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The world is...

Human-centric
The opening background features a human-dominated kingdom called the Central Empire. Although the PC's may choose to play non-human characters the majority of NPC's they meet will be human. The game will focus on the development of human regional relations touching briefly on other non-human civilization that may exist on this world. Most NPCs that the PC's have daily interaction with will be human. The appearance of non-human NPC's in priority of probability of the standard races are: Dwarf (StoneFolk), Halflings (Yutani), Half-elf (iKKosi), Half-orcs (Ogrun), and, with extreme rarity, Elves (Galagen).  Point in fact Elves are so rare that most humans will regularly confuse any half-elf seen as an elf, and an elf as one of the nearly mythical Fae.  And what are |Fae?

PC's which play non-human races may deal with feelings of isolation as well as the occasional bit of intolerance. Please note that I am not attempting to discourage anyone from playing a non-human.  I'm merely 'setting the stage' for normal interactions in the Central Empire if and or when the characters leave they will be subject to a different sort of normative behavior but its unlikely to be truly egalitarian tolerance common in the worlds of D&D.

Cosmopolitan
Despite the dominance of humanity, a large number of non-humans are implied to exist, inside the known atlas but outside of Imperial Arch. Strictly speaking the Blood Covenant is an agreement of peace between the Border Kingdoms, the Provinces, and the Arkosian Keys. The Arkosian Keys are the ruling factions of the central hub of the largest nations of the Central Empire's known atlas, and has thereby been declared "the civilized world". But this is hardly the large part of Arkos, it merely the scope of hubris of humanity declaring themselves the center of the world.  A Aristocrat of Arkos holds specific powers granted by the Covenant of Kings recognized, by treaty, across all key nation-states of the Empire - and may try claim exception to a host of laws that are applicable to commoners but not the Aristocracy.   But once you leave the Imperial Arch; you can really only expect to define what is yours by the strength of your arm or the speed of your wit.

Pre-Industrial
Like most fantasy societies there is a real disparity in the have and the have-nots. The fact is 75% of the population of the Central Empire are farmer gathering resources in an ultra harsh, seemingly lush jungle.. Twenty percent may only worry about food on a weekly basis, but the concern remains  Scrambling to provide refined product for the resources shipped to them - craftsmen and merchant classes. Four percent are consistently moving to maintain growth over the survival of their neighboring nations - the nobility.  Trade, Craft, Professions, and Knowledge are just beginning to bridge the gap to an industrial world from the agrarian one but many of the modern conveniences have yet to be attained. Gunpowder being the most obvious one.

Transcendent
The fastest and most luxurious method of travel in this age is limited to Age of Sail type ships. While some towns may be within protected walking distance to each other; most major cities are weeks if not months of travel apart. Although most townships are recognized to belong to the same Kingdom, the accordance of law is maintained by roaming marshals and road judges where the town is too small to have an official court of justice.

Isolated
The restraint on the speed of travel between towns has led to the assignment of power in the hands of local officials. This isolation means that all kinds of agents, from merchants to generals, must show initiative and be may reasonably independent from their political superiors. Since local rulers cannot be directly controlled by central authority, assume that daily affairs are managed by the local nobility.

Fallen
Arkos has suffered a global apocalypse.  All current civilizations have been cobbled together from the pieces of a once a pervasive Arcane Superpower. Over centuries since the Fall, man has dealt with harsh battles with the elements, internal wars over land and control, and all of the 'monsters' just outside of the meager circle of firelight provided by civilized behavior.  Unifying nations called Keys were originally formed by Nine legendary heroes which pulled the world from the brink of extinction and established the Blood Covenant to regulate power between the nations. Their vision may not have been the Feudal Dystopia which exists today but that's impossible to know and possibly treasonous to ask.

Dynamic
The citizens within the central empire battle for political dominance among their own and for resources outside of the Imperial Arch - as well as defend against the horrors outside In The Dark. Each Nation trades with other nation-states by sail; as few land routes may be safely traveled.  Whatever the motivations are of specific rulers who govern in Arkos, overall the Rule of Law declares that each monarchy its no longer its own feudal totalitarian regime although proving that might be difficult. Each of the Nine Keys deal in good faith with the others according to the great compact known as the Blood Covenant. Each Key Nation governs its own provinces and borders kingdoms although a duly recognized external noble may be recognized as a representative of a lesser kingdom within the House of Lords

Survivors
There is a pervasive feeling of loss to have fallen from the legendary to normal and while many people continue to show courage, wisdom, honesty, and pursue the ideals of justice - there are also those who lie, cheat, steal and complain about anything 'bad' that happens to them ...succumbing to despair.  Many people may be hoping for a Heroic Savior but most are trying not to be the scapegoat when comes time to dole out blame when those in positions of authority are around... which is what Aristocratic Justice has become.

Mistrust
 Among the peasantry, formal Arcane trappings are looked at with no small bit of distrust ... as it is the use of magic which is blamed:   for the Cataclysm, for the disasters which followed it,  for the horrors of the Days of Rage ...for why one city-state is at war with another  ...for the deadly touch of the savage wild  ... in fact, basically anything bad that is happening or has happened which is considered unfortunate is usually blamed on some application of sorcery.

Inconstant
People blame magic but they don't actually stop using it.  Divine works are as much at risk to this kind of mindless branding as actual Arcane magics.  The gods are widely believed to have left man to die during The Age of Ending... a belief which cannot be disputed by many priests who cannot access the divine power which they should have access. In many Keys there are monasteries where  'Battle Brothers which are capable of stupendous superhuman feats but openly condemn others who seek sorcerers power.

Most people, even heroes who are capable of true wonders, hide their ability in publicly accepted forms of independent knowledge (alchemy, herbalism, artificery, and mentalism), minimally suspicious fringe practitioners (mysticism, folk ritualists, and chirurgons)  or align themselves with divine providence the Church Triumphant - otherwise risk being branded in league with Pagan Deviltry. Despite the connection to such pagan faiths most people attribute the constant physical reality of nature [the tides, the sunrise, the moon, the starts, the cycle of growth] to a set of iconic and amoral elemental forces known as the Protogenoi.

Corrupt
It is a common tale where ecumenical leaders attempt to acquire power however they can, over whomever they can... by intimidation, diplomacy, or righteousness. These charlatans often purport divine acceptance while seeking taboo power.  This label doesn't just apply to common cultists but also to the apparent excesses of the Aristocracy of Arkos or the petty tyrannies of the Border Barons. While it may be true that It is beyond the Edge of the Frontier that real evil lays ...few have known that distinction.

Hope Springs Eternal
At the bosom of this Dystopia the people tenaciously hold to the mystery of the enigmatic urban legend of Dogtown. According to common tale, this utopia is an Akashic stronghold where transcendent beings are still protected by the full faith of the Elder Gods and the Arcane Arts are still firmly benevolent. Furthermore, Agents of Dogtown are in this world working to bring True Justice concerned with the greater good to all.  Whatever the truth may be, Dogtown is peasant fantasy that the rulers of the Arkos have been unable to squash.

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