Scarterra
People
The History of Scarterra so far
the Nine created dragons to be the dominant race during the First Age. dragons were the dominant race for many centuries. Other races were created to either assist or hinder the dragons but the dragons remained dominant, until they weren't.
Intercine dragon warfare drove one mad queen to seek a magical advantage over her rivals which accidentally triggered the First Unmaking , a disaster which killed over 90% of all sapient life.
the Nine created elves to be the new dominant race of Scarterra during the Second Age. The elves were the dominant race for many centuries. Other races were created to either assist or hinder the elves but the elves remained dominant, until they weren't.
Intercine dragon warfare drove one mad queen to seek a magical advantage over her rivals which accidentally triggered the Second Unmaking, a disaster which killed over 90% of all sapient life.
Current Species & Cultures
Now is the Third Age. the Nine created the humans to be the new dominant race. There were new races created apart from humans but the world is somewhat crowded with the surviving remnants of various First and Second Age creatures.
Many people are waiting to see when and if the humans inadvertently trigger a Third Unmaking.
Complicating matters is that small numbers of elves, dragons and other creatures from the previous age still linger and some of the Nine still keep creating new races.
Scarterra physically touches the aquatic realm of Scaraqua which has it's own mortal races such as merfolk, shark people and the like. Scarterra and Scaraqua both spiritually touch the extradimensional realm of Fae Home. Though the Fair Folk have suffered great losses, many believe their salvation is in the mortal plane so they have meddling with both Scarterra and Scaraqua more and more.
Needs & Relations
Scarterra is divided into dozens of competing nation that fight over territory, ideology, religion, cropland, mineral resources, and reagents. Reagents is a catchall term for items that fuel spells and magical items and they are coveted as much as or more than gold.
The continent of West Colassia has three or four powerful nations locked in a slow cold war with the smaller nations dragged in as pawns (or prizes).
The continent East Colassia is made up of several small human nations and tribes that have been bullied by dark elves of Kahdisteria who regularly took human captives as slaves until the smaller human nations formed a grand alliance called the Colassian Confederacy to fight them. Now the Confederacy and dark elves remain under an uneasy armistice.
The major continents in the southern hemisphere are less fleshed out. They have their own conflicts and challenges but I haven't seen the need to develop them a whole lot so far.
Scaraqua's politics are defined by the actions Oshamni Empire which is a loose allegory for Ancient Rome which I have nicknamed "Water Rome". A friend made some lovely art that created an "Imperial Stingray" banner for the Oshamni inspired by Rome's Imperial Eagle.