Fantasy The Araal Campaign | Lore

[Xel]

• The World of Tennim
• Magic & Technology
• Races & Species
• Organizations

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  Overview

  The world of Tennim is vast and diverse with dozens upon dozens of nations world-wide. It shares a similar ecosystem to our world of Earth with dense jungles and barren deserts with vast seas. The further north you go the hotter it becomes, with the further south the colder it becomes. Over three billion people call this floating cosmic marble home.
  
  The overall technological level of the world can be compared to mid-late 1800s. In some areas they are more advanced, while in other areas they are less so, with magic often being employed to get results far beyond the time period. Colossal floating airships are a thing, whereas smaller craft or proper planes are not. Trains are a common form of long distance travel whereas motorized vehicles do not yet exist. The seas are dominated by steam-powered metal behemoths with sails and magic being alternate forms of propulsion.
  
  Humans are the dominant species of Tennim, but there exists a plethora of other species that call the planet home. While they can generally be classed together into a few categories, the diversity seen throughout the world is immense.
  
  While the world of Tennim is vast, it is too vast, and as such we need to narrow our focus onto the specific continent of Araal. As that is where this campaign takes place.
  
  

  • Araal

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    Araal
    The continent of Araal is one massive peninsula jutting out from the westward coasts of Sarathal. The island nations of Malai and Alatha are also considered part of the continent with the remaining nearby landmasses being parts of greater continents. The entire region is fairly temperate with one being required to travel to the northern or southern tips of the peninsula to experience warmer or colder biomes. While there are only four nations that call the continent home, there are seven that influence the region.
    
    
    • Velhellyiah
    • Calaes
    • Sarathal
    • A'ethe

    • 
      
      General Information
      Capital: Vysoria
      
      Demonym: Velian
      
      Languages: Sathal
      
      Religion: No true official religion, they put great emphasis on magic and it's applications for society and the world at large.
      
      Form of government: Magic-based aristocracy with the oldest and most well-learned mage leading a council of the nation's top mages.
      
      Notable members: TBA
      
      
      History
      Velhellyiah was formed in the year 157 by magic users fleeing from crusades of the period. The migrants crossed the land-bridge and eventually settled in modern-day Kyn Landing. Free from the constraints imposed on them they began their study in earnest, their entire society revolved around magic and the various ways it could be used. Over the next 500 years they expanded their burgeoning nation with one of their earliest expansions being a massive fortress city built on the land bridge, fearing their former masters would come for them again. Their expansion grew to encompass everything from Rharec to the great lake. Their expansion was slowed by disagreements and discontent among the populace. This eventually boiled over into all out civil war in 210. The war only lasted two years before the two sides came to terms with one another. In the year 213 the capital city of Velhellyiah Rihh was founded and their various settlements rallied under a single formal banner.
      
      The newly unified country continued it's steady march forward. It expanded it's territory beyond the great lake, coming into conflict with the Calaens and eventually driving them back beyond the narrow. The next major upset in Velian history would come in 479. This was the spark that would ultimately change the entirety of Velian society. Civil unrest grew across the country, the divide between those who could use magic and those who could not grew ever wider until open revolt began in the city of Kyn. For five years the locals protested and rioted, and for five years Kyn was effectively it's own nation-state. The dissent was eventualy put down in 484 but the resentment would continue to linger, growing more and more over the next twenty years. Finally, in 506 it bubbled over into what threatened to be another civil war. However, before it could progress that far the government was overthrown in a coup lead by Naeun Suam. The capital was renamed to Vysoria and the divide between those with magic and those without shrank, although it never quite went away. The government was restructured and while the magi retained authority and control, their breakthroughs went to benefit the citizens rather than just themselves.
      
      By 982 the mages' society had covered a significant portion of the great peninsula, carving it's borders into the two narrow land formations that connected the east and west sides. They enjoyed their prosperity and after the last war being over two hundred years ago the Velian people were content with their situation. This would come to an end with the Great War that same year. Velhellyiah suffered occupation under Sarathal with the fall of the fortress city of Rharec. For over ten years Velians were an occupied and oppressed people with the Sathal wasting no time in ridding the nation of anything related to magic. After the war's conclusion the nation took it's time rebuilding. Their dedication towards the magical arts never wavering. Their society continued to grow and make great strides in the realm of magic and by modern times they were the world's leader in magitek with the highest concentration of magic users and magic-aided devices.
      
      
      Notable Conflicts
      194-201 - War of Rights against the Sarathal Empire
      210-212 - Great Lake Civil war
      257-258 - Siege of Rharec by Sarathal
      266-270 - Mountain war against Calaes
      299-314 - First War of expansion against Calaes
      324-342 - Second war of expansion against Calaes
      411-415 - Trade Conflict against Malai
      479-484 - Kyn Civil Conflict
      506-508 - Suam Coup
      717-725 - Rharec Offensive against Sarathal
      982-997 - Great war against Sarathal
      
      
      Society
      Velian society is most drastically split into two groups, those who can use magic and those who can't. Those who can use magic are regarded as upper class whereas those who can't are lower class. This is further divided among the two groups, such as those who can use magic to a higher degree being viewed as higher in status, with the most accomplished mage families being regarded as nobility. While all citizens are recognized as equal within the eyes of the law, there is a distinct divide between the two groups as those who can use magic are routinely treated better and afforded more opportunities. However while being second class citizens, non-magic users still lead comfortable and normal lives and benefit heavily from the magitek the mages create.
      
      So while there are groups unhappy with the status quo, society as a whole remains unchanged. When it comes to mages it will often work off a meritocracy, and even those from low-status houses can rise to the ranks if they, as individuals, show high aptitude for magic. That being said, even that is tempered by good old human arrogance and greed and emphasis on bloodlines and specific families are sometimes placed ahead of deserving individuals. As a whole, Velians rely heavily on their magic and magitek in everything from government and military, to simple day to day activities. They also boast the most highly regarded magical universities and schools in the world.
      
      
      Military
      The Velian military is relatively small and when it comes to conventional sciences is far behind those of other nations. They make up for these weaknesses with innovative applications of magic. Unlike most other nations Velian airships do not rely on propellers or gasses to attain lift but instead use an anti-gravity magic spell to propel them around. As well they have few conventional weapons and what few they have are augmented to fire enchanted rounds. Their primary armament is typically a magical beam that is emitted from the glowing sphere towards the front of the ship. The Velian ground forces also rely heavily on magitek equipment with high level mages being given the freedom to choose whatever fighting method they see fit and lower level mages being put into special units to act in a variety of support roles. Non-magic users in the military are usually equipped with magitek equipment ranging from enchanted rifles and armor to golems and other constructs.
      
      Unlike a lot of nations the Velians still make liberal use of melee combatants, enhancing their weapons, armor, and even themselves in order to close the gap and wreak havoc among enemy lines. When it comes to the sea the Velians possess a meager navy, strong enough to protect their shores but capable of little else. These ships tend to be large in scale and have mid-ranked mages assigned to them to help augment the magitek shield generators. The naval vessels rely on enchanted conventional weaponry rather than magical attacks. Overall the Velian military is highly reliant on magic and magitek in order to function, but this gives them an edge over more conventional forces.
      
    • 
      
      General Information
      Capital: Ayathe
      
      Demonym: Calaen
      
      Languages: Aelor
      
      Religion: Airas, the belief that the world and everything that inhabits it was shaped by seven great deities, each crafting and governing a section of the planet and holding dominion over their respective regions.
      The region in which Araal exists is said to have been created and governed by Kyr, the god of bounty, wealth, and expansion. As such Kyr is viewed as the primary deity as it is believed he is directly responsible for the people.
      
      Form of government: Hereditary monarchy with a senate composed of members elected from the fifty-one original tribes.
      
      Notable members: TBA
      
      
      History
      Calaes can trace it's history back thousands of years, before even the great reformation. It's inhabitants are said to originate from the peninsula and have lived there for the entirety of their history. The Calaens were a mostly a tribal, nomadic people who roamed the peninsula and rarely settled in any one location for more than a few seasons. However as their population grew they became more and more stationary until burgeoning nations began to take shape.
      
      468 Years before the great reformation the peninsula had been split among 51 tribes with skirmishes over land, resources, and hunting rights being a common occurrence. In the year -292 the largest tribe of the period, the Caelia, set forth on a campaign of conquest and subjugation, their leader desiring to unify the Calaens under his banner. By -141 his son had completed the task of unifying the tribes and the nation of Calaes was formed with the Caelia's main settlement being the capital of the new nation. The Calaens experienced an age of peace for over 300 years until foreigners from the east came to their lands. Initial interactions were peaceful and the Calaens freely traded with the newcomers but as time went on the new inhabitants, named Velians, grew in scope and passively took more and more of Caelan lands. Bickering and infighting between the noble houses allowed the Velian expansion to go unchecked until they had controlled nearly 20% of the peninsula.
      
      Tensions finally broke in 266 as the Caelan's marched an army to push the Velian's back. This war would be followed by two more wars that saw the Velian's push the Caelan's past the narrow, solidfying their claim over what is present-day Velhellyiah. Disdain for the Velians remained strong for generations and despite uneasy alliances and truces, even today there is animosity between the two groups. Nevertheless the Calaens used their vast resources to keep stride with the Velian's in progression, relying more on traditional workings than magic. Even so the magical influence of the Velians could be felt strongly in Calaes with much of their society either using Velian technology and teachings, or emulating their progress.
      
      
      
      Notable Conflicts
      -292-141 - Order of Unification
      266-270 - Order of the Mountain against Velhellyiah
      278-281 - Order of the Isle against Malai
      299-314 - Order of the Bay against Velhellyiah
      313-317 - Order of the Waves against Malai/Kaal'Daan
      324-342 - Order of Retribution against Velhellyiah
      364-389 - Order of Land against Malai
      401-416 - Order of Gain against Malai
      447-459 - Order of Loss against Malai
      513-551 - Order of the Forests
      616-632 - Order of Expedition against Maltac
      675-680 - Order of the Sea against Maltac
      741-746 - Order of Discontent
      982-997 - Order of Understanding against Sarathal
      
      
      Society
      Calaen society can be best summarized as industrious and prideful. With their patron deity being that of expansion and wealth the Calaens put heavy stock on business and industry as well as expanding in those areas. Most Calaen families will have at least one member who started their own business and Calaens in general will labor extensively to accomplish their goals, be they personal or otherwise. Their society is split between commoners and the high born, the high born being those with blood relation to the 51 original tribes. It is only from high born that senators are elected, as well the high born are also put in charge of national interests ranging from military endeavors to politics to economics. They also put great emphasis on honor and discipline, feeling that it is perfectly acceptable to sacrifice one's own happiness or even their life if it can benefit their people. Calaen expansionist policies are not restricted to domestic endeavors and this has caused them to clash with neighboring states on numerous occasions.
      
      Due to their industrious nature they field a sizable military for their size and their emphasis on honor and discipline means their soldiers are fearsome in battle. Calaens, at their core, are a fairly social people and as such they tend to congregate in various locations. Due to this tendency much of their nation is uninhabited with pockets of civilization scattered about and the majority of the nation's population being centered around the capital. Pragmatism is also an important trait and as such Calaens tend to use whatever they deem best for the job, so while they have no preference for magic or magitek they will still field it if they feel the need. From the outside the Calaens seem like a highly unified people, however internally they are rife with rivalries between the noble houses and almost everyone in the nation finds themselves under the banner of one of these houses. While blatant violence is forbidden covert operations against one another are common-place with the sole exception being the ruling house of Caelia, which is neither the target nor the perpetuator of infighting.
      
      
      Military
      The Calaen military is vast with each of the houses commanding a portion of it, the ruling house having direct command over the nation's fleet of airships. Calaen airships are fairly rudimentary being little more than armored plating surrounding a zeppelin and cannons. Their airships are fairly slow but sport decent armoring as well as numerous rapid-firing cannons along the dorsal and ventral sides. The ground forces are divided into 51 chapters, each chapter sporting tens of thousands of personnel as the personal armies of the noble houses. Ground troops are trained thoroughly, spending years in the service and are ready and willing to lay down their lives for their country. Standard troops are typically equipped with conventional bolt-action rifles with special groups utilizing magic and magitek constructs. The pride and joy of the military is the navy with the Calaens sporting a range of warships from small interceptors to massive dreadnoughts, each designed to fill a role on the high seas. Throughout their history Calaes has never been invaded by sea thanks to their emphasis on their navy. Unlike their neighbor the military has virtually no melee combatants, viewing the practice as archaic and inefficient. That said, special groups may follow after the Velians and utilize magic to bolster their might in close combat.
    • 
      
      General Information
      Capital: Systane
      
      Demonym: Sathal
      
      Languages: Sathal
      
      Religion: Hila, the belief that a triumvirate of three sister Goddesses rule over the entirety of existence. Acedia, who's domain is the Mind. Silano, who's domain is the spirit. And Belan, who's domain is the body. The three Goddesses brought their domains together to create sentient life on Tennim which is to be the paradise of their creation's making
      
      Form of government: Electoral Dictatorship with a new ruler being elected upon the death of the previous one
      
      Notable members: TBA
      
      
      History
      Sarathal was first formed 400 years before the great reformation. It had shared it's home continent with dozens of other nations and wars among them were common. Over time Sarathal had slowly expanded it's empire through conquest until it eventually controlled almost the entire continent with only a few small ally nations sharing it. Sarathal experienced a brief period of peace until an incident occurred where hundreds of thousands of people fell prey to a magical experiment, sending the entire nation into chaos. From the ashes arose what would be considered modern day Sarathal, the event and subsequent restructuring of the government being referred to as the great reformation. The new government, backed by popular support, was strongly anti-magic after the event. They fed the fear of magic that had long lingered in the people until it eventually boiled over. In 83 the government officially outlawed magic and began hunting down and detaining those who could practice magic. These crusades slowly grew in scope and brutality until execution of those with simple magical potential was common place. These crusades were fueled by the fear of another cataclysm as well as religious justification, decrying magic as sinful tools intended only to lead people to their doom.
      
      By the year 190 magic users were virtually non-existent in the land's of Sarathal with rigorous inquisitorial campaigns keeping those that remained in hiding. With their domestic hunts all but over the nation turned their sights west on those mages that had fled during the crusades. Conflict with their magic-loving neighbors was fairly common with several major campaigns taking place throughout history. In the early 900s the international community began to decry Sarathal's wars against Velhellyiah along with other magically inclined nations and the nation was forced to forgo it's crusades out of fear of being the target of a coalition. While working to maintain their position as one of the leading powers of the world they also worked tirelessly on progressing their technological capabilities, having been bested by magic numerous times in the past. Sarathal's devotion to the sciences had paid off in the late 900s when it's advanced technologies allowed it to again go to war with Velhellyiah. However this time they far over-extended their reach and numerous nations declared war in response. Despite their technological might they were incapable of fending off the coalition of nations and were forced to surrender. Since their defeat Sarathal has remained relatively peaceful as it worked hard to redeem itself in the eyes of the international community.
      
      
      
      Notable Conflicts
      194-201 - The First Crusade
      257-258 - The Second Velian War
      717-725 - The Velian Blitz
      982-997 - The Great War
      
      
      Society
      Sathal society varies widely due to the sheer scope of the nation however there are general traits shared among the population. They hold a strong disdain for all things magic due to constant reinforcements and fear mongering from their past. The last war has left the population with a strong anti-war sentiment, feeling that any involvement with magic users brings nothing but ill fortune. As a whole the Sathal are fairly religious with the majority believing in Hila and while it guides many of the decisions in society they do not oppose the following of other religions. The importance of science is never understated in Sathal society and it is renowned for some of the best institutes of learning in the world.
      
      
      Military
      The Sathal military is truly massive with a significant backing by the government. Even with their last defeat they have maintained a large and advanced military, fearful that other nations may invade otherwise. Sathal airships are the single most advanced conventional airship in the world. They are armored behemoths held aloft by mighty rotors and propelled by a series of winglets along their sides and top. They are armed with massive cannons along with numerous rapid-firing guns. The ground forces are equipped with clip-fed single shot rifles with more specialized groups fielding experimental automatic weapons. Sathal put a strong emphasis on elite special organizations to act out covert operations as their status as a major world power has them permanently in a spotlight. These special organizations are given a high degree of freedom and funding, allowing them to field impressive weapons and undertake actions that may be deemed extremely illegal were they to come to light.
      
      The navy is vast however it is split between the east and west oceans with no means of traversing from one side to the other without dismantling the vessel, hauling it across land, and reassembling it again. The naval vessals, like the airships, sport heavy armor plating and large conventional cannons and like the Calaens come in a wide variety. Like many nations they put little stock in melee combatants, however some of their more experimental special forces organizations will field melee combatants should the need arise. Much of Sathal weapons technology is designed to counter the magic and magitek employed by other nations and as such even the common footsoldier has access to a variety of anti-magic equipment. The most common form of anti-magic equipment utilized is magic-nullifying coating on their equipment. This ensures that the majority of a spell's effects dissipates on impact allowing the soldier to continue unimpeded.
      
    • 
      
      The Republic of A'ethe
      Capital: Altamura
      
      Demonym: Aetherian
      
      Languages: Elvish, Olde Sathal
      
      Population: approx 200,000 (about 45-50k in Altamura alone)
      
      Demographic: 75% Sky Elf, 10% "lesser" elves, 15% human or other
      
      Religion: Most describe Aetherians as agnostic or atheistic, but this is not entirely accurate. They believe in what they call the Grand Design, a “source code” which governs all things. In this way, the world is its own “god” -- its own creator, maintainer, and, when that day comes, ender. One can become god or god-like through the study of the world and its underlying forces. For them, science and the study of magic is a form of worship, as the more they learn, the closer they become to godhood. It is important to note that this religion, if it can even be called such, lacks a rigid morality system.
      
      Form of government: A’ethe is governed by the Council of Paragons, individuals who have achieved the highest marks in their given field.
      
      Notable members: TBA
      
      
      History
      A’ethe’s history can be traced back to the Elvish kingdom of Aetheria, which existed on what is now the northwestern coast of Sarathal. Ancient Aetheria was conquered and dissolved into the Sathal Empire during the unification period. The elves’ magical prowess and advanced magitek proved useful tools in the taking of the continent, accelerating Sarathal’s expansion toward a swiftly-achieved peace. Of course, this peace did not last. A magical catastrophe caused the deaths of thousands, plunged Sarathal into an age of chaos, and virtually wiped Aetheria's population off the map, leaving only a barren landscape of vacant Elvish ruins and places of power. Most of the world believed the elves in that region had been killed, which was probably for the best, as sentiments toward magic shifted violently in the years following the incident.
      
      Aetherians refer to this event as The Great Ascension. Whether by accident or by design, a small group of survivors weren't killed, but transported, and found themselves in a strange land. They were lost, confused, and utterly unprepared, but alive... and, most importantly, free of Sarathal. The cataclysm changed the physiology and magical attunement of these small enclave of elves, creating the Sky Elf subspecies, and instilled in them the belief that they were the Design’s chosen people. Although they numbered only a few hundred, they remained in isolation on a tiny island off the northern coast of Araal and began rebuilding their society to its former glory. Using barriers and illusion magic, they built a secluded paradise, unknown to the rest of the world. This was initially done to avoid the Crusades and literal witch hunts taking place on the mainland. But, even after those awful times passed, the Aetherians remained in hiding, out of a belief that they were simply better than everyone else and need not sully themselves by setting foot in the world of men and lesser elves.
      
      Needless to say, they couldn’t maintain their independence forever. Even with their powerful magic, the tiny island could not support them indefinitely. A’ethe today is covered almost entirely in urban sprawl, as the elves used alchemy and transmutation to turn anything and everything into food or building materials. They carried on this way until the island was nearly depleted of mana and even began conjuring portals to draw in magical energy from beyond their shores. Ultimately, necessity forced open their borders, but they didn't step out into the world quietly. Their best mages spent years transforming the capital's epicenter into a floating metropolis of glittering crystal and pure white marble, which they used to tour the mainland and reintroduce themselves to the outside world. This ostentatious act is what earned them the moniker “Sky Elves.”
      
      
      Notable Events
      ?? The Great Disgrace: Aetheria is subjugated by Sarathal
      
      0 The Great Ascension: magical catastrophe devastates Sarathal, transports a chosen few Aetherians off the mainland, turning them into the first Sky Elves
      
      176 The Great Divide: The Council of Paragons is established, doing away with the old monastic system; the concept of the Grand Design begins to rise to prominence
      
      895 - 900 The Great Exaltation of Altamura: decision to reintroduce themselves to the world; modification of Altamura begins, turning it into a floating city
      
      900 - 948 The Great Descent and Grand Tour: A'ethe's barriers are lowered and Altamura travels out into the world on a tour of peace and trade; for half a century, they visit each major nation on Araal, saving Sarathal for last
      
      948 - 949 The Sea and Sky Incident: Altamura is detained at sea by Sarathal’s navy, nearly leading to war, and abruptly ending the Grand Tour; the situation is diffused by the Velian military
      
      951 First Homecoming: Altamura returns to A’ethe and remains for nearly a decade before venturing out again; today, the mobile capital travels constantly, only returning once a year for the annual Lunar Festival (New Year's)
      
      
      Society
      Aetherian society is one of intense competition, judgment, and classification/hierarchy. To outsiders, they come across as haughty, rude, and condescending, but amongst themselves this is seen as normal, acceptable behavior. Each Aetherian seeks to be the best in their chosen field, a title known as “Paragon.” Duels and competitions for “Paragon of ______” are commonplace. Whether that means being the best mathematician or merely the best sandwich-maker, doesn’t matter –whatever they choose to do, they do it to the fullest and are deeply offended when someone says they aren’t at the top of their field.
      
      Aetherians tend to over-specialize, which forces an atmosphere of communal dependence where each individual knows and accepts his or her role. For example, a mage may be powerful enough to bend the fabric of space and time… but may not know how to do his own laundry. As such, servants are extremely common, as most Aetherians cannot be bothered to do such mundane tasks, even if it is well within their capabilities. The world of A’ethe is a strange one, where people will routinely insult one another’s intelligence, skills, and appearance, while simultaneously acknowledging that they cannot survive without one another.
      
      
      Military
      A’ethe has almost no standing military. Individual noble houses have their own peacekeeping forces, and most have sworn to obey the decision of the Paragon of War, should conflict arise. But A'ethe has never gone to war and does evything it can to keep it that way. They were ready and waiting during the Sea and Sky Incident of 955, but the situation was resolved peacefully, which is probably for the best. Their mages are amongst the most powerful in the world, but the Sun Elves are no fools and know all-out war would likely result in the extinction of their race. Their numbers are too few and their population too tightly-concentrated to risk it. So, they continue to play the delicate balancing act of neutrality, using whatever means they can to remain as useful and non-threatening as possible, to as many people as possible.
• 
  
  Overview
  Magic is the name used for the manipulation and application of mana. Mana is the ambient energy that can be found almost anywhere on Tennim. Through the use of mana one can achieve an almost limitless variety of effects, many of which are far beyond the reach of traditional science. Not everyone can utilize mana, though, as the majority of people are born without the ability to alter mana in any way. For these people, magic is impossible.
  
  Technology is the overall term for the application of science in the creation of tools and mechanisms. It's the primary driving force in the world that every nation utilizes. Since it does not rely on mana in any capacity even those incapable of using magic can make use traditional technology. While it is far more limited in what it can do, technology can still yield more consistent and sturdier results than magic.
  
  Magitek is the combination of the two. Those able to manipulate mana can use it to create new devices that then make use of the magic imbued in them. This allows everyone to utilize the magic's effect even if they themselves can not use magic. This bridge between the two sciences has yielded countless results that have propelled most societies forward significantly.
  
  
  • Holy Swords

  • Holy Swords
    Once Known as the greatest blacksmith alive the man known as Daemadar Velaeris was a high elf who's magical power and knowledge were almost as vast as his knowledge for making swords. Over his lifetime he made thousands of magical weapons but lived a life of solitude, never sharing his weapons with anyone, keeping them locked in his vault somewhere on the edge of the known plane. Many people had heard of his vault from legends and some people had even succeeded in meeting him, but they all returned empty handed, speaking of the magnificence of his weapons but never wielding them. Daemadar was bitter, he felt that the world didn’t deserve his weapons. When he was coming to the end of his life he had a vision that revealed to him that his weapons were needed in the world. After the vision, for reasons unknown, he was so afraid that he felt none of his current weapons were good enough, so he forged a series of Holy swords for the world to use against whatever was in his vision. He cast them out into the world sending them to even the furthest reaches beyond him which created some legends. He kept one for himself locking it and himself away in his vault to rest for eternity. In addition to these swords being super powerful no holy sword can destroy another holy sword as they are all on par with each other.
    
    
    1.Dynestiarosa: The flaming sword, prue fire forged on a special anvil to become a holdale sword. It turns to flames when its hilt is grabbed and grants who ever grabs its handel protection from its flames, and though its made of flames it still has a sharp edge. - [Owned]
    
    2.Durandale: The Indestructible sword was forged from a metal found in a meteorite, stronger than any metal known to man and more difficult to forge, the sword gives the user increased strength and is said to be able to cut through massive boulders. - [Owned]
    
    3.Thuan Thien: This sword is said to contain the power of a thousand men, but the sword is magically enhanced to increase the users strength and skill by a multiplier that corresponds to how many enemies the user is facing at any given time. - [Missing]
    
    4.Tyrfing: A sword thats enchanted to cut through Iron and stone as easily as clothing but is a soul stealer, it will capture the souls of who ever it kills which is a blessing, as the souls of those defeated add to the knowledge of the wielder, and a curse as the souls of the deceased can tend to be bitter. - [Missing]
    
    5.Eternal Light: The sword of Blinding light. When drawn from its scabbard the sword shines brightly and is said to be made from a specially enchanted metal the was enchanted with the light of day so that it may always shine bright. The sword appears as if pure light but is sharp and can cut like metal. - [Missing]
    
    6.Fragarach: The sword of air, forged with the power of wind from the 4 corners of the world, gives the user control over any winds. The sword itself has the ability to turn into pure tangible wind which can be gripped and controlled by its user to deliver powerful strikes. - [Missing]
    
    7.Balmung: Said to be capable of destroying buildings with its most powerful stroke which is a high density energy blast that can cut through just about anything. The sword uses high density energy blasts but is very powerful on its own. - [Owned]
    
    8.Moralltach and Beagalltach: Twin swords, Moralltach being a longsword and Beagalltach being a short sword, that are enchanted to leave no blow unfinished, the swords themselves are fairly normal or seem fairly normal in battle but when the sword is swung the swing cannot be stopped by the user, only if its block or hits its target. Additionally Moralltach absorbs magic. - [Missing]
    
    9.Mars: The sword named after the Roman god of war, was said to be forged in the blood of those who died in battle and gives the user an advantage in all forms of war. - [Missing]
    
    10.Harpe: A sword that was sharpened using a magical wheatstone, its enchanted to never lose its edge and is so sharp that it can cut through anything, including high level magical barriers, like butter. - [Missing]
    
    11.Hofor: This greatsword is capable of conquering space, meaning it can teleport to an extent. The swords edge is capable of opening portals between two spaces but can be stopped if blocked of if it hits something it cant cut. Additionally the sword has a limit on how spaced out its portals are. - [Owned]
    
    12.Joy: Joy or Joyeuse is said to be a holy sword that appears normal but glows blue with power when filled with magical energy from its user. Additionally it has the ability to create up to 12 blades that float around the user and can be used, each having the same relevant power as Joy. - [Missing]
    
    13.Caladbolg: Known as the earthquake sword, it cause the ground to shake with tremors when it is driven into the ground and can cause damage to civilizations, but it also shows great power when used as a sword. - [Missing]
    
    14.Gram: Gram is a sword said to have been soaked in dragons blood when forged. It has the strength of a dragon and is so strong that while it was being forged it split the anvil in half. - [Missing]
    
    15.Leviathan: The sword forged in Ice instead of fire, the sword is said to be able to harness the power of a winters frost and freeze its opponents and anything else it touches solid. Similar to Dynestiarosa it gives the user protection against its front so long as they hold the hilt. - [Missing]
    
    16.Ascalon: Like Gram its a sword forged in Dragons blood and has the strength of a dragon, though not as strong as Gram. It also has the ability to harness light and use it to sharpen its blade. It is said to hold up to the legends of dragon slaying swords and is like poison to dragons and dragon kin. - [Missing]
    
    17.Galatine: The sword blessed with water, is able to summon and control water as well as become tangible water that can be wielded by the user. In addition to this the sword blesses the user with an ability so that no body of water can prove a challenge to its user, giving them the ability to walk on water. - [Missing]
    
    18.Clarent: The sword of blood one, the more blood it absorbs the more powerful it becomes, but in addition to that if the sword becomes damaged in any way spilling blood on the blade will fix the sword. The sword was said to be forge in the blood of all races, and they said blood holds great power. - [Missing]
    
    19.Seance: A sword forged using a special stone called soul stone which was reinforced. The sword is able to summon the souls of great warriors who have used the sword before to fight alongside of the current user. - [Missing]
    
    20.Solais: A sword of Light but unlike eternal light this sword glows a brightly but also burns with the intense flames of the sun, protecting is user from its own heat/ light, but giving off a light that can set fire to things. - [Missing]
    
    21.Arondight: A strange holy sword that has a mind of its own, and in addition it appears as a normal sword and grows stronger with its user over time, forming a bond with them. It burns in the hands of those it does not seem worthy and has seemed to become involved in some dark elf religion over the years. - [Owned]
    
    22.Chandrika: A sword the glows in a pale white light, becomes more powerful in the nighttime and its slashes send of blasts of light which can slice of blow away enemies. - [Missing]
    
    23.Lac du Azure: A sword made from this strange blue metal, it has the ability to phase through objects for 2 seconds once every 20 seconds. - [Owned]
    
    24.Hrunting: A blade that is poisonous to all creatures, 1 strike from the blade is said to make one dreadfully ill and another can kill, but the size of these slashes could be as small as a paper cut. - [Missing]
    
    25.Alba Lupus: The sword know as white wolf is made from a strange snow white colored blade. The sword its able to split into several small snowflakes which are sharp as razors, which can be controlled by the person holding the hilt. - [Missing]
    
    26.Blackfyre:The sword has a blade black as night and controls pure darkness. It is able to block out light and flames. The darkness it produces can also become tendrils and attack people. - [Missing]
    
    27.Courtain: The sword of Mercy, it was forged with the worlds strongest magical ward imbuded into it, and the sword is said to be able to block anything, including holy swords that can slice through strong magical barriers - [Owned]
    
    28.Almace: Blessed with the power of lightning. This sword gives the user the power to control lightning. Like Arondight it shares a bond with its user, if the blade is thrown it creates a large lightning bolt, the blade then promptly returns to the users hand. - [Owned]
    
    29.Murgleys: This sword is blessed with the power of a dying star. It turns black with a blue glow surrounding it when at full power and it cuts through things as if it were a laser. - [Missing]
    
    30.Excalibur: Buried with Daemadar its said to be the most powerful of all the swords he made, as he decided to keep it for himself so that if anyone were to find it locked with in his vault with him he would know they were worthy of its power. The sword itself was forged in 3 parts, the hilt, the scabbard, and the blade. The hilt grants the sword the power of holy light, a more powerful light magic than used in any other of his creations. The Blade grants strength and a sharp edge that can cut down anything, even granting it the power to bring down castles. THe scabbard grants an accelerated healing ability - [Missing]
• 
  
  Overview
  The majority of the sentient population on Tennim consists of humans. However, there are a myriad of others that call the planet home as well. Their shapes and sizes vary drastically, from minuscule fairies to towering giants. Generally the outliers tend to segregate themselves simply out of necessity. Tiny creatures can't effectively make use of things built by man, nor could towering behemoths. So in general cities are primarily for those who fall under the humanoid category with other races having their own towns and villages. Geography also plays a part with some races being almost unheard of in certain parts of the world.
  
  This all applies to the wildlife that inhabits the planet as well. The ecosystems of the world are just as diverse as the people that live in them. While the more outlandish beasts have had their numbers reduced substantially, it is still possible to find them lurking far from civilization.
  
  
  • Sky Elves
  • Shura
  • Merfolk

  • Sky Elves
    
    Other Names: Space Elves, High Elves
    
    Appearance / Physiology:
    Sky Elves are humanoids and don’t look significantly different from other, more common types of elves. Their lack of coloration is their most notable feature, with all Sky Elves having white or silver hair and extremely pale skin, but with a healthy glow. Even their eye colors are whitewashed or have only minimal pigmentation. They are slightly taller than humans, usually standing about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet tall. Males are often slightly taller than females, but both have slim builds. A fat or extremely muscular Sky Elf is almost unheard of, though this is mostly due to lifestyle, not physiology. They have the pointed ears of all elven races, but Sky Elves’ ears tend to be on the longish side, appearing almost dagger-like, and angled upward, rather than straight out or down. Like all Elves, they are very long-lived. Their aging slows exponentially as they approach their twenties and seems to stop almost entirely by the time they reach a century old.
    
    Special Attributes:
    Sky Elves are known for their innate magical attunement. Mana is attracted to them, like iron shavings to a magnet. For most, the effect is subtle, but for some of the most powerful Sky Elf mages, their magical presence can be very oppressive to those who are sensitive to such things. With time and training, they can learn to dampen this, but most don’t bother to. When large numbers of them gather in one place, it can noticeably disrupt the flow of mana in an area.
    
    Unfortunately, Sky Elves suffer from one disadvantage that mages of other races do not have. The mana drawn to them tends to take on a distinctive shape or “Path.” Over time, the mage can find it difficult or even impossible to learn spells that do not coincide with his or her Path. For example, a Sky Elf mage who practices fire magic will find it increasingly difficult to perform water magic. Fire magic will become as easy as breathing, but water magic, healing magic, levitation, empathy, telekinesis -- anything not related to fire -- will be shut off to him forever. Numerous Sky Elves have attempted to re-tune their mana to a new Path, with no success.
    
    Religion:
    Most Sky Elves believe in the Grand Design, a universal “source code” upon which the world functions. “God,” for lack of a better word, is merely a series of formulae governing all of existence and mortals can become god-like through the study of magic and science. Thus, academia is like a form of worship and is treated as sacred. The more you know, the closer you are to understanding The Design, thus becoming closer to "god." Those who achieve the highest level of understanding in a particular field are bestowed the title of "Paragon," which is like being the personified diety of a chosen aspect of the Design.
    
    Other than orders handed down by certain high-ranking Paragons, there is no inherent system of morality. To put it simply, “might makes right;” those with the power to shape the world, have every right (or, some might say, responsibility,) to do so. This lack of concrete rules regarding right/wrong and good/evil can make others wary of the Sun Elves. Their philosophy drives them to seek power in the form of knowledge, but gives no clear direction about what is to be done with such power.
    
    In reality, most Sky Elves have a strong sense of noblesse oblige. They feel they are the Design’s chosen people, as evidenced by the way mana is drawn to them, and feel it is their duty to uplift and teach the lesser races. Although their words and mannerisms can easily come across as condescending, self-righteous, or outright rude, very few of them have ever shown a desire to dominate or subjugate others. Those who have were swiftly checked by their peers.
    
    Relation With Other Races:
    The Sky Elves are a mostly neutral party in international affairs. They remained in hiding for almost a millennia and are still a small, insular people, even today. They arrived on the scene about a century ago, seemingly out of nowhere, and surprised everyone, but once the initial culture shock wore off things settled back into normalcy. Sky Elves are so rare that most people are just surprised to even see one outside of their floating city, Altamura.
    
    Speaking of which, it is impossible to discuss the Sky Elves without discussing their mobile capital city and its role in international affairs. Altamura has often been used as neutral ground for the negotiation of peace treaties and trade deals and the Sun Elves have gained a reputation amongst the nobility as good hosts for such affairs.
    
    The common folk, however, are less than impressed. With 50,000 Sky Elves living in Altamura, the combined effect they have on the local mana supply cannot be ignored. This problem is compounded by its lack of self-sufficiency: Altamura supports itself by buying up large amounts of resources, both for its own populace and to take home to A'ethe. This causes an influx of trade, but also means the city is flanked by a swarm of merchants, traders, and even bandits. While most would agree the city itself is a beautiful sight to behold, they would rather not deal with the riff raff that comes with it.
  • Shura
    
    Other Names: N/A
    
    Appearance / Physiology:
    Shura are large, four-armed humanoids. Standing several feet above your average human with heights ranging anywhere between 7 and 9 feet. Your standard Shura boasts significant physical strength and longevity with pureblood members of the species able to live upwards of 300 years. Beyond their extra set of arms and large size a Shura isn't that dissimilar from a human and share similar traits such as the males of the species typically being larger than the females. Indeed their closeness is such that Shura are capable of inter-breeding with many of the humanoid races, producing half-bloods that typically have diminished capacity in terms of the strength and longevity Shuras are known for. However, Shura genes are extremely dominant resulting in any hybrid sporting these (albeit diminished) traits of the Shura. It's simply unheard of to have a Shura child, even a half-breed, without the four arms, enhanced strength, increased height and longer life span or any combination of these traits.
    
    Special Attributes:
    Shura are incapable of using magic. This is due to the fact that Shura lack mana and any ability to interact with it. This is a recognized hard-lined fact that extends even to half-breed children. Due to the dominance of Shura genes once Shura blood is introduced into a bloodline, that bloodline will permanently be cut off from magic. No matter how many generations down the line, the potency of this rejection of mana will persist. This has resulted in a fear and stigmatization of Shura in magic-oriented communities. As any interbreeding with them guarantees the end to even the most powerful magical bloodlines.
    
    Religion:
    Shura do not have a religion of their own. Rather they have ancient customs and traditions that they hold close to. While their reverence for custom has faded in recent times there are still many who practice these customs. As a whole Shura society put great emphasis on strength with a rite of passage for youth involve wrestling an adult to the ground. A departure from their old ways which involved a series of grueling and difficult trials. To go along with their old customs is their naming scheme. Traditional naming conventions exist for the shura culture, though this has also mostly remained only as part of tradition. Many shura today opt to have a more ‘normal’ sounding name, but retain their traditional names for use within the family. Male shura names are more simple and clear cut, simply having their given name and their father’s name. Previously, they sported their clan’s name, as well as a clan’s ranking, but since their community has long done away with ranking, a male’s last name no longer exists. Female names still carry on the clan’s name, in the form of a letter. This letter is followed immediately by their given name, separated only by an apostrophe, then their father’s name. In a poetic way, the male carries his own name forth, while the female carries her clan’s name.
    
    Relation With Other Races:
    Once an extremely xenophobic and even barbaric society, Shura have progressed a long way since opening their borders of Greystone to the outside world. Their more extreme and cumbersome customs have faded with time as has their overall xenophobia. Now days many Shura opt to leave their ancestral homelands to explore the world and etch out their own lives among the various cultures and societies across the globe. While not a common sight, it is also not uncommon to see a Shura out in the world. Their large stature and raw power coupled with their agreeable nature and loyalty has given them a reputation as tremendous companions or workers.
  • Merfolk
    
    Other Names:
    Merperson
    Mermaid (female)
    Merman (male)
    Nereid (a saltwater or sea/ocean-dwelling merperson)
    Naiad (a freshwater or lake/river-dwelling merperson)
    Lamia (serpent or eel subtype; not all lamias are mers, but they tend to get grouped together)
    Siren (a form of water elemental succubus; mers can be sirens, but not all sirens are mers)
    Fishpeople (derogatory; don’t call them this to their face)
    Changeling (unkind, but slightly less derogatory term, referring to their ability to mimic humans)
    
    Appearance / Physiology:
    Merpeople have a humanoid upper body, with smooth water-repellent skin, sometimes in inhuman shades, such as green, blue, or striped or dappled. Their eyes can be nearly any color, but tend to have dilated, slit pupils, giving them an animalistic gaze. Their facial features bear some resemblance to elves, including a slight point at the tips of their ears, and overall musculature can vary, but most are slender and efficient, as if streamlined for swimming.
    
    Merfolk are completely hairless, except for what is upon their head, but even that is not true hair. A mer’s “hair” is actually a collection of very thin antenna-like fibers which detect electromagnetic fields in the water, allowing them to sense movement. On some, especially those who are based on cephalopods, these tendrils can manifest as actual tentacles. Pigmentation can vary widely, allowing mers to have odd hair colors, such as blue, green, pink, red, etc. Pulling or cutting a mer’s hair is extremely painful, as each strand functions like a nerve ending, but is not lethal in its own right. They can be regrown.
    
    From the waist down, merpeople show the traits of their ancestral avatar, such as a fish, crab, octopus, sea serpent, etc. Remnants of these features sometimes manifest on the upper body as well. A shellfish-based merperson might have claws or chitinous armor. A fish-based mer may have fins or webbed fingers. Appearances can vary, with some appearing graceful, smooth, and almost human, while others can be spiky, tentacled monsters ripped from horror stories.
    
    Special Attributes:
    Merpeople are shapeshifters who can breathe in air or under water, but their lungs aren’t quite as well-developed as their gills. On land, they are easily winded, even in human form. Virtually any human body type is achievable, even transforming into the opposite sex, but most merfolk choose one form they like and stick to it. Shapeshifting becomes easier with practice. This ability is actually biological, but aided by magic. With magic, most transformations take less than an hour, sometimes only a few minutes, but even without it a mer can slowly alter their physiology and complete a full transformation in 24 - 48 hours. Simple changes, such as pigmentation, can be done quickly, but shifting bone and musculature takes much longer.
    
    Anti-magic devices or spells will not force a mer back into its natural form. Cutting its hair or fully immersing it in water is the best way to reveal a mer in disguise. The former would be intensely painful and the latter would force them to reveal their gills or risk drowning. In any case, the longer they remain in human form, the harder it is to turn back, so most mers don’t spend long in human guise without a good reason to do so. Most don’t even like to come on land unless absolutely necessary, which makes them seem far rarer than they actually are.
    
    Merpeople also possess natural telepathy and can carry on entire conversations with one another without speaking a word. This is a magical ability, channeled through their antenna-like hair, and is most effective in or near bodies of water. With training, non-mer races can receive or listen in on these telepathic messages, but very few people can actually carry on a two-way telepathic dialogue with a merperson, as they lack the necessary biology. This telepathy also makes mers natural empaths, able to pick up on strong emotions. Most of the myths and legends about merpeople depict them showing up during times of crisis or celebration, as if drawn to the heavy confluence of emotions. As mages, merfolk have a natural affinity for water magic, but little else. Rigorous magical study often adds nothing to their repertoire of spells, unless it is water related.
    
    Religion:
    According to the Airas religion, the first merpeople were created by the sea goddess, Syra, mother of Kyr. Before the birth of her six children, the world of Tennim was a vast ocean, stretching into eternity. Her offspring heaved mountains, plains, and valleys up from the waters, carved rivers and lakes into them, and divided its continents up amongst themselves, creating the world of men. Meanwhile, the deep sea remained Syra’s domain. According to the ancient scriptures, the first mer were female, made in the likeness of their mother, reincarnated from maidens who drowned at sea or died in coastal villages.
    
    Most merfolk worship Syra as their creator, often referring to her as “Mother” -- not just their mother, but the mother of the world -- and regard the deep sea as the domain of the gods, in some instances treating it as if it is heaven itself or a gateway to the afterlife. Burial at sea is considered the greatest honor a mer can receive, as they believe returning the body to Syra’s womb will allow the deceased to retain his or her “shadow memories” in the next life. This also means they are deeply offended when others defile the deep sea with trash or sinking ships.
    
    Reincarnation plays a strong role in their beliefs. The lifespan of a mer is only slightly longer than that of an ordinary human, with their oldest living to about 120, but they believe those who live strong lives will return to guide the next generation. Mer communities often have priests and priestesses who claim to have the shadow memories and wisdom of their ancestors stored within them. Whether this is actually true or a psychological quirk resulting from entire communities of empathetic telepaths living in close proximity to one another is still up for debate.
    
    Relation With Other Races:
    The merfolk generally keep to themselves and are very self-sufficient. They survive off what the sea provides, and interactions with land-dwellers are anecdotal, at best, such as a brief sighting here or there, or tales told by old fishermen. They aren’t extremely rare, but their aquatic nature puts a natural barrier between them and the land-dwelling races. Nevertheless, they aren’t entirely unfriendly. It is not uncommon for a coastal village to be aware of a nearby mer colony, yet only see them a few times a year. They can come across as aloof, but typically make good neighbors.
    
    However, the history between the merfolk and land-dwellers has not always been friendly. They, along with nearly every other magical race, were hunted by Sathal inquisitors during the First Crusade. To this day, virtually no mer colonies exist along the coasts of Sarathal. To add insult to injury, they have also been the subject of dissection and experimentation at the hands of Sathal scientists, who sought to understand the mer’s shapeshifting abilities. Although very few people speak of it, an estimated 250 to 500 merfolk were abducted during the Great War and never returned home.
  
  
• 
  
  Overview

  There are as many groups in the world of Tennim as there are stars in the sky. And each and every one of these groups has their own rules, history, purpose, etc. An organization can be so large that it influences global affairs. It can also be so small that it can barely reign over a single city block. Like most things found throughout the world the types of organizations found throughout are as diverse as they are numerous.
  
  

  • Velhellyiah

  • 
    
    Velhellyiah
    There are a range of organizations that operate within the Velian's borders. Some are in service of the state. Others are tolerated by the state. And others are direct enemies of the state. But all of these organizations work tirelessly to fulfill whatever mandates they might have.
    
    
    • Magic Enforcement and Containment

    • 
      
      General Information
      Abbreviation: MEC
      
      Other Names: Enforcers
      
      Purpose: Law Enforcement
      
      Notoriety: Extremely well known
      
      Form of Leadership: National level headquarters that oversees various branches with each local branch being lead by their own Chief.
      
      Description: The Magic Containment and Enforcement, aka MEC, is a branch of law enforcement tasked with dealing with situations that involve magic. They are specially trained to deal with magic and magic users and are equipped with both skilled mages as well as potent magitek to deal with renegade magic users or other magic-related incidents. While their primary duty is dealing with magical situations they are overall just an elite force of law enforcement and as such are often called upon for non-magic related incidents should the authorities deem the local officers insufficient. Members of the MEC are typically referred to as Enforcers, separating them from their more benign Officer counterparts. These Enforcers routinely train with the Velian military and are more akin to a paramilitary branch than law enforcement. The MEC are widely respected within Velhellyiah with many of the people viewing them as an immensely powerful force that can put an end to any situation on arrival.