Metriandan Anatomy

Celestial Bodies

Metrianda has two natural moons and a sun-like celestial body. The Matans tied the movement of these bodies to the Voidships that they planned to construct- The Sun and The Moon.

There are 2 moons- Estla and Shederian, named after important figures in Pre-Matan Metrianda,also known as Escherin. Of the two moons, Estla is the smallest, and more egg-shaped than the other. There are settlements on both, though they are widely believed to be the territory of the Pre-Matan Tenebris Empire and are currently ruled by the white dragon Sincerity. While often traveled between in Pre-Council times, the aerial highways that connect them to Metrianda are long since out of commission and dismantled, though one or two supr-rings are still in place and occasionally visible in the night sky. At the moment, due to the positioning of The Sun and conflicts between it and The Moon, Estla and Shederian are stuck in an indefinite double full cycle- making it dangerous, if not impossible, for lycanthropes to safely exist above the glass.

There is one sun, which is unnamed and very small. This sun is directly tied to the movements of The Sun and was constructed by The Matans to replace the magic the Tenebri empire used to create a day/night cycle as there is no natural sun in Metrianda. According to The Nevergreens, the original Sun in Metrianda was eaten by The Mother of Moons, a large elseworld traveling dragon that, according to popular legend, eats stars. This dragon is also supposedly the mother of the 2 moons Metrianda has- which are also, according to recent reports from the Heroes of Robasa, a large fossilized baby dragon and an unhatched but alive dragon egg. Furthermore, according to popular Escherinian legend, Estla, the egg, will hatch on the 50th day of the 10000th year of a new era and plunge Escherin/Metrianda into a hundred years of darkness. This claim is unsubstantiated.

Glass

The glass that bisects Metrianda is a 500 mile thick sheet of jet black glass that is seemingly held in place by the 13 (now 11) towers of Metrianda. The glass itself is highly reactive- sparkling into shimmering gold and rainbow lights when touched by a sentient creature, and is often mined and used for the construction of Keys by the one remaining key-manufacturer- whose identity is kept a secret for their safety (but is widely believed to be a surviving son of Matan). The glass itself appears to be the same material that makes up the cylinder of Glass that Metrianda sits on, and seems to be a solidified version of the black reactive sand that can be found deep in the canyons of Hallowed-Cove, in the Wells of The Underglass, and deep under the areas surrounding each tower and empty tower-base in Metrianda.

There are a variety of theories over what the glass is, how it formed, and what purpose it exactly serves- but there is no overwhelmingly accepted theory. The foremost popular theory suggests that it served as a means to filter out light from Escherin/Metrianda’s original natural sun and was put there by Metrianda herself. A non-unsubstantial number of proponents of this theory suggest that she may have also used this focus and filter ability like one might a magnifying glass- in the sense that she could concentrate and direct the light into a single smiting beam- which is an unempirical anecdote with no scientific or historical foundations to stand on. Other popular theories hypothesize that the glass naturally formed during the creation of Metrianda, either as the dust and sand that make up the Elseworld were condensed into a singular sheet and heated by the sun or as merely debris from the original sun itself. These theories often present the idea that there is no real purpose to The Glass, that it exists as merely a geographical feature of the fantastical realm and is unintentional- a thought often considered heretical by old-world religious organizations.

While mostly unexplored it is relatively well known amongst adventurers (like Kora Shigar) that The Glass is hollow. Inside are maze-like tunnels and hallways filled with numbered doors, all made out of glass. Glass creatures roam the halls, preventing people from entering and messing with the rooms. The most recent visitors- the Heroes of Robasa- state that they were able to enter and explore the interior briefly, finding that they could locate doors of heroes (past, present, and future) and unlock them with said heroes’ keys- it is unreported what they found inside. Robasan hero Theowara die Verdreht states that an original goddess of Escherin- Chaos and Order- are held captive within The Glass, having been confined there by Meter Matan at the behest of the Nevergreen Clan eons ago.

Currently, the Glass is shattered in large pieces- the chunks of which fell following the destruction of the Towers Whima/Ealie and Zitaf. These chunks landed on and crushed several settlements in the center of The Underglass, killing an unknown number of people and decimating the local landscape.

In the past, prior to the execution of The Matans, the glass was perfectly clear and allowed natural light to peer through and into The Underglass- then Escherin. Most denizens of Escherin had no idea that the glass even existed. The glass only turned black when Meter Matan was executed- popular myth ties his death and spilling of his blood with the staining of the glass, but this is purely conjecture based on what could have easily been coincidence- especially considering he was nowhere near the glass at the time of his execution.

On the surface of the glass are several city-states made up mostly of the remnants of old Escherinian kingdoms and settlements made by summoned peoples who left their cities and individuals who came with Meter Matan upon his exile from the Matan Empire. Each of these cities are independent, often only trade with each other, and regularly serve as neutral territory for agreements and meetings between warring factions. There are 8 documented city-states: Tulbery, Genesis, Isom, Wardwood, Somhat, Levidi, Venerette, and Chinoar. Due to the lack of natural resources on The Glass- the Glass-faring kingdoms are reliant on each other for resources as each creates a variety of different materials the other kingdoms need for survival. From clean water to metal to meat to fruit to wood to fabric and more. The destruction of even one city would send the other 7 into a downward spiral.

Overglass

Metrianda is split up into 3 primary sections: Underglass, Glass, and Overglass. As may be evident by the names, The Underglass is beneath The Glass, and The Overglass is above it. The Overglass has very little in terms of natural geographical features as most if not all of it is in the air. When referring to ‘The Overglass’ in modern times, more often than not what is meant is The Republic of Metrianda- the Nation that exists on The Towers- and exclude The VoidShips, floating isles, and Metrianda’s celestial bodies. However, residents of The Underglass include all of the prior listed when referring to The Overglass- often in pejorative.

The Overglass is, anatomically wise, split up into 3 distinct sections defined by their placement with regards to a massive sheet of noxious gas that bisects the Overglass horizontally- below, in, and above the gas. The Republic and its 13 cities all sit above the gas- though the towers the cities rest atop pierce through it and down into the Underglass. The gas itself, which is a several thousand mile thick sheet, is typically where the Voidships hide- having their own atmosphere and domes that allow their civilians to breathe without inhaling the fumes. And below the gas is mostly nothing- another place where The Voidships may hide and patrol, but more often than not it exists as simply vague clear airspace pierced every now and then by the lithe form of a Tower.

Towers

Metrianda has 13 towers, typically a mile wide at their base in The Underglass and 50 feet wide at their top. Each tower is well over several hundred thousand miles tall, piercing through The Glass and up into The Overglass. 11 of the 13 towers were built by the Matan family on select rings of stone (of which 34 exist), the only 2 towers that were already built were Eaile and Robasa, both, however, lacked the cities and ring structures that the Matans would later build. Each tower has its own god inhabiting it, known as a City God. These City Gods work in tandem with the Mystic associated with the tower, Concept God associated with its color, and mayor and knights/heroes of their settlements to ensure the safety and wellbeing of not just the tower, but the population of The Tower itself. The strength of the god is determined by the number of people living within it (in relation to the total capacity) and their general happiness. A strong tower god can defend itself, at will change the layout of its city, the number of heroes/knights it can summon, perform its own upkeep, build new structures and layers, access its counterpart Well, and take on avatars within its borders. Weaker tower gods will find their physical tower beginning to disintegrate, will require more energy to perform basic functions, will be unable to summon heroes/knights or civilians, will be unable to rebuild themselves if they fall, may begin to require things like sacrifices and typical deific worship, and may begin to separate from their tower- becoming wayward gods. Each tower is associated with a color, gem, flower, and concept god- seen below.

With regards to the data on the chart, included is each tower and corresponding city’s name, the associated gem with the city, the associated flower, the exact color code used for the city on all uniforms, legal documentation, and key associations, the concept god who once had purview over the city, the population of the city before the Felling of Whima and Zitaf late last year (9942) including the diaspora to Robasa and Agora after, and the placement of the city with regards to its proximity to Whima, the capital, at the Center of Metrianda.

Recent census data suggests (but cannot confirm) that Robasa’s current population stands at nearly 500,000 million, with all cities between Whima and Edict being mostly if not entirely empty. Whima and Zitaf stand at a population of 0 considering the cities and towers no longer exist after The Sun rammed up, into, and through their towers. From both cities there are now under 50 million survivors.

In his research, Renred finds that each tower seems to have some sort of “power” or ability associated with it that is unique to that specific tower. The most prominent of which are Robasa’s giant fuck you lazer and Agora’s impenetrable shield. The general abilities of each tower vary greatly- from defense to offensive to the more eclectic. For example, Hagurn has the ability to grow massive amounts of fruiting plants across its entire expanse, Eaile can at any time transform permanently into an equally as tall tree, Pofe can summon an army of ethereal soldiers, and Sheelad can, supposedly, pause time within its borders.

Each of the 13 towers has a city built atop it, named after The Tower they are built on (save for The Capital, Whima, which is built on Eaile). These cities typically house between 25 million to nearly a billion people each though, since the Great Reset 500 years ago, none have reached their full capacity. Each city is built in layers across the tower, typically ending about a mile and a half under the very top of their tower, and each offer a variety of urban to natural landscapes that (in total surface area) match the average size of a medium sized Earth Country. From a distance, wanderers have compared the appearance of The Cities to that of crowded plates on matchsticks.

Since their creation the towers have been a staple feature of Metrianda and are often the largest settlements. The towers were built specifically for summoned peoples, who make up on average 92% of their populations in modern day. Recorded statements from the Matans as they were building them imply that the towers were built high not only to match the heights of the 2 preexisting towers, but to keep the summoned people away from The Underglass- land owned and utilized by the indigenous peoples of Escherin. A recently found agreement signed in 0007 between The Kingdom of Metrian (The Matans), The Nevergreen Empire, The Toohle Kingdom, The Lacunite Kingdom, The Republic of Coldbird, The CityState of Deathwish, The Delagon Clan, and several other parties indicate further the prior stated intention; that while The Matans, being indigenous to The Elseworlds as well, can keep parts of their capital (centered around Robasa) on the surface, the other cities should be built away from and independent of The Underglass continents and Glassial colonies. The towers themselves would act as trade routes and isthmuses, with elevators built inside of them- designed and constructed by then Larimar Knight of Robasa Trian Negizus Aber, but otherwise contact would be kept to a minimum. This agreement was supposedly upkept until the fall of The Matan Kingdom and domination of Metrianda by The Council of Dragons (CoD) in 1320.

During the reign of The Council of Dragons, the towers served again as places predominantly to house summoned people, but as a significant portion of the coup was spent isolating and destroying the kingdoms in The Underglass wholly and entirely, there was a significant portion of empty settlements and “unused” space in The Underglass that the then Council of Dragons claimed and colonized. These newer citystates, under CoD control, made up the Underglass Coalition, which is the first mention of The Underglass separate from Escherin. The Towers became the central part of Metriandan government and the largest settlements in all of Metrianda- subsequently each of the 13 towers served as its own capital, ruled by its own dragon, with the entire world government now centered on Robasa.

In modern day, following the Fall of the Council of Dragons, the capital of Metrianda shifted to the tower of Ealie, now named Whima after one of Mayess Kian Shigar’s close friends who had died shortly before the fall of The Council. Robasa became the outermost city and its population and importance fell gradually from 800 million to less than 500 thousand in the 500 years that followed. Robasa and Whima have shifted almost entirely- with Robasa being widely considered a podunk town of dangerous criminals and yokels, and Whima being the center of civilization, magic, and technology.

Underglass

Under The Glass is the aptly named Underglass- the only geographically diverse and dense plane in Metrianda. The Underglass has its own native ecosystems, ecology, and weather patterns separate from but reactive to The Overglass’s own. The Underglass has 4 oceans- the Empyreon Ocean being the one that GIVE is buried beneath, and a massive mountain range that pushes up to The Glass itself.

The Underglass, prior to the felling of The Matans, was called Escherin- a name used by oldworlders often to refer to the entirety of Metrianda. The name Escherin was legally dropped from all official work upon the creation of The Council of Dragons and has not been used legally since to refer to any part of Metrianda, though it is often used in tandem with 3 specific political factions and colloquially refers to the people and buildings involved with those groups.

The Underglass pre-exists Metrianda as a governmental institution, though not much is known about the pre-Matan days as a result of the destruction of The Underglass under the Council of Dragons and further later under the forces of The Sun. What is known is that several kingdoms and settlements existed across the plane consisting mostly of the indigenous peoples of Escherin- and that summoning was extremely rare and limited only to “heroes” (then known as Knights) who would commonly serve the kingdoms they were summoned to. Very few of these people exist in modern day save for two of the dominating kingdoms at the time- the Nevergreens and the Toohles. Escherin’s history is known mostly by those groups, with the keeper of history primarily being the mysterious Seya the Red.

While The Underglass was horrifically ravaged by the several wars it had gone through in its long history and exists today as mostly abandoned and stuck in a perpetual night- there are still several nations that exist entirely in The Underglass, often separate from the larger Overglass factions. The most prominent of these nations include Windport, Deathwish, the Lacunite Caucus, Dunetown (soon to be Moonvalley), Leftforest, Deepgarden, and Isolation. Smaller settlements are also common- including well documented towns like Hide-In, Fruit, Leaf, Dune (previously The Knot), Creviceville, and Theretheemender. While much smaller in population now, the Underglass’s many settlements, cities, towns, and nations (excluding Deathwish, Windport, and the Lacunite Caucus) used to be under one flag- The Council of Dragons’. Very specifically The Underglass was under the purview of The Metallic Council- each of the 9 members had their own cities, regions, and Capital City and would meet to discuss grander issues in The Old Capitol in the center of the Underglass. The majority of this council was murdered prior to the start of the 500 Years War.

Following the adjunct of the 500 Years War and the subsequent Great Reset- a mass death that resulted in the death of every living individual in The Overglass who was not on The Glass, The Moon, The Sun, or The Stars- there was a mass diaspora of survivors (exclusively people in The Underglass who avoided the Reset) who moved upstairs to help rebuild the remnants of Metrianda and establish The Republic. This diaspora left The Underglass almost entirely abandoned. In the 500 years following various power plants, factories, and now unmaintained facilities went into disrepair and eventual meltdown- sparking a further loss of life and immediately habitable land that only accentuated the desolation of the once prosperous plane.

Despite The Overglass having been almost fully repopulated with the conditionally immortal Underglassian survivors, popular myth painted The Underglass in the following centuries as either fully desolate and uninhabitable if not fully nonexistent. It was only recently, in the past year and a half, that the global eye was once again turned towards The Underglass as prominent factions and individuals from The Underglass came upstairs- making the existence, habitability, and inhabitants undeniably real. At the moment, several larger factions in The Underglass are supporting and housing masses of Overglassian (particularly Republican and Moon) refugees in exchange for assistance in rebuilding.

Subglass

A vastly unexplored and unstudied aspect of Metriandan geography- typically associated and confused with The Underglass, which it is underneath. GIVE is perhaps, unfortunately, the only accessible resource for Renfred in learning about The Subglass. This does exclude recent online posts referencing The Subglass in relation to The Underglass cities of Dunetown (referred to as The Bookpit) and Longhill (in reference to their wells). The Subglass is not very well understood and is currently being studied by 2 notable researchers- Theowara die Verdreht of Dunetown and Robasa and Genesis of Lordsong. It’s mostly considered a myth.

The Subglass refers mostly to the space that exists under the natural geography of The Underglass- making up all but the uppermost layer of Metrianda’s glass cylinder. Allegedly, The Subglass consists of hallway-like tunnels of black glass lined with various strangely and independently lit doors and entryways that lead to somewhere undocumented by any individual Renfred is able to find. Access to The Subglass is limited- seemingly only accessible through a few rare deep naturally-occuring Wells in The Underglass, each dropping for hundreds of miles down into the dark.

Within the context of GIVE- GIVE seems to be a part of The Subglass, or considered a transitionary space between The Subglass and greater Metrianda. According to denizens of the sunken Space Station, there are pathways directly cutting through GIVE down into the lower levels of The Subglass- through which the denizens of The Subglass travel. GIVE acts as a safe space for The Subglassians- mostly monster-free, powered, lived-in, and accessible without entering through any of the entryways in the Subglass’s halls. In addition, residents of GIVE, when prompted, state that the mysterious Whilom begins at the bottom of The Subglass- its mists eventually travel up through the wells and GIVE and up into greater Metrianda, causing the mass death, before the inevitable Eschaton.

The Subglass is dangerous, filled with strange magic, Shades, Omens, Harbingers, and Portents, various lost monsters, and a distinct lack of water, food, and shelter. It’s perpetually extraordinarily dark and cold, making it difficult for life to be sustained down there. Despite this, many people live down there. Through his conversation with GIVE, Renfred has learned that they don’t have much of a choice- if they come upstairs they turn to glass or shades, lest they take extraordinarily high doses of DeGlasser. Why this happens is not researchable, though one might find out if they talk to a Subglassian.

Planes of Existence

Metrianda, like many other worlds, has its own series of non-material planes. While not well researched, they are well traveled. They function like most typical planes of existence do, each subdivided into its own general highly specific “purview” of reality- from the causal material to magic to dreams to dreaming to death to the dead to life to godhome to ethereal- and each accessible through various spells, portals, and super-science nonsense.

Each plane, according to the vague “research” that exists, has its own denizens, forms of life, generalized purpose in supporting existence, and occasionally protectors and overviewers. The Gods of Metrianda often traverse between or govern these planes and their effects on the Elseworld, though after Yevie killed and consumed nearly all of them there has been little oversight. The effects of this lack of oversight are undocumented and unstudied- but one can presume there are some. Otherwise, Metrianda’s planes seem to be disconnected or entirely separate from other Elseworld’s planes of existence- and if there is any connection it has not yet been found.