Tag: Highwind Desert

Gears Are Turning in Sapphire

Gears Are Turning in Sapphire

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We keep mentioning our wonderful districts, so now we’re going to start introducing them. Astranar has eight districts, each with their own individual flare, and they can be quite competitive with each other. In Astranar, the districts are named after gemstones. This week, we’ll be discussing Sapphire, where Ether magic brings out the power of the celestial in all.

A twisting hill land of grasses and sand that is close enough to the Highwind Desert to affect the local climate, Sapphire is on the northeast side of the country up against the foot of the Whistlebacks, and sharing a border with the Ruby, Emerald, and Amethyst districts. Southern Spain was the inspiration for this district of Astranar (which makes sense considering the location of the equator for both countries). With tall, gleaming white buildings set in mazes among hills and winding dirt roads, Sapphire seems a lot more sparse than it is, with a rich history and ancient runes that hint at the past for Astranar. Of course, if they can be found is the trick there, since some of those ruins are quite out of the way.

Granada

The nobility find Sapphire a welcome change of pace, and so there’s a heavy collection of them around. Some are lords, there’s a count and a local knight… Why so many flock can also be nailed down to the “exiled” prince, Sebastian, who makes his home at his family’s estate in Sapphire. Why he was removed from the line of succession is a mystery that the royal family has kept private… Some of the lords may also be by because Sapphire has a large bull fighting arena. (For those who have read Emerald‘s entry, you can imagine how big of a problem that can be!) Fashion in Sapphire is just a bit kooky–steampunk is the name of a game, perhaps as a nod towards formality for the gentry?

casualsteampunk1

With all the grassland hills and valleys, horses that do well on the straight and on dusty terrain are best suited to Sapphire. Good thing they have the breed books for Arabians and Barbs! In addition, they have the Hackney Horse for those who might be more inclined to their high speed trotting and delicate lines. The racing specialty around these parts is the straightforward flat race, though of course nothing is ever that simple, right?

barb

Ether magic resonates with So on the solfege scale. Ether is magic of the spirit, and in many ways is closer to “traditional” forms of magic. Those of the Ether don’t really take the beaten path, as they serve as bridges between Earth, the heavens, the spirit, and the body, though they value safety with their independence. They are deep thinkers who can often be found holed up in a lab of some sort. On the small scale, Ether magic can tolerate dualities, like hot and cold, have higher endurance of thirst, fatigue, or hunger, or converse/interact with spirits or ghosts. On the large scale, it is the power of alchemy, changing one element for another among other things, and space magic. Be careful not to form a baby star in the backyard!

If you’re following Ginny’s twitter blog, you’ll know that all of the districts, including Sapphire, have their own little specialties and symbols. I won’t bore you with all of them, and I want you to get to enjoy finding them out on your own! (The name is one giant clue to one of them, fyi.) I will mention that the Sapphire mentors depend on which side the main character chooses. If they go with the Light, they will look to Minna Opuswright (profile pending), and if they go with the Shadow, they have options: Veronica Highflute (profile pending) and Varteni Heatforte (profile pending).

The Mysterious Continent of Argentum

The Mysterious Continent of Argentum

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hidden by storms. Shrouded in silver mists. Protected by rocky shores thick with wild fierce reefs. In the mid to southern Pacific Ocean, the continent of Argentum was nearly inaccessible until the invention of aircraft. Throughout history, stories thrived of lost ships and aircraft, and with them, people. It wasn’t until the people, survivors of these lost souls, reversed engineered technology were they able to bring the wider world’s attention to this secret land.

Home to mountains, deserts, swamps, hills, plains, forests of many varieties, and farmlands within a relatively small space, sailors and passengers of wrecked ships found homes on terrains that reminded them of their countries of origins. Four distinct countries have developed with the culture of the survivors, the most well-known being Astranar, the new Equestrian and Horse Capital of the World. People were drawn to where their ways were suited.

The Whistleback Mountains cut through the continent, creating a barrier and dictating the weather and geography. To the south and southeast lies Astranar, the proverbial bread basket of the continent. Pastoral and serene, the Whistleback Mountains turn into steep hills covered by dense forests parted by lakes and rivers that feed into marshes and grasslands along their coasts. Ruled by a King and Queen, Astranar is the more heavily European with the gothic style and the Victorian Era having left a harder stamp on the continent than elsewhere.

Rather than embracing a reliance on fuel-dependent cars, most of Astranar still travel by horse, with long distances being covered by train. Horses center around Astranar life, and not only is the island home to a wild breed banned from export, but several breed books for other horses around the world.

To the North of the Whistlebacks is the country of Zablana and its great Highwind Desert. Their greenery thrives on the coast lands. Divided into districts, each is ruled independently by a governor, and together they make the decisions for the country by claiming a seat at the ruling council of Zablana. Here sailors of Arabia, Africa, India, South East Asia, and the Pacific Islands gathered together, mixing their love of spicy foods and intricate carvings and mosaics with their own love of horses.

On the north side of Zablana’s coast, Cheoi Bastia has claim to an island chain, featuring seven main islands. Cheoi Bastia boasts to be the home of those descended from China, Korea, and Japan. One island is divided in two, with half belonging to the imperial palace and the emperor who resides there. They don’t rely on the horse as much as other countries and their lands remain something of a mystery even to the other countries as they are just beginning to open their borders.

In the southwest, Nospos controls a portion of the mainland and a large island, reminiscent of their Greek heritage. Ruled by a beautiful queen, with many daughters and one son, descendants of sailors of the Mediterranean and sailors from the Americas blended their cultures. Other countries considered them snobbish, but they consider themselves refined. Their love of racing is only rivaled by their love of showing off their horses in order to admire their fine lines and beauty.

There are many mysteries and secrets on the continent of Argentum. Mysteries that need to be solved and each year, tied to their love of horses, young girls are invited to come from all over the world to discover their connections to this beautiful but hidden land. Does your main character dare to find the solutions to these mysteries? Where will they hunt for answers? What will they be drawn to? Will they find their heart’s home in Argentum?