AN
An consists of three different territories An, Aum, and Hel. These three regions are known as the Three Portions of An. Oen of An conquered Aum and Hel six hundred years before the start of the series.
This land is currently ruled by the enigmatic Mathom.
CAITHNARD
Caithnard, an important trade-city, is situated in a crescent of land between two lands. The city consists of a port, inns and shops, and on a thrust of cliff forming one horn of the moon-shaped bay lies the College of Caithnard. The city itself is filled with people from the many different lands of the High One's Realm.
There are salt beds above Caithnard, and the salt from them is traded to places such as Hed.
ERLENSTAR MT.
A mountain northeast of Isig. It was the historical seat of the High One. For nearly a thousand years, it served as the seat for the false High One, Ghisteslwchlohm. It was from here that the Earth-Masters mined for their all-colored stone. This is where Morgon, the second High One, imprisoned Eriel's Earth-Masters.
An island nation situated to the east of Ymris. The mainland is visible from Tol as a dark thread along the horizon. Tol and Akren are villages situated on the southwest coast of Hed. A horse from Hed is described as being able to ride from western to eastern Hed in a day; however, a horse from An can apparently make the journey much faster. Farming appears to be the major occupation of the people of Hed; however, fishing boats are sent out from the coastal towns such as Tol.
Trade
Trade-ships come to Tol for the season's exchange of goods. Among the products exported from Hed are beer, grain, and wool. Plow horses are also shipped from Hed to An and Herun. Herun wine, metal, such as a chest full of iron, and salt from the beds above Caithnard are among the products bought by the people of Hed.
Land-Rulers
The land-rulers of Hed are less elevated in stature compared to the land-rulers of An and Ymris. They act more as managers of the island than anything else. In fact the last prince of Hed to have a crown was Kern of Hed, the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather of Morgon of Hed. The crown was made of silver with a green jewel in it shaped like a cabbage. At the beginning of the Riddle of Stars, Morgon is the the current prince of Hed, with his brother Eliard as his land-heir.
HERUN
Herun is a small, very rich land ringed by low mountains. Beyond the mountains of Herun like its plains and tors. Stone houses and small villages rise on the crests of the undulating plain. These villages are usually huddled at the feet of stone peaks that rise from sporadically from the plains. The land-rulers of Herun are known as the Morgols, who have the gift of sight. During the Years of Settlement, an army from north Ymris attacked Herun with an eye to its mines.
Crown City
The capital of Herun is the Crown City, or the City of Circles. The city was built by the fourth Morgol Rhu who planned a circle for each of the eight riddles he answered. He died on his journey to answer the eighth riddle. This is why there are only Seven Circles of Herun. The City of Circles is described as a vast red circle of red upright, stones around a black oval house.
Historical Morgols
The fourth Morgol to rule Herun was Dhairrhuwyth, or more simply called Rhu. He either built or designed the Crown City, also known as the City of Circles. Herun was Herun was ruled by the Morgol Ylcorcronlth, or more simply Cron, six hundred years before the start of the series.
ISIG
Isig along with Osterland forms the border between the icy wastes and the Realm of the High One. It is ruled by Danan Isig. The land itself is dominated and defined by Isig Mountain. Craftsmen from all over the Realm of the High One come to train at Harte.
The interior of Isig Mountain is where the High One placed the dead Earth-Masters children.
LUNGOLD
The wizard's city was founded a thousand years before the start of the Riddle of Stars by Ghisteslwchlohm. He attracted many powerful wizards from across the Realm. A Bloody battle destroyed the School of Wizards 700 years before the start of the series.
OSTERLAND
Osterland is a land of ice and snow. It is ruled by the wolf-king Har. He rules from his hall Yrye, although he is often away patrolling his kingdom. As Isig is a land of craftsmen, Osterland is a land of trappers. The one thing they cannot trap, legally anyway, are the noble vesta. Har actively pursues anyone who kills a vesta.
OUT-LANDS
This is the expanse of land west of Herun and between Herun and Osterland/Isig. There are said to be wild men in the out-lands who prey on traders beyond the boundaries of king's laws, exiles.
YMRIS
Ymris is ruled by Heureu Ymris with his brother Astrin Ymris as his land-heir. This nation is the site of the ruined Earth-Masters' cities. Ships from Ymris have scarlet and gold sails. There are five provinces in Ymris each ruled over by a High Lord. The five provinces are Lor and Meremont, both small coastal provinces, and Ruhn, Umber, and Marcher.
Historical Conflicts
During the Years of Settlement, an army from north Ymris attacked Herun with an eye to its mines.
Caerweddin
Caerweddin is the capital city of Ymris. Galil Yrmis made a house out of the stones of the Earth-Masters' cities. This ancient house stands on a hill near the sea on the mouth of the Thul River, the river itself runs eastward across Ymris from one of the seven Lungold Lakes. The house of Yrmis' kings is surrounded by two walls. Through the gates of the first wall a gentle incline leads to the thick oak doors of a second wall. Beyond this wall is a courtyard. Immediately upon entering the house is the King's Hall. It is built of smooth, dark glittering stones. Along half the length of the inner wall is a fire. Near Caerweddin are orchards.
King's Mouth Plain
During the rule of Galil Ymris, a seige of Caerweddin occured. The king refused to listen to his wizard Aloil's advice; and as a result, Aloil's tower was burned. Aloil exacted his revenge by making a stone in the plain above Caerweddin speak for eight days and nights in such a loud voice that men as far as Umber and Meremont heard it. The stone recited all Galil's secret, very bad attempts at writing poetry. This is the origin of the name King's Mouth Plain.
Wind Plain
A great, windblown plain in southeastern Ymris. It is bounded at its northern edge by a river. The great stone-works of ruined Earth-Masters' cities lie here.
Here is a description of one such ancient, ruined city, the site of the Wind Tower. "It was a maze of broken columns, fallen walls, rooms without roofs, steps leading nowhere, arches shaken to the ground, all built of smooth, massive squares of red, green, gold, blue, grey, black, streaked and glittering with other colors melting through them. A wide street of gold-white stone, grass thrusting up between its sections, began at the eastern edge of the city, parted it, and stopped at the foot on the one whole building in the city: a tower whose levels spiraled upward from a sprawling black base to a small, round deep-blue chamber high at the top."
Until the High One and Morgon no man had ever climbed to the top of the Wind Tower. Aloil is said to have spent seven days and nights attempting to climb to the top. Astrin Ymris also had made several attempts to reach the top.
Marcher
At least a small section of Marcher is composed of rocky fields and low border hills where villages and farms were rare on the rough land. The rough, undulating land flows towards the old, worn hills mentioned above.
Umber
Umber is land of rough hills and green woods. It is ruled by Rork Umber. North of the Wind Plain there is a road that leads to Rork's house. This great house is made of red and brown stones from the hills. It has a vast hall. A long road leads from Umber to Caerweddin.
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