World Encyclopedia
in NovendragosA Preface to the Known World
To understand Novendragos is not to memorize its maps, but to trace the fractures in its alliances. It is a world ruled not merely by dragons, but by those who interpret their will—syndics, inquisitors, cultic seers, and rebel orders who hold truth as both currency and cudgel. Tread carefully, for knowledge, too, has a price.
You have opened the archives of a world forged, not formed. The bedrock of Novendragos was tempered in myth and molten pact, and its very air still trembles with the latent force of primordial creation. The earth is veined with the relics of imprisoned gods and the crystallized ichor of their fall—dragocite, a mineral of radiant potency and dubious temperament, now the fuel of a new and dangerous age.
This encyclopedia is your guide through this perilous and wondrous land. It is a record of the axioms, histories, and bitter truths that govern this world. But be warned: to read these pages is to invite the attention of those who would prefer such knowledge remain hidden.
The Draconic Accord
The current age is defined by the Ninefold Pact, a draconic covenant established after the cataclysmic Elemental Deluge that gave rule of the realms back to dragonkind. Ancient dragons, the scions of the elder Tro'Kai, now rule as potentates and overlords, their will the ultimate law. Their stewardship has brought a new era of stability and progress, but it is an order built on the ashes of forgotten empires and maintained by the ever-present threat of overwhelming power.
The Ten Nations
The great supercontinent is divided into ten nations, each with its own unique culture, people, and draconic patron.
- Kendron: The Gilded Kingdom, a beacon of arcane-industrial innovation and ordered society in the east.
- Shal Manzir: A nation of opulent beauty and haunted memory, struggling to atone for the sins of its ancient, xenophobic past.
- Kratakahn: The wild, untamed plains ruled by an inscrutable Amethyst Dragon, home to fiercely independent nomadic tribes.
- Dikkatsek: The great northern forge-lands of the dwarves, a land of fire, industry, and unwavering loyalty to their tyrannical red dragon master.
- The Chiryu Sovereignty: An enigmatic, isolationist empire of dragon-kin who operate from the shadows of the western mountains.
- Nelamdra: The hidden, psionic realm of the Dream Fae, where the veil between worlds is thin and reality is a fluid concept.
- Hamurk: The frozen, savage frontier of the far south, where only the strongest survive under the gaze of a brutal white dragon.
- Tanbhu: A vibrant, spiritual kingdom of deep forests and high mesas, ruled by a wise topaz dragon.
- Myrrandor: A shadowed, poison-laced jungle under the tyrannical rule of a reclusive green dragon.
- Nakashima: A mist-shrouded archipelago of mystics and spirit-warriors who remain independent of draconic rule.
- Gregoran: A solitary island theocracy, home to the most zealous and uncompromising worshippers of Vro'kahn.
World Codex
The Great Factions
Power in Novendragos flows not just from thrones, but from the great factions that operate within and between the nations. These are the guilds, cults, and orders who are the true players in the world's grand, dangerous game.
- The Alchemedica Institute: The medical authority, crucial for any plot involving plagues, strange mutations, or bio-arcane ethics.
- The Drakarchate: The state's secret police and "editors of history." While their presence is subtle, they are the ultimate power behind the scenes, perfect for high-level campaigns involving forbidden knowledge and existential threats.
- The Brotherhood of Protectors: The everyday city watch. They are the face of the law for low-level characters and the primary point of contact for any civic-level crime investigation.
- The Drakemetal Vanguard: The elite, magi-tech armored enforcers of the Draconic Accord in Kendron.
- The Knights of Man: A seditious, human-supremacist cult that seeks to overthrow all draconic rule.
- The Lumenarch Collegium: Kendron's preeminent academic institution, and the gatekeepers of sanctioned knowledge.
- The Order of the Platinum Sun: The official state church. They are a source of sanctuary, divine quests, and conflict with the city's more secular or heretical elements.
- The Siphoners' Union: The enigmatic keepers of the power grid. Any adventure involving a major infrastructure crisis or an energy-related mystery will lead directly to them.
- The Umbral Serpents: A clandestine criminal syndicate that controls the illicit trade of dragocite and forbidden secrets.
- The Vaerocasian Consortium (The Merchants' Guilds): They are the economic heart of Platinus. Their rivalries, wealth, and constant demand for resources and protection make them a primary source of quests that aren't directly tied to the military or state security.
- The Azhra Cults: The insidious servants of primordial chaos, who worship the monstrous azhra and seek to unleash their bound Titan masters.
This is the world as it stands. A land of wondrous beauty and profound danger, of soaring progress and ancient, simmering hatreds. Turn the page, scholar. The truth awaits.