Fantasy Dirge of Valice [Lore]

[Lucyfer]

Index:

• The World of Aelios - Locations
• The Faiths of Aelios
• The Planes of Aelios
• The Chosen Ones of Aelios

 

[Lucyfer]

The World of Aelios​

The Kingdom of Valice​

Ruled by a king, a patriarchal structure to leadership and inheritance, with a strict hierarchy that makes it quite difficult to advance – people are put in roles and expected to stay there. It spans a vast part of the continent, and Iona is on towards its east, off the coast. Della is one of the further west cities, near the border of Cannes. Most within Valice adhere to the Church, the Faith, the words made proper nouns, though it is known more properly as the Faith of the One, giving strong insistence to monotheism – though it has intermediary figures, prophets, and others.

Notable People:

• King Edwin Valorum
• Captain Nathan Pyrrus
• Amaris of Valice

Notable Locations:

• Valice: The capital of the Kingdom, there are three rivers that flow into it – Amaris, Ishar, and Thetyx. Obviously holds the royal castle, and there is a significant presence of the Church, as well.
• Della: On the western edge of the kingdom, near Cannes. The Scions of the Storm dealt with a wolf problem there.

The Cannes Empire ​

A conquering empire, a threat to most of those around them. They’ve swallowed up other, smaller territories, over the centuries, and seem to have their eyes set on Valice next. They do not adhere to the Faith of the One, but do practice a more ritualized faith, and not all the rumors of their magic is exaggerated. They follow a lunar faith, worshipping a pantheon of deities based upon the lunar phase, seeing each as distinct and representative of a different deity with power that day.

Notable People:

• The Emperor

The Islands of Iona​

Iona is an island chain to the east of Valice, with each island being home to a different noble family. The Acacia are one such family. Known for their black hair, small frames, and silver eyes, the Ionese people tend to be recognized easily when on the mainland.

Notable People:

• The Acacia Family
• Dominick Acacia

 

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The Faiths of Aelios​

The Faith of the One​

The Monotheistic Faith that has predominated in Valice and some of the surrounding lands – including some of those overtaken by Cannes in the past. It has existed for nearly 1000 years now, with the 1000th anniversary on the horizon of when the Prophet revealed the truth to the world and stormed the once-grand temple to the Cardinals and destroyed it, putting in its place the Great Temple of the One.

Worship of all others – such as the Cardinals, local spirits, or anything else, was condemned as demon worship. Magic was seen as powers given to others by demons.

In general, the Church is against lying, killing, immoral sexual acts, and other such things – not that this seems to stop them from killing, lying, or having immoral sex….

Churches began to replace all former places of worship, and the current period is one where the Church is actively hunting to remove those who practice other faiths in secret, and destroy other beliefs that deny that all power belongs to the One. Of course, the Church does have a “pantheon” of saints and mythological figures within it. There is a belief in future prophets and such as well.

Notable Figures:

• The First Prophet: Saint Myrddin (The Magician) guided the people on the proper path, showing the power of the One Truth when he was able to overthrow the Cardinals. He performed other miracles, such as healing the sick, communing with animals, and much else, to show him as a chosen speaker of the Singular Truth. He was known to be able to perform these feats spontaneously, with no need for chanting or enchantments, which is how the Church separates his power from so-called Witches or Warlocks, whom they believe must always chant to show any skill. His True Faith gave him all the power he needed. Supposedly, Saint Myrddin did not die, but was simply “taken up” into the Heavens when his job was done, to be rewarded.

• The Princeps: The Head of the Church at any given time is given the title of Princeps.

• The Future Prophet: The "Last" Prophet, the one who will finally save the world, heralded by a great Storm, who will bring sweeping changes and bring the world closer.

Notable Locations:

• The First Church: Replaced the Temple of the Cardinals. The Princep is always anointed here.

• The Valice Royal Church: Located within the Valice capital. The King is always crowned here.

“Witchcraft” or Worship of Aelios​

There is not an organized term for this faith, nor any organized rules or governing bodies. In the past, there may have been, but no longer. It is an individualized worship, more than anything, usually passed on from one teacher to one student at a time, though a teacher may have many students over their lifetime. It is a faith that focuses on building one’s connection to the entirety of Aelios – not just the physical world as seen, but the many planes, such as the Astral Plane, the Fae Plane, the Soul Plane, and the others. It is through this connection with the planes, and through meditation, that those who practice this are able to perform magic – or miracles.

The Cardinals are an agreed-upon group of figures. The Cardinals once had a great temple at the Center of Aelios, but it was torn down centuries ago. There are four, representing North, South, West, and East, as the name suggests – the Cardinal directions. Each represents a prime element, as well, and are usually the first invoked to help with passage between, and to ground oneself.

Going into other “planes” requires disconnecting from the physical body, and an anchor, a string, is always needed to come back. Especially now, as the Faith has made passage between difficult. Whether this is a consequence of people no longer believing in the other planes, in the planes being purposefully shut off, of places of worship being forgotten, or a mix of that and other things, is uncertain.

Notable Figures:

• “North”: The element of Earth (earth here meaning rocks, soil, etc.), and the direction of North, typically seen or imagined as masculine. Gnomes are thought to be the familiar spirits that one can call upon, use, or imbue into things to call upon the power of Earth.

• “South”: The element of Fire, and the direction of South, typically seen or imagined as feminine. Salamanders are thought to be the familiar spirits that one can call upon, use, or imbue into things to call upon the power of Fire.

• “West”: The element of Water, and the direction West, typically seen or imagined as masculine. Undines are thought to be the familiar spirits that one can call upon, use, or imbue into things to call upon the power of Water.

• “East”: The element of Air, and the direction East, typically depicted or seen as feminine. Sylphs are thought to be the familiar spirits that one can call upon, use, or imbue into things to call upon the power of the Air.

• The Uniter: It is something all wish to be, and all fear - the one who would bring the planes into conversation, and bridge the connection between them all again.

The Lunar Faith​

The faith of those in the Cannes, with 27 distinct deities to represent the various phases of the moon and the deity in charge over that day. The 28th is lacking, for the New Moon. On that day, the Cannes do not believe anyone is watching over them, and they try to make that a day of rest and limited activity, lest they find themselves compromised. Ritual is expressly forbidden on that day, as it can only draw the attention of malevolent spirits or demons.

Sacrifice is expected in this faith, and is practiced. It is not always blood that is required – sometimes it is a sacrifice of time, or of comfort, but human and animal sacrifices do occur. Usually, prisoners of war are offered, particularly on the night before the Full Moon and the night of the Full Moon.

Although they do not see it as such, those of the Cannes who practice are in-touch with the Astral Plane, and have been known to ‘draw forth’ nightmares and dreams through these sacrifices, giving physical substance over to these creations for them to inherit and possess. Naturally, few believe these claims of monsters, though the Church does hype it up as a way to cast them as the Enemy, and make them seem further Inhuman.

Notable Figures:

• The Full Moon: Seen as a warrior figure, a God of great power for conquering, the hope of the previous night, the son of Leda. This war god is known as Omid, and it is expected that much sacrifice and celebration will be performed on the full moon.

• The Full Moon Eve: Seen as a Maternal Goddess, ever-pregnant with possibility, so called Leda, she is considered one who needs much sacrifice and appeasement to ‘come to term’ with all the possibility hoped for in the following night.

• The Newest Moon (following a “new moon/no moon”): Seen as a Goddess, and so-called Alvara. Many pray for her return on the nights of the “No Moon”, hoping she will appear the next night and not leave them, and damn them.

• The Veil: While not, expressly, a deity - the Veil is considered an evil, unnamed, believed to be what makes the night of No Moon, and that shows itself during eclipses, as well. It is always feared that one day, the Veil will not disappear, and the end will begin. Their practices, sacrifice, and such, are necessary to continue strengthening each deity.

 

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The Planes of Aelios​

The Material Plane

The Astral Plane

The Soul Plane

The Fae Plane

The Shadow Plane

 

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The Chosen Ones of Aelios
for better or worse
usually worse
​

The Magician: Saint Myrddin held this position, a Chosen One who, when given the choice, chose to strive to close the planes off, to give the world of Aelios to the "chosen" race - to humans. All else was anathema. Horribly racist and xenophobic, he envisioned his idea of a better world and set into motion the wheels that would lead to the closing of many planar passages and cause many things of other planes to retreat from the Material Plane, back into others. Though this seems "natural" now, the truth is that it has been negatively impacting the world. Creatures are not of one thing alone.

The Tower: Held by Amaris, though she is currently unaware. The Tower is set to change the shape of things, to cause upheaval and destruction, and from it - change. Drastic change.

The Moon: Held by Dacia Geminus. Unawakened, she only knows the history of her noble family and the armor she has inherited, which should not fit her - and yet it does, as it has fit every member of her family. From Della.

The Wheel of Fortune: Inhuman, and not upon the material plane, the Wheel of Fortune is the One who set the Magician in motion, and many others, awakening them to their fates. Viewed by some, such as the Magician, as a God, and by others, as a Demon, what is clear is that it seems to have some ability to alter reality. God or Demon, the Wheel of Fortune is a powerful entity that is as remorseless as it is resolute.