The world of Ilauris, which is the setting for The Baker of Brennan, Damsel In Distress, and several future novels and stories, has eight distinct culture zones.
Each cultural zone is defined by its predominant race and/or official religion. In this world, the five races – humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and kobolds – do not intermix very much. None of the races are able to interbreed, and all have a somewhat insular attitude. Humans, as usual, are the most numerous. As such, they have four different religious traditions where the other races each have just one. Elves have the smallest numbers. Halflings and kobolds form small groupings rather than large countries.
Along the north coast, the Four Kingdoms of Myredren, Aithemor, Liath Moor, and Keryth are predominantly human and ruled collectively by the High King of Myredren. It is loosely based on medieval Celtic culture, and all four kingdoms follow the same religion.
Endrisinore is a single country ruled by a single human woman, the Prelate, who has ruled it for several hundred years. The nation is human, and is loosely based on the ancient Roman Empire. The rest of the world considers Endrisinore to be the boogeyman, largely for its expansionist tendencies.
The southern kingdoms of Ansenik, Chanes and Daelitor are individual countries, but the inhabitants are also predominantly human and follow their own religion. This zone is loosely based on an amalgamation of agrarian Japanese and Chinese cultures.
Freistfell is where the dwarves of this world can be found. In keeping with tradition, they have a generally Germanic feel, and are even more rigidly patriarchal than the Four Kingdoms. The vast majority of the race lives inside the mountains and is obsessed with digging to find their god.
To the south of the mountains, the desert countries of Mateqa, Caledina, and Serescine are human. As is proper for such a region, the culture is loosely based on Ancient Persia.
Halfings and kobolds get lumped together, as they have several similar traits. Most notably for an overview, neither forms large scale governments or countries. Like Tolkien’s Hobbits, both races are clannish, sticking to extended family groupings.
Finally, the elves of Ilauris can be found in Myveshar, the most heavily forested region of the world. They’re long lived, tree-hugging hippies.
I intend to discuss each of these regions individually in future posts, starting with the Four Kingdoms.
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