Magnamund (pseudo-Latin for 'Great World') is the most important planet in the setting of Lone Wolf, Magnamund is the fulcrum of the struggle between the Lords of Good and Evil - the last world in Aon which has not fallen to the Darkness (under the god Naar) or been rescued by the Light (under the gods Kai and Ishir); the victor of this battle wins total domination over the plane of Aon. The land mass is split into the two continents of Northern Magnamund and Southern Magnamund, separated by the Tentarias strait. Originally Magnamund comprised one land mass. During the Age of Chaos, when Naar sought to destroy the wise dragon Nyxator, Magnamund was torn asunder, and the Tentarias strait split the land into the two continents of Northern Magnamund and Southern Magnamund. There are many notable geographic features on Magnamund. Features of other worlds and places can also be found here. The northwestern quarter of Northern Magnamund is the Darklands, a hellish wasteland ruled by the Darklords. It is in this terrible land that the Darklords create their armies and breed creatures of darkness. The northeastern quarter of Northern Magnamund is the Lastlands, giving rise to the human nations of Sommerlund and Durenor. It is against these bastions of hope that the full might of the Darklords is directed, for if Sommerlund and Durenor should fall, the rest of Magnamund would fall in their wake. The eastern third of Southern Magnamund is characterized by the Sadi desert and the Shadakine Empire. The tyrannical Shadakine Empire arose under the rulership of Shasarak the Wytch-king to conquer the free states of the south. Northern Magnamund Anari – Neutrals Anari is a state of Northern Magnamund, situated east of the rolling plains that form the territory of the state of Slovia. Allied with Lourden, Firalond and Kakush, Anari is a republic whose terrain is that of hills and plains, bordered by both mountains and rivers. The state has few large settlements and is governed from the city of Tahou. Tahou itself would not be particularly notable, were it not built above the ancient city of Zaaryx, sealed from the world since the era of the Black Zakhan. Anari has often lived in fear of Vassagonia, its great eastern neighbor, with its territory being despoiled as recently as during the war against the Darklords. During this conflict, the city was besieged by both Gnaag's dark legions and the forces of Vassagonia, led by Zakhan Kimah. Thankfully, Kimah was himself defeated at the gates of Tahou by Kai Lord Lone Wolf and the arrival of Anari's allies sealed the fate of the invaders. Bautar – Neutrals Bautar is a minor kingdom, situated at the broad bay into which the river Pforo feeds, bordering Chaman and Lourden. Bautar won the right to sovereignty in annals past, and maintains a robust military for so small a territory. An excellent brandy of high renown is made in Bautar, through a process jealously guarded. It may well be that Bautarian Brandy is the country’s finest and most successful diplomat. Bor – Neutrals Bor is mountain range populated by dwarves, who met Kai Lord Lone Wolf just prior to the Fall of Blood Mountain. These dwarves are fiercely territorial, deviously clever, and expert at repelling invaders. The dwarves of Boradon export a thick and creamy ale with a pungent aroma and a taste of malted apples. It is so notoriously potent a psychedelic that some cities in Magnamund have banned importation of Boradon ale, for fear of the havoc it may cause. They also have crafted primitive guns. Provided they do not explode and kill the gunner, which happens often, guns are ridiculously effective in close combat. Mercifully, these guns are are staggeringly inaccurate at long range, expensive to build, and appallingly difficult to carry and maintain. Caron – Neutrals The Rootstrangle Swamps of Caron are notoriously lethal. Locals employ a tzarg, a giant frog-like creature with an excellent sense of smell, for tracking and as scouts when traversing the brackish marshlands. Tzarg were initially bred by the Cener Druids to guide them through the swamps of Caron, and are ravenous creatures if not kept in check. The hazardous and exhausting Skardoz trail runs from Mogaruith through the Skardoz Mountains, directly into Caron. Casiorn – Neutrals Casiorn is a city-state that borders Lyris and Cloesia. It is commonly known as the City of Merchants. A toa tree is the city's emblem. Quarlen is the contested border city between Casiorn and Lyris. Casiorn is much comprised of the Dry Main, a massive desert which holds dark secrets buried in the sands. Beware the claws and jaws of the fearsome Black Corvayl as you travel through Casiorn’s wilderness, but know the silky smooth fur is highly prized by furriers and is worth a small fortune in the markets of Casiorn and the Stornlands. Chaman – Neutrals Chaman is a small, but bulwark kingdom at the mouth of the River Storne, facing the Tentarias. The capital of Gleesh is rumored to have the finest smiths of the region, and their smokesteel-making techniques are kept as a state secret. Cloeasia – Neutrals Cloeasia is a semi desert nation in Northern Magnamund, smallest of the Lastlands. It maintains a shaky independance from Vassagonia, but it has lost much of its former lands, due to political and geological upheaval. This has planted a seed of bitterness in the heart of Cloeasians, but they remain a proud people, defiant of imperialists and tyrants. Darklands - Servants of Naar The Darklands is the region of North-western Magnamund that the Darklords and their minions inhabit. The land used to be inhabited by many creatures during the Golden Age of the Shianti, but they were all wiped out, and even the land, sky and water became unhealthy to all but the Darklords and their creatures. Arrival of the Darklords The Darklords, arriving on the planet Magnamund, found its natural ecology the be toxic to their makeup, and therefore quickly created a realm where the sun never shown and the land was reduced to a kind of toxic wasteland. Fall of the Darklords In the wake of the Darklords destruction, left-handed magicians have attempted to reclaim these lands for natural ecosystems, but it appears that this work will take centuries to accomplish. The Darklands cover most of Northern Magnamund, and border many nations, including Ixia and Sommerlund, with which they are separated by the Durcrag Mountains. Helgedad, ruled by the Darklords is the capital city of the Darklands. A bridge of steel spans the Lake of Blood, which is a kind of spiritual inferno that burns the souls of those who are thrown in, fueling the city with their agony. Deep below the surface, near the level of the Lake of Fire, the Darklords' spawn was bred. It was there in the depths of Helgedad that Magnamund's greatest concentration of evil existed. The Tower of the Damned was the seat of the Archlord in the city. The vast city-fortress was constructed on a granite island in the middle of the Darklands by Giak slaves of Archlord Vashna, though he never lived to see the city's completion. His successor, Darklord Zagarna, oversaw the final construction, and he also initiated the creation of eight other city-fortresses in the Darklands. Lone Wolf infiltrated the city in 5075 MS, killing Darklord Taktaal and defeating Darklord Gnaag in single combat. He then placed a bomb under the transfusor that powered the Tanoz-Tuk'or, devices that allowed the Darklords to live outside the Darklands and personally lead their hosts in battle. Lone Wolf escaped on the back of Lord Gnaag's Imperial Zlanbeast, and the city of Helgedad was leveled. Delden – Neutrals Delden has a troubled history with her neighbors: pressure from Talestria to join the fight against the Darklands, aggressive incursions from Eldenora and Salony. Deldenites do not regard their neighbors with kindness, and they do not spill their blood in what they see as a problem for the Lastlands to handle. Dessi – Allies of the Sun Dessi is a tropical land ruled by magicians of the Old Kingdom who practice Old Kingdom magic. Their magocracy may draw foreign disdain, but it is much beloved by the Dessian people, as they take an active role in protecting their citizenry from the ravages of roaming Chimera. Dessi has a long and colorful history of conflict with the Shadakine Empire to the south and the Vassagonians to the north. Now that the wizard Grey Star has toppled the brutal Shadakine regime and Vassagonia is in turmoil following the defeat of Zakhan Kimah by Kai Lord Lone Wolf, Dessi looks to transform their tall jungle timbers into an empire of ships at sea. Durenor – Allies of the Sun Durenor is known across Magnamund as the home of the Knights of the White Mountain. They are the eastern ally of Sommerlund, who kept the Sommerswerd at their capital city of Hammerdal. Lone Wolf traveled there to retrieve the Sommerswerd, which he then used to defeat the Darklords. Eldenora – Neutrals Evil Lord Vandyan of Eldenora unearthed the lost secrets of rune magics used by Agarash the Damned during his ancient conquest of Magnamund. Empowered by his discoveries, Vandyan unleashes his armies upon the peaceful realms of the Free Alliance with swift and devastating effect. Lone Wolf, Supreme Master of the Kai, led the crusade to defeat Vandyan before all Magnamund succumbed to his tyrannical rule, by infiltrating Skull-Tor, Lord Vandyan’s stronghold, and destroying the ancient runes from which he drew his evil power.