Fantasy New Aeternum: Chapter 1 — The Anomaly [Lore]

[Elenion Aura]

NEW AETERNUM

CHAPTER 1: THE ANOMALY — Lore Thread

Lord Judgment

"The Balance's library is at your disposal.

Just don't break anything."

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• 「 LORE 」
  Lore

  Expect to use this page as a quick reference for any important terms and tidbits of information. Check back frequently, as more will be revealed as plot points progress.
  
  

「 LORE 」

OST 1 — MAIN THEME

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #001: AETERNALS

Humanity is a species endemic Terra, the world in which the stories told in New Aeternum take place. Long ago—before the Edict of Atom drove away the innate magicks of Terra, suppressing and supplanting them for thousands of years even after the fall of the Golden Empire—the face of the world was dominated by magical societies. One such society was that of Aeterna, a civilization of magically attuned humanoids whose mastery of Sigil Magic allowed them to raise great islands out of the Miridian Sea, building their stronghold nation atop risen ocean rock off the eastern seaboard of what would one day be Amestria... Or so the story goes.

The true origin of the Aeternals is a matter of myth. Some believe that they were once humans who, when exposed to the raw mana of the once active Ley Line which runs beneath the land, were transformed by the potent magical energies into the race known as Aeternals... This fact would seemingly fly in the face of the story of how the ancient Aeternals raised Old Aeternum from the sea using their magic. The truth is likely lost to the ages.

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #002: NEW AETERNUM

New Aeternum is an island-continent and nation built atop the remnants of the ancestral home of the Aeternals (referred to as 'Old Aeternum').

New Aeternum is located several hundred leagues off the eastern coast of the much larger continent of Amestria. New Aeternum is split up into nineteen distinct Districts, each with its own cultural character and history, and ruled by an Aspect of the Aeternals. 150 years ago, the magical fallout from the unraveling of ancient spells shattered the land on the western half of the island and created a The Magic Wastes, an uninhabitable region suffused with chaotic magicks.

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #003: SOCIETY, POLITICS, AND CULTURE

Aeternal society is fundamentally aristocratic, yet it has evolved to become more egalitarian and meritocratic compared to its ancient past, and varies considerably from District to District.

Each District is governed by an Electorate, a body chosen by the residents to handle the day-to-day management and unique needs of their respective districts. These Electorates collectively form a broader Council that oversees the entirety of New Aeternum, facilitating inter-district coordination, nation-wide policy-making, and conflict mediation.

The Electorate typically consists of representatives elected by the district's inhabitants, who may include a mix of Aeternal, human, and other, miscellaneous beings.

Each District also falls under the dominion of one of the Aspects of Aeternal—a monarchical, semi-religious figure—embodying both the bedrock of Aeternal society and culture, as well as a living bridge to the past.

The Aspects together form the Conclave.

 

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LORE ENTRY #004: SIGIL MAGIC

Sigils are artifacts endowed with the unique capability to be imbued with and retain spells. Sigils were created by the Forgemasters, an enigmatic society who vanished, along with the art of Forging itself, amidst the turmoil of the War of Strife, leading to the loss of the knowledge needed to create new sigils.

As relics of a bygone era, sigils are exceedingly precious commodities. Their ability to harness magical energies makes them invaluable to those who possess the skills to wield them. Consequently, the Great Houses, the pinnacle of Aeternal society, endeavor ever to amass Sigils in vast and greater quantities.

 

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LORE ENTRY #005: COMPANIONS

Of the many traditions which were lost during their long Exile, one of the oldest—now considered to be somewhat controversial—practices of Old Aeternum endured: the Companion.

In antiquity, the Companion was a safeguard mechanism to protect the scions of the esteemed Houses, acting as both shield, and in some cases, sword, against the power struggles, political machinations, and magical threats that threatened the fledgling, future Aspects of Aeternum.

These days, human families of prospective Companions are thoroughly vetted, including a thorough investigation of both medical records and family histories. The donors are handsomely compensated, and mercifully made to forget their babe, as it is whisked away to a newly birthed scion. Raised together and bound by oath and magic, the fate of the Companion is irrevocably bound to, and intertwined with, that of their Scion.

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #006: ASPECTS AND SCIONS

An Aspect is the head of their respective district and the head of their household. The average family of an Aspect of Aeternum is an ancient, sprawling thing with myriad off-shoots, side branches, and weird cousins. All of them, by virtue of their connection to the Aspect, are afforded some status in New Aeternum (whether or not they deserve it).

An Aspect is chosen for a given generation. Once an Aspect ascends, the other members of the Aspect's same generation forfeit the ability to ever ascend, and the succession falls to the next generation, referred to as Scions.

An Aspect at the end of their life will handpick their successor from amongst their Scions. As the old Aspect fades, the Chosen Scion will be afforded their memories, as well as the memories of all Aspects who came before.

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #007: CONTRACTS

Perhaps the chief example of an Aeternal's mastery of magic (and hubris), is the ability to summon and bind to their will entities from alternate planes of existence. These arrangements come in all shapes and sizes. Some may be partnerships, with Aeternal and Jinn (occasionally coloquially referred to as spirits, demons, or similar) each deriving value from a mutually-beneficial arrangement. Others involve an Aeternal subduing and mastering their Jinn, which are reduced to servants, often bound beneath layers of spellcraft to keep them in line.

While the specifics of every contract are different, the mechanics of initiating a contract are the same and require that the summoner knows the summoned's True Name. According to Aeternum Law, all Contracts must be registered. Un-registered Contracts are illegal in all Districts. Forming and maintaining an illegal Contract is a punishable offense.

 

[Elenion Aura]

LORE ENTRY #008: ARMAMENTS

In the annals detailing the long mythology of the Aeternals, there exist tales of extraordinary heroes whose valor and deeds transcended the ordinary, etching their memory into the very fabric of the cosmos. These legends, embodied within the celestial constellations of old, endured even as the constellations themselves vanished from sight during the Aeternals' prolonged exile. Over the eons, these tales have intertwined deeply with the essence of Aeternal culture, crafting a belief that each newborn Aeternal inherently resonates with the virtues or characteristics of one or perhaps two of these legendary celestial champions.

These celestial constellations are known as the Armaments, a sextet of astral entities that mirror the Aeternals' facets and virtues. The Armaments are as follows:

Vurath: The Stoic Protector

Unwavering, resilient, and loyal.

Scatha: The Relentless Slayer

Fierce, fearless, and intense.

Zaraq: The Stalking Shadow

Observant, subtle, and adaptable.

Aethyr: The Supreme Mind

Visionary, inventive, and impartial.

Eisha: The Guiding Light

Compassionate, wise, and benevolent.

Kyros: The Swift Hunter

Independent, intuitive, and enterprising.