Eyrth is a collection of islands surrounding a small continent in a seemingly endless sea. Every ship that has attempted to find other lands has either returned with nothing to speak of, returned with the surviving crewmembers utterly mad, or not returned at all. It is widely accepted that the planet may be several different shapes, and that a circular shape is the most likely, with a sphere a close second. All that is known for certain is that if there is an edge, looking for it is not a good idea.

The Guilds control the majority of the islands, though the territory known as the Far Isles is Guildless and, some say, lawless. It is a haven for criminals as well as for those falsely accused, a place for troublemakers to be banished to. Only two Keeps thrive in these small islands, Osta and Waypoint, and Osta is near-deserted. It is the duty of Waypoint Keep to patrol the borders, attempting to keep peace between the Guild lands and the Free lands.

Each Keep contains several clans; some clans have members at more than one Keep, but most remain in a single Keep unless they are marrying across to another.