This is a reader's digest version. The full version can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/docume...uglNt02NTiyA82YQXlyY
Races
All standard races exist, with the following exceptions:
Humans are rare. At least, pure-blooded humans. Almost all "humans" are actually half elves by blood, due to centuries of interbreeding and mingling with a race that lives much longer than they do. Pure-blooded humans are treated as "humans" for stats, but cannot cast innately. This means Sorcerers, Bards, and other classes that do not need to prepare their spells ahead of time are not available to pure-blooded humans.
Half-elves are not outcasts here. They are the norm.
Elves do not live in the woods and pick berries and befriend animals. Well, not proper elves. There are three sects: high elves, wood elves, and dark elves. High elves are aristocratic snobs and paladins, and are the most common. Wood elves are what's left of the original elven people before they became "corrupted by humans" or "civilized", depending on who you ask. Dark elves were actually corrupted by humans or "were awakened to their true calling". Again, depends who you ask.
Minotaur are medium creatures, not large, and have a natural Gore attack. If you want to play one, let me know - they have special stats.
There are no halflings in Aeryis. There are gnomes, however, so that's pretty close.
All other races (dwarves, orcs, gnomes, etc.) are as normal.
Traditional Geography
There are four main continents in Aeryis, each nominally ruled by a major power.
The western continent is a temperate paradise filled with forests, mountains, and valleys. Mainly inhabited by humans, dwarves, and high elves, this is the continent least likely to erupt into absolute chaos.
Part of this stability is the lack of a central government. Instead, a federation exists that governs the various people at a more localized level than is found elsewhere in Aeyris. This federation is known as The Shining Empire, and is made up of three major powers: Tris, Haedriel, and Telsid Fas.
Tris is the capital of the federation, and - if you ask its residents - the capital of the world itself. It is populated by every race except minotaur, who are summarily banned from Imperial territory.
Haedriel is the seat of power for the high elves, a pretentious order of artisans and paladins that value the laws of their god above the laws of man. It is not coincidental that most of the Empire's laws mirror those of the order.
Telsid Fas is the mountain fortress of the dwarven kingdoms. Set in the northernmost section of the continent, it has borne the brunt of the tide of gnomish refugees from the north. These mountains are almost set on an island, which is connected to the mainland of the continent by only a narrow bridge of stone; it is said that the land was once fully connected, but ancient dwarves dug a trench into the sea itself in order to isolate themselves from their louder, occasionally obnoxious neighbors.
Notably, the southernmost city of the Empire was recently captured by the Drynnian Dominion, then razed to the ground during the battle to reclaim it. The site remains abandoned, tainted by the dark energies involved in the struggle. The Haedriel Order has been frustrated in their attempts to purify the land time and time again, but vows to keep trying. The city is currently occupied by the exiled Drynnian government.
The Shining Empire is currently allied with Lodestone, has signed a cease-fire with Drynn, and is in a state of de-facto war with Grelkic - a "nation" whose authority they do not recognize as a political entity. You'll read more about all nations below.
The southern continent is a humid land filled with jungles, marshes, and swamps. Called Drynn, it is ruled by an organization known as the Dominion. It is an odd government, in that the ruling Tyrant (yes, that is the title they use) commands side-by-side with the High Priest of Kazul. Generally, the Tyrant handles military and diplomatic affairs while the High Priest handles economic affairs.
Drynn is a nasty land filled with nasty people. Drow, druegar, orcs, and humans make up the bulk of the population. The laws are as horribly unfair as they are strictly enforced, and non-citizens are typically treated little better than slaves.
The situation in recent history, however, is different. The current Tyrant is a reform-minded individual who has issued sweeping changes that have improved the lives of most citizens in dramatic ways. The current High Priest, appalled, openly resisted these changes, and was relieved of his duties as a result. The High Priest fled to the Temple of Kazul, which is located in Drynn's capital (imaginatively named Drynn) and is considered nigh-impenetrable -- both due to its zealous defenders and due to the fact that the Tyrant's troops are loathe to piss off their patron deity by assaulting his priest and defiling his cathedral.
As you might imagine, this has caused so much stress that a stiff sneeze could topple the entire continent into civil war. And it did.
The specifics are unclear, but somehow the Tyrant and his armies arrived on the southern shores of the Western Continent not 50 years ago, founding a new capital-in-exile in the ruins of Loe'driel. The Highborn attempted to purge them from their fallen city, but the rest of the Empire did not join them for fear of unifying the warring splinters of Drynn under a fresh enemy.
The Emerald Flame was ultimately repelled, leaving Loe'driel in Dominion hands. For now.
Drynn (both the Tyrant's government and the one run by the church of Kazul) is allied with Grelklic and maintains an uneasy ceasefire with the Shining Empire.
The northern continent is a frozen tundra that was once ruled by the eccentric gnomish civilization with an even (if unpredictable) hand. Their three massive cities spanned above and below the ground, and were interconnected beneath the surface using an ingenious series of transportation tubes.
The gnomes control over the territory was not absolute; they were constantly fending off the advances of a rapidly growing, increasingly more sophisticated threat: roaming tribes of minotaur. These creatures eventually banded together under a great warlord, who united the tribes and laid siege to the gnomish cities. Minotaur in Aeryis are a naval power, and successfully blockaded Gnomish efforts to request aid from their allies across the sea.
By the time support finally arrived, the Shining Empire's armies of humans, dwarves, and high elves found all three cities razed to rubble, occupied by the minotaur. The gnomish people are still alive, however, sealed in the subterranean portion of their cities even as the minotaur tribes have constructed cities of their on the ground above them.
The northern continent is current considered contested territory, ruled by the minotaur from their capital of Grelklic and by the gnomes from their sunken capital of Lodestone. Grelklic is allied with the Drynnian Dominion. Lodestone is allied with the Shining Empire.
The eastern continent is an arid land dotted with oasises and sand dunes. It's a merchantile power, where commerce is king. Ruled by the Sultan and his Janissaries, all are welcome in its cities. Decorum is generally kept, as there are swift and savage penalties for an activities (tavern brawls, etc.) that could disrupt the flow of business. Minotaurs and gnomes, drow and high elves, humans and orcs -- you can find all races shopping, drinking, and bantering (if uneasily) side-by-side in the East.
The Sultanate is the only organization with political ties to every other political entity in Aeryis, and maintains a vastly powerful navy to escort its merchant fleets around the world. It has never declared war on another nation, though it has attempted to end them through tariffs. It does, however, maintain an aggressive campaign against pirates.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:34, Wed 18 Sept 2013.
