Kingdoms of the Smoking Skies

The world of Tegrania is a land of progress and conflict, where the rise of industry has begun to overshadow the magic that once shaped civilization. It is divided into four great continents, each with its own history, cultures, and struggles: Aelfra, the heart of industrialization, where powerful nations wrestle with political upheaval and the waning influence of magic. Loreas, a land of ancient empires and ambitious republics, balancing tradition and modernity as they navigate economic turmoil and expansionist aspirations. Yazhou, a continent shaken by foreign intervention and internal strife, where imperial powers and revolutionary movements clash over the future of the region. Vaerstrum, an abandoned and frozen wasteland, holding the remnants of lost civilizations and secrets that may yet reshape the world. Magic, once the foundation of society, is now fading into obsolescence as industrialization and technological advancement reshape Tegrania. Why spend decades mastering teleportation when railways span continents? Why hire battlemages when war machines and firearms are mass-produced? This shift has fractured societies, leading to tensions between traditionalists who seek to preserve the arcane arts and industrialists who champion progress. While magic still exists, its role has changed. Wizards who once wielded great political influence are now forced into specialized roles, working as enchanters for factories, artificers in research labs, or even criminals providing illegal arcane services. Some magical academies struggle to stay open, their funding redirected to industrial programs. Others attempt to merge magic with machinery, creating magi-tech hybrids that push the boundaries of invention. Even so, remnants of the magical past linger. In the frozen ruins of Vaerstria, in the untouched groves of Lialand, and within the vaults of forgotten civilizations, secrets remain—perhaps holding the key to reviving magic or reshaping the world once more.