People
The History of Matelo Kaloje so far
There was once a realm of giants, which the dragons overthrew, so the giants retreatred to the spirit world. Or maybe the giants were always there, I haven't decided.
The desert/plains have a history of warlords, one of which was Keraptis who conquered the plains millenial ago. He was eventually overthrown.
The Halflings and Elves of the plains and foothills are being supplanted by Humans and Dwarves, colonizing from the south-east.
There are many underwater and underdark empires that have fallen, including the ancient Mind Flayers and Aboleths.
Current Species & Cultures
The East is home to a great dwaven empire, who have conquered the warring humans and fight with the nomadic orcs. The Dwarf-Human empire has used the spoils of conquest and their arcanomechanical inventions to pierce the northern shadows, colonizing the seas and coastal plain
Coastal folks - Halflings, Elves, and Gnomes make up much of the coastal plain & nearby temperate rainforest. Halflings and Gnomes are the same species, the Littlefolk. They life in harmony with nature, renewing the world to banish the darkness-bringing rings, keep dragons at bay, and appease the spirits.
The North - primarily inhabited by the nomadic Kor, northern peoples must survive hot summers and harsh winters, migrating with game and sunlight.
The Sea - inhabited by a variety of aquatic races, such as the Sea Elves and Locathah. These peoples are largely migratory and range from living in the deep abyssal waters to frequenting the shoreline.
The Underdark - also known as Deepearth, the underdarl beneath matelo kaloje contains Drow, Duergar, and Illithids - among other creatures. They are largely unknown and misunderstood.
Needs & Relations
The eastern empire desires wealth and power, and thus are following a colonial model to extract it from other areas. This has led them into conflict with the underdark, orcs, and coastal peoples.
The coastal peoples wish to be left alone, and return to the days of communining with nature and trading with the Kor and the Sea
The civilizations of the Sea see the Dwarves as a nuisance and the Coastal folks as valuable allies. They fear the dwellers of the deep.
The orcs want to unify so they can keep the Dwarves at bay, as the Dwarves have found ways to pierce the guarding darkness.
The Kor are fearful their ties to the underdark and the coastal peoples & orcs will draw them into conflict, no matter how many mountains protect them.