Mercia

Mercia is a bulge in the North-West of the continent of Terran and the most inhabited place of all of the four continents, yet this has not been proven because none have ventured into the other three continents and returned. Mercia is inhabited by many races of creatures that live in somewhat peace. The many countries and nations have extensive histories dating back to the days of the Great Migration. There are many types of areas in Mercia, and it is home to the Wizards of Sunrise, and their Elemental Theory.

Mercia is bordered from the rest of Terran (nicknamed the 'Fatallands') by a mountain range spanning across the length. Mercia sits in the middle of the Netherron Ocean, spanning from Terran to Bilan in the West. The Icelandic Sea is between Mercia and The Icelands in the north, the Soumos Sea is between Mercia and Mordirs in the South-West and the Dwarven Sea is situated at the bottom of the Fatalland Range spanning further than Dwynte yet it does not come into contact with the Netherron Ocean at all.

Adrian is the most common language in Mercia, spoken mainly in 'Adria. It has many variations and dialects spoken by the seven human nations. The other countries speak other languages such as Grögen and Tei. The mythology and legends of Mercia have all originated from the early stories told by the original fairies of the earth.

Etymology
Mercia comes from the Ancient Talk of 'Mark' (Area) and 'Shia' (Salvation). It was orginally named Markshia, but evolved into Mercia by the Adrian Sweep in 4078AI. Mercia incorparates The Icelands and Mordirs into its geography, even though Mercia originally only referred to the main peninsula, since it was where the fairies migrated to in the Great Migration. All languages in Mercia call it something similar: in Adrian, it's pronounced Muzea and in Tei, it is pronounced MeršiA.

History
In the very beginning, Mercia was simply a part of Terran, where the Tormen ruled. It was simply another area of interest, although many of the Tormen did not set foot into it. But when the Great Migration began, the Tormen, along with the rest of the fairies migrated into Mercia. Why this happened, none do know.

The fairies then settled into different areas of Mercia. They changed their shapes to survive in the areas, and became the many races of Mercia including the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Ogres and so on. However, over time, they lost their magic and became powerless. Those that did not, however, most integrated themselves into their powers and becaome one with their magic, becoming the present day Tormen, Larmen, Mermen, Urlmen and Girmen. Some did not change but now their numbers are few.

Then, the humans built themselves the nation of 'Adria, making their king, King Hadrian I. For many years, Hadrian I controlled the human population and their economy. The Elves meld Lvange and the Dwarves made Dwynte. 'Adria sat in the middle of Mercia, holding a large amount of the Forest of the Westerly Winds and controlling the waters of the Lake and River Isla (then named Lake Hadri and the River Vorth). Lvange and Dwynte sat beside the mountain range in the East, leaving the West as unexplored land. The Ogres, Trolls, Giants, Goblins and Orcs lived in tribes and packs around Mercia, not really ruling anywhere in particular.

Many human settlements began to form countries of their own. Konsolus and Vicargo were two major nations formed in the Vekar Plains and the West. Many small creatures formed nations themselves, including Npori, a small collection of settlements belonging to the pixies, nymphs and leprachauns. Meanwhile, Other nations formed in the East, expanding.

Then the Ogre raids began. The ogres organized themselves before launching a number of invasions in the East, until 'Adria proposed an idea, by giving the hordes a large amount of land on the east of the River Vorth to dissolve the hordes. They settled, taking some troll and giant settlements under their control. And this created the land of Ystranof.

As time went on, a bunch of human explorers ventured into the West and marked a large area in the North-West: RYB. This land was cut off, said to be haunted by the gods. And then the humans began their arguments: in Konsolus, a large civil war broke out between three factions. They fought and battled between each other before they drew out boundaries for themselves. This created the three countries of Inendo, Ikrasov and Sol. The main battlefield where they fought their battles became known as the Sacred Lands: barren and dead.

Afterwards, the pilgrimage of the wizards began. The groups of wizards headed over the Fatalland Range and into Mercia. Although human in appearance, they had retained their magical abilities. Some headed to the mouth of River Vorth (renamed River Isla after Ystranof's formation) and made a settlement with the grand Tower of Sunrise. The others headed to the South-West and sailed to the island off the coast, named Mordirs. These two groups became to be known as the Wizards of Sunrise, and the Sorcerers of the South-West. Since the Wizards had settled into the nation of Troitnt, they were under the command of the fairies.

This began the movement of the wizards into ethnics and politics. As they began to seep into societies with their studies and education, they caused the Adrian Sweep, making Adrian a common second language sicne many found it helpful with the abundance of humans. However, most humans gained edited versions of the language and they changed them into their variations over time. As the Wizards settlements grew, they negotiated with the fairies to create their own government as long as they protected Troitnt with their lives. This spawned Majora in the north.

Time passed, and the Sacred Lands began to become dangerous, the Goblin territories were grouped into the areas of Terataka and the smaller folk grew smaller in number. And in 4587, the five armies of the four corners began to begin their raids: The Garon Army, the Laryon Army, the Dlugn Army, the Belzi Army and the Iskila Army. The generals in charge began to conquer and fight, spreading the boundaries of their nations wide and minimizing the other nations. But then they suddenly stopped in 4591, and the colony of the Icelands began.

Industry began and Mercia began to prosper. Around 4599, the Vicargo Disaster happened, and Vicargo had a major jump in science into creating the Airships of Vicargo. The disappearance of the Emperor caused a new government to be assigned. Inendo, Ikrasov and Sol were still at war with each other and the many other nations began to settled into a sense of peace. At 4605, the 'ENA Treaty' was signed by Inendo, 'Adria, Sol, Zana Xi, Vicargo, The Icelands and Ikrasov to aid each other if ever the human population was threatened. And in 4612, the South-Westerns began their conquest.

Races of Mercia
There are a great number of races/species in Mercia. Some familiar and not so.

Humans
The backbone and main group in Mercia. There are seven great nations supported by humans, since they are the most adaptable yet hard to get on with. 'Adria has a grudge against Ystranof taking most of their farmland. Islaterra, the floating town in the middle of Lake Isla, is always under dispute whether 'Adria owns it or not. The humans have made great advances in inventions and produced the airships used in Vicargo.

Elves
The majestic forms of fairies, they retained the fairies ears and the agility. They have powers of the mind but have lost their magical ability along with the many other races in Mercia. They are a peaceful race, but they do argue with the Centaurs of Cerancia whether their ways are good or not. The Elves are found majorly in the country of Lvange where a great number of forests are. The elves have been called very good archers.

Dwarves
The Dwarves of Mercia are a hard-workign race. The males are short but strong creatures, able to do many a thing with metal. They craft many weapons, especially axes and shields. They are gruff and aggresive creatures, but war is not natural to them. The dwarf women are much taller than the dwarf men, and have been called the most beautiful beings, aside from the Nymphs. They are uneducated, due to laws in Dwynte, and spend their time doing housework and looking after their husbands.

Fairies
Fairies are evolved forms of the old Ancients that walked the Earth in 3000BI. They have wings and have some magic left in them. They can perform simple acts such as create brign life or death. They are few in number, but the majority live in Troitnt in the north next to Majora. They are peaceful and do not wage war at all, being natural pacifists. Thsi is due to their instincts saying they should protect the world, not destroy it.

Ogres
Ogres in Mercia are the main soldiers of the Ystranof army. They are overgrown and most are quite intelligent. They are strong and reflect the image of the older Stone Beings that lived in the mountains, known as Zdoman, now extinct. They have good organizational skills and very tolerant creatures. They are usually mistaken for Trolls, but ogres are known to have tusks and be slightly bigger than Trolls.

Goblins
Goblins are the cannibal race of terrorists. They camp in wooden huts and prey on the lost traveller. They are dimwitted, and act like animals. Their civilisation is simple tribes that hold territories inside the major land of Terataka, classed as the Goblin playground. Some live in other nations, feeding on the innocent civilian.

[[Ystranof Trolls|Trolls]]
Trolls are the working force of Ystranof. They are the main civilians of the towns, working and playing. They are clever with money and their hierachy is envied. Many think trolls are stupid, but they are very smart and have conducted many battle plans.

Giants
Giants are similar to humans, except they are much larger. Due to this, they were discarded from the human race and now live among the ogres and trolls. This was before the human race had developed a proper system of civilisation.

Wizards
The wizards are actually the Wizards of Sunrise, situated in Majora. Humans with magical capabilities, they have made many discoveries, including the infamous Elemental Theory. They are talented and well organized. They are the ones responsible for providing the materials necessary for the Airships of Vicargo, the Musket and the Cannons used in everyday warfare.

Sorcerers/South-Westerns
The sorcerers are similar tot eh wizards, except they delve deeper into magic forbidden by their council. They are traiend in hypnotism, shapeshifting and other foul magic. They are situated on the island of Mordirs and used to be lead by the High Sorcerer Lucifer. They are not just bent on killing; they would rather have power after their original homeland was left behidn for some unknown reason.

Orcs
The orcs are goblins trained by the South-Westerns and have much higher education. They are smart enough to know proper tactics. They are one of the armies used by the South-Westerns in warfare and production and industry.

Pixies
Pixies are mischevious beings who like tricks. They are small but annoying. Many settlements in Npori made of Pixies are located in the forests. They are intelligent beings, but their language is made up of riddles and are the cause of many hard thinking quests for treasure.

Brownies
Brownies are fairy like creatures, but their magic is gone and they cannot use their wings to fly. They are quiet creatures, but when angered can cause a lot of suffering for the atagonist.

Leprachauns
Leprachauns are creatures known to thrive for travelling and hoarding gold. They are attracted to bright colours and especially green. They are not usually short, and many have made very good entrepreneurs.

Nymphs
Nymphs are unable to leave their homeland. They are beautiful creatures, attracting the stray traveller, but their civilisations are primitive, since they cannot leave their homes. Their screams are often deadly.

Phyron
The Phyron are creatures hired under the South-Westerns. They were once the Larmen, but they have become so destructive, their magical capabilities have becoem part of themselves, becoming balls of living fire. They live on destruction and travel around burning whatever they meet to the ground.

Eyzeon
The enemies of the Phyron, they were built by the Girmen to combat them. They are creatures made entirely out of ice and duplicate themselves. They home themselves in the Icelands, and are the long-term enemeis of the Phyron, wanting to rid them off the face of Mercia.

Gnomes
The gnomes are small creatures that look afetr the forests. They are the tree waterers and feeders. They live to serve the trees, but have been enslaved by a Centaurian Company presently and are working in the main metalworks factory outside the Forest of Beginnings. They are skilled gardeners.

Centaurs
The Centaurs are beings that are good at archery. They aren't evil, just comitted to what is good for them. They are hard workers and in the Industrial Wave, the Centaurs built many factories and such to aid their economy. One metalworks blocks the Forest of Beginnings and has enslaved the gnomes that used to live there.

Larmen/Lizards of the East
The Lizards are often regarded as Salamanders, and their fire-breathing ability is still kept. They are skilled warriors and have learnt to contain their agressive tempers. They are wise and know much about the years before the Great Migration.

Wolves
The wolves of the forests have some magical ability, including the ability to talk to humans. They are used as messengers usually and scouts in the Human Army.

Sylphs
The Sylphs are cloud like creatures that control the weather. Little is known about them, and they are hard to distinguish from the clouds when in teh sky.

Undines
The Undines are creatures that regularly appear in the River Isla on the rocks in the centre. They rarely come to land.

Mermen
The Mermen are a civilisation situated below the waters of Lake Isla and the surrounding waters and seas. They are amphibians having webbed feet, a fish like tail, webbed hands and a fin along the top of their hand. Some also have fins along their arms. Many have said that they look similar to fish. The Mermen serve under the King of the Mermen who's palace is under the cliffface at the south of the Lake Isla.

Urlmen
The Urlmen are human like, but have wings on their back and cannot speak properly. They can hum, but whenever they try to speak normally, they can only screech. Their screeches can have different effects on humans, whether they paralyze, distract, hypnotize, hurt or even kill. The Urlmen are few in number, and many have turned to the South-Westerns for help.

Tormen
The Tormen are creatures that look like trees and live in the most oldest forests. Their main homes are the Forest of Beginnings and the Forest of the Westernly Winds. They have become distrustful with humans, except the Terran who live in the forest with them. They are old and wise and can give very good advice on almost any subject. The oldest of the Tormen is usually elected as a sort of leader and become the Elder of the Tormen, to guide them.

Girmen/Undor
The Undor are very old creatures made entirely out of metal. They are living robots, and live underground, therefore their empire stretches across the entire Earth. They have not changed from the ancient times, being able to live forever almost, and many remember of the time before the Great Migration. They do not intervene with events up in Mercia because their technology is far more superior and their meddling could cause even more distruction. Their civilisation is very well built and wars rarely happen in the public.

Eternally Damned/Walking Dead
The Walking Dead are creatures transformed by the Lord of the Walking Dead, grand ruler and original holder of the legendary Imperial Clockwork. They inhabit the Sacred Lands, capturing wandering travellers and either transforming them into one of them, or eating their flesh. They are basically creatures that have gone past death and are beginning to rot whilst having consciousness. They are vile beings.

Dragons, Titans & Gods
The three legendary species have not been seen or documented, but old reports say they inhabit a land in the North-West marked RYB (Reosoth, Yoriekth & Baronth = Gods, Dragons & Titans). None venture into the lands on account of fear.

Nations and Factions
Here is a simple list of the most well-known nations in Mercia:
 * 'Adria
 * Zana Xi
 * Vicargo
 * Lvange
 * Dwynte
 * Troitnt
 * Majora
 * Terataka
 * Inendo
 * Ikrasov
 * Sol
 * The Sacred Lands
 * The Icelands
 * Mordirs
 * Npori
 * Cerancia
 * Ystranof
 * RYB