Kalesten

The continent of Kalesten is west of Thiskel and east of the vast Tonult Ocean. The northern portion of the continent is heavily inhabited by humans and broken up into several nations. The subcontinent of Ertia is wedged beneath the greater Kalesten continent on the southeast, while the southwestern end arcs down a relatively narrow isthmus to open into the southern half of the continent.

North Kalesten

North Kalesten is where the majority of the Kalestan human population lives, along with many other races. The northernmost reaches are populated by hardy, dragon-worshiping Kaians spread across open steppes and boreal forests. Moving south, the region opens into rolling prairies and pasturelands surrounding the great inland Green Sea, which is more correctly a massive lake, as it is freshwater. To the south of the Green Sea is the large nation of Kosony and the Ardir forest which rises up the Ertian Plateau.

Further west of the Green Sea is the Heartland region of North Kalesten, consisting of fertile fields and forests that lay in the valley of the Gayntos and Perdraser mountain ranges. The interior eastern shore south of the mountains, surrounding the Sea of Kalesten is a Mediterranean climate. As Kalesten curves southward, the climate becomes drier and open grasslands cover much of the central isthmus.

Ertia

At the foot of the Ertian plateau lies a broad sub-continent that reaches into the tropics. The northeast of Ertia is filled with dense rainforests while much of the continent is tropical grassland and woodland. Only three human nations claim Ertia; the old nation of Ertia on the northwestern coast (which once claimed the entire sub-continent), Samdra to the southeast, and Shyon which claims much of central, south, and western Ertia.

Southern Kalesten

At the end of the isthmus is a sub-continent only slightly smaller than the northern portion of the continent. Nearly the entire region is covered in rainforest. The thick southwestern peninsula has a mountain range along its southern coast. The direct south of the sub-continent is a small peninsular delta which flows into the southern ocean. The southeast of the sub-continent is a longer, thinner, curving peninsula with two small mountain ranges and is covered partially in rainforest, grassland and swampland.

There are no human nations here, only the remnants of an ancient civilization that was eradicated by the Ur’Idayn. The forest is also inhabited by the Samiss and Nafod tribes. The mountains are also home to a few Zaedyn aeries.

Oceans and Seas

The west coast of Kalesten borders the North and South Riath Sea and allows for easy passage to and from Thiskel. The northernmost peninsula of the Lands of Kaius enters the arctic Sea of Lertura.

North Kalesten does not actually lay along the Tonult, the east coast is bordered by the Sea of Athere. This sea is hemmed in by arctic currents from the Lertura in the north and island archipelagos off the northeast horn of Ertia. Ertia itself and some of South Kalesten have shores with the Tonult. Encircled by Kalesten and Ertia is the Sea of Kalesten, a massive gulf of which the only inlet is the space between the southeastern peninsula of South Kalesten and Ertia. The southern shores of South Kalesten border the antarctic Sea of Kaltur.

Kalesten is also home to the largest inland body of water, the Green Sea. It is not a true sea as it is freshwater, but the vastness of the lake earned it the name of "sea".

Populations

Kalesten is home to notable populations of Zaedyn, Brech’mar, Asath, Ochae’nafod, Dra’nafod, Eain’Idayn, Fayl’Idayn, Oir’Idayn, Ur’Idayn, Kiar, and kuzo.

Humans have been in Kalesten since long before the War of the Gods, some schools of thought believe that humans migrated from Thiskel to Kalesten, while others, such as Ertians, believe that unique groups of humans were set in multiple places throughout the world by Nydoini.

The ancestors of the Zaedyn, Brech'mar, Asath, and Nafod in Kalesten arrived early on, following the decree of their gods to spread across the world. As Ochae'nafod and Dra'nafod in Kalesten are bonded to native flora and fauna, their arrival in Kalesten preceded species specific shape-shifting, meaning that they were of the first few generations of Nafod.

The Idayn migration did not occur Kalesten until after the Cataclysm, as at that point, the Idayn had only spread across North Thiskel. Eain'Idayn were created during the War, and so when Idayn sent out groups of pioneers, Eain'Idayn joined them. The settler groups that traveled to Kalesten became the Fayl'Idayn, Oir'Idayn, and Ur'Idayn. Eain'Idayn preferred the open grasslands, though they presently inhabit the more isolated regions of central Kalesten.

The Kiar are only of significant population in a handful of places in Kalesten, but they were originally native to the valleys of the western mountains of Ageond. During the War of the Gods, they were rounded up by Danaij used as the basis for the kuzo. Refugees that managed to escape set sail to the west, where they landed on Kalesten's shores.

Kuzo spread throughout most of the world during the War of the Gods, though primarily survivors remained in Thiskel and what was left of Ageond. Only a small number made it to Kalesten in scouting parties. Once the war ended, they were abandoned by their Danaij handlers and left to fend for themselves. These small bands managed to spread far and wide, but predominately in North Kalesten. Kuzo never settled in Ertia and have struggled to find a foothold in South Kalesten.

Samiss can be found in the southern jungles of Kalesten where they originated. Populations in Thiskel arrived by sea in the period after the Cataclysm.

There is a small vampire presence in Kalesten, as in Thiskel. Secretive clans managed to eke out survival after the War of the Gods, but many others came to Kalesten throughout history one by one, or in small groups from elsewhere in the world to secure a foothold for their clan, and thus, spread.

Nature (Meta)

Animal and plantlife "native" to North and South Kalesten corresponds to plant and animal life of the Americas. Ertia, with its terrestrial isolation, is home to Australian species. Some animals have been introduced from Thiskel (Eurasian, African species), and due to how close the continents are, animals that migrate long distances over sea or sky can cross into territories of animals they never would have met on Earth.