As of writing this, I am in the process of updating and working on three different projects. I just updated Kollsvik, and am in the process of doing a major overhaul for Tasvir. There is two other projects that are currently in the works, and both are a tad ambitious. The idea behind those two is that they are open worlds of sorts. There will be roads and multiple settlements, each worthy of their own project. Those will take a while but I hope to finish and upload them before the end of 2017. The first I started July of 2015 and the second at the end of 2016.


The point of this is that these four projects, and others I may make in the future, are all part of a single fantasy world by the name of Andarow. It is very much in the same vain as Middle Earth and Nirn/Tamriel. It is the product of my own creativity and ideas. It extends beyond Minecraft, with these projects just being representations of various locations within it. The point of this article however is to go over the basics of this world.


OVERVIEW:


Andarow is a continent; it's map is seen above. It contains several different races (Human, Orc, Elf and Dark Elf) and numerous cultures and nations.


NATIONS:


Rindonia - This is the largest of the nations. It is a multiethnic empire. It is human, with several different cultures. Central Rindonia is Rindonian, a strict and refined culture, whose people are often vain see themselves as aryan. This region is also where the Toaldian empire originated, who originally conquered eastern Andarow and evolved into Rindonia. Northern Rindonia is home to the Tliied culture. They are the most affected by Rindon culture and thus have lost much of their original ways. They share many characteristics with Rindonians, but are hardier and also humbler. Southern Rindonia is home to the culture of Thied. They are much different from Rindonia's mainstream culture. They are southern Andarow much more than they are western Andarow. Thiedians are uniqely nationalistic, and due to their history of being conquered, are considerably xenophobic. Rindonia is very diverse in terms of terrain. The north is forested with several major rivers and the largest lake on the continent. The west is swampy. The south is rugged and forested. The middle region is almost exclusively plains and gentle rolling hills. It's capital is Jentria, with other major Rindonian cities including Tekria and Adena. Tliied cities include Ettadon, Nohann and Deln. The major cities of Thied include Itoran, Thiorn and Diano. TASVIR is located of the coast of northern Rindonia and is under its administration.


Tannellon - These are the human people of southern Andarow. They are savvy and pragmatic. They are easygoing and social. They are traders and focus on economic gain, only favoring aggression when it is lucrative. They have a lengthy coastline, due to early colonisation. The vast majority of their population lives near the coast for two reasons. The first is to maximise the number of ports, as the location of their interior does not offer much for land trade routes. The other reason is that much of their terrain is barren and rugged. They even have the sole desert on the continent. Their capital is Kanella. Other major cities include Norleone, Entella, Berian and Ellonae. Within the aforementioned desert is the remains of the ancient Zahd'Krod civilization. They were cliff-dwellers, building their cities into the rocky landscape of the Zarhzastahad Desert. Due to the harsh conditions and appeal of modern civilization (note on time-period later), much of them assimilated into Tannell culture, giving it a unique flavor. What remains is a miniscule and primitive population of nationalistic peoples quietly residing in their settlements seeking no attention. This culture will be represented in a future project.


Sorna - The Sornese people are an amalgamation of eastern and western influences. They are a quiet nation of humans, and are small and unassuming. They take pride in their rich culture, but are welcome to outside influence and are not xenophobic. Much of it's people are farmers, with only a few major cities. Those cities include Clior and Arose, with its capital being Nesorn.


Arkis - This is an ancient city state of dark elves in the mountainous region that is in fact not claimed by any nation. Arkis is centered around an ancient fortress home to a group of powerful magic-using families. They are the ruling class and are dedicated to both only breeding with dark elf magic users and the advancement of their magic knowledge. The rest of Arkis is dark elf peasantry and lower class. The city itself is very hard to navigate to as it is located very high in the mountains. Know one knows for certain how advanced it's wizards are, as they do not share their knowledge with outsiders, and outsiders are not allowed in. Because I am dumb, I forgot to include Arkis on the map, so it is to the northwest of Rayiiden Duroth

Rayiiden Duroth - This is a city of dark elves. It is located in the same unclaimed highlands region. It is a city state, and is merely a city without any unique characteristics. It is friendly to foreigners and traders, and does not share the xenophobia that the rest of dark elf culture has. It is seen as the capital of mainland dark elvendom.


Honnicia - Honnicia is a nation of humans, and is rather esoteric. They have a divisive class and culture divide, and the two go hand in hand. On one hand, you have the classic Honnician culture, located in the central and southeast parts of the nation, better known as the heartland. The classic Honnician people have a very low percentage of poor, and this is where the vast majority of the middle and upper class are located. Even outside of it's respective region, the ruling class and upper class are members of this culture. They are very aryan and are staunchly against ethnic mixing. They see other human cultures as inferior, and see humanity as the master race. In the west of Honnicia, there is the Dentese people. The upper class in their respective region is dominated by the Honnocian culture, so much of these people are poor. They were dominated by Honnicia's initial period of expansion. In the northeast, there is the South Endorn culture, an extension of their northern Docranian brethren. They are again very poor and dominated by Honnician rulers. This region is plains, rather than the forest of the rest of Honnicia, resulting in a horse-centric culture. These people, similar to the Dentese, are much more laid back than the incredibly strict Honnicians. Finally, there is Disinia, a large island and the farthest northeast part of Honnicia. These people are traders and have their own upper class. They are culturally similar to Docrania. Most importantly, Disinia is actually quite autonomous, being more of a vassal than just a part of Honnicia. Honnicia's capital is Andira, and major heartland cities include Aldithar and Ridnanta. Major Dentese cities include Denta and Horenon. Cadasa is the only major city in the South Endorn region.


Attrune - This is a city state situated on the border between Docrania and Honnicia. It is ruled by a council of wizards and much of it's population is magic-using. The city was founded as a haven for mages and it independent from any other nation. The land was donated by Docrania.


Docrania - This nation of humans is uniqely adventurous. They see themselves as open-minded frontiersmen, welcome foreign cooperation and influence, and value magic. They are unaggressive, and are the most likely to involve themselves with diplomatic relations. Docrania is somewhat sparse in population, as much of their land is barren plains, with the northern part being frozen. The majority of their population is along the Runne river valley in the southwest part of the country. In its plains region is a nomadic sect of dark elves. It's capital is Docrania, and is on the Runne river. It's other major cities are Thenda, Tario (located on the coast of Toriam Bay) and Ottnor, on the north coast. KOLLSVIK is located in the Frigid Wastes, the frozen northern part of Docrania.


Inathas - This is a mysterious mountain nation of elves. They don't allow outsiders into their cities unless on official business, and their ruling class is mostly magic using. Their architecture is elegant and highly advanced. They put great emphasis on eugenics as well. Their population is heavily educated. Inathas is also very isolationist, with a small but advanced army. Their capital is Ethinia, an ancient city buried in the mountains. Other major cities include Darnian, Ornum and the foreigner-inclusive Nontgale.


Areknai - This is one of the two Orcish nations. Areknai is more advanced, and also less nationalistic than it's counterpart Kodokai. Areknian Orcs are far more in-tune with human cultures. Despite that, humans will still find Areknai to be very alien. They have a very loose and pragmatic culture, favouring individualism and a low emphasis on higher authority. Areknai actually has two slightly distinct cultures. The southern variant is the most in tune with the culture of "outsiders", while the northern is less advanced and slightly more nationalist. It's capital is Norokod, with other major cities including Kodnokor, Retoka, Tonorga and Arendo.


Kodokai - The Kodon people are far more conservative than the people of Areknai. They are xenophobic, and are collectivist by comparison. They have a strict and hierarchical warrior culture. Society in Kodokai is often very brutal. The terrain is also far more mountainous than Areknai, with a plains region in the north. The farthest northern part of Kodokai contains the Kongor people, a distinct people group separate from the mainstream Kodon culture. They are far more brutal and strict, however they are instead nomadic, with yurt villages and great emphasis on horses and archery. Kodokai's capital is Modashu, with other major cities including Dencrow, Kordunn and Enkrom.


Vurryl - This is an island nation, with a group of islands off the east coast. It's population is in fact dark elf. Their culture and civilization is mysterious. They build their cities into cliffs, with smaller villages and farming settlements having unique clay structures. Human influence is present as well. They originally were staunchly xenophobic, denying entry to outsiders, however, this mindset faded with each generation leading to the end of this policy. Human trade flourished with Vurryl, and human styles of architecture became more common. Their capital is the city of Vurryl, with no other cities of significant size being present.


NOTE ABOUT TIME PERIOD:


Andarow has a history, so what I am describing is only at one point in time. That point in time is the most representative and inclusive of information, and hence why I chose it.


WHAT ELSE IS THERE?:


There are many other components, such as religion and history, but I covered everything that matters in the context of what I do with Minecraft. Not only that, but I’d end up writing a book if I went into those things as we'll.


WHY:

This is all from my imagination, and I just sort of ended up transferring this stuff into minecraft, as a portrayal. I wanted to explain how my creations fit into it so y’all would understand. I'm not sure how to conclude this so if you have any thoughts, do sound off in the comments. This is basically just an explanation of what my projects will generally be like going forward and the world they are in. As a final statement, do remember that in this case, the projects serve the lore, not the other way around.