Woodruff, spanning over 1500 miles across, consists of five lands, each largely different in landscape, culture and civilisation (if any) to the next.
East Woodruff
Eastern Woodruff (or simply "East Woodruff") is the largest land, making up for over two thirds of the mainland. It is an extremely diverse area, home to a number of intelligent and beastly races and communities. Its capital, Peresorm, is the largest city in the land and is famous for both its size and sophistication. Within East Woodruff, there are two noted districts known as "The White Lands" and "The Green Lands"; though relatively large in size, these districts or provinces take up only a small amount of the land as a whole.
The White Lands is an area governed and ruled by the royal family and its house. Based in the city of Peresorm, The Royal Guard patrol the area and enforce law and order. It is a lawful good province where particular religious values and morals are expected to be adhered to.
The Green Lands are largely different. Rather than one, single dictatorship, the power of rule is given to the "Alanis" of each individual hamlet, village, town, city or recognised territory. This logical, yet impractical, system has resulted in various squabbles and small-scale civil wars throughout Woodruffian history, yet this behaviour seems to have ceased in recent years.
The remainder of the East Woodruff is wild, free lands, occasionally ruled by a clan, tribe or simply the natives of the specific areas. For example, the elves that dwell in the forest of Nelenorr in the North-West defend the woodland as their own and remain a secretive and isolationist people. Similarly, the rangers (known as the Mossmen) who scout some parts of Woodruff Forest have rule over their various small communities. The East is a generally peaceful, diverse land rich in trade, art and magic.
West Woodruff
It is not known who built The Great Wall that splits West from East, nor is it documented when exactly the structure came into being, except that it has been separating the lands for at least 3,000 years. Two millennia ago, the West waged war with the East and began the largest series of battles known to modern Woodruffian history. The great war, that spanned for a little more than sixteen years, resulted in the East's favour - pushing the Westerners back behind their boarders.
The dispute began when the West seized the Northern port of Winguard and kidnapped Derrivenhand, the Alanis of Winguard and brother to the, then, King. They ordered for their lands to be extended dramatically and far into Eastern territory. When their request was declined, Fargan - the leader of the West - waged war on the East.
To this day, the Western lands are still ruled by the Fargan family and its people are rarely seen beyond their Great Wall. It is an isolationist land that sustains little contact with its neighbours, particularly its closest, the East. Occasionally, Western merchant ships have sailed to the southern Nurth lands for trade.
The West is known to possess an advanced knowledge of magic and sorcery, spawning some of Woodruff's most talented wizards and sorcerers. Like its Eastern counterpart, the West is predominantly a human nation. Its people tend to be darker in skin tone and usually have green or hazel coloured eyes, virtually never blue.
Nurth Islands
The Nurth Islands are to the very South of Woodruff. It is a cold land, largely snow-covered, that supports many elaborate and beautiful cities and towns, ruled by the Asparian Queens of Nurth. Much of Nurthian culture and history is unknown, yet its people are famous for their talent in art, music and literature. Its alignment is disputed widely, most easily described as "lawful , yet neutral". They are rumoured to enslave ice giants as both builders and defenders of their great cities.
The Queens of Nurth once travelled to the East, to visit the King and discuss trade between their lands. Many xenophobic communities, such as Corndrew, objected to such cooperation, describing the Nurth people as "queer" and "uninviting". Regardless, the meeting went ahead and resulted in harmony between the two nations.
The people of Nurth consist mainly of Asparians, though Dwarven and barbarian communities dwell in the high, snowy mountains.
Greycott Islands
90% of Greycott is covered by a dense, wild jungle. Second only to the deserts in the West, the Greycott jungle is among the hottest and most tropical areas of Woodruff. There are no cities, by its traditional meaning, on the island - only heavily expanded villages. Greycott harbours a large population of sylvan and wild elves, living in the vast expanse of trees. Additionally, a variety of humans also dwell on the island. Slightly taller than the usual man and darning ebony-coloured skin, the Erudites are a complex people who's society orientates around their strange, wild magic. Speaking their own tongue, they live harmoniously with their Elven neighbours.
There is no known leader of the Erudite people; they are known to live in tribes - each tribe biding by its own rules, enforced by the tribe elders. The elves, however, live in a typical sylvan society that has little, if that, to do with the rest of Woodruff.
Adventurers and travellers have been known to become lost in the great Greycott jungle and are occasionally discovered and later escorted home by the Erudites or, however rarely, by the wild Elves of the island.
Valana
Possibly the most strange island of Woodruff is the East-most island, Valana. It is an uncharted land that remains a mystery to the rest of Woodruffian civilisation. The sea that separates it from the the East, "The Sea of Tricks", has prevented any explorers from actually reaching the distant land. Many of whom, after sailing for two or three days, have found themselves either lost or, curiously, back at the shores of the East. The remainder never return.
The question of who lives there, who rules the land and its exact size are all unknown. Some speculate that it is the realm of the Gods. Others believe it to be the land of dead heroes, kings and holy warriors - a heaven or paradise, of sorts.
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