==== Union ====

The plane of Union is just like any other plane, as viewed from within one
planar cosmology, except it also happens to be exactly the same plane in
exactly the same location in every other universe. When a traveller casts
Plane Shift to go to Union, they are taken from their Material Plane to the
Plane of Union, since the Plane of Union exists like any other plane in their
universe. When a traveller in Union casts Plane Shift to go to the Material
Plane, they are taken to the one which belongs to the universe they came from.
There is no spell that can move a character between campaign universes - only
an eccentricity in the operation of the planar portals in Union can do that.
Similarly, other spells that reach between planes have no effect between
universes - one cannot Sending a character from a different campaign, unless
they are both in Union at the same time.

When a traveler in Union encounters a traveler from another universe, bits of
culture are often exchanged. The most frequently exchanged information is that
of which gods are worshipped - as wonder of a higher power is a shared
phenomenon across all intelligent beings, the nature of what is in charge of
each world is most commonly shared. Nobody knows all of the pantheons, of
course, but knowledge of many different pantheons is common.

==== This Universe ====

The Material Plane in this universe houses one planet around one sun. It is,
inherently, the simplest possible arrangement. All other planes - inner and
outer - are as standard, and the pantheon is the standard one.

The world in the material plane is called Syra by its inhabitants. The main
continent, which is about 800 miles across, is also called Syra. The year is
367 days long, divided into 12 months of 30 days each, with a 7-day period of
festivities across the lands between December and January. The campaign takes
place 56 years after the first human stepped through the portal from Union.
(Years are denoted "AS" for "After Settlement". Very rarely are years BS
spoken of.)

Even though the standard gods exist, the world Syra's inhabitants used to live
in had no pantheon, and people such as divine spellcasters worshipped instead
simply the ideals and powers that give power to the various aspects of life.
As life settled itself into this world, most people remained faithful to
idealistic worship, but many chose to follow more deistic lifestyles. Deistic
clerics are granted spells as expected, while idealistic divine spellcasters
draw their power from the inherent energy of the world that gives life the
elements it has (such as growth, decay, balance, etc). (Instead of praying to
their god, a cleric must instead spend time meditating on the nature of the
power they devote themselves to.) Arcane spellcasters, of course, draw their
power from the very essence of existence itself.

=== Portal ===

The portal to Union sits near the confluence of two heads of the River Lexia,
which runs north from the mountain range in the center of the continent north
to the ocean. The portal itself is about fifteen feet across, and lies in a
small cave on a low hillside.

Four days after the humans and other good races first came through and started
colonizing, a large group of goblins, hobgoblins, and lizardfolk, led by
several dragons, burst through the portal, angered at the humans for leaving
fellow life behind. They flattened about half of the human encampment around
the immediate area, and set up small establishments of their own to guard the
place.

Since then, the army of Kria and the goblinoids and reptilians have been doing
battle sporadically around the place, vying for control over the ever-popular
trade route. On some weeks, travelers returning from Union will be greeted by
warm smiles from humans; on others, they may be met by a blue or red dragon:
never hostile, but always demanding payment in exchange for passage.

As a result of fifty years of battle, the excessive wielding of arcane power
and periodic use of biological weapons have contaminated the waters of the
nearby river. The northern plains that Lexia feeds have transformed into a
barren and inhospitable landscape, extending all the way to the ocean and
covering several hundred miles of coastline.

=== Kria ===

While upon arriving through the portal several people decided to set up a town
in the immediate area, most people sought a city in a more prime location. The
capital city of Syra is called Kria, and is where the Four began their work.
It is located in roughly the center of the continent, on foothills just north
of the Cranterre Mountains: on top of a large mineral deposit, and roughly 43
miles upstream (by Lexia) of the Portal.

Kria is home to about two million people. Most of its economy lies in trade
between the various parts of the continent, and also in the dealings of
merchants from Kria themselves. The market and trade district spans tens of
miles, and is legendary for its selection.

The city was ruled admirably by Vermi of the Four until 16 AS, at which time
she grew weak of age and, while retaining her title, began delegating much of
the work to advisors. In 23 AS, she passed away, and though she had named Sami
Trangor, who had set up and run several educational institutions in the past
two decades, to be her successor, much infighting and heated debating arose,
and one Mr. Edward Henschel, former political and economic advisor, eventually
rose to the throne. Henschel's rule is forceful and effective, but strict and
brittle, and public opinion ranges from disapproval to indifference.

The School of Magic is very underdeveloped. With Vogar gone, no other
possesses the intellect required to perfectly administer all the teachings of
arcane matters. In his absence, a council of the five most powerful wizards
has been established, but their chief manufacturing is nothing but bickering
and arguing.

=== Northwest ===

The second major river that feeds the northern side of the continent is called
Laercon. Its head starts in the northwestern part of the Cranterres and feeds
a bay just east of Syra's northwestern peninsula, about 150 miles across. At
the end of Laercon lies Hartmansport, about 375 miles north of Kria.
Hartmansport, populated by about 30,000 people, spans almost all of the bay's
coastline, mostly in the form of small fishing establishments that could
almost be called villages in their own right. Closer to Laercon itself is
farmland, starting at the outskirts of Hartmansport's market district and
extending several tens of miles upriver. The market is normally a quiet and
slow place of business, but for three days in the first week of each month, it
turns into a bustling hub of activity, when shipments arrive from Drestil, and
everybody around Hartmansport also ships their best load to take advantage of
the activity.

Drestil is a quite small village that sits on the tip of the northwestern
peninsula and also occupies the three biggest islands of the archipelago
extending beyond. Around these islands one will find the rarest and most
prized species of fish. Drestil's fishing guild imposes strict regulations on
how much each fisherman can fish, so as to prevent their most important
resource from disappearing. About 1,000 people live here, out of which about
75 travel each month to Hartmansport, most by magically augmented caravans and
ships.

=== The Highlands ===

Slightly south of the highest peaks in the center of the continent lies the
predominantly dwarven settlement Auranth, at the head of the River Prostus.
Most of their economy is in mining, but some, especially the gnomish populace,
prefer the more domestic and calm work of crafting, research, and education.
Visitors are first impressed by the dual waterfalls just above the city. Said
to originate each from a source of highly powerful mystic energy, Wilbur,
nearly a thousand feet tall, and Eliza, shorter even than the tallest building
in Auranth, though spanning a mile or more of cliffside, (names by which the
locals have known the waterfalls though none know why) each flow into the
city, driving numerous waterfalls, sometimes redirected for targetted erosion
for mining efforts, finally to unite from several streams into a single
channel, which carries cargo ships gently to and from the Elven settlement
several hundred miles downstream (pack animals are shipped along they way for
tugging the comparatively empty boats back up the river).

Southeast by Prostus one will find Rhamnal,