"Pronounced (Ess-tear)"
Estir
Estir (Ess-tear) is a large continent that stretches up from the equatorial region to the frigid arctic north, this broad range of climates has fostered a broad range of cultures and regions. The north is a mostly temperate region that gives way to frosty tundras on the northern island, to the south are thick rainforests.
The Remian Empire
As the people of Orizon began to take to the skies and the Skylands, two twin brothers saw an opportunity for themselves. They had founded a city in a highly defensible territory near the center of the continent between the crook of the two great mountain ranges. The city, Urbanum, started to grow and began to expand outwards to nearby Skylands. For nearly 50 years the two brothers ruled their city together but the tensions of power and their competing visions for their burgeoning empire drove them further and further apart until Rem was finally driven to kill his brother and assume control of Urbanum.
Rem began strengthening his army and establishing a navy, beginning to mobilize them against nearby settled territories and settling unoccupied territories. Under Rem’s influence, Urbanum became the seat of the Remian Empire. His military forces spread from the northern coasts down into the deep jungles of Horteka (Or-Tech-Ah). This expansion helped to push organized monstrous races away from any centers they established, burning their developing cities. The Remian empire and its powerful members built many structures on the ground over this wreckage.
Unfortunately, in 593 AB, an enemy only known as “The Other” arrived. The Other developed “slaver engines' ' which produced slaver worms that burrow themselves into their victim’s brains. Once infected by these worms, the victims became slaves to the Other’s will. The destruction was only able to spread so far, but the nature of the threat eroded all trust within the empire, anyone could be their servant. The Remian armies waged a bitter battle against the machinations of the Other, working to develop tests to determine who was infected while having to slaughter entire villages to break a slaver engine. But then in 614 AB, the Other simply vanished, all the “revenants' ' lost their direction and were stunned in confusion, allowing victory for Rem. But the war had cost them dearly, the empire had lost many of its surrounding territories and the war had taken much in lives and resources. Rem himself was assassinated shortly after the war. Without his leadership or a formal transition of power, the empire was not able to stand for long. A number of emperors rose to fill the gap, along with a number of false emperor’s, called “mendax” by the people. All of these mendax hoped to carve out their own piece of the empire, but with all the wars and infighting the empire could not last and finally fell in 682.
Other City-States
With the difficulties of war and the dangers of Orizon, many nations are not able to reach the sizes that some of the others have managed, there are numerous small city states that occupy the area outside of the established territories of these nations. These places often only control a few islands in their regions or even just one island and some territory on the ground nearby.
These city states, also called the “middle kingdoms,” include places like Cyporis, the military republic that requires all of their members to serve time in civil service. Places like Meridian, the island of master airship builders and airmen whose craft marks show on some of the finest ships in the continent. These independent city-states can also be territories on the ground, places that can, and often must, operate independently of the established nations in the sky. Some of these ground cities can exist within the borders of the cities in the sky.
Independent city states in Estir (Ess-tear) can also be racially based. While the majority of the cities of the established Skylands are dominated by humans, other races occupy their own cities where they build their own unique cultures.
Horteka (Or-Tech-Ah) Rainforest
In the southern region of Estir (Ess-tear) is a tremendous rainforest. This area is rich in the natural resources of the jungles. Abandoned mines and rich mineral deposits are scattered through the mountains of Horteka (Or-Tech-Ah) from previous expansions and expeditions into the region. These natural resources make this place a prize, the monsters and natives make it a prize hard won.
There are many ruins here of the old kingdoms that once were. There are concealed step pyramids and ziggurats that are overgrown with jungle, each containing hidden rooms stuffed with gold and magical items that were secreted away to hide them from invaders or to use when the time was right, then forgotten or abandoned.
Skifander (Skee-Fan-Der)
“The Warrior Queen’s Hidden Jewel,tucked away in a secret location, high up in the sky, Skifandarians are a people dominated by women. Almost the entire population is women with a few free men that have been given special permission from the warrior queen to remain within the glittering city.
The only aspect of Skifander (Skee-Fan-Der) that most people ever see outside of the city are its warriors. These are women of exceptional strength and skill that are treated with reverence and awe across the jungle. The mystery of the Skyfandarian people has given rise to many rumors, mostly of these women dragging away handsome men to serve in the city’s harems. Some believe that no men are ever born in Skifander (Skee-Fan-Der). Many believe that if you can defeat a Skifander (Skee-Fan-Der) warrior in single combat you will have to marry her, and that if you save her life, she’ll be your loyal servant for the rest of her days. Some of these ideas are simple wish fulfillment, others have a grain of truth.
Within the city, there are many different pursuits for those women that do not serve as warriors, but all are able to defend themselves. The women of Skifander (Skee-Fan-Der) are proud of their warrior traditions, and bind themselves to codes of honor, expanding it beyond simple combat. A Skifandarian warrior may teach their skills to only one other besides their own daughters and this tradition has been adopted by other masters like craftsmen and airmen.
Ixa'taka (Ix-Ah-Taw-Ka)
The city of ladders, built into a reef of shattered Skylands and tall trees. The people of Ixa'taka (Ix-Ah-Taw-Ka) have built up their city in the thick trees and the vines of the jungle. Broad floatwood platforms spread out to serve as common areas safe above the surface and the thick canopy guards them above. The only way to access Ixa'taka (Ix-Ah-Taw-Ka) is by climbing the vines or by being lifted by one of their elevators.
The people of Ixa'taka (Ix-Ah-Taw-Ka) are extremely skilled at traveling through the canopies of the jungle, leaping across the vines and crawling up the trees, swinging their way through the branches. They make extensive use of reefs and tall trees and there are very few low Skylands in their area that don’t have an outpost of Ixa'taka (Ix-Ah-Taw-Ka) or their people on top of it.
Ssargassa (Sar-Gauss-Ah)
A city of the Yuan-ti. Built on the foundation of some peoples long past, the serpents have built a new land for themselves. They built tall ziggurats with winding tunnels and snake motifs. The kingdom of the serpents expands for miles around their capital and their ability to navigate the forest floor with comparative ease makes them one of the greatest dangers of the jungle’s surface, though they have not spread at all into the sky.