Chapter 5 - The Vast World of Monterra

As my reward for saving Elder Obles’ grandchildren, I asked for maps.
Plenty of Maps, and lessons.

I wanted to be educated about this world—its lands, its people, its history. Knowledge seemed more valuable than whatever they have.

From what I’ve learned so far, this world is arranged in layers—regions set in circles, like rings radiating outward from a single point in the center. Each ring forms its own environment, its own culture, and even its own kind of people. Humans evolve differently depending on the ring they inhabit. Sometimes the changes are driven by the environment, sometimes by the influence of magic, and sometimes—according to the elders—by the will of the gods themselves.

The first three rings are all part of a single continent known as Monterra. It is here that I now stand.

***

At the center of the world lies a place called The Barrenlands.

It is exactly what the name implies—a wasteland where no life can grow, no rivers flow, and no settlement can take root. Dust storms sweep across its surface, and the land itself is cracked and lifeless. Nothing endures there.

But it wasn’t always so empty. Long ago, this desolate circle was once the very cradle of humanity.

Stories say that there used to be a great mountain at the world’s heart. It rose higher than the clouds, and along its slopes, layer upon layer of cities were built. At the summit stood the emperor’s castle, gleaming like a crown above the world. Humanity’s first home, their greatest city, their pride.

Now it is gone.

Why? No one knows for certain. There are theories, but none that can be proven. Some say the mountain was a supervolcano, and when it erupted, the fury of its fire and ash destroyed the land beyond recovery. Others whisper that it was destroyed by Off-lander magic thousands of years ago—spells so immense they left only silence in their wake. And still others insist it was divine judgment, punishment from the gods themselves for humanity’s arrogance.

Whatever the truth, the people who once lived there were forced to scatter. Humanity spread outward into the next rings, leaving behind only legends and a barren circle where no life has returned since.

Interesting, humans all had come from this place and then there is nothing there anymore? Maybe there could be more than just nothing?

***

Surrounding the Barrenlands is the second ring: The Mainland.

This is where I find myself now, among the Mainlanders. It is the most populated of the rings, a vast land divided into countless kingdoms, each ruled by monarchs under feudal systems. Some are mighty and prosperous; others are small, barely holding their borders against monsters or rival lords. But all cling tightly to their banners and bloodlines, for here, lineage is law.

The land itself is striking in its variety. Rolling plains stretch farther than the eye can see, fertile and rich. Thick forests crowd together, their canopies blotting out the sky. Snow-capped mountains loom on the horizon, their peaks glinting in the light like blades. Rivers flow through the valleys, carving their way across the land like silver serpents.

It is beautiful. Yet it is also perilous. Monsters roam freely, sometimes in the wild, sometimes even near settled lands. The towns, cities, and castles stand like islands of safety in a sea of danger.

It is no wonder the majority of humanity settled here. Despite the threats like the goblins I've been dealing with, it is a place where crops grow, where roads can be built, where civilizations can rise and fall. The Mainland is the beating heart of Monterra, and perhaps of the world itself.

***

Beyond the Mainland lies the third ring: The Badlands.

This region is harsher, wilder, and more unforgiving. The deserts here stretch on endlessly, their sands burning beneath the sun by day and freezing beneath the stars by night. Towering mesas rise like broken teeth from the ground, their shadows stretching long across the barren earth. Mountain ranges carve the land into walls, jagged and treacherous. And in certain corners of the ring, jungles thrive—dense, humid, and alive with both beauty and danger.

Each area of the Badlands has its own culture, shaped by necessity and survival. Some tribes live by water and desert oases, guarding them fiercely. Others carve homes into cliffsides, building communities out of stone and dust. Yet to the Mainlanders, who rarely see beyond their borders, they are all the same. Badlanders.

The most well-known among them are the Shortbeard people. Their origin is a story of adaptation. Thousands of years ago, humans who dwelled in the mountains evolved to shorter statures. Their compact bodies allowed them to move easily through caves, ravines, and narrow passages where taller folk would struggle. Over time, this became not just an advantage, but their defining trait.

They are respected by some, pitied by others, and dismissed by many. But none can deny that they have endured, where others might have perished.

I have heard enough tales to believe that they are people of strength and resilience.

***

Encircling Monterra is the fourth ring: The Sealand.

Here lies an endless ocean, a border sea that stretches like a vast moat around the continent. The waters are treacherous, restless, and deep. Yet scattered across this ocean are countless islands, each one home to its own people.

Maritime cultures thrive here. They live by the sea, for the sea, and often because of the sea. Ships are their lifelines, carrying them across distances that would take weeks or months to travel by sail. Their lives are dictated by the tides, the winds, and the storms.

The most well-known of these islanders are the Seafolk. Unlike other humans, their evolution is visible in every feature. Their skin carries shades of light blue, their necks bear small gills, and fins extend from their limbs. These traits allow them to swim with astonishing speed and to remain beneath the waves for long stretches.

Yet they are not creatures of the deep. Their gills cannot sustain them forever, and they remain bound to the surface. They live on islands, build ships, and rely on tools and trade as much as any other people. They belong to both land and sea, but fully to neither.

Some call them blessed. Others call them cursed. I cannot decide which they truly are.

***

Finally, there is the last ring.

The Offlands.

It is the edge of the known world, and beyond it lies only mystery.

Very little is known of this region, it is rare for those who traveled there never returned—or if they did, their tales have been lost. What little is certain suggests that the Offlands consist of many continents and countless islands, far separated from Monterra by seas too vast and dangerous to cross.

Anyone that comes from this region are called Off-landers. They are rare in Monterra and are treated like legendary figures.

It is believed that many groups of humans who fled there long ago may still live, but what they have become is unknown. Some may have evolved into forms unrecognizable, shaped by lands we cannot imagine.

The only part of the Offlands spoken of with certainty is the Nightrise Isles.

Legends describe these isles as strange and wondrous places. One tale speaks of an island covered in forests where trees rise like endless towers. Their trunks are so thick they could swallow entire cities, and their branches vanish into the clouds above. Towns and villages are said to cling to their sides, suspended far above the ground. Those who live there may never set foot upon the earth, nor see the forest’s crown.

It is here that the Longear people dwell. They are humans who evolved long, pointed ears—the reason why is not known. Some say it is a result of their mastery of magic, others that it is a mark of their closeness to forces unseen. Whatever the truth, they remain one of the most mysterious of all human offshoots. Only a couple of them were seen on the Mainland over the span of hundreds of years.

***

By the end of this lessons, I got surprised by all the races in this world are similar to the fictional fantasies from back on Earth. I find this really cool and hopefully I will get to meet some!

I held on to these maps now, and I cannot help but feel both small and restless. This world is vast, and I have seen only a fraction of it. Maybe someday I will get to see it all.