Fantasy Gilded Gaia (Lore)

[Silver Wolf]

• Geography
• Races
• Magic & Mystic Beings

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  Gaia as a continent is very large and extraordinary. It was once called the Land of the Gods which is true. It is the original world, a land created and once inhabited by gods and spirits before they sealed many of themselves off in the Aether. Due to this though, the land is varied and can change drastically with biomes and environments sometimes being highly localized. From floating islands to earthquakes, many natural phenomena can sometimes not spread or reach very far, but it adds the level of depth to the land one couldn't imagine on their own. This also means mountains, forests, tundras, deserts, and many other places exist. Actually, the continent has not yet been mapped despite there being coastlines on the ends. Almost as if it may never end.
  
  
  
  
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  Despite there being a limit to the number of races, the cultures vary highly. Every cultures comparable in our world can exist here in some way, shape, or form. They can be nearly identical or similar, and even cultures in this world can be very similar, yet be so far apart. This exists to the point where there may even be small communities who are separate from everyone else, even kingdoms.
  
  
  
  As for the races I'm limiting them because this is fantasy, but I will allow for some freedom which will be explained in another tab. Anyhow, wanna see a GREAT example of what happens when you let fantasy races run amok?
  
  
  
  

  Humans

  
  
  Humans aren't the dominant race by a long shot, if you accumulate all the other races, they far outweigh humans, but individually they are the most numerous. Humans are the race of potential and creativity. Humans, with enough training, can reach many different levels in all fields. They aren't always the smartest, but they are definitely the most creative. Humans have a thing for innovation and invention. From machines to strategy they are masters of change. This flexibility comes at a price though. Humans corrupt easily, and their minds are inherently unstable. This keeps them from overtaking anyone as they will undoubtedly sink into their own wrongdoings before gaining too much power.
  
  

  Elves

  
  
  Elves are a race of of refinement. To this end they are appraised as amazing bladesmen. Elves live only ten to twenty years longer than humans on average who commonly live to their seventies. Elves also keep their youthful beauty longer. They only show signs of old age around their sixties, but even then they look like they're in their forties. They are highly perceptive and dexterous in nature, allowing them to be some of the best in the intellectual and crafting fields. Anything a human makes, an elf can usually make better. They are very capable with their hands and mind, but this comes at a price. Elves are not capable of taking many hits. As such, elvish fighting style that does require close-quarters combat often requires them to outsmart their opponents and make use of their dexterity.
  
  (Yep, no three branch subraces of elves. Dark elves still exist, but they aren't really named or classified differently.)
  
  

  Beastinari

  
  
  This is a race that lives as long as humans and shares all their external features with humans, except for a few. While having the same skin as humans, beastinari are the owners of animal tails, animal ears, and sometimes their animal's eyes or a pair of fangs. Beastinari are named so, because Inari means human in one of the ancient languages. This race is closely tied to nature. They have abilities and characteristics relating to their animals such as a fox being cunning, a rabbit being timid, etc. They can even at times manifest the characteristics of their animals into abilities. They have incredible agility and senses which allow them to identify people by smell, see in the dark and process sight faster, tactile sensitivity, enhanced taste, and excellent hearing. They are physically the most capable, but they can also inherit some of their animal's mentality and instincts. Everything from their animal's flight or fight responses to monthly or rare processes like heat and hibernation. The instincts are toned down though.
  
  

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  Magic

  
  
  The elements of magic exist as Fire, Water, Lightning, Spira, Light, Darkness, Arcana, Earth, and Air.
  
  These elements have meaning, to them. They are divided into two categories: Natural and Arcane.
  
  Natural Elements: Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, and Air
  
  Arcane Elements: Arcana, Light, Darkness/Shadow, and Spira.
  
  The Arcane elements are most important here. They are called arcane because they are closer to the Aether. The Aether being the realm of magic where spirits and gods live.
  
  Arcana is the element that ties directly with the Aether, and is therefore more difficult to master, but more powerful. It is highly conceptual, but it is the basis for all magic. It is the element of elements. It can be tied with any other element to give it special properties and vice versa, but it can't be used well on its own.
  
  Light and Darkness are the elements of faith. Nurture vs Challenge, Calm vs Chaotic, or Peace vs Conflict, are what make these what they are. Light is focused on giving and assisting while darkness/shadow is about taking and hindering/aggrevating. These two aren't easily used in their pure form outside of buffing and debuffing allies or enemies in combat. If a person is struggling with a moral conflict, their affinity for one or the other can switch.
  
  Spira is the element of spirit. It is the most conceptual, and it focuses on communication through telepathy, contacting beings from the Aether, and illusion. Telepathy is a basic, but it is very noticeable when someone is entering another's mind, contacting Aether beings and making contracts with them forms the class of spirit magic which sees these beings submissive to their master and will possess an object of their master's choice to anchor them to the mortal realm, and illusion is tricking the mind which can be done with an edit from light to show the subject pleasant things or give pleasant thoughts and shadow which will show them the opposite and give unpleasant thoughts.
  
  
  In order to prevent magic from being OPed, there is a factor known as magic resistance. Resistance is determined through one's physical endurance and mental stability (Calm, and fortuitous). This makes sword fighting just as useful as magic in many ways, although magic is the more versatile one.
  
  

  Magic Beings

  
  
  I'm going to put a * by mystic beings that are playable. (Put in Races category)
  
  Gods: powerful Aether beings capable of great feats in controlling nature, but they cannot possess objects, but they can be contracted to give power or children. Pray to gods also may encourage them to give blessings.
  
  *Spirits/Demons: A vague class for all virtuous, sinful, or neutral beings less powerful than gods. They can possess objects and be contracted to be familiars. They tend to congregate around unusual spots like old ruins, magical anomalies, and other strange places.
  
  Monsters: Animals with magic capabilities or really bizarre animals. Can be tiny rodents to leviathans of massive size.
  
  *Vampires: A special type of being able to create more of itself by making other mortal beings vampires. They are weak to Aethereal beings' power, and can absorb life essence to gain more power and prolong their life by absorbing life essence, but that is optional. If they choose not to, they just eventually begin to grow weaker back to mortal level and age, but their hunger only gets worse and never fades.
  
  *Dragons: Legendary beings of great power. Unlike monsters they are intelligent and have the power to change their shape if wanted or needed between dragon and humanoid or half-way between. They hold great elemental prowess in the nature category and can typically only use one nature element. They can be docile and literate or destructive and wild. They don't have a set lifespan, but many succumb to death in the mortal realm eventually.
  
  

  
  
  

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