National Map of Choukoutienian

This national map depicts the volcanic island nation of Choukoutienian, a landmass forged from black rock and shaped by rivers of fire. The island is presented in a photorealistic style, capturing the stark contrast between the deep, shadowy basalt plains and the intense, glowing orange of active lava flows and city lights. The overall shape is irregular, with a prominent western peninsula and a rugged coastline that speaks to its violent geological origins. A network of glowing roads, like veins of magma, spreads from a central urban core to connect settlements along the coast, dividing the nation into distinct territories. The surrounding ocean is a dark, deep blue, with several large, industrial-looking ships visible, hinting at the nation’s reliance on maritime trade. Smoke and steam rise from multiple volcanic peaks, shrouding parts of the island in a perpetual haze.

National Territories

The major road arteries, glowing with contained heat, serve as the formal boundaries for the three primary states, or Hegemonies, of Choukoutienian.

• Northfire Hegemony: Occupying the northern and central-eastern part of the island, this territory is the industrial and spiritual heartland of the nation. It is dominated by a cluster of the island’s most active and largest volcanoes, whose constant geothermal output powers the colossal forges of the capital. The landscape here is the most volatile, defined by fresh lava flows and vast, smoke-belching industrial complexes carved directly into the volcanic slopes.
• Obsidian Reach: This large territory encompasses the entire western half of the island, including the long peninsula. The land here is older and slightly more stable, characterized by immense, shimmering fields of black volcanic glass. The Obsidian Reach is the primary source for the nation’s most famous resource, and its cities are centers of obsidian quarrying, carving, and the crafting of the razor-sharp weapons and tools favored by the Huo-Sar.
• Ashfall Delta: The southeastern portion of the island constitutes the Ashfall Delta. This region is defined by the rich, dark soil created by millennia of volcanic ashfall. While still a rugged and dangerous landscape, it is the most fertile part of Choukoutienian. Hardy, fire-resistant crops and fungi are cultivated here in vast, terraced farms carved into the gentler slopes of dormant volcanoes, making it the nation’s breadbasket.

Major Cities and Points of Interest

Yan-Kor (Capital Megacity): Nestled in the heart of the Northfire Hegemony, Yan-Kor is the colossal capital of Choukoutienian. It is not so much built upon the land as it is built into it. The city is a sprawling megalopolis of interconnected fortresses, forges, and cavern-settlements carved into the sides of the three central volcanoes. Rivers of lava are channeled through massive aqueducts and trenches, flowing through the city’s core to power its industries and provide its primary source of light. The glow of Yan-Kor is visible from almost anywhere on the island, a constant, fiery beacon in the center of the nation. It is the seat of the Forge-Matriarch, the location of the sacred “First Hearth,” and the home of the most skilled master smiths in the world. Its population numbers in the millions, with the majority living and working deep within the mountain itself.

Coastal Cities: The roads radiating from Yan-Kor terminate at several vital coastal cities, which serve as the nation’s gates to the outside world.

• Port Scoria: Located on the northwestern tip of the Obsidian Reach, this is the primary port for the export of raw and worked obsidian. The city is built on a massive, craggy bluff overlooking a deep-water harbor. Its docks are vast, blackened structures of iron and basalt, equipped with huge, steam-powered cranes for loading the heavy, glassy cargo onto trade ships.
• Glimmervein: Situated at the far western end of the Obsidian Reach peninsula, Glimmervein is known for its artisans. While Port Scoria handles bulk resources, Glimmervein specializes in the export of finished goods: masterwork obsidian blades, intricate volcanic glass art, and powerful gear etched with glowing Yan-Flame glyphs. The city itself is famous for its beautiful, stark architecture, with many buildings featuring polished obsidian walls that reflect the firelight of the forges.
• Cindergate: This is the main port city for the Ashfall Delta, located on the southern coast. It is the primary point of entry for imported goods, especially food, timber, and other resources that the volcanic island lacks. The city is a bustling, chaotic hub of trade, where foreign merchants and Huo-Sar traders conduct business under the watchful eye of the Forge-Matriarch’s customs agents. Its massive harbors are protected by a long breakwater of volcanic rock.
• Pyre Landing: A smaller, fortified port on the northeastern coast, Pyre Landing serves as the primary naval base for the Choukoutienian fleet. Its strategic location allows it to guard the main shipping lanes to and from the nation, ensuring the security of their vital trade routes.

Points of Interest:

• The Throat of Zhuo-Ran: This is the collective name for the three massive, active volcanoes that dominate the center of the island and cradle the city of Yan-Kor. They are in a constant state of activity, with plumes of smoke and ash rising from their peaks and rivers of magma flowing steadily from vents on their slopes. These lava flows are carefully managed and channeled by Huo-Sar engineers to power their civilization.
• The Glass Fields: The vast, dark plains of the Obsidian Reach are known as the Glass Fields. From a distance, they appear as flat, dark expanses, but up close, they are a breathtaking and treacherous landscape of sharp, glittering obsidian formations, some as large as hills.
• The Great Lava River: A massive, glowing river of molten rock can be seen flowing from the Throat of Zhuo-Ran southwards, branching off to power industries before eventually pouring into the sea off the southern coast in a massive, permanent cloud of steam. This river is a major artery of industrial power for the nation.

Terrain Details

Beyond the major territories, the island’s terrain is varied and treacherous.

• The Shattered Plains: Much of the land between the major road arteries, particularly in the Obsidian Reach, consists of vast basalt plains. These are not smooth surfaces but are cracked and shattered into sharp, angular plates from rapid cooling and tectonic stress. Crossing these plains off-road is extremely slow and dangerous, capable of shredding the feet of beasts of burden and the wheels of all but the most robust vehicles.
• Subterranean Networks: The surface map only hints at the true extent of the nation. Beneath the ground lies a continent-spanning network of lava tubes and cavern systems, some as wide as highways. These subterranean passages are the true heart of Choukoutienian, housing many of the smaller communities and serving as sheltered pathways safe from surface ashfalls or lava flows. Navigation of these unlit “Shadow-Paths” is a skill known only to the Huo-Sar.
• Ashfall Wastes: In the leeward side of the great volcanoes, primarily on the border between the Northfire Hegemony and the Ashfall Delta, are the Ashfall Wastes. This is a desolate landscape of deep, soft, grey ash, sculpted by the wind into constantly shifting dunes. It is a lifeless and difficult-to-cross region, with the ever-present danger of pyroclastic surges from the nearby peaks.
• Steam-Veil Marshes: Along the southern coast, where geothermal vents meet the sea, are the Steam-Veil Marshes. This is a unique biome of superheated mud pots, geysers, and brackish hot springs. The entire area is perpetually shrouded in a thick, warm fog, smelling faintly of sulfur. Strange, heat-loving flora and fauna thrive here, providing a source for rare alchemical reagents.

Natural Resource Zones

The economy of Choukoutienian is built on the methodical exploitation of its unique volcanic resources.

• The Great Obsidian Quarries: Located in the heart of the Obsidian Reach, these are not mines but massive, open-air quarries. The Huo-Sar use focused harmonic resonance and thermal shocking to cleave enormous, flawless slabs of obsidian from the landscape. The sheer scale of these operations has left behind vast, terraced pits that descend deep into the earth.
• Brimstone and Crystal Mines: The slopes of the Throat of Zhuo-Ran are riddled with mines that delve deep into the volcanic heartwood. These are the primary source of the nation’s rare metals, heat-resistant alloys, and crystalline structures used in the creation of Resonators. The most productive region is known as the Sulfur Vents of Kael, a dangerous network of tunnels filled with toxic gases where pure, yellow brimstone and fire-aspected crystals are harvested.
• Geothermal Energy Taps: While prevalent across the island, the densest concentration of harnessed geothermal vents is in the Forge-Caldera surrounding Yan-Kor. Here, hundreds of vents are capped with massive industrial apparatus that converts the raw steam and heat into mechanical power for the capital’s forges and manufactories.
• The Ash-Terraces: The primary agricultural zones are the vast terraced farms carved into the hills of the Ashfall Delta. Here, the Huo-Sar cultivate specialized, hardy crops. The staples include giant, cavern-dwelling fungi known as Forge-Caps, which can grow to the size of a barrel, and a nutrient-rich tuber called the Ash-Yam, which thrives in the volcanic soil.
• Scavenger Coast: The southern coastline where the Great Lava River meets the sea is known as the Scavenger Coast. The superheated water creates a unique marine ecosystem. Local fishing crews in specially-designed, heat-shielded boats harvest unique, armored fish and giant, stone-shelled crustaceans that thrive in the extreme temperatures.

Trade Routes and Commerce

Trade is the lifeblood that sustains Choukoutienian’s specialized economy.

• The Magmaways: The glowing primary roads are known collectively as the Magmaways. They are not paved with asphalt but with compacted basalt and lined with conduits of contained magical heat that keep them perpetually warm and free of ash. They are primarily used by massive, multi-wheeled, steam-powered land-crawlers that transport bulk goods between the capital and the coastal ports. These routes are heavily patrolled by Huo-Sar warriors.
• Sea Lanes: Two major sea routes are recognized by foreign traders. The Obsidian Current is the outbound route from Port Scoria and Glimmervein, carrying Choukoutienian’s priceless exports of obsidian, masterwork arms and armor, and alchemical fire-reagents. The Hungry Maw is the inbound route to Cindergate, bringing massive quantities of timber, grains, textiles, livestock, and other resources that the island cannot produce itself.
• Shadow-Path Traffic: A significant amount of local and illicit trade happens within the subterranean lava tubes. Smugglers and independent prospectors use these unmapped tunnels to bypass official checkpoints, moving rare minerals, untaxed goods, and forbidden items throughout the nation.

Secondary Communities

Dozens of smaller settlements thrive in the shadows of the major cities, each with a specific purpose.

• Fumaro (Northfire Hegemony): Located high on the slopes of the northernmost volcano, Fumaro is a small, isolated settlement of shamans and seers known as the “Smoke-Talkers.” They live a monastic existence, dedicating themselves to interpreting the plumes of smoke and ash from the volcano, divining the will of the First Flame and predicting eruptions.
• Vein-Hold (Northfire Hegemony): A fortified mining outpost built directly at the entrance to the Sulfur Vents of Kael. Vein-Hold is a grim, functional town inhabited almost exclusively by miners, geologists, and the guards who protect the precious resources extracted from the mountain.
• Shardside (Obsidian Reach): A large quarry town situated on the edge of the Great Obsidian Quarries. It is a rough, noisy settlement, filled with the dust of obsidian cutting and the constant hum of harmonic shapers. Its population consists of the quarry workers who cleave the raw glass from the earth.
• Steam-Cove (Obsidian Reach): A small fishing village built around a sheltered bay on the western peninsula. The villagers have mastered the art of using the natural hot springs that bubble up in their bay to cook their catch and power small, steam-driven winches for their boats.
• Ash-Root Commune (Ashfall Delta): The largest of the agricultural settlements on the Ash-Terraces. This is not a town but a sprawling commune of interconnected farmsteads, dedicated to the cultivation of the Ash-Yam. The community is known for its quiet, hardworking nature and its deep connection to the land.
• Deep-Ranch (Ashfall Delta): A unique settlement located at the mouth of a vast cavern system. The inhabitants of Deep-Ranch are pastoralists who raise herds of domesticated, giant, six-legged subterranean lizards. These creatures are a primary source of meat and leather for the nation.