The world:

Shem has 11 continents:

• Cassaru, at the north pole, where the World Tree is. Its reputation is that of a place of hidden wonders.
• Starfall, the broken continent, in the northwest. It's small, almost ring-shaped, with the Pit in the northern quarter. Petty warlords and the tyrant Harkan dwell there, and horrific monsters out of the Pit.
• Lyrilla, the land of the faeries races, in the north-central region. Elves, dwarves, faeries of all sorts dwell here.
• Jesenya, connected to Lyrilla, but to the southeast of it. The nations here are analogous to western and central Europe.
• Ranu, to the east of Lyrilla and slightly north and east of Jesenya. The nations here are analogous to central and eastern Europe.
• Ansulym, to the northeast. It's the continent where the darkest beings live--demons, undead, evil goblins and trolls, doppelgangers, and more.
• Mati, in the center of the world map, a warm, equatorial continent. Middle eastern and South American nation analogs are here.
• Palhur, the largest continent, sits on the southwestern quadrant of the world. It is where most humanoids and demihumans dwell (trolls, goblins, thaumar, cephalans, and so on). There are also various North American analogs here. It connects to the south pole, and crosses the equator.
• Taggarus, the south-central continent, which is the Africa analog.
• Dabusen, the south-eastern continent, which is the Asian analog.
• Gyrah, the continent in the sky. None of your characters know what lives there, but it drifts over their location once every 4 days or so.

Other major features:

• The Island Bridge, which spans the world between Palhur, Dabusen, Taggarus, Mati, and Ranu.
• The World Tree, which sits at the north pole. Its roots hold the world together.
• The Pit, the great crater where the Starfall event occurred.
• Merukis, an island cluster a few hundred miles southwest of Jesenya, known as the center of the world's piracy.

Oceans:

• Alta Ocean, which surrounds Cassaru in the north.
• Aurul Ocean, which is between Ranu and Ansulym.
• Black Ocean, which is between Ansulym and Dabusen.
• Palhuric Ocean, which is north of Palhur, between Ansulym and Starfall.
• Great Southern Ocean, which wraps around the south pole.
• Wyren Ocean, which surrounds Mati, and is between Taggarus and Jesenya.

Moons:

• Grey Moon, the largest, has a 28 day cycle.
• White Moon, the smallest, has a 32 day cycle.
• Green Moon, the middle sized one, has a 27 day cycle. It's thought that it has living beings on it. It definitely has an atmosphere.

Starfall:

Starfall occurred about 1000 years ago. It rewrote the face of the world, and those few who study it believe it broke the magical and spiritual make up of the world as well as the physical. In short, it damaged the world's soul.

It is shaped like a backward "C," broken up into pieces. The Pit is at the center of the "C." Around it is the Fuligin Field, a black sand desert devoid of normal life forms. Only monsters survive there. To the west of it, across a narrow sea, is Harkanheim, where the mad tyrant Harkan rules. It is known for having a river of blood through the middle of it. Harkan is said to be able to control the monsters of the Pit.

South of the Fuligin Field, across a narrow sea, is more of Harkanheim, then a mountainous forest called the Bear's Heart. Beyond the Bear's Heart, in the eastern lowlands, is the Adder's Heart, which is a massive, dangerous swamp. At the southern edge of the Adder's Heart is the outpost of Lagan Hane, and the borders of the nations Dekel and Atran. Dekel is ruled by the Red Arasana Magnus Dekel, a vain, fat little lord whose family was outcast from its homeland 500 years previously. Atran is ruled by Queen Seldus Vaeth, a sorceress of notorious appetites for flesh and wine. She killed the former ruler, who was her teacher, over 150 years ago.

Beyond Dekel and Atran is Muras, which is firmly in the bottom tail of the "C." It is ruled by a figure called The Potentate, and it is known to be a harsh military dictatorship. South and east of Muras is Sangor and Bellica. Sangor is ruled by the Iudex Canifasum Aurorum, a man whose title makes him the Supreme Judge of his nation. The legal system is complex and ancient, and the end result is a nation of slaves. Bellica is ruled by the High Priestess Valdane Lhorram, dedicate of the Vermilion Sword. Her rule is militaristic but fair, or so they say. South of Bellica is Jared's Keep, a wide stretch of land ruled by Lord Jared, Pirate-King. He took it from its former owners, another pirate-ruler, about 12 years back.

Across a narrow from Bellica and Jared's Keep is a region called the Great Horns, which is a mash of forest, mountains, hill-lands, and scrub, where only mad hermits and wilderness specialists go.

On the northern stretch of the "C" is a mountain range called the Rook's Heights. It is directly west of Harkanheim, and beyond it, no one has any idea what is there. It is referred to as "the Lost Dwyre."

The middle of the "C" is the Sea of Stars, so called for the glowing points of light under its black waters. It is unsailable.

Lagan Hane:

Lagan Hane is run by the Commander's Council, a group of five people who represent the strongest mercenary groups stationed in the neutral zone. The current Councilmembers are Captain Raeng Baunukh of Sienna Company, Lord-General Jahala ibn Kuffuar of the Swords of the Sun, Commander Gelicana of the Sisters of the Hawk, Commander Urdwun Zul'Gaesekh of the Cromad Company, and Mother Xenr' Sheshadan of the Fuligin Fifty.

There are a lot of rules about behavior amongst the companies, mostly about being peaceful, but also about contracts. Those who break their contracts are not welcome in Lagan Hane. Private individuals are welcome, though.

The outpost is actually more like a series of fortified towns, laid out in a pentagonal pattern, surrounding a main fortress. The towns are referred to as Morning Keep, Midday Keep, Vespers Keep, Midnight Keep, and Dawn Keep. Each one could function on its own in terms of trade, resources, and services. There are temples, schools, libraries, courts, inns, markets, and so on in each one. They each tend to have their own flavor, so to speak. Though no intentional segregation was officially enforced, they tend to gravitate toward certain regional differences. Morning Keep is generally populated by Palhuric peoples. Midday Keep tends to be more Ansulymic peoples. Vespers Keep is a mix of Taggaran, Matian, Ranic, and Jesenyan peoples, mostly. Midnight Keep is home mostly to Lyrillan peoples, and Dawn Keep is home to mostly Dabusenese peoples. None have large populations of Cassarans, and no one's seen a Gyran. Sienna Company is stationed in Vespers Keep.

The central compound is called High Hane, or just Hane, and it is a fully functioning military base where all the mercenary companies train, have offices, and confer with each other. The central courtyard is where people post job offers, calls for recruits, job seeking messages, and other public information. It's called the Post.

The outpost is considered a way station before the wilderness of Starfall, and most view it as the last safe place on the edge of the world.

The River Lagan runs through the entire outpost.