A Quest for the Stars

Just a rough map of the world, and perhaps some background explanation. Don't judge me, I'm not a cartographer.

Note: Each hex is roughly 312 miles (502 km) in diameter.

Time for some info dump, which you're free to skip (hence the "skippable" bit) but it will add some perspective to the world at large. I will also give more details on Lenoria's trip to Thule further down.

The world of Io contains six known kingdoms: The Theocracy of Helix, ruled by the Heirophant of the Hammer, King Reinhardt; The Tyranny of Thule, ruled by the mad king Edgar Nightsong; The Kingdom of Mesarthim, ruled by the Dragon Queen Edana V; The Shimmering Shoals of Eishima, seven individual islands led by Emperor Takahashi; The Everlasting Crags of Grodam, an anarchy where goblins have subjugated several minor kingdoms; and the Polar Regions of Befrus, seven holds ruled by individual jarls, with High King Ulfgar Irontotem at the head of the totem pole.

The mad king?

King Edgar has ruled Thule for decades and is nearing his 60s. He has had a history of misogyny and questionable decrees, earning the ire of all but his closest followers by legalizing necromancy, slavery, and punishments without trial. Despite these and a number of minor offenses, the people of Thule have lived there somewhat peacefully for good or ill, and answer the call to war with patriotic fervor. For the past five years, Thule has been at war with its neighbor, Mesarthim, after centuries of a bitter rivalry that has slowly escalated.

By contrast, Helix has advanced both spiritually and technologically. It has become a hub for immigrants and trade, and the nation has enjoyed a period of prosperity that has lasted well over a thousand years ever since a band of heroes eliminated a demonic threat. Along with Eishima, Helix has grown to be quite powerful, and King Edgar has retained enough common sense to never wage war against Helix. Both have maintained a somewhat amicable alliance, but Helix has wisely decided to not take sides in the conflict between Thule and Mesarthim.

Lenoria the Traveler

Just how much has Lenoria traveled in her youth? Let's take a look.

Our heroine left her home with Sage at the young age of 16, and traveled over a thousand miles by ship to the opposite side of Eishima. The trip to Helix would be long, and a pit stop was necessary for the travelers to stretch their legs before the 3100-mile journey to Helix. They stopped at Guangzhou for a break before resuming their trip.

From Guangzhou, the duo traveled southeast, then northeast to Aftonville Port due to the ship veering slightly off course. From the Plateau to the port, the trip lasted roughly three months. Tired of the sea, Lenoria and Sage rested for three days before taking the train ride to Helix City.

It was a trip that lasted over 24 hours, with several pit stops in between, but the duo made it to Helix City, Lenoria enrolled in the Guild, and the rest is history.

The Road to Thule

Fast forward to present time, now aged 20, Lenoria is currently traveling with Clara and Alistair to Thule. Their goal is to reach the mountain border, with a planned itinerary of 96 miles from Helix City to the border, take the cable car across the border, scale down the mountain and travel another 8 miles before reaching the village of Goodsprings in Thule.

Travel notes

A sailing ship travels 48 miles in 24 hours. Each hex on the map is 312 miles in diameter. As a reference, Columbus's trip from Spain to the Bahamas was roughly 4200 miles, nearly the same distance from the Plateau to Helix.

By comparison, a train in Helix travels at a speed of 50 miles per hour.