READ THIS FIRST: The following is mainly for creating your character's background. The game will take place in the New World and Jobenport, so don't worry too much about the other details. Feel free to help me fill them in, though.

Solenter Empire: The main power in the world of Terre, ruling almost the entire known continent of Afran

• Founded by Solen Gafras approximately 2,000 years ago, with his heirs still holding the title of High Lord
• Ruled by Humans of the Felanon Coast and Afran Plains (North and Center respectively) who have conquered and annexed the following realms:
  
  • Dyved Plains and Everen Forests (West): Home of the High Elves and Wood Elves
  • Iceriver Valley and Whitetotem Mountains (East): Home of the Hill Dwarves and Mountain Dwarves
  • Afran Riverdales (Southwest): Home of the Lightfoot and Stout Halflings
  • Jade Forest Canyon (South): Home of the Forest and Rock Gnomes
• Currently ruled by High Lord Joben Gafras and the Council of Vassals (which has a Vassal Lady/Lord representing each race and realm)
• Wotenhold is the capitol city, home to both the High Lord and the Council of Vassals
• All citizens (Solenterners) are free men and women (no slavery)
• Nobles still rule through a feudal system, but any citizen can choose to move to another vassal (if they can afford it)
• Official Religion: The Seven Starsigns

The Southern Wastes: The only part of Afran that the Solenter Empire does not hold

• Held by warring Orc Tribes and City-States
• Some tribes war with the Solenter Empire, while others trade with it

The New World: The uncharted land north of the Felanon Sea

• Jobenport: The only Solenter holding there
  
  • A twenty day journey by sea from the closest Solenter city, Starharbor
  • Is bordered by:
    
    • Toryl river delta wetlands to the west
    • Jungles and rain forests to the north and east
    • The Felanon Sea to the south
  • Currently run by Expedition Mistress Djana Corr (Human)
• Legends tell of an ancient civilization that ruled the area, but no hard evidence of that has yet come to light

The Seven Starsigns: The official religion of the Solenter Empire, based on Human legends of old

• Most followers revere all the Starsigns, but clerics choose one to worship above all others (which explains cleric domains)
• The Seven Starsigns are:
  
  • The Sage(Knowledge): Teacher of all things academic or arcane (opposed by Nature: Instruction versus Instinct)
  • The Healer(Life): Guardian of health and hearth (opposed by War: Healing versus Killing)
  • The Guide(Light): Protector of those who are lost or wander (opposed by Tempest: Order versus Chaos)
  • The Hart(Nature): Steward of the natural and wild (opposed by Knowledge: Instinct versus Instruction)
  • The Hermit(Tempest): Scion of weather and madness (opposed by Light: Chaos versus Order)
  • The Warrior(War): Lord of battle and bloodshed (opposed by Life: Killing versus Healing)
  • The Thief(Trickery): Master of trickery and deceit (sides with all, but allies with none)
  • (Opposed also means they sit opposite from each other in the sky, with the order being: Knowledge, Light, Life, Nature, Tempest, and War, with Trickery in the middle)
• Some claim that there are other signs beyond the Seven, but they are considered heretics
• Other races and past civilizations may have had different gods and traditions, but the Empire does not recognize or respect them

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:21, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

In Depth: The Seven Starsigns

The Seven Starsigns are based on seven constellations. Each represents an Ideal, and have a constellation symbol as well as colors associated with them. Solenterners generally worship all of the Seven Starsigns, but often favor one above the others. This is especially true for clerics, who dedicate their lives to serving a single Starsign. This is not to say that clerics cannot worship or revere other signs. They can cooperate to build single shrines or shared temples. However, clerics will never abandon one Starsign's ideals for its opposite. The one exception are clerics of The Thief, who have no true opposing Starsign.

Organization and Worship:

• Major temples offer altars to each of the Seven Starsigns served by clergy from each of the Seven
• There can be individual shrines dedicated to one Starsign
• Each Starsign altar bears its associated symbol and colors, as well as a constantly burning brazier
• People pray by writing messages on paper and burning them in the brazier
• The clergy for each Starsign have names inspired by the symbol:
  
  • The Sage/Knowledge: Tutors
  • The Healer/Life: Keepers
  • The Guide/Light: Lodestars
  • The Hart/Nature: Wardens
  • The Hermet/Tempest: Wilders
  • The Warrior/War: Blades
  • The Thief/Trickery: Dodgers

Starsign Details:

• The Sage:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like an open scroll with blue nebulae streaks across the parchment
  • Symbols: Scroll
  • Colors: Blue and white
  • Ideals: Learning from and teaching others, inventing new things
• The Healer:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like a bandage with a red nebula in the center
  • Symbols: A white square with a red slash going from top left to bottom right
  • Colors: White and red
  • Ideals: Healing the sick, tending the needy
• The Guide:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like a torch with the tip having the brightest star in the night sky
  • Symbols: A golden torch
  • Colors: White and gold
  • Ideals: Helping others, exploring the unknown
• The Hart:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like an antlered stag
  • Symbols: A stag's head
  • Colors: Green and brown
  • Ideals: Communing with nature, living off the land
• The Hermit:
  
  • Constellation: Stars set in front of a grayish nebula that could look either like a face or lightning bolts
  • Symbols: A storm cloud with a lightning bolt in front of it
  • Colors: Gray and black
  • Ideals: Independence from others, testing your limits
• The Warrior:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like a sword next to a red nebula
  • Symbols: An upright sword
  • Colors: Black and red
  • Ideals: Martial discipline, physical prowess
• The Thief:
  
  • Constellation: Stars shaped like a hooded figure
  • Symbols: A black hood
  • Colors: Black
  • Ideals: Feats of cunning and wit, artistic endeavors