Worldthorn was named because he was, for a long time, knotless by choice and wandering Anderail. During this time he met many creatures and peoples he sought to understand more. So he dug deep into the earth under the roots of a great tree and slept, seeking enlightenment.
He got more and less than what he wanted.
The tree was an avatar of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, that had become corrupted. It granted him understanding through imitation, a meager trickle of of understanding among the waves of chaos he endured, constantly shifting and lashing out at things that weren't there with magic he didn't understand or even realized he had. Just as he gained control, he lost consciousness.
****
The world of Anderail, at first glance, might appear barely inhabited. The easiest two of it's people to find being sea-faring and nomadic by choice, hardly staying in once place or ocean for long.
But if one spends time and makes and effort, he can find two woundrous cities spanning continents! Sometimes, even the same continent.
The sprawling underground was, long ago. Filled with hideous things that liked to come up to the surface at night and ravage the people who slept. They are the reasons the giants took to the waters and have returned to land.
One day though a small group of people, the future Monyte, took up arms and went down after these creatures. Through ingenuity and sheer tenacity, they slowly made the night safe again over the course of several generations. Now entire countries of the underground people are dedicated to keep the creatures from every attacking again.
Meanwhile, above ground, another race, the Briarborn, prayed to their godtree for safety and were granted the gift of emulating their deity, becoming one with their glades. They hold a festival every three years called the Branching to celebrate and remember.
***
On Anderail, the five most common languages and their speakers are as follows.
1) Sylvan, by most everyone, though it more floral in dialect than Fey.
2) Monishy, by the Monyte, a race of subterranean humanoids that resemble a cross between monkeys and beetles.
3) Horned Tongue, spoken by the elusive Alicorns, a race closely resembling winged unicorns or horned pegasus. Scholars still argue over which is true, and the Alicorns aren't saying.
4) Aviel, commonly used by the human-like nomads of the same name. They have skin ranging from bright red to dark.
5) Grogish. Barely a language and more like a verbal avalanche of grunts and shouts, the(surprisingly) sea-faring giants of Anderail use this when they absolutely have to talk to the land dwellers.
