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Lore Overview

General Setting

The known world has been conquered by the Annorian Empire, which rule with an inflexible and merciless application of their Laws, dictated by their New Gods via the mysterious individual that is their Emperor. Humans are the only recognized citizens of the Empire, while other races such as Elves and Dwarves are treated as second class individuals, enjoying only limited rights under the complete domination of Humans. Ogroids, or at least Orcs, are similarly seen as 'second grade, tribal humans', while other races, such as Beastkin, Faefolk, or even the more civilized underworld-dwelling Ilthir, Tlatlacah and Quathili, are either considered beasts, or simply are unknown to most.

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Even between Human cultures, some come before others and even the few that do not welcome the Empire and the New Gods, must, in one way or another, find a way to keep living under its rule.

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The Free Cities, city states of the Black Dome Peninsula, were the last of the territories to submit to the unmatched strength of the Empire's Army, only few years ago.

The game takes place in the immediate surroundings of what once was Meridia, one of the Free Cities that has been leveled by some supernatural, cataclysm called upon it by the Emperor, event that has led to the unconditional surrender of all the city states, a refugee crisis, and a regional famine.

Even these events however, have not stopped the Empire's citizens from moving into the newly conquered lands as part of a program of re-settlement (and obviously cultural cancellation).

Still, many of the new settlers are often trouble makers, or people that hope that, by moving in areas only newly conquered, they might be keeping themselves as further away as possible from the authorities. The locals however, see these strangers indiscriminately as invaders and illegal settlers, and perhaps, still secretly plot against them.

While the conquered people struggle to save their culture, other races might have it even worse: struggling each day against mistreatment and racism, or for the very survival of their species.

Races

Humans

Humans rule over the entire Continent, and might broadly be divided into being from one of the many provinces of the Empire, or locals from the Black Dome peninsula.
The many human cultures may be roughly divided into:

  • Annorians (Inspired by Imperial Rome)

  • Khemani (Inspired by Ancient Egypt, Kush, Carthage)

  • Nordlings (Inspired by Norse, Varangians, Saxons)

  • Messalyan (Inspired by Numidian, Nabateans)

  • Barynians (Inspired by Rapa Nui/Polynesians and Caribbean Privateers)

  • Hymani (Inspired by 1400-1500 Ming China and Dai Viet)

  • Domites (Inspired by Hellenic societies and Akkad)

Elves and Dwarves

Most Elves and Dwarves have lived a life of misery under the heel of the Humans since before the coming of the Empire, and have broadly given in to the idea of keeping their heads low and to a life of subservience. There are however always cases of either attempts at isolation or rebellion, and certainly the hate towards Humankind is not lacking.

Ilthir

Very lawful and arguably the most advanced race in existence, and the only one still fully independent from the Humans, thanks to their physical separation from them provided by the alien Underworld which they inhabit, and to their xenophobia. Ilthir are invested into advancing every aspect of society, and almost obsessed with the concepts of purity (including racial one), and the ideal of perfection. They mostly manipulate the events on the surface, often arming of offering support to various rebel groups and individuals that will bring problems to the Empire, engaging it in a sort of proxy war.

Quathili

Often considered the 'cousins' of the Ilthir, are another race that inhabits the Underworld, along its largest bodies of water, often connected with the open sea. They are similarly xenophobic and racist towards other surface races, though having a much less complex society, where Church and religious ideals have a much smaller influence, but that is fully locked in extremely well locked castes.

Tlatlacah

The most ancient of the known races, whose lost civilization is now mostly represented by crumbling, slowly fading away ruins: they struggle for the survival of their very species and have for the most part taken refuge in the Underworld, being the only race to be tolerated by Ilthir together with Quathili.

Ogroids

Are warring tribes that inhabits wild places of the lands, split between the desire of imposing their dominion and demonstrating their prowess, and the awareness the major dangers that are Humans and Ilthir.

Beastkin
Also called Chimerae, are a race of feral, primitive and often violent yet cunning beast-like creatures. They live in small tribes, hunting any kind of prey and living to worship their odd concept of The Rot, a primordial force of nature and decay. Despite some being semi-nomad, they are very attached to the land and very territorial, focusing on subduing anyone unlucky enough to be sharing the same, or attacking the ones inside a specifically determined 'hunting ground', while being mostly neutral to those outside of these borders.

Faefolk

Mostly peaceful creatures who live in isolation in remote areas where civilization has not yet reached. Deceptively friendly, to increase their low numbers they focus on befriending, seducing, or otherwise tricking other races, to corrupt them and transform them into new Faefolk.

Factions

Imperial army

the unstoppable war machine of the Empire with superior training, equipment and organization, the instrument of control over the lands.

The Tribunal

Corresponding in large part to the Church of Jhevoss, Judges being his 'priests', they are responsible for the application and enforcement of the Law. In particular via, extremely highly trained Fatebinders, sort of 'field-jugdes', and envoys of Adjudicators. Inquisitors, as specialized Fatebinders, are specialized discovering

and hunting down deviants, heretics, and hideous creatures that infest and parasite the human race. While Executors are often hired or conscripted by each Fatebinder or Inquisitors and work as their strong hands.

The Order of the Rose

An ancient Order of Knights, recognized by the Empire, vowed to protect the weak and defenseless, that struggles to find its place in the world dominated by cruel laws, and troubled by rumors of heresy.

Ivory Brotherhood

A ruthless and morally dubious mercenary company from the Black Dome Peninsula, that was hired by the Empire during the war against their own brothers from the Free Cities, and survived the conflict rather unscratched.

Kressmor Guard
The proud, elite soldiers of the once independent Free City of Kressmor, who stood proudly against overwhelming odds against the Imperial Army. Defeated, and having Kressmor surrendered, they stand in hiding, unsure about their future, but still with dreams and feelings of rebellion.

Demons, curses, afflictions

Several curses and 'diseases' plague humanity and other races from as far as the memory can go, between these, notably ⁠vampirism and ⁠lycanthropy.

At the same time, several kinds of ⁠Demons plague the Empire, hiding as normal yet troubled people, while spreading the corruptive influence of the Old Gods to disrupt the very fabrics of society:

  • Light Demons, the only created by the New Gods, openly enacting their will and Laws, greatly contributed to the coming of the Empire, while, hiding behind human appearance and ways, other demons were created in response to them by the Old Gods, each representing an extremization of some aspects of these gods.

  • Blood Demons, driven by thirst for sexual pleasure and blood.

  • Night Demons, compelled by the thirst for knowledge and secrets, even those kept by the dead.

  • Bog Demons, driven by sloth, laziness, and the urge to have others work for them.

  • Fire Demons, beings prone to outbursts and anger, often wanting to prevail over others.

  • Discord Demons, restless and affected by a constant urge of change, struggle to find a normal life as they are naturally pushed towards sowing distrust, jealousy, and discord among people.

  • Silk Demons, driven by the need of reaching perfection in all they do and touch, and of cleansing the world from the chaotic and corruptive influence of all the gods, often living with Ilthir and acting as spies for them.

The Gods

The gods are divided into New Gods, specific to Humans, and Old Gods.
The New Gods

The trinity of Gods worshipped in the Empire:

  • Jehvoss: highest god of the Empire, god of judgement, law, and conquest

  • ⁠Valthos: god of the Empires people, god of duty, of roads, travel, and craftsmen.

  • ⁠Minerva: Goddess of motherhood, marriage, education, and family duties

The Old Gods

The polytheistic worship (#polytheism-old-gods) that characterized, in different forms or flavors, the vast majority of the non-human worships, or also pre-New Gods or at least pre-Empire worship.

  • Astaroth: God of knowledge, the unknown, passage to the afterlife, time, the cycle of life.

  • Balthazar: God of metallurgy, fire, weapons, honor, and war

  • Boggereth: God of marshes, mummification, dreams, travel

  • Calipha: Goddess of the deep sea, water and storms, new beginnings, stillness, numbness and of lost things

  • Dominium (Ilmarin): God of domination, strength, tyranny, order, determination.

  • Festum: God or Goddess of debauchery, carnal pleasures, feasts, abundance, corruption.

  • Fortuna: Goddess of fate, luck, misfortune, curses, primordial chaos, entropy, discord

  • Lilith: Goddess of motherhood, family bonds & beauty.

  • Twyll-pann: Goddess of harvest, agriculture & natural order.

  • Umbra: Goddess of darkness, shadows, loss, oblivion, secrets, silence & solitude.

  • Venatus (Khonvoum, Sylvar): God of the hunt, violence, physical prowess, primal nature & change.

Other Gods

While these Gods are technically still part of the Old Gods, they are not commonly worshiped along them, and are not usually part of the usual pantheon of the 'Old Gods'.

  • ⁠The Weaver: Goddess of purity, crystals, absolutes, symmetry, perfection ⁠

  • Aspidis: God of pride, safety, shelter, the stars and the night sphere, duality ⁠

  • The Rot: More of a concept than a 'god', it is the force of decay, the natural order, primordial chaos, strength, natural disasters

Magic

​Magic is rare and often subtle, gifted only by the Gods.

As result, there are neither 'sorcerers' nor 'wizards', only priests and worshipers of the gods that may receive some of their gifts, if particularly attuned to them, and perform powerful rituals in their name.
The world is then also plagued by other supernatural creatures, such as Demons, able of usually subtle and manipulative supernatural powers connected with their deities.

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