An Introduction to Valisthea
This is a world doomed to be used as fuel for a parasitic, mad God's designs. A stepping-stone towards some greater plan that has never been realized. While the cycles have kept it safe from being consumed in its entirety, only the complete destruction of the parasite will ensure its survival.
And the Guardian has had enough of the endless cycles.
The legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough
Welcome to the Twin Continents of Valisthea
The continents of Storm and Ash, known more commonly as simply The Twins. Blessed with the presence of the Mothercrystals, life upon their shores was once far easier, given the presence of Crystal Shards distributed to the common people. But with the encroaching march of the Blight upon their lands, the tides are changing faster than anyone can keep up with, forcing conflict between the myriad peoples of the land with greater frequency as time passes onward.
A new era is approaching, one whose future hangs in the balance. Either new lands, free of the Blight, are found, or all life shall choke to death upon blackened ash...
Quick Orientation
The lands of Valisthea are ripe with fantastical laws and sights, as well as dangerous facets of life, many of which are detailed below.
Aether
The invisible force in Valisthea that serves as the most basic building block of life, and the energy from which magics are cast. It exists in everything and everyone, from the soil to the humans and beastmen, though not everyone are capable of manipulating it freely.
For all of the positive that aether provides, there are always downsides should too much or too little of anything exist: aether floods turn anything within it Akashic, overrun by the aether and little more than mindless beasts. Too little aether, and the very land becomes inhospitable to all forms of life.
The Mothercrystals
Sometimes referred to as "the Mothers", these massive monoliths of crystal tower over the surrounding landscape, granting their immediate surroundings protection from the Blight and a land replete with aether. Mining efforts of the Mothercrystals provide the Crystal Shards used throughout the Twins - some larger, used communally, and some small enough to be held in one hand. A vast number of nations have risen and fallen at the feet of the Mothercrystals, and control over them is a constant struggle, given the advantages holding claim over a Mothercrystal gives a nation, both at home and politically.
Despite the many benefits, there exists a small number of individuals who believe that the Mothercrystals are not as benevolent as they appear. These individuals have never gained much traction or support, however, leaving them to exist in the shadows of history.
The Blight
A form of sickness affecting the lands of Valisthea, leaving behind only blackened earth devoid of all aether. Nothing lives where the Blight has taken over: plants are as black as the earth itself, animals and people alike are driven away towards fertile lands, and even the water itself is affected. These Deadlands are left uninhabited by all, and are ever-expanding with no way to halt its march, or reverse its effects.
Types of Magic User
Eikons and Dominants
Eikons, beings of near-godlike capabilities, first made their appearance over 700 years ago, around a hundred years after the signing of the Continental Accord. These beings are always held within mortal forms, which became known simply as Dominants, and their power is highly valued by the nations of the Twins. Each Eikon represents a singular element, granting their Dominant incredible magical aptitude towards their element, and in general.
No matter how the Dominant is treated by those who have claimed their services, it is impossible to escape their fate.
Bearers
Those identified as having magic from an early age are known as Bearers, quite literally because they bear magic. In contrast to Dominants, their power levels are much lower, and their value is in the negatives. With the presence of Crystal Shards, Bearers are considered little more than property, not even viewed as human beings from the time that their magic is identified.
A Bearer is identified by a tattoo upon their left cheek that is made of an ink whose base is a powerful wyvern tail poison, making its removal dangerous, delicate, and painful. Many have taken to referring to Bearers as the slang terminology "Branded" because of this mark.
Not everyone has negative opinions of Bearers, but they are the vast minority, operating in the shadows and against the law in order to free them from their enslavement and servitude. The current Archduke of Rosaria has plans to emancipate the Bearers of his nation, but they are slow in implementation.
The Crystal's Curse
A fact of life that all users of magic must face, the Crystal's Curse is the side effect of extended draw of a person's aether on the body. Unlike those who use a Crystal Shard to draw aether from the air, Dominants and Bearers draw from within themselves, with a small portion never returning to the body. This ends in the slow petrification of their bodies, resulting in a painful death.
A form of funeral for those who succumb to the Curse is to scatter the dust created of their bodies into water. Though due to the general opinions of Bearers, this does not often occur.
Regions
While the Twin Continents are not the only landmasses upon the star of Valisthea, they are central to the mad God's plans, with the Outer Continent being largely ignored. Little is known of the Outer Continent regardless, given how few travel to and from its shores. These are the current nations that exist upon the Twins, and which Mothercrystal is under their control, if any.
- Grand Duchy of Rosaria - A nation founded 250 years ago, led by the Dominant of Phoenix, and granted the blessing of the Drake's Breath Mothercrystal. It is located upon Storm's western coast, and mostly consists of marshlands and forests.
- Iron Kingdom - A nation located on a collection of islands just off the western coast of Storm, ostensibly led by their monarchy but in truth, they are led by the leaders of the Crystalline Orthodoxy. Viewing any human who utilizes magic as a heathen and abomination, they are shunned by the rest of the continents, and are often considered savages for these views. Currently, they are content to harass Rosaria before turning their attentions elsewhere.
- Crystalline Dominion - The only neutral nation, and the smallest of the nations upon the Twins, the Dominion resides at the base of the Drake's Tail Mothercrystal, on a small island in the central region of the Twins. The Dominion's history is fraught, and has only just been allowed to operate as an independent nation again due to previous influences by the Crystalline Orthodoxy.
- Kingdom of Waloed - A young nation being founded on the southeastern region of Ash by the Dominant of Odin. While looked upon as upstarts and religious zealots, this nation is the only one that has the interests of all peoples in mind, no matter their magical capabilities.
- Kingdom of Veldermarke - A nation that rules the largest swathe of viable land on northern Ash, and who holds control of the Drake's Spine Mothercrystal. They have several alliances and trade agreements with the other, smaller nations to maintain a position of power on the continent.
And more coming soon...
What's This For?
Not only am I fleshing out a preexisting world so that it seems larger and fuller than it currently is, but I am then curating details for a hopefully epic time travel story. Aspects of the currently known world will be altered, the fates of characters twisted, but in the end, there can only be one winner, and one loser in this battle over the fate of the world.
What Genre is This?
Dark Fantasy
While magic is well known, it is primarily used to make life easier for the common people, especially crystals. People with magic, or Bearers, are looked down upon and enslaved at a young age, forced to work in terrible conditions until the end of their lives. Treatment of Bearers differs from nation to nation, and even on a smaller scale there are differing treatments and opinions surrounding Bearers.
Character Driven
While this is a big world full of continent-spanning events, it's the actions of a select group of characters that changes how these events unfold. Even what seems like small-scale problems will cause ripples to form in the future. It's just a toss-up on whether these ripples will cause good or bad changes.
However, this also includes the cast of antagonists, and their plots and designs are often harder to counteract.
Tone
It's generally dark, though there is always an undercurrent of hope for a better future. In general, though, the world has a lot of problems, and solving those problems tend to cause more to appear.
What's the Tech Level?
One of the consequences of the Mothercrystals and the Shards mined from them is that the technological level is particularly low. At the highest, the currently understood levels of technology are somewhere between the 13th century and the 17th century, with much of the latter age's technology being highly theoretical and currently unfeasible. In general:
- Sailing ships are prevalent, made of wood and using sails for propulsion. Ships made of metal or utilizing any form of engine are unheard of, with many engineers considering them to be impossible.
- Paper and Glass are available all over the world, though they are very expensive.
- Sovereignty is clearly defined, though shifts quite a bit depending on the rise and fall of nations. Despite the defined national boundaries, the influence of the central government gradually fades away in the distant rural areas. Nations have flags, borders, passports, and generalized cultures that their peoples identify as.
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