Blackpowder and Blood (A Fantasy EU4 Quest)

Escann is a sub-region of the greater continent Cannor, and is the words 'Eastern Cannor' merged together. The land to its west, the home of the Dameshead Sea and Lencenor Peninsula, is still referred to as Western Cannor, and the final northern area, based around the Giant's Grave Sea, is known as Gerudia.
(Picture of Cannor)

Escann itself is landlocked, with the only major body of war being Lake Silvermere. It used to be completely covered by the Deepwoods (discount Athel Loren) which stretched to the Greatwood of the Allenic Frontier, until Castan Beastbane and his people migrated to the region and made battle with the Fey, burning down vast stretches of the eldritch forest to make a new homeland, and then proceeded to create the first human empire, which is why approximately everything begins with the word "Cast." This created the land we know today, one of fertile grasslands, gentle rivers, and mild forests - many actually believe it to be the birthplace of humanity, although in actuality they stemmed from Bulwar, the land of two rivers.

Escann, like Cannor, can be divided into three sub-regions: Inner Castanor, South Castanor, and West Castanor. There are no major differences between them, the geography of Escann is largely consistent and whichever place you pick to start won't drastically change the nature of the quest. That being said, they have been affected differently by the Greentide, and which nations/regions they border will matter once Escann rejoins the world.

Inner Castanor is best known as the source of the mighty Alen River, from which the Allenic people derive their name, and Castonath, the former capital of Castan's Empire, with its age only rivaled by Bulwari relics and certainly not its glory. When Castanor fell the region was divided between petty remnant states, of which the greatest were the kingdoms of Cast and Anor. For years they feuded, until they realized they'd grown to such strength that if the two joined together none could oppose them - and so it was, with marriage and an oath the Kingdom of Castellyr was born. The realm's might was considerable and regarded by many as the potential hegemon of Escann, but their grandeur proved futile in the face of the Greentide. Castellyr was the first and hardest hit by the orcs, possessing the largest border with the Serpantsreach including the Dwarven Hold of Khugidir whose fall marked the beginning of Kurgus's vile crusade, and endures the most numerous and organized tribes of the greenskins. Still, the grand metropolis of Castonath never fell despite a nearly two-decade siege and is one of the only urban centers left in Escann still filled with its original inhabitants, although admittedly diminished by starvation and war. The City of Stone stands as the ultimate prize for whoever wishes to unite Inner Castanor - already the orcs seek to assail its walls once again even as adventurers seek the glory and legitimacy it's defense - or ownership - will provide to their cause ...

Lower Castanor is often regarded as a less impressive version of its northern neighbor, with its lands being rich but lesser than Inner Castanor's sheer splendor. Its rivers are large, but can't hold a candle to the mighty Alen. Its realms were grand but ultimately unable to compete with Castellyr. Perhaps most notable is what the region borders - the Deepwoods to its south may be far from their heyday as a continent-spanning abomination, but don't expect anyone who wanders in to ever return. Corvuria has always been an inhospitable and dangerous neighbor and holds particular infamy to the Escanni for their involvement in Darravan's Folly and Black Castanor. Finally, a former dwarven bastion in the Serpantspine was taken over and repurposed by the branch of the Allenic people, who soon created the griffin-riding kingdom of Marrhold. Southern Castanor also was the homeland of the Blademarches, famous for their code and Gleaming Sword, but the order had fallen from the heights of their glory even before the Orcs put an end to it. On a positive note, the region was comparatively spared the devastation of the Greentide, with the highest rates of indigenous survivors and intact infrastructure in Escann, the Kingdom of Marrhold in particular simply holing up in their mountain-keep and waiting for things to blow over (although their famous griffin-riders fought with Corin at the final battle).

West Castanor is the most geographically divergent of the regions, with its territory being split into rolling grasslands, thick swamps, and cold forests. The Kingdom of Adenica, named for the god of Chivalry, Adeann, is credited with inventing the concept of knighthood and renowned for its cavalry, their prize warhorses bred on the flats west of Lake Silvermere. The Bale Mire straddles the border between Escann and Gawed, and is known for its hardy but strange inhabitants who paid nominal fealty to Adenica, and seem to have survived the Greentide intact, although nobody's inclined to march into their swamps and check. Finally, there are the unwelcoming northern forests leading to the former kingdom of Vorenmarch. That frigid northern realm was conquered by the Grey Orcs, the Green Orcs saner cousins who refused to honor Korgus as the son of the Great Dookan, and to their south sprawl orcish warbands and goblin tribes who've happily overtaken the Shivering Woods that was sparsely inhabited by humanity even when times were good in Escann. Most important of all, however, is what West Castanor borders: the Empire of Anbennar. Already dozens of bands of adventurers and settlers have crossed the border seeking to seize land for themselves even as tides of Escanni refugees desperately attempt to return to their homes through a shattered land. There will be no grace period for the region to recover before re-engaging with the world - anyone here must either contend with or be swept under foreign interests.

Finally, Lake Silvermere technically isn't a region but is so important to Escanni geography it demands a mention. Roughly the size of Lake Superior, it sits at the conflux of Escann, the drain of many of its rivers. It is the center of Escann's maritime activity and trade networks, with many of the land's wealthiest provinces and trade nodes orbiting around or on it. Of course, there are also exactly zero geographic barriers to protect any of this, making the rich lands also exceptionally vulnerable to invasion - as its former inhabitants found out at the hands of the greenskins and a thousand wars beforehand. Undoubtedly, the calm waters of the silver lake will see little more peace with Dookanson's death.