Terasil: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:51, 7 October 2025

Terasil
Image
Regions	Sanctuary Vale • Yalta Wastes • Minthal • Emerald Valley
Spirit	Varunel • Tehrum
Native Races	Duranthi • Capamnos • Orasians
Notable Settlements	Kar-Thal
Significance	The realm of stone and memory.

Introduction

Terasil is a realm of mountains, highlands, and savannas situated within the wider physical plane of Orethil. At its center stands the Citadel Mountains, a circular and impenetrable range that marks the boundary of the Domain of Oras, regarded as the last remnant of a once vast sea of earth. Beyond this central barrier, the realm unfolds into valleys, hills, and further mountains before opening onto broad savannas.

During the Age of Ascendance, several spirits came to dwell in Terasil and its surrounding valleys. Among them was Tehrum, spirit of strata, talus and loess, embodying the arid and rocky nature of the land. Varunel, the spirit of memory and history, also made a home there, along with the spirit of caverns and subterranean networks and a spirit associated with greed and desire.

History

The Age of Ascendance (c. BME 100,000-50,000)

Following the stabilization of the realm, ascended spirits assumed dominion over the primordial earth, often working in pairs. Tehrum and Varunel settled in the valleys adjacent to the Domain of Oras, with Tehrum shaping the tangible qualities of the land while Varunel shaped its intangible aspects. Similarly, the spirits of caverns and greed fashioned subterranean regions and the forces that dwell within them.

The Great Migration (c. BME 50,000-20,000)

During the Great Migration, humans departed their ancestral home of Awenelir and spread across Orethil. In Terasil, these settlers became known as the Duranthi and the Minthari. The Duranthi primarily inhabited the Sanctuary Vale and the Alta Wastes, while the Minthari settled in the mountain ranges known as Minthal. Over generations, both groups were shaped by the spiritual influences of their environment. The Duranthi developed stony skin, exceptional memory, and extended lifespans, while the Minthari adapted to subterranean life, becoming pale, blind, and translucent in appearance.

The Age of Deep Roads (c. BME 20,000-0)

As erosion reshaped the surface, subterranean habitation expanded during the Age of Deep Roads. The Minthari constructed vast tunnel networks in cooperation with the Vemi, a worm-like sentient race long present in Terasil. These tunnels facilitated trade and cultural exchange with the Duranthi and allowed movement through previously inhospitable regions.

Modern Terasil (0 ME-Present)

In the present age, Terasil remains defined by continuity and resilience. The Duranthi maintain traditions rooted in stone and memory, while the Minthari expand their subterranean networks in pursuit of wealth and resources. Alongside them dwell two additional sentient peoples: the Capamnos, an isolated goat-like race inhabiting the high mountains, and the Vemi, who occupy subterranean tunnels and are often associated with impulses of desire and greed, though they maintain generally amicable relations with other races.

Geography

Terasil is a predominantly mountainous and arid region with limited river systems. The terrain includes high peaks, valleys, plateaus, and stretches of savanna. Notable regions include the Sanctuary Vale, Emerald Valley, and the Minthal ranges.

Regions

The prime regions of Terasil are the valleys of Sanctuary Vale, Yalta Expanse, Emerald Valley. These are nestled between the mountain regions of the Citadel Mountains, the Murazkar Range, the Boundary Mountains, the Teardrop Range and the Khargaath Range.

Climate

The climate of Terasil varies by region. Much of the land is arid, with minimal rainfall and sharp temperature extremes. Mountain peaks are cold year-round, while valleys such as Sanctuary Vale and Emerald Valley experience more temperate conditions and occasional seasonal rains. Highlands and plains remain harsh and sparsely habitable, while subterranean regions are characterized by stable, cool conditions.

Flora and fauna

Terasil hosts ecosystems shaped by its geological age and alignment with elemental earth. Species are adapted to rocky and mineral-rich environments, often exhibiting traits influenced by the Domain of Oras itself. Proximity to the Citadel Mountains tends to impart stony characteristics to local life forms. Wildlife ranges from surface-dwelling herbivores to subterranean predators, many marked by unique adaptations to the realm's spiritual forces.

Native Races

Terasil is home to a number a sentient species. The Duranthi, governed by a central council, inhabit the Sanctuary Vale and parts of the Yalta Waste. Some communities remain outside this authority, particularly in the wastes.

The Minthari are divided between two factions, one in the Astrathal Range and another in Minthal.

The Capamnos are goat-like humanoids dwelling in small, isolated highland communities.

The Vemi are a worm-like species dwelling in the deep tunnels. While often associated with impulses of greed, they are independent beings rather than a hive mind, and their interactions with other races are generally cooperative.

Native Spirits

Spiritual life in Terasil is governed by a stratified ecology of spirits that reflects the realm’s deep alignment with earth, memory, and the burden of continuity. While the spirit Tehrum anchors the physical foundation of Terasil, Varunel, the spirit of Memory and History anchors the metaphysical. Together, these forces define Terasil's spiritual logic.

The spirits of Terasil range from momentary flickers of awareness to enduring entities inscribed in cultural and geological memory. Their interaction with mortal life is structured and deliberate—spirits are neither worshiped casually nor summoned lightly, and all rituals are shaped by archival precedent.

Nascent Spirits

Nascent spirits are newly formed, unstable presences. Often tied to minor geological actions, they manifest from shifting sediment, mineral formation, or momentary resonance. These spirits are brief and reactive—invoked in basic rites by novices or used as indicators of change in a deeply static world.

Mature Spirits

Mature spirits arise from repeated patterns and communal recognition. Unlike nascent spirits, they possess defined personality traits and limited agency. They are invoked in everyday Duranthi and Capamos life.

These spirits are neither fully autonomous nor entirely symbolic—they occupy the middle realm between presence and concept, often entangled with local rites or vocational traditions.

Ancestral Spirits

Ancestral spirits are the oldest and most deeply rooted entities in Terasil, often embodying events, lineages, or epochs. Unlike gods or elemental lords, they are not omnipotent—but they are vast, weighty, and embedded in the realm’s long memory.

They are rarely invoked directly. Most communication occurs through rituals. Appeasement, not command, defines the relationship.

Examples:

Tharoz-Mir – The spirit of the Deep Roads and the memory of every journey beneath the realm. Felt more than seen, Tharoz-Mir listens across distances, recording the passage of all who travel the underpaths.
Orak-Thun – Revered as the first sentient mountain, Orak-Thun serves as a point of lineage realignment and generational reckoning. Its presence is marked not by voice, but by seismic stillness and unchanging shadow.

Notable settlements

Kar-Thal: An ancient Duranthi city carved into a mountain. It houses governing elders and sacred spaces.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Realms of Orethil Infobox
-|Realms of Orethil Name=Terasil
 |Image=[[File:Terasil Citadel Mountains.jpg|center|frameless]]
-|Regions=Sanctuary Vale, Yalta Wastes, Fractured Wedge, Citadel Mountains, Murazkar Range, Boundary Mountains, Khargaath Range
+|Regions=Sanctuary Vale, Yalta Wastes, Minthal, Emerald Valley
 |Spirit=[[Varunel]], [[Tehrum]]
-|Inhabitants=Duranthi, [[Capamnos]]
+|Inhabitants=[[Duranthi]], [[Capamnos]], [[Orasians]]
 |Notable Settlements=Kar-Thal
-|Significance=A realm of stone and memory.
+|Significance=The realm of stone and memory.
+|Realms of [[Orethil]] Name=Terasil
 }}
 {{Realms of Orethil Sections
-|Introduction=Terasil is a realm of mountains and memory situated within the wider material plane of [[Orethil]]. At the core of Terasil stands the [[Citadel Mountains]], an unyielding range that forms the boundary of the Domain of [[Oras]], the last remnants of the endless sea of earth that once existed. Surrounding this sanctuary, the realm of Terasil unfolds in dry valleys, weathered hills, massive mountains and savannah expanses.
+|Introduction='''Terasil''' is a realm of mountains, highlands, and savannas situated within the wider physical plane of [[Orethil]]. At its center stands the [[Citadel Mountains]], a circular and impenetrable range that marks the boundary of the [[Domain of Oras]], regarded as the last remnant of a once vast sea of earth. Beyond this central barrier, the realm unfolds into valleys, hills, and further mountains before opening onto broad savannas.
-During the [[age of ascendance]], Tehrum, the spirit of mountains and stone and Varunel the spirit of memory made Terasil their home and shaped the realm we know today.
+During the [[Age of Ascendance]], several spirits came to dwell in Terasil and its surrounding valleys. Among them was Tehrum, spirit of strata, talus and loess, embodying the arid and rocky nature of the land. Varunel, the spirit of memory and history, also made a home there, along with the spirit of caverns and subterranean networks and a spirit associated with greed and desire.
 |History==== The Age of Ascendance (c. BME 100,000-50,000) ===
-After the realms stabilized, the ascendant spirits took over the primordial realms in pairs. Varunel and Tehrum settled in central Orethil next to the domain of Oras. Tehrum, shaped the tangible aspects of the realms. The mountains and highlands, but also instilled geographic instability. Varunel created the intangible aspects. Imbuing the land with memory and stagnation.
+Following the stabilization of the realm, ascended spirits assumed dominion over the primordial earth, often working in pairs. Tehrum and Varunel settled in the valleys adjacent to the Domain of [[Oras]], with Tehrum shaping the tangible qualities of the land while Varunel shaped its intangible aspects. Similarly, the spirits of caverns and greed fashioned subterranean regions and the forces that dwell within them.
 === The Great Migration (c. BME 50,000-20,000) ===
-[[Trueborn]] humans migrating from their ancestral home of [[Awenelir]] during the [[Great Migration]], moved throughout the newly formed Orethil. In Terasil the settled humans became the Duranthi.
+During the [[Great Migration]], humans departed their ancestral home of [[Awenelir]] and spread across Orethil. In Terasil, these settlers became known as the Duranthi and the [[Minthari]]. The Duranthi primarily inhabited the Sanctuary Vale and the Alta Wastes, while the Minthari settled in the mountain ranges known as [[Minthal]]. Over generations, both groups were shaped by the spiritual influences of their environment. The Duranthi developed stony skin, exceptional memory, and extended lifespans, while the Minthari adapted to subterranean life, becoming pale, blind, and translucent in appearance.
 === The Age of Deep Roads (c. BME 20,000-0) ===
-As surface erosion intensified, subterranean life expanded from nearby [[Minthal]]. The [[Minthari]] forged extensive tunnel networks. The development of the [[Deep Roads]] facilitated trade and cultural exchange between the Minthari and Duranthi.
+As erosion reshaped the surface, subterranean habitation expanded during the Age of [[Deep Roads]]. The Minthari constructed vast tunnel networks in cooperation with the Vemi, a worm-like sentient race long present in Terasil. These tunnels facilitated trade and cultural exchange with the Duranthi and allowed movement through previously inhospitable regions.
 ===Modern Terasil (0 ME-Present)===
-Terasil today endures as a realm defined by continuity and resilience. Its landscapes—mountains, valleys, and underground cities—bear the imprint of transformation. While the [[Duranthi]] maintain ancestral customs rooted in spiritual [[attunement]] with stone and memory, the [[Capamnos]] continue to maintain their isolation in the mountains of Terasil.
+In the present age, Terasil remains defined by continuity and resilience. The Duranthi maintain traditions rooted in stone and memory, while the Minthari expand their subterranean networks in pursuit of wealth and resources. Alongside them dwell two additional sentient peoples: the Capamnos, an isolated goat-like race inhabiting the high mountains, and the Vemi, who occupy subterranean tunnels and are often associated with impulses of desire and greed, though they maintain generally amicable relations with other races.
 |Geography=<noautolinks>{{See also|Geography of Terasil}}</noautolinks>
-The [[geography of Terasil]] is a physical record—its terrain acting not just as space, but as a layered archive of history and memory. From the impenetrable stone flanks of the Citadel Mountains to the weathered expanses of its valleys and steppe lands, Terasil reflects not only geological time but cultural stillness.
+Terasil is a predominantly mountainous and arid region with limited river systems. The terrain includes high peaks, valleys, plateaus, and stretches of savanna. Notable regions include the Sanctuary Vale, Emerald Valley, and the Minthal ranges.
-|Regions=The prime regions of Terasil are the valleys of [[Sanctuary Vale]], [[Yalta Expanse|Yalta Expanse,]] and the Fractured Wedge. These are nestled between the mountain regions of the Citadel Mountains, the [[Murazkar Range]], the [[Boundary Mountains]], and the [[Khargaath Range]].
+|Regions=The prime regions of Terasil are the valleys of [[Sanctuary Vale]], [[Yalta Expanse|Yalta Expanse,]] [[Emerald Valley]]. These are nestled between the mountain regions of the [[Citadel Mountains]], the [[Murazkar Range]], the [[Boundary Mountains]], the [[Teardrop Range]] and the [[Khargaath Range]].
-|Climate=Terasil exhibits a range of climates based on altitude and terrain. Mountains experience cold, arid conditions, while valleys maintain temperate climates with seasonal rainfall. Plains are generally arid with sharp temperature variation. Subterranean regions retain consistent, cool temperatures year-round.
+|Climate=The climate of Terasil varies by region. Much of the land is arid, with minimal rainfall and sharp temperature extremes. Mountain peaks are cold year-round, while valleys such as Sanctuary Vale and Emerald Valley experience more temperate conditions and occasional seasonal rains. Highlands and plains remain harsh and sparsely habitable, while subterranean regions are characterized by stable, cool conditions.
 |Flora and Fauna=[[File:Slateback Behemoth 01.jpg|thumb|A Slateback Behemoth]]
 <noautolinks>{{See also|Flora and Fauna of Terasil}}</noautolinks>
-The biodiversity of Terasil reflects its elemental alignment and geological age. Its ecosystems are home to resilient species adapted to rocky, mineral-rich environments. Life forms range from surface-dwelling herbivores to deep-dwelling predators, with many possessing unique traits influenced by the realm’s spiritual energies.
+Terasil hosts ecosystems shaped by its geological age and alignment with elemental earth. Species are adapted to rocky and mineral-rich environments, often exhibiting traits influenced by the Domain of Oras itself. Proximity to the Citadel Mountains tends to impart stony characteristics to local life forms. Wildlife ranges from surface-dwelling herbivores to subterranean predators, many marked by unique adaptations to the realm's spiritual forces.
-|Inhabitants==== Duranthi ===
+|Inhabitants=Terasil is home to a number a sentient species. The [[Duranthi]], governed by a central council, inhabit the [[Sanctuary Vale]] and parts of the [[Yalta Waste]]. Some communities remain outside this authority, particularly in the wastes.
-The Duranthi are a human-descended people native to the high valleys, ridge cities, and plateaus of central Terasil.
-=== Capamnos ===
+The [[Minthari]] are divided between two factions, one in the [[Astrathal Range]] and another in Minthal.
-The Capamnos are natives who live high in mountain villages of various ranges of Terasil.
+The '''Capamnos''' are goat-like humanoids dwelling in small, isolated highland communities.
+The '''Vemi''' are a worm-like species dwelling in the deep tunnels. While often associated with impulses of greed, they are independent beings rather than a hive mind, and their interactions with other races are generally cooperative.
 |Native Spirits=Spiritual life in Terasil is governed by a stratified ecology of spirits that reflects the realm’s deep alignment with earth, memory, and the burden of continuity. While the spirit Tehrum anchors the physical foundation of Terasil, Varunel, the spirit of Memory and History anchors the metaphysical. Together, these forces define Terasil's spiritual logic.
@@ Line 61: / Line 63: @@
 |Notable Settlements=<noautolinks>{{See also|Cities and Towns of Terasil}}</noautolinks>
-* [[Kar-Thal]]: An ancient [[Orasian]] city carved into a mountain. It houses governing elders and sacred spaces.
+* [[Kar-Thal]]: An ancient [[Duranthi]] city carved into a mountain. It houses governing elders and sacred spaces.
-Notable Features: The Great Hall of Oras and the Catacombs of Eternity, both central to Orasian ritual and governance.
 }}