Geography


GEOGRAPHY

Alkaverse has a highly-varied continent, with multiple distinct biomes on its surface. This is primarily caused by the interference of lesser gods, who reshape its land in their image as they stake claims across the city-states. In recent years, the borders of many cities have settled slightly, meaning less upheavals occur nowadays.

DIMENSIONS

Lesser gods, upon birth, do not create a dimension. Rather, they find a piece of land on the continent of Alkaverse and build their own city-state there, tweaking the natural landscape to support their mortals. Of course, as land is limited, war is quick to break out, and has become almost a staple of their culture - if one wants more space for their dimension, one must fight the other lesser gods for it. Cities are overtaken, annexed, and land renovated quite often. 

Several lesser gods have taken their cities a step further, either building tiny floating islands to colonize instead or constructing sky-cities to attempt to stay away from the conflict. Diplomacy is nearly unheard of.

There have not been new lesser gods for thousands of years. 

CLIMATES

Weather in Alkaverse varies heavily, with interference from the lesser gods causing the natural climate to spiral out of control. Temperatures easily reach extremes even in the most temperate areas, and floods are incredibly common in the large river basin of Rio Quamecia. Weather factories are only present in the wealthiest cities, seen as almost a luxury when the threat of war hangs over so many economy's heads.

In the northeast, temperatures almost never rise above freezing, allowing the cities that had built in its harsh conditions a layer of natural protection from invaders. The three lakes situated in the Cycla Snowfields are warmed by heat cores at their bottom, although occasionally a thin sheet of ice forms. Due to their warmth, they're almost akin to hot springs instead of lakes, and are a highly-coveted destination for many residents in the north.

The southeast is comprised mostly of wetland, transitioning from swamps near Smatter Creek to true forest nearer Deepwoods. The further south one moves, the more tropical and jungle-like the forest becomes, with taller trees and heavy rainfall due to interference from the Tablia City Weather Factory. The forest is mostly untamed and highly treacherous, full of wild animals and mobile plants. The wetlands are renown for their bogs, tar pits, and sinkholes. Rivers draining from Lake Quamecia cut through the region and flood harshly during monsoon season, often submerging the slums of the cities on its banks.

Lake Quamecia takes up the majority of the southwest, the largest freshwater lake and one of the few sources of fresh water. Its size is much more akin to an ocean than a lake, but the name has stuck throughout the years. While multiple cities lay on its shores, its rivers, or on its waters, Quamecia Metropolis is its unchallenged owner, using it often to trade goods down the river or to sell its drinking water, fish, and resources. Deep in the center of the lake is a massive trench, cutting deep into the continent's core. No one has ventured into its depths.

The northwest is primarily desertous badland, transitioning from sand in the south to rocky terrain in the north, split in half by the Listless Peaks, a mountain range lush with mines and glaciers. Although there is rarely enough moisture for rain, the tips of the peaks do see snow, allowing for some skiing and snowboarding by those cities that have the luxury of enjoying simple pleasures. They were once marked by a large pine forest, but this was burned down by Desertian students as a form of protest and was never remade.

Central Alkaverse is primarily grassland and plains, mostly nondescript. Smattered with the ruins of overtaken cities, it has become a ghost town in recent years.

REALMS

Alkaverse carries the three standard Realms of most universes: the Mortal, Harmonic, and Chaotic. The Harmonics and Chaotics reside in their Realms, and while their presence is known to mortals, they do not allow visitors into their worlds. Zev, before their death, often lived in either Realm, switching off every few years. A handful of the Harmonics and Chaotics lived outside the Realms, either having been cast out or leaving on their own accord.

The Mortal Realm is highly varied, and comprised of a single massive continent and several small floating islands. There is nothing underneath the continent save for empty void. It has a dangerously active magical ecosystem - not quite on the level of saturation yet, but it's far too close for comfort.

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