Moira Reid's Blog, page 7

The History of Filenfoe

Once, long ago, Filenfoe was home to the first hastu civilization. Under the guidance of their goddess Tset, the hastu built many cities, fortresses, and great structures; they were carved into the mountains, and from the mountains. Places like the canyon city of Gawir, the monolithic accomplishment of Ziggurat, and Kolong, the city beneath a mountain. But at the end of the Dawn Era, the hastu abandoned Alteris, going with the gods to the dark dimension. When they left, they left Filenfoe a deserted kingdom, cities empty, being reclaimed by the sands of the Kaduruk desert. In the chaos that followed the end of the Second Dragon War, many humans entered Filenfoe, claiming the ghost towns and cities of the hastu as their refuge.

In the days of the hastu, their kingdoms were named Yial and Bial. The humans named the region Filenfoe after their claiming of it, a reference to their long time enemies who had once lived there. It is unclear how long humanity occupied this region before the beginning of recorded history in the Fall Era. But through that time, the region was home to many different kingdoms and nations. For many centuries during the Dawn Era, there was a unified kingdom of Filenfoe, united under the family of Keeli.

There are many apocryphal stories of this family and their exploits, though there are no written records to indicate whether these stories are true. But under the rule of the Keeli line, the people of Filenfoe prospered. They paid homage to the ancient gods, and established many new settlements and cities. They built their capital city, Galia, by the delta of the Tulgunda river, and the fortress city of Sagara farther south, near the jungles of Jurig Kai. The Keeli line prospered well into the 250th year of the Fall Era, before things began to weaken for them.

In the year 250 FE, the first Silgen tradesmen entered Filenfoe, passing through the Narrows, a small canyon way through the western ridges of the Naekiin mountains. This was the first time humans had entered Filenfoe since their first arrival in the forgotten histories of the Dawn Era, and it had a great impact on the people of Filenfoe. At first, their presence brought with it new wealth. But as the people prospered, so did the influence of the dark gods. Chaos and lies began to seed themselves among the people, until juntas began to lay claim to the plains of Filenfoe, weakening the kingdoms authority. The family of Keeli united their people against this new, growing threat, but the juntas were only the beginning of their trials.

By the year 270 FE, Silg no longer viewed Filenfoe as a kingdom, but a conquest. They moved their armies into western Filenfoe, and began the process of vassalizing the cities there. Worse still, the northern kingdom of Mul Debbon also began invading into eastern Filenfoe, claiming annexation of those lands to prevent the spread of their rivals the Silgens. The kingdom of Filenfoe was too weakened by their internal war with the growing juntas to oppose the occupations. But they fought, tooth and nail to keep their home. The capital city of Galia fell to the Debbonese forces on June the 18th, 290 FE.

In the year 312 FE, there was another trial. The hastu, who had vanished thousands of years before, suddenly returned. They found themselves refugees in a war-torn world, unable to support their needs. The kingdom of Filenfoe feared that the hastu would cause more division, but the returning hastu showed no animosity toward their ancient enemies, and instead secluded themselves into the deserts and forgotten fortress cities of their ancestors. The royal family prepared for the worst from the hastu, as they continued their campaign to free their people from their oppressors.

The royal family of Keeli reestablished their seat of power in the fortress city of Sagara, hoping they could overcome the juntas in time to reclaim their nation from the invaders. But a powerful junta, calling themselves the Maung, or being translated, the Tigers, spearheaded a coup to assassinate the Keeli line. In the year 345, the Maung initiated their coup, but the crown prince, Mokee Keeli, was away from the castle keep on the night of the attack. The story goes that he returned from a hidden land, far to the south across the sea, to find the Maung waging terrible war across his kingdom, and the regions of eastern and western Filenfoe under enemy occupation. In his rage, he became the Warrior King, and waged a terrible conflict against the Maung and the invaders.

In 350 FE the invading nations became embroiled in the Trade War, and the conflict between the two nations weakened their hold on Filenfoe. The Warrior King, with the aid of his remaining loyalists, established a treaty with the hastu people who had moved into their lands. For the promise of accepting them as citizens, the hastu agreed to fight on bahalf of the Filenfoean kingdom; they laid waste the Maung, and drove the invaders to abandon their hold on the kingdom. By the end of the war for Filenfoe, the royal line of Keeli was lost, and the kingdom fell into ruin.

As time moved forward in the Fall Era, Filenfoe was a place of many nation states, caught up in the continued conflicts left behind by the actions of the Maung, the other juntas who vied for power, and the vacuum of the occupation of Silg and Mul Debbon. The influences of the hastu cultures also affected Filenfoean development, contributing to a renascence of identity in many of the nation states. Only the nation state of Sagara retained the cultural purity of their heritage in the wake of the wars and upheaval.

Over the next few centuries, the wounds of the occupation slowly healed, with humanitarian aid coming from both Silg and Mul Debbon to repair the injustices of the past. In modern Filenfoe, there are many trade hubs along the roads from Silg to Udai, as well as an increase of community between the nation states of the region. There are four major nation states of Filenfoe: Sagara, Ziggurat, Galia, and Kaduruk. Every nation state has hastu citizens, but the central nation state of Kaduruk is the only one governed by a hastu hierarchy. Since Kaduruk is a vast desert, the people of this nation state have few permanent cities; they instead move in nomadic bands, following the seasons to keep in the more fertile regions throughout the year. Ziggurat is home to the fertile plains of Tenah Rendah, where the study of healing has strong roots. Galia holds the north eastern territories of Filenfoe, and has the most temperate climate of the region.

Filenfoe is a place of varied landscapes. There are savannahs, deserts, high mountains, wetlands, and jungles. The people of Filenfoe share a sense of unity in their collective trials. Time has not been kind to their kingdom. But despite all the strife, they remain undaunted.

History of Mul Debbon

The nation of Mul Debbon has deep roots in the world of Alteris. Its origin stretches into prehistory as the first independent human nation, and the first fortress against their gods during the Second Dragon War. Some texts suggest the name is derived from the names of their first king and queen, Mul and Debbani respectively. And while there are some records of an actual queen named Debbani, it is more likely the name is derived from the ancient language of man, with mul meaning “mountains,” and debbon meaning “many.”

According to legend, when the dragon god Sherrphoght waged the First Dragon War across Alteris, the race of man drove the scargs eastward into Secuba, what is now Udai. When Sherrphoght decided he wanted to conquer Dolceca as well, his human followers rebelled against him, and established the camp of their resistance in the mountains of the region of Heroc, central Alteris. Heroc was a cold and unforgiving landscape, and no other beings had chosen to call it home prior to the human uprising. The dragon gods attempted to end the rebellion quickly, but their human children, strong in the ways of earth magic, enchanted the skies and lands around them to ward off their creators. Those enchantments can still be seen in the night skies above Mul Debbon.

In the prehistories of the Dawn Era, Mul Debbon was mostly governed by kings and queens. The monarchy of those days worshipped the dark gods, and the nation was under constant threat of chaotic conflict and misinformation. There were countless civil wars in those days, with many of the cities being burned to the ground again and again. Experts disagree on the exact time table, but the general consensus is that 800 years before the first year of the Fall Era, the monarchy finally ended worship practices to the dark gods, and outlawed the speaking of their names. Over the thousands of years before that period, however, the human species deiminated themselves all throughout Alteris, filling every possible land that could support their intrepid species. Despite any animosity held toward Mul Debbon by their surrounding kingdoms, the land of many mountains is the primary origin point of all human life across Alteris.

The Fall Era is marked by a number of changes across all of Alteris. In the year 1 FE, a Debbonese lord claimed to have had communion with an ancient god, named Elken. In his account, while he was out hunting boar, the god approached him and demanded an accounting of his service as lord of Oakenhome. The story indicates that this lord, who is known as Anthropol, was chastised by Elken for not supporting the people of his city. He returned from his hunt that day, cast off his title, and established the first church of Elken. Over the next hundred years, that became the Order of Elken and fundamentally altered the government of Mul Debbon. Elken worship became the primary religion at that point, with a greater focus on personal freedom, and government for the people.

The nation today has six city states: the captial of Alterwood, Oakenhome, Sunlanding (also called Posadka), Lyonhall, Boarshrine, and Redfall (also called Krasnaya). The nation is governed by elected officials, called Yilieths on the local level, and Boroeths on the higher level. A key distinction among Debbonese culture is the absence of patriarchal or matriarchal rule. People are not forced into particular career paths or societal expectations based on their gender. There are male and female Elkenhammers, Yilieths, and Boroeths.

But the road to what is modern Mul Debbon was not an easy one. The trend toward freedom of the citizens did not find footing until after the year 200 Modern Era. As Elken worship grew, the ruling elite found it harder to assert their dominion over their subjects. The people rebelled frequently, resulting in over seventy-five civil wars in the region from 50 FE to 800 FE. These wars have left permanent scars on the cities of Mul Debbon, with structures being built atop the rubble of countless generations lost in conflict. The frequency of in fighting lead to the foundation of the Order of Elken’s warrior monks, the Elkenhammers. Their devotion to the natural balance and freedom of all beings put them in place as the ballast of peace in the region, keeping the lords and kings from abusing their power as often as they could.

Things changed drastically in the year 150 Modern Era, however. A civil war forced the Order to dispatch their warriors with the then queen’s military, in an effort to ensure prevention of war crimes. But the queen issued an extermination order, which lead to the annihilation of the Elkenhammers on Friday the 27th of June, 150 ME. Only a few escaped her order. The civil war petered out over the next year, with the queen being assassinated on the throne. She was then followed by her daughter, who attempted to rebuild Mul Debbon once more.

After a fifty year period, the Elkenhammers returned. In 200 ME, the rebellions had been settled, and peace was returning to the land. However, a heavy tax remained on the people as instituted by the previous queen. An Elkenhammer called Anthropol the Second allowed himself to be captured so he could hold audience with the queen. There, he taught her the fundamental truths of Elken, and inspired her to lay down her crown and free the people from the yoke of lords and ladies. Since that time, Mul Debbon has been an egalitarian theocracy.

The History of Silg

In ancient times, scargs ruled over most of what is today called Alteris. In those days, the lands had different names: Heroc referred to the lands north and east of the center of the continent, Dolceca the lands south, and Secuba the lands east. The land of Heroc was among the first to fall to the race of man when they sailed south from Tandavar at the behest of their god Sherrphoght. And when the eastern lands of Heroc were taken by them, they called them Loxmun. This region is what is today called Silg.

As the centuries past through the Dawn Age, humanity moved farther into Heroc, into the region that became Mul Debbon. But as the Dawn age and the Second Dragon War drew to a close, humanity spread abroad into all the lands of Alteris. When humanity returned to Loxmun, the influence of the dark gods still raged among their species. This led to countless conflicts in the region; war, slavery, genocide, and all forms of debauchery ravaged the region of Loxmun.

Then, in the year 101 FE, a human named Vero Silgis united his brethren under a new ideal focused on a return to Sherrphoght worship. He believed that order among men could only be achieved through a strict hierarchy of kings and nobility, providing a structure to their society that allowed for the rule of law. King Silgis waged a campaign across the region of Loxmun, calling for peaceful transfer of power wherever he could, and taking control of the villages and communities by force when required. As time passed and King Silgis asserted his dominance over the region, he declared worship of the dark gods a crime punishable by death, and instituted laws that protected against murder, theft, and all other manner of amoral behavior to the affect of harming another. Most historians agree, the work of King Silgis did more to bring stability to the people of Loxmun than any other person in history to that point.

After uniting the people, he declared the land a new kingdom, which bore his name. Those who joined with him willingly were granted noble titles in the kingdom, and given ruling authority of the eight provinces. As the kingdom of Silg grew, it sent waves through the surrounding region, exciting the grok tribes who lived in the southern swamplands below. Fearing that the groks would unite and attack his kingdom, King Silgis marshalled his army and declared a preemptive war on the groks in 115 FE. The conflict lasted four years, and many lives were lost on both sides. But in the end, the swampland was tamed and claimed by the kingdom of Silg, adding the province of Lestmarsh to their borders.

The capital of Silg is in the province of Wortol, where Vero Silgis rebuilt the ruined temple of Sherrphoght there into his own palace. The structure continues to act as both a site of worship and the residence of the royal line to this day. The nine provinces, from north to south, east to west, are Wortol, Reb Tenn, Rastis, Olganny, Vether, Whilhol, Menganny, Cheshton (also called Cheshly), and Lestmarsh. Each province is governed by a person of a noble bloodline, either a lord or a lady, for the duration of that individuals lifetime. After they have passed, the nobility of that region vote to select the next nobleman who will operate the governing seat. The kingdom is ruled over by either a king or a queen, often passed down by birth; however, the nobility can vote to decide who is the next ruler of the kingdom upon the death of the previous ruler. The complexity of this system has led to no shortage of conflict among the ruling class, seeking to establish themselves or their family line as the rulers throughout the kingdom.

There are hundreds of noble families in the kingdom of Silg. The most prominent family lines are those of the Silgis’ and the Braith’s, with both families having held the kingship at different times throughout the last 1500 years. The kingdom is based on a strict caste system, nobles and peasants, to maintain order and function in their society. The peasantry operate the farmlands, as well as the industrial complex of the nation, manufacturing the metals, tools, textiles, and other useful goods for the kingdom. Generally, the caste system is looked upon favorably by the people of Silg. There are some, however, that find the system degrading.

It is believed that the Thieves Society is centered in the kingdom of Silg, but there is little evidence to suggest this. There are high crime rates in some of the midwestern provinces, however, with many peasants choosing to join or form criminal organizations to get ahead. If someone is found to have ties with these gangs, they are charged with sedition, a crime punishable by death. Gangs with the names of House Uncanny, Rotten Gut, and even more subtle names are the Tradesmen, can be found throughout the kingdom.

To combat these seditionists, as well as to defend the interests of the kingdom at large, Vero Silgis established the Royal Guard in the last days of his rule. It is the military corps of Silg. Every province of Silg is protected by a sizable detatchment of the Royal Guard, and membership with this military corps grants greater rights and privileges to those born outside of nobility. Membership in the Royal Guard grants the social status of citizen, elevating those of the peasantry who join out of poverty, and even offering them greater education and quality of life.

The people of Silg prize entrepreneurship, and hold enterprise as one of the highest virtues. This is reflected in their intrepid spirit toward sailing, and exploring. While no vessels from Alteris dare sail too far into the oceans round about them, most maps of Alteris are from Silgen origin, their cartographers working tirelessly to discover every place the world has to offer. Traders from Silg run trade routes into every nation of Alteris, delivering of their own goods, and returning with rare and unique spices, textiles, and mineral ores to be sold in the cities of Silg. The people of Silg also prize the arts, having many performance halls, authors, and painters among their citizenry.

Silg is a kingdom of order. Their fealty to the god Sherrphoght has established a peace among their people. Silgens are a proud people, with many beliefs and customs. They believe in their leaders, and worship many old gods, including Grukscava, god of the hunt. Their culture holds to closely to the ideals of ancient man, structured around family and utilitarianism. Among all the nations of Alteris, the people of Silg are known to be generally jovial, but a force to be reckoned with.

The History of Udai

The empire of Udai was founded in the year 71 of the Fall Era. But the history of its people goes well into the ages of antiquity. In the Dawn Era it is said that near the end of the Second Dragon War a collective of human and fordrin entered the region, intermarrying and forming new cultures.

Over the centuries, the region developed into clans of warlords, fiercely devoted to their ideals and authority. Wars and contentions mottled the region, until the fordrin suffered a curse called the Burning Hands. This curse, believed to be an affliction brought on by the dark gods, caused the fordrin to no longer be able to touch their human counterparts without inflicting serious harm on them. At that point in their history, the fordrin withdrew from society, forming what they referred to as the Hidden City. When exactly these events took place is a mystery, lost to the destruction and confusion of the end of the Dawn Era.

By the year 15 FE, the nation was comprised of seven distinct kingdoms: Xihan, Xiwang, Shinrai, Tatakai, Youkei, Zhu, and Senshi. Xihan was goverend by the warlord Zhi Tsan. In those days, the land of Secuba was in near constant conflict between the warring kingdoms. With the growing vacuum of power left by the withdrawal of the ruling fordrin class to the Hidden City, the kingdoms of Tatakai and Youkei joined in a pact and overthrew the kingdom of Zhu. After their victory, Tatakai betrayed Youkei and conquered them.

With the three regions united, the new kingdom of An was forged, so named after the warlord of Tatakai. Zhi Tsan, aware of the threat of this new power, called on his brother Zhi Sun, who ruled over Xiwang, to join him against An. By the year 65 FE, Senshi had been conquered by An, and Shinrai had joined with Xiwang as a vassal, with Xihan as the political governing seat of all three.

Tensions grew as warlord Zhi Tsan grew old. the kingdom of An invaded the prefecture of Xiwang, and killed Zhi Sun. This embroiled Zhi Tsan, compelling him to call on his allies among the fordrin of the Hidden City to end the conflict, once and for all. By the year 71 FE, the kingdom of An, along with the remaining unconquered kingdoms, all flew the banner of Xihan. It was the first time any one warlord held the seat of power over all the kingdoms of Eastern Alteris. In his final decree, he named the region an empire, granting each prefecture their own feudal rule under his authority.

There is some debate about where the name of Udai came from. Some believe it to be derived from the title Zhi Tsan was given by his loyalists, “Uda.” However, review of ancient texts reveals that the title of Uda was not give to Zhi Tsan until nearly 40 years after the empire was dubbed Udai. Deeper research shows that Udai is likely a mishmash of two words from the ancient dialects spoken in the region, “Yao,” meaning ambitious, and “Dai,” meaning banner.

The feudal empire of Udai established its capital in the region of Xihan at its founding, and the city of Xihan remains the capital to this day. In the empire, the power of each prefecture is divided among noble family lines, called houses. At any given time, there are about thirty houses in Udai.

While there are generally thirty houses, only twelve of those houses hold any real authority in the matters of national government. They are, in order of superiority, Zhu, Wei, Zhishi, Shinjitsu, Senso, Lieren, Moffa, Wushu, Heishi, Biruda, and Hasu. From time to time, a house is defunct due to actions by their leadership that are not in harmony with the will of the empire, and they lose their status. New houses are then established to replace them, taking on the role of prefect in the region where the previous house was removed. House Zhu has long been the greatest house in the empire, their prefects ruling over the majority of regions throughout Udai.

While the governing houses and the noble houses espouse the rule of the prefectures throughout Udai, every citizen has a family line that is referred to as a house. These houses provide the born surname of each citizen. Not every house is noble; many houses are artisans, farmers, merchants, or soldiers. But regardless of the noble lineage of a house, the relation one has to their house is a source of pride for each citizen. The governing houses of Udai are given the opportunity to establish places of learning, called Daigaku, or being translated, Universities. The Daigaku of each house focus their teachings on the skills and knowledge most prized by that house.

Teaching at a Daigaku is considered one of the highest honors a citizen can attain, and only the greatest scholars are selected for the duty. Udai is prized among all people of Alteris for its focus on education. Of all the nations of Alteris, Udai has the most unified primary education system for the rising generations. Almost all citizens are literate before the age of ten. Every city and village in the empire has at least one school, where the youth are taught a plethora of useful knowledge specialized for their region and status among the citizenry.

Not every scholar of Udai can teach at a Daigaku, so some choose instead to be teachers at the schools in the prefectures. Others, not content to share their knowledge only in a small region, become mentors, known colloquially as Ryoko-sha. These mentors go from region to region, sharing what they know, and often garner robust followings of disciples. Sadly, these followings frequently turn into rebellions, with the military of Udai being forced to quash them before they boil into episodes that could threaten the security of the empire.

The imperial line also has a house: Uda. However, this house is not included among the ruling twelve houses. Uda as a house can only be joined by birth, and their sole responsibility is to act as the figureheads of all of Udai. The current head of house Uda is Empress Uda Lei Lam. In recent years, Empress Lei has come under political stress. This is because she revealed the truth about the Hidden City of the fordrin. After an event referred to as the Revelation at Spade Island, recorded by the fordrin scholar Sachii, Empress Lei felt impressed to reveal that she was of fordrin decent, and that there was in fact no Hidden City. Instead, the fordrin were always among the citizenry of Udai, ruling over many of the prefectures under house Zhu. This has garnered disdain from fordrin who enjoyed their secrecy, and humans who believed they ruled Udai.

House Zhu has long been the most powerful house in the governance of Udai. While house Uda is the seat of imperial control, the day to day work of managing the law, settling legal disputes, and maintaining the peace is under the guidance of house Zhu. In many respects, the Emperors and Empress’ of Udai have acted more as figureheads than as governors. This distinction has also lent toward the discomfort many felt when Empress Lei revealed the secrets of the fordrin to the world at large. House Zhu however retains their strong loyalty to the Empress and the empire.

Currently in the empire, there are six prefectures: the capital of Xihan, where the Empress resides, Shinrai, Zhu, Jia, Kishi, and Kessho. Each prefecture is governed by a member of one of the twelve governing houses, with the majority of governors being either of house Zhu or house Wei. The houses of Zhu and Wei are fiercely adversarial toward one another, and there have been no shortage of attempted usurping of power between them in the prefectures. With the revealing of the fordrin as the majority ruling class of Udai, house Wei has increased their fervor, establishing themselves as the champion for human interests in the empire. While there have been some minor human rebellions since the revelation, house Wei maintains a strong position of siding with the Empress and the rule of law, citing that the only means of true and lasting change in the empire cannot be won by the sword.

Udai remains a powerful player on the stage of Alteris. Their collective devotion to their empire and education allow their citizenry the sense of self needed to maintain a strong community. Whether they seek training through a Daigoaku or not, each citizen of Udai finds purpose in their contribution to the empire. And it is in this that the empire of Udai have show their strength.

Gods of Alteris

In ancient times, the world of Alteris was peopled by the scargs, their mighty race spanning the entirety of the known world. They were powerfully connected to earth magic, called the Harken, which flowed through all things as the undercurrent of life itself. Many of these scargs transcended their mortal lives, achieving something they referred to as “I’o’t’pec.” In the common tongue we would call this apotheosis, or in other words, the process of becoming a god.

The Age of Apotheosis is a period in the Dawn Era, the earliest era of history in Alteris. Much of this time is considered myth, but regardless of this association, the beings of Alteris continue to hold the stories and gods of this era as both creators and patrons of the natural world. The primary gods and goddess of Alteris are Elken, Grukscava, Tamra, Septusiga, Sherrphoght, Tset, Helcrest, and Wize. There are also lesser gods and goddesses, who will be discussed later.

Elken is god of nature and freedom. He is worshipped primarily in Mul Debbon. However, there are shrines and effigies of this god all throughout Alteris, ancient sites where people long ago paid their respects to the deity. The Order of Elken safeguards the teachings of this god, holding that all beings are created equal, and should be allowed their natural freedoms to live and die as they choose. Elken is believed to be the safe keeper of all wild places in Alteris, and the protector of equilibrium in the natural world. His symbol is the five pronged antler.

Grukscava is god of the hunt and amelioration. He is the father god of the groks, but is worshipped by many races in many nations. The Guild of the Hunter-God, located in Silg, is a great church to Grukscava, devoted to the ideals that seeking the challenge of the hunt will grant them self improvement and ascension. The teachings of Grukscava focus on what it means to gain power, and how that power should be used to achieve the greatest advancement for ones society. Interpretation of what the greatest advancement is has been a subject of heated debate for centuries. His is the waxing crescent.

Tamra is goddess of healing and wisdom. She is worshipped primarily in south western Filenfoe, but her favor is sought anywhere that healers practice their arts. Tamra worship is found all over Alteris, as are shrines to the goddess, often marked with silver arches. The art of potion making and all medicine craft is under her purview. Many scholars also seek her guidance as they continue their studies, in hopes of finding new knowledge to share with their fellows. The teachings of Tamra focus on personal health, both of the mind and body, and in achieving the Understanding, a state of being where knowledge and self are one. Her symbol is the silver talon.

Septusiga is goddess of war and honor. She holds special regard among the people of Filenfoe as the patron deity of their nation. While Septusiga worship has seen a decline in recent years, there are still shrines to be found across the world, marked by offerings of swords. These holy sites are frequently visited by soldiers on their way to battle, or warriors who seek greater valor in their service. The teachings of Septusiga have been a guide for the rules of engagement throughout most wars of the past thousand years. Surprisingly, mercy is one of the greatest tenets of Septusigas teachings. She holds that the ultimate goal of war is not destruction, but preservation of society. The symbol of Septusiga is the iron shield.

Sherrphoght is god of magic and order. He is the primary deity of Silg and a central figure in their monarchy. As the father god to humanity, Sherrphoght worship can be found all across Alteris, although the practice is in decline everywhere. Sherrphoght was killed by mankind eons ago, and although he is a dead god, this does not limit the power or authority the name invokes. A dead god is still more powerful than a living mortal, and their presence is considered eternal, even if no longer corporeal. His teachings focus on the Harken, and how the natural magic of the world creates balance. His symbol is the crimson flame.

Tset is goddess of law and service. She is the mother goddess of the hastu, and the primary deity of Poek Pamatang practicing hastu everywhere. This sect of hastu culture is a small group, however, and so too is the collective following of this dead goddess. Her teaching centers on the authority of the law, and how society can thrive through obedience to it. Her laws are many, and govern everything from family organization to governmental hierarchy. Her symbol is the four point star.

Helcrest is the goddess of lies and manipulation. Her form is that of a human. For much of recorded history, the beings of Alteris were caught in her web of lies, believing her to actually be the goddess of magic and power. Her influence has been lessened in recent years, however, as she was revealed to be a dark goddess, bent on the subjugation of the entire world. Her teachings focus on total devotion to her power, in exchange for long life and authority over others. Worship of Helcrest is generally looked down upon now in Alteris, with many of her followers now worshiping in secret. Her symbol is the black ring.

Wize is the god of chaos and confusion. He is the patron god of debauchery. His form is that of a hastu. He is often depicted as capricious, violent, and strangely jovial. The teachings of Wize center on the idea of total self service, giving oneself totally to the passions of the flesh, no matter the affect it has on those around you. He is the father god of the bellibubs, also known as goblins, and the progenitor of many plagues throughout the world. His symbol is the broken goblet.

Worship of the gods and goddesses has dwindled in recent years throughout all of Alteris. This is in large part due to the events leading into the Fall Era, when the human race killed the dragon god Sherrphoght and his sister Tset. This action brought a dearth upon the land, and the gods and goddesses made an exodus into the Dark Dimension, withdrawing their physical presence from the world. Many people still choose to call on these deities, and have had spiritual experiences in their worship. But the Age of Apotheosis is long past. The stories of these ancient beings remain important tales for educating the people of the world, a reminder of what came before, and what comes after on the road of life.

The Starblood Scourge

Alteris is no stranger to illness and disease. There are dozens of afflictions, many with no cures, that can befall adventurers and citizens of the Kingdoms of Atleris. But the most terrible affliction of the past century is without a doubt the Starblood Scourge of 820 ME.

At the beginning of 820, the year appeared as any other. By the end of it, nearly every nation of Alteris had suffered incredible hardships at the hands of the unexpected outbreak of an unknown, magical illness. It began simply: the clouds above the Osoroshi Ocean turned heavy and dark, and from them fell a thick oil, opalescent and shining. The shoals of Osoroshi to the Tulang Coast of Filenfoe were awash in the unusual material, which quickly came to be called starblood.

It was found to have incredible magical properties, allowing for fast transference of earth magic to anyone who was exposed to the substance. At first, it was viewed as a blessing from the gods, quickly becoming a commodity traded amongst the magical communities of Alteris. But those who used it did not fully understand the risk they were taking in their exposure to starblood.

Early side effects of starblood exposure included clairvoyance, increased magical aptitude, and precognition. Within three weeks of exposure, people began to complain about headaches, nausea, fever, and confusion. It is in this stage that the illness became contagious, but the community at large was unaware of this fact until much too late. Over a period of two months, exposed persons could no longer sleep, they pooled sweat and they described uncontrollable pain throughout all of their body. The final stages of starblood exposure began at three months, and left the afflicted bedridden. More than half of the victims succumbed to the illness entirely at that point. For those who survived, recovery was a long and painful road.

Starblood Scourge led to a total travel ban all throughout Alteris. As the Healers Union of Filenfoe struggled to fight the effects, their numbers dwindled, their own healers succumbing to the terrible plight. Magical societies across the world gathered their best casters, in hopes that they would be able to purify the disease, or at least halt its progress. In the end, the only solution that could be utilized was to establish a new magical community, dedicated to the destruction of the starblood. There was only one known method of destroying the substance though: for an individual to absorb it. Otherwise, the fluid would remain a threat. It was even tested to just dump the starblood into great pits, but doing so leeched into water sources, or corrupted the natural world around it, killing plants and animals.

The new order formed for the purpose of ending the Starblood Scourge called themselves the Star Scarred. They took upon themselves the terrible task of absorbing the oil into themselves, and faced the consequences thereof. Many died. It was found for those who undertook this task that continued doses of starblood would prolong their lives. But the contagious nature of exposure remained. The Star Scarred have since removed themselves to an unidentified island somewhere in the Orsoroshi ocean, where they operate a magical conservatory dedicated to ensuring no more starblood ever makes it to the shores of Alteris.

Recovery for the world of Alteris has taken time. Only recently have roadways been reopened for travelers to embark upon. But so far, there have been no more instances of the unusual oil appearing on the shores of the world. It is unknown where it came from or why. Some suggest it was a curse, one that drifted into the world from the edges of the Dark Dimension where the hastu fight the dark gods. Some think it could be a left over magical storm from the ancient Dragon Wars before the Fall. But whatever caused the Starblood Scourge, one thing remains clear: that without the sacrifice of the Star Scarred, there would be no respite from this terrible affliction.

The Narë-Ka-Han

Along the Old Silk Road from Silg to Filenfoe, there is an old brick and timber building called the Tavern Hodlestone. In its heyday, it was a bustling location, with hundreds of merchants and adventurers stopping in day and night to fill their bellies before taking the long and dangerous journey toward the lands in the east, where fortune and legacy untold were said to wait for them. But those long forgotten rumors turned sour centuries ago, and the tavern now stood almost always empty, save for a few unfortunates who chanced their luck along the desolate path headed toward the city Ziggurat in the deserts of the ancient hastu lands.

It was at this old tavern that another great revelation came forth, on scale with the Revelation at Spade collected by Sachii the fordrin scholar just a year before. It is well known throughout all of Alteris that there is a magical world all around us. This magic often manifests in forms easy to understand, such as elemental phenomena, spiritual beings, even visions. However, one aspect that has to this point been lesser understood by all but the hastu is that of realms.

Realms, or parallel dimensions, for the most part throughout Alteris history are considered little more than legends of a “Dark Dimension.” However, among the hastu people, they are a major part of their culture. It is well known that the hastu reappeared in Alteris about 1600 years ago, after having vanished from the world for millennia. They have held that their people were in another realm, fighting against dark gods and beings who lived there, to keep our world safe from their influence.

Some hastu continue the practice of Poek Pamatang, or the Dark Hunt, where they return to this realm and continue their fight against the darkness there. But no other being, save a hastu, had ever been to this realm; this lead many to believe it to be little more than superstition. Until the revelation of the Narë-Ka-Han at Tavern Hodlestone, where the first being appeared to have come from the Dark Dimension that was not a hastu.

In hastu tongue, Narë-Ka-Han translates roughly to the word “fracture.” In the year 815 ME, there began to be people appearing in Alteris who claimed to be from ‘other worlds,’ the first of whom appeared just outside the Tavern Hodlestone. Each time one of these interlopers appeared, there appeared with them a member of the hastu, who explained that these individuals were in essence, refugees. They called the event that lead to the appearance of these refugees the Narë-Ka-Han, and explained that they appeared in the Dark Dimension by some misfortune of a magical cataclysm.

The Narë-Ka-Han Revelation has given more insight into the Dark Dimension than ever before revealed in Alteris history. It is a real place, and it appears that many hastu still live there in fortress cities of their own design. As these refugees appear in the Dark Dimension, some lucky few are rescued by the hastu, and are educated well enough to migrate to Alteris. But before they are allowed to enter, it appears they are sworn to a binding spell of influence; they cannot remember many details of the Dark dimension.

There have not been many instances of Narë-Ka-Han refugees in Alteris. But each instance has been accompanied by the same story. These refugees have unusual stories to tell of their own: vague memories of their time wandering the Dark Dimension before a hastu found them. In their tales, they describe the Dark Dimension as a world of eternal twilight, where the lights of the cold north play in the sky constantly. There are no stars there, nor moon, nor any constellation or light to guide oneself through the dark land. Some have described being torn between time, aging rapidly and then suddenly finding themselves a helpless child, or losing touch with their corporeal forms all together before their hastu saviors found them and helped them return to their true selves.

The Dark Dimension appears to be a place where magic is so palpable that it can and does change the world around it at rapid speeds. When pressed for information, some hastu have described that survival in the Dark Dimension is nearly impossible without strong resistance to the natural influencing magic which is in the air of that world. Given the incredible difficulty of survival there, it is unknown how many Narë-Ka-Han refugees are never found by hastu, and perish in the magical wilds of the Dark Dimension.

Narë-Ka-Han refugees do not all come from the same place. Most describe worlds that are vastly different as their places of origin. This suggests there are many realms beyond the Dark Dimension, but how many is impossible to know. What can be determined from the information we have is that the Dark Dimension appears to act as a border world for places that have experienced a fracture due to some magical cataclysm on their side.

Most nations have freely offered asylum to these Narë-Ka-Han refugees. However, Silg and Udai have established strict immigration policies, allowing their entry and integration only after they have proven their loyalty to the nations. Since the first documented cases began to appear in 815 ME, there have been less than a hundred Narë-Ka-Han refugees in all. But the presence of these travelers from other worlds has sparked great interest all across Alteris. Why are they finding themselves in the Dark Dimension? And does whatever drew them there pose a threat to Alteris itself?

The Elkenhammers of Mul Debbon

In the world of Alteris there are many groups people choose to align themselves with. These groups are often referred to collectively as societies. Some societies have incredible influence in their regions. Others are more secretive. Every nation of Alteris, including the territory of Tandavar, is home to hosts of societies, each fulfilling different roles in their respective niches.

In Mul Debbon, the most prominent society is the Order of Elken. They are a religious conclave of warrior monks, often referred to collectively as Elkenhammers. They follow the teachings of the god of nature, Elken, which is called called the El Kund. While the members of this society are often referred to as Elkenhammers, there are in fact three distinct castes with their own roles to play within the Order.

The first caste within the Order of Elken is the Tavors. Becoming a Tavor is no small feat. One must first pledge themselves to the service of Elken by releasing all their attachments to property; they may own no land, or any possessions other than their clothes. Then, they must begin their education in the rites and rituals of the Order. This process can take decades. When they are not memorizing their sacred texts, or training in the arts of self defense, they act as merchants throughout Mul Debbon, managing the trade goods of farmers and artisans to sell on their behalf.

Tavors are trusted with this duty to ensure that precious commodities, such as food and clothing, are never sold at costs that would put undo burden on the people of Mul Debbon. Finer items such as jewelry are not under the purview of Tavors. Tavors may marry, and have children. Some members of the Order of Elken choose to be Tavors for the remainder of their lives, marrying and raising a family of their own.

Tavors become Elkenhammers once they have completed all the initiate rites of the Order of Elken. With the transition from Tavor to Elkenhammer, members make another sacrifice: a life long vow of celebacy. Any marriage they were part of before transitioning from Tavor to Elkenhammer is at that time dissolved. At this point, they complete the Warriors Rite: creating their weapon. Every Elkenhammer carries with them a short handled war hammer, etched with runes from the Bibila El Kund, their book of sacred scripture. These war hammers are powerfully enchanted, and are said to be vessels for the magical essence of the owners soul.

Elkenhammers are the most recognized caste among the citizenry of Mul Debbon. Elkenhammers act as a police force in the nation of Mul Debbon. They are also frequently called upon for matters regarding the execution of religious rites among the citizenry of Mul Debbon. Elkenhammers are both priests and patrolmen, their sole purpose to protect the freedom of the people, according to their belief in the balance of nature.

Elkenhammers spend their lives continuing their education in the finer arts of magic, traveling the countryside as wandering arbiters. Many Elkenhammers find townships to call home, where they act as law enforcement or judges. Most who become Elkenhammers remain in this position until the end of their lives.

However, there are some few Elkenhammers who transition into another stage of leadership within the Order. These venerable elders are called Parriarhks. The process of becoming a Parriarhk is called the Final Rite, and it involves letting go of the last of their earthly attachments; namely eating and sleeping. Parriarhks enter a new state of being as they transition from life to death. Some Parriarhks have been known to live as long as ten years without eating or sleeping in that entire time, sustaining themselves only through their connection to the magic of nature.

Parriarhks act as the ruling council among the Order, and although most Elkenhammers are given autonomy to do as they please within the confines of their duty, occasionally specific assignments are divined by the Parriarhks as they commune with nature. Parriarhks act as oracles, providing spiritual guidance for the members of the Orde as well as the people of Mul Debbon.

Citizens of Mul Debbon are free to believe whatever they choose, and are not compelled to worship Elken. However, most citizens of Mul Debbon choose to either out of a sense of family tradition, or their own conviction toward the god of nature. Either way, the nation of Mul Debbon remains an Egalitarian Theocracy centered around the practices safeguarded by the Order of Elken.

The History and People of Alteris

KINGDOMS is a Live Action Role Play that takes place in the world of Alteris. It uses its own unique rule system for gameplay, and those rules can be viewed here. But The world that the game of KINGDOMS takes place in has a long and varied history of gods, magic, wars, and contentions. This post will give a crash course in that lore, helping new players to learn how it all fits together, and where they can fit in as well.

ERAS OF ALTERIS

There are three main eras in the world of Alteris: The Dawn Era, The Fall Era, and the Modern Era.

The Dawn Era covers the period of creation, and the Age of Apotheosis (where some beings achieved godhood), yet most of that time is little more than myth, with much of the writings being either lost entirely, or of such antiquity that no one of the Modern Era pays them much attention. Most beings living in present day Alteris focus their historical attention of the ‘beginning’ of recorded history, starting with the Fall Era when the race of man settled into nations and ended their centuries long strife with the dragons, and each other.

The race of men were created by the Dragon God Sherrphoght, and were made to be a powerfully magical race. They were the first beings who could harness the power of magic to bend it to their will. This event is called the First Dragon War. Sherrphoght used the race of men to subjugate the scargs to his rule, until the race of man rebelled against him, and destroyed him. In retaliation for this act, the Dragon Goddess Tset created the hastu to fight on behalf of the dragons. This marks the beginning of the Second Dragon War.

The war between the humans and the dragons raged for eons, until eventually the ancient humans allied with the power of dark gods to overthrow the dragons. Through these pacts the hastu were weakened, becoming two separate elven races. This fracture of the hastu society ultimately lead to the victory of the humans in their war, driving the Dragon Gods to extinction in Alteris. The hastu, as well as the remaining gods, left Alteris to wage war against these dark gods in an adjacent dimension. As the gods departed, they took from humanity their awesome magical power, leaving the humans and the fordrin to war among themselves. After centuries of chaos throughout Alteris, a consequence of humanities pact with the dark gods, they eventually formed new nations and settled into the Fall Era, where they had to relearn their magical traits, and find better ways to deal with their problems.

The Fall Era is a period of eight hundred years taking place before the Modern Era. It is unclear how much time passed in the Dawn Era before the Fall Era begins. The general consensus is that the Dawn takes place over a period of eighty thousand years, with the creation of man by Sherrphoght taking place thirty thousand years ago. The period directly after the end of the Second Dragon War likely takes place over twenty-five thousand years, but again, there are little to no records from this period. The wars which ravaged humanity during that time also lead to the destruction of nearly all written records of those days, and most of what is known are only the stories passed on by word of mouth through the ages.

The nation of Silg came into being in the first century of The Fall Era, as did Udai. But the regions of Mul Debbon and Filenfōe have their roots in the Dawn Era, stretching back into the forgotten past. Many events took place during the Fall. Too many to mention adequately here. But a few key events are the Silgen Grok War of 115, the Silgen and Debbonese occupation of Filenfōe from 290 to 450, the return of the hastu in 312, the first trade routes into Udai in 452, the Trade War between Silg and Mul Debbon 510, and the Magician’s Crusade in 798.

The Magician’s Crusade is of especial importance, and not only because it is the period directly before the Modern Era. In those days, a powerful dark magician named Hybris made a pact with the same dark gods ancient man misplaced their faith in. They granted him awesome power, and he drew a mighty army together in an attempt to conquer the world. He nearly succeeded, save for the efforts of the Hero Alkanet and his fellow adventurers.

The Modern Era begins after Alkanet destroyed Hybris, and brought the world into a new era of peace. The current calendar year is 821 ME. The modern world is comprised of four main countries and the archipelago of Tandavar to the north. The Countries are Silg to the west, Mûl Debbon in the center, Udai to the east, and Filenfōe to the south. At the beginning of the Modern Era the hero Alkanet, when their adventure was done, vanished into the Tandavar archipelago.

Alkanet left the land with one wish: that the nations work together instead of against each other. To honor this request, the lands still hold a tenuous peace between them. Each nation continues to be governed by their own counsel, and they maintain their unique cultures, and political and cultural intrigues. 

There have been many revelations throughout this era. Mankind has made great strides in their understanding of magic, bringing the practice of spell casting back into use throughout all their lands. It has been a period of relative peace, save for a few civil wars in Mûl Debbon, and the continued political coups of Silg and Udai.

BEINGS OF ALTERIS

In the Modern Era of Alteris, the human race is the most common species. There are five races, altogether: the beast races of the scarg and grok, and the rare, enigmatic fordrin and hastu elves, and the humans. They can be found among every nation, both as friends, and as enemies.

Scargs are an anthropomorphic race, who have animal attributes, called Beasthoods. A scargs beasthood grants them animal features. They are highly magical in nature, being born of magic, and have a natural immunity to the effects of spell casting; however, this affinity prevents them from being able to summon magic to use in spell casting. In ancient times, many scargs achieved godhood, becoming beacons among Alteris. Scarg gods such as Elken, god of nature, Tamra, goddess of healing, and Grukscava, god of the hunt remain the focus of religious practice among many nations.

Scarg gods have made up the bulwark of deities for nearly all the beings of Alteris throughout history. A rare race, the Scargs tend to dwell away from the cities of other races, preferring the company of their own kind. Many Scargs have found themselves caught up in human affairs, as the human nations around them will frequently conscript the beastmen into their wars and contentions. They are prone to wandering the land in search of other Scargs, as they are so near extinction. 

Groks have similar characteristics to their scarg cousins, but they are not of magical origin. They are born of flesh and blood in the egg; they are reptilian, looking very much like a hominid crocodile. Groks have thick hides to protect them in battle, like a natural armor, and live in communities of hunters called tribes. Their race generally worships Grukscava, father god of their race and patron god of the hunt. Groks who venture out of their tribes are usually doing so to obtain something of value to increase their standing within their communities.

Among Groks tribes there are no contentions for land or resource, as they see every Grok as a brother or sister. This isn’t to say there is no conflict. Small fights over mates, food, or possessions are known to occur, but these are usually settled in one on one disputes. Most disputes among Groks are settled with trading of verse, in a form of aggressive poetry. The first Grok unable to continue the rhyme against their opponent may either seek retribution through combat or concede. Groks have no natural sense of humor, and generally very little art other than spoken verse or tales of the deeds of their tribe mates

Fordrin are the ruling race over Udai. In ancient times their ancestors intermingled with the human race, but due to a magical cataclysm before the Fall Era they were burdened with a potent magical touch, that would burn their human counterparts on contact. After this cataclysm, the fordrin withdrew from the public eye, forming a secret society that hid in plain sight, controlling the hierarchy of the empire of Udai. Fordrin are therefore secretive, powerfully magical, and prefer the company of their own kind.

They are a people who seek knowledge not from myth, but from tangible records of the past. They do not worship the Old Gods, neither the new, but instead consider themselves cosmically minded, seeking truth from the nature of things as they are. They believe in the eternity of each being, an eternity linked to the energy which makes up all things. This belief system leads them to frequent inquiries into the sciences, engineering, and the deeper arts of magic, and has also influenced the belief systems of the human residents of Udai.

Hastu, much like their cousins the fordrin, are an enigmatic race. Their culture is largely split into two factions: one being fearsome warriors who practice Poek Pamatang, or translated, the Dark Hunt; they seek out dark magic and destroy it if they can, even across other dimensions. The other, larger hastu faction is more nomadic, abandoning their ancient practice of Poek Pamatang and instead forming tribes or adopting themselves into the human nations around them.

Their race once ruled all of Filenfōe hundreds of millennia ago, before moving into an adjacent dimension to wage war with the dark gods who lived there. Around thirteen hundred years ago, the hastu returned to Alteris to find themselves now refugees without a true home to call their own. Legends say the hastu were created by Tset, the Dragon Goddess, though few hastu continue to worship the Old Gods, preferring to create their own beliefs among their diverse tribes.

Humans have a long and varied history of war, enterprise, political intrigue, and a wide variety of beliefs. Native to all lands of Alteris, as they are a pioneering species driven by a deep, abiding need to explore. Their cultures vary according to their region of birth, but generally they are strongly devoted to their natal ideals and customs. Each human is unique in their habits and beliefs, even among a single cultural segment. Legends say the race of man was created by the Dragon God Sherphoght at the end of the Age of Apotheosis. 

Humans are as diverse as the regions they occupy. While many other species have solidarity with one another, humans do not always find this same communion. Their national lines often act as battlefields, creating barriers to their bias. Hundreds of years ago, a human hero named Alkanet rose up and defeated a tyrannical human magician who sought to enslave all of Alteris. After that event, there has been a lasting peace between the human nations. This has not not absolved their old rivalries, however. There are four primary nations in Alteris: Silg, Mul Debbon, Filenfōe, and Udai, with the first three of them being ruled principally by the human race, and the fourth having many humans as citizens.

Throughout all the ages power has changed hands constantly. From the scargs ruling time back in the Dawn Era, to mans rule in the Modern. With the centuries of recorded history in Alteris comes centuries of stories. Too many to fit into a single article. If you want to know more, you can read the story so far in The Book of Lore: A Kingdoms Compendium.

Understanding KINGDOMS Lore Part 1

KINGDOMS is a Live Action Role Play that takes place in the world of Alteris. It uses its own unique rule system for gameplay, and those rules can be viewed here. But The world that the game of KINGDOMS takes place in has a long and varied history of gods, magic, wars, and contentions. This post will give a crash course in that lore, helping new players to learn how it all fits together, and where they can fit in as well.

ERAS OF ALTERIS

There are three main eras in the world of Alteris: The Dawn Era, The Fall Era, and the Modern Era.

The Dawn Era covers the period of creation, and the Age of Apotheosis (where some beings achieved godhood), yet most of that time is little more than myth, with much of the writings being either lost entirely, or of such antiquity that no one of the Modern Era pays them little attention. Most beings living in present day Alteris focus their historical attention of the ‘beginning’ of recorded history, starting with the Fall Era when the race of man settled into nations and ended their centuries long strife with the dragons, and each other.

The race of men were created by the Dragon God Sherrphoght, and were made to be a powerfully magical race. They were the first beings who could harness the power of magic to bend it to their will. This event is called the First Dragon War. Sherrphoght used the race of men to subjugate the scargs to his rule, until the race of man rebelled against him, and destroyed him. In retaliation for this act, the Dragon Goddess Tset created the hastu to fight on behalf of the dragons. This marks the beginning of the Second Dragon War.

The war between the humans and the dragons raged for eons, until eventually the ancient humans allied with the power of dark gods to overthrow the dragons. Through these pacts the hastu were weakened, becoming two separate elven races. This fracture of the hastu society ultimately lead to the victory of the humans in their war, driving the Dragon Gods to extinction in Alteris. The hastu, as well as the remaining gods, left Alteris to wage war against these dark gods in an adjacent dimension. As the gods departed, they took from humanity their awesome magical power, leaving the humans and the fordrin to war among themselves. After centuries of chaos throughout Alteris, a consequence of humanities pact with the dark gods, they eventually formed new nations and settled into the Fall Era, where they had to relearn their magical traits, and find better ways to deal with their problems.

The Fall Era is a period of eight hundred years taking place before the Modern Era. It is unclear how much time passed in the Dawn Era before the Fall Era begins. The general consensus is that the Dawn takes place over a period of eighty thousand years, with the creation of man by Sherrphoght taking place thirty thousand years ago. The period directly after the end of the Second Dragon War likely takes place over twenty-five thousand years, but again, there are little to no records from this period. The wars which ravaged humanity during that time also lead to the destruction of nearly all written records of those days, and most of what is known are only the stories passed on by word of mouth through the ages.

The nation of Silg came into being in the first century of The Fall Era, as did Udai. But the regions of Mul Debbon and Filenfōe have their roots in the Dawn Era, stretching back into the forgotten past. Many events took place during the Fall. Too many to mention adequately here. But a few key events are the Silgen Grok War of 115, the Silgen and Debbonese occupation of Filenfōe from 290 to 450, the return of the hastu in 312, the first trade routes into Udai in 452, the Trade War between Silg and Mul Debbon 510, and the Magician’s Crusade in 798.

The Magician’s Crusade is of especial importance, and not only because it is the period directly before the Modern Era. In those days, a powerful dark magician named Hybris made a pact with the same dark gods ancient man misplaced their faith in. They granted him awesome power, and he drew a mighty army together in an attempt to conquer the world. He nearly succeeded, save for the efforts of the Hero Alkanet and his fellow adventurers.

The Modern Era begins after Alkanet destroyed Hybris, and brought the world into a new era of peace. The current calendar year is 821 ME. The modern world is comprised of four main countries and the archipelago of Tandavar to the north. The Countries are Silg to the west, Mûl Debbon in the center, Udai to the east, and Filenfōe to the south. At the beginning of the Modern Era the hero Alkanet, when their adventure was done, vanished into the Tandavar archipelago.

Alkanet left the land with one wish: that the nations work together instead of against each other. To honor this request, the lands still hold a tenuous peace between them. Each nation continues to be governed by their own counsel, and they maintain their unique cultures, and political and cultural intrigues. 

There have been many revelations throughout this era. Mankind has made great strides in their understanding of magic, bringing the practice of spell casting back into use throughout all their lands. It has been a period of relative peace, save for a few civil wars in Mûl Debbon, and the continued political coups of Silg and Udai.

BEINGS OF ALTERIS

In the Modern Era of Alteris, the human race is the most common species. There are five races, altogether: the beast races of the scarg and grok, and the rare, enigmatic fordrin and hastu elves, and the humans. They can be found among every nation, both as friends, and as enemies.

Scargs are an anthropomorphic race, who have animal attributes, called Beasthoods. A scargs beasthood grants them animal features. They are highly magical in nature, being born of magic, and have a natural immunity to the effects of spell casting; however, this affinity prevents them from being able to summon magic to use in spell casting. in ancient times, many scargs achieved godhood, becoming beacons among Alteris. Scarg gods such as Elken, god of nature, Tamra, goddess of healing, and Grukscava, god of the hunt remain the focus of religious practice among many nations.

Scarg gods have made up the bulwark of deities for nearly all the beings of Alteris throughout history. A rare race, the Scargs tend to dwell away from the cities of other races, preferring the company of their own kind. Many Scargs have found themselves caught up in human affairs, as the human nations around them will frequently conscript the beastmen into their wars and contentions. They are prone to wandering the land in search of other Scargs, as they are so near extinction. 

Groks have similar characteristics to their scarg cousins, but they are not of magical origin. They are born of flesh and blood in the egg; they are reptilian, looking very much like a hominid crocodile. Groks have thick hides to protect them in battle, like a natural armor, and live in communities of hunters called tribes. Their race generally worships Grukscava, father god of their race and patron god of the hunt. Groks who venture out of their tribes are usually doing so to obtain something of value to increase their standing within their communities.

Among Groks tribes there are no contentions for land or resource, as they see every Grok as a brother or sister. This isn’t to say there is no conflict. Small fights over mates, food, or possessions are known to occur, but these are usually settled in one on one disputes. Most disputes among Groks are settled with trading of verse, in a form of aggressive poetry. The first Grok unable to continue the rhyme against their opponent may either seek retribution through combat or concede. Groks have no natural sense of humor, and generally very little art other than spoken verse or tales of the deeds of their tribe mates

Fordrin are the ruling race over Udai. In ancient times their ancestors intermingled with the human race, but due to a magical cataclysm before the Fall Era they were burdened with a potent magical touch, that would burn their human counterparts on contact. After this cataclysm, the fordrin withdrew from the public eye, forming a secret society that hid in plain sight, controlling the hierarchy of the empire of Udai. Fordrin are therefore secretive, powerfully magical, and prefer the company of their own kind.

They are a people who seek knowledge not from myth, but from tangible records of the past. They do not worship the Old Gods, neither the new, but instead consider themselves cosmically minded, seeking truth from the nature of things as they are. They believe in the eternity of each being, an eternity linked to the energy which makes up all things. This belief system leads them to frequent inquiries into the sciences, engineering, and the deeper arts of magic, and has also influenced the belief systems of the human residents of Udai.

Hastu, much like their cousins the fordrin, are an enigmatic race. Their culture is largely split into two factions: one being fearsome warriors who practice Poek Pamatang, or translated, the Dark Hunt; they seek out dark magic and destroy it if they can, even across other dimensions. The other, larger hastu faction is more nomadic, abandoning their ancient practice of Poek Pamatang and instead forming tribes or adopting themselves into the human nations around them.

Their race once ruled all of Filenfōe hundreds of millennia ago, before moving into an adjacent dimension to wage war with the dark gods who lived there. Around thirteen hundred years ago, the hastu returned to Alteris to find themselves now refugees without a true home to call their own. Legends say the hastu were created by Tset, the Dragon Goddess, though few hastu continue to worship the Old Gods, preferring to create their own beliefs among their diverse tribes.

Humans have a long and varied history of war, enterprise, political intrigue, and a wide variety of beliefs. Native to all lands of Alteris, as they are a pioneering species driven by a deep, abiding need to explore. Their cultures vary according to their region of birth, but generally they are strongly devoted to their natal ideals and customs. Each human is unique in their habits and beliefs, even among a single cultural segment. Legends say the race of man was created by the Dragon God Sherphoght at the end of the Age of Apotheosis. 

Humans are as diverse as the regions they occupy. While many other species have solidarity with one another, humans do not always find this same communion. Their national lines often act as battlefields, creating barriers to their bias. Hundreds of years ago, a human hero named Alkanet rose up and defeated a tyrannical human magician who sought to enslave all of Alteris. After that event, there has been a lasting peace between the human nations. This has not not absolved their old rivalries, however. There are four primary nations in Alteris: Silg, Mul Debbon, Filenfōe, and Udai, with the first three of them being ruled principally by the human race, and the fourth having many humans as citizens.

Throughout all the ages power has changed hands constantly. From the scargs ruling time back in the Dawn Era, to mans rule in the Modern. With the centuries of recorded history in Alteris comes centuries of stories. Too many to fit into a single article. If you want to know more, look for the next part of Understanding KINGDOMS Lore.