Editing Mystara (section)

==== The Known World ====
Nations of the Known World display a great range of government types. Some countries are populated entirely by demihumans and/or humanoids. By standard convention, the boundaries of the "Known World" are those covered in the world map as initially published in the module X1, "[[The Isle of Dread]]," <ref name="KoA"/> plus Norwold, the Isle of Dawn, and (pre ''Wrath of the Immortals'') Alphatia.<ref name="DotE"/>

As the name implies, the "Known World" covers the most notable nations of Mystara, the ones most commonly used in Mystara-based campaigns and featured in fiction. It includes the Thyatian Empire, which could be compared to the [[Byzantine Empire]]; the Grand Duchy of Karameikos<!--no link: currently redirects to this article--> (which includes the town of Threshold, the default setting of many classic D&D adventures); the Principalities of Glantri, ruled by wizard-princes; the Ethengar [[Khanate]], a [[Mongols|Mongol]]-like society; the merchant-run Republic of Darokin, which is based loosely on the mercantile states of medieval Italy; the Emirates of Ylaruam; the Heldannic Territories, ruled by an order of religious [[knight]]s similar to the [[Teutonic Order]] devoted to the [[Dungeons & Dragons Immortals Rules|Immortal]] Vanya; the Atruaghin Clans, which have an [[Native Americans in the United States|Amerindian]] feel; the nation of Sind, based on the [[Mughal Empire]]; the Northern Reaches Kingdoms of Ostland, Vestland, and the Soderfjord Jarldoms, based on [[Scandinavia]] at various periods of history; the Dwarven nation of Rockhome; the elven Kingdom of Alfheim; the Halfling lands of the Five Shires;<ref name="KoA"/> and the Alphatian Empire, ruled by wizards and other spellcasters.<ref name="DotE"/>

To the distant Northwest of the "Known World", across the Great Waste, lies the mysterious lands of Hule, ruled by Hosadus, also known as "The Master". Also on the periphery of the Known World are the Kingdoms of Wendar<ref name="KoA"/> and Denagoth, the first an elven-dominated nation and the latter a mountainous and dark realm of evil, with ill-intentions towards Wendar. The Adri Varma lies between Sind, Wendar, the Great Waste, and The Black Mountains, forming the northern border of Glantri and defining the northwestern limits of the region.