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Here is a setting that I wrote and might like to use someday. Roll it around in your brain and see how it feels to you.


THE WORLD

MAINLAND: A large continent to the east, shaped like a fat crescent, convex to the west.
Most human settlements, relatively impoverished and feudal, lie in its landlocked center. The largest kingdom, where we begin, is called Sedagé, famous for its mountains, moors, locust trees, and population of phoenixes and other magical fowl. The village that lies outside the mountain citadel of Sedagé is, rumor has it, home to a family of vampires affiliated with the royal line. Vampires are rare, their powers dilute and origins obscure; many assume that they are descended from a race of demons expelled from the underworld in prehistorical times. The only characteristics by which one might recognize a vampire, excepting their fangs (blunted when not in use), are golden yellow eyes and invisibility in mirrors.
Elves accompany humans on the Mainland. Elves generally live ten times longer than men, and have greater capacity for magic. Millennia ago, a war of unknown cause separated elves into four distinct clans, each of which migrated to one particular region of the continent. Some historians theorize that humans are the descendants of elves whom were found unacceptable by the clans, and therefore were left in the barren center of the Mainland to gradually lose their magical abilities and long lifespans. Occasionally, humans are born with extraordinary powers that allow them to change shape, usually becoming mystical beasts, suggesting that some kind of bestial magic is at work in the center of the continent. Post-elven theorists believe this force may be responsible for humans’ passionate emotions and warlike tendencies and, indeed, when shapeshifters are born, they are often discovered by their home kingdoms and employed as warlords or revered as guardians.
To the north are Nord Elves, a traditional, fair-skinned, fair-haired, lithe and light-eyed lot, who live in elaborately constructed (think Tolkien) cities. They’re a respectable, long-lived, wise lot, and they rarely stray from their territory. Society is somewhat socialist: each citizen does what he or she happens to be good at, and lives off of what the group provides. The occasional exceptional human or elf of other blood, may be found living with their number; half-bloods are accepted if they are born of legitimate unions in the community. Nord Elves often raise supernatural reptiles as familiars, especially dragons, salamanders, and – their steeds of choice – vlakorados: large, upright-standing, red-skinned, bladed carnivores affiliated with the element of electricity.
To the west are Crag Elves. Their complexions vary, but their hair is generally dark and very straight, and their features are sharper, less ethereal than those of their northern cousins. They tend to be taller and more sturdily built than their cousins to the north and south. Crag Elves are practical people, and discourse freely with humankind and elves alike; it’s difficult to tell where Crag settlements end and human, Nord, or Kershwin settlements begin. As such, Crags are very accepting of half-breeds, even species from the Archipelego. Highly mercantile, Crags control the best commercial ports of the Mainland, and make good use of them; theirs is easily the wealthiest kingdom in the world. Their cities and towns are industrial, often hewn of the stone of the mountains upon which they have been raised. Crags use very little magic, unlike other elves.
To the south live the most reclusive breed of elf, the Kershwin Elves. Kershwins resemble their Nord cousins, but tend to have reddish, curly hair which they grow very long, and are often spattered with freckles. Kershwin women are known as the most beautiful in the world, and are also the most repressed. All Kershwin women must learn the trade of white magic from birth, and may never learn an offensive or “masculine” craft, or they will be killed –– or, worse, exiled permanently. Needless to say, men rule here, and they rule in small, town-sized clans, arguably more aristocratic in nature even than human institutions. In spite of this similarity, the Kershwin hierarchy tolerates neither humans nor half-breeds, and is suspicious of both Crag and Ghatun elves. They admire and relate well with their Nord relatives. Kershwins live in tree cities, and their kingdom is well-adapted to this, as it is filled with old-growth forests, warm, and humid.
Lastly, we have the Ghatun Elves, who stand in extremely stark contrast with the other races of the cont inent. Theoretically most closely related to ancient, antebellum elves, Ghatuns are widely regarded as barbaric. Like the Crags, they have dark hair and various skin tones; unlike the Crags, their skins are marked with monochromatic, calligraphic lines that seem to outline their muscles and bones. These markings, which midwives tattoo on Ghatuns at birth, vary widely in color based on the season and time of the elf’s birthdate, as well as the metabolism of the individual. Their eyes come in unusual, jewel-like colors, such as yellow-green and violet, and they are built sturdily; while they are shorter than humans, they tend to match human weight with muscle mass, and are long-armed. Their brand of magic centers around prophecy and weather control, and “mindeyes” are the most respected people in the community. Ghatuns are matriarchal, and live largely on the white shores of the vast Sulde Bay, the concave edge of the Mainland, and on Ataezesse Isle, a large, sandy island separated from the mainland by just a few miles. Young Ghatuns are known to swim the distance on a regular basis. They hunt, herd, and forage; although they have been introduced to crop agriculture, they do not seem interested in changing their lifestyle. They are unique among elves in their use of nonmagical horses as steeds. Many attempts have been made to “civilize” the race, and all have failed. Ghatuns are the rarest Mainland race, perhaps comprising five percent of the continent’s total population. They eagerly greet visitors, but few outsiders are capable of adapting to their way of life.
GREATSEA: To the east of Mainland is a mostly unpopulated, unnavigable, enormous ocean. Ships do not pass here; if they attempt such, they are almost invariably lost forever. This has led to rumors of demons rising from the underworld to consume the souls of travelers, which, in turn, gave way to the popular belief that the underworld lies beneath Greatsea.
Southeast of Mainland lie a pair of unnatural islands referred to as Dis and Burkhan Khaldun. Dis is barren and unpopulated, although its mineral stores are stuff of legend; its only other distinctive feature is the gaping hole in its center, which is rumored to lead to the underworld.
On Burkhan Khaldun live a strange race known colloquially as shock daemons, only because the name with which they describe themselves is impossible to pronounce with the human tongue. They appeared less than a century ago, apparently from the abyss on Dis, and posess absolute power over storms and electricity. They are reptillian yet humanoid, their biped forms equipped with scaled, clawed talons, long tails, and entirely black eyes. Their skins are parchment-yellow, traced with tattoo-like, deep blue, violet, or burgundy lines resembling lightning bolts, the color of these markings corresponding to the color of the scales on their limbs and tails, as well as their lips. Their hair is jet black and statically-charged such that it constantly stands on end. The race is amazingly curious and friendly, and is widely regarded as the most scholarly and artistically adept in the world. Shock daemons get on famously with Ghatuns, with whom they share both a love of horses and curiously similar markings; they get on not so well with Nords, whom they regard with some suspicion due to their choice of steed: electric-aligned reptiles.

ARCHIPELEGO: A collection of volcanic islands to the west of Mainland, extending in three roughly parallel lines running southeast-northwest, along with a few scattered islands of apparently magical origin.
Many humans and Crags have migrated to the nearest island chain, commonly referred to as Ynissis. This is, without a doubt, the cosmopolitan center of the world, and members of a great many races can be found scattered in the chain’s tremendous, half-floating cities. The native race, the gold-loving Isle Dwarves, run the small, efficient government, which is mostly concerned with mining, fishing, and transportation. Isle Dwarves likely originated on the largest and most northerly land mass, Irreferne, which extends to the northern, unpopulated polar ice cap. On Irreferne in particular, the economy is booming, but the ecology is nonexistent.
Further west is the less industrial chain of Schenkmal, populated partially by expatriot Isle Dwarves but mostly by an aerial, feline race known as the Placema, whose rule of the islands serves to protect the land from invasion and destruction by Isle Dwarves and other, more practical races. Placema share the size and appearance of housecats, and are capable of empathic communication with assistance of gesture, voice, and telepathy. They live in close proximity with non-winged, less intelligent felines, whom they regard as their child charges. Most Placema are longhaired and either gray or white; they often have mismatched, blue and green eyes. They are unsurprisingly interested in playing around, hunting mice, and other simple pleasures. Placema are feral. Do not try to pet one, ever, unless it kneads you first. Then it likes you, and you are probably safe to give it a scratch behind the ears.
On the last island chain, one finds the home of the world’s preeminent religion: Maemoire. The chain is accordingly referred to as Maemoira. Its residents are diverse: humans, Crags, Placema, and even some shock daemons have adopted the faith seriously enough to migrate to its center. The priesthood consists entirely of Jorinder, an amphibious species resembling anthropomorphized dolphins. The skin of the Jorinder is rubbery and gray, and they are almost perfectly hairless, with tremendous fins extending from the tops of their heads and between their shoulderblades. Their fingers are well-developed, but their legs resemble a split tail, and are incredibly muscular, so as to support their weight without typical biped joint construction. (Jorinder still prefer to swim, and Maemoire temples are half underwater; Maemoire is, after all, the goddess of Mother Ocean.) Jorinder are mild-mannered and highly empathic, although they absolutely loathe Isle Dwarves, and will not hesitate to screech at unbelievably high pitches whenever they are near. Each of the six Maemoira is home to a temple attended by many Jorinder, and many more residents of surrounding towns who are deeply devoted to the faith. The chain is environmentally stunning, and followers gather most of their food – in well-regulated moderation accompanied by ritual worship and sacrifice –– from Mother Ocean.
The visibly orange, vibrantly biodiverse Tangereef extends for an unknown distance west of the Maemoira. Jorinder paladins have established fortresses on the reef and guided its growth into a kind of living Great Wall. From their homes on Tangereef, they guard the island chain against the mysterious, violent inhabitants of the Greatsea.