Where to run a KUP game #3 - The land (part 1)

The known world of Appset is depicted on the map below. One of the most important features to highlight is its unique cardinal system: in this world, people navigate using two opposing cardinal points— Earth (E) and Water (W). Two additional sub-points have been developed: Pre-Earth (PRE, to the left of the Earth-Water axis) and Post-Earth (POE, to the right of the axis). Since there's no sun and the movement of the stars is almost entirely random, navigation relies heavily on the winds that sweep across Appset.

Depending on the season, certain winds blow consistently, allowing for orientation based on the conventional cardinal points that indicate the direction of land (E) and water (W). Wind maps and anemometers are essential tools for travelers in Appset, available in various types and levels of precision. Naturally, the more accurate the maps and instruments, the higher their price.

Travelers in Appset have two primary options for surface land navigation: the first is to acquire skills and knowledge about the winds and how to navigate using them. The second option is to rely on professionals who offer their services as guides. In the known territories, you’ll find a range of options—from individual guides to the renowned Soft Zephyr Corporation, the largest and most well-known guild of navigators. There is also a third option for traveling, but it involves underground routes, a topic that will be explored in a later post.

The physical landscape of this territory allows for visibility across several hundred kilometers on clear, crisp days. However, this phenomenon is naturally limited by the humidity in the air — the higher the humidity, the shorter the visible horizon.

The known lands where the characters’ adventures unfold are enclosed by a mountain range called The Great Belt. This range stretches over 2,000 km from The Sting at PRE to The Hand of God. The peaks of The Great Belt all rise above 1,500 meters, with the tallest exceeding 4,000 meters. Massive glaciers are nestled between the peaks, and only a few safe passes allow for crossing. This area corresponds to a specific political territory, which will be detailed in later post.

The peninsula named The Hand of God is considered the cradle of civilization by the populations inhabiting this vast area. This region saw the first example of a nation governed by a codified legal system. Moving towards POE from The Hand of God, a vast region opens with a warmer, more humid climate compared to neighboring territories. This has fostered the growth of a sprawling jungle, dense with exotic and legendary flora and fauna. In the direction of W from The Hand of God, an archipelago unfolds, populated since ancient times. The predominant culture in this archipelago has always stood in opposition to that which developed in the peninsula.

At PRE of The Great Belt lies a harsh, unwelcoming area — part desert, part barren wasteland. This territory is unclaimed by any nation and serves as a sort of no man’s land, though it is known to house settlements that have long been havens for all kinds of outlaws.

Explorers — or perhaps just legends — speak of mountains rising thousands of kilometers towards E, so tall that their peaks can’t be seen even on the clearest of days. It is said that there, the world ends… or maybe, it begins!