"In the savage world of Skartaris, life is a constant struggle for survival. Here, beneath an unblinking orb of eternal sunlight, one simple law prevails: If you let down your guard for an instant you will soon be very dead."

Comic History

Originally believed to be a world hidden in Earth's core, Skartaris has since proven to be an extradimensional realm not unlike Gemworld or Azarath. Skartaris is a barbaric land, ruled more by magic and the sword than science and reasons, where the sun never sets and the natural laws of Earth do not apply. Also... there are dinosaurs.

Skartaris is only accessible through portals located at the North and South poles, as well as a few uncharted nexus points. The area of darkness located at the two primary nexus points at Earth's poles, places where the eternal sun cannot reach, are known as the Terminator.

Thousands of years ago, in a time known as the Age of Wizard Kings, Skartaris was known as Wizard World and inhabited by creatures of legend, such as dwarves, goblins, and elves. Extinct prehistoric beasts, such as dinosaurs, also found their way to Skartaris, continuing further to the land's diverse flora and fauna. Skartaris likewise served as a haven for an Atlantean fleet, commanded by General Rugero, which escaped the sinking of the ancient coninent. They were responsible for the construction of such magnificent cities as Shamballah, and they left a legacy of sophisticated computer systems, one of which was co-opted by the "sorcerer" Deimos. Eventually war came to the city-states settled by the Atlantean refugees, and their civilization was wiped out in the blaze of atomic fireballs. Those that survived live on in societies not unlike those of medieval Earth, many unaware of the technological might that exists just outside their reach.

The first man from Earth to set foot in Skartaris since the Atlanteans was Travis Morgan, an Air Force pilot who would eventually become the living legend known as the Warlord. Morgan first encountered Skartaris when his plane was forced to crash over what he believed to be Yukon territory after an unsuccessful reconnaissance mission in Russia for the United States Air Force in 1969. Due to the strange rules of time in Skartaris, he first reappeared in the outside world as the Warlord years later, after what he believed to be only several weeks of adventuring.

Although it was originally believed that Skartaris existed within the Center of the Earth, Warlord would later discover that it actually exists within a separate dimension that is sometimes accessible from the rest of the world.

Points of Interest

Ba'al Forest: The forest where Travis Morgan first crashed his SR-71 Blackbird when he accidentally came to Skartaris, Ba'al is also the first place Morgan would meet his future wife, Tara. Later, he found a group of Lizardmen who had begun worshiping his plane as a deity, and was forced to fight them for his survival gear. In another journey, he met the Children of Ba'al, what appeared to be an advanced race that lived in perfect harmony with each other, but he discovered were taking human sacrifices from the surrounding population of brutish humanlike creatures, and planned to sacrifice him as well.

Bakwele: A teeming port in the Sea of Grel, where Warlord, Machiste and Mariah briefly stopped on their travels. Guide books mark it as a prime example of antediluvian culture.

Bal Shazar: A sprawling seaport city known for its slave auctions, frequent violence, and promiscuous women. Warlord was captured there early in his career, and imprisoned to work in a slave galley, where he first met Machiste.

Bay of Tears: Located in the Sea of Grel, contains Pirates and Slave Traders, who often come into conflict with one another. Warlord rowed a galley there when he was briefly enslaved. Bal Shazar is the primary port.

Castle Deimos: Deimos' Castle is located in the Terminator, land of perpetual darkness, where the sunlight cannot harm him. The first time Warlord confronted Deimos there, he was forced to kill what he believed to be his own son in a fight to the death, although it was actually a clone.

Citadel of Timgad: Formerly the great city of the Sorcerer Kings, the Citadel of Timgad is now hopelessly overrun by Hobgoblins, and laden with traps as well. Unfortunately, it is also one of the only Wells in the Desert of Doom, which tends to attract travelers.

Kiro: The city where Machiste is King, has a significantly diverse population, and there's an excellent Thieves' Market. Warlord's Sword, and Mariah's first costume were both fashioned there.

Sea of Grel: Bordering Skartaris to the West is the Sea of Grel, which contains ports such as Bal Shazar, Kiro, Bakwele and Kallistan. It also contains the Bay of Tears, Balgar Bay, and Captain Hawk's Stronghold. Warlord met the beautiful Ligia there, a woman of the sea who loved him so much she used up the last of her magical abilities to save his life when he accidentally took a spear while defending her.

Shamballah: A great golden city filled with advanced Atlantean technology, Shamballah is the home of the Warlord's wife, Tara. Their son, Joshua is the rightful King. When Warlord first visited Shamballah, the ancient computers had gone crazy with boredom and attempted to kill all of the people in the surrounding area.

Shebal Gladiator Arena: An arena where men are trained to fight each other, located next to the Bay of Tears. Warlord was given combat training and forced to fight to the death against his friend Machiste, but rather than kill an ally, he led a revolt and murdered Shebal himself, then organized the Gladiators into his own army.

Skyra: An airborne city, which floated in the sky and was maintained by a cyborg named Tragg. Warlord, Machiste and Mariah were brought there by Pterodactyls, and were forced to kill the caretaker when they found he had an appetite for human flesh. Without anything keeping it together, the city crumbled, fell to the Earth and was destroyed.

Swamplands: Skartaris' Swamplands are rife with poisonous snakes and vicious semi-aquatic dinosaurs. Warlord was hunted there for his own life by a man named Stryker who had sworn revenge upon him and sworn laid numerous deathtraps. Needless to say, Warlord killed him the second he got his gun back.

Terminator: On the edge of where Skartaris meets the rest of the world lies the Terminator, a land of perpetual darkness. Deimos was forced to make his castle there when the Mask of Life made him vulnerable to sunlight.

Thera: The first Skartarian city Warlord came into contact with, where he met Deimos, the High Priest. He left when a group of assassins were sent by Deimos to kill him and Tara. Although Thera was clearly civilized, they were looked down upon by other cultures for their frequent human sacrifices. The city was later sacked by Warlord's army of freed slaves, and the oppressive rule of Deimos was put to an end.

Tower of Fear: A gigantic fearsome spire, filled with demon-like creatures who appear and disappear seemingly at random to kill whoever enters the Tower. Warlord and Machiste were forced to brave the tower to retrieve the fabled Mask of Life, which they did not know was going to be used to resurrect Deimos.

Valley of the Snowbeast: One of the few areas in Skartaris with foul weather, as heavy clouds block out the constant sunlight, it is constantly covered in snow. Warlord met a kindly Yeti-like creature, who was actually a beautiful winged creature trapped in an ugly body, freed only when Machiste mistakenly killed it.