WEUS: an introduction
Weus is a little fantasy universe I have made in my spare time, only so that I can draw weird stuff and kind of string them together. The name comes from the initial idea of it being a collaborative project, like a workshop, hence the WE and US. But it is also to hark back to the French illustrator Mœbius, who is of great inspiration.
It has gone through various iterations throughout the years, but I finally think I’m at a point where it is in a place I like it to be. Now with that out of the way, the juicy parts . . .
Cosmology
It all takes place on an earth like planetoid called Weus, named so after a nature god of sorts. According to church doctrine, it stands at the center of the universe, above a dark moon hundreds of times its size: Charon.
In the church's view the northern lights bring the souls from the realm of the gods, Synnefo, into the material plane. The southern lights work in opposition, by taking the souls away down to Charon. The Chief of the gods, Aldebaran and her lover, Elnath order their seven children to scoop up these souls from Charon and take them up to Synnefo for "redistribution". Whilst they watch over the world as the moons.
The drops of souls lost on the way back up become meteorites.
An extremely simplistic overview of the cosmology (according to the church)
Other cultures hold different views of the cosmos and the cycle of rebirth. Who is correct is difficult to ascertain as no one has really been to the southern hemisphere and looked for Charon.
The Rinr talk of the "Wolf parade of the Hoh", who swoop up those who are destined for death. It is said that this procession can be seen during great periods of grief, and old loved ones can be spotted within it.
The sahalyari don’t experience death as we do, as they wake up again in their dark blood-filled birthing pools 10, 15 or maybe 500 years after they originally perished. No talk of an afterlife, just a little trip to the Void...
Geography
a hightmap of the Continent
Now, for the bread and butter. The main character of Weus: The Continent, the landmass that all its characters and stories take place. A diverse land of harpy filled mountains, forests of blood, shores of poison and oceans of flayed skin.
To its west it rests in the embrace of the sea of Panthalassa, an endless ocean only crossed by the elves and stone men of yore. To the north, past wall like mountains of Skarvenné; the endless steppes of white are found, home to the banshees and other scary stuff.
To its east the endless steppes connect the Continent to the rest of the world, to the old homes of man: "Kengir" and "Lodwar". Whilst down by the poisoned forests of the Plague Lands its connected to a place known as "Avesta".
The Continent itself is split into two halves by the Spine of the World, a huge mountain chain. On the Western side you get the Hinterlands, huge, forested areas with cold winters and wet summers. The Rinr, a wolf life people live here. South of the Hinterland you get the Heretical Headlands, named after the grand heretical empire of the Denuvi sea. The Orbial Covenant. Followers of the Great Serpent Queen, said to be hundreds if not thousands of meters long. Before the Denuvi Sea became a desert, it was an archipelago with a prominent kingdom of alchemists. But it’s said that one of the alchemists sacrificed its people, flaying them and turning them into snakes. The flayed skin now serves as the sand that makes up this desert.
The Toryngians also make their home here. A seafaring people, one will either find them raiding or trading.
To the east of the Heretical Headlands, the Araatian plateau and Murummi Highlands are located. Home to marshal kingdoms who all stand as the vanguard against the Covenant. These provinces used to be marshes for the Ain Empire of old and their ruins still dot the landscape. It is said the Elves and the men of the rocks fought here thousands of years ago, and the even older Eidolons had their capital here. South of the Araatian Plateau you will find the Riverlands, the home of the mages. A huge forest of enormous flowers and endless rivers fill this landscape. A multitude of independent mage cities keep in isolation here as the land is said to be quite potent with magical energies.
The islands south of the Riverlands, Hoorn and Oiito are home to the Sahalyari and Kohtak respectfully. The Sahalyari claims to be descendent from the elves of yore. They live around the Crimson Weald, and oversee holding it at bay, as the Void is quite potent within. The isles of Oiito are home to an isolationist empire, who does nothing but to infight.
A vesperi, a Sahalyari and a Kohtak
Further east one arrives at the Heartlands, home to a kingdom upon kingdoms, biggest being the Albawaabian: The Wall Kings of Old Kengir. This area is known to be the fertile heart of the continent, and it harbor the most people. The horse like Yppadamus live in
its periphery, by their grand Mother Trees: the Lyn Zurnapa.
A yppadamius, with their trusted Zurnapa
There are many more smaller kingdoms and cultures in the Heartlands, but I can elaborate on them some other time. South of the Heartland, the land of the forges, the spires of Automa rise from the deep jungle. A catlike people live here and the ancient forges of the Ain are said to still plop out new mechanical ones.
I think this serves as a good introduction to Weus, feel free to ask any questions if you have any and I will further elaborate on kingdoms or areas whenever I have the time! Theres also the Void and some creatures who I haven’t touched on yet, so look forward to that! :) I will use the tag WeusLore for such post!
