border: Andor, Almoth plain, Mountains of Mist
• General Appearance: Tall, willowy with coppery skin and dark hair
• Type of Dress: “Clothes that reveal nothing but suggest everything”. Dresses are barely opaque, and of thin clingy fabric. Men wear close-trimmed beards, long, thin moustaches, leather vests and jewelry.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Arafel

Arafel is one of the Borderlands. It is a monarchy.

• General Location: North
• What does it Border: Shienar, Tar valon, Kandor, Mountains of Dhoom, (Malakier)
• General Appearance: Pale skinned, dark eyes
• Type of Dress: Wears silver bells in braids, on gloves and boots.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Altara

Altara is a nation on the Sea of Storms. It is currently fragmented, with the throne having little control of outlying areas.

• General Location: South west
• What does it Border: Illian, The shadow coast, Amadicia, Ghealdan, Andor, Murandy
• General Appearance: Olive skin, dark/black hair and dark/black eyes.
• Type of Dress: men wear brightly coloured vests, often with no shirt underneath. Also square trimmed beards, long mustaches. Women wear pale dresses with deep and narrow necklines, and their skirts gathered up to show colourful petticoats. Most everyone wears hoop earrings, rings set with colourful glass and long, curved knives at their belt.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Cairhien

Cairhien is a nation that borders the Spine of the World, north of Tear and south of the Borderlands. It stretches from Kinslayer's Dagger to the Maraside Mountains, and from the Spine to the River Erinin. Its capital city is also named Cairhien. It is famous for the Topless Towers of its eponymous capital city.

• General Location: East
• What does it Border: Tar Valon, The Aiel waste, Haddon Mirk, Andor
• General Appearance: Often short. Dark/middle/light eyes. Pale skin.
• Type of Dress: High necklines. Noble women wear hair piled high into a tower of curls and skirts wider than the average doorway. Noble men wear bell of flat velvet caps, and ruffled lace cuffs (18th century french, basically)
• Cultural Significance:
  The nation is renowned for exporting Daes Dae'mar to the rest of the world.

Groups of Note:

Illian

Illian is a nation on the Sea of Storms that shares a common border with Tear, a country it has frequently been at war with. It is a monarchy, though there are two rival power bodies: the Council of Nine and the Assemblage.

• General Location: South
• What does it Border: Plains of Maredo, Altara, Murandy
• General Appearance: Pale skinned, dark hair and dark-ish eyes
• Type of Dress: Men wear beards with no moustaches, and shoulder length hair. Women often wear wide hats, and scarves around their necks. Brilliantly coloured, low cut dresses.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Ghealdan

Ghealdan is a relatively small nation, lying between Garen's Wall and the Mountains of Mist. It is a monarchy, with strict rules about who the monarch may marry

• General Location: South west
• What does it Border: Amadicia, Tarabon, Almoth plain, Andor, Altara
• General Appearance:
• Type of Dress: Coats fastened with a double row of buttons.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Kandor

Kandor is one of the Borderlands, ruled by Queen Ethenielle Cosaru Noremaga. Like all the Borderlands, it has a highly martial culture.

• General Location: North
• What does it Border: Black hills, Saldaea, Mountains of Dhoom, Arafel
• General Appearance: Dark to light hair, Dark to light eyes (Black and blue eyed being the most common)
• Type of Dress: Men wear embroidered breeches, forked beards and a jeweled earring. Women wear wide embroidered trousers. Nobles women wear bright silk dresses, belted high below breast, while men wear silk in muted colours.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Murandy

Murandy is a small, landlocked nation ruled by King Roedran. It has poor natural unity, and is united more by a fear of the surrounding nations than any sense of nationhood of the Murandians.

• General Location: South
• What does it Border: Plains of Maredo, Illian, Altara, Andor
• General Appearance: Reddish hair and blue eyes.
• Type of Dress: Men wear high crowned hats, coats down to their knees and curled moustaches with goatees. Women have skirts just above their ankles, and striped colourful aprons, they also wrap their heads with colourful scarves.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Saldaea

Saldaea is one of the Borderlands, famed for its cavalry. It is ruled by Queen Tenobia.

• General Location: North West
• What does it Border: Mountains of mist, Mountains of DHoom, Kandor
• General Appearance: High cheekbones, dark/red hair, light to dark tilted eyes, bold noses.
• Type of Dress: Women’s dresses are often embroidered down the sleeves and on the high neck. Men often wears beards or thick moustaches.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Shienar

Shienar is one of the Borderlands and as such has a martial culture, with the need for constant vigilance against Trolloc raids from the Blight to the north.

• General Location: North East
• What does it Border: Arafel, Malkier, Niamh passes
• General Appearance: Often dark haired with dark eyes, but extremely light hair / pale eyes are not unheard of
• Type of Dress: Men wear high collared coats, and shirts with billowy sleeves.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Tarabon

Tarabon is a nation on the Aryth Ocean that fell into chaos when the Seanchan invaded. It is now part of the Seanchan Empire, with the people seemingly accepting their changed status.

• General Location: South West
• What does it Border: The shadow coast, Almoth plain, Ghealdan, Amadicia
• General Appearance: Both dark and light hair
• Type of Dress: Men wear baggy breeches, and blouse style tops with embroidery on legs and chest. Men also wear thick moustaches, covered by a transparent veil. Women wear thin, close-fitted dresses with veils, also embroidered at the chest. Women wear their hair in small, thin braids.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Tear

Tear is a nation on the Sea of Storms. It has a traditional rivalry with Illian. Since its formation, it is ruled by the High Lords.

• General Location: South
• What does it Border: Plains of Maredo, Haddon mirk, Spine of the world.
• General Appearance: Dark skinned, dark eyes (occasionally blue, but rare)
• Type of Dress: Women wear thick curls down the side of their heads. Middle and upper class men wear coats and tighter breeches. Women wear longer dresses.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Far Madding

Far Madding is an island city that was once the capital of the nation of Maredo. After the collapse of Maredo, the city survived.

• General Location: South
• What does it Border: Tear, Illian, Murandy, Andor
• General Appearance: At least some has dark hair.
• Type of Dress: Women wear high neck dresses, heavy with embroidery of flowers and birds on the bodice, shoulders and right up to the chin.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Mayene

Mayene is a small nation-state south of the drowned lands ruled by the First, who claims descent from Artur Hawkwing.

• General Location: South East
• What does it Border: The Drowned lands
• General Appearance: Black hair, dark eyes (occasionally blue?)
• Type of Dress: Women wear high neck dresses, heavy with embroidery of flowers and birds on the bodice, shoulders and right up to the chin.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Tar Valon

Tar Valon is a city on the River Erinin, and the home of the Aes Sedai. It is ruled by the Amyrlin Seat.

• General Location: Central
• What does it Border: Caralain grass, Kandor, Aragel, Kinslayers dagger, Cairhien
• General Appearance:
• Type of Dress: Women wear high neck dresses, heavy with embroidery of flowers and birds on the bodice, shoulders and right up to the chin.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note: The White Tower: Aes Sedai & the Tower Guard

Falme

• General Location: West
• What does it Border: Toman head, Almoth plain
• General Appearance:
• Type of Dress: Copious amounts of embroidery for both the rich and poor. Shirts, vests, dresses and fleece coats.
• Cultural Significance:

Groups of Note:

Other Towns and Villages

There are a number of small towns and villages that do not lie within the currently claimed borders of any nation. Most of these are small, but some, such as Falme or Maerone have a population of several thousand.

Edited February 1 by Arie