Most of the adventures on the world of Lusternia will take place in the Basin of Life, an enormous continent surrounded by a circle of mountains. In the center of this basin are two inland seas, and surrounding that great highways that are the arteries of commerce and trade. Presiding over all is the towering mountain known as Avechna's Peak, situated to the northeast among the northern mountain range, a holy site where many pilgrims travel.

The Village of Stewartsville - One of the first human settlements, Stewartsville is located on the southern shores of the Inner Sea. Their major industry is the production of hemp rope, though many villagers also farm and fish. While the Wainwright family controls much of the agricultural industry, Stewartsville is governed by Lady Cecelia, Countess of Stewart, who resides in the stately Stewart Mansion. Rumour has it that someone has recently murdered Lady Cecelia and the town magistrate is looking for detectives to help him solve the mysterious murder.

The Village of Estelbar - Nestled next to the Ackleberry Forest, Estelbar is a community of furrikin. A quiet little agricultural town, the furrikin here are primarily vegetarian and abhor the slaughter of innocent animals. Though usually a pacifistic race, villagers have taken to arming themselves against the orc raiders from Acknor who kidnap, drug and enslave their farmers. The town is nominally overseen by a furrikin alchemist known as Yojimbo, who is investigating means of freeing the captured furrikin from their drugged enslavement. Also located in Estelbar is the Mrs. Trundle's Tae'dae Daycare, which houses orphan tae'dae cubs until they are ready to make their way into the world. Mrs. Trundle, however, is getting old and has trouble remembering what medicines prescribed by Yojimbo to give to her tae'dae charges, and is hoping some kind souls would offer her assistance.

The Village of Acknor - Situated north of the Ballach Swamp, Acknor is one of the more recent villages to rise to prominence, settled by the more intelligent orcs who managed to rise above the savagery they inherited by the Taint. Though carnivorous themselves, they have developed a lucrative market in the farming industry, by enslaving furrikin farmers and selling agricultural products to nearby Magnagora. Despite the civilized nature of these orcs, they are still a barbaric people, who believe that might makes right. Subsequently, the Chieftain of Acknor often changes through trial by combat. It is not uncommon for the challenger to reward any who help claim this prestigious position.

The Village of Delport - Along with Stewartsville, Delport is the other human village in Lusternia. Settled between the forks of the Estengare River, Delport utilizes great waterwheels to run their varied industries, though their top product is the production of hemp rope, a market for which their only competitor is Stewartsville. The leader of Delport is the beautiful Madame Sylvie who is the Chatelaine of the Chateau d'Amour. Nothing brings more pleasure to Madame Sylvie than to bring lovers together, though she recently has been having trouble making suitable matches. A generous woman, she rewards those who help her in this quest to bring lovers together.

The Village of Angkrag - Angkrag started out as a dwarven mine that was hotly contested with the City of Hallifax during the days of the Holy Celestine Empire. Since then, the mines were flooded by the Taint and were for a long time uninhabited, that is until the Magnagoran noble houses began to 'retire' the more decrepit of their undead family members there. First, the undead masters began using orc servants to raise silk spiders, much to the anger of Dairuchi who had long cornered the silk market. Then, the undead masters began to 'acquire' undead dwarven miners and have since become one of the major producers of rich ores. The strongest and most intelligent of the undead masters is Master Nasir n'Rotri, who is bending his considerable will to master the dwarven method of steel smelting. Unfortunately for him, the orc he is training for smelting steel, while uncommonly intelligent for an orc, has not been very cooperative and taken to drink. At times, this orc must be punished, but the orc is wily and often escapes his viscanti masters. Master Nasir will richly reward those who help capture the notorious orc.

The Village of Rockholm - Rockholm is a dwarven hold located in the Northern Mountains. Once the seat of the Dwarven Lords, the leader there, Thane Thoril Falgirn, is desperately seeking to the Crown of the Dwarven Lords to unite the fractured dwarven kingdom. Thane Thoril is advised by his mother, the Dowager Wiciwen, a powerful mystic in her own right. Despite the Thane’s preoccupation, Rockholm is still a rich mining community, though constantly vigilant against the viscanti undead masters who seek to kill the dwarven miners and turn them into undead to work the mines of Angkrag.

The Village of Southgard - Carved into the Southern Mountains is the dwarven hold of Southgard. Ruled by the Beldame Ethilwen Varrim, only descendent of the last dwarven king who died during the Taint Wars. She seeks to become the first Queen of the Dwarves and reunite the kingdom, though she is opposed by the Thane of Rockholm. Meanwhile, she must defend her dwarven subjects against the incursions by Angkrag, who seek to turn dwarven miners into undead miners for their own mines.

The Village of Dairuchi - During the last days of the Taint War, the spiritual leader of Gaudiguch led his followers to the desert and there they eventually established the village of Dairuchi. Indeed, the village is still governed by the descendent of this enigmatic spiritual master. Though some dracnari became desert nomads in a search for a way to free Gaudiguch and reclaim its former glory, the dracnari of Dairuchi are a more peaceful people, preferring to utilize their astounding ability to tame wild beasts to further commercial enterprises. Notably, they have tamed silk spiders and pretty much cornered the silk market until Angkrag began farming silk themselves. No one, however, has been able to tame rockeaters, except for the dracnari of Dairuchi, which they use to mine exquisite marble. Nevertheless, training rockeaters is a difficult task even for the Dairuchi, and those who help the Dairuchi in the training program are handsomely rewarded.

The Village of Shanthmark - Located within the Grey Moors near the Southern Mountains, Shanthmark is a
tribal village of aslarans. The village produces a wide variety of commodities, though the main products are leather from the famous Moors longhorn cattle and cloth from the acclaimed fleece only procured by the Moors domesticated ewes. There is fierce competition with the krokani village of Shanthmark for these rare livestocks. Many aslaran warriors are trained at the Shanthmark Lodge under vigorous tuteledge of the resident Soothsayer there. Reports are, however, that the Soothsayer has been getting senile and needs help figuring out her own seeings to help the warriors in training.

The Village of Paavik - Near the ruins of Castle Djarrakh lies a krokani village called Paavik. Interestingly enough, Paavik was once a notable and distinguished barony within the ancient Holy Celestine Empire. But even before the empire fell, tragedy struck the Great House of Paavik which then rapidly sank into disrepute. Today, the villagers who remain mostly consider themselves to be descended from the Paavik Family and spend much of their wealth on clothing and other luxuries of the nobility. They trade mostly in the rare livestocks found only in the Grey Moors, the longhorn cattle and domesticated ewes. The Paavik Manor still remains standing, though it is said to be haunted from by the ghosts of the last true Paaviks.

Serenwilde Forest - By far the largest forest in Lusternia, the Serenwilde covers most of the north-western area of the continent. It is divided into two parts -northern and southern - by the Alabaster Road, and further bisected by the Moon River, which flows from north to south. A huge variety of trees and plants exist within its borders, ranging from the marshes and valleys of the southern forest to the hills and pines of the mountain foothills. Many creatures make their homes within the woods, from centaurs to fae to rabbits and deer. It is also rumoured that an elfin village lies somewhere within the forest's boundaries, although most find themselves lost in the hundreds of paths before ever coming near that place. The spirits Moon and the White Stag protect and guard the woodlands, in particular defending them from the malign influence of Glomdoring Forest.

Glomdoring Forest - Sprawled across the south-eastern hills, Glomdoring Forest is a blight on the land. Once called Gloriana Forest, it was a place of light and beauty. Since the Taint spread across its borders, these dark woods have been home only to twisted monstrosities and sinister, scheming individuals. Those few who have been daring enough to venture within its boundaries have bought back tales of the walking dead, beasts made of the plants and soil, and even stranger creatures of nightmare. The spirits Crow and Night cast their malignant gaze over the woodlands, protecting them and acting to spread their influence across the world.

The Gloriana River - This pure river runs down from the Southern Mountains through the moorlands of the south to meet the Inner Sea. Despite existing in the shadow of Glomdoring, and being surrounded by Tainted lands, the river remains somehow pure and fresh.

The Shallach River - Despite its name, the Shallach River is actually composed of two distinct waterways, the lesser and greater Shallach Rivers. This waterway was touched by Kethuru and as such bears much evidence of the taint within its waters. It flows from Avechna's Teeth westwards to meet with the Sea of Despair.

Moon River - Flowing down from the Northern Mountains, Moon River charts a long and winding course through the Serenwilde Forest before it meets the Inner Sea. No mortal has ever swam its length, the high Moon Falls in Northern Serenwilde falling over two hundred feet into the large Moon Lake before the Southern Portion takes up its course.

The Toronada River - The Toronada River heads from the icy foothills of Avechna's Peak southwards in almost a straight line to meet the Inner Sea. Its course is turbulent at first as it descends the great heights, before flattening into the wide river delta north of the ocean.

The Toronada Tidal Flats - Located within the forks of the Toronada, adjacent to the Inner sea lies the Toronada tidal flats. Various creatures roam the sands, from the scuttling crabs in the sand to the gulls in the air above. This beach has become known for the ever changing tidepools within its borders, as well as a legend of the visiting dragon turtles of the Inner sea. Many visit these tidepools after their adventures in Newton Caverns.

The Inner Sea - At the centre of the Basin of Life sits the Inner Sea, a vast, deep ocean teeming with life. Although the surface is calm and undisturbed by islands, the depths of the sea provide homes to many different beings, from anemones to squids to sharks, as well as other, even stranger creatures.

Bondero Bay - Stretching out southwards from the Inner Sea to link with the delta of the Gloriana River are the placid waters of Bondero Bay.

The Sea of Despair - Once the Crystal Sea, now known as the Sea of Despair, this ocean is the smaller, eastern counterpart of the Inner Sea. When Princess Marilynth destroyed the Pool of Stars, she wiped the ancient city of Celest from the island at the centre of the sea. The sea became blighted, both by the ghosts that haunt it, and by the tainted waters that flow down into the sea from the surrounding lands.

Spectre Isle - Where once was the greatest city in the history of Lusternia, now there is only a broken corpse. The Isle of Celest was the capital of the basin of life until destroyed by Princess Marilynth. Now the spectres of its former inhabitants walk the streets, locked into their former habits by the method of their deaths and unable to escape to a final rest.

Arysian Isles - Nestled in the shelter of Bondero Bay, the Arysian Isles have lain hidden under an ancient enchantment for many years. Originally thrust down beneath the surface by the mages of Ancient Celestine Empire as an isolated experiment prior to Project Cosmic Hope, these areas have remained untouched by civilisation - their only known inhabitants are a quiet group of merians believed to be the descendants of the Imperial Mages who until recently were kept hidden below the ocean's waves in their own giant bubbles, and various species of wildlife on the other islands of the chain. The Arysian Isles is comprised of three separate islands. Nyalia, home of the merian descendants of the original mages, Vesucia, an uninhabited island originally used as a supply store, and Itecia, an island not visited anymore as it is the home of an Old Imperial project gone out of control during the Taint. The islands have been released into the Basin of Life once again in modern times, the enchantments destroyed after a terrible prophecy regarding the products of the experiments came to pass.

Carai Caroo - Hidden deep below the Inner Sea is a hot hydrothermal vent by the name of the Carai Caroo. Back during the Taint Wars, Lanikai, the Sea Hag, cursed her sister Jeitara and her cohorts to be exiled to the Carai Caroo and then sealed it off from the rest of the world. It is said that Jeitara, the Seductress, is always looking for help with a certain ritual, and Girelle Olearium continues to fret about her daughter.

Avechna's Peak- The vast form of Avechna's Peak, also known as 'the Avenger', towers at the northernmost point of the Basin of Life, casting its shadow far and wide. This mystic mountain is a crucial nexus to Lusternian existence, containing such important landmarks as the Portal of Fate and the Klangrach Fields. The mountain itself is the tallest of the basin's ring, reaching up into and above the clouds. It is said that Avechna himself still stands at the mountain's summit, ready to be summoned again when the nine seals break and Kethuru is once more unleashed upon the world.

Avechna's Teeth - The mountains known as Avechna's Teeth sweep around the eastern portion of the Basin of Life, connecting to both the southern mountains and Avechna's Peak. The mountains overshadow much of the Taint, including the Blasted Lands and Magnagora itself. The well-worn paths also cross the peaks to allow a glimpse of the Marne Ocean. It is said that the lost city of Hallifax once nestled in the foothills of these mountains, although now only the dark Angkrag mines provide a settlement in these harsh and cold peaks.

The Southern Mountains - Curving around the southern portion of the Basin of Life are the huge Southern Mountains. These ancient giants have seen much history, bearing both monuments to the Vernal Gods and signs of the Taint. The Dwarven village of Southgard nestles in the west of this mountain range, whilst the Gloriana River flows down from its heights to meet the dread forest of Glomdoring.

The Northern Mountains - Curling around from the feet of Avechna's Peak to meet the Razines, the Northern Mountains are tall peaks, riddled with cliffs and swept by strong winds. Both the Toronada and Moon rivers find their sources here, a testament to the mountains' icy caps. The gates of Rockholm can be found carved into the cliff-sides, and there are also many paths through the foothills to lead down to the vast forest that is Serenwilde.

The Razine Mountain Range - This mountain range curves around the western border of the Basin of Life, a jagged cluster of peaks that stretches some distance to the west before its foothills drop down to touch the Amberle Ocean beyond. The Estengare river flows down from these mountains, whilst various huts, graves and walls have been left by those foolhardy enough to scrape a living from the cold, gravelly soil.

Mount Zoaka - Mount Zoaka is a volcanic peak that looms near the lost city of Gaudiguch, and is the legendary birthplace of the dracnari. The volcano remains highly active into modern times, making the slopes of the mountain a volatile and ever-changing landscape where paths open and close based on the shifting flows of lava. The volcano is a site of holy importance to the dracnari, and a camp of beastmasters who train and ride wyverns share the slopes with an unusual excavation team and several reclusive mages. The lava caverns under the mountain are filled with even greater mysteries, waiting to be unraveled.

The Skarch Desert - The areas that exist outside of the Basin of Life possess strange and alien environments. One such area is the vast Skarch Desert, which exists at the south-western corner of the continent, beyond the Razine and Southern Mountains. Skarch is teeming with life, from snakes and coyotes to the strange Wakabi. The village of Dairuchi is also located within the desert, and the remnants of lost Gaudiguch can be seen at its northern borders.

The Blasted Land - When the Taint escaped from Magnagora, it sunk into the peaceful farms and small villages that surrounded the city and destroyed them utterly. Now the Blasted Land consists of dirt and stones, with only a few tattered remnants to show that plants once thrived here. Travelers should beware, for the dreaded beasts known as 'gravediggers' make their tunnels beneath the soil, and any wrong footing will plunge the unwary victim deep into a pit of savage mutants.

Balach Swamp - Between the Inner Sea and the Sea of Despair lurks this murky tract of swampland. Although not tainted itself, the influence of the Sea of Despair to the east has cast a pallor over the swamps, making them dark and potentially dangerous. Alligators, pythons and turtles reside in the shallow waters, whilst rumours talk of a Mugwump outpost abandoned long ago.

Tosha Monastery - So well-hidden is the Tosha Monastery, which rests high up a peak on the northern edge of the Razine Mountains, that you'd have to search under every rock to find it, as the saying goes. The Tosha Monastery is home to a group of loboshigaru monks whose path of enlightenment is through physical discipline and meditation. Travelers to the monastery can help the masters train their disciples in one of the four paths: Form, Heart, Mind and Spirit. If all four masters give their blessing, Master Quettle, the head of the Tosha Monks, will give you the greatest challenge of all by opening up the gateway to the loboshigaru spirit realm. Upon surviving this great quest, Master Quettle will give his most powerful blessing.

Grey Moors - Nestled between the Southern Mountains, Gloriana River and the Southern Highway lie the ancient grasslands that form the Grey Moors. The poor soil and sparse resources mean that the few who have ventured out to settle there are either foolhardy or insane. The aslarans call these plains their ancestral home, and it is known that a tribe exists in the western hills. In the southeast of the moors, the ruins of Castle Djarrakh loom like an ancient beast, the krokani still making their home in a crumbling black tower that was once part of this massive edifice. It is rumoured that great power is locked beneath the ruins, although none have managed to even enter the basements of the Castle, sealed as they are by powerful magics.

Presidio of the Damned - The Presidio of the Damned is an ancient compound high in Avechna's Teeth over which the eight viscanti noble houses have fought for generations. It is precariously situated above a cave system of unholy importance to the viscanti, and stands silent guard to the mysterious Shallamurine Cathedral. Recently, strange occurances have befallen the Presidio of the Damned, and rumours persist that the priest at the Presidio is searching for the help of outsiders in solving the mystery, though to what end is unclear. However, one of the nobles has seen dire predictions and disturbing portents regarding their ancient enemies at the Cathedral, and rumours of what stirs beyond the wards has begun to spread in hushed whispers.

The Arthar'rt Observatory - The Arthar'rt Observatory is a place of Lucidian lineage, filled with astrologers and researchers who seek to unite towards one common goal. Under the purview of Etil'ck and Rak'ia Arthar'rt, the Observatory is a very strictly controlled place filled with vast secrets and knowledge. It is rumored that beneath the surface brews a secret that can be used against the Arthar'rt siblings.