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The World of Time Master.

A Guide>History>How the World Works>Random Matters

A little of how the world works...

The Ten Provinces

After the original overthrow of Chaos and the magi, the land was divided into ten provinces, each under the jurisdiction of a provincial margrave answerable to the High Margrave. The land was mapped for the first time, culminating in the first fully  comprehensive example, compiled by the High Margrave's own chart master and still in use to this day.

Excerpt for the map of the Ten Province'

Southernmost of the provinces is Shu, whose warm climate and fertile soil makes it the source of the world's finest wine grapes. It also has a relatively gentle coastline, and boasts the world's largest harbour at the seaport and province capital, Shu-Nhadek. From here it is less than a day's voyage (with a favourable wind) across the Bay of Illusions to Summer Isle, home of the High Margrave. And on the journey you'll glimpse, in the far distance, the peak of the extinct volcano that marks the enigmatic and now uninhabited White Isle that has played a great part in the world's history.
            Across Shu's northern and western borders respectively are the provinces of Wishet and Prospect. Wishet, too, is a seafaring district, and its capital, Port Summer is second only to Shu-Nhadek as a centre for maritime travel and trade, while Prospect is farming and fruit-growing country, lush and arable. North again, and the drove roads lead to Southern Chaun and Chaun provinces, arable again but also bordered by woodland and forest. The Matriarch, head of the Sisterhood, has her cot in Southern Chaun.
            North-east from Chaun is Han, the only province without a coastline, where the woods and forest are at their most dense. Its neighbour, East Han, is largely given over to pasture for herd animals and the growing of vegetables. Beyond, the huge expanse of the Great Eastern Flatlands lives up to its name; a place of scrubland and marshes grazed by only the hardiest of animals and with hardly a hill between one remote village and another. Its capital, Havening, stands guard over the only major safe harbour on the province's long coastline; but despite the dangers of their coast the Flatlanders have a long and established fishing tradition of which they are dourly and stubbornly proud.
            The two northernmost provinces are Empty Province and West High Land. Empty Province, too, is what its name suggests; barren and thinly populated, with a bleak range of mountains stretching away from the border capital, Skarock. A few farmers scrape a living here, but the main activities are mining and quarrying. West High Land is also mountainous, but on the western coast the peaks give way to gentler country. Fanaan Bay is a rich fishing ground, and the river-port capital, Wester Reach, offers a welcome safe haven to ships.
            And on the most northern promontory of all, cut off from the rest of the world by the daunting mountain ranges, is the Star Peninsula, and the castle, once the stronghold of the magi, where the sorcerer adepts of the Circle now make their home.