Basics:
Name: An’katerr
Size: An’katerr is a small planet, a little more than half the size of Earth.

Location: It is the fourth planet out from the sun.
Rotation: 22 hours
Revolution:  312 days

Division of the year: A year has 312 days

The year is divided into seasons rather than months

Each season has 78 days

A day is 22 hours

 
About the Planet:
About the Sun(s): There is a single sun in the system called Shildrian.
About the Moon(s): Only one moon orbits around An’katerr. It’s fairly large and pearly white in color. The planet’s inhabitants call it Imbria.
Any other celestial bodies: There is a red comet that passes by the planet every 150 years. Known as the Tail of the Dragon, it heralds a time of change in the country of Telvan. In the other four countries, it’s largely insignificant.
Average distance from its Sun: 210 million km
Main Terrain: An’katerr has a single continent and several islands that sit roughly on the equator. The continent is mostly grasslands with one mountainous region and a very large desert. There is a great deal of water, as the continent is surrounded by ocean and many rivers run through it, forming deep lakes and marshy areas.

Telvan: The climate here is generally mild, though it has been known to get fairly hot on occasion. The terrain here is widely varied, though there is a great deal of forested land. There are hilly areas in the southern most part of the country. The Shadaran mountain range dominates the land at the most northern part of the border Telvan shares with Zalityu. 

Shanshiire: Shanshiire is almost entirely a desert country with very few areas where water is plentiful. As a result, towns are small and spaced far apart.

Zalityu: The terrain is mostly flat prairies with very little forest—most of the woodlands are along the border Zalityu shares with Telvan.

Jiinal:             Terrain here is mostly flat with some mountains in the central islands. 

Doval: 

Interesting Geographic Features: 

The Dragon River: It winds its way south through the most northern part of the country. It originates in the Great   Basin Lake in Doval. The Dovalians have an entirely different name for that river.

Great Basin Lake: There are two rivers that spread out from the Great Basin Lake. One terminates down in Telvan while the other goes into Zalityu and branches off.

Wild Howl River: The river running westward from the Great   Basin Lake into Zalityu is so named as where it begins is a massive waterfall.

Red WaterRiver: The south running river from the Great Basin Lake, named for the reddish clay found at the bottom. Some historians think that the Red Water got its name because it runs into Telvan.

White River: the only river that flows into Shanshiire. It comes out of Zalityu where it is better known as Maiden’s River.

Maiden’s River: a branch of the GreatMother River

Great MotherRiver: a river that flows into Zalityu from Doval. It branches off into the Maiden’s River. Where the two rivers meet is a sacred site to the Zalites as the daughter of the First Emperor drowned there.

About the Soil: The soil is generally a chocolate color. When it’s healthy, it feels smooth and moist, like handling thick batter. When it’s unhealthy, it’s gritty and crumbles easily. In Shanshiire, however, the ground is covered in a sand that is nearly white.
Rare Resources: JiinaleseSea wine, Kistrala

Popular/Common Resources: Arillira paste
Largest known Surface Feature: The Shadaran Mountain Range is the tallest part of the landscape collectively. The largest mountain in the group is Mount Olayen. 

About the Atmosphere:
Sky Color: Typically, the sky is a pale blue.
Air Quality/Composition: Earth equivalent

Average Surface Temperature: It varies from country to country. In general it stays fairly warm. Winters are only really cold in the northernmost country of Jiinal while a summer in Shanshiire can be fatally hot given that it’s a desert country. Telvan experiences a more moderate climate, rarely getting hotter than 25 degrees Celsius. Doval is cooler than Telvan, staying in the mid teens. Zalityu has a climate similar to Telvan’s, though it has been known to have temperatures similar to those in Shanshiire as they are the most central country and don’t benefit from the ocean as its neighbors do.
Maximum Surface Temperature: 47 degrees Celsius
Minimum Surface Temperature: -29 degrees Celsius
Common Weather Patterns: Hurricanes and such similar storms are common in Doval, Telvan, and Shanshiire. In Jiinal, due to the nature of its layout, experiences them in a different manner though they still occur. The outermost islands have much more severe storms than the other countries while the inner most ones get the mildest storms. Zalityu, being landlocked, doesn’t get as many storms. It has a single rainy season but is otherwise fairly dry.

Rare Weather Patterns: Earthquakes are rare.

About the Civilization: 
The Dominant Species: Human
Level of Technology: basic stuff, very medieval.
Animal Life: There is a great deal of animal life present on An’katerr. Each country has animal life unique to them and there are ones that are found in more than one country.

Telvan

Dragon, fire

Uviral: large, grey and brown birds of prey

Ruslin

 

 

Doval

Wolf, brown: unlike most wolf species, this one prefers the open plains to forested areas.

Yairo: a kind of cow that is multi-colored and spotted, generally in cream, black, brown, roan, or grey tones. It is used for milk and leather. The meat is typically exported.

Rajit – a kind of large jackrabbit that is often raised and eaten by common folk

 

 

Jiinal

La’hai: small, long haired sheep-like animals with cloven hooves and white or brown coats

Krelai – a kind of fish that has white meat and large bones

 

Zalityu

Fox, giant

Wolf, forest

 

Shanshiire

Tiger, sand

Mouse, pocket

Dragon, sand

Jirali – a kind of desert dwelling deer

 

 

Plant Life: 

Telvan

Licala vines: they produce a purple fruit shaped like eggs and taste quite sweet.

Tovren bush: a bush that typically grows in the wild that has a pale yellow flower.

Dragon berries: bright red, round berries that are edible but can make you very dizzy if you eat too many

Ash flower: common weeds found in virtually every wooded area

taila berries – a sweet but slightly bitter berry that grows wild on bushes all over Telvan. Berries are at their ripest in the summer. The hotter the weather the better the berries are.

Oris - roundish blue fruit with a sweet and spicy flavour

avola roots

kaldora mushrooms

weeping pine 

sardoren leaves

 

 

Doval

Kistrala: a rare spice that grows only in Northwall.

Diatho: a variety of red grape common to the Ioridan Valley. It can be eaten raw, used to make wine, or distilled into a beverage called riava. 

Tala berries

Caltris – a kind of coniferous tree that makes a mildly sweet syrup. Common to the northern regions of Doval

 

Jiinal

Sea grapes: they make wine from it that fetches outrageously high prices in other countries

 

Shanshiire

Arillira: a plant that produces a highly nutritional food item that tastes kind of like strong beans mixed with broccoli. When pureed into a paste, a spoonful of it will keep someone alive when there is no other food source.

Kilana: a grey fruit that taste like peaches

 

Zalityu

Dria – a dark fruit that looks like a plum and tastes like a cross between an apple and an orange

 

About the People:
Main Language(s): Most people of An’katerr speak the same language with some cultural variations. Only the Jiinalese have a separate language. The purest form of the language, according to the scholars, is spoken in Zalityu.
Common Traits: Each country has their own distinctive appearances.

Telvan: they have a Caucasian skin tone and predominantly brown hair, though other colors do show up from time to time. Red heads are rare yet considered very lucky.

Doval: they have an Asian skin tone and predominantly black hair though darker toned brunettes have been known to pop up.

Shanshiire: the Kasheran people have the darkest skin tone and are typically dark haired; blonds are extremely rare and are viewed with a bit of distaste by the general populace.

Zalityu: most commonly red haired are very common here, though blonds aren’t. 

Jiinal: the Jiinalese have a tanned skin tone and are primarily blond.
Major Religion(s): Each country has a Sky Lord which they venerate.
Important Historical Events:

0 – The Beginning of Days

03 – The fist copy of the Book of Days is written down

02 – Tanjihad built, Calen Hall built

04 – Karath built, Wolf Rock built

06 – Dathren Cove built

26 – The daughter of the first Emperor of Zalityu drowns

206 – Jiinal breaks away from mainland

328 – Jiinal breaks into small islands

462 – Shadow Hawk Bandits established

829 – Kenjariyo is born

831 – Shinjaloye is born

840 – Balindren made Metal Sage

843 – Leshmiir is born

847 – Hanoki is born

851 – Ishalaad is born

852 – Sahiren is born

853 – Shinjaloye becomes Empress

854 – Kishandren is born

857 – Chounen is chosen as a Dragon Warrior

858 – Aldiara is born

859 – Lehenar dies, Leshmiir becomes Emperor

866 – Hanoki marries Ishalaad

871 – Ukaren dies, Julong is born

Type of Government: Monarchy (Imperial – Emperor and Empress)
Major Cities: Karath, Wolf Rock, Dathren Cove, Tanjihad, Calen Hall

 

 

About the Religion:
Each country has a protecting Deity that they venerate. Collectively, they’re known as the Sky Lords. Each individual is responsible for a single element.

Telvan – Kal Sharash the Fire Lord

Doval – Kal Kiterr the Wood Lord

Shanshiire – Kal Berash the Metal Lord

Zalityu – Kal Atlien the Earth Lord

Jiinal – Kal Valorn the Water Lord

 

Each Sky Lord has a Chief Priest or Priestess that can petition them directly. This individual is protected by a group of five Warriors. Each Warriors is chosen by a Sacred Gem that grants them a special ability to help them protect the Priest or Priestess. Each country has a different color and shape of Sacred Gem. 

Telvan – oval, red

Doval – square, brown

Shanshiire – teardrop, black

Jiinal – circle, blue

Zalityu – square, white

In addition to their respective Priesthoods, each Sky Lord has a Sage. As the Sky Lords are all male, the Sages must thus always be female to balance the world. The Sages move among the people more easily than the Chief Priest(ess) can.

 

About the Social Structure:
Each country is ruled by an Emperor or Empress. There is no stigma against either gender when it comes to ruling. Some countries have more favor towards a specific gender, but won’t completely discount someone from the opposite gender. Such a thing is contrary to the will of the Sky Lords.

Preferably, the throne is passed from parent to eldest child. Bastards are rarely tolerated and only when there is no other choice. Should an illegitimate child inherit the throne for some reason or another, it is the duty of the Chief Priest(ess) to ensure that the individual rules fairly. As soon as a child reaches a proper age, the illegitimate ruler is forced to abdicate in favor of the child.

 

About the Countries:
Telvan

Colors: red and gold

The color white symbolizes death and is worn when in mourning. It’s not necessary to wear it head to toe. How much white you wear at a funeral or when in mourning is proportionate to how well you knew the deceased. If you didn’t know someone well, you’d wear a token amount, but if you were close to them or knew them well, you’d wear as much as you could. In the case of a public figure, you’d wear a great deal, especially if it was someone who was well-loved and widely respected. In the case of a member of the Imperial house, you’d dress all in white. No exceptions.

People with red hair are considered to be very lucky, but they’re quite rare.

Mt. Dorayen, located in the Shadaran mountain range, is a popular hangout for bandits.

 

Doval

Colors: light brown and copper

            The Dovalians bury their dead in boxes with stones marking the grave’s location.

 

Jiinal

Colors: dark blue and bronze.

It is believed that Jiinal was once a part of the mainland, but was separated from the others. Whether that was an act of Kal Valorn or whether it was due to some natural disaster is unknown. It is the only country divided into provinces, one for each island.

The climate here gets colder than it does on the mainland. Snow has been known to fall in the northern islands and a thin layer of ice forms over the ocean. As a result, the ships the Jiinalese use can be equipped with a metal piece at the front to allow them to cut through the ice.

The Jiinalese utilize use names.

 

 

Shanshiire

Colors: black and silver

            The people that live here are called Kasheran, a term that is both the singular and the plural.

A common game they play is Kru-shin. It’s a form of hopscotch with very elaborate layouts.

 

Zalityu

Colors: white and platinum

The terrain is mostly flat prairies with very little forest—most of the woodlands are along the border Zalityu shares with Telvan. 

The river that flows into Zalityu from Doval is called the Great Mother River, while the river that branches off from it is called Maiden’s River. The area where the two meet is a sacred site. The daughter of the First Emperor drowned there.

 

 

Festivals

Coelirian – a fertility festival (Sage of Water)