Chapter I with some minor changes and Chapter II's first parts, just need some thoughts on Chapter II and its form and what should be elaborated on/changed/etc. before i continue further.
Chapter I
The Beginning
Long ago, there was only darkness, and from that darkness was born a being. This being did not know much, but had an insatiable wanderlust. Yet there was nothing but darkness wherever it would go. After a while he began to see something curious, tiny white strings in the darkness. He was bewildered by their beauty in the darkness, yet they were all perfectly ordered, going in all directions for what seemed as forever. He had never seen Order before, intrigued he reached out to touch them, as he touched them they became disorderly and started to convulse, from this Chaos came the first things. With his touch the strings became stars.
Amazed he reached out into the darkness and with his touch filled it with gleaming lights. For but a moment he felt happy, but then he felt the sadness for he did not know what else could be done. In a flight of rage he hit a star which became the Sun. As its light filled the darkness he noticed an area filled with perfectly ordered strings, and as such chose that could not do. He enveloped it and embraced it in its arms, so that he may slowly shape the strings to his liking. And thus the world was born. This is the moment where we lose track of our curious creator and this is the beginning of our story.
Ages passed and the strings convulsed and shaped into many things from the original force of his touch. The first beings were born on the sloped of Mt. Ekithra known as the Ekithreans these beings possessed a curious ability to judge the merit of anyone or anything. Giving them the knowledge of the best course of action and how things would play out. This ability came to be known as the Sight of Judgement. They watched observantly as other beings came into existence, most were seen as harmless to the equilibrium their culture was built around. Then something unexpected happened, nine stars fell from the sky. The Ekithreans rushed to find nine infant beings whose very presence radiated magic. Each of these beings was completely different but intrinsically they were the same so the Ekithreans gave their race a name, the Immortals. These were the first beings for which the Sight of Judgement foretold a great shift in the Equilibrium. The Ekithreans came to the conclusion that the best course of action was to raise these beings into the position of gods. So that the powerful benevolent beings could help them protect the equilibrium and all life for all eternity. But it was not to be so.
Shortly after a new race came into being on the slopes of the Suggannara mountain, known only as the World Weavers these enigmatic beings had a special sight, much like their Ekithrean counterparts. However instead of merit and effect, these beings could see the strings of the world. Through this sight and a plague like curiosity and need for change much like the creator of old, they started to tamper with the strings. Through this they created an intricate magical art of limitless possibilities for which they would later be named, world weaving.
With a hunger of knowledge, creation and innovation they created many powerful magical arts, artifacts and beings. Which quickly earned them the hatred of their neighbors the Ekithreans, as they saw it as an affront to their equilibrium and the natural state of all things. As their awareness of the world and power over it grew the World Weavers became more aware of the Immortals whom the Ekithreans hid from them. Treating them as gods, the still infant immortals were on their way to becoming great guardians of the world. When the World Weavers became aware of their existence they demanded from the Ekithreans they be presented to them for evaluation and study. The Ekithreans refused, for they knew what awaited them if they did so. Enslavement, experimentation and worse would befall the young Immortals, which would fill them with hate and turn them away from the conservation of the world.
This act plunged the two races into war, which the Ekithreans ultimately lost to the superior power of the World Weavers. Their race decimated by the might of their enemy the survivors were forced to carve out great hallways within their sacred mountain and then were bound in a timeless state within its walls, forever to judge whatever being their new masters sent to them. While their dead brethren were harvested for their magical bones which the World Weavers fashioned into artifacts of immense power.
The fate that awaited the Immortals was equally as horrific. Captured and bound one by one they were experimented on, the World Weavers warped their forms, increased their powers, derived magics and artifacts from their bodies and energies, and even used them as slaves to construct their great monuments. Only one managed to escape, but he had already undergone great torment, his heart as the hearts of his brethren swelled with hatred for their captors, and soon for all life. Deep down remained memories of them being treated as gods, which would later resurface.
Nigh a hundred years would pass before something unexplainable happened, much like the curious creator, the World Weavers inexplicably disappeared. Leaving behind their artifacts, magics, monuments and imprisoned immortals filled with hatred for all life. Since their birth the World Weavers began counting time, the last date on their calendar read the year 132. Many years would pass before the rise of man and other lesser races, but in the end the greatest fears of the Ekithreans came to pass. From what history the people of the future would piece together to them the Ekithreans and World Weavers became symbols. Order and Change, forever in a struggle, like the curious creator and the darkness in which he lived.
Chapter II
They stood up
Since the disappearance of the World Weavers four millennia have passed. As time passed the artifacts, monuments, experiments and creations of the World Weavers passively influenced the lesser creatures that resided in their presence. Many of them evolved from their primitive animalistic forms into sentient beings. They built their societies around whatever remnants of the weavers lay beside their strongholds. Among the many races that were born the humans were the first to establish the first kingdoms. Compared to other races they are not the most adept either physically, mentally or it he magical arts. However their superior numbers helped them rise above the other beings. In the west, on the haunting peninsula known as Blood Reach live the IdSkara, horrifying bird creatures adept at magics derived from the blood of their victims. In the east, within the Emerald Wilds alongside humans live the Rashave tiger people. In the Misty Marsh live Nadrai, secretive blue skinned humanoids that live in a matriarchal society. To their north west in the difficult terrain of the Steelstone peninsula alongside the pockets of human and dwarf populations live the Kon, stone people with an insatiable ehm.. sex drive. Humans however can be found all across the world, from the south to the north, while they are widely different from area to area. These are just a few of the many beings that arose from the magics the world weavers left behind.
The year is 4132, most of the population lives in the north western parts of the world. In the kingdoms of Yurd, Ororial and Bascar and Everbloom. In the south the most populated areas are the Emerald Wilds, Scallywag bay and the islands known as the Three Sisters. In the north the area of the Badai Highlands is the most populous with smaller groups living in the Azure Tundra and northern areas of the Regal Savanah. The most scarcely populated areas lie in the East by the Heaving Sea. Such as Solemn Reach, Kesat and Blood Reach.
At the moment the world is in a state of relative peace, but a storm is brewing, its been four thousand years and the prisons of the Immortals have been slowly decaying into disarray. It is only a matter of time before they break. In recent years folks from rural areas have been flocking to the three kingdoms in search of a better life and greater opportunities. I guess it is time for me to elaborate on these places in greater detail.
Partition I
The Three Kingdoms
In the central areas of the North Western part of the world reside the three great kingdoms on the shores of the Sea of Yurd. Their names are Yurd, Ororial and Bascar. The three have held an uneasy alliance for the past half a century for the sake of peace and economic growth. However tensions flare especially between the two more powerful ones Yurd and Ororial.
For you see Yurd is the richest and most corrupt of the three, in the south west of Yurds territories lies the Yurd Woad, the source of the best wood for ship building in the world. With the sale of this wood and its abundance for the construction of ships, Yurd has dominated the Sea of Yurd. Which has lead to condemnation by Ororial as to their overfishing of the sea and attempts at intimidation of their ruling class.
Yurd on the outside seems like a great place to live, a place of ample opportunity and great wealth, its seaside districts are areas of beauty and serenity. But they mask the inner slums where poverty and corruption is a daily battle. The city is split into four districts The Waterfront, The Woad Gate, The Slums and The Palace Grounds.
The King of Yurd is the absolute ruler, his word is law, underneath him is a Senate whose very existence is a joke for most people who live in the kingdom. The king is a power hungry, greedy, nymphomaniac. And so is his queen and eldest three sons, of which he has four. Only one of his sons and his only daughter are, well you could call them very.. well interesting. The king is well known forcing random people he takes a liking to on the streets of the town into his bedchamber, and gender is of little importance to him. His wife would often compete with him, in an attempt to make him jealous, but shed only get the most handsome male specimens as she would call them. Sadly those poor sods would be beheaded after the queen succeeded in making her husband jealous. So, my personal suggestion, is avoid being attractive and being seen by the king and queen, that is if you dont want to be beheaded or well you get the idea.
Among the many political forces vying the kings attention are the Crimson Cathedral who gained their power and influence from a miraculous cure all substance they will give anyone who submits to the will of their church. They obtain this substance from a pair of live wings which are seemingly attached to a wall at the far end of the Cathedral. Day by day they bleed these wings for their magical blood, giving it out to he faithful in exchange for tributes and submission. Little do they know that behind that wall is a very unpleased immortal. Hehe, wonder what will happen if the wall crumbles apart.
The other is the School of Yurd, one of the three magical schools in the world. The School of Yurd is more like a mercenary guild than a school however. They have more than a thousand members who ranking is based on a subjective view of the higher ups of how powerful they are and the number of successful jobs they have completed. Its quite easy to get into it, you just need to know atleast one job applicable magical art in order to get in, complete a trial job and boom, youre in. Of course youll have to suck up to the higher ups and do a lot of work if you want to succeed. Most of the jobs offered by the school are things like mercenary, body guard, caravan guard, logging, intimidation and other jobs one would expect one would use a regular thug for. Rather than a magical one. The Yurd School loves to boast about their great wealth and power however in truth they are the weakest of the three schools. They are the second most politically active group in Yurd, and the most politically active school of the three. Interestingly enough the school has a decent library for the study of magic, which for some reason most of its members dont even know about. Their members are mostly thugs who have some small aptitude for magic and think that throwing a fireball makes them a hot shot, hehe. Consider yourself lucky if you get mentored by a higher up, otherwise youre just a glorified mercenary if youre in this group.
The School and the Cathedral are at constant odds and are continuously vying for he kings affection, in truth only the king gains from this arrangement. While its not great by any means, most regular people who live in the city are just happy they get to live there. Sadly they dont know that whats paradise by comparison is right next to them.
Ororial is the second most powerful kingdom, its riches stem from the import and export of exotic goods from their neighbors in Everbloom and the sweetest and most succulent fruit that they grow on their lands. Ororial is ruled by a democratic senate of 10 representatives, during the elections you can nominate anyone by name, if they get enough votes they get spot on the senate. The king of Ororial is the leader of the Senate and is known as the Eleventh. He has as much power as any senator and is an overall advisor for the group. Ororial is often badmouthed by Yurd as a horrible place to live, filled with slaves and a horrible group of people who overthrew their king. But that is far from the truth.
Ororial is a beautiful city a bit away from the shores of the Sea of Yurd, it looks at the second tallest mountain in the world to is north, Mt. Orore. From it flows a river of crystal clear water which they use to irrigate their orchards. The city itself is build into width its shape is circular when looked from above, in its center is the palace where the Senate congregates. Around it is a circular walled off area in which the markets and businesses reside. A road directly south leads to its docks where most of the export business takes place. The outer ring past the markets and business is comprised of high end residences, the citys streets are wide and spacious, so much so that you can get a ride via carts to any area of the city. Outside the city walls reside outstretched villages surrounded by orchads, and all their roads lead directly into the city.
Ororial is this peaceful however because they are very harsh on criminals, albeit you dont get your hands cut off if you dont have anything to be taken away from you materially if you stole something for example. However harsher crimes get strict punishment, murderers get drowned, rapists get ehm snipped. But overall its one of the safest places you could live. Even though getting a footing is hard, unless you want to spend your entire life producing fruit or running a market stall. One other great issue is that Ororial has no magic schools, of course there are practitioners but there is no school in and of itself, so many people searching for such arts just pass on by.
The Third and poorest kingdom is Bascar. Due to the fact that the Bascar peninsula is a harsh environment with little natural resources and farmable land, the people of Bascar took to the arts, predominantly stone masonry. So in turn for their great artworks they would get the funds and resources they needed to survive. More than half its population was in the stone masonry business. Bascar use to be ruled by a king and a few Art guilds who saw most of the money that flowed through the city. But that all changed when the Witch known as Leucia wielding the magic known as the Flame of Will and the Plague of Life Darmamu stormed the city with an army of stone creatures and overthrew the king and proclaimed herself Queen of Bascar, leaving him alive and imprisoned in the citys dungeons. Now most of the people slave away in the citys underground sewers and chambers making monstrous statues for her army. These creatures however must drink blood in order to stay alive, so from time to time some of the citizens will inexplicably disappear never to be seen again. Since that day Bascar has been in a constant state of decay and its people are losing hope that things will get better.
