Introduction
From Gothpoodle
Contents |
The Void
"Out of the darkness he came, when men huddled around fires in the night with only the shamans to hold back the void. He was the Bringer of Light, whose will shaped the world as we know it. It took five generations to build the Temple and five more to build the See. After it was done, he ruled for ten more generations before retiring to the Temple and leaving his bishops and priests to rule the realm. It has been two dozen generations since dawn came and banished the night, but now it seems like the shadows have begun to creep back in and even the Templars cannot drive them back."
- a prophecy spoken by a priest of the Outer See before his excommunication
In the beginning, there was eternal night. This darkness was pure potential, the chaos of possibility, where anything could exist but nothing would persist. This was the realm of the Ephemera, shadowy things born out of chaos and doomed to dissolve back into it. Most of these ghosts of things were unthinking, animals or objects, often entire landscapes. However, one day the chaos gave birth to a being which was self-aware and this being's will was strong enough to resist the primal darkness and it survived long enough to assert itself and breed. Soon after, one of these beings was born who had a will strong enough to lend permanence to more than itself and it created an island of stability in the night by bringing forth light. The others huddled around this fire and the first domain was born. Soon, other shamans came forth and carved out their own domains, and these beings began to live even longer and multiply faster.
The See of Light
In time, one came forth who practically burned with the power of creation. Not satisfied with the domain he could create himself, he gathered together the shamans and urged them to help him found a vast realm. He began by founding the Temple, where darkness never dwells, and then sent forth his bishops to extend the domain in all directions. Others flocked to his Temple, some swearing themselves to protect the realm and others rendering their services to the temple itself. The former became the templars, warriors of the See of Light, and the latter became the priests of the temple.
In order to create the realm, the Bringer of the Dawn set down the Laws. These were rules by which the inhabitants of the realm were expected to comply and which the land itself was bound. The bishops brought forth the Laws into the night and established their own parishes, banishing the darkness with the Light of the See.
Outlands
Outlands, or wildlands, primarily refers to the periphery of the See, those territories which lie closest to the Void and furthest from the light of the Temple. These are areas where magic works easily but there is also enough stability to settle down. People in these parts tend to be superstitious, and for good reason. Werewolves, faeries, shades, and other chimera haunt these shadowy lands, not to mention witches and sorcerers. Also, in some places, the outlands border on other domains and, depending on the relationship between these lands and the See, may be the site of border skirmishes, trade, or even full-fledged war, not to mention the crossing point for strange foreigners from domains with different customs and rules.
Other Domains
The See of Light was not the only domain in the darkness, though. Others, before and after, had strong enough wills to create domains of their own. These were called baronies, and each was ruled by a single mage of indominable will. Some of these places were refuges, others virtual hells, each formed from the minds of their lords, each different from the other and from the See. Often, these lords would gather to them trusted servants who would enforce their edicts, and these were called paladins.
As the See spread, it would encounter these other domains in the darkness. Some joined the See, becoming fiefs, while others would not relinquish their power and war erupted. Paladins and templars would clash at the borders of these realms until one side surrendered or the domain was utterly destroyed. Some questioned the need for this bloodshed, but the bishops reminded them that the Law was the only thing holding back the night, and if it were abandoned, all would be lost.
Sorcerers
Not all with the will to shape the void were lords and bishops. Many practiced their magic on the fringe of the See or in other, less permanent, domains. Some formed guilds or cabals, others worked their magic alone or as a service paid for by residents of the outlands. As a rule, however, they would avoid the duchies and the See, for these places were made strong by the wills of their rulers and magic was not easy to work their. Also, many domains took after the example of the See, which outlawed all uses of magic which were not performed by bishops. Such lords sought to strengthen their power by eliminating those who might threaten to usurp it, or merely prevent weakening of their realm by the influence of another's will upon it.
Permanence
In the shadow realms, the primary characteristic of anything -- person, place or thing -- is its permanence. This is a measure of how resistant it is to the chaotic flux of the void and to magic. The permanence of a place determines how solid objects in that place are as well as how difficult it is to alter its features or create things there. For sentient beings, their permanence is determined by their strength of will or the permanence of their place of birth. Those without the strength of will to hold on to their forms tend to be altered and shaped by the laws of the domain that they are in. It is not uncommon for a person to get lost and stumble into a realm where they are twisted into some sort of hideous monster by the perverted sensibilities of the local baron.
Ephemera
Ephemera are the ghosts of things and people which appear in the Void and, just as quickly, dissolve back into it. These are mindless or barely sentient shadows of beings, images of people who existed and who never existed, objects formed of smoke, and whole illusory landscapes, all with no more solidity than fog. Some religious sects that wander the outskirts of the Void believe that these images can help one achieve enlightenment or are portents of things to come, but to outlanders they are terrifying images that remind them of the proximity of the Darkness.
Chimera
Chimera are beings and objects with very little stability and solidity. Faeries, werewolves, and shades all fall into this category of being. They tend to have only a vague shape, or several shapes which they switch between, and are only able to effect other beings with low permanence. They are most commonly found in the outlands and lead to the superstitious nature of those dwelling there. Due to their whimsical nature, few are able to perform any sort of lasting magic, but clever ones can summon up ephemera (see [glamour]) to fool the senses of gullible outlanders.
Relics
Objects forged in the City of Light tend to have a very high permanence and are referred to as relics. They are highly valued by templars and paladins alike, for they are very resistant to transformation in domains outside of the See. They are even capable of lasting periods in the Void, and it is not uncommon for an outlander to come across relics in the Darkness near the site of some battle between an arrogant baron and the templars.
Dross
On the other hand, items crafted in the wildlands tend to have a very low permanence and thus decay or break more quickly than most goods. Such items are called dross and are primarily the product of faerie forges or weak creation magic. The term is also applied derisively to objects created in the outlands, though this use of the term is only popular in the See. Outlanders, however, often keep dross around simply because it is so malleable. A simple use of magic can transform a piece of dross easily into something else, whereas more sturdy items do not give up their shape so easily.
Will
The most important characteristic for sentient beings is will. Will is what allows a sentient being to exist in the Void, to perform magic, and to carve domains out of the Darkness. Will helps determine how real you are and how real your effect on the world is. Beings with low will are subject to the influence of the realms in which they live, as well as the whims of sorcerers. Beings of high will can shape the world to fit their desires and are able to resist attempts to alter or influence them through magic. Those with exceptionally strong wills are called sorcerers and can perform great feats of magic, but even the weak-willed can perform a few simple cantrips, though the results are more humble and rarely last.
Shamans
The least powerful sort of sorcerer is called a shaman. These folks are usually of higher than average will and live on the outskirts of the Void, in the outlands. There, they shape things out of the Darkness using their meager magics and perform small services for other outlanders. Some even take to the Void itself as guides or carve out small domains where they live along, contemplating religious mysteries or studying arcane arts.
Witches
The most common sort of sorcerer is the witch, a competant practitioner of magic who often travels the outlands or between domains, looking for work among those tolerant of her art. They have strong wills, but not so strong that they can challenge the See and its priests. Thus, they rarely approach that realm, choosing the darker places where magic is easier and less criminal. Still, even the outlanders are suspicious of warlocks and witches and so they rarely stay in one place for long. Those that do settle usually have performed many services for the community and have earned acceptance and trust in that way. Sometimes, they will carve small realms out of the Void, either for their own uses or in tandem with others for the construction of a guild or school of magic. Those that choose to do so are called wizards.
Mages
The most powerful sorcerers are called mages. They have wills so strong that they could, if they desired, carve out realms for themselves in the Void and become barons. For some reason, however, the mage has chosen to travel the existing realms instead, practicing the dark arts. A mage's will is usually great enough that he can even perform magic in the See, only the Temple itself and the City of Light resisting his magic. A very rare mage can even breach the City, and these few are called archmages, but they are beings of legend and myth, equal in power, some say, to the bishops themselves.
Archons
Archons are the rulers of domains, sorcerers with a strong enough will and the magical skill to bring stability to the Void. Those who carve domains out of the Darkness are called barons, while those who serve the Temple are called bishops. The latter expand the realm of the See by settling in the outlands and using their magic to reinforce the Law there, banishing the influence of the Darkness and driving away chimera and wizards. Especially powerful barons are sometimes called dukes, and particularly strong-willed bishops are deemed archbishops.
Avatars
Those sorcerers whose will rivals the Bringer of Light are known as avatars. They are essentially gods by the understanding of the residents of the Shadow Realms, and belief in them is considered blasphemy by the bishops and priests of the See. The will of these beings is even stronger than that of archmages, dukes, and archbishops. Whether or not they even exist is a matter for speculation. Most do not believe in them, but every superstitious outlander wonders at any individual who walks out of the Darkness without fear and considers that what happened once could occur again.
