Adventurer's Introduction to Estanon

Greetings fresh Adventurers, and welcome to Estanon! I hope you are well-rested and ready for what awaits, as whatever comes your way will certianly surprise and intrigue you. I shall be your eternal host and guide, and while under my care you will hopefully have lots of fun. If you have any questions of ny kind regarding not only the world's content, but also my playstyle, the dynamic at the table or any miscellanious concerns feel free to ask me either personally or anonymously as I take feedback of any kind very seriously whether it be positive or negative.
With the disclaimer out of the way, the bascis of the world itself can be explained. Attached to this article are various links that will take you to the main resources required for traversing Estanon. Any additional links or questions that are not satisfied by snooping can hopefully be taken care of by asking me, and I will delve into my "yet-to-be-published" pile and find just the thing for you. To begin in earnest, Estanon is a realm that fundementally lends itself to those who understand things in terms of forces and their effects. The primary of these forces are the Æthir Winds that have conjured the landscapes and peoples that roam them. These winds are the source of life and energy across Estanon, and all natural phenomena can be explained through their lens. In this vein, the world is split roughly down the middle into east and west: with one side being more magical than the other as a result of its exposure to high levels of Æthir across the centuries.
In the west, the lands are dominated by the Lordship of Gwendor, a hulking behemoth of human-driven house politics, clan allegiances and stout traditions. Almost all of the peoples west of the Lodge mountains live as subjects of one of Gwendor's four major houses, each of which are in constant political conflict- fighting for control of the Lordship. This isn't to say that every town and hamlet is a loyalist stronghold, as many regions- the south especially- have only recently been subdued after decades of rebellion, and some remain only conditionally peaceful. Nevertheless, a relative peace maintained by the military might of the most powerful house, Gwerrith, has allowed Gwendor to prosper and become the most affluent entity in the known world, boasting a world-wide trade fleet and an army renowned beyond the mountains to safeguard their legendary cities whose spires reach the clouds. Within Gwendor there can be found every walk of life as hundreds of cultures have been thrown together in sprawling urban centres in the wake of invasion, plague and forced migration. However, just as Gwendor is famous for its cities, it's kept alive by its equally impressive rural communities that stretch from the Everwild in the north to the Gulf of Sorrows in the south.
As you travel further east, you encounter mountains for the first time: the Lodge Mountains. This range spans the whole continent, and serves to seperate the west from east in terms of Æthiric permeation. It is also the second tallest range in the world, beaten only by the Shards of Alüsk in the far north east, but their divine origins somewhat excuse them from the ranking. Th Lodge Mountains derive their name from the Dwarven Lodges that inhabit them, and have done since the beginning. These Lodges are proud warfaring people the biggest danger to whom is themselves- no Lodge is at peace with another for long. In spite of this constant fighting, it rarely reaches pitched battle, as recent times have let traditions cool and mould bloody rivalries into sports competitions and regular games of strength for which many Lodges are now known. Even though these customs may give the impression of a primitive people, every Lodge boasts a substantial Keep to call home, with each of the Lodges maintaining a large complex of underground halls, mines, living quarters and treasure vaults.
Once you come over the tops of the Lodge Mountains, you survey the largest wonder in Estanon: the Odami Steppe, an Æthiric savannah of gigantic proportions whose sands and plains hide millenia of secrets from bygone ages of Gods and Demons. Nowadays, the only inhabitants of the Steppe are the nomadic tribes that know its seasons: humans, genasi and centaurs being among the most common. However, traversing the Steppe is not impossible, and a few settlements can be found on its more hospitible edges. The Steppe's landscape is mostly flat, but the occasional ruin cuts up the perfect skyline, marking the skeleton of some great ruler's ambition.
If you're able and willing to cross the Steppe you come to the other side of it and see Kataraki Country: a land of gypsies and hunter gatherers to whom the only laws are their own and those of the spirits which still haunt the lands. These lands are dominated by no forces other than those of nature: the winds and the spirits of old, and there are very few settlements which have withstood the unique hardships of the region. The Kataraki Country is the most bountiful corner of the Steppe, and this monica is earned by the large populations that meander over its borders on seasonal migrations, rotating around the Steppe, preparing for their westward journey.

"Those who march the trail of wanderers are both the most noble and most fickle- see to it that each meets an end fitting their temperament and deeds."- Rupert Larazar, Kal'id Uka'ra, famous explorer

The places not addressed in the main body are the two major forests in Estanon: the Everwild and the Esthuin Forest. Each of these have distinct characters, with the Everwild being the remnanents of the continent-spanning forest of the NDI age, before the Razing of the Realms. As for Esthuin, its position of being cradled by mountains on 3 sides and the sea on the fourth means that it has become an expansive oasis of fey mystery and trickery. 
The Everwild and Esthuin are cousin forests, so they share fauna and flora, but their time apart has led to major apsects of their compisition diversifying: the Everwild is far more magically infused and removed from the rest of Estanon in day-pattern and other normalities. This is compared to Esthuin which has been long isolated from the Æthir currents that give the Everwild its flair, giving Esthuin a much more muted character with darker trees, grungier fuana and angrier spirits. 
Neverthless, both forests are the home of Estanon's elven population, with each place providing just what the children of Nalroldü need to keep out of the way of lesser mortals: thick cover and high natural walls.