Gidna
Gidna /'gɪdnə/ is the planet on which the Continent is located. Known as "Duflah" in Rowlow, it was colloquially called "Ephius" /'ɪfiːəs/ by the Chronicler.
Etymology
Gidna means "the world" in Bukk. Specifically, it comes from the Asdoh word "Gydnoh" and is more accurately translated as "the Universe". In modern Hureed, though, Gidna is more often used to mean "our part of the Universe", which includes the planet and its sky, but not the rest of the Universe, which is referred to as "the realm of the gods".
Gantolia used Gydai, a word similar to Gydnoh and probably related.
Another commonly used term to refer to the world is Duflah, which originated in Rowlow and is more readily used in countries like Loodori and Ybuwyn.
The third revolution saw the development of astronomy across the Continent, although the spherical nature of the planet was known in the Western Dantrian civilization, Leykarya and even Yammoe as early as first revolution. The term Gidna then began to be applied to the planet among Bukk-speaking scholars. However, Duflah refers only to surfaces - the Continent and the ocean around it - not to anything above the ground.
Origin of "Ephius"
"Ephius" is a name that was predominantly used by the Chronicler to refer to the planet in the earlier editions of the Continent Chronicles. The exact origin of the name is unclear and doesn't seem to match any of the names, given to the planet by its population. The name can still be spotted in some places, albeit very rarely, and will redirect to this page.
The nature of Gidna
The Chronicler avoids discussing his thoughts on the nature of Gidna, but there are generally four main hypotheses:
- Gidna is the Earth, but from a different time period, either from the far past or the far future
- Gidna is a different planet
- Gidna is a world that exists in a parallel universe
- Gidna is the product of the Chronicler's mind
Geography
Gidna is known for its supercontinent. It is relatively flat, with only one active volcano, the Bahria. Bahria is also a city built right over the volcano.
Another large landmass is the Traveling Iceberg, which is a huge chunk of ice that is captured by one of the cold streams in the north. The Traveling Iceberg is slowly growing and it is thought that in about a hundred years it is likely to settle due to its mass.
Finally, to the east of the Continent lies an island called Nuht island, which is inhabited by the Nuhtbee Collective.
Superhero Warriors
See: Superhero warrior
Gidna's population exhibits a poorly studied phenomenon that results in the occasional births of individuals with super powers. Super powers range from incredible strength and being able to wield various forms of energy, to the more exotic ones, such as having a phantom live a full blown life while its counterpart sleeps.