An Overview of the Geography of Forsia

Created by Michael Lenington

The clergy say that the goddess Forsi alone created our world. Forsi, Eurphon, Arsque, and Nothi created all that exists within a week. But, Forsi lavished our world with her loving attention. She spent another week creating Forsia including the two moons that encircle it, its planetary colleagues, and the gods and goddesses that sprung up from it. If only completing my task, to describe and categorize her work, required just ten days. The question becomes where to begin? Yet, questions of such overwhelming scope are best approached with humility and patience. As the wise mother teaches, "A gnome may devour a dragon, but may do so only a single bite at a time. Those who try to devour a dragon faster shall choke and die on their own gluttony." Therefore, I shall first break the dragon (that dragon being Forsia) into large chunks, so that we may cut them down to chewable bites. Let us begin with physical geography, and then the political geography of Forsia.
Forsia is one of seven planets that orbit our sun; the only star in the sky for which we have given no name. Two satellites orbit it and brighten our night skies: Czaris and Illith. I will not bore you with names and details of the comets, and galaxies, and other stars that share the sky with our sun, or that of Forsia's six siblings. We are here to learn of Forsia, not what month the lovers appear high in the sky or whether Taldor is in retrograde! If you wish to learn of such subjects, I suggest you visit the Diviners of the Silverspire. As a result of its position as the fourth planet, it takes Forsia 393 days to orbit it star. The Forsian calendar has 13 months and seven day weeks.
Forsia is composed of four continents: , Arsqon, Illythis, and Raelon, three oceans (Prime, Frigid, and Southern) and three primary seas (Shattered, Melting, and Tolt). There are smaller bodies of waters that are called seas, but they are really more bays or sounds (e.g. the Inner Sea) and I do not count them.
Asatron, named for the Goddess of all that is wild, is by the far the largest continent on which nearly all races, all beasts and monsters, and most of Forsia's biome can be found. You may not be surprised to also learn that the largest Forsian continent holds the greatest number of nation and city states. Arsqon, named for the God of crafting and invention is the third largest continent. It lies to the south of Astaron and to the West of Illythis. It is famous for its rolling hills and meandering rivers lined with fragrant cedar and eucalyptus trees. It is home to the commonwealth of merchant republics led by Portsguard and is populated primarily with High Elves, Halflings, and remnant pockets of humans who once ruled this continent.
Illithis, named after the goddess of death (yes, yes Illith is the goddess of life and healing as well), is the second largest continent. It is dominated by the volcanic Tolt, which dictates its weather. The northern side of the range is sheathed in a lush tropical forest watered by frequent warm rains, and fed by volcanic ash. The weather on the southern side is the opposite. Rain is rare producing the parched Shambling Desert. The irony of Illithis is that the northern side, which is forested and teeming with wildlife, is uninhabited by any civilized race, and the desolate dry south which is inhospitable, is dominated by large cities.
Pedantic geographers say Raelon, named for the cruel God of Tyranny, is less a continent, and more an island. But, it matters little what we call it, for it still exists regardless of the category in which it is placed. It is a mysterious land shrouded in mists and fogs. All information on this place is heavy with legend and myth and light on the truth. Legends and rumors warn the sailor whose course strays too close to the Raelian coast: capture, slavery, and death are common fates. It is entirely unclear who or what poses such menace.