05. The World, Enchanted, facts.

[Felix Ives]

I. The World, called “Enchanted”

A. The World
• There is magic in this world. In fact, the very Earth is humming with magic, as many of the plants are enchanted and have various magical properties, such as a certain orchid-like flower that is used in seducing victims. There are few who are able to employ magic as well. Every 100 years a sorcerer is born to each of the Kingdoms in Enchanted, unless there has been an odd fluke (which happens maybe every 500 years). The sorcerers is the only one in the country who can perform magic. They must learn from many books. Some sorcerers never know that they have abilities until they have reached adulthood. There is an instructor, very old, in the hills of Estellasia who has devoted his life and the lives of his sons to instructing sorcerers. Some from other kingdoms are sent to him to learn, although he himself is not magical. These Sorcerers are forbidden to procreate, and have been from the beginning of time, because their powers were so great and the earliest people feared a tribe of magi rising up and overtaking the Kingdoms. Sorcerers are also able to gift temporary magic to those whom they wish, though this is a very rare instance for it is unknown what will happen to the person until they try.
• This is an Alternate World.
• There are different races in Enchanted, just as there are on Earth, and vary from region to region. There are also Elves, and there have been rumors of giants and even dwarves in neighboring Kingdoms, though there are none in Estellasia.
• There have been people in Enchanted since time began.
• There are hundreds of thousands of people in Estellasia, and being the largest Kingdom in Enchanted, they make up the most of the population of the entire World.
• Magic comes from within. Only the few Sorcerers in the World have all magic at their bidding. Elves have their own sort of magic which is more elemental (See post on the Elven race for more on this). Sprites have very limited powers.

B. Alternate Earth
• The Elven population only occupy Estellasia, unless there is a vagabond here and there. They live in the forests of the Eastern region of Estellasia, mainly in the city called Mythril.
• The reason Enchanted has been closed off to our world is because of severe oppression between this world and their world. The Wizards of the land all came together to form a veil between the two worlds, and since there has been but one breach.
• The biggest difference between this world and our world is the fact that it is very much a fairytale world. Princes, Princesses, Knights, Dragons, True Love and Evil Enchantresses.

II. Physical and Historical Features

A. General
• The story mostly takes place in two Kingdoms. The first is Estellasia. A majority of Estellasia is made up of the Trolleywood forest. The city of Estelle, which is the capital, is made up of a lot of farmland. In the North is the Mountainous Regions, with the major city being Queen’s Grotto, which also serves as a stronghold if the need arises. In the East is the city of Mythril, the elven city. Most of that is Forest. In the West, on the coast of a large lake, is the city Eden’s Hollow, where magic itself came to life. Estellasia is landlocked on every side by neighboring Kingdoms.
The other Kingdom focused on is Whisperia, which is very mountainous and very cold, most of the ground being frozen and snow-packed.

B. Climate and Geography
• The happenings in Enchanted have no affect on the happenings, including geographical and the like, on Earth.
• The major mountain range in Enchanted stretches over most of the kingdoms, and most Kingdoms refer to it as the Enchanted Glades. In Estellasia, the mountains stretch over the Northern region of the Kingdom. In Whisperia, mountains make up most of the landscape.
There are a few major rivers that run throughout Enchanted and also smaller tributaries. Along these rivers and tributaries is the best farmland. The River Thor runs along the west side of the city of Estelle, and that is where most of the farming takes place.
There are no Deserts in Estellasia, though there may or may not be deserts in the surrounding countries.
Forests take up much of the Eastern Region of Estellasia. Much of the Western Region is taken up by the Black Lake.
• Dragons live mostly in the Western Region, as most fantastical creatures gravitate toward the places with the most magic. They eat really anything… so they can be quite dangerous to humans. Numerous other fantastical creatures live throughout the land. Gryphons live mostly in the mountainous regions…

C. Natural Resources
• The most fertile farmlands are located along the river and smaller streams that run throughout the Kingdom. Mineral resources are mainly in the mountains. The mountains are very rich in nearly every mineral or gem you can think of.

D. World History
• Tales of historical events go back hundreds of years. The official records are hidden deep within the Castle of Estellasia, kept under lock and key, and cannot be accessed by just anybody. This of course means that most of the history of Enchanted that people today know is merely what has been passed down as truth, so most understand to take old tales with a grain of salt.
• Hundreds of years ago, the Enchanted world was not cut off from the human world, and both races communed freely with the other. However, the humans, greedy and deceitful as they are, began to use the Enchanteds for their own gain, and when this began to cause turmoil and chaos within the Enchanted worlds, the Sorcerers from each Kingdom came together and formed a barrier between the two worlds. It is said that the earliest inhabitants of Enchanted were in fact human, though this could very well be a tall tale.
• Traditionally, there have always been conflict between Whisperia and Estellasia, though very rarely have there ever been wars between the two countries.
• In recent war between Whisperia and Estellasia, Whisperia conquered as they were able to kill the Queen, Camilla.
• The most civilized peoples are considered to be Estellasia, with much nobility. Technological advancements belong to the Whisperians, as well as Magical advancements, as they oftentimes use the two together, most notably with their enchanted weapons.
• The Calendar in Enchanted, for sake of simplicity, is like ours and is accepted worldwide.
• The most widely spoken language is English, which comes from the earliest inhabitants and supports the theory that they did originate from our world. There is also the Elven tongue, and the dead Whisperian tongue.

[Felix Ives]

III. Peoples and Customs

A. Customs
o A family unit usually is made up of a father, a mother, and children. It is accepted for the father to be the head of the household, the mother to stay at home with the children, and the children to do their studies and chores at home. The male children, when old enough, may become apprentices to their father's trade and learn from him.

In Whisperia, these roles may be reversed or otherwise discarded all together.
o There are families of nobility in Estellasia and in Whisperia. Knights must be dubbed by one with authority such as the Queen or another official who has been given such authority. In Estellasia, there has never been a woman Knight. However, there has been on in Whisperia.
o Men are never involved in the birth of a child, for it would be improper.
o The mother is in charge of nurturing and raising the children while the father makes a living. By the age of 10, they should have all basic knowledge learnt, and then may begin training in their family trade.

B. Eating
o Those who are in separate classes from one another do not eat together. Servants have their own quarters to eat in. Nobility will not dine with their children, while the average household usually does.
o Besides quantity and quality of food, formal attire distinguishes regular meals from important occasions, as well as live entertainment (ie - music, mummers, etc).
o There are certain fruits found in the forests of Estellasia that may not be eaten. They are usually referred to as the "Black Fruit", although their appearance on the outside is a bright, inviting red. They almost look like apples, yet they are much larger. The inside of the fruit is a dark, dark purple that may to some seem black.

C. Greeting and Meeting
o When meeting someone, usually a handshake is sufficient, perhaps inclination of the head. When greeting nobility, however, men are to bow, and women are to curtsy.
o Proper greetings for the Elven race is to bend, halfway. For Elven nobility, though, it is proper to drop to one knee and bow one's head. This is on account of their great respect for authority.
o When being introduced, Nobility will always be introduced with their full name, title included, and territory of origin.

D. Ethics and Values
o A binding oath is usually sworn by the crown, the Queen, or some other form of royalty.
o Showing much skin at all, especially a woman's cleavage, is seen as shocking in this society, although in Whisperia, they let fly anything, really.
o A binding oath is unbreakable no matter what.
o Elves have been known to have fewer legal rights in Enchanted. There is threat of an uprising because of this.
o Causing anyone's discomfort or embarrassment in a social setting is unacceptable.
o Courtship should be long and distant, marriage should be lifelong, and they are not to speak of private matters with anyone. If one falls pregnant, it is not accepted for them to be seen in public in such a way, and they are not to speak of it in public.
o The ideal life is to have someone in their family somehow married off to someone of nobility, or for their sons to become Knights.
o Rebels and outcasts are those who rebel against the one upon the throne in any manner. If such gets out of hand, they may be persecuted.

[Felix Ives]

{More to come... this has taken me literally months to come up with }