Fantasy Fabric of Najud [LORE]

[Ignition]

All of the lore can be found in the following posts. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

WORLD OF NAJUD

____________



________​

Spoiler

Najud exists as the proverbial knot within the center of the Eternal Fabric, the lifeblood of the multiverse: represented by strands of the Eternal Fiber forever weaved by the five gods who embody the aspects of Creation.

Najud is an Earth-like planet, with similar gravity and weather conditions. However, unlike Earth, Najud is constantly affected by the energies of the Eternal Fiber: the catalyst for the phenomenon known across the world as magic.

The world of Najud is split into five main lands: Zhan'Li, Kolnest, Al-Hadin, Rhelgoth and Ysriyan. Multiple nations and peoples occupy these lands, with Zhan'Li and Kolnest in particular housing the two world powers, The Yu-Long Dynasty and the Vernes Empire respectively.

A vast and diverse world, Najud has a varied history stretching back since the first Emperor of the Yu-Long Dynasty declared his right to rule among the uncivilized tribes that dwelt in the Zhan-Li lands. Many ancient dragons roost in the deep places in the world, having been alive in a time before any of the existing races. Other, more evil and insidious forces dwell within the underground, in vast cavern complexes that stretch far beneath the crust of the world.

Famous locales in the world of Najud include the great mechanized city of Vincezo, the resplendent Zhan-Li capital of Shenlong, the beautiful but titan shark-infested Ysriyan Islands, the cold wastes of the World's Fang mountains in Rhelgoth, and the vast arid expanse of the Forgotten Desert in Al-Hadin.

 

[Ignition]

RACES OF NAJUD



​

Spoiler

• HUMAN

Average Lifespan: 60 - 95 years old.

The most numerous race on Najud, humans have existed since the very beginning as a favored creation of Faeda herself. They come in countless variations, blessed with an adaptability and tenacity that is often unseen among the other races.

They also arguably hold the largest power bases in the world, with the steampunk Vernes Empire and the more traditional Yu-Long Dynasty being among the most powerful kingdoms in all of Najud.

Unfortunately, humanity's weakness has always been a lust for warfare and conflict, and it is through whispers of a coming war between the two great powers that might very well plunge all of Najud into an axis of darkness.

• DUNE ELF (SAHARI)

​

Average Lifespan: 750 - 900 years old.

The proud and elusive Sahari, known to other races and the world at large as dune elves, are a race who were originally born from the hot and unforgiving lands of Al-Hadin.

Thin yet impossibly beautiful, dune elves have a distinctive appearance, bearing fire-hued hair with skin tones that range in citrus colors, from blood orange to light ochre. They blend into their desert environment quite seamlessly, able to traverse the dunes without so much as sinking beneath the rolling sands. Empowered by sunlight, dune elves are actually quite lethargic during the night time, and their biological clocks are set so they awake the instant sunlight touches their skin. Dune elves speak their own, ancient tongue that is a dialect of the same language spoken by their far-off cousins the frost elves.

Though many appear to be wanderers and nomads to the uncultured observer, they are in fact part of a larger kingdom centered around oases within the Forgotten Desert. The kingdom, once a single entity, has been splintered among squabbling sultans who demonstrate varied methods of rule, from outright tyranny to more pragmatic democracy.

And though many dune elves have since left the boundaries of their sand-swept lands to explore and thrive in other parts of the world, their people as whole remain quite secular in comparison to other races. They are fiercely protective of their desert home, and will fight to protect its natural beauty and resources from any interlopers who would seek to exploit it.

The dune elf capital is a city known as Al'Jhazar, sometimes called the Jewel of the Dunes. It is ruled by the young and inexperienced sultan Saladin Dun'eai, who lives in his father's shadow while seeking to keep his lands and his people safe.

• NA'KA

Average Lifespan: 200 - 350 years old.

For hundreds of years, legends spoke of the gods that lived within the dangerous yet beautiful chain of islands called Ysriyan. Explorers from the Vernes Empire and Yu-Long Dynasty alike have ventured to these islands in search of riches and treasures, with many never returning. Those who did return spoke of titanic gods who could sink a ship beneath their foot and who appeared to be made of the volcanic mountains themselves.

The god-giants of old are but a myth from the beginning of creation, but their progeny, known as the na'ka, live in the islands of Ysriyan as their home.

Na'ka are half-giants, standing at an imposing eight feet tall and bristling with muscle and power. They are powerful beings whose strength is the stuff of legend; their strongest warriors can wrestle a titan shark out of the sea and crack the shell of a cavern crab. Body shapes vary among them, but they are humanoid with skin tones that mimic the colors of the ocean: light coral, seafoam blue, and rocky algae green. Males are usually broader and more muscular, while females are slender but far faster. Na'ka skin has the durability of marble, and they are resistant to sword-strikes and even small arms fire. They are excellent swimmers, able to hold their breath for over an hour and known as legendary fisherman in their own lands and beyond. But despite the fact they seem to have been engineered to be the ultimate marine warriors, na'ka eke out a peaceful existence on the islands, fishing, hunting and maintaining a tenuous peace among their various tribes. Tribes are identified by their extensive tattoos, showcasing legends from the past that adorn the upper skin and back of any particular na’ka.

Though they appear slow and dim-witted to the observer, they are anything but, and a choice few have taken their boats and ventured to other lands to seek adventure. Those who stay behind maintain their traditional existence, with the na'ka being infamous for their free-spirited style of sparse clothing whether in a major city or not. For the most part, they seek to distance themselves from the conflict of other races, believing that the islands themselves are the former god-giants of old. Though they seem superstitious and dull, one will find that a na'ka can often prove to be a powerful and daunting ally.

• FROST ELF (INJARI)

Average Lifespan: 800 - 1000 years old.

In the darkest corner of the world, the World's Fang mountains guard the path into the savage lands of Rhelgoth. Ice wolves and sabertooth tigers stalk the snowy forests, while predatory drakes and other monsters search for lonely travelers, caught in a blizzard or otherwise. It is here, at the crown of the world, that the mysterious and otherworldly race known as the frost elves make their home.

A frost elf is a somewhat rare, but not impossible sight in other places in the world. They make their home within the snowy lands of Rhelgoth. Their bodies have a natural affinity to cold, able to withstand sub-zero temperatures that would kill lesser beings. Often they are mistaken for ghosts, having white and deathly blue skin tones and glowing, ethereal eyes. Eons ago, they and the dune elves were one a single race, split into two distinct peoples as the frost elves ventured to the cold north and their cousins stayed within the deserts.

Indoctrinated from birth, frost elves are known as fierce warriors and incredible hunters and trackers. Their people run the gamut, with many becoming mercenaries and assassins for hire, and their greatest warriors being some of the best marksman in history. Like their namesake, some have icy and distant personalities, leading many to believe they are an unsavory and ruthless race.

In truth, the frost elves simply see the world through different eyes. They balk at the squabbles of humans and despise the pointless war they bring. Much like their dune elf cousins, they are fiercely protective of their ancestral mountain-lands, and will fight tooth and nail to defend them.

Their most well-known city is Frosthaven, where their people are led by the Hunter's Council. Outsiders to this place are frowned upon if not outright forbidden.

• JINN

Average Lifespan: Unknown

Of all the races that exist on Najud, it is the fantastical jinn that inspire the most imagination and wonder.

Far more alien that even the towering na'ka or icy frost elves, the jinn are a race of beings composed of elemental magic. They maintain a solid, humanoid form, but their skin takes on a cosmic tone, pocked like stardust or the shimmering lights of the polar wastes. Jinn are often said to be the children of Misar himself, and are known to have a particular aptitude with the forces of magic.

Since their bodies are essentially the stuff of magic itself, the same material that makes up the Eternal Fiber, they are capable of shape-shifting in a way other races could only dream of. Jinn are born as a consciousness that can manipulate latent magical energy, and so their gender, if any, and exact form is what they choose to make of it. Jinn can walk on two legs as other races, but prefer to travel as a top half of three arms, three eyes, and their preferred visage, with a swifter more insubstantial lower half. Being able to manipulate their form so easily, jinn do not sleep, but rather inhabit what they call a sarraj: a small-lamp like device that can indefinitely house a jinn's consciousness and give them the same comfort a human might get from a warm bed.

Many are known to be remarkable tricksters, more free-spirited than any na'ka out on the open ocean. At the same time, other jinn are masters of combat and more notably, magic, counted among the most powerful mages in the world.

But as Misar has blessed the jinn with all their gifts and shape-shifting prowess, it comes with a terrible price, in that jinn are susceptible to magical interference more than any other race on Najud. They are far from invulnerable; the magic that makes up their bodies can be absorbed and used to power everything from Vernes inventions to the darkest of magical rituals, dooming the jinn to an agonizing end in the process.

As a race, the jinn share lands with the dune elves, and maintain a floating city known as Amataj that regularly trades with Al'Jhazar. More often than not, they have trouble fitting in within society due to their alien appearance and strange powers. Thankfully, most are simply looking for a place within the world, and ultimately, acceptance among its peoples.

• AUTOMENSCH

Average Lifespan: Unknown

It can be said that the robotic automatons known as automenschs cannot be truly called their own race. However, the revelation of their sentience and sense of self-awareness makes it difficult to argue their new place in the world.

Originally created by none other than Nikolai Vernes himself as his magnum opus, the automenschs were constructed as a solution to manual labor and even warfare. They are made from a combination of wood, steel and stone, infused with a magical "brain" that serves to give them function. From the beginning, automenschs were created for a singular purpose, be it housework, street cleaning, construction or war. They never deviated from their tasks, and those who "malfunctioned" were quickly destroyed and recycled into new automenschs.

It was only in recent years that some inquisitive types have realized these so-called malfunctions were in fact an evolution of the magical "brain" gifted to all automenschs. Where once they were robotic servants, they have now become self-aware, a fact that many in the Vernes Empire have found to be distasteful if not outright blasphemous.

 

[Ignition]

NATIONS AND KINGDOMS

Spoiler

• THE VERNES EMPIRE

In the western hemisphere of Najud, on the continent of Kolnest, the Vernes Empire reigns supreme as the most powerful and far-reaching nation.

The Empire was originally founded by Nikolai Vernes, an extraordinarily intelligent scientist who unified the neighboring medieval kingdoms into a science-focused empire that stretches the majority of the Kolnest continent. Nikolai himself has since passed since the Empire's founding over two hundred years ago, but his family line has developed into the Royal Family of the Empire, with his descendant Giacomo Vernes being the current Grande Inventore to preside over the Empire. His extended family who inhabit Castle Vernes in the heart of Vincenzo include his brother Alberto and niece and nephew Celestina and Marzo. Giacomo's parents disappeared while on expedition into the Ysriyan Islands, and he continues to send explorers there to this day in hope of discovering some sort of hint of their fate.

Though referred to as an Empire, unlike the Yu-Long Dynasty, the Vernes Empire does not simply use conquest to acquire land and expand. As the most technologically advanced nation on Najud, they have been able to integrate neighboring kingdoms and towns into their empire simply through the promise of progress and unity. Home to some of the most brilliant minds in the world, everything in the Vernes Empire, from their cities, to the hyper-efficient Clockway transportation system, to the automensch machines, are powered by clockwork technology. Vernes clockwork technology is constructed through pure calculation and ingenuity, with only the most ambitious designs being bolstered by magic. The Vernes Empire is founded on intelligence and scientific endeavors, and thus they accept all peoples willing to contribute to progress. All races are welcome and treated relatively equally in their lands, but it has always been known that the most intelligent people are often treated as though they are of higher social class. In fact, all of the Vernes Royal Family are known to be intelligent scientists of their own right, to the point where it would be unnatural for one of the Royal Family to not be scientifically gifted in some way.

Though they usually rely on their diplomatic dealings to expand, the Vernes Empire is not devoid of a powerful military. Ground forces consist of automensch soldiers, automatons created simply for war and built to last in the harshest conditions. Towering emperor automenschs are terrors to behold on the battlefield, powered by magic that allows them to lock-on to enemies and launch devastating blasts of searing electricity. As the most technologically advanced nation on Najud, Vernes soldiers are known for their guns, much to the disgust of their traditional Yu-Long counterparts.

In recent years, tensions have been high between the world's major powers, and the Vernes Empire seems to always be on the brink of conflict with the more traditional Yu-Long Dynasty in the east. Though the Empire would rather avoid conflict, the Yu-Long Dynasty is particularly angered by the colonies formed by the Empire in parts of Zhan'Li's coast. The lure of rich deposits of heavenly jade, an incredibly valuable mineral, have caused the Empire's explorers to encroach in ancient Zhan'Li lands. If this greed continues, it is only a matter of time before an all-out invasion from the Dynasty becomes a reality, and all of Najud may suffer for it.

• THE YU-LONG DYNASTY

The powerful Yu-Long Dynasty is a traditional kingdom that is widely regarded as the first united nation to emerge in Najud's history.

Many thousands of years ago, in a time immemorial, the lands of Zhan'li were once rife with chaos. Barbarian horse-tribes scoured the landscape, pillaging and slaughtering those who did not bend to their will. Even worse, monstrous predators and undead horrors preyed on the populace, and the light of hope was dim.

Then came Emperor Long-Yu, a powerful figure who was both skilled in the arts of warfare, martial arts and magic. In but a short time, he unified the disparate human settlements and gathered them together to stand against the barbarians and monsters. What formed was later known as the Yu-Long Dynasty, growing to such an immense size to become the most powerful civilization to rule the entirety of Zhan'Li.

The Dynasty today is a powerful kingdom, steeped in tradition and ruled by a royal family that has existed for many hundreds of generations. Where the Vernes Empire relies on technology and ingenuity, the Yu-Long Dynasty's power lies in a formidable military, and an ancient mastery of magic and destructive martial arts. Their strongest warriors can break apart an emperor automensch with their bare fists, and they are backed by magical jade and terra cotta constructs capable of cutting down swathes of soldiers in a single swing. From the great city of Shenlong, their current Emperor Shang rules with a arrogant stride.

It is the belief of the Dynasty that rulership is their divine right, and said rulership extends past the shores of their beloved Zhan'Li. In the past, previous emperors have taken many lands to add to the Dynasty, often by force. It is only at the frigid waste of Rhelgoth that they have stopped, leaving the frost elves within safe from their wrath for the time being.

In recent times, Emperor Shang has taken great offense at the incursion of Vernes Empire colonies on Zhan'li borders. Attracted by the lure of heavenly jade, these explorers are viewed with extreme hostility and given no mercy from the might of the Dynasty's armies. Even worse, this has fostered the idea that perhaps the Vernes Empire has finally incited war in their coming, and the Yu-Long Dynasty may finally be ready to take the world that has always been rightfully theirs.

• SULTANS OF AL-HADIN

Past the searing dunes of the dangerous and ancient land of Al-Hadin, more commonly known as the Forgotten Desert, the dune elf sultans rule what is left of their once grand and ancient empire.

In the days when the Vernes Empire was only a dream, and the Yu-Long Dynasty ruled supreme in the east, the cities of Al-Hadin enjoyed an unmitigated time of peace and prosperity. Under the light of the sun, the sahari enjoyed bountiful, long lives devoid of enemies and conflict.

It is only through the foolish actions of an ancient Sahari prince, Talahad, that the burgeoning empire was brought asunder. Having made a bargain with the ancient dune dragon Zalakaz for the love of a maiden, the elf tried to renege on his bargain when he found the dragon's price of his immortal soul too great. Though he barely escaped with his life, the dragon responded by using his terrifying power to ravage some of the greatest of the sahari cities. It was only in the desert outside of Al'Jhazar that the great dragon was felled at the cost of many sahari lives. His skeletal remains, massive enough to cast shadows among the dunes, still lay as a reminder to the sahari of the price of their hubris.

In the present age, saharai cities are now few throughout the desert lands, with Al'Jhazar being their crowning capital. While the various sultans still squabble and bicker over petty differences, they all remember the mistakes of the past, and will gladly band together to protect their homeland.

• FROST ELVES

The mysterious and icy frost elves are not known for having leadership in the traditional sense. Instead, they are separated into various clans among the mountaintops, and their home capital, Frosthaven, is led by the legendary Hunter's Council.

The Hunter's Council is composed of some of the deadliest of their kind; expert marksman and trackers, assassins of the highest order, and beast tamers whose monstrous menageries are a legendary sight to behold. It is they who decide the future of Frosthaven and the injari race as a whole.

Though they are seen by the world at large as a ruthless and cold race of killers, the injari in fact avoid open warfare whenever possible. They are keen at killing warlords before a war can even start, thus saving lives in the long run. It is only against the crazed barbarian hordes of Rhelgoth and rampaging monsters that cannot be reasoned with that they openly fight, forcing their hand and prompting the Hunter's Council to bring their best warriors to bear.

• TRIBES OF YSRIYAN

In an ancient time, before even the lands of Zhan'Li were united under the banner of Emperor Long-Yu, Ysriyan was ruled by the mythical god-giants of old. They came in strange craft, descending upon the untouched islands and imbuing them with life. Paradise sprouted forth, teeming with fauna and the fruits of their godly powers.

Among this, their foremost children, the na'ka, were born. For reasons unknown, the god-giants left the na'ka shortly after creating them, departing into the skies and leaving the world of Najud behind for grander vistas beyond.

What is left of their exploits is told in the legends of the na'ka, whose people live in a existence of tribal communes all across the chain of islands known as Ysriyan. There they carry out an existence of fishing and hunting among the cool depths. Despite many preferring the path of peace, the na'ka are no stranger to war, and their tribes have spilled much blood throughout the ages.

Each tribe is led by an elder patriarch known as the Grand Kona: a title passed on from father to son throughout many generations. The Grand Kona maintains great power among his tribe, able to sire children from either his life-mate or a harem of female na'ka. Of course, the title can be taken: through trial by combat which ends with the loser either broken or dead.

In present times, the na'ka have warily accepted that some of their kind desire to venture into the wider world. These "off-islanders" as they are known, have developed their own societies outside of the traditional existence of Ysriyan na'ka. A few generations more, and it is likely that will become a different sub-species entirely.

LANDS AND LOCALES

Spoiler

• VINCENZO

Known as the largest and most majestic city in the west, Vincenzo lies in the heart of Kolnest and represents the epitome of the Vernes Empire. Founded by Nikolai Vernes over two hundred years ago, Vincenzo is considered the Western rival to the glorious capital of Shenlong in the east.

Vincenzo is in many respects considered to be a center of learning and the most "modern" city in all of Najud. Vincenzo has some aspects of a traditional medieval city, with taverns and the like, but that is where the resemblance ends.

Vincenzo is a marvel of cityscape fused with clockwork, and many of the areas, from the town center to the watchtowers, are automated. In addition, Vincenzo is home to the docking bay of all Clockway trains; a clockwork invention that allows swift transportation throughout all of the Vernes Empire. To assist with the automation of the city, mechanical constructs known as automenschs are employed to deal with day to day cleaning and other utility duties. In many more well-off households, they serve as servants and butlers.

The city is home to many landmarks of note, such as the Observatorium, which houses a magical telescope capable of seeing into other planes, and Castle Vernes, home to the Royal Family consisting of Giacomo, Alberto, Celestia and Marzo Vernes. The Vernes Royal Guard, equipped with powerful clockwork weaponry, serve as a law enforcement force to keep order in the city. There is rarely crime in open daylight, but many seedier industries are able to slip beneath watchful eyes in the night hours. Since the founding of the city, not one force has been successful in breaching its defensive walls. The clockwork continues to hold true, and the automensch guardians within would be quick to engage defense mode and protect the city with all their being.

_______________

​

• CITY OF CLOCKWORK

CASTLE VERNES

The grand home of the Vernes Royal Family, Giacomo Vernes, his older brother Alberto, and Alberto's children, Celestina and Marzo.

The castle's outward appearance is deceiving: it is a technological paradise that is still to this day tweaked and improved upon. Day and night it is guarded by impressive numbers: multiple regiments of Royal Guard, along with a legion of automensch servants and two emperor automenschs that stand like statues at the gate.

In the event of invasion, the castle is build to descend deep under the earth, morphing into a silver sphere and protected with layer upon layer of mathematically perfect viosteel – a synthesized material invented by Giacomo: harder than diamond and as light as silk.

Among the many wondrous inventions that can be found here, it is Giacomo's clockwork horse that is among the most recognizable. Built within a fountain in the front of the castle, stands a monument to Giacomo's parents Igancio and Antonella.

THE CLOCKWAY

The train system that connects all of Vincenzo together. It spans seven stations, and upon it rides a clockwork train that using repelling gravity to levitate along the tracks. The train is maintained by a trio of specially built automenschs, never runs late, is free to all travelers, incredibly clean and comfortable, and causes no pollution whatsoever.

The system was devised by Giacomo's niece Celestina, and plans are already being made to expand it through the Carruzzo Wildlands, past the untamed jungles of the Emerald Expanse, and into the Vernes Empire colonies in Zhan'Li and beyond.

THE OBSERVATORIUM

A telescope originally designed by Nikolai Vernes over two hundred years ago, and still maintained to this day. It is a fusion of magic and technology, allowing the viewers to look into other planes of existence. This allows study into the nature of magic and its effects on the world, and scientists and great thinkers of all kind flock here on a constant basis.

MILANO SQUARE

The main square of Vincenzo, as well as the safest district and public “face" of the city. Street vendors sell local cuisine here, merchants their wares, and parts-dealers show off their latest bits and bobs for any would-be inventor. This is the area of the city most heavily guarded and patrolled by the Royal Guard besides Castle Vernes itself, and Giacomo and his family will regularly address the people and their nation as a whole from here.

CALOGERO DISTRICT

The seedy area of Vincenzo, the Calogero district harbors most mercenaries, unscrupulous merchants, and other unmentionables. It is here that inventors of the most questionable kind work on their trades, and crime thrives underneath a bustling nightlife. The state of things here rarely changes, depending on whether the next particular round of Royal Guard can be bribed or not. Giacomo has said more than once that he will eradicate crime and corruption from the whole city, but he knows that without the district's black market trade, a great many materials used in machines and other inventions would simply be unavailable.

EASTERN VILLA

The noted upper class area of the city, it has the highest percentage of aristocrats, lords, and privileged individuals as a whole. It's no surprise that corruption flows unheeded here, despite the district's pristine outward appearance.

SEWERS

An extensive sewer system runs beneath Vincenzo, mathematically streamlined to the point where vermin are non-existent and the city never experiences flooding in the event of harsh rain. Work has already begun on converting the existing sewer system into a techno-magical hybrid that can eventually convert sewage into clean, drinkable water, but this plan still seems some time off. Dozens of automenschs monitor the sewers, their sole purpose being to pinpoint and repair leaks and damage before they become a significant issue.

_______________

• CARUZZO WILDLANDS

Outside of the grand technological marvel of Vincenzo, the Caruzzo Wildlands is an untamed expanse full of wildlife and small villages. Bandits still roam and prey on the weak, and various savage races fight amongst themselves, knowing from the past not to temper the might of the Vernes Empire. Though the military will intervene in some circumstances, many are left to their own devices if they're not within the safety of a clockwork city.

• SHENLONG

Deep past vast forests of bamboo and misty peaks lies the immeasurable and grand city of Shenlong.

It is the heart and soul of the Yu-Long Dynasty, the golden seat in which Emperor Shang directs his loyal subjects and marshals his great armies.

Arguably the first great city in the history of Najud, it is a beautiful place steeped in culture and majesty. Great monuments made of heavenly jade lie at its gates and throughout its vast streets, serving as decoration and as fierce magical protectors when needed. People of all kinds, from dune and frost elves to even the na'ka are welcomed within, and the city benefits from massive tourism for both its sights, wares and cuisine.

Temples to various gods lie within the city, and its schools in the martial arts are unrivaled in their knowledgeable masters and trained students. Even more so, the city's military is a force to be reckoned with, easily able to meet its Vernes Empire equivalent in kind. It is from here that the first echoes of war are exacerbated by Emperor Shang, and it is from this powerbase that the Yu-Long Dynasty might eventually encompass all of Najud.

• THE EMERALD EXPANSE

The Emerald Expanse is a wild, unexplored jungle beyond the city of Shenlong, serves as an effective roadblock into the heart of Kolnest. Within lurk savage dinosaurs, monstrous races who shun the light, and ancient treasures yet to be discovered. In more secretive whispers, rumors are abound of a prehistoric race of primal elves, even more mysterious than their frost or dune cousins, who make their home within ageless temples and forgotten lands.

• THE YSRIYAN ISLANDS

Off the coast of Kolnest, far to the south near the equator of the world, lies the huge chain of islands called Ysriyan. In their tropical climate, all kinds of life thrives, from pleasant fauna hunted by the natives to other more monstrous creatures. Deadly cavern crabs lurk in the dark of the caves, waiting for prey to venture in, while tropical offshoots of drakes stalk the volcanic regions and jungles alike. Beneath the waves though, hunt the famous titan sharks: gargantuan fish that eat anything they can find.

But beyond the dangers, a vast plethora of rare plants, minerals and other resources lie in wait for the daring explorer to find. Ancient remnants of the god-giants who roamed the islands can still be found for those willing to brave the dangers, as well as face the native na'ka who are all too ready to protect them.

• OSOTEC MOUNTAIN

Like a monument reaching up to the gods in the sky, Osotec Mountain is the largest of the mountains crowning the Ysriyan Islands. It is the supposed birthplace of the na'ka race, and where they believe their gods stepped down from above and then eventually departed back through to the skies. As such, it is an incredibly holy place that remains watched and protected for centuries from all invaders.

In the ancient past, the mountain was once an active volcano which erupted and decimated the neighboring city of Kel'Fos. Many na'ka might have been killed, if not for psychic interference from the god Radhana herself who saved most of the population in the process.

• FROSTHAVEN

High up in the cold mountains, amid the blizzards and forests, Frosthaven remains to be the capital of the frost elves.

Nowhere near as majestic as Vincenzo or Shenlong, it is a somewhat seedy city that serves as a stop for hunters and a home for a great many who seek a communal haven from the savage wilds. Guarded by strange magics and skilled warriors, it is barred from outsiders and is the closest thing the frost elves have to a homeland. Within, a group of nine chosen frost elves, known as the Hunter's Council, come together to make decisions about their people and the future before them.

• WORLD’S FANG MOUNTAINS

Of all the dark places of the world, it is the biting, deadly cold of the World's Fang Mountains that has proven to be the most dangerous. It is a frozen, hellish land that many would say is inhospitable, but yet is home to the lonesome yet thriving frost elf race. Between monstrous creatures and icy abominations, ancient dragons who slumber beneath glaciers, and barbaric tribes screaming for blood and carnage, it is a harsh realm where only the strong tend to survive. It is only through indomitable will and prowess that the frost elves have managed to make this place their home in all the centuries since.

• AL'JAHZAR

Known far and wide as the Jewel of the Dunes, Al'Jahzar is the capital of the dune elves, and a thriving city within the arid wastes of the Forgotten Desert. Though not as ancient as Shenlong, it has existed through many generations as a hub of trade, learning and the arts. Magic and clockwork trades are in abundance here, and the dune elves will usually welcome other races so long as they prove themselves worthwhile to their city. Of course, things are far from perfect, and the dune elves themselves have the highest social standing compared to any perceived "lesser" beings. Guarded by illusionary magics and other wards and defenses, the city's current sultan, Saladin Dun'eai, is young and inexperienced but eager to prove himself. He has since proven welcoming to a possible alliance with the neighboring Vernes Empire, much to the displeasure of the Yu-Long Dynasty across the seas.

• AMATAJ

High above in the clouds, far from prying eyes and invaders, lies the mystical city of Amataj: the grand home of the jinn.

While many of the jinn race are welcomed within the walls of Al'Jhazar, it is Amataj that is considered their true home, and it is a place of arcane wonder and majesty. Within Amataj lies what is arguably the greatest school of magic in the known world, the Arcanosphere, where powerful jinn mages teach the talented how to harness their powers.

Unsurprisingly, most of the world's races have not and will not see Amataj in their lifetime. Only those extraordinarily talented in the arcane arts and explicitly invited by the jinn will get such an opportunity, as the jinn can see magical talent for what it is no matter what race the user hails from.

• THE FORGOTTEN DESERT

Under the sun's hot gazes lies the land of Al-Hadin, or better known as the Forgotten Desert. Once an ancient sea long ago, this arid expanse is almost bereft of life and devoid of water. Highly specialized predators stalk the dunes, and meat is in rare supply. Ancient tombs dot the landscape, some containing treasures, and some holding back horrors from a time before even the dune elves. Yet beyond the toiling heat, the city of Al'Jhazar waits to travelers like some fabled place, if they can manage to make it through the desert in one piece.

 

[Ignition]

GODS OF NAJUD

Spoiler

• SELMODIUS - ASPECT OF FASCINATION

Selmodius represents the aspect of fascination, the natural inquisitive nature of all beings as well as the concept of discovery. He is the ultimate thinker, always finding himself in thought sessions that can last thousands of years at a time. To Selmodius, the universe is a puzzle and the keys to unlock it are many, but all of them can be obtained with time.

Selmodius himself has always been the most intelligent of the five gods, and always questions their acts and motives, often to their annoyance. He seeks the meaning of all things, even abstract concepts such as reality and life. He has always been somewhat at odds with Faeda, seeing her attachment to living things and love unnecessary. Often times, Selmodius is responsible for the creative spark that causes invention, and it can be said that the first idea for clockwork designs came from his influence.

Selmodius's appearance is that of a tall, thin man who looks like a half-elf with turquoise skin. In place of his left eye is a gear that functions as sort of a monocle, and when Selmodius wants to inspect something, he can form different tools such as telescopes from it. Selmodius's robe is a mechanical wonder than can form limbs and tools at a moments notice, shifting with the consistency of mercury and reforming in the next moment.

Selmodius's worshipers can be beings of any alignment. Good-aligned worshipers are known to foster positive invention and ingenuity. Neutral beings seek knowledge, but know to stop the pursuit when the price is too great. Evil-aligned worshipers are willing to pay any cost for the knowledge they seek, including the lives of others and sometimes even themselves. Selmodius's temples are usually grand halls filled with clockwork marvels and other examples of invention. His priests are usually just artificers and inventors, though he is also worshipped by wizards and sorcerers. A famous temple of his lies within the Vernes Empire city of Vincenzo, a grand building called the Tower of Progress.

As one of the five aspects of Creation, he does his part to continue the weaving of the Fabric, though after eons of this task, he has always longed and wondered what the outcome would be if he simply stopped. Having done so for a time, the other gods simply continued without him. Secretly, Selmodius wonders what would happen if all five aspects stopped the weave all at once. The question gnaws at his mind to the point where it is beginning to spawn hints of insanity.

• FAEDA - ASPECT OF FRAGILITY

Faeda represents the aspect of fragility, the idea that all things are sacred and must be cared for. She is the caretaker and original creator of all life, and believes that of all things in the multiverse, life is the most fragile. It is said that at the beginning of Creation, Faeda weaved herself and the other five gods into being within a vast nothingness, and together, they began the Fabric that would comprise all of Creation.

Faeda is a fickle but kind being, always looking at her subjects with a motherly fondness in her eyes. To the other gods, she is often seen as flighty or overly sensitive, but it is simply in her nature to care for all things and to be concerned with those more vulnerable than others.

In addition to watching over those in need, Faeda is also known for her pursuits of love. She enjoys traveling Najud, guised in many forms, and partaking in romantic pursuits with many different lovers. She views love as something nearly as fragile as life, and thus it pleases her to experience the emotion again and again. It could be said that Faeda has loved countless different beings in the eons since the first fibers of the Fabric were weaved at the dawn of Creation.

Faeda's worshipers are mostly good-aligned beings, and she is commonly seen as a caretaker of the downtrodden and oppressed. Her temples are traditionally made of glass or glass-like substances, and her priests are often expected to lead selfless lives of charity.

Faeda's appearance varies, but she usually appears as an incredibly beautiful woman made entirely of a sky blue, glass-like material. Her features are statuesque and delicate, and though it seems like she could be shattered at any moment, she simply phases through anything that would delay her path. Faeda wears a thin whitish-grey robe, which constantly sways under her power. Her eyes often glow eldritch blue when she is addressing others. Her hair is long and usually obscures one of her eyes, swaying gently in the wind despite being seemingly made of fragile glass.

• RADHANA - ASPECT OF FEAR

Radhana represents the aspect of fear, a gnawing feeling of caution that sits in the back of the mind of all beings, no matter how big or small. A mistress of mystery, Radhana resides in the realms of darkness, not so much enjoying the concept of fear but drinking it for sustenance in a way a human may drink fine wine.

Radhana lives on the fear of all beings, and she takes no enjoyment in it nor does she condemn it. Though she is commonly seen by many as a negative force, it is also known that she has probably saved more lives than those she has terrorized. If not for the inkling of fear that wells up in the minds of mortals, they might otherwise perish in situations where caution saves them. If anything, Radhana prefers that people continue to live, as if they are alive, their minds can continue to feel fear. As the aspect of fear, Radhana is the one who essentially drives four of the five gods to continue the weaving of the Fabric, save for Seldmodius, whose drive for fascination is unaffected by any hints of fear. Of all of the gods, Radhana knows what would happen if all five gods stopped weaving the Fabric. Unlike Misar, she knows this through innate fear, and it is in fact the only thing Radhana herself fears. If ever the weave was ever halted, all of Creation, including the gods, would fade away.

Unlike Faeda, Radhana seldom travels the world in mortal form. She sometimes interacts with mortals throughout history in the guise of great evils, hoping to inspire enough fear to keep her sated for centuries. While she has caused countless deaths, there are also many events where she has in fact saved lives. One such instance was when she put the coastal city of Kel'Fos in Ysriyan into a state of panic, causing them to flee the island en masse before a massive volcanic eruption from the nearby Osotec Mountain covered it in ash and death.

Radhana's worshipers are many, covering all alignments. Good-aligned worshippers see her as a necessary force in the universe, as an unlikely protector who saves many from their downfall. Neutral worshipers seek to harness fear and her influence in both positive and negative ways. Evil worshipers seek to inspire fear in all beings, to the point where they seek the strongest kind of fear: the fear a being feels right before death. Radhana's temples are often made of black obsidian, and her priests wear arterial purple robes.

Radhana's appearance varies depending on her worshipers, but she usually appears as a tall woman sheathed in an impossibly long dark blue dress. She has four eyes, though they shift sometimes into three or two depending on her mood. Her teeth are sharpened like fangs, and she often wears a bestial smile. Her hair is equally wild and untamed, shifting like some sort of unruly octopus.

• ZARKUZ - ASPECT OF FOCUS

Zarkuz represents the aspect of focus, and thus encompasses the ideas of faith, conviction and dedication to a cause. He is always in pursuit of some goal, and when one of these goals is completed, he already has another one planned in the back of his mind. For eons, Zarkuz has taken it upon himself to complete several lofty goals.

He was the one to raise the continents from the sea, as well as create sun to thaw away the icy wastes of the past. It is Zarkuz who untangles the Eternal Fibers, lest they create a magic convalescence that would threaten to engulf all of Najud. In recent years, Zarkuz has influenced the state of the world, hoping to avoid all-out war between the Vernes Empire and the Yu-Long Dynasty. So far he has been successful, but he knows this is but a temporary respite, and it is only a matter of time before tensions break between the two powers.

As the aspect of focus, Zarkuz hates distractions, and otherwise does not meddle with mortal affairs. He finds Faeda's love for traveling the mortal world to be a vice, things which Zarkuz disapproves of. Despite this, he admires her caring nature and her protection of all beings, weak or not. He once loved her in the very beginning, but realized the distraction that it caused him and promptly shook such feelings away. Of all the gods, Zarkuz is most concerned with weaving the Fabric, and often times he is so focused with that he forgets the passing by of time around him. If there is one thing he would absolutely refuse to do, it would be at any point to stop his weaving of the Fabric. In fact, the thought is something simply inconceivable to him.

Worshipers of Zarkuz can be from all walks of life , but a gathering of paladins in the West known as the Order of Kuzar is the most widely recognized organization to worship Zarkuz. These crusaders are usually champions of good, but some of them are often lawful neutral, and some even rarer examples are lawful evil. In the eastern lands of Zhan'Li, an order of monks also worship Zarkuz, though they do so in accordance with ancient martial arts passed down through the generations. Zarkuz's temples are usually gilded with gold and other precious soft metals, and his priests often wear white or other light-associated colors.

Zarkuz's appearance is that of a large man of indeterminate age, a hefty brown mustache and bronze skin, clad in gold and silver armor. He carries a shield almost as large as himself, with an ornate depiction of Najud molded across its surface. Zarkuz speaks in a haughty tone, and in the few moments he isn't focusing on something, he laughs with great, booming vigor.

• MISAR - ASPECT OF FATE

The most mysterious and aloof of the five gods, Misar represents the aspect of fate. Misar embodies the destiny of the universe itself, and the pre-ordained nature of all mortal lives and the natural cycle of existence.

Misar has true omnipresence in both time and space, and unlike the other gods, he has complete knowledge of the past, present and future. Of course, as the aspect of fate, Misar does not divulge any of this info, at least not directly. He enjoys sometimes speaking in riddles, giving hints here and there to future events. He is the creator of the jinn race: something he sees as a personal masterpiece in his own image. Misar can easily travel within the slipstream of time, and often visits past events and sometimes the future in order to observe their outcome. This ability is something Selmodius has long been jealous of, to the point where Selmodius has entertained the thought of taking this ability from him by force or trickery.

As the aspect of fate, Misar also represents concepts such as death and rebirth, and is worshipped accordingly. His omnipresence extends even past his own existence; he remembers the nothingness before Faeda brought him and the other three gods into Creation. Tragically, Misar will also be present at the end of all Creation, forever conscious in the nothingness that will remain.

Misar's worshipers are many across Najud, and there are multiple cults who view him as a bringer of the End Times. He is worshipped by necromancers and healers alike, since he represents both death and rebirth. Misar himself is inherently neutral, as fate always is, but his worshipers can run the gamut of alignments. Good worshipers of his often seek guidance and meaning in their lives. Neutral ones simply seek to fulfill their destiny, while evil ones often seek those things that defy their destinies, such as immortality and other forbidden powers. Misar's temples are carefully built and geometric in design, and often have a cosmic motif to them.

Misar's appearance is that of a hooded, bird-like being, with four arms covered in form-fitting plates of metal. Underneath his cloak, his skin and body are made up of cosmic energy, dotted with stars and nebulous lights. Like Faeda, Misar defies all matter, and in the few times he appears in the mortal world, rifts appear in reality as the Fabric of Creation buckles under his presence.

 

[Ignition]

HISTORY OF NAJUD

Spoiler

In the beginning, there was but a black nothing. Eons passed before the first whispers of thought emerged, and Faeda, the aspect of fragility and the first of Najud's gods, was born.

For almost one thousand years, she slept peacefully within the great nothingness, until a great intensity came over as she desired some form of companionship. Out of this desire, she created the first of the five gods, Zarkuz, whom she shared with her first love. Eventually, she crafted Selmodius, Radhana and finally Misar, and together the five gods frolicked amongst themselves and began to experiment with the star stuff that made up the young universe.

It was Faeda who began to weave the Eternal Fiber, starting the tiny thread that would eventually become the world of Najud as it is known. As omnipotent beings, the gods were easily capable of weaving their newly created reality and doing whatever else their divine minds desired. Out of their curiosity, the world Faeda first created was altered.

At first, Najud was a prehistoric, harsh realm of icy wastes and volcanic deathlands. It was Zarkuz who created the sun, moving it closer to melt the frigid ice that covered the world. Selmodius made adjustments to the atmosphere and magnetic poles, positioning the world to better contain life. Faeda created the first beings, with Radhana implanting within them survival instincts that would keep them alive. They eventually evolved into the first elves and humans, diverging at a point as Misar directed their fates. He personally created the race of jinn, molding them in his own image and granting them natural control over the primeval forces of magic. Through his touch he gave the other races a portion of the magical prowess that the jinn possessed so naturally.

From beyond the scope of the gods came a race of space-faring god-giants, who landed in the raised islands that would one day become Ysriyan. Their goals and reasons were unfathomable even to the likes of the gods, and they left as they came, leaving behind their own creations, half-giants who called themselves the na'ka.

From this point, the gods focused on their own pursuits and maintaining the weave, leaving the mortal races to fend for themselves.

Hundreds of years passed of warring tribes, dangerous lands and nomadic peoples, before the first Emperor Long-Yu united the land of Zhan'li under his Dynasty. As a celestial dragon of immeasurable power, the lands of Zhan'li prospered and grew under his supervision into a world power that was only rivaled by the growing dune elf kingdoms of Al-Hadin far across the sea. Though peace was offered by the elves, the arrogant humans spurned any sort of treaty and rightfully earned their ire for centuries after.

After the monstrous dune dragon Zalakaz single-handedly destroyed much of the dune elf empire, the sahari people retreated deeper into the desert and for many generations became introverted as a result. It was during this time that they formed an alliance with the neighboring jinn in their city of Amataj, forming a lasting friendship that the jinn had not known up to that point.

Some of the more xenophobic dune elves decided that their desert lands were not worth protecting, and found the jinn to be an abhorrent race who would spell doom for all. It was these elves who ventured across the seas and arrived in the cold north of the land called Rhelgoth. Though many died to the elements, barbarians and savage monsters, the survivors made a home up in the World's Fang mountains. They developed an immunity to the cold after uncountable years, and became unrecognizable to their sahari cousins. Calling themselves injari, more commonly known as frost elves, they had become a wholly unique race.

Close to the present day, two hundred years before, a great thinker named Nikolai Vernes came upon the idea of a being composed entirely of clockwork design and powered by magic. This intelligent spark would develop into the first automensch, and Nikolai would go on to create many more scientific wonders. Through his own charisma and the support of nobles throughout the land of Kolnest, the people were unified under the banner of the Vernes Empire. Technological progress and prosperity became the norm where once the land was wild and untamed.

Now the world has come to a standstill, as the first colonies of Vernes people have been discovered on the shores of Zhan'Li. Taking great offense to this incursion, Emperor Shang has declared open war with the advanced nation, and sent his own emissaries to the land of Kolnest as a show of force.

War seems to reach all corners of the earth, from the deserts of Al-Hadin, to the islands of Ysriyan, to echoes of it even going so far up to the deathly cold of the World's Fang mountains. As the humans seek deliver death to one another, the other races long to remain uninvolved, while ancient evils long since buried have finally found the opportune time to reemerge.

The world has become a far more dangerous place, as the gods themselves seem nowhere to be found when Najud needs them most.

FAMOUS FIGURES

Spoiler

• GIACOMO VERNES

In the present, the current Grand Inventore of the Vernes Empire is Giacomo Vernes, only son to Ignacio and Antonella Vernes. Both of Giacomo's parents disappeared on an expedition to the Ysriyan Islands when he was only sixteen, forcing him into a leadership position as an extremely young age.

Though under immense pressure, Giacomo was assisted by his older brother Alberto and helped to bring the Vernes Empire into even greater heights of technological marvel. Born with a gifted mind and boundless imagination, he has grown into an intelligent, if somewhat shy leader who wishes only to bring the light of progress to his people and beyond. Often seen in a clockwork walker of his own design, Giacomo is responsible for the more recent upgrades to automensch technology, and secretly, has realized that they were in fact becoming self-aware.

• SULTAN SALADIN DUN'EAI

Young and and unfortunately quite sheltered, Saladin Dun'eai is the latest in a line of sahari sultans to inherit rulership of the city of Al'Jhazar. While he means well, he often makes brash and reckless decisions where his father before him might have been more patient and wise.

Raised from a young age in wealth and splendor, it was Saladin's dream to become a great adventurer, spurned on by the stories his mother would tell him by bedside. When her life was taken in a war against the teeming undead hordes that came from beneath the Forgotten Desert, he vowed he would become a warrior and protect his people in his mother's memory. That dream, however, was not to be, as his father's untimely death forced him into the position as sultan of Al'Jhazar. Where someone like Giacomo had support among the pressure, Saladin could only rely on flighty and sometimes scheming advisers.

These days, he holds a tenuous relationship with his people, and has developed a somewhat pompous attitude in response. Though he misses his father, praised as a wise and benevolent ruler in his time, he longs to escape the shadow of his legacy.

• JENAS ICEHEART

The frost elves, in all the centuries, have grown accustomed to the savagery of their cold realm of Rhelgoth. Many die before reaching maturity, and those who do are often forged into icy killing machines who could slit a throat or stab a beating heart without second thought.

But to be abandoned in the wild as an infant, left to be feasted on by wild creatures, is a fate no frost elf would wish upon another. This was the fate of Jenas Iceheart, who despite all odds, survived a lonely existence for 32 years, only to reemerge as one of the deadliest hunters that Frosthaven has ever seen. She has stalked and slain ice dragons, killed scores of barbarian warlords, and is infamous for her loyal companion since childhood: a ice-coated sabertooth cat named Rendradon.

Jenas is an elusive figure, even by frost elf standards, and will usually only appear in times of great strife and peril. Most never get to know her, and if they do, they'll rarely have her as company for long.

• OLO'MI, SHATTERING TSUNAMI

It is no secret that na'ka society has always been fiercely patriarchal. Though off-islanders have begun to change these ways, the traditional na'ka of Ysriyan still refuse to acknowledge females in the role of Grand Kona.

The tale of Olo'mi, forever titled the Shattering Tsunami, is perhaps one na'ka legend that has reached far beyond her shores. From birth, Olo'mi was blessed with coral pink skin, a rarity among na'ka and a sign that one was touched by the gods. She grew strong yet beautiful, skilled in the warrior arts and with a particular affinity for the tides of the ocean. Despite her gifts, she was still expected to marry a worthy warrior within her tribe and sire his children as all their female na'ka had done in generations past.

Instead, Olo'mi defied expectations and challenged the Grand Kona, a known warmonger who desired her for himself, to trial by combat.

Her fight was entertained briefly, only for the Grand Kona to call upon his loyalists when he found himself being beaten. Bound and defeated, Olo'mi was to be executed for her defiance. It was through sheer willpower and incredible anger that she called upon the sea itself for aid, summoning a massive tsunami that crashed down and drowned the Grand Kona and all of his loyalists under it wake. Of the survivors, only Olo'mi, her family, and those suffering under the Grand Kona's shadow survived.

Olo'mi never became Grand Kona, but her tribe's peace was assured. Instead, she left the lands of Ysriyan to seek her place in the world. She has become a legendary figure the years since, coming to the aid of the weak and downtrodden, and seeking adventure and meaning in her life all the same.

• HEAVENLY EMPEROR SHANG

It can be said that the rulers of the Yu-Long Dynasty have a divine birthright. The truth is that the first Emperor Long Yu was himself a celestial dragon in human form, and though he married a human woman, all of his descendants even thousands of years later share his draconic blood.

The latest in his line, the Heavenly Emperor Shang, is a somewhat shrewd and prideful ruler who sees the neighboring world as something to eventually conquer. He maintains alliances with neighboring lands out of convenience or out of necessity: either they are not worth invading or they provide something the Dynasty cannot be without. Thus, it's little surprise that the incursion of Vernes Empire colonies has caused his anger to flare like the fire of his ancestors breath.

Given any excuse, Emperor Shang would happily wage war on the Vernes Empire and tear down their clockwork contraptions and cowardly ways. In his mind, the world is better off under his watchful eye, and it is his worrying dream to one day unite all under the Dynasty's rule, by deadly force if necessary.

• PRINCESS IMMATERIA

As a race, the jinn have harbored much prejudice and suspicion for their alien appearance and strange powers. Though welcome in the lands of Al-Hadin and sharing an age-old alliance with the sahari, jinn are hard-pressed to find acceptance in other lands.

In recent times, it is the young daughter of their Highlord Ignos, the Princess Immateria, who seeks to change the relationship jinn have with the rest of the world.

With skin like red starlight and flowing hair that mimics a constellation, she is both a charismatic and eerily entrancing individual. It is she who has championed that the jinn, dune elves and humans of the Vernes Empire form a lasting peace; warning of the coming war with the Yu-Long Dynasty she has allegedly seen in her third sight.

Desiring nothing more than peace and understanding among the races of the world, Immateria is selfless beyond measure, and among her people, loved and cherished as an inspiration to many.

THE NATURE OF MAGIC AND THE ETERNAL FIBER

Spoiler

On Najud, all magic comes from one source: the mystical base of the universe known as the Eternal Fiber. It is this cosmic thread that the gods of Najud use to weave existence itself. It is the fuel for arcane powers, as well as the life-stuff that makes up elementals such as the jinn.

Magic is a flighty and sometimes unpredictable power, overseen by Misar in ways that mortals could not begin to comprehend. The spark to wield it is a special gift that must be trained and nurtured, and unrestrained use of magic can result in rifts in reality that can annihilate beings and destroy entire swathes of land. A great maelstrom of such "dead magic" lies within the center of the Inner Sea between Kolnest and Zhan'Li, said to be created by the god-giants of old for some unknown purpose.

Though the races of the world approach magic differently, many schools exist throughout the world to teach the willing and gifted. In Al-Hadin, the Academy of Arcane Arts is one of the foremost schools of magic in the known world. The cloud city of the jinn, Amataj, holds what is considered the greatest school of magic in the world, called the Arcanosphere. In Zhan'Li in the east, magic and martial arts are often combined under the teachings of masters in the Celestial Tower. The Vernes Empire puts magic under a more scientific lens, combining it with the sciences to create many fantastic clockwork marvels, the automenschs being their greatest achievement. Magic in Rhelgoth is strictly monitored as the cold wastes are known for arcane corruption from monstrous forces, while the na'ka practice a more druidic following in their spellcasting.

In the modern day and age, many great wizards exist, but it is the likes of Lady Immateria and the jinn race as a whole that are known for their incredible arcane prowess.

 

[Ignition]

EDIT: Updated with a full map in the first post.

 

[Ignition]

Updated with a full lineup of all five races.

 

[Ignition]

I made some updates to the races: specifically the jinn. Some things about them were a bit unclear so not anymore I hope.