The west coast of Erde is characterized by jagged and treacherous mountain ranges, towering over the coast like forbidding gods.  The highest peaks in the world are in these mountains, and they’re still growing.  They are home to many creatures, both mundane and arcane, from mountain goats and leopards to gryphons and giants.

The coast itself is broken by numerous bays, inlets, harbors, and marshes.  Offshore, there are coral reefs and hundreds of islands ranging in size from barely-enough-to-stand-on to large enough to support an independent city-state.  In the north the coral reefs are replaced by thick kelp forests.  Fish and marine mammals are abundant.  So are more dangerous creatures: vicious barracuda, electric eels, little (a relative term) coastal sea dragons, and shape changing selkies.

Flung down the coast, like pearls from a broken necklace, are the City-States of the Western Lands.  Empires have risen several times, uniting the western people but, inevitably, they fall and crumble.  In the past few hundred years, seventeen cities have risen to prominence and power.  Here are the six largest and most powerful, from North to South:

• Two Dragons
• Precious Moonlight
• Swimming Flowers
• Golden Path of the Setting Sun
• Divine Peace
• Big Mountain Home

These cities, and their eleven sisters, have formed alliances and rivalries.  Their power and influence are in a constant state of flux which makes all of them stronger, more creative and productive.  However, as the balance of power shifts, there is always the possibility that political maneuvering will transform into open warfare.

This work by Jean Headley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.