Atlas of the Hollow World
Hollow World... the name is highly indicative as to this part of Mystara. For Mystara is hollow and within the hollowed space resides an entirely different world. But a world it is, with expansive forests, virgin mountains, tenacious seas, and harsh deserts. Being inverted, the landscape has no horizon and slopes noticeably upwards. Reaching out from the inner crust, the surface features are warmed and lighted by the shimmering and pulsing red sphere that acts as a sun. Around this orb orbit several bodies, one of which is the continent of Alphatia.
This world is populated by peoples long thought dead from Mystara's surface world. Here, one can see the very civilisations that flourished and eventually fell throughout Mystara's history. Though some civilisations have sojourned here for centuries, and even millennia, the passage of time has not altered them. Despite time, they still are as they were when they were present the surface world.
As it is, the Hollow World knows of no night but is in a perpetual state of red-hued daylight. There are no constellations, only the regular rotations of the orbiting landmasses in the void above. Magic is also limited to more primitive levels, with spellcasters being few and far between. This limitation is partly due to the Immortal magics that keep those civilisations as they once were in their splendour-and also in their limitations or sometimes outright barbarism.
Correspondents for the Hollow World
Here is our list of correspondents that give us detailed information on the nations, places, and events of the Hollow World:
Dellebram
Through efforts in Karameikos, Joshuan Gallidox Publishing has garnered the support and participation of the Alphatian Department of the Interior in providing resource material for the Hollow World. Overseeing this effort is Dellebram, Assistant Minister of the Imperial Office of the Interior. We at the almanac greet this addition with hearty thanks, however we will not depend solely upon the Alphatians for reports from the Hollow World.
Dellebram is a "common" Alphatian mage (human, male, M12). As a medium level mage he was appointed as assistant to the department head's administrator. An up and coming bureaucrat of moderate talent, he was assigned the task of reporting on the Hollow World-a task he neither welcomes nor appreciates.
Taleris of Calimnis, son of Trestian
Taleris of Calimnis, son of Trestian, brings us news from the mysterious and far-off realm of Selhomarr. Shortly after completing his Wandering, he embarked upon his adult life as a young cleric of Xeron, confidant that he could fulfil what he saw as his destiny by serving his Immortal.
At the age of 26 however, a new calling was revealed to him. The mysterious organisation, known as "the Lighthouse," came to him, and urged him to record the lore and legends of Selhomarr and neighbouring lands, and add them to its current collection of knowledge. In the three years since that time, he has travelled all over the empire, and in other regions of Suridal. When the Mystaran Almanac's researchers and correspondents were made aware of this enigmatic continent and its obscure inhabitants, they sought out someone who could provide them with the information they needed. Contacts in the organisation based in the Lighthouse pointed them to Taleris.
A relatively unassuming man, Taleris walks anonymously along the byways of Selhomarr, with passers-by noticing only another wandering cleric, going about his appointed business. In his position, though, Taleris has gained access to important politicians and other figures, news of which he strives to bring to the attention of the almanac's eager readers.
Atlas
ALPHATIA (Empire of; a.k.a. Floating Continent of)
GENTLE FOLK (Elf-Lands of the)
ICEVALE (Elf-Lands of)
KUBITT VALLEY
NEATHAR LANDS
NEATHARUM (Kingdom of, a.k.a. Alphatian Neatharum)
SELHOMARR (Empire of)