Astriale is largely an undeveloped part of my world. I've only recently started work on it and I find playing in it can be a fun way to expand it and allow some players to help shape it as well. For all intents and purposes its treated as a separate plain much as the underdark is.

The Myth:
Astriale is thought to have been made from the remnants of a second moon which was shattered during the War of Heroes. Is said that the moon was the sister of the twin born gods. (sun and moon gods) But she perished in the War of Heroes and thus formed Astriale.


The Three Plains:

The world its self is divided into three plains. Astriale, Etheros, and Undarro. While all part of the same world, they are separated by plainer barriers. Thus travel between them is not a simple matter. Astriale would be the floating islands surrounded by sky. Ethros would be more akin to a normal world with oceans and land masses. And Undarro would be the underdark.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:58, Thu 14 Jan 2021.

The Star Kings

Jinak, the Silver Pillar: Associated with the North Star, Jinak is the sole constant in the skies above. Representing the stability of tradition and the comfort of hearth and home, Jinak is the most ancient of the Star Kings, and also the most revered. He is said to sometimes take the form of a silver bird, guiding lost souls on their way home.

Orsevir, the Vagabond in Gold: Associated with the constellation known as the Vagabond, Orsevir is typically seen in the Western part of the sky during the summer, disappearing during the winter months. He represents both wealth and its absence, and the way that all luck can wax and wane. He is typically depicted, as his name suggests, as a wealthy traveler or merchant in gold-colored clothing, and his passage is said to bless all nearby with wealth and fertility.

Gera, the Wind Dancer: Associated with the Constellation known as the Dancer, Gera is seen traversing the sky around the year, circling around Jinak at a regular, constant rate. Though she occasionally disappears over the horizon, she always returns. Gera is thus seen as a consort to Jinak, representing the fleeting nature of love and desire. Gera is a matron of poets, musicians, artists and (of course) dancers, bestowing inspiration when the mood strikes her.

Sohai, the Unyielding Mountain: The earth quakes, and a mountain rises in an explosion of fire and magma. The earth trembles, and the mountain returns to the flat earth in a shower of rock. This is the nature of Sohai, whose constellation, the Stout, stands to the South, slowly moving across the Southern sky. He represents strength and fortitude, the ability to stand tall against adversity and the willingness to fall for the sake of the greater good. Sohai is said to show his favor through various lizards, and the presence of one in your tent prior to a battle is seen as a good omen for the fight ahead.

Paisha, the Luminous Sage: The constellation known as the Sage is typically seen to the North and East, and is usually more visible in the autumn and spring. Paisha is a goddess of knowledge, discovery and invention, always guiding others to new and interesting places. She is the first of the constellations to appear in the night sky, and the first to greet the sunrise, hence her name. Woe betide the world when Paisha does not appear, for it means confusion and chaos are imminent.

Lueth, the Bramble Queen: The Wild Rose is a fearsome and temperamental constellation of the south and west, for it represents the Bramble Queen, whose favor is as dangerous as her disfavor. She represents fervor and passion, the things that drive men to great deeds but also lead them to stray from the path. She is the matron of the gambler, the drunkard, the berserker and the lover. Her prominence in the sky demands people give in to the desires of the night and damn the consequences of dawn. Regret has no place in the court of the Bramble Queen.

Virhara, the Black Star: Though it may technically be "seen" in the sky all year around, just as Jinak can, this star shines no visible light. Indeed, it can normally only be seen when it blots out the light from another star. The appearance of Virhara is a terrible omen, for Virhara exists only to disrupt the fate laid out by the other Stars, unraveling the natural order of things. Virhara sometimes takes the form of a bird of prey, when he wishes to influence the affairs of mortals more directly, and as the name suggests, his messengers are always pitch black, regardless of their regular color.

In addition to these other important gods are as follows (These are still a work in progress).

Unelanuhi is the Sun goddess

Ishala is the moon goddess

Astriale the fallen goddess

Ocasta god of Dwarves

SINA goddess of the Elves

Sehulu god of Halflings

Kanati god of Dragonborn

NAFANUA god of Ocrs

The Hithari are a nomadic people who are wide spread across the world. Each tribe has their own customs but the people as a whole share some core beliefs.

The Hithari are mainly made up of Humans, though tribes have started to take in outsiders who are willing to adopt their ways. Half-Orcs tend to be the most common outsiders accepted and can be found in most tribes.

Most of the Settled Humans are descended from the Hithari and thus many of their traditions are still present in human society.

The Three Traditions

There are three ancient traditions, found among the Hithari people and many of their "barbarian" cousins. Those who violate one of the Three Traditions invite upon themselves exile or death.

These traditions are: courtesy, hospitality and sanctuary.

The tradition of courtesy is the basic notion of showing respect and civility to others, and not acting with hostility without reason.

The tradition of hospitality is the practice of providing food and shelter to any who come to your door seeking it, regardless of who they are and where they are from.

The tradition of sanctuary grants special privilege to temples and other places of worship, and dictates that no blood shall be spilled on sanctified ground.

Courtesy, hospitality, sanctuary. These are the traditions at the foundation of Hithari society.


While not as harsh in the general population of Humans for violations, these three traditions have carried over to Human society and are the foundation of many of the laws that create the foundation of current Human society.

Due to how Astriale was formed, rifts sometimes open up and elemental beasts appear in the world. These beasts are a danger to most settlements, and precautions have been taking to keep these rifts from appearing in a city. However outside the city these rifts are able to open, and Hunters are generally called in to deal with the beast that follows.

Hunters: Hunter ships are free agents that cross the world over, hunting the Rift Beasts. Its a hard life, but good money can be made from it. The larger the ship the more challenging the Rift Beast they can take on. Its not unheard of for Hunters to team up from time to time. But by the same token its a competitive market and they will often fight each other over hunting grounds. Hunters are also used as escort vessels by Merchant ships when traveling between islands.

Rift Beast: These beasts appear out of the rifts when they open up. The extent and power of each depends on the size of the rift. For the most part they resemble the more common monsters of the world. The difference being that they all have some sort of elemental affinity and are far more powerful than the creature they resemble. Even the smallest ones are a match for two or three seasoned Hunters.

The City of Etheris is the largest city in the world with a population of approximately 1.5 million.

Through the thick wisps of clouds, a massive, hulking silhouette is materializing before your vision. At first the shape appears dull, its edges, blurry; but as the engines of the airship drone on, suddenly the haze seems to step back, parting its curtain for the grand stage ahead.

Like an enormous creature of earth, foliage and rubble, an island lays sprawling before you in the air, defying gravity, proud and aloof as it floats.

The island is richly covered in greenery and life: emerald trees carpet its land, practically singing in their beauty. Sloping hills gently scuttle along, giving birth to patches of vibrant, fertile farm land. Thin threads of rivers wind their way through peaceful, sleeping valleys. It is quiet, with few people scattered throughout, living humbly with the land.

Upon roughly the center of the island, a lush mountain boastfully sits, the crown jewel upon the beast. Like the hips of a supple woman, the base of the mountain rises up, up, the beginning quests for grandeur. But ridges and mounds artistically provide punctuation, character and definition. The mountain scape quakes down, up again, down, as if the tempo of a song was changing when the mountain was being formed. The rock swells with majestic rhythm, sweeping its peak into a grand cathedral, towering above all.
Its crags are at once both intimidating and benevolent; aggressive and nonchalant. All the while, the emerald green trees effortlessly coat the mountain scape like a lover keeping possessively close.

An azure lake luxuriously stretches out at the base of the mountain, as if nestled enticingly at its feet, attempting seduction on its master. The shining face of the lake reflects a mirror image of above... the mountain, the sky... its perfect surface broken only with the occasional boat. Moderate activity dots the lake--the local fishermen toiling for their take to market, a momentary glimpse into their simple lives.


Determined to claim magnificence for itself, there is a manmade marvel: a three tiered city, each tier built stubbornly, willfully into the mountainside.

Each tier is a bustling hub of life: commerce, trade, industry. From the far away vantage point of the airship deck, it is markedly easy to identify class segmentation. At the top level, the shameless revelry of amassed riches is blatantly displayed, out of reach from the commoners below. The cityscape is impressive and beautiful, although the population is noticeably smaller. A central palace dominates the tier, commanding reverence, its existence demanding tribute. This palace no doubt houses the island's nobility. Many other lesser palaces are threaded through the city, providing fantastical housing options to the deliriously wealthy.
This city is replete with a rich variety of opulent shops, offering only the finest quality wares and food stuffs. Luxury and resplendence is a way of life here, and the people who call this tier's city "home", make no apology for that.

Finely manicured, artistically arranged gardens, meticulously cared for, lavishly spread around the palace grounds. It is obvious people in this city have the wealth and thus the space to enjoy such green havens, complete with sleek, strong privacy walls of considerable height. Built with a polished look, yet maintaining their no nonsense conveyance of "not for you", the walls applaud themselves for a job well done.

When one wanders the streets, there are many courts and city watch offices that claim importance among the endless siege of fine buildings. While the middle tier also offers some lower courts, and all levels have a degree of law enforcement/city watch officials, this tier is home to the head quarters of all. From the sky, however, it is impossible to distinguish what occupational tenant occupies which building. The cityscape is full of  fine archways, fluted columns, grand fountains, paved courtyards, sweeping balconies, magnificently sculpted statues. The entire city is jaw dropping to the beholder; each building seems jubilant and proud over its fine craftmanship.

Tearing one's sight away from the dizzying details of the grandeur of the top portion of the city proves difficult, but there are yet two more layers to visually investigate as the airship draws ever closer.

The second tier is humming with activity and life. A vast array of merchants line the streets and fill shop fronts of all sorts. There are bustling taverns and well kept inns hopping to keep up with business. In addition, a large central market covers a large portion of land, and this tier is eager home to the guild halls as well.

Looking at this tier's constant buzz of activity, it is hard to not be instantly infused with an energetic excitement. The endless possibilities are palpable. Residents bustle through the affairs of daily life, twisting through the streets, tiny beings from far away appear little more than fluid, wriggling dots.

The architecture of this portion of the city is also beautiful, with rising cathedrals, elegantly curved high domes and arches, and reaching spires. Residential districts are thoughtfully situated throughout the neighborhoods, ensuring amenities are close and conveniently obtained for all, but not so close to merchants as to create discomfort. While few residential options are provided with large yards, unlike the tier above it, this level boasts several public parks for its residents to enjoy some green spaces, and thus a sense of peace.


Down to the bottom... this tier appears to be a patchwork labyrinth, of sorts. Upon closer viewing, there is the gnawing realization that it is the level reserved for the slums.

Coating the cityscape are slapdash dwellings haphazardly stacked upon each other, multiple levels deep, rows upon rows of buildings. It is a sea of humanity, but there appears to be little humanity reserved for them. Whatever scraps could be gathered and cobbled together for rudimentary shacks make up sadly permanent homes. Those fortunate enough to have a business simply live above their store front.


Each tier has large ports for docking airships, so there is no need for complicated and unnecessary travel between tiers. This is ideal, because
making one's way to another tier is difficult, tedious. There is significant distance between each tier's location on the mountain side, and the terrain is precarious indeed. A system of cable cars has been constructed, that provides expedited passage between cities, but gaining that passage in itself can be cumbersome, trying... if not nearly impossible for one unfortunate enough to occupy the wrong station in life.

Elf: The Elves of Astriale have become the lore keepers of the world. Their cities host grate libraries. They guard this wealth of knowledge as a dragon guards its hoard. Outside their cities the Elves run a society of lore seekers. While members of any race can be a member of the Lore Seekers, the knowledge they gather is tucked away into the vaults of the great libraries.

Thorn Elves: (Non Player Race) update to come

Dwarf: Dwarfs are the engineers of the world. If its built by a dwarf its bound to last. While not as adept at coming up with new tech, they excel at making it. The Dwarves work closely with Gnomes who have a knack for coming up with inventive ideas.

Obsidian Dwarves: (Non Player Race) update to come

Gnome: If Dwarfs are the engineers of the world, then Gnomes are the architects. They excel at coming up with unique designs and inventive plans. Usually they work close with the Dwarves to see these plans realized.

Goblin: Goblins have earned a somewhat tenuis place in Astriale. While tribes of more barbaric Goblins exist in the wilder parts of the world, they have somewhat become more civilized and can be found in most cities. Though typically only in the poor districts.