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Aerothers Cloud Spirits |
An Aerother is a spirit which has willed itself into existance and ended up using a cloud as a body. Most of the clouds in Yggdrasil are not Aerothers, but enough are to worry Storm mages (a storm mage has almost no power over an Aerother). Almost dripping storm magic themselves, Aerothers can do remarkable things in the sky, but their ability to interact with the surface is sadly limited. Aerothers usually appear as a normal cloud, but with a simple face shining out of it. Their shape is conciously governed, but size, texture, color, and density is all unconscious. Lightning, rain, and thunder are all aspects that they can control. (Thunder between two Aerothers is considered a highly intimate occurance.) Because of the simplicity of their needs and desires they are some of the most pleasant and childlike beings on Yggdrasil. Lifespan: Aerothers fade away once they lose their will to live. This can take millenia, and they are mostly impervious to damage, so Aerothers are widely considered to be truely immortal. Diet: Presumably they are continually absorbing moisture from the air and heat from the sun, but nothing conclusive is known- they are totally oblivious to the idea of "eating". Language: Aerothers have developed a complete language, but it they rarely learn it until they get to be pretty old. They have a simple form of expression that they can speak and understand at creation. Reproduction: Creatures are usually made through biological communion which creates a need for a soul. In the Aerothers' case, the soul has a need that creates a body. So, there are two ways in which a Aerother is born: sheer desire to live, or another Aerother has enough desire for another of it's kind that the other is formed. They can have genders, but their gender is individually chosen, not at all determined by their shape. If anything, they are actually asexual. Combat: Aerothers have yet to do anything but observe battles. Because they are nigh-indestructible, but unable to do much damage, any attempt otherwise would be futile. First seen in EITS #001. |
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Blood Bars "Special" Taverns |
Blood Bars are ancient, detested aspects of Yggdrasil societies. Just as a meadhall will serve mead, a Blood Bar will serve blood, in as many varieties as they can. The means by which these bars get their blood varies, but it is necessary to most of their cusomers that it is pretty fresh, so often as not it is gathered in a cruel and heartless fashion. The number of blood-dependant species on Yggdrasil is tremendous, and they are usually more than capable of rising in arms if their institutions are threatened, so Blood Bars operate in moderate security. However, they are usually required to be well outside of town limits, which suits the patrons just fine. Not yet seen in comic. |
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"Dahl Hulud" North Common swear |
A North Common swear probably based on an orcish phrase. It translates to mean roughly "gods smite it", but with a very negative connotation as to which gods and how they're smiting. The swear is usually used to express frustration over an event with very negative conseqeunces. Some scholars claim that the phrase was first used by a storyteller describing the wrath of Hel against a horrifyingly perverse orc deviant. (The story says that he's still in agony even today). Not yet heard in comic. |
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Dwarves People of the Earth |
The great humanoid miners of Yggdrasil, they stand about half the height of a human, but are usually much heavier than their counterparts. Often very dark in color, with small black eyes, and very large noses. Dwarven hair is plentiful, though the myth about Dwarven women having beards is false. The women do, however, have the alarmingly thick arm and hand hair that the men do (easily classifieable as fur), and they will often wear helmets with artifical beards when above ground. All Dwarves wear armor when above ground, because their skin is sensitive to the sun and they are a paranoid race. It is slightly ironic that they do so, becauase dwarven skin is covered in patches of rock-like plating just a shade darker than their normal skin. Their paranoia has led them to become accomplished armor-smiths, which in turn led to amazing weapon forging. They can stick their bare arms into red fire, so tempering steel comes naturally to the whole race. The Dwarven Kingdoms are widely spread, usually located directly beneath the greatest mountain ranges of Yggdrasil. Because they dislike the sun so greatly and because there is intense competition for good cave space, the Dwarven Kingdoms rarely trade with each other much, but they will still come to the aid of one another if needed. Promises made are honored for life and often into the lives of their distant heirs. Lifespan: Most dwarves live to be two or three hundred. The "fireborn" dwarves (decended from an ancient royal clan) can live to four hundred, and generally make up the elite in any dwarven society. Diet: Mostly composed of mushrooms and other cave-dwelling plants, as well as whatever red meat they can hunt down in the caves. Fish are considered extremely disgusting to most dwarves. Language: The Dwarven tongue is surprisingly consistent between kingdoms- known as the "Stone Word" among other races, it has hardly changed since the beginning of Dwarven existence. As such it is very similar to the Elemental dialects still spoken by Earth spirits, so dwarves are cautious with their words. Written dwarvish is very angular and reads right to left. Reproduction: Dwarves are very protective about their children and personal lives, and little is known for sure. It is known that reproduction is a predicable yearly cycle, and all babies are born within a week of each other. Dwarven children are not raised alone, but as equal members of their clan. Because they all look identical at birth, the parents will not discriminate between them, and all the children are raised not knowing which members of their clan are their parents. Special notes: Dwarven marriages are lifelong in most societies. Incest is an alien concept to Dwarves, due to the communal childraising system (this is probably for the best, because dwarven societies can remain isolated for centuries). Combat: In battle they are known to fight much longer than their opponents are used to, because dwarves observe a peculiar time system unrelated to the activities of the sun. Dwarves traditionally weild great hammers for close range combat, and lances of red-hot iron for middle range combat. Dwarves will rarely fight anywhere they cannot easily summon earth magic for longrange combat. Not seen in comic yet. |
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Elves Half Immortals |
Elves are known as the "First Hands" of the gods, with good reason. Definitely one of the oldest races of Yggdrasil, they are a wise and talented people who structure their society around service to the gods or to the land they inhabit. This lifelong devotion to duty gives them purpose during their extremely long lives, but it sometimes makes them foolish. Because of their enormous history, Elves can be found all over Yggdrasil, with moderate variation. Physically, they tend to be very much the same- taller than humans, fair skinned (sometimes translucent), long mobile ears and lean faces. Elvish eyes vary greatly in color, and can sometimes change due to mood. They have much longer fingers than humans, with fingerpads that have a flexible pattern- a mature elf can reform their fingerprint to form an alchemical ring, which contributes greatly to their spellcasting powers. Lifespan: Elves live until killed. Starvation, dehydration, and asphyxiation all apply to elves, though they are a bit more resilient than human beings. However, an elf will bleed to death much faster than a human- their blood is intrinsically linked to their magic, so bloodloss hits them twice as hard. Diet: Elves are much the same as humans. They tend to be better cooks and have finer tastes than most humans, but they'll eat the same bread as any commoner if necessary. They cannot get quite as drunk as humans though, because they inevitably pass out after so much alchohol is consumed. Language: All elven societies have a "high" language and a "low" language that only partially overlap. The high languages tend to be more complex and layered with meaning, making them useful for law and literature. The low language is more emotionally explicit but also convenient for math, so they tend to be turned to cursing and everyday business. Most elven languages can be directly traced back to the Ancient Elvish languages, which are still spoken by certain elemental spirits, and the Ancient Elvish languages can be traced back to Elemental, which most elemental spirits still use. Reproduction: Elves reproduce in the same manner as human beings (though the specific act is not as frequently successful). Pregnancy lasts about two years, and child raising is a much longer process than the human equivalent. It has been noticed that Elvish men do not have nipples, but the women have very faint shadows of an extra 6 on their torso. However, these vestigial breasts have no mammary backing (in point of fact, elvish women never have large mammary glands- even when in childbearing phase they are never as endowed as human women). Combat: Keen eyes and ears greatly aid the elves in longrange and ambush combat, but their weakness to bloodloss weighs heavily in their ability to do hand to hand. Because Elves are willing to invest such long periods of time in combat training, they frequently have extremely well organized and disciplined armies that can outmatch other forces. Small offensive magic favors heavily into their methods. Not seen in comic yet. |
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The Faceless Artful creations |
When the gods first began to design new forms of life for Yggdrasil to assist with running things, a (relativly) shortlived trend developed called "The Faceless". The name was applied long after the last of the Faceless was made, but does an admirable job of accurately describing them. The Faceless are known so because their faces are missing key features, such as eyes, noses, and mouths. It is because they are entirely made from magic, with almost no physical presence, so any change in identity or purpose is reflected in their appearance. Because the Faceless were of imperfect design, their sense of identity had a way of seeping away over the eons, and their faces disappeared with their original purposes. Perhaps as many as two million Faceless were created before the gods found a better way to make helpers, and most of them were forgotten mere decades after their creation. They were intended to be self-reliant and sustaining, so few records of them were kept... it was asssumed they would do their jobs until they wore out and then fade away. This was not, of course, what actually happened. Lifespan: Part of the design flaw of the Faceless was their inconsistent mortality. They age back and forth, and can be direly wounded with spells, but never seem to truly die. Instead, they fade to almost nothing and then slowly reappear decades later. Their continuing existance is apparently linked to their sense of duty, so when they are clear on their purpose they seem to gather much more substance and solidity. Diet: Another serious flaw in the Faceless was their powering method. Rather than trying to draw power from their creators or environment, the Faceless tap into the realm of Fate for energy and substance. This makes them behave oddly, because they were intended to affect the opposite realms. Language: The Faceless are incapable of speech or written communication, and rely on body language instead. A rare few use dance to express themselves as well. Reproduction: Because they were made by the gods individually with no plans of self-sustaining cultures, the Faceless are oblivious to the very idea of reproduction. Combat: There are a large number of Faceless that were designed to aid the gods with the business of battle. Now left to their own devices, countless combat-oriented Faceless appear in the wake of battles to observe the carnage. There are just a few among these that actually still participate in battle, but their power is tremendous. Often the Faceless will march silently with armies going to battle, as if they were comrades in arms, but it is never known if they are walking with the victors or not. Not seen in comic yet. |
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Faeries Magical bipeds |
The Faeries come in many shapes and sizes, which are classified in relation to magic (eg Storm Faeries, Soul Faeries). They are then broken down into tribes according to their most notable characteristic, usually their home or a central subculture object (eg Glacier Tribe, Bone Tribe). They are a cheerful people, clever with their magic, and beautiful to behold or hear. The Faeries seem to have no purpose on Yggdrasil other than to enjoy and enrich the details of it. They often ally themselves with the elves in order to get stuff done, but in truth they find the elves unbearably prideful. Lifespan: Among their peers, the Faeries are short lived- the average Faerie will live to be about 120 years old. However, the Faeries believe in a reincarnation system, and there is strong evidence that they are right in believing they get numerous shots at life. Diet: Faeries cannot eat meat, with a few exceptions. They mostly live off fruits and nectar. Alcohol and Faeries should not, under any circumstance, be mixed. Language: The Faeries have a number of diverse dialects, but for the most part all the Faerie languages can be grouped into High Faerie or Low Faerie. High Faerie is generally more sophisticated, with a second grammar system in place to subtly indicate emotion and intent, while Low Faerie is simpler and easier to understand. Reproduction: Depending on the variant of Faerie, they will marry for life and have children in essentially the exact same way that humans do, except that the length of pregnancy is a bit longer. Combat: Highly ineffectual fighters, the Faeries have yet to win a battle entirely on their own. Rather than fight, Faeries often serve as spies and scouts for armies, and are not armed even then. When they do kill, Faeries usually do so by means of poison or subtly malignant magic. Dying in combat is not a huge deal to Faeries, because of their reincarnation beliefs. Not seen in comic yet. |
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Helspeech High Undead Language |
Devised by the goddess Hel (after whom it is named), Helspeech is intended to be the official language among the Undead who can actually pronouce real words. It has not managed to replace untongue, it's predecessor, but it has managed to work it's way onto the surface of Yggdrasil, where Hel is not directly in charge of the Undead. Critics of Helspeech have pointed out that it heavily relies on the use of a topical hierarchy- sentences have to follow a rigid structure in order make sense, because a large number of words have multiple meanings based on their position. Another important note is that Helspeech as no negative words or synonyms- not is the only word that expresses the concept of negativity. So, to express "enemy" you would use "not-ally", or to express "broken" you would use "not-fix". To be more precise, you should use "not-present-fix", because the tenses (past present future etc) are explicitly stated. Similarly, the strength of a word (good being less strong than great) is determined by the statement of a number or negative number (a negative number is expressed with a not in front of it, such as "not ten"). So, "great" could be expressed as "five good", while "terrible" would be "not eight good", and "kinda bad" would be "not not two good". Not yet heard in the comic. |
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Layers of Reality Design behind the universe |
To put it briefly, the world of Yggdrasil can be broken down into seven layers which combine to form the complete world. Think of them like an extension of the dimensions idea- vertical, horizontal, depth, and time make up our 4 dimensions. Take away any one and you have a far less rich extistence. These layers fit into this order for human beings, if you consider the center one our usual point of view: Fate - Soul - Spirit - Physical - Mind - Shadow - Holy. Here is a rant which goes into better depth. |
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Magic Forces of Nature |
In a nutshell, there are 12 magic classes. Each class can be mixed with another class to form a new class. Such mixings are not as powerful as a single "pure" class, but they do have their benefits- they are capapable of either very special tasks or they have more rounded capabilities- it depends both on the mix and the user. On top of that, the mix does not have to be equal- it is actually more common for magic users to be primarily one class with lesser talent in the other. An Air mage with Fire as their secondary talent is officially classed as a "Foehn mage", and can sometimes cast fireballs, even though Air mages shouldn't be able to handle fire. This means there are really 276 magic classes: 12 pure classes, 132 equal mixes, and another 132 unequal mixes. Here is a diagram of the pure 12 magics.  Here is a rant which goes into better depth. |
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Necspectre Necromantic lizards |
A species created by the goddess Hel to maintain the undead in her employ. After a few centuries of "debugging" and enhancing their inherent Necromancy, Hel decided she could trust the Necspectres to govern their own affairs and keep to themselves. She even reassigned a large number of them to the depths under the trunk that she had domain over, farther north on Yggdrasil. Needless to say, there was a small exodus of Necspectres from these depths to the surface. This exodus corresponds to a sudden boost in Necromantic power and knowledge among the mages of Yggdrasil, and before long dungeons guarded by undead became common. Hel was extremely displeased, and wiped out a great many of the Necspectres who had left for the surface- but a few survived. Now they do their work in secret, trying to make undead presence look natural where they work. Lifespan: Necspectres can get to be really old. Not immortal, nor even as old as the Onodrim, but their command of Necromancy gives them unnaturally long lives. Diet: Seemingly omnivorous, the Necspectres eat plants mainly when they can't get meat, and they can drink anything a human can (and more). The have no preference as to age- Necspectres will eat a long-dead corpse as quickly as a fresh kill. It should be noted that they don't really eat all that much, compared to most living organisms, nor do they drink much. Necspectres have been known to attend blood bars and drink with vampyres. Language: Like most of the lesser creatures in Hel's employ, the Necspectres were taught to speak Untongue. Helspeech, the higher language of Hel's domain, was taught to the Necspectre leaders, and they have kept it in the ranks of the privileged among them. Necspectres are one of the few races that use magical terminology and incantations in everyday speech, which an be extremely dangerous, but it probably contributes to their universal skill in Necromancy. Reproduction: Adult Necspectres will mate for a few years in order to create a brood of eggs and verify that they hatch, and then name them. Via magic the parents will keep an eye on their children from a distance, usually entirely separate from each other. Combat: Necspectres fight the same way most Necromancers do- alone, and with unquestionable results. Usually they slip over to the spirit realm and cut the body loose from the soul with irrevesible precision. However, once such a technique is used to backlash will stun or slow down the Necromancer in question and they are vulnerable. In physical combat Necspectres rely on pre-cast offensive spells to deal damage while they look for an escape. Not seen in comic yet. |
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"Nezbubu" North Common swear |
A swear word common to those fluent in North Common. It translates roughly to "Dragons of the intestines", only considerably cruder and more forceful than English allows for. It is possible that the word originates from "Nesspupu", which may have been a Faerie term indicating frustration and shock. First heard in comic #8, from Tentus. |
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North Common International language |
The standardized language that has become medium for international communication in the northern lands of Yggdrasil. Because it is largely a hybrid of Elvish, Faerie, Orcish, and a few human languages, North Common sounds fairly celtic with a latin-y grammar system. It has a complete written side to it, unlike many of the languages of Yggdrasil, and it was designed so that most bipeds can speak it without much difficulty (though the orcs say otherwise). Every century an international council gathers to review the state of the language and take steps to keep it standardized and functional. As a result, most of ancient northern literature is still readable to the literate, despite great age. Part of the success of North Common is that it does not attempt to replace any languages- it is just a middle ground. Most species and nations still have their own language that takes precedence over North Common in their traditions. Not yet heard in the comic. |
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Nymphs Dancing spirits |
Nymphs are a type of elemental spirit that have been invested into a physical form other than their original, so that they can dance with one another. Quite literally, they spend their days dancing around in ever more sophisticated systems. Scholars have no idea where the desire for this dance comes from, but they keep cropping up all over Yggdrasil, even when they are threatened by other magical beings. Most Nymphs appear to be women of slight stature, though there are men occasionally. Hints as to their original form will be integrated into their bodies- stone Nymphs are grayish in color and will often have hard corners at their joints. Flower Nymphs are usually green in color and have hair that blossoms. Fireplace Nymphs are, well, usually on fire. Their state will change simultaneous to their original, because they are made of the same spirit and soul- if a Snow Nymph suddenly collapses on the ground and roils around, the snow from whence they came is probably in an avalanche. Some speculate that Nymphs also serve as eyes and mouths for things that are otherise unable to observe or communicate with the outside world. The idea has its merits, but Nymphs are not just extensions of their originals- they are moderately intelligent and have their own emotions. Even though a Nymph has the same soul and spirit as their original, their body and mind are at least partially separate. Lifespan: Technically immortal on their own, the lifespan of Nymphs is tied to their original. If the original dies, they die. If they die, the original loses part of it's spirit and soul. Diet: Nothing. Nymphs have been known to imitate the act of eating, but they themselves draw no sustenance from anything but their original form. It has been observed that matter has transferred from the original to the Nymph instantaeously, which means that it probably moves directly through the spirit realm somehow. Language: Not unlike bees, the Nymphic languages rely on dance patterns. Depending on the original form the steps can mean radically different things, but in all cases the vocabulary is mostly limited to things which pertain to the original form. Sometimes Nymphs can pick up ideas that the original cannot understand, which shows that the minds of Nymph and original are somewhat separate. Reproduction: Nymphs can and will couple with each other and even other species, to no avail. The females cannot get pregnant and the males cannot become fathers. Despite the freedom this implies, Nymphs do not copulate with anyone they do not feel strongly for. Combat: Very, very few Nymphs understand the idea of combat. Among those that do, fewer still actually fight with other species. If they need to defend their original they will usually do so in a selflessly suicidal way. Not seen in comic yet. |
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Onodrim Tree spirits |
Ancient, powerful, and peaceful- the Onodrim are the walking representatives for the Trees. Charged by the gods to oversee the forests of the North, the Onodrim are tremendously gifted in Nature magic, and have used it to watch over their woods for millenia. At the beginning of the comic, the Onodrim are disturbingly absent from their homelands. Lifespan: hundreds of years. The refer to their children's ages in "decs", meaning decades, and seem to regard a dec the same way humans view two years. This stops after an Onodrim reaches the age of about 200, at which they stop growing and age becomes unimportant. Diet: sunlight, soil, and water. Cannot consume human foods and no alcohol, but seem capable of drinking juices. Somewhat creepily, Onodrim get an extreme energy rush off of blood, especially warm blood- scholars of Yggdrasil have been unable to get the Onodrim to talk about this subject. Reproduction: Onodrim can plant a seed with the cooperation of their mate once a decade once they're 200 years old. Without a mate the seed will become a normal tree (species is dependant on nearest tree to the seed), and if either mate has reproduced within the past decade it will become a normal tree. Seeds are developed in females via magical contact which requires physical contact, but nothing more physical than holding hands. The seed dorms within the bellybutton and can be safely removed at any time. Growth will be postponed by premature removal and the seed can remain in status for centuries. Combat: Nature magic is employed by the Onodrim when size and perserverence are not an option. A common technique is to massively accelerate the growth of malignant life in the opponent (a stomache virus turned into a minor Plague). If local plants are up to it, spears of wood or razor-edged poison grass are common. When magic is not an option, the Onodrim will to their best to step on their opponents, but they move too slowly for this to work very often. First seen in comic #1. |
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Thorheim Storm Mage School |
Thorheim is widely known for its quality teaching program for Storm Mages. It is conveniently located on the southern tip of the Raging Teeth, a mountain range which butts into the sea and is known for its storms, so there is ample raw material for the students to work with. The student body is actually difficult to tabulate, because so many come and go irregularly. In light of this, the administration has adopted a cyclical teaching strategy- the curriculum works in a continuous pattern that repeats endlessly, with no regular testing or graduation. Students show up aand pay for classes one at a time, and to get certified they have to set up (and again, pay for) an individual session. The campus is built around Dorsal Mountain, an extremely steep and stony mountain that is shaped like a shark's dorsal fin. Housing is built along the road which runs straight up the front edge of the fin, while the learning facilities are built into the cliff face just below the tip of the fin. |
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Untongue Low Undead Language |
Untongue is the favored language of the undead, for a number of reasons. Every sentence is started by a "Ur" sound that establishes a central volume- a lot of the structure and meaning of the sentence is established by that "Ur". This seems complicated and difficult to many at first, but given the limited vocal abilities of many of the undead, it's really a very efficient system. Untongue is an extremely guttural language that has a simplified set of consonants. Certain consonants from other languages can be substituted in (for example, L can be used in place of R), if you can pronounce it. Again, the system is designed to cater to those with limited speaking capabilities. It is important to note, however, that the alphabet of Untongue does have several vowels that most other languages don't separate apart. This somehow manages to work out for the undead really well. The cumulative number of words in Untongue is few, and most are derived from dwarven and troll words. This is probably why Untongue can be used for wonderfully effective swearing- the combination of meanings and implications can result in some truly appalling concepts. It has been noted that despite it's limitations in specificity, Untongue can be used with great effect for curses and hexes, especially those thrown in haste. The lack of accuracy and dark connotations of the vocabulary invariably result in a mess. Because the undead can be found all over Yggdrasil, and government among them is a silly idea, Untongue has some radically different variations. This led to the creation of Helspeech, which has not managed even dent the use of Untongue. Not yet heard in the comic. |
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Vampyres Somewhat Undead |
Vampyres look like they looked when they were bitten, for the most part. They grow fangs, their eyes frequently turn red, and the underside of their arms and legs will scar up, in anticipation of suddenly growing wing webbing. Depending on the race, their ears will also usually get bigger and their nails thicker and sharper. Vampyrism is not limited to just humans. Many of the closely human races can be "turned" by a human Vampyre, including dwarves and elves. There is also a handful of parallel bloodlines that can turn their relatives into Vampyres of a different flavor- troll and ogre Vampyres exist, but cannot turn a human or vice versa. It is likely that Vampyrism originated in humans, because it causes the fewest complications with them. Most societies kill Vampyres on sight, because of their reliance on fresh blood. The stereotype that being a Vampyre makes you evil is entirely false, but being hunted down by Vampyre hunters tends to have a similar effect. Due to their tremendous combat abilities, the Vampyres have managed to establish safe places for themselves to live, sometimes in harmony with other societies. Abilities include enhanced hearing and night vision, heat vision, flying, overnight healing for minor wounds, loss of aging, and heightened reflexes. Weaknesses include reliance on fresh blood, flammable to sunlight, proneness to insanity (a social effect?), and intense hatred of loud noises. Lifespan: Until killed. This can be done in most of the usual ways, stakes to the heart are a legend. However, Vampyres are almost always more durable than their originals, so the legend does have its merits. Diet: Mostly still consisting of whatever food they ate beforehand, but Vampyres require blood to sustain their immortality and other abilities. Depending on the person and their lifestyle, they will have to drink fresh blood once a day to once a month. It almost always has to be from their own species or something closely related. Special Note: Vampyres were not the first to found Blood Bars, nor are they even the most common patrons, but they do tend to provide significant patronage. Language: Vampyres usually speak whatever language they did when living, though their fangs sometimes give them an accent. Vampyric society has been working on a language codenamed "The Crimson Tongue", but very few are aware of existence, and even fewer know how far it has come. Reproduction: Vampyres cannot reproduce sexually (reproductive "juices" for both genders have been replaced with blood. eww). Instead, Vampyres pass along their curse by biting people of similar race and drinking their blood, but not enough to kill them. It is uncertain whether physical attraction is required for the process to be completed- Vampyres themselves argue both ways. Combat: Speed, sharp claws, and precision senses are crucial to Vampyre combat. A preference towards night makes them great for ambushes and assassinations- small numbers make it impossible for them to muster an army. Vampyres have been known to scorn blades of any kind, citing that their claws can do just as well. Long metal poles are used rather than swords, to great effect- each end of the pole will have a point, and the poles are often swung fast enough to behead enemies. Not seen in comic yet. |
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Yggdrasil World Tree |
The world created by the gods took the form of a giant tree, with it's roots digging into the foundations of the universe and the branches reaching out to the heavens. All mortal existence occurs on the trunk of the tree, because the conditions at the branches and roots are too extreme for mere mortals. Dimensions: Unknown. Yggdrasil is relatively mountainous, making travel difficult, and the open sea is extremly dangerous. Cartographers have established that there are seven continents covering the bulk of Yggdrasil, but the actual sizes of these continents and the distances between them is uncharted. It doesn't help that Yggdrasil is slowly growing and gains a bit of surface area every year. Even further complicating the problem, Yggdrasil cannot be mapped out on a single sheet of paper- the surface of the trunk has "folds" in it that defy gravity and make distances between two places inconsistent. (Think of a an origami shape and how it has folds... the situation is similar). Fortunately, sky travel is typically fairly consistent, especially compared to land travel. General Societal Characteristics: Because of the diversity of life on Yggdrasil, there are very few general observations that can be made about the societies on it. However, it is worth noting that among any species that can talk, it is considered grossly idiotic not to be multilingual. On average, most people on Yggdrasil can speak 3 or 4 languagers, if they can speak at all. First seen in comic #1. |