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Fantasy The Iron Empire - Lore

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Doomyfish23

"Honey!!! Wheres my Supersuit?"
Geography -
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The continent of Luvaldis is predominantly grassland with a few small mountain ranges scattered about. Three large lakes and a few rivers traverse its surface. It is mostly temperate in its climate. Very little variation in seasons occurs with highs reaching around 90f and lows dipping to about 55f in summer and winter respectively with a few exceptions such as the peaks of mountains and southeastern desert regions. The coastline is mostly cliff faces with the exception of the southern deltas that carve mazes through the cliffs and let out into the oceans. Likewise the cliffs get smaller along the narrow sea the further north you go eventually tapering into sandy beaches at the northernmost area. All things considered it would be a wonderful place to live were it not for the Aberrations that dwell within it.
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Cities & Towns
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1.Ferrous- The capital City and Home of the Palace which contains the Crystal throne. With a population of over a million and growing this city represents the first major spike in hope for the past 500+ years. Unfortunately it is struggling to deal with the surge in population as many refugees from other cities and towns have flooded to the city and its surrounding area to try and live a life safe from the otherworldly monstrosities that plague the rest of the continent. All that said the stone and iron structures stand firm and have seen much improvement since the reign of emperor dagon. Smaller towns have begun springing up in the ring between the walls and the light barriers edge bolstering its economic potential but also increasing the need for supplies.

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2. Riverglen- The longest road Still intact throughout the nation leads from the capital city ferrous to Riverglen the delta city. One practically needs a boat to get from place to place in this city, and the presence of river monsters and beasts lurking in the surrounding countryside ensures a heavy military presence is stationed here from the Empires capital. Despite this the city is a fairly stable dwelling place With plenty of work to be found extracting food and resources from the river and transporting it along the long road to the capital. A few Heroes from the war call this city home and are instrumental in both morale building and leading the war against the monsters which spawn here. Some have even taken to farming fish type monsters for the meat and oils they produce. Its population sits at around 300,000 people having declined by around 25% since the erecting of the light barrier.

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3. Siblis- Once two separate towns divided by a blood feud Siblis was formed shortly after the Empire was. An artificial island with a town hall was built between the two towns and bridges from it connect the two even to this day. While the city grew consistently through the dark era of the empire it has shrunk since the formation if the capital barrier with many leaving for the safety of the capital and a few moving to riverglen for the protection offered by its bolstered military presence. Its population sits at just under 45,000 people. While it faces danger as it is far from the capital it is protected by the Vale river wardens guild and a few war heroes that have made their homes there.

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4. Gren- The home of the Vale river Wardens guild this quaint town of a mere 30,000 is home to the bulk of the empires freshwater navy. Most of its denizens are hardy survivors and they travel up and down the river facing off against the beasts that call it home. While small Gren has not actually had many people flee to the capital, wether by sense of duty or by a feeling of home comfort most adhere to the idea that gren must stand as it serves an important function as the maintenance of the connections between Siblis, Kazoo, and Riverglen.

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5. Kazoo- Once a naval fortress during the dark ages of Dagons reign a town of stone buildings has been built around the great fort and deepwater naval vessels still sit in the docks jutting from the cliffs face. The tight corridors and low ceilings prevent large creatures from spawning within the fortress and surrounding town, while the open fields to the north, south, and east make spotting creatures and destroying them with siege weapons fairly easy. Unfortunately the Rising Sea to the west has been the spawn point of some of the largest creatures spotted to date. Or perhaps it is a fortunate fact as the gargantuan creatures that fall to the cities navy and siege weapons feed and Arm the people who call it home with the natural resources their corpses hold. Kazoo holds a population of around 50,000 people with many homes holding the youngest and oldest denizens dug deep into the cliff and the more able bodied and magically talented dwelling on the outer reaches serving as a protective ring around their most valued citizens. Mid sized vessels take regular trips along the coast from Kazoo to the Golden sea with goods and supplies for the capital.

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6. Norville- the northernmost town in the western half of the Empire, and the smallest of all settlements, home to a mere 4,000 people Norville is also the home of the Hunters guild who protect the town and are the empires predominant source of pelts & leathers. The city blends well into the edge of the Great forest which alongside the narrow sea bisects the empire. Its proximity to the shrine of Treant mean powerful creatures spawn here. Luckily a legendary hero of the war calls this village home and these powerful creature often find themselves cleaved asunder by his axe. The people here are slightly stoic and standoffish but are hospitable to those who visit, they just dont get close as guests tend not to stay or survive long. To date not ine Denizen of norville has fled to the capital.

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7. Sigil- A peaceful town despite a close proximity to the Shrine of Ebb, creatures do not seem to spawn here and actively avoid the area for a reason few can assess. Because of this Sigil has a bustling population of around 370,000 people making it the third most populated city in the Nation. Refugees from Twin rivers who cannot make the long journey to the capital tend to settle here after a trip upriver. Unfortunately the peaceful nature of this settlement have weakened its population considerably as they have little to bring to bear militarily speaking making it rare if ever that a hero of either warrior or mage class comes from here.

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8. Twin rivers- the fortress city between two rivers was once the prison and military fort that controlled the eastern half of the empire during the reign of Dagon. This means its fortifications and defenses have made it rather easy to defend since the spread of the dark beasts . It has a powerful military presence and a potent freshwater navy and contributes quite a good deal of its aquatic supplies to Sok in exchange for the latters magical armaments. Around 90,000 call this home and since it’s sandwiched between two prospects for refugees only those who are hardy enough to face the river monsters will call it home. Due to its importance in keeping the Ebb river connected to the other cities to its north and south Emperor Clyde Personally required the relocation of a legendary war hero to this settlement.

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9. Sok- The crystal city, the City of Mages, The Jewel of the Empire. Sok has many titles, and all are well earned. Home to the Mages college, Guild of Smiths, Artificers guild, And the Clockwork factory this is a city that is already a century old is still growing everyday. The second largest population of the Empire can be found here with 960,000 people calling it home, and despite its magical energies attracting monsters they never last long as one out of every ten people here is a mage. It was this city who aided emperor Clyde in the crafting of the crystal throne. It was this city whose facilities were used to craft the talismans. Among their many legendary war heroes, one was Eric Lucas who dwelt here as A Teacher of Enchanting magic of the University before he stepped down to serve as Chief adviser to the emperor. The many citizens of this city dwell in safety rivaled only by the capital.
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Great Spirit Shrines
10. Fire spirit Phosphos- Rumor has it that deep within the heart of the volcanically active Phosphorus mountains there lies a shrine older than the empire itself where one can find the Great Spirit of fire Phosphos. None have actually seen the shrine as Dragons call the mountain home and are very territorial. Since the Rise and fall of Dagon it is said that Magma golems spawn in the area along with flame sprites, some of the deadliest creatures in the continent.

11. Earth Spirit Treant- The great woods that bisect the continent are hard to traverse for a reason. The shrine in the center seems to attract the largest and most deadly of forest monsters including Dire beasts, Giant insects, and the Dreaded Yavima Worms. However The Great Earth Spirit Treant calls the shrine home and is said to be the most powerful being in the forest.

12. Water Spirit Ebb- Lake Ebb was named after the Great spirit that calls it home. One can find Fish the size of buildings, leeches longer than a large man, and Dragon turtles calling this lake home yet none of them will leave the lake. It is said that even the largest and most powerful of these river monsters fall prey to the Great spirit which takes the form of a city sized Crab.

13. Wind Spirit Gale- Within the sun baked desert sands of the southeastern desert one can find a shrine surrounded by bleached bones. But only if they are able to make it past the great Sand Worms, Giant scorpions, and Sandstorm elementals. None are sure what the Great Wind spirits form is for so few can make the hardy trek to its shrine, and of those who have…None have returned.

14. Lightning Spirit Zazz- While one can see the shrine of the lightning spirit from the north eastern coast through a spyglass none have been able to approach. A large hurricane has surrounded the island on which it sits for centuries now. Lightning elementals drop from the clouds and engage in combat with massive jellyfish and electric eels the size of large ships. Only the brave and stupid would even try to get through, and even among them, none have succeeded.
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Natural Wonders
15. Lake Vale- A lake filled with massive fish that can and have eaten the fisherman that work there. It is For this reason the Vale River Wardens were founded and it became common practice to always have a spear and a long dagger while fishing. Many a fisherman has tales of being swallowed and having to carve their way out of a large specimen.

16. Lake Kyriss- Of the three lakes on this continent, Kyriss is the most peaceful. Though don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security, its peaceful by comparison, meaning you could still could fill your hands finger quantities rattling off the list of things that can kill you there. From snakes to Colossal bass this river has its fair share of challenges. Just less of them than Lake Vale or Lake Ebb though strangely it is much deeper, with the bottom of the lake having never been found once you get more than a mile or two from the shore.

17. Silver Mountains- between Lake Ebb and The great forest you can find a small range of glistening mountains that were once the primary source of silver for the empire, however since the rise and fall of dagon people have begun vanishing at a rate that caused mining efforts to slow to a crawl. The most recent mining expedition attempt was 8 months ago and of the 55 Sigil citizens who went there only three returned and one was being carried by the other two. They spoke of Silver rising up and dragging folks into the ground as if it were made of water.

18. Misty Mountains- A small mountain range said to he home to a strange creature of unknown origin. The mist that surrounds this mountain seems to cause people to hallucinate and become turned around or even black out. In either case they will awaken or come to their senses having somehow at the same place they attempted to enter more or less. None have been able to discover what lies beyond the mist.
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The 7 Seas
19. The Narrow Sea- the Sea that bisects the continent along with the great forest. This sea has a northern shore that meets the aforementioned forest but the rest of its shore is cliffs of climbing height as you go further south. While its narrow few attempt to traverse even its width as it is known to have fast northbound currents and is home to the giant spotted serpents who seem to have personal problems with any ships. These serpents avoid the opening to the Mire likely because their natural enemies dwell there.

20. The Maw- The northern ocean is unforgiving and known to swallow ships into its depths. Likely due to the high volcanic activity causing large bubbles and aerated water which ships cannot traverse. There are also very large lobsters and crabs which tempt fishermen and anglers surprisingly one of the more deadly creatures here are the volcanic Clams which are known to spit lava, which cools into deadly stone spears as they pass through the water.

21. Golden Sea- The Tamest sea in the content as most dangerous predators were driven out with gusto as this ocean is known for its namesake…massive gold deposits can be found at the bottom of its shallow depths and this has made it one of the most frequently explored waters in all the land. The rise and fall of emperor Dagon has seen some of its predators returning but these are being held at bay by the local population and the navy of Ferrous.

22. Stormy Sea- Arguably the most treacherous waters in all the land. The stormy sea gets its name for the perpetual hurricane surrounding it. Lightning seems to be in a never ending battle with massive jellyfish and Eels. Its waters remain mostly uncharted.

23. The Mire- Home to the natural enemy of the Spotted Serpent, The Dunkleossus, massive whale sized boney armored fish with a taste for serpent and ship keel. Fortunately these massive fish tend to dwell in deeper waters yet large enough ships will get their attention. The mire is also filled with many of the dangers of the Vale river which deposits into this body of water. Still this is one of the tamer oceans.

24. The Rising Sea- The sea from which the sun rises. These waters are close to tame and are where many schools of fish can be found. However there are rare occasions where titanic monsters unlike any other come from the depths. Massive squids and Leviathan’s that rival entire towns in size, and even some serpents which seem like mountains of scales. Luckily none seem to come too fare south even still Few sailors would venture to far from the shore for fear of entering these titans territory.

25. The Sinking Sea- sharp reefs, rapid currents, deadly serpents, and large squids with cruel intellect call these waters home. As if that were not enough of a trouble the further east you go the colder the waters become until eventually ice blocks any further travel. The sinking sea is where the sun goes to die each night, at least according to the mythology.​
 
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Magic & Spellcasting

the continent of Luvaldis is and has always been known for its high levels of ambient magic. The denizens of this land have spent so long soaking in this high mana environment that its altered their DNA resulting in an absurdly high percentage of Sorcerers being born here. So its no surprise that they have discovered many applications to the use of magics.

Spell-casters will fall into a variety of Sub-Classes, truly too many to be listed, however there are Four main Categories of Magic user.

Sorcerer- Those born with a Natural pool of mana within them, Often times it is Mono-elemental (Consisting of one element) but Rarely Duo-Elemental sorcerers are born and they tend to be powerful.

Druid- Mages who draw power from the surrounding Environment Harnessing the power and fury or nature. They tend to be capable of Rapid/Quick spell-casting but are a bit mire limited in overall power than some others.

Wizard- Those who harness the power of magic to create items and enchantments. Unlike the other three classes Wizards do not draw power exclusively from within, From nature, or from otherworldly sources, they simply use science and reasoning to draw existing magic from natural sources and phenomena. Which can sometimes mean drawing power from all three. While they are the Slowest spell-casters in terms of casting time…they are well known for having accomplished the largest tasks.

Cleric/Warlock- Mages who draw power from extra-dimensional sources to utilize forms of magic outside of the standard Elemental wheel. Dagon AND Clyde are a Warlock and cleric respectively. Little is known pertaining to these classes of spell-casting and they are seen as unnatural by most magic users.


Regardless of the class of magic user, all use mana. Expend it to cast spells, stockpile it to prepare for spells, and have a limit to the amount they can have at any one time.

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The primary divisions of natural magic fall into the five elemental types. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, And Lightning. These elements have various offshoots and combinations that can be brought to bear making a long list of potential end results. Sorcerers tend to be born with an affinity for one particular element, sometimes two though very rarely. Even still through magic items, Enchanted equipment, Scrolls, and other means most people can utilize most kinds of magic. However each mage tends to add their own unique flair to their spell-casting.

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Clerics and Warlocks draw their power from beings in other realms but to date only two kinds of other realms are known to exist, though each have many examples. There are realms of darkness, and realms of light. The beings which give power to those who call upon them are Called Devils and Gods respectively…however that distinction may not be as clear as many seem to think. Recent studies from the Sok university seem to suggest these Gods and Devils may actually be of the same species though from different realms.
 
Common known history

Pre-imperial era
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The continent of Luvaldis is believed to be the birthplace of humanity as no record of their migration to this continent Exists as is does in other lands. The start of recorded history begins about 4000 years ago when the first tribes began to form. In the early days of mans rise only those with powerful enough magics could survive in the face of the mighty magical beasts of Luvaldis. It is believed that these tribes created the Five Great spirits, though A sixth spirit was attempted and failed to be created.

Over time these tribes would grow and split into towns, which would in turn grow into cities, and eventually states. For thousands of years these states would wage war with one another. The Arrival of elven ships from the Rising Sea would occur 3000 years ago bringing the first of their kind onto Luvaldis. Initially they would disperse with intent of brokering peace deals amongst the states. However this would fail and they too would find themselves caught up in the war for territory, resources, and ideals.

The orcai Would be introduced to the continent around 2800 years ago when the elven and human Magic users attempted to weaponize local troll populations. The Trolls anti civilization proclivities would persist however and the orcs would become Maurauders and roving bands. The Dwarven populations would begin to rise around that same time period as Human gene splicing efforts in the north would birth them from a union with giants…something many found odd.

It was around 2000 years ago that the warring period reached A head when the Mundane Eraser Plague (MEP) was unleashed as a weapon. This plague would kill millions who did not have the necessary mana within to fight it off. Resulting in many new species of sentients being created as magic users attempted to save lives by splicing magical creatures with those who did not have natural magic to counter the spell.

This splicing would result in the creation of Merfolk, Beast-folk, Avians, Gnomes, & Goliaths. But even with the creation of these populations more than 95% of the continent’s population would be destroyed by MEP. Lacking the ability to continue conflicts and maintain cities, the Peoples of Luvaldis would return to secluded tribes and small villages. A period of rebuilding would continue until around 700 years ago when the conflicts would begin again.
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The Early Imperial Era
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As the era of rebuilding was completed and strife began to boil once again a man by the name of Lance Vaugh began to fear an eventual catastrophic was would unfold similar to the Era of the MEP. Thus he would work his way into a position of leadership in his peoples small nation and form an alliance with his neighboring country. Slowly over the course of 40 years he would continue to unite the Countries that had risen from Luvaldis some through negotiation and others through force until eventually none remained that were outside of this unions control. The leaders of respective nations would form a council and for a brief period there was tumult as each attempted to gain control of the empire, but eventually Lance would take the throne and eliminate those who would see the empire go in a direction he did not want.

Settlements were built, Law and Order was established across the continent and people flourished under his reign. Borders dissolved, disputes were resolved with oversight and for the first time in thousands of years Luvaldis could be said to have found peace. Sadly this did not last. In his old age after 23 years of reign Lance Vaugh was beheaded by Dagon and The dark warlock took the throne for himself, smiting any who resisted his rule with cruelty and Abominations from other worlds. Through evil magics Dagon would extend his life and a five hundred and seventy nine year period of Hellish terror and darkness would grip the land. Nature would become hostile in response to his wicked creatures and Even magic seemed to be disrupted.
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The Current Era
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It was a mere 3 years ago that Clyde Valthoom rose from The University of Sok alongside his companions and would gather the most noble and powerful souls in the empire to rise against Dagon. That battle was fierce and more than half of those who fought the dark emperor would fall in battle, but in the end Dagon would be among the fallen and much of the darkness that plagued the land would be lost. Though not all.

In his death throes Dagon scattered his forces and shook the realm weakening its very fabric. His creatures would scatter through the continent and worse the realm from which they hailed grew closer. Unnatural Monsters began to spawn into this world of their own accord. Yet perhaps the worst of all, the Dark realm continued to grow closer. With the Help of Eric Lucas, The newly crowned emperor constructed the Crystal throne and was able to channel enough of his Clerical power of Light through it to halt the advance of the dark realm and create a sanctuary. But this would not be enough, at best it would hold for a few years. Luckily the two had another more permanent solution. Thus beginning the quest to capture and purify the Great spirits so that their magic may be used to keep the worlds separated and prevent further incursion.​
 

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