Davania Ideas: Izonda/Pelatan and Arypt
by Bruce HeardI don't know about everyone else, but I'd like to see more on the southern continent of Davania. Especially the Aryptian desert and Izondia area. I've heard some references to the "mysterious Aryptian desert" on the back cover of Top Ballista and it got me curious about what sort of civilizations might live there.
Very little has been developed for this region. Almost no information exists on either Arypt or Izondia. I'm not sure whether a major effort should be made to push south into Davania before finishing the greater part of Brun (Known World/Savage Coast). The northern coast of Davania still seems a bit spotty and wild anyway. There doesn't seem to be major realms there, nothing like the realms lying on the opposite shores. Perhaps Davania should be preserved as some sort of open-ended adventure-land, some place largely uncivilized and unexplored. Large areas of land could be left open for the benefit of the do-it-yourself DMs. Any preferences anyone?
Else, some years ago I did play around with the idea of amazon warriors controlling Izondia (historical inspiration pretty shaky). It was an option for a future trip aboard the Princess Ark. Izondia would have been a militocracy where women dominate society. Early in their history, women of that civilization received a special blessing from their patron Immortal(s) (one of them probably being Vanya of course) which gave them a clear advantage over their males companions. As a result, their society progressively became matriarchal. Since then, however, the effects of the blessing have become very rare, perhaps limited to a small clerical elite. But it no longer matters. Izondian culture is now solidly set in its old ways. Details beyond this are up to anyone's imagination.
And Arypt -- what I had envisioned was a kingdom a bit like Thothia on the Isle of Dawn, but which belonged in another plane. It only appeared in the Prime when certain stars aligned. It remained on Davania for a few months, and then disappeared again (much like Brigadoon) either to return to the planes, or to reappear on another world. Arypt would have been travelling for centuries, bringing along a lush vegetation, splendid buildings and roads, an exotic people, a utopic culture, and fantastic outer-planar treasures (of course -- gotta have something to attract those greedy PCs!). When the magical realms returns to the planes, it only leaves a desert behind, and vague rumors of its name, Arypt.
Of course, none of this is official stuff. These are just ideas simmering somewhere in the back of my PC. :o)