The World of Anghar exists in a system of eight planets. Each of Anghar's neighbors corresponds with one of the Seven Spheres of Magery and is viewed by the inhabitants as being the seat or throne of one of the Seven Servants.
Anghar has 4 moons called Vaudra "the father", Maudra "the mother", Kini "the child" and Skotothanos "the dark moon." Vaudra travels in an extreme elliptical orbit drawing near the planet and then receding. Maudra is the largest of the four moons. It is so large that on a clear night, when it is full, the reflected light of the sun can light up the sky as bright as dawn. Kini is a very small moon that circles Maudra rotating once for each orbit so that it always faces the Mother. Skotothanos is always considered to be an evil omen. It is a small, dark, gaseous sphere that travels in a tight retrograde orbit, circling the planet once in just under 24 hours. On very rare occasions when this moon eclipses the sun, it glows with a dark blood-red color surrounding a black center and covers the world in ruddy light for most of the day.
The Material Sphere in which the world of Anghar exists is surrounded by a number of immaterial spheres known as the elemental spheres. There are four elemental spheres (Water, Air, Stone and Fire), four anti-elemental spheres (Salt, Void, Shadow and Frost) and six para-elemental spheres, which represent a union of two elements (Mist, Mud, Steam, Dust, Smoke, Lava). It might help to think of the four elemental spheres as being arranged on the points of a tetrahedron, with the faces opposite of each point as belonging to the appropriate anti-element, and the edges of the tetrahedron marking the place of the para-elements. The material world, of course, resides inside the tetrahedron.
Anghar, though slightly smaller than earth in mass, is somewhat larger and less dense. Hollow bubbles, many of which are inhabited by a variety of life forms, pocket the crust.
Anghar also has a wide variety of rare magical and semi-magical elements. Urgonite being the most valued by mages for its ability to attract and store the magical energy called Xaris (pronounced CARiss). Others include Theradite, which radiates heat and dim red light in the presence of Xaris, Phosite, which radiates visible light in the presence of Xaris, and the highly dangerous Luonomite, which reacts violently in the presence of Xaris and thus is never found in its pure form.
Semi-magical metals include:
Argentium (living silver) can be forged (with the proper arcane rituals) into extremely hard yet lightweight items. It is a natural Xaris conductor and easily enchanted. It can be alloyed with steel to form argent steel or white steel.
Aurium (living gold) radiates Xaris at a frequency that neutralizes active schemas (magic). It is not suitable for weapons in its pure form, however it can be combined with steel to form auric steel, which enjoys the same anti-schema qualities and is quite suitable for weapons.
Gold, the "dead" form of Aurium does not have anywhere near the level of anti-schema power. However, it does offer some small protection from schemas that affect the mind--one reason why it is commonly used in fashioning crowns.
Iron/Steel is a Xaris resister and tends to heat in the presence of strong Xaris. Xaris tends to "stick" to iron, disrupting the natural flow of Xaris, and making the fashioning of schemas difficult. It can be effectively enchanted, and will not effect schemas that are already formed. Red blood (which contains iron) has much the same disrupted effect, which is why those who use ritual sacrifices do so at the end of their rituals. (The proper end to a ritual is just as important as the beginning).
Silver, the "dead" form of Argentium has much the same Xaris conductive power of Argentium.
The eight known human races all live in the northern-most of the two continents of this hemisphere. Nothing is known of the landmasses of the other hemisphere. The human races first lived on the eastern coast of the northern continent and have progressed towards the middle of the continent over their 5000+ year history.
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While strange degenerate tribes are still sparsely scattered about the eastern parts of the continent (merging at times with the demi-humans), the majority of the human tribes are clustered in six cities at the edge of the Burning Wastes. These cities are: (1) Argolis, (2) Aurium, (3) Argentium, (4), Chalcedon (5), Kypria (6) Kalkos. Each city is ruled over by a "Heptarch" who has sworn fealty to the "Archon" who in turn rules over the human lands on behalf the Overlord of the Seven Spheres. These Heptarchs are generally known as "The Dragon Lords" since they were placed in power and kept there by the Dragons and their cult of human followers following the Elemental Wars. Though the Heptarchs maintain their power through conventional warriors and mages, they also have a highly trained force of warriors called Kyrdraekin or dragon riders who actually ride winged reptiles called "draeks".
