"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action, how like an angel in apprehension, how like a god!"

- Hamlet, Act II

The modern people known as Humans have their origins in brimstone and fire. Once the brethren of the Arsa Sidhe, the ancestors of humanity diverged from their counterparts as they toiled in the fields and sweated in the mines. At first calling themselves the Nua Sidhe, meaning 'new elves' in Ancient Tongue, their destiny became their own when they brought the rule of the Arsa Sidhe to an end in The Collapse.

Now spanning most of the known world, humans are hearty, adaptable, and intelligent in form, though often susceptible to curses and other ails of the spirit.

Physical Characteristics

Humans are perhaps some of the most varied races in the world, coming in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and builds. Those with dwarfism may be as low as 120cm (4'0"), though some, especially in northern regions, can grow as tall as 195cm (6'5"), especially among males. A human's skin can, much like the Fey-Touched, range from a pale rose to a deep brown, though never able to reach the almost ghostly whites that their Arsa Sidhe brethren can attain. Their eyes can vary between greens, browns, or blue-greys, depending on heritage.

Though unlike the Arsa Sidhe most Humans have rounded ears, this is not a universal truth: some still have pointed tips, albeit no-where near the extreme of some lineages of their ancestors.

Humans tend to have fairly rounded features, including the ability to gain a large amount of muscle mass, though even the strongest human would pale in comparison to a Greatling.

Finally, human hair can range from straight to curly, and from a pale golden blonde to a pitch-black.

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The average lifespan of a human is 100 years, though given their history as labourers, many were historically lucky to make it to their 60th birthday. They age fairly steadily, with appearance generally relating to their age.

Popular Cultures

Though Humans tend to find themselves inching into just about every cultural group of the world (e.g. the Falstoners and Korami), there are few prominent ones where they reign supreme:

• Valks
• Walljacks
• Mistan

"For never were there a race so elegantly beautiful, enlightened in thought and meditation, and yet unable to foresee their own fate."

- Anonymous Historian

The Arsa Sidhe (ar-suh shee) ('Elves' in Common tongue) have at various times in their history been the champions of all the realms, on the brink of extinction, and every stage between. Suggested to be the first intelligent life (according to them, of course), the Arsa Sidhe are gifted thinkers, with a strong sense of harmony, balance and the arts.

Once rulers of most of the world in a millennia-spanning regime, the flaws of the highest of the Arsa Sidhe brought about their downfall in The Collapse, leaving much of their people in shattered ruins. As the dark age that followed began to cool and grudges began to settle, the few remnants of the Arsa Sidhe formed new homelands: in the far-west, they flourished into the warlike Korami peoples, and in the east, they isolated in the Southern Reach and formed the Aedall, a monument to what once was.

Physical Characteristics

The Arsa Sidhe are notable for their height, which while not reaching the heights of the Greatlings, can easily span as high as 214cm (7'0") and rarely goes below 165cm (5'5") without some sort of health complication. Arsa Sidhe are also distinct from their relatives the Humans in eye-colour, which while having similar form, come in richer reds, golden-yellows, and purples.

The Arsa Sidhe have a relatively thin skin, so much so that their faces often will dramatically change colour when they become flushed or filled with rage. While more flexible than other races, they are less adept at taking slashing hits than their thicker relatives as a result. Their skin can range from almost pale-white in colour (bringing hazards in the sun) to more rosy, to deep shades of mauve and purple. While some skin-tones are more common than others in various cultures, all can be found just about anywhere Arsa Sidhe live.

The Arsa Sidhe are noted for angular features, with thinner frames (both in shoulders and hips) and generally less muscle mass, though this is not a universal truth. Finally, the Arsa Sidhe, much like the Fey-Touched, tend to have long, fast-growing hair ranging from dirty blonde and silvery whites to black; though not unheard of, a redhead elf is nearly impossible.

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The average lifespan of the Arsa Sidhe is around 140 years, with them maintaining a relatively similar appearance from their mid-30s to their 120s, at which point they rapidly age in their final years.

Popular Cultures

Though Arsa Sidhe are populous in the modern world, they tend not to be a travelling people, keeping mostly to their own. Still, it is not unheard of to find them in foreign lands, especially as artists or tailors. The prominent Arsa Sidhe cultures are:

• Korami
• Aedall (formerly)

"My skin will not yet crack, nor will my bones break. I am the mountain made mortal, and I will not crumble."

- Greatling Mantra

One of the truly ancient peoples of the world, there has never been a race more able to tame the harshest environments then that of the Greatlings who most commonly are found in mountainous regions. With a towering height and prowess to match, their enduring clans have adapted to their unique homelands, with thick skin and a resolve of iron.

Traditionally, the Greatlings have found themselves in close-knit communities, especially due to their habit of over-exerting and putting themselves into harms way to strike down a foe; despite this, they have long been unwelcome of outsiders. While for centuries the Greatlings have been known to most other races and outsider cultures as raiders and sworn enemies, not all fall into this mold: most notably, the Stonerunners of the Southern Reach have used their prowess in the mountains to serve as tradespeople, and the Fireborne of the north have a strong and interwoven history with some Fey-Touched.

Physical Characteristics

The most distinguishing feature of the Greatlings is, unsurprisingly, their height: ranging from 200cm (6'7") at their lowest to 250cm (8'3") at their highest, the Greatlings are the tallest race on the continent, though generally have a body-to-mass ratio similar to that of humans, if on the slightly bulkier side.

Another distinct feature of Greatlings is their eyes, which feature vertical pupils not unlike a cat, and can dilate almost to the full width in darkness, allowing for excellent dark-vision. The colour of their irises can range from greens and yellows to browns, with the rare sighting of a more greyish hue.

The third most distinct feature of these giants is the occasional horns and tusks, which vary in prominence and form, protruding from above the temples and the lower jaw respectively. In some clans these are common and distinct, in others not present at all.

Greatlings have thick skin, adapted to numb them to a sense of temperature — while useful on long treks, a Greatling can easily burn themselves or get frostbite if they are not being attentive. They are also prone to have freckles or moles, sometimes not appearing until adulthood. Their skin tends to have a greyish undertone, ranging from a human-like orange-grey to deeper green-grey and stone-grey hues.

While some Greatlings (especially northern ones) have little to no hair, more southern Greatlings have enviable manes, ranging from deep blacks up into greys and the occasional white; more brown and blonde hair is uncommon.

Adapted to high altitudes, Greatlings have blood that is incredibly rich in blood cells to allow them to survive in low oxygen environments: as a consequence, their blood tends to be darker, at times appearing almost black in their veins and when bleeding: some Greatlings take pride in this, nicknaming themselves 'black-bloods'.

Finally, a unique habit of the Greatlings is their unique method of sleep: much like hummingbirds, after intense exhaustion, their large hearts require rest and they enter a state of torpor which is a sort of hibernation-like state of sleep where their body temperature drops, allowing them to sleep for up to multiple days at a time if needed and recover.

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The average lifespan of a Greatling is no more than 160 years, though the oldest on record neared 200. They tend to start rapidly losing muscle-mass and height around ~150yrs old.

Popular Cultures

Though there is no shortage of various Greatling clans across the world, two groups in particular are notable for their willingness to work with non-Greatlings:

• Stonerunners
• Fireborne

Contribution by Kamaoe

"When I woke, when I slept ... there's always a feeling that you're never quite alone. Maybe it was just my imagination."

- 'Journal of the Cursed'

Fairytales like to paint faeries and magical creatures as wonderous things, filled with awe and joy. While not wrong, they often forget that such creatures grow bored quickly, and can find troubling ways to amuse themselves. It is thus not surprising that the fate of the Fey-Touched is a mixed bag: some consider their heritage a blessing, others a curse.

The Fey-Touched are descendants of both Humans and Arsa Sidhe who were touched by the Fey in the womb: at times willingly, at times as a cruel trick. Whether they are simply cursed by the Fey or part Fey themselves is a matter for debate — depending on how you view the Fey, of course — but either way, they are never too far from their other-worldly counterparts.

Physical Characteristics

The exact appearance of a Fey-Touched varies on their heritage, though all retain a shorter stature, rising no taller than 178cm (5'10") and usually with rounded features, even in cases of malnutrition. The most immediately obvious feature of a Fey-Touched is their eyes, which do not have distinct pupils or irises: instead, a Fey-Touched's entire eye is a solid colour, ranging from reds and yellows to deeper blues, even approaching black.

The other most notable feature of a Fey-Touched is their skin, which, while it can vary from a pale rose to a deep brown, is marred by the touch of the Fey:

• Those with a heritage of woodland Fey can find their arms and legs with the texture of bark, or with leaves continuously covering their skin's surface.
• Those with a heritage of wetland and river Fey can find their arms and legs covered with scales or a rough rock-like texture. These Fey-Touched also often have blueish spots on their hands and feet.
• Those with a heritage of mountain Fey can find their arms and legs covered with feathers of various colours, sometimes extending onto the back.
• Those with a heritage of fire and volcanic Fey can find their arms and legs covered with dragon-like scales, and tend to have blackened tips to their fingers, as if they were scorched.

The strength of these effects varies with time of course, and are more or less pronounced in a given Fey-Touched: the most obvious sign remains their eyes.

The Fey-Touched are blessed with rather generous hair, with even men finding their hair has a tendency to grow out rather long unless frequently cut. Ranging from deep reds through browns and blacks, blonde Fey-Touched are not unheard of but certainly rare.

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The Fey-Touched have some of the largest ranges in terms of lifespan, largely depending on their family lineage and history with the fey. A general rule of thumb is that a given Fey-Touched will live roughly the same lifespan as that of their mother and father averaged together: this can be anywhere from 70-80 years on the low end to upwards of 140-150 on the high end. The variance in lifespan is most notable in the north where the Fireborne may have two 'elders' a half-century apart. 

Popular Cultures

Fey-Touched can often be found anywhere Humans are, as they mostly get along fairly well (except some Humans who consider them bad luck). That being said, there are two notable gatherings of Fey-Touched who set off on their own:

• Falstoner
• Fireborne

Along the grand expanse of time, it was almost assured that the various races of the continent would have children together, forming half-races. Some, like the ancient humans ('Nua Sidhe') and Arsa Sidhe were hardly considered different races at all. Still, each race brought along with it various dominant genes: that is, if a child of two different races were to have a child, that child would be guaranteed to have certain dominant genes of each race; their other features would then be a mix of their parents.

Though some families can trace ancestry back to a number of different races, any given child is considered either a 50/50 mix or purely one race trait-wise. That isn't to say culture isn't influenced by those ancient pairings though — often history gives rise to unique fusions!

Dominant Traits

The following are a list of dominant traits of each race. If someone is a half-race and is partially one of these races, they must inherit these traits.

• Greatling: Height
• Human: Ears
• Arsa Sidhe: Thin frame
• Fey-Touched: Solid-colour eyes

Banner of the Valkian Realm.

Location:	Midlands
Type:	Pact of Kingdoms and Duchies
Ruler:	King-Emperor Rayan IV
Races:	Humans (majority), Fey-Touched, Arsa Sidhe (sparse)
Cultures:	Valks, Walljacks

It is not without irony that the former heartland of an empire overthrown would become the beating heart of a new conquesting pact, this time led by the former oppressed. The Valkian Realm, spanning from the North through the Midlands and down to The Wall stands as the largest unified realm in the world — at least on paper.

When the curtain is pulled back, the Realm is revealed to be a squabbling collection of dukes, princesses and kings, all arguing over who should control what. If not for the heavy-handed control of the King-Emperor and the Red Fists, his personal army, the Realm would no doubt rip itself to shreds.

Industry & Trade

The Realm's goods vary across its size, though by far its most common resources are logging, stone, and ore. The wealth of the region, even after millennia of being settled, makes the Realm the largest steel-producers in the world, especially of the black Valkian Steel which is used for the notorious and eye-catching suits of armour their warriors wear.

The Realm is also home to several major stone-paved roadways that span nearly across a continent, including the Ocean Road that leads all the way from Frostpeak in the far north to The Wall in the south.

No tale of the Realm's wealth would be complete without mentioning their rich seafaring empire either, with the original dominance of many of the old families coming from their trading ports across the continent, frequented by large (if a bit slow) cargo ships that they have mastered building.

Combat

Each of the local lords throughout the Realm have their own soldiers who they may use to fight monsters, enforce laws, or simply keep the peace. All of these pale in comparison to the grand army that is the Red Fists, the personal retinue of the King-Emperor that is said to number as high as a hundred thousand men strong.

Though not bloodthirsty, the Realm is ever-expanding, and while many are joined through pressures outside of merely the blade, the red eagle is known to dig its claws into those who resist their attempts at conquest. This is most notable in the north, where many states were forced into the Realm, and many others remain in an almost constant state of war.

Diplomacy

The Valkians are famous for a sort of carrot and stick approach, where they will make sweet offerings and generous gifts to appease those they wish to hold dominion over, bringing others under their thumb without even realizing it. Still, for those who lash out or resist this allure, their approach becomes quickly standoffish, either blockading and waiting for their foe to be choked out, or waging ruthless conquest against them.

The Valkians are on good terms with Fallstone to the east, who provide them with much-needed food. To the south, they mostly were indifferent (and outright ignored) the Aedall until they disappeared, with some now looking to the Southern Reach with cautious interest. They remain entangled in bitter wars to the North, and remain fairly cordial relations with the Mistan and the far-west Korami.

Banner of Fallstone.

Location:	Faded Steppe
Type:	Republic
Ruler:	Speaker Mason Alvarez
Races:	Fey-Touched (majority), Human
Cultures:	Falstoner

The windswept steppes of the south-east mark the home of Fallstone, a large collection of Falstoner communities home to some of the largest fields of grain in the world. These relatively peaceful, rural people organize themselves in a loose Republic, where each town's mayor meets twice yearly in a large gathering with their Speaker, an elected leader who serves as a spokesperson for the whole.

Industry & Trade

Fallstone's primary export is grain, both wheat and rye. A sizable brewing industry blooms as a result, with many of the larger towns having breweries known for their pale ales. While fishing is also a common sight along the eastern shores, this is usually only for sustenance, and not traded with outsiders.

Goods are carried in long, horizon-spanning caravans that stretch across the plains, forming a distinctive part of the Falstoner culture.

Combat

Fallstone is hardly a warmongering group, and unsurprisingly does not have a large army as a result. Instead, when the need arises, towns send volunteers to form part of the Feyguard, a group of warriors used to repel invaders or deal with beast problems — historically mostly used to fight off Greatling raids from the mountains.

Diplomacy

Though originally somewhat isolationist, Fallstone is not cut off from the world: rather, they remain friendly relations with most outsiders, fueled by a positive relation of providing food to the growing cities of the west. They held a neutral view of the Aedall across the mountains, a relatively positive view of the Valkian Realm (where many families have ties to), and have in recent years mended relations with the Stonerunners of the mountains.

For all others, they mostly do not concern themselves, content to stay in their peaceful corner of the world. Given their origins with Falstoners putting themselves into exile in an attempt to avoid the tricks of the Fey, they hold little interest in large expansion or conquest.

Shield of the Duchy of Rulan.

Location:	Midlands, South
Type:	Duchy in the Valkian Realm
Ruler:	Duchess Dahlia Silverbloom
Races:	Humans (majority), Arsa Sidhe (minority)
Cultures:	Valks, Walljacks

The land of the flower-fields and the ever-present azalea, the Duchy of Rulan is notable for its location along The Wall. Once home to a prosperous masons guild that rivalled most of the world and built the towering structure that separates the Midlands from the Southern Reach, the Duchy has fallen out of favour with the ruling class of the Valkian Realm.

Being relatively undeveloped and with a sizable portion of its population trained as guards to man and patrol the border, the people of the flower find themselves rarely thanked for their service, or rewarded with any real power.

Fortunes may be changing, as the latest generation of Silverblooms set to ascend to the Duchy seek to make a name for themselves, and bring attention to the forgotten edge of the empire: this flower will not wilt.

Industry

Rulan is known for few things: some amount of vinyards and cotton fields, both of which used to make luxuries in the more prosperous cities, and the realm's mason guild — once the envy of the world. As the land has continued to languish into unimportance, and the disappearance of the Aedall gave little reason to maintain The Wall as thoroughly as they once had, the trained warriors from this land are often 'loaned' to other warring leaders for some quick coin, or go mercenary themselves.

The Walljacks still have use for Rulan however, as they smuggle goods north and south of the Wall, taking them to adventurers in the Reach or heading east to trade with the Falstoners.

Culture

Rulan culture is marked by little changing: they tended to get into skirmishes with the Aedall every few years, but otherwise mostly kept to themselves. Those within the land have little opportunity to advance or change their lot in life, and many choose to leave for the more prosperous city centres. Farming families who seek wealth or prestige for their family lines often encourage their children to head off to be trained as a warrior on the wall, or hope that a travelling Order of Knights will take them in as squires.

Markets peddling fashions and wares from around the world are a common sight in Valk culture.

"I would never be biased — perish the thought! — but the Valks are no doubt the most enlightened folk of the world, likely to bring us into the next golden era from their ships, their forges, and their soul."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Bustling streets and the sound of haggling are telltale signs of the Valks, confirmed when hearing the bells of ships arriving in the harbour. These people, who also call themselves the Valkians and Valkyians form the dominant peoples of the eastern continent, dominating the way from their home in the Midlands up into the north and down to The Wall, a monument of their creation to keep the 'troublesome' Aedall at bay.

Blessed by the lush and fertile land of their home, these people quickly turned their skills to trade and the seas, amassing unforeseen wealth and using it to extend their 'civilized' rule to the wilds.

Language

The Valks almost universally speak Common, and are responsible for spreading the tongue across most of the continent. Their habit for trading and exploration means that they frequently share tales of distant lands: a great way to make friends with most of them is to share a good tale, especially if some of the details are played-up a bit: books of fantastical tales from far-off lands always earn top coin in the markets.

A common farewell amongst the Valks is "May the Sun shine on you" (or some variation thereof).

Customs & Rituals

It is custom amongst the Valks to burn, rather than bury, their dead. While not an overly superstitious people, it is considered the only way to let someone's soul truly lay at rest. Some argue that burning the dead also prevents them from being tampered with by mages or other sorcerers.

The Valks traditionally hold two large festivals each year: one in mid-spring where the first travelers arriving after the winter bring their wares to market — with some of the rarest items being put on display before being bid on by townsfolk; and one in the autumn, celebrating the harvest. This harvest festival usually involves several games and events in a town square, along with a large meal held either in a town's largest hall, or, if the weather is good, in the fields.

Beliefs & Spirituality

Though on the whole the Valks are not a particularly spiritual people, they do tend to pay at least lip service to notions of chivalry and honour — markings of a good soul. While among merchants, 'honour' may be a more subjective term, there are several knightly orders throughout the Valkian realm and elsewhere who hold much stronger to this belief, often operating in the name of the Lady of the Lake and swearing honourable oaths under her watch. 

Amongst Valkian merchants, many carry mystical 'lucky coins', obtained through gambling with mysterious, almost supernatural seeming visitors. While not all recognize the supernatural power of these tokens, these coin-carriers are nevertheless thankful for the powers at be for the luck that always seems to come their way.

The swamp passages hold opportunity, for those who can tame them.

"Never had I seen such an alluring grin as from the first Walljack I met, who taught me how to wring fresh water from swampvine before 'borrowing' half of my coinpurse."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Muck, heat and water in each step — a swamp is not a place that many would first choose to call home, and yet the Walljacks, or just Jacks for short, make the swamps south of The Wall their home turf. Stepping out past the borders of the Valkian Realm, these rough-riders are notorious for their cunning, wit, and tracking skills. Before the Aedall vanished, these were the few who were willing to brave (or trick) their way around those Arsa Sidhe who did not want them in the Reach — becoming vital in trade through the south and to the east.

Language

You'd struggle to find a Walljack that doesn't speak Common: it is the language of trade, after all. The conditions of where they live, though, has led their groups to form a new language as well: Southern Creole. A mash-up of Common with bits of Elvish (or Ancient Tongue) and a few dashes of Greatspeak phrases thrown in here and there, the Walljack's Creole made it possible for them to at least communicate with the Aedall (who stubbornly refused to learn Common) when they weren't being hunted by them.

More importantly, it helped them get along with the Greatlings in the Reach's mountains: with no better guide through the high passes than the mountain-dwellers to turn to, they frequently picked up and adopted their (at times unique) metaphors.

An example of Southern Creole is "Fo' Stone'za then" (or similar spellings) which is a goodbye to friends.

Customs & Rituals

A harsh home leads to harsh beliefs, but the Walljacks keep a grin on their face all the same. The swamps and rivers around them are not forgiving — there's no room for the untrustworthy in their ranks. As a result, the Jacks form strong, tight-knit bonds with those in their pact. While any Jack would lay down their life for the pact-mates, don't be a fool and think them a noble knight: for those outside of their bonds, there is no shame in throwing you to the wolves to save their own hide. Still, the Walljacks tend to lend aid to those in need, if they have the time.

As for traditional ceremonies, the Walljacks don't have any regular festivals or celebrations (though they will happily throw notorious parties for any reason), but every pact has a unique sort of initiation rite that marks a newcomer's entry into the fold. Every member has to do this at some point (even children born into the pact once they come of age), but there is no strict rule on what the rite has to be — so long as it proves the person's cunning.

Beliefs & Spirituality

The Walljacks are known to be a bit of a rebellious sort, perhaps unsurprising given their rejection of a king's rule and self-reliant attitude. Their 'flexibility' in keeping their word with outsiders however has been known to grow the ire of the Lady of the Lake, being directly against the pursuit of honour and chivalry she champions. It is perhaps for this reason that after the earliest Valkian knightly orders came to try to bring 'order' to their land that the Jacks mostly rejected the notion of following under a spirit or fairytale figure; while not shunning Fables entirely, they tend to see these tales and the mythical powers around them to be a means to an end.

The one Fable that draws some divisiveness among the Jacks is that of the Portents; those who seek out some benefit for themselves are known to make a pact with this spectral coven of witches, though others deride this practice, finding that the cost of deals made with them put deal-seekers at odds with the rest of their pacts.

Falstoner caravans can spend as much as three quarters of the year travelling.

"How to describe them? Kind, but a bit quirky. Especially when it comes to the superstition. Still, never had better pie in all my journeys."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Cold sweats in the night. A faint giggling when wandering down a city alley. Things always being moved around, just a bit — not all who are touched by the Fey are left better off.

Some had enough. Venturing out from the bustling cities to live a simpler life, they put themselves into a self-exile. These original Fey-Touched formed the Falstoners, a humble people who now spread across the steppes and plains of the south-east forming Fallstone. While no longer running from the Fey that once toyed with them, even the Humans among them find so many parts of their lives and customs shaped by the tricksters.

Language

Despite their roots, the Falstoners retain a rich tradition of being some of the few worldly folk who speak the language of the Fey. Though daunting at first to outsiders, there is a certain elegance to it, and some adventurers from their land have made a living travelling around as monster-hunters, able to communicate with and ward away the Fey creatures that may be having fun with an innocent soul. For others, the touch of the Fey is not as cursed as it once was, and they take pride in their roots, considering the language a part of their history and culture.

As for Humans and others who grow up in Falstoner communities? Well, they aren't given much choice. Not easy to fit in if you can't understand what everyone else is saying. Often learning from birth, the tricky language is picked up in a way that many others just can't quite master.

There is one exception to this dominance of the Fey's tongue: Greatling. The Falstoners do not survive entirely alone, and have often gotten along with the Greatlings of the mountains, who are not bothered by the Fey. Whether just as friends or in the course of trade, many who live near them pick up a few phrases here and there: some even become fluent.

Customs & Rituals

Dark alleys and bustling cities are filled with nooks and crannies that faeries and spirits love to dwell in. It is unsurprising that these humble folk tend not to form large cities: the largest of the Falstoner communities is really just a grand town. Still, there is a strong sense of community, even across long distances — if you find yourself in Falstoner lands, you often can think yourself among friends. Being so spread out has its downsides, though: to move goods to and fro, the Falstoners form grand caravans that cross the steppes, some stretching almost to the horizon, always bustling with song, even if just a humble flute.

The one time you'll see more Falstoners than any other is on Faerie's Eve, in the late fall. During the festival, folk gather and whisper a secret into a paper lantern before sending them into the sky: it is said that this carries them away from the reach of anyone, including the spirits. Is it true? Perhaps, perhaps not ... but with an excuse for food, wine, and cheer, it's not a night you'd quickly forget.

Beliefs & Spirituality

With the Fey-Touched among the Falstoners growing used to various tricks and games at their expense, the Falstoners tend to be initially apprehensive about the presence of Fables in the world, never quite sure whether they are genuine or part of some new, elaborate game. Despite this, the culture's encouragement of honest hard work and general kindness has led many to stumble across mythological gifts, and many Falstoners are empowered as holy gardeners, demonstrating their care for the land and nature, and in turn maintaining supernatural gardens of their own.

With a belief in a productive life leading to a productive soul, Falstoners are not an overtly spiritual people, but do put an emphasis on what they do to ensure their soul finds a happy ending, in whatever afterlife may await them.

Continual reflection on the past makes it difficult to move on.

Please note: the Aedall culture is effectively extinct. A character can attempt to emulate the culture or have a distant connection to it, but cannot actively be a member.

"The tale of the Aedall made me weep, even if the sad tale is of their own making."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

The whispers and fading twilight shadows of a past glory, the tale of the Aedall is one of longing for what once was. Considering themselves the last true successors to their ancestors who once ruled the continent, these Arsa Sidhe built a small monument of that legacy in the Southern Reach.

Despite their great accomplishments and brilliant minds, these proud people were tainted by a bitter grudge for others that never faded with time — keeping outsiders from the Reach with words or swords. Their tale was seemingly cut short when they all but vanished in the year 1590 A.C., leaving much of their tradition and culture lost to mystery.

Language

Unsurprisingly for a people clinging to what once was, the Aedall almost universally — and exclusively — spoke Elvish, also known as Ancient Tongue, at least in public. While some words changed over time, and new ones snuck their way in (some even borrowed from Common), the language, much like the people, remained stagnant. 

There were at least some who were willing to challenge this trend however, if only in private. Those who lived in the hills and forests further inland, especially closer to their human neighbours to the north, often knew at least some level of Common. Willing to begrudgingly trade and bargain with the Walljacks that frequented through their territory, these daring few served as a peek into the isolation of their peers.

Customs & Rituals

Most of the traditions of the Aedall are a mystery, perhaps even to some of their own. Outsiders never seem to witness festivals, parties, or prayers going on, though perhaps they are simply held in private. The one quirk that many have noticed however is their protectiveness over the dead: no matter where a member of the Aedall die, others always appear to collect their body, taking it to parts unknown. Whether there is a grand crypt or some cryptic plot at play is a matter of conspiracy and speculation ... but many believe it has something to do with The Spire.

Beliefs & Spirituality

As with so much else, the spiritual beliefs of the Aedall has been difficult to parse through and seemingly lost along with their disappearance. Despite not outwardly engaging in prayer, many believe that the Aedall continue the ancient traditions of the Arsa Sidhe before the Collapse, revering the mythical Phoenix and Equinox (day and night, respectively) as god-like figures that supposedly have power over the seasons, weather, and time itself. While the tales surrounding these beings have softened and changed with the ages, surviving artwork of the Aedall found in ruins of the Southern Reach suggest this spiritual focus on the divide between day and night — activity and rest — remains a focal part of their beliefs.

The Korami homeland is an unforgiving terrain.

"When I left their lands, the Korami left me with sore legs from climbing, a heart full of wonder, and a mind still floating on the clouds."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

What makes a people stand the test of time? Those who say peace have never met the Korami, who, despite their ancient lineage on the rocky shores of the far-west, remain fractured and warlike over their mountainous forests. Hailing from such far lands across an ocean, the traditions of the Korami can be hard to separate between fantasy and fact, as outsiders like the Valks crudely re-create their cuisine and fashion as a mark of the exotic — ironic, given their dominating population.

Despite having one of the largest groups of Arsa Sidhe in the world aside from the Aedall, there was no love lost between the two when the Aedall vanished: one strayed far from their roots, the other was unwilling to let it go. With the latter now missing, it appears this dispute may never find its mend.

Language

Though (unsurprisingly) most of the Korami traditionally speak Elvish (aka Ancient Tongue) — including Korami Humans — the usage of Common is increasingly popular, to the point where many natives have a habit of switching between the two in the middle of conversation. Even the Elvish they speak is a far cry from what it once was, filled with slang and metaphors that more strict traditionalists would no-doubt consider blasphemy.

Interestingly, the unique tradition of warriors taking a vow of silence in some clans led to the development of a rich signed language. While these warriors adopt signing as a way of keeping their other senses sharp, variations of it — usually called Handsign — have been adopted by the deaf and mute across the oceans.

Customs & Rituals

While specific ceremonies and festivals vary between different clans and factions of the Korami, they often celebrate notable battles — whether won or lost — as a sign of eternal remembrance of notable warriors.

What unifies almost all of the Korami, however, is a tradition of passing down an heirloom called the family blade. The head of a family, large or small, traditionally keeps a blade of some sort hanging in their home, usually over the mantle. This blade, to be passed down from generation to generation, need not be a blade that has ever been used in battle, or even sharp at all (many families have a dull, entirely ceremonial piece). With the steel signifying a bloodline's continuing fight onwards through time, to lose it is to bring a family's tale in history to an end. When some newlyweds travel to a distant land, they take a new sword with them, signifying the beginning of a new family line.

Another common (though less universal) tradition among the Korami is a pilgrimage into the mountains when coming of age. It is said that by the time someone reaches the summit of a mountain, they will have overcome whatever holds them back, leaving them ready to begin their adult lives.

Beliefs & Spirituality

The Korami are a diversely spiritual people. While tending not to worship particular spirits or follow certain Fables, Korami spirituality is heavily focused around the soul and ideas of rebirth; while this takes different forms across their lands, a common belief is that one's deeds dictate where their soul will go after their death. While some may return, others may reincarnate as different animals, such as owls for the scholars, or lions for the warriors. While not necessarily focused as much on being a good or bad person, the Korami value making something out of someone's life. A life with no meaning or impact results in a weak soul — one that will fade away after death, to be forgotten.

Despite treacherous waters, the Mistan are some of the best sailors in the world.

"I never meant to meet the Mistan, though I think I was fated to meet them ... the mists guide the curious their way."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Faced with rocks that lurk beneath the water's surface and storms that can roll in with hardly a moment's notice, those who call the Mist Isles home — the Mistan — would not seem well-favoured to be travelling the seas. Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, the islanders have a reputation of being both the best sailors and shipwrights in the world.

Those who believe in tales and legends will tell you that the Mistan are gifted not because of their skills, but because of their blood: supposedly these islanders are descended from ancient sirens who paired with Humans, proven by their rich culture of singing and soft-featured faces.

Language

Much like the mainlanders to their east, the Mistan almost universally speak in Common. While there are a handful of non-Humans who frequent and even live on the isles, they have remained a very isolated culture for much of their existence, with little influence from foreign tongues.

This is not to say the Common of the Mistan is identical (or even close to) those spoken on the mainland, such as by the Valks. Instead, they speak in heavy slang and euphemism, with new words altogether that form a unique dialect. No matter what they speak, though, Mistan always seem to maintain an upbeat sing-song accent that makes it difficult to believe when one is mad at you — perhaps more proof of their mythological ancestry.

Customs & Rituals

The Mistan are a communal people, with small towns along the shorelines being close-knit and often hosting parties and celebrations for exciting events in the community, whether that be weddings, births, or other landmarks in one's life.

The most universal ritual among the Mistan is a rite of passage of sorts when coming of age (though not all partake). This usually comes in one of two forms: either a person declares the isles their home and makes a trek across them, usually travelling to the nearest peak that overlooks their hometown; or, a person decides their life is for adventure, setting about building a small boat for themselves with the aid of their community and setting off towards the horizon, not daring to return home until they have something interesting to share, whether a trinket or story. It is unsurprising given the danger and effort involved that most opt to stay home.

It is also common among some of the older generation that when old age trods ever-onwards and death is around the corner, a Mistan elder will sail off into the sunset rather than wait for death to come for them at home. What awaits them in their final days is theirs to explore.

Beliefs & Spirituality

It is impossible to discuss the Mistan without making some kind of reference to the Siren Serene, a presence that is said to embody the waters around the isles. Carrying sweet melodies on the waters and punishing those who selfishly take from the oceans without respect, this presence has been a part of Mistan culture and life as far back as tales go. While not all the Mistan pay much mind to the tales of this being, it is said that the Siren holds a soft spot for those who live on the Isles — some superstitious sailors insist on having a Mistan among their crew so as to not incur her wrath.

The mountain passes are childs-play for these resilient Greatlings.

"I didn't spend much time with the Stonerunners, on account of the cold and wind ... but they'll drink you under the table and then throw you forty paces into the air if you make too many jokes."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Valley-dwellers are often quick to underestimate the Stonerunners, assuming them lumbering beasts of the mountains, closer to the goats they hunt then the 'civilized' society of bustling city centres. Peer past this facade however and a rich tapestry is revealed of a people that thrived long before The Collapse: adept in hunting and tracking, resilient and unbreaking in their harsh home. While once raiders like many of their Greatling counterparts, the Stonerunners have mended with time, tending to work and trade with their neighbours rather than simply ransack their villages.

Language

Like all of their Greatling brethren, the Stonerunners speak a variant of the Greatling that some other clans mock as 'Soft Tongue'. With a tendency to accent words with volume rather than pitch or tone, those who first encounter Greatlings may find themselves intimidated — especially with their habit of commanding outsiders, rather than asking. The Stonerunners are more tactful, though: after a few ... tense standoffs with some locals, these mountain-dwellers began to change their language, introducing more 'polite' words into their language and shifting tone to make it easier to get along with outsiders, much to the dismay of some more traditional clans.

Not all of these changes are welcomed by all however, and you will still find plenty of traditionalists who stick much closer to their roots, falling inline with Greatlings elsewhere in the world.

Customs & Rituals

Something most people miss at first glance is the very different way that the Stonerunners organize themselves. In these cold mountains, it is traditionally the women that lead families and communities, not men. Taking on a sort of shepherding role, some of the most ruthless women in history come from these clans, often taking more patriarchal societies by surprise. As with all things though, these traditions change and mend over time, and it is not unheard of (even if still uncommon) to have male Greatlings leading their communities.

A mark of great pride among the Stonerunners is their love of sport. Every summer, when the mountains warm, competitions are often held in a variety of forms: running, climbing, hunting, and perhaps most famously, rock and log throwing. While a non-Greatling would have to be incredibly brave (or foolish) to participate head-to-head with these champions, witnessing such competitions is a rare treat for outsiders.

Beliefs & Spirituality

The Stonerunners are perhaps one of the least openly spiritual people of the continent — while still respecting and on occasion interacting with Fables, the Stonerunners tend to be very down to earth, respecting one's actions and deeds devoid of aid from supernatural figures. This is reflected in their sporting competitions, where those using powers gained by Fables or the Arcane tend to be frowned upon.

The one notable belief among the Stonerunners however is that of destiny, which they heavily tie into the stars. High in the mountains above the clouds, they can stare up to the night sky, watching the stars twinkle and constellations dance about. While not believing that the stars dictate the future per se, they tend to put a lot of stock into shooting stars and comets as good omens of what is to come.

Contributions by magic_intern

The spirit of the Fire Dragon is core to the mythos of the Fireborne.

"Despite being never fully welcomed by them, I was more worried of falling into pits of magma or dying of heat than by their blade."

- Alan Swift's Travels of the World

Far from the pleasant fields and bustling cities of the world, past the crashing waves of the seas, you begin your way into a barren, ashen land. Striking into the core of its beating heart, where the heat of the volcanoes can wring sweat from bone, keep a keen eye — you may find yourself face to face with the Fireborne.

An unlikely alliance of Greatlings and fire-fey heritage Fey-Touched, the volcanic landscape of their home in the Ashlands is not for the faint of heart — or those with an uneasy step. Often heading into battle with a blade-wielding Greatling and a Fey-Touched on their shoulder with a bow, the symbiotic relationship of these two peoples form a stalwart force, able to crash through all those who stand in their way.

Hunting beasts that wander from the northern wastes under the guidance of the spirit of the Fire Dragon, some claim that the Fireborne are true saviours of the world from a foe many do not even know exists.

Language

Writings suggest that the ancient Fireborne once knew how to speak the tongue of the dragon; sadly, this knowledge has since passed. With the Fey tongue being the main language spoken by both the Greatlings and Fey-touched alike of the Fireborne, much of their conversations tend to be difficult to parse by outsiders. The legacy of the dragon's speech remains however with names of people and places tending to retain features of the lost tongue, most notably in suffixes such as -char, -mir, -bis and -ith.

Customs & Rituals

Without doubt, the traditions of the Fireborne are heavily connected to their relationship with both the Fire Dragon and their duty as warriors in the north. Using a type of flammable stone found in the ashlands, the Fireborne commonly hold great bonfires to mark occasions: marriages, childbirth, victory over a foe, and funerals. With the solemn belief that light and fire will vanquish all darkness, they find dark corners or dimly-lit dwellings to be suspicious. Instead, their homes tend to be spacious, filled with windows and carved tunnels to let in light, and adorned in rich tapestries that shine brightly when lit by candles and torches.

The Fireborne are also a heavily communal and, at times, nomadic people: while not moving constantly, a group of Fireborne will willingly leave their settlement behind and make a new home in a beast-infested area: while dangerous and daunting, the crusade to clear a new home and rid it of foes is a noble cause that earns high praise in their ranks.

Beliefs & Spirituality

The most ancient of the Fireborne are said to have been keepers and friends of the Fire Dragon when it was still living and soaring in the skies. Since it went into its rest, and its bones turned to stone throughout the Ashlands, the Fireborne remain keepers of its legacy: holding the line that the dragon fought for, and seeking the spirit of the fallen dragon's guidance in their quests.

In the heart of the Ashlands lay the great dragon's skull, with eyes kept alight with a supernatural fire: in tribute to this spirit and in hopes it will grant them aid, the Fireborne commonly create shrines to the dragon wherever they go. In more fanciful locations, this may be carved skulls or pyres: in others, it is as simple as a carved out stone holding a candle. Even far from the Ashlands' shores, some say these shrines still attract the attention of the spirit.

Contributions by Kamaoe, mageaegis

Location:	Eastern Continent, South-west
Biome:	Temperate, rolling hills; Swampland (partial)

"This is our home, Nua Sidhe. After you destroyed our last."

- Elder Eriden of the Aedall

The Southern Reach is the main setting of Avalore.

Filled with rolling hills and a variety of landscapes, the Southern Reach gives a painter ample inspiration. With a thick swamp marking a line between it and the Midlands, this rich land has been left mostly untouched, shielded by the bog and the mountains that cradle it to the east. Once home to the Aedall, after their disappearance it lay open for new settlement and growth.

Notable Locations

• The Spire, the most notable remnant of the Aedall that has been repurposed into a town
• The Wall, a grand structure on the north bank of the Violet River that separates the Southern Reach from the Duchy of Rulan (Valkian Realm) in the Midlands

Bordering Locations

• To the north is the Midlands, with The Wall separating the two;
• To the east are mountains home to the Stonerunners, and past that the Faded Steppe;
• To the south is the Ocean, mostly unexplored; and
• To the west is the Ocean, with the Mist Isles a week's journey away.

Location:	Southern Reach, South-west
Affiliation:	Neutral

"Towering into the sky, entirely alien ... what could it be for, I wonder?"

- A Scholar

The Spire is a large structure that towers into the sky near the southern tip of the Southern Reach. Its origins and purpose are seemingly a mystery, as its existence was not known until after the disappearance of the Aedall.

The main structure of the spire is made of a strange stone-like material that is resistant to any attempts to chisel or break it, enchanted by some sort of arcane or other supernatural force. Veins of glowing crystals spiral up to its heights, as several larger crystals listlessly float alongside its height. While stone supports were built (presumably by the Aedall) to support the structure, these have begun to crumble and decay over time.

Location:	Eastern Continent, Mid-west
Biome:	Temperate, deciduous forest

"A luck of the draw, you could hardly ask for a better cradle for civilization to bloom."

- Rosie Willoughby, Scholar

The Midlands are the large swath of land that span the middle of the eastern continent, generally from the western shore until the mountains in the east. Marked by a wet, temperate climate, this land is filled with lush forests, fertile soil, and ample wildlife. The Midlands are considered by many historians to be the site of first civilization, and was the heartland of the ancient Arsa Sidhe realm that ruled the continent until its collapse.

In the present day, the Midlands are heavily settled, filled with cities, castles, and bustling civilization. It is almost exclusively ruled over by the Valkian Realm after their unification of many of the warring states of the region.

Notable Locations

• Mariza, the largest city on the Eastern Continent and a major trading hub
• Duchy of Rulan, the lands on the north side of The Wall
• The Wall, a grand structure that separates the Midlands from the Southern Reach

Bordering Locations

• To the north is the Northern Realms, with the city of Frostpeak marking the border;
• To the east are mountains, and past that part of the Faded Steppe;
• To the south is the Southern Reach, with The Wall marking the border; and
• To the west is the Ocean, with the Mist Isles a few days' journey.

Location:	Eastern Continent, South-east/Mid-east
Biome:	Savannah & Steppe

"When the fields of green turn to gold, and wide open spaces forever unfold ..."

- Old Folk Poem

It can be easy to overlook what at first may seem a barren landscape. With forests a rarity and hills a matter for the imagination, the Faded Steppe holds an understated tranquility: though those who live there don't mind living outside the spotlight. With endless fields as far as the horizon and further still, these plains are home to little but the grasses and grains that grow on its surface, and the few farmers who tend to it.

Its vast size allowing for immense farms, these lands — which have been settled heavily in the past millennia by the Falstoners — feed the industrious engine of the western coast, and give those who live in Fallstone a peaceful life in their small towns that occasionally dot the landscape.

Notable Locations

• Stonebrook, the meeting place for the mayors of Fallstone.

Bordering Locations

• To the north are the Northern Realms, separated by a small mountainous region;
• To the east is the Ocean, of which little has been explored;
• To the south is the Ocean, where grain is often shipped from; and
• To the west is the Midlands in the north and the Southern Reach in the south.

Location:	Southern Reach, North
Affiliation:	Valkian Realm

"It makes you think: why build a wall to keep out a people who wanted to be left alone? ... Not that I'm one for conspiracies."

- Anonymous Walljack

The Wall is a large, mostly-stone structure that spans from the mouth of the Violet River inland until reaching the eastern mountains. It marks the border between the Midlands and the Southern Reach, with swampland to the south (inhabited by the Walljacks) and the Duchy of Rulan to the north, part of the Valkian Realm.

Since being constructed nearly 500 years ago, the wall has at times been repaired and rebuilt, though it has never been the site of any war, with conflict in the area mostly relegated to the seas.

Location:	Northern Ocean
Biome:	Volcanic, Mountainous; Tundra (parts)

"If you see movement, you better hope you see two legs. Else, run."

- Wise Guidance

Far north of the traditional trading routes across the grand ocean, eventually the skies darken, ash occasionally falling upon the traveller as they approach. Appearing out of nowhere, the rocky shores of the Ashlands will soon greet them.

An unforgiving place, the fact that people choose to live here is nothing short of a feat: though to the trained adventurer, it's not all so bad. Filled with hot springs, numerous clear rivers filtered through rock and home to rich mosses and fungi along with hardy ground vegetables that inform the diet of those who live here, its inhabitants make a decent living. A stretch of mountains skewer the rocky land, becoming more active the farther east you travel. Earthquakes are common, eruptions or mini-eruptions more common still.

Along some of the older peaks rest bone-like forms of rock, said to be the remains of the once great Fire Dragon of the region whose spirit still inhabits it to this day.

Notable Locations

• Dragon's Maw, the resting place of the grand skull of the fire-dragon, resting in the caldera of a dormant volcano. The skull's eyes continue to glow with supernatural fire, and many Fireborne make pilgrimages to the site despite its dangers.
• Bastion, a small flatter area turned into a reinforced keep near the south of the Ashlands. Home to some of its few remaining trees and a small forest, it is the respite for all warriors and adventurers who come.

Bordering Locations

• To the north are the unexplored wastes, a never-ending tundra;
• To the east is the Ocean, then further still the North;
• To the south is the Ocean, eventually the Mist Isles; and
• To the west is the Ocean, eventually the lands of the Korami.

Location:	Eastern Continent, North
Biome:	Boreal forest, tundra (far north)

"A warm fire, nutmeg on your nog, and a spirit of cheer like no other. I wonder why anyone chooses to leave."

- Journal Entry

Standing for nearly a millennia as a stronghold of the burgeoning human kingdoms after The Collapse, the dominance of The North is not what it once was. With mild summers allowing a decent growing season and prosperous mines filled with gold, iron, and silver, many of the greatest smithing guilds of the world can still trace lineage back to these wintry lands.

Having the most time to develop after the Collapse, the North is filled with several large stone keeps and cities dotting the landscape. While many have since left for greater prosperity in the Midlands, the lively spirit of those who live in the North remains, even if they remain fiercely divided by royal bloodlines to this day. While at first paying little mind to the humble farmers to their south — mostly Valks — the realms of the north are now eclipsed by the unified Valkian Realm, with whom they are often at war.

Notable Locations

• Frostpeak, once the capital of a large ruling family in the north before its conquest by the Valkian Realm, now marking the border between the northern realms and the Valks to the south.
• Skykeep, a grand castle atop a mountain with a city spiralling down its height. While a formidable fortress, the keep is often faced with food shortages in winter, especially with constant war threatening wheat imports.
• Tamohn, a moderately-sized city in the north-east that serves as a 'gateway' to the southern Falstoner lands without running into the Valks. Once home to a mighty university that in ancient times taught obscure magic, now is a shell of itself, teaching more modern subjects. 

Bordering Locations

• To the north are the unexplored wastes, a never-ending tundra;
• To the east is the Ocean, which remains mostly unexplored;
• To the south is the Midlands to the south-west and the Faded Steppe to the south-east; and
• To the west is the Ocean, eventually the Ashlands.

Location:	Mid-Ocean
Biome:	Temperate

"First time here? And you're a sailor? . . . Ha. Won't be your last."

- Anonymous Mistan

Home to the Mistan, the Mist Isles are truly a mysterious place. While not themselves being remarkable: fairly straightforward, rocky islands about midway between the eastern and western continents, anyone who visits immediately knows that strange feeling that never seems to go away. Mistan themselves don't generally pay much mind to the strangely serene isolation that can unnerve visitors, but the seemingly never truly clearing mists that descend each morning give rise to legend that the islands hold some kind of blessing — or curse.

Either way, the islanders were fortunate to have strong, sturdy trees that grow plentifully on the islands: Mistan Hardwood is an incredibly dense wood that resists rotting and allows for the construction of some of the world's most impressive ships that can sail the seas for well over a century with good upkeep.

Notable Locations

• Sirensong, one of the two major ports, located on a larger of the southern isles. Home to several large drydocks and one of the brightest beacons in the world, making it a common stopping point for traders. As a result, it has a sort of 'cosmopolitan' feel despite its small size.
• Marionsport, the second of the major ports located in a bay farther north of Sirensong. While not as popular amongst traders, and its difficult bay making shipbuilding less common, the port remains popular for fishermen and whalers, who make use of the abundant waters around.

Bordering Locations

• To the north is the Ocean, eventually the Ashlands;
• To the east is the Ocean, eventually the Eastern Continent (most directly the Midlands);
• To the south is the Southern Ocean; and
• To the west is the Ocean, eventually the lands of the Korami.

The Fable of the Lucky Coin is a tale that began circling several centuries ago, as merchants grew rich and gambling filled the realm. With so many believing the wealthy to have supernatural luck, a tale began of lucky coins that enabled their winnings: if you could swindle one off of them, you too could be rich. Though not entirely true, this tale nevertheless manifests in the form of lucky coins, obtained only after a display of swindling, cunning, and wits.

Requirements

Obtaining a 'lucky coin' involves one of two trials: the Quickhand Trial, or the Legendary Gamble.

Quickhand Trial

Accomplished thieves find an encoded note giving directions to what is claimed to be the heist of their life. After decrypting it, the location of a mark is revealed to them where all of their skills will be put to the test, as well as their ability to solve around them. Any who find their way to the end of the trial will find an item beyond mortal value.

Legendary Gamble

Tales spread far and wide of a mysterious stranger who roams the land, offering a game to those of renown in gambling halls or the more seedy locales. The game involves a test of skill, luck, and cunning for a mythic valuable. This can range from a game of dice, cards, or even a competition to see who can swipe the most items of value in a short period of time. Tales also warn of the danger of taking this game, as losing it can have consequences well beyond losing a few coins.

Fabled Feats

Within the ashlands of the realm, beasts and dangers are a common occurrence but one reigns supreme. An ancient dragon was once known to take residence within the molten rock, destroying or consuming threats to its claim to grow ever stronger — and now, it remains as the Spirit of the Fire Dragon. But even with its tendency to destruction, it held greater intelligence and was known to make deals with the mortal races. The Fireborne are one such group, providing worship and offerings to the beast in exchange for protection from threats beyond themselves or even the strength of the beast to a select few chosen.

With time, the beast was vanquished but its spirit lingered on within its home. The followers of the beast transitioned from worshipping its alive form to giving its spirit tribute. The first altars were constructed within the massive bones of the beast to keep close to its lingering spirit. Even far from the lands that it calls home, altars began to be found across the realm in its name. Coming upon one of these altars or those who worship at it, an individual may be inducted into the ranks of the dragon cult. Given time, and offerings in the name of the beast, they even may find themselves with the spirit of the dragon gracing their very being.

Requirements

Every 'Aspect of the Dragon' requires a unique oath sworn in the name of the beast, alongside a material sacrifice. 

Fabled Feats

Throughout time, fairytales come and go, though few have been as everlasting as the Lady of the Lake. While her exact name and appearance have changed throughout history, the Lady has been a symbol of knights and chivalry across the realm. Distraught by the honourless who break their word and bring harm upon others, the Lady will grant boons to those who swear to maintain a cause on their honour.

In some knightly orders, such as those found in the Valkian Realm, those who make and maintain an oath under the Lady are oft given the title of Oathkeeper or Honourbound, a highly revered status.

Requirements

Forest Quest

Those seeking an audience with the Lady must have demonstrated a passionate, fiery heart for some cause. Travelling into the woods, they will oft be faced with some kind of challenge related to their sought-after Oath, and only after surpassing it will they come across a misty clearing and meet the Lady.

Fabled Feats

All those who make use of the powers granted by their Oath tend to form a thin mistly aura around them.

It is not uncommon to hear stories of a mystical band of witches granting power in return for a sacrifice, however in more recent times these stories have found their way out of children's stories. Some report a wagon passing through cities, joining a caravan when no-one noticed, or a hovel in the swamps that exists only to disappear the next day containing a coven of witches: The Portents. These witches hold incredible power and the ability to grant wishes, but those seeking them out or even finding them in their presence should be aware there is always a price.

The deals made are allowed to be more freeform, though not everything will be achievable through a deal. The DM will always warn on an OOC level what the effects suffered will be. Some examples of a deal can be found below:

• A woman wants to remove the hindrance of being aged, but in exchange intelligence rolls are made with a permanent -1 as their short and long term memory mirrors their previous state.
• A man wants to repair a damaged eye, which is replaced through magical means. However, they suffer from -2 to perception checks permanently, their eye seemingly not their own in certain moments.
• A new hero asks for a weapon to make his name in the world, with a magical blade offered to give him the power to start his journey. However the blade begins to sap their strength while its in their possession, granting a -1 to all strength rolls while they own it. The weapon worms its way into the wielders mind, giving them a strong sense to keep the weapon close however if it is removed from their person for a day it will disappear along with the negative effects.

Requirements

The Portents do not simply show up to just anyone, and have a sense for when someone has a particular boon they seek; so long as they would be open to a deal, an aspiring deal-maker can find themselves stumbling across the coven, though with a cost to be extracted in equal measure to the benefit they want.

Fabled Feats

Only one deal with the Portents can be made at a time.

Contribution by mageaegis

While some have long claimed that the wilds are more than the sum of their parts, that a sort of life emerges from the surrounding world, not all heed their call. These dedicated few, oft calling themselves Shrine Keepers (or alternatively, Shrine Maidens in some cases) care after elaborate shrines to the natural world, collecting donations and connecting on a deeper level to the heart of the world. This link is symbolized by the Shimmer-Fox, a creature considered to be a messenger of the world, cunning and well-travelled. These foxes frequent the shrines of the keepers, being remarkably friendly in their presence and on occasion bringing small gifts, such as herbs or trinkets.

Requirements

An aspiring shrine-keeper must first establish their shrine; it is said that on the first full moon after maintaining the altar and collecting donations, a Shimmer-Fox will show itself at midnight, bringing a carved stone to the keeper to signify their recognition by nature. The shrine-keeper must then maintain the shrine and continue to collect donations, all of which seem to mysteriously vanish into the night.

Fabled Feats

Contributions by Chiarophinx, mageaegis

The Mist Isles have always been home to rumours of mythical creatures that live in the mists with alluring song and adept skills. Whether these creatures truly exist, some sort of presence nevertheless watches over the Isles, granting those within who respect the power of the seas abilities not unlike those fabled in these fairytales. This presence, called the Siren Serene by locals, is never seen itself, but her effects touch the islanders regularly.

Those who are foolish and selfishly take from the waters without care are said to have their boats bathed in fog and mist, losing their way and getting lost at sea as an act of her revenge. To others, especially non-islanders, this presence is seen as a curse. Fisherman who dare to fish more than they need find themselves in choppy waters, struggling to make it back to shore; this has led to something of a war, with many openly despising the being and taunting her, with numerous wives-tales of how to scare away the presence, such as dumping potash in the water before sailing out.

Requirements

Respect of the Sea

Travelling out to sea, the Siren Serene is said to grant boons even to those far from the Isles for committing a deed benefitting the seas; whether this is benevolent (such as aiding wildlife) or hostile (such as sinking or punishing those who pollute the seas or are unduly selfish, e.g. whalers), does not seem to matter.

Fabled Feats

Twin birds fated never to meet, chasing each others’ tails around the world; as the Phoenix travels, so too does resplendent daylight—as the Equinox, glimmering dark. While they appear in multiple myths as advisors or catalysts, there is no confirmation of the two birds actually existing in their full glory. Multiple cultures do have tales of smaller birds in the image of the pair appearing at dusk and dawn to usher in the turn of time. The pair are often known to represent a few opposing ideals, activity and rest, life and death, even rebirth with the passing of duties to their counterpart. Those who find themselves particularly drawn to a new life direction may seek out a high point to reach the phoenix, or a tranquil body of water to seek equinox. These pilgrimages may even present a boon to those who find themselves travelling far enough to grab more than the avian's passing gaze.

Requirements

The Pilgrim's Path

Tales spread of a trial involving a long journey, one of self discovery or world discovery. There are very few consistencies between one person to the next, aside from the long distance and preparation required. Some may find bandits needing cleared out along their path, beasts, weather to circumvent, a destroyed path or even an illness along the way. No matter what they encounter, as long as the pilgrim finds their way to their goal they are said to be so close to either the phoenix or equinox that a sliver of their strength enhances their very being.

Fabled Feats

Contributions by mageaegis and Dee

While many gardens both large and small populate the realm, some of their caretakers seem to have an extra magical touch above a mere 'green thumb'. With the domains of these enchanted keepers of nature seeming to defy reason, growing unnatural plants or seemingly granting supernatural boons with their herbs, the spirits of nature reward those who maintain its beauty, whether wild or pristinely trimmed.

Requirements

Wild Gardener

A wild gardener is one who does not limit nature's habit of sprawl and irregularity. These gardeners regularly aid wild forests, whether by helping to nurture plants in a draught, care for wild animals, or anything else that helps the wilds flourish. They do not carelessly destroy the wilds of nature, only taking what they must, never more.

Plantkeeper

A plantkeeper is one who brings the nature closer to home, creating and dedicating themselves to wild areas of nature, even when tested by destructive forces. These caretakers must regularly seek out and restore damaged patches of nature near their home, and must maintain a plot of greenery and growth of their own.

Fabled Feats

Any who gain a divine gardener's touch find themselves able to more easily calm animals, and generally find small animals like birds and squirrels being more willing to stay around them.

Contribution by lovelyninja

The Beasts of the continent come in many shapes and forms, and vary from place to place. While much of the settled lands are home to relatively tame creatures in their woods, those residents of the Southern Reach are not so fortunate. With the wilds left mostly untamed, the land retains a distinctly monstrous nature, not friendly to those going for an afternoon stroll.

A full catalogue of beasts is available through the navigation bar on the left, though they are categorized, as laid out below.

Categories

These categories both include generally 'lesser' beings, but also includes afflicted sentient creatures (i.e. the cursed) under 'curses'.

Beasts

(All beasts listed in this category are free for players to DM with at their discretion)

Beasts includes the general wild animals of the realm, ranging from prey to predator. Those who most closely parallel the lives of the intelligent creatures of the world, the vast majority of living things fall into this category, from foxes and fishes to owls and boars.

 ❈ Main article: Beasts of the Realm

Necrophages

(All beasts listed in this category are free for players to DM with at their discretion unless otherwise stated)

The creatures of the dead, and those who associate with them. Not allowed a true rest, these creatures find themselves tormented in death, oft due to their inability to find a peace at the end of their life. This includes artifically-created creatures through necromancy arts of Ichor, but also those arising from untimely demise: ghouls, drowners, zombies. Others skirt the line between life and death, such as the bog hags who engage in strange alchemical practices.

 ❈ Main article: Necrophages

Spectres

(All beasts listed in this category are available to player DMs with permission from Lore Staff unless otherwise stated)

Souls, kept chained to their world and oft vicious beings as a result. Being a pure essence of the being they once were, these creatures are subject to passionate emotion and violent swings of temper from melancholy to rage. Spectres include all of the traditional ghost-like beings, such as wraiths, ghosts themselves, haunting spirits, and so on.

Fey

(All beasts listed in this category are only available to Lore Staff)

The Fey are magical creatures — literally. Sliding in and out of our plane, exploring all the ether has to offer, the Fey have an arcane bloodline that gives them unique abilities, though often manifesting in strangely ritualistic or limited ways. Being the longest lived of any beast in the continent spare for souls themselves, Fey tend to have a mischievous side on occasion. The Fey include faeries, nymphs, will o' wisps, and so on.

 ❈ Main article: The Fey

Constructs

(All beasts listed in this category are free for players to DM with at their discretion unless otherwise stated)

Constructs are, as their name suggests, a form of artificial life — if they can truly be called life at all. While usually manifesting as creations of Artifice, more arcane machine than life, there are rare instances of constructs arising out of supernatural forces, such as part of a Fable's ritual or test. 

Curses

(Cannot be DM'd; applies to player characters)

Curses are fickle things. While some seem to be unique to particular individuals in particular circumstances, others are more universal, such as the Curse of Eternal Blood. Each curse has its own quirks and nature, and where they come from is often not always clear; at times, curses seem to arrive as a way of the universe karmically punishing the egregious.

 ❈ See e.g.: Curse of the Eternal Blood

Often reduced to mere tricksters or boogeymen of childhood stories, the Fey are a rich and diverse family of beings with magic at their core. Being imbued with arcane energy as part of their very being, the Fey have numerous unique abilities and presentations that are unlike most others found in the world.

The Fey can be roughly categorised into five different tiers, depending on what their essence embodies. These tiers roughly match the magical power of each creature (though there are always exceptions), but most importantly represent the status of each being in Fey society. While not a caste system per-se, those beings in the higher tiers of Fey are generally seen as more important and listened to by other Fey, if out of respect if nothing else.

One other notable feature of the Fey is their connection to Ether, the purest and most temperamental of the arcane mediums. More powerful Fey can almost completely subsume themselves in Ether magic, disconnecting themselves from our world and living off in their own fantasy realms. It is for this reason that the highest of the Fey — Archfey — are almost never seen by normal folk.

Types of Fey

Fey are roughly fit into five categories, from least to highest in status: those who embody a specific purpose; embody a specific thing; embody a specific element; embody a certain concept; and then at the highest, those who embody power itself — the Archfey. Listed here are the most common Fey found in each category, but this is not exhaustive: unique and strange types of Fey are often encountered.

I: Fey of Purpose

An omen of good or ill? You can never be sure with motes until you follow.

Sootball

Creatures who embody a task of labour, sootballs are named after their appearance: spiked, small black balls with equally-small arms and legs. Some speculate these balls are really just bits of coal dust animated by the fey: either way, they exist to fulfil a purpose, such as carrying an object, pruning dead leaves, or splashing saplings with water. These creatures are rarely seen alone, almost always serving as helpers to greater Fey.

Motes

“There I was, just minding my business, when the light caught my eye. I was curious, so I followed. Up to a beautiful outcropping like none I had ever seen: the full moon that night inspired me to become a painter, in the end.”

A beacon of light, at first oft mistaken for a large firefly. These spheres of light with an almost angelic aura float on the breeze, seeking to guide those they encounter. This is not to say that their guidance is always helpful: tasked by greater Fey, these creatures can guide travellers straight into a trick just as often as they may lead from danger. Either way, the sparkling lights of a Mote bring a special life into the forests at night.

II: Fey of Things

Sprites

The most commonly depicted of the Fey and most commonly encountered, sprites have the appearance of traditional faeries: small human-shaped creatures with insect-like wings. These creatures come in many appearances, colours, and attitudes. Attached to a specific item or place, these sprites both embody them and are bound to them like a guardian: whether a strawberry patch, stream, or lantern. Be warned — with so much of their existence stuck in the same place doing the same thing, there is little a sprite loves more than to play with visitors, even when they don’t want to play in return.

III: Fey of Elements

The Virago are not to be trifled with.

Elemental Fey are notable for their relation to the Fey-Touched: most often, these are the creatures who either played tricks on a child in the womb, or, in rare cases, paired with the people of the continent to give birth to the unique race.

Nymphs

Beings of nature, these woodland fey often take the form of either wooden or plant-formed people. Traditionally depicted as plant-like women, Nymphs can actually come in all forms and shapes, roughly resembling any of the races of the continent in form. Fiercely protective of their domain and not particularly trusting of sentient species, a visitor should beware, as the enchanting beauty of nature can often be more violent than appearances suggest.

Viragos

Fierce of spirit, these mountainous fey are empowered with the contrasting elements of either fire or ice. Sharing the features and habits of their Nymph cousins, the Virago are far less willing to talk or warn off interlopers. Those who find themselves encountering these creatures, whether in lava pits or snow-covered summits will have to pay a price, either fighting or running with singed or frost-bitten fingers.

Naiads

“He lost his leg to a shark - oh, don’t feel sorry for him. Decided to try to hunt down a Naiad, thought he’d bring home a trophy of a unique star-shell for his beloved. You can imagine how that went.”

Formed from the water and decorated with moss and shells, Naiads are the fey of the sea, rivers, and ponds. When compared to the other Fey of their status, Naiads are relatively timid and kind, even on occasion aiding drowning souls in their waters. This is not to say they are defenceless, however: as they tend to feature unique shells prized for art and mosses used for medicinal purposes, some intentionally seek to hunt these creatures — and quickly discover their ability to call on all creatures of the sea to come to their aid.

IV: Fey of Concepts

Dryads are the epitome of nature come to life.

Dryads

Serving to embody dedication itself, these beings formed from the woodlands around them are guardians of nature and of other Fey. At first appearing like warped trees, these creatures are rarely one to talk, instead focused on their task of protection. Formed out of multiple layers of bark protecting the Fey’s core, Dryads are incredibly tough and hard-hitting creatures, though their slow pace and habit of staying near their kin or other Fey makes running into one unlikely.

Mechanically, Dryads are considered heavy armoured creatures.

Shapeshifters

“It wasn’t him. It looked just like him, it talked just like him but - but I knew. It couldn’t be. Why … why do they do it? Don’t they get tired? Don’t they think it’s wrong? I’m not sure I’ll ever understand them. Just hope I never see one again.”

Tricksters dealing in the concept of identity, shapeshifters are the oft-maligned villains of stories and myth; though not without good reason. One of the rarest Fey and one of the shortest lived (usually due to their own tricks) these creatures find power in being mistaken for others and toying with those they encounter. Taking the form of lost children, siblings, or even on occasion parents, shapeshifters get endless entertainment from tricking others before leaving to find another to play with. While not directly violent, trying to keep one still for a proper fight is a nearly impossible task.

V: Fey of Power

Archfey

A summit of power, Archfey can easily be attributed an almost demigod-like status within their spheres. Maintaining a court around them of lesser Fey, an Archfey is rarely seen directly: spending their time immersed in the Ether, living in an illusory realm of their own creation, they see little reason to frolic about in the ‘real world’, filled with other meddlesome beings.

Able to dominate any gathering of Fey other than of their own, making an enemy of an Archfey is practically a death sentence — though gathering the attention of one enough to spur them to act is a feat in and of itself.

Compiled most extensively in the series of manuscripts 'Wonderous Beasts of the Realm', beasts are the most common every-day encounters of ordinary people. While many (countless, really) exist, from dogs to herons to chipmunks, some are particularly noteworthy, garnering extensive literature. It is these which are listed here. 

Many of these beasts are particularly prized for what they can be used for, with several of them used going back centuries not only as food but also as part of dyes, medicines, and soforth.

Wonderous Beasts of the Realm

A

Axolotl

“My assistant thought it best to include the common Axolotl in my writings; I can’t fathom why some might find interest in them, but apparently, they’re ‘cute’. I suppose the lizard has its merits. I’ve seen several children collect them in buckets- for alchemy, perhaps?”

A most unique salamander, the Axolotl finds itself in the shallow waters off the shores of the Southern Reach, most notably near the swamps of the Walljacks, thriving with the ample wetland plants to hide from predators. Unique for their ability to seemingly regenerate just about any part of their body given enough time, various parts or ‘essences’ of the Axolotl have long been purveyed by aspiring alchemists and healers; whether it truly helps or not is perhaps a matter of opinion.

“The essence of the Axolotl is a strange concoction, and while I won’t get into the method of collecting the essence, I will say that it stinks. Quite literally, I should clarify. It’s not particularly rancid, but my assistant fainted upon a single whiff. I think I need a new assistant.”

B

Ballerina Snail

“A most peculiar variety of snail found along the coasts of the Mist Isles, these so-called Ballerina Snails are connected to the Siren Serene, in some manner. Some Mistan consider them nothing more than colorful pests while others make the most of these nimble molluscs.”

The Ballerina Snail is an uncommon marine mollusk, native to the reefs and kelp forests of the Mist Isles. They can occasionally be found in the shallows of the ocean. The snail’s most distinguishable feature is a set of small and flat “wings” on either side of its body, which it utilizes to flutter across the water’s surface between rocks, or to catch the current. Their bodies are usually grey or beige, but their wings can come in an array of crystalline hues, such as ruby-red or emerald-green.

“The Mistan have made the otherwise elusive snail fairly useful. They can be lured into lobster traps with bait, and their meat makes for a dish similar to mainland escargot. Best of all, however, is the colorful dye their wings can be ground into. The quality is comparable to that of Valkian dye. Excellent indeed.”

Bogstrider

“I wouldn’t recommend riding directly on a bogstrider when travelling through the swamplands, which is a lesson my assistant unfortunately learned. He slipped right off one of the things, slick from the bog and right into the disgusting murk. He’s lucky a walljack wasn’t prowling around, or I’d already be looking for new help.”

A unique form of horse, the Bogstrider are notable for their wide trunk-like legs that at first glance could be confused for a horse with a bad bee sting. In reality, these legs are mostly an illusion: long hairs protect from nibbling fish in shallow waters and trap air that make it easier for these creatures to brave fording through swamps and bogs, where they are often employed by merchants and caravans.

D

Dunkbear

“The Dunkbear is another one of those animals that my assistant decided I must catalog. This particular assistant is being very insistent that we must add a chapter dedicated to ‘cute little animals’. I don’t see the scientific reasoning, so for now I’ve fired her, and will seek another helper.”

Despite their name, these otter-like creatures have no relation to bears other than in the shape of their faces. Rather curious creatures to watch, these mammals swim in shallow seas and rivers, sticking their face into the water and watching the seabed. When finding a particular kind of moss they like to eat, the Dunkbear dives into the water, flapping its little webbed feet as it swiftly sinks to the bottom and surfaces again, chewing on its freshly acquired feast.

“A Dunkbear offered me moss. I have rehired my assistant.”

E

Erdhenne

“In my travels, I heard tell of a strange breed of chicken that locals considered an omen of doom and death. If you heard its cries, or caught even a glimpse of it in the Midlands, you were likely to die. The gentleman that shared this tale then proceeded to give me evidence: his wife’s sister’s neighbor’s son had seen one when hunting, and died not a week later, several years ago.”

The Erdhenne is shrouded in myth, with its origins lying in the Midlands. According to most sources, its appearance is not unlike the popularly fluffy Silkie chicken, but larger, and more grotesque. The chicken’s manner of distortion varies between populations, but it’s generally agreed upon that the Erdhenne fades in and out of vision much like a ghost, and bears darker feathers with a muddy, ashy texture. Additionally, its eyes are far more piercing than a chicken’s “should” be.

“The legend of the Erdhenne is common enough that some merit should be offered to its legitimacy. There have indeed been deaths after reports of witnessing one, but there have also been many that claim to have seen one and survived. Usually, these people are trying to sell you protective charms, so take that information as you will.”

F

Fae Marten

“Normally with fur the same as other weasels, the fae marten is known to occasionally appear with vivid colours, such as a pale pink to a midnight blue in tone. They’re mischievous, certainly, but some find it endearing.”

These unique weasels carry with them a touch of the fey, signified by their almost supernaturally shimmering coats of fur. With a slender body and short legs, the Fae Marten makes a home nest in the branches and trunks of pine trees, though they are surprisingly adaptable, making nests in more exotic locations such as cracks of The Wall. With a mischievous streak owing to their fey benefactors, the Fae Marten can be very excitable, releasing a shimmering dust from their fur that remains for a few minutes before fading. Being so playful and friendly, many Fae Marten are kept as pets by children on farms.

Flower Warden

“These little critters are quite beneficial for the environment, pollinating produce and flowers galore. They often smell of the flowers they sometimes burrow in, though are easily missed when far from civilization.”

A harmless creature with a flair for camouflage, the Flower Warden is a small flat critter that lives on land. With a body that is shaped somewhat like a flower, a Warden plucks flowers throughout the year and affixes them to its back, forming a bouquet to disguise them in fields. A favourite of farmers and beekeepers who see the Warden as a boon to pollination, outside of their natural habitat they are less adapted, often confusing trashed parchment or cloth for flowers and forming a less-than-convincing disguise.

“My assistant accidentally squashed a warden when setting up camp. I thought it might make for a fine specimen for research, so I’ve taken care to pin it onto some cloth for safekeeping. When properly taxidermied, they make for lovely displays!”

G

Grumpkin

“The bane of many a Falstoner farmer, I was pleased as pumpkin pie when I got to see one in person, and then the subsequently squashed form of it. Touched by the lingering magic of fae mischief, these short little creatures can wreak havoc when undetected, spoiling produce and finding joy in the misery of others. One little miscreant misplaced my favorite pair of boots I left drying outside!”

Animated by fae magic, the Grumpkin is considered a pestilence in most of the Faded Steppe. It is uncertain as to their true origins, but they are known to be a natural occurrence in areas of concentrated magic in the Steppe-lands. Originally a gourd or pumpkin, once animated their vines elongate into limbs and they seemingly come to life. It is unknown whether the Grumpkin is sentient, or if it’s directed by the power of fey-magic alone.

“As they’re relatively harmless beyond their crop nuisances, it’s a favorite pastime of children to take newly formed Grumpkins and paint faces on them in the fall, before setting them free to run amok. Some of the earliest nursery rhymes and fairy tales in the Reach include stories of the Grumpkin, such as Grumplestiltskin, a Grumpkin that tricked young children into spinning cursed straw. How wondrous!”

H

Hellhound

“It is not an uncommon occurrence for Fireborne children to bond with Hellhound puppies, and they often remain companions for life. While intimidating at first glance, these creatures are fiercely protective of what they love, and make for the perfect companion for any child, so long as they are properly trained. My assistant, unfortunately, came back with one such puppy, apparently the runt of the litter. I don’t know what we’re supposed to do with this thing.”

Easily confused for a fox at first glance, this unique breed of dog has lived hand-in-hand with the Fireborne for centuries. Said to be graced with the spiritual powers of the Fire Dragon, their fiery-red fur and glowing red eyes can give cause for alarm, but these hounds are not predatory for no reason; rather, they are loyal and hardworking companions of the warriors of the Ashlands, helping to scout out areas, using thick claws to nimbly climb and fit through rock crevices.

“Teddy has made for an excellent companion as we traverse the Ashlands. He loves belly rubs and playing fetch. I suppose he may remain with us for the time being.”

I

Igneous Crawler

“My blasted assistant refused to accompany me to the base of the volcano; he’s been sent on his way and I will acquire a new one when I return. They never seem to last long. No matter, it only means I will be one of the few to see an igneous crawler in its native habitat. There are hunters that take pride in their ability to traverse this hellscape, and one has been hired as my guide. Though, I will admit… it is indeed quite hot here.”

A small, turtle-like creature, the Igneous Crawler is perhaps most notable for its unique habitat: volcanic ashlands and their hot-springs. Despite the hostile environment, these creatures are often found basking near the edges of calderas or particularly hot geysers, absorbing the rich minerals that form. Their incredibly thick shells and thick skin provide ample protection from the heat, and are effectively flame-proof: though the density of the shell makes it difficult to carve or use for any useful purpose.

“I’d be curious to learn how long it takes to work with the crawler’s shell. My guide said that local artisans can utilize the shell, but only after working with it enough to master its awkward density. An art passed through generations, the technique was not shared with me, and I felt it wiser to avoid pressing the matter. After all, the burns I sustained on the volcano would have scarred terribly, were it not for the village’s medicines.”

J

Jaraid

“My assistant who traveled with the Stonerunners told me of these creatures when a young member of the clan eagerly, and without fear, offered to guide her to find one. Waiting to set off a small avalanche to catch their prey, it seems the formidable Jaraid is not as fearsome as suggested when faced against a Greatling.”

Something of a boogeyman of the north, these large, bear-like creatures are not as ‘cuddly’ as their distant cousins. Featuring long drawn-out snouts resembling that of a hyena, and large teeth that protrude out past their lips not unlike some Greatlings, these creatures are infamous for feeding on the dead or near-dying, especially in the mountains. More clever than most give credit for, they are able to set basic traps — even in some cases setting off small avalanches — to catch their prey, feeding on what weakened foe remains.

“I will have to see if these creatures can be tamed. I welcome a clever guard to my lodge in the mountains.”

K

Krakerstag

“I was rather impressed with the Krackerstag, at least upon initial observations. Their coexistence with other creatures in the forest form a sort of symbiotic relationship, with the Krackerstag serving as the warning bells of the flock. After speaking more with local townsfolk, however, it is apparently quite the nuisance when hunters go out early and the whip-cracking wakes up locals before dawn.”

At first seeming much like your average doe or stag though perhaps more petite in size, the Krackerstag quickly distinguishes itself by its bifurcated tail with a strange ridged texture. One of the fastest creatures found in the midlands, these forest-dwellers quickly became the bane of hunters due to their ‘whip’: by whipping their tail together, they are able to make a whip-crack sound that quickly alerts their nearby companions (and other animals alike), causing a mass stampede of animals to leave the surrounding area. While some more elusive predators actually seek out the ‘whip-crack’, these creatures are often avoided by hunters rather than engaged.

L

Legbat

“I’ve never been too fond of caves, and the notion of walking into a potential death-trap didn’t seem all that appealing either. Thus most of my notes sadly have to be taken from a /dead/ Legbat - though judging by that I can’t say they’re a particularly likable sort. Large, misshapen teeth and a nasty scowl confirm the wisdom of my decision.”

Deriving a name from their less than pleasant means of incapacitating prey, the Legbat lives in large flocks and make homes in dark, damp caves, ideally with ample stalagmites. Though not openly hostile, the bats act in a group when provoked, diving down at the legs of their foe and digging their teeth in, aiming to slow or trip the creature in their attempt to shake them off. When mixed with the dangerous terrain of their homes and darkness, escaping a flock of Legbats without preparation is a difficult proposition.

N

Nightdancer

“The first chance I had to witness the Nightdancer was when I was interviewing several inhabitants of Fallstone. Dragged into their ‘Faerie’s Eve’ celebrations, I admit I found myself somewhat enchanted with their patterns and lights, coupled with all of the other celebrations. Perhaps I picked the wrong profession?”

A small insect found prolific in the Midlands and Southern Reach, Nightdancers are something of a more unique cousin to the firefly. Flying in swarms that will pulse in light in hypnotic waves, the flying habits of the Nightdancer cause them to form a wide variety of shapes and patterns in the air as they dance, making for a rather unique show. Most commonly found near small ponds, the Nightdancer can also be used to create a vibrant emerald-green dye, commonly used by Valks.

R

Reach Squirrel

“I would think it possible that these squirrels are far more intelligent than all of their brethren: the way they seem to manipulate ‘dumber’ creatures into aiding them in their search for food is nothing less than entertaining, if not somewhat lazy.”

A unique sibling to the Red Squirrel, the Reach Squirrel is, as its name suggests, unique to the Southern Reach. Adapted to the rather unique wilds this expanse offers, these squirrels have gotten particularly adept at manipulating other creatures to their end, particularly necrophages. Making various chirps and bark-like noises to attract the attention of drowners and other lumbering beasts, the Reach Squirrel leads them into running into a tree, knocking free fruit and nuts for them to feast on.

S

Shimmer-Fox

“An elusive target to study, neither I nor my assistants have been able to document one of these Shimmer-Foxes in the wild. Instead, I am stuck relying on the less-than-stellar descriptions provided by shrine-keepers. Do they really have a connection to nature itself? Or are they just clever and tricking these do-gooders into giving them things? I’m not sure.”

A fox with a unique tie to the forces of nature, Shimmer-Foxes are an incredibly rare sight. Never seeming to just wander freely or want for anything, these unique members of the canine family are symbols and messengers of nature itself, whose spark is seen in their shimmering-blue eyes and sparkling-white tail. Most often seen around shrines of nature, Shimmer-Foxes are prized by some for the unique pelt they can offer—though surviving the wrath of nature for slaying its voice may not be worth the price.

T

Tressym

“I once encountered in my travels a small Tressym that inhabited a local belltower. The locals seemed to be so fond of her—or perhaps fearful of her wrath—that they stopped ringing the bell. Once a litter was born, they avoided the tower altogether. I wonder if they’ll sacrifice the whole town to this winged cat ...”

A relative of the cat family, these beings were long ago altered by the Fey, kept as curious pets by some, or simply left to wander freely. Appearing roughly similar to an average tabby cat but with long, dense whiskers and two large wings outside of its back, Tressym are able to fly short distances and glide farther still. Being able to perch out of the reach of predators, Tressym are notoriously skittish, staying in high places and rarely growing comfortable enough with the races of the continent to be kept as pets.

W

Waterjack

“If I had not seen it myself, I would not believe it - but a Walljack trying to ‘tame’ a Waterjack by riding on its back might have been the stupidest application of human intelligence I have seen in my travels. Either way, he seemed to be having fun - until he broke his arm.”

A cousin of the hippopotamus, the Waterjack is slightly smaller than its relatives and darker in hue, having an almost oily-green colour to its rough skin. Waterjacks are often depicted in tales as useful allies of the Walljacks who also inhabit their same swamps, though this is far from the truth: these nocturnal creatures lay in wait, covering themselves in moss and leaves of swamp waters, waiting for visitors to wander too close to their territory, quickly snapping up out of the water.

Wailing Nighthound

“I’m not afraid of them. Quite frankly I find the notion appalling. But I find it’s better to observe their natural habits by sending a more … naive observer to catch them in the wild. Unfortunately, I have garnered little other than that they should be avoided. Thankfully that’s not too much of a challenge these days.”

A living nightmare, the Wailing Nighthound is a creature rarely seen in the modern day due to them being hunted to near-extinction. Freakishly creative beasts slightly larger than an average dog and slightly smaller than a wolf, the distinct purple eyes of the Nighthound leaves little doubt as to its identity in a pack. Slinking through small towns at night, these creatures are able to mimic the cries of a child for help, crying, or simply saying hello — seeking to draw out do-gooders to the dark wilderness of the night before pouncing.

A woman jumps awake in a trembling coat of sweat with the flashes of gnashing teeth and reeking ichor, vestigial traces of a dream most horrible. The putrid taste of iron seeps into her senses, nauseating, until her stomach drops with the surge of a hunger that seems to twist her very bones. A harrowing instinct bodes her new craving: blood like wine and the tenderness of flesh. Now, she must leave with haste to abate such instincts, before the hunger that churns within her soul finds its unbinding.

For centuries the idea of the vampire has persisted as a myth of a gruesome curse, shrouded in evil and blood and rapaciousness—yet somehow retaining, for all its feared mystique, a furtive allure in the eyes of scholars, witches, and warriors alike. Sifting through old academic text and mythologized histories, many folk find disagreement discussing the origins of the curse, its philosophical implications, or whether such cursed creatures exist at all.

As of the past 50 years however, denser esoteric texts have circulated amidst the most meticulous of occult scholars, detailed by more frequent observations, and it is not believed to be coincidence that more vampires have been detected since the disappearance of the Aedall. Particularly in the Southern Reach’s northern swampland and the great forest of the eastern rivers, where shadows pervade and population is scarce, vampires have been met roving their hunting grounds or establishing a place of refuge. As eternal as the curse itself is the question of the vampiric nature, a place where the ordinary labour to remain humane and the primal toil to survive.

History & Culture

In the current time period, sophisticated scholars of occult curses—mostly notably that of the vampire—find themselves less than few and far between, as such research in the past once proved to be polarising in some cultures, radically taboo in others, and an altogether hazardous field of study. Much debate has been had regarding even the origins of the oldest vampiric histories, putting into question the very natures of the esoteric writers that much of scholarly understanding bases insight upon to this day.

Most notably, much of the earliest vampiric text is written in the script of the Korami, formalised by the presence of clan emblems and signatures of high court scholars. Such names and symbols have been traced back to years predating even the Collapse of the Ancients, identifying the study of vampirism as a vocation that was once formally practised by small circles of Arsa Sidhe elites.

Gǔròu

The Gǔròu [roughly pronounced goo-ryo] were of old blood—a clan of fabled Korami ancestors revered for their martial elegance and feeding off the blood of their foes on the battlefield. They were an oblique facet of the old Arsa Sidhe aristocracy, and subsequent to the Collapse, would fade largely into obscurity and bloody, battle-fueled myth. Children and fledglings of Gǔròu warriors were part of the fragmented Arsa Sidhe who’d pioneer across the isles of the far-west, settling the home of the Korami. Despite being of a predominantly Arsa Sidhe population, the culture of the Korami, and even the remnants of the Gǔròu clan itself, would greatly develop to find representation by other races such as the Humans and Greatlings.

There are many Korami vampires who have claimed that their curse carries the blood of the great Gǔròu warriors of yore. However, none truly know the ancestral origins of the vampire curse, or how to trace its metaphysical lineages, and whether such bloodlines have indeed persisted through centuries of kinship and spreading of their esurient affliction, slang and dilution of language have shifted the meanings behind the name of the Gǔròu clan. In the more recent centuries, as knowledge of the curse slowly spread across the lands amongst scholars and hunters alike, the terms “Vampire” and “Gǔròu” became synonymous within the language of the Korami. Within contemporary Korami culture, to be a vampire, or a gǔròu, is sometimes admired or even envied as a status of preternatural strength and pedigree.

Becoming Cursed

Across centuries of macabre encounters and collection of research, receiving the curse of eternal blood has been observed to be a harrowing 28-day process of starvation and biological transformation, formally referred to as haemotransfiguration. It is understood to be a preternatural curse upon the blood and body, twisting and upturning its humours into something beyond that which is worldly. It is a state of lethal, bestial hunger unlike anything a newly cursed vampire will have ever experienced before.

Bled Into The Fold

Haemotransfiguration is named and defined by the grisly means in which a vampire is most known to become cursed: falling prey to another vampire. The process begins with death, or rather, being drained of blood within an inch of it. Inexplicable as it may be, the bite and bleeding must be of deliberate feed from the perpetrator; a bleed from an existing injury not inflicted by a bite will not suffice as a vessel for the curse.

Time is of the essence for the vampire seeking to curse another, as each moment must be deftly handled with confidence so as to not waste their mark’s lifeblood. The cursed blood must be exchanged, pierced open to seep into the target’s bite wound and replace the humours of the dying. The newborn vampire will suddenly feel as though their blood were boiling in their veins, twisting and burning the last of their energy as they bleed out. It will be in the peak moment between life and death that the newly cursed must drink the blood of the one that chose to change them, bestowing the lifeblood of another unto them and sealing an eternal kinship. Every vampire will have a scar indicative of the bite that turned them.

Stages of Change

Within the first day of haemotransfiguration the vampire’s body will rapidly recover from existing traumatic injury, sealing open wounds and slowly, painfully resetting bones to their natural order. Re-balancing of the body marks the foreboding beginning of its change, introducing an identified series of stages over the course of 28 days (~1-2 OOC weeks).

[STAGE 1] Any injuries the vampire is recovering from feel like a cauterising burn or bone-wrenching soreness. Digestion is disturbed, rendering the fledgling to experience bouts of intermittently extreme nausea. Food and drink lose their appeal, but the vampire feels a constant hunger unable to be appeased. Senses are heightened to an uncomfortable degree, as if the world around is just too bright and too loud and smells sickeningly strong.

[STAGE 2] The pain of hunger becomes more than physical, debilitating almost in how mentally distracting it is, feeling like a burning of the core and boiling of blood. The nausea passes, but returns immediately should the vampire attempt to eat. Bright light becomes unbearable to the eyes with searing pain and distortion of vision. Psychological exertion lends many vampires at this stage to anxious and aggressive behaviour, augmented by nightmares of gnashing teeth and rivers of blood. The vampire’s irises turn to a fierce red colour after dark.

[STAGE 3] On the 28th day of a month’s long starvation, the vampire will feel deranged with hunger, and against all they know of what is right or natural in their world, a grotesque instinct rears its head: the need to consume the lifeblood of a living, sentient, and uncursed mortal. Sets of fangs grow into the upper and lower canines, moulded for their purpose. The starving vampire will think of little else other than the tenderness of what once was ordinary flesh, fixated on the amplified senses of beating hearts and an untraceable scent of blood. Should the vampire be unable or unwilling to finally sate their hunger upon the 28th day, they will die of starvation at the next rise of dawn.

[The vampire’s first feed must be arranged with and DM’ed by a member of the Lore team.]

The vampire’s first successful feed will always remain as one of the greatest pinnacles of their life; the loveliest meal they’ve ever had, to be eternally pursued thereafter. A successful feed marks the end of vampiric haemotransfiguration, reverting the reborn fledgling to a state more or less ordinary to themselves, yet forever changed and marred by the new markings of their curse.

Feeding

Every individual cursed with vampirism will experience the trials and moral hardships of survival as they face their phase of haemotransfiguration. To be cursed is to spend each day walking the boundaries of what once was ordinary life, and a vampire will eventually (often more than once) face the defining question of the lengths they will go to sustain themselves and maintain agency against their affliction. And afterwards, they’ll begin to challenge the lengths they will go to catch just a semblance of the euphoria earned once before from their first feed.

At the basest necessity, a vampire requires the fresh blood of the living to satisfy hunger and prevent death by starvation. They must feed on fresh blood no longer than 28 days [2 weeks OOC] after their last meal. They must bleed or slay a target, and if choosing to kill their prey, they have only a short window to take advantage of, as entities deceased for longer than 5 minutes will “run cold” and quickly be left to waste. The food and drink of the ordinary mortal no longer satisfy, as if their flavors are dulled and void of nutrition, and some vampires, by virtue of a bestial instinct or seasoned palate, may even find themselves nauseated by the cuisines they once enjoyed. A vampire’s digestive system remains functional, yet more or less dormant by conventional understanding when on an “all blood” diet.

A vampire can obtain a complete meal by means of three methods:

Bloodsport

Feeding off the fresh blood of an ordinary, uncursed mortal. Non-fatal with the correct technique, but invasive, disorienting, and more than significantly painful for a target. To a vampire, feeding off the blood of the uncursed is the pinnacle of rapture, elevating their mood and the vitality of their senses, making their surroundings appear just a little more vibrant and alive. Feeding leaves the bled individual in a fatigued, foggy, and anaemic state for 4 days [2 days OOC]. Chronic anaemia may lead to health complications and death if one is bled too frequently.

“Drink, and then drink more, but take the lifeblood not for granted, lest it be the drop you waste that brings you to your unravelling.”

Greenblooding

Feeding off of animals. Fatal to most creatures small or passive enough to be preyed on, and if their prey is large enough to survive a bite, a vampire may have more risks to worry about than their code of ethics, such as being mauled by the unsuspecting moose. They may sustain themselves off fresh animal blood and avoid the derangement of starvation, but its flavour is plain and unfulfilling, thin like water, and will still leave the vampire itching for a better meal. Vampires of taste and pretension tend to turn their nose up from the hunter-scavenger types, calling them “ratcatchers” and “greenbloods” in tones less than fond.

”What, you bleed green or something? Tsk.”

Haemocannibalization

Bleeding another vampire. An esoteric third method less practised or observed, reserved largely by socially-outcast communal groups, cohabitant pairs, and the most cutthroat of vampires. Consumption of cursed blood is effective at staving off hunger, but offers little to satisfy the senses, providing instead distinctly sweet or sour flavours that range from, depending on one’s palate, subtle to entirely overwhelming. Some find it an acquired flavour, some never are able to stomach the taste of their own kind.

Vampires sustaining themselves off their kindred has been observed as a method of bonding and enforcing social hierarchy, but tends to be frowned upon both by seasoned hunters and higher society vampires, seen as a vice going against the predatory nature they survive every day to master. A vampire fed on by non-fatal means will experience more than significant pain and discomfort before being left in a fatigued, anaemic state for 2 days [1 day OOC], and unless they themselves have fed the same day, they will quickly enter a state of their own gnawing hunger. Risks of chronic anaemia still apply.

“To you my kindred I offer my lifeblood, bleeding now so you may live. I pray that should you offer me the same courtesy, my fangs will still be merciful.”

Starvation

Although a vampire biologically is capable of surviving so long as 28 days in-between meals, the sating of hunger and elevation of senses after a feed persists only for approximately 14 days before the aching gnaw of the vampire’s curse makes its return. Upon the 15th day the vampire will begin progression into a state of insidious and constant hunger, finding themselves irritable and distracted and all too stirred by the scent of blood or appearance of open, beating veins. 

Hunger will escalate until the 21 day point, marking the beginning stage of starvation. The starving vampire begins to enter a state of antisocial derangement, progressively breaking down their social inhibitions and placing them in a state of cosmic fear and paranoia as they struggle against the instinct to survive. Once in starvation, animal blood will no longer nutritionally suffice, and the vampire will know they must feed from another living person if they are to keep going on.

Upon reaching the 28th day without an abatement of hunger, the vampire will quickly meet a gruesome end, beginning to suffer from massive internal and external bleeding, as if all the blood they ever consumed was suddenly being wrenched from their person and returned whence it came. The vampire will bleed until they are a fraction of their weight before dying, leaving little but a mound of black dust and ichor at the place of their final rest.

Some OOC Notes on Feeding:

• “Feeding logs” are not to be required, however it is expected that you know what your character does to keep themselves from starving while adhering to lore and keeping our writers in the know regarding what your character is up to. A player needs to be able to rationalise how their character survives their curse and how their methods affect the rest of their personality, relationships, and day-to-day life. 
• NPC and off-screen feeding will be largely restricted/disallowed in the initial release of vampire characters, as we’d prefer to encourage that the beginning of the vampire story be carried out through roleplay with coordination between players and our writing team.
• Player Consent: player consent to in-game combat is intended to be considered and respected, but may sometimes be waived in certain contexts established as violent and may not always apply to feeds explicitly stated OOC as non-lethal. If a player misleads another by turning an explicitly non-lethal feed into a lethal attack, consent may be required and applied. Elsewise, the lethal feed is failed or retconned.
• The quantifiable amount of blood a vampire needs to consume is more or less abstract and superfluous. The amount necessary to stave hunger is up to the player, but the effects of feeding are universal regardless of how “small” or gentle a feed is. Being fed on is intended to be painful, extremely uncomfortable, and potentially lethal.

One of the many hazards most numerous in the Southern Reach, Necrophages are, to put it bluntly, the undead. Creatures who died in circumstances most unlucky and unfortunate, they are not allowed rest in death — rather, they are tormented to a purgatory between, until they are finally put to rest by another.

The most up to date compilation as of present is in a small pamphlet given to knights of the Valkian Realm: 'Necrophages and Where to Find Them'.

Necrophages and Where to Find Them

Blighted

The most common of the Necrophages, the Blighted are a creature afflicted by The Blight and left to die alone in the wilds. Under the right circumstances, they return as undead creatures with pot-bellies and little but anger in their soul. Though rather weak against a well-equipped enemy, wandering blighted in the woods can be an unwelcome sight to those out for a stroll or otherwise unprepared for conflict. Though relatively uncommon in populated areas, the blighted are frequently found milling about fields or forests in rural, sparsely populated areas.

Drowner

A person with enough hatred in their soul at the time of death by drowning becomes a Drowner. These creatures have a sickly, bluish pallor to their skin and float in the water, appearing dead. Only when someone comes too close or is not paying attention do they rise from the water, attacking the passerby. A notorious foe of Walljacks, it is customary when someone drowns to drag them out from the water, preventing their transformation.

Forest Fiend

When someone goes lost in the woods, they are not always found. Those forgotten or maliciously sent to vanish and die in the wild outdoors are often transformed into forest fiends, even rising from partial submersion in the ground if buried. With bodies overgrown with vines and weeds, these bony creatures tend to seek out those they deem responsible for their death, and will rest in death peacefully once they feel they have been avenged.

War Wanderer

One of the many tragedies of war is the countless dead it leaves in its wake. Even more so, however, is the tragedy of those who do not stay dead. In the wake of large clashes, in the weeks after a battlefield is littered with corpses, some arise anew: driven by a confusing duty to battle the enemy, these undead warriors will continue to prowl the battlefield, clashing in a never-ending duel with each other and any who get caught in the crossfire. Only by convincing their confused, addled mind that the war is over will they be able to find true rest.

Widowblight

Violence between lovers is a tale as old as time. Sometimes this violence can lead to death - and in others still, the guilty party may do all they can to hide their actions. In these cases, the fallen lover will oft return as a Widowblight, an undead creature whose skin changes to black, akin to mourning clothes and veil. Driven by revenge, the Widowblight is near unstoppable, only able to be truly killed by burning bone to ash or by exacting justice on the murderer, usually through death.

When DMing any beast from the Bestiary, it is important to first consider whether they would be considered predator (e.g. nighthound, jaraid, bear, etc.) or prey (e.g. deer, krackerstag, dunkbear, etc.). This affects how they act: a prey will run away in the face of a threat, and keep on running unless players catch it. Predators, on the other hand, will fight if they feel they have to or can win. If a pack of hyenas start to seriously lose, the last remaining ones will try to flee! Not all animals have to make a final stand to the death.

With that said, here is a general guide to the mechanical side of beasts:

Health

Health is generally proportional directly to the size of a creature: that is to say, something like an insect (e.g. a nightstrider) would have effectively 1 HP. If struck, it's dead. A general guide:

• Creatures smaller than a cat → < 4 HP
• Creatures between an average cat and a wolf (or frail larger creatures, e.g. a deer) → 6-10 HP
• Creatures around the size of a moose, bear, etc. → 16-22 HP
• Creatures larger than a bear (e.g. griffon) → depends on the beast - these are usually 'boss' creatures and thus can have much higher HP.

When designing an encounter, it is important to take these into mind. A fight against a 22 HP bear can be challenging; a fight against two might feel almost unfair. Similarly, a fight against 5 jackals with 8 HP each might feel fair, whereas one with 2 jackals would feel laughably easy.

Health of most beasts can fit in a range depending on the party adventuring - as a DM you can easily change the HP of a beast +/- 3 HP from the suggested baselines here to fit what is best for the encounter.

Movement

Similar to health, movement is generally proportional to size. Larger creatures might have a powerful dash, but the normal movement of a bear will pale in comparison to that of a wolf. Remember that most players have 5-8 movement available per turn. Thus most creatures should be relative to that: a running deer or wolf will be faster, a running bear will be slightly slower.

It is also worth remembering the size of creatures when considering movement. A door that a person can fit through might not fit a moose, for instance. Similarly, a dunkbear might be able to slip through spaces that a person can't, and so on. Be creative with movement: just keep it in the realm of possibility for a person to keep up with with effort!

Combat

Most creatures have at most two means of attack: claws/scratching, and biting. Some unique creatures may have something like acid spray, however unless this is mentioned in their bestiary entry, they should be assumed to only have physical attacks at their disposal.

Generally speaking, a good baseline for aiming these attacks is with a +2: as a DM, you would /roll 2d10+2 to do their aim. This should be modified by the DM based on the situation. For instance, if they are pinned down and trying to nip at someone difficult to reach, lower their aim roll!

As for damage, this will depend on the creature - most notably their size and ferocity. A jackal ripping through skin with teeth could easily do 3-4 damage in an attack, whereas a massive Waterjack with a powerful chomp could do as much as 10-12 damage in a single attack.

Again, you can vary from these values to fit the party you have, but a good starting point:

• Creatures smaller than a cat/dog → < 2 dmg
• Creatures between a dog and a deer in size → 3-6 dmg
• Creatures larger than a deer (e.g. a bear) → 8-12 dmg
• Creatures even larger → usually specific to the creature, again use 'boss battle' thinking here. Can range from small attacks of 3 dmg to big attacks of 14-15.

Generally no attacks should exceed 14-15 HP in a single attack unless there is ample warning and ability to dodge if the character so desires.

Burning of the Citadel, 1 B.C.

The Collapse of the Ancients, or simply The Collapse, was a year-long event that ended in the collapse of the continent-spanning empire of the Arsa Sidhe that had stood for millennia in the year 0 A.C. A series of riots lead mostly by the labouring Nua Sidhe (later-called Humans) led to total collapse and the ushering in of a dark age.

Background

The rule of the Arsa Sidhe has stood since time immemorial; no-one exactly knows when or how it was founded. A mostly rural, idyllic landscape gave rise to a humble existence — the stuff of fairytales, with errant knights wandering the countryside and fighting beasts, and stone palaces on hilltops that overlooked it all.

After so long, however, things were bound to change. Thousands of years of varied lifestyle led to the different members of the realm to change: those who laboured in the working classes — bakers, miners, farmhands — found themselves acclimatizing to their work. Growing hardier, tougher, and more resistant, but also losing their height, with a strange mutation causing shorter ears to become more common. These workers, calling themselves the Nua (New) Sidhe, continued to drift apart from their ruling classes.

End of an Era

After demands for increased food and drink for the peasantry went unanswered (or pushed back by 'noble' knights), the Nua Sidhe began a popular uprising across the continent, and with overwhelming numbers quickly pushed back and dismantled the ancient regime, with one of the most famous battles resulting in the burning of the Citadel, an 'undefeatable' fortress built centuries prior.

With the realm in ruins, the Nua Sidhe began to create new realms of their own, distancing themselves from their history. The ancient tongue was simplified into modern common, and along with it a new name for their people in the Common tongue: the Humans.

No one is sure where the Aedall went ...

The Great Disappearance, or the Disappearance of the Aedall, is an event that occurred in 1590 A.C. when the Aedall, a group of Arsa Sidhe who inhabited the Southern Reach, seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving their settlements and villages abandoned. It is speculated to be somehow connected to The Spire.

Background

The Aedall kept outsiders out of much of the Southern Reach, but only inhabited a small part of it, including The Spire. For several years before 1590, adventurers in the region (mostly Walljacks) noticed that small villages in the forests were home to fewer and fewer people, with some being left abandoned entirely. While this was certainly odd, many considered the Aedall's traditions bizzare as-is, and were not able to find much on the matter.

The Disappearance

The exact date of the disappearance, or if it even happened all at once, is not known. After Walljacks in the spring of 1590 noticed that they were not being attacked by Aedall patrols when travelling south, they began to venture further into the Reach, expecting to be led into a trap. When no trap came however, they found that every village they visited was empty, and there was no sign of where the former inhabitants had gone. It didn't take long for word to make it up the continent that the Reach was now empty, and new adventurers quickly found themselves making their way south.

The Standard Calendar or Standard Year is, as the name suggests, the standardized calendar used across cultures in Avalore. Dates are fixed around Year 0, the year of The Collapse of the Ancients, or simply The Collapse. Years are counted upwards since the Collapse, and are marked with A.C. (After Collapse). Events that transpired before the Collapse are noted with B.C. (Before Collapse). Some scholars prefer to use the notation A.E. for Ancient Era and C.E. for Current Era, though this is less common.

Structure

Seven days are grouped into a week, with each of the days given a unique name: Sunday, Wakeday, Restday, Cartday, Blessday, Washday, and Ashday.

The standard year is broken into 13 months, with each month spanning 28 days. Designed initially by the Arsa Sidhe before being taken on by the Nua Sidhe (Humans) for newer iterations as time progressed. Each Month coincides with respective Zodiac signs, which are assumedly predated by the calendar — however documentation is sparse to clarify in eras of predominantly oral recording.

Each of the first four seasons lasts 3 months, but the final season, Typhon, occupies only the final month of the year. Each of the seasons and months with their respective zodiacs are as follows:

Vernus

The first season, remarking growth and regrowth, begins each calendar year. Life flourishes in verdant green and prepares its buds for the Summer season to follow.

Snowmelt (Zodiac: Pale Steed)

Firstide (Zodiac: Duel)

Greenrain (Zodiac: Lantern)

Summer

The second season is that of abundance and bloom, remarking a blossoming, cultivated crop. The season of colour and lasting sun, of ripe fruit and good health.

Highsun (Zodiac: Magpie)

Bloomburrow (Zodiac: Knighting)

Lowsun (Zodiac: Griffon)

Autumn

The final day of Summer gives way to the harvest season; the stockpile that will last until next Vernus. When the food is reaped, stored and sealed, and the plants begin to dry and crispen from lively green to bright orange, red and yellow.

Falltide (Zodiac: Paramours)

Goldleaf (Zodiac: Beast)

Harrowing (Zodiac: Masque)

Winter

The first day of the Winter season remarks the presumed deadline for the harvest; anything left unsewn shall not be reaped and anything unreaped shall not be sewn. Some preliminary crops are laid out in the mid-late Winter in preparation for Vernus, but the primary trait of Winter is death — stockpiles are exhausted, climates are harsher, and days are shorter. Those unprepared shall not last the cold unscathed.

Skybright (Zodiac: Siren)

Frostfall (Zodiac: Hart)

Darkmoon (Zodiac: Dark Horse)

Typhon

As the snows turn, the season of Typhon brings the rain that wears away the Winter death to usher forth the life in Vernus. While Winter is death and Vernus is life, Typhon sits between — the spirit adrift as the body breaks down. The seasonal storms wash away Wintery rot abated by cold while stocking water and nourishing the crops that will one day grow in Vernus and Summer.

Reflection (Zodiac: Ouroboros)

Contribution by Dee

Currency takes many forms across the world, though almost always in the form of gold (and sometimes silver) pieces, formed into coins. For larger transactions, bars of gold may be forged and exchanged.

Within the Southern Reach, the primary currency is the Crown, coins minted by the Valkian Realm and used by traders in the region, as well as widely accepted by the Falstoners to the East. The coins vary in design from where they were minted, though they universally have a crown on one side, and often a symbol of the area where they were minted on the reverse.

Most of the gold for Crowns is mined in the far mines of Frostpeak in the north.

A dark sea that glitters as the sun falls, stars remark superstition, spiritualism, and utility from years of study. Star signs, horoscopes and prophecy stem from patterns observed and acclaimed by seers and sages alike. The creation of astrolabes, calendars, star charts and other tools strand from the practical study of the celestial.

Charting & Navigation

The Southern Reach is remarked with star charts for traversal of both sea and land; the keystone navigation tool being the Southern Star cluster, translated from the ancient tongue as the Sleeping Serpent. Shown to writhe and shift in iterative positions over the generations, the Serpent's Eye is consistent in its position directly due South. Once considered a dour omen to follow, the Serpent's Eye is now regarded as one of the most important navigational tools in a traveler's toolkit.

The Zodiac

Thirteen specific constellations are elected as the Zodiac, representing spans of 28 days between each sign. Each is a purported omen for children born during such a time, though to abide by such is superstition to some. Further, deeper delving into the placement of each Zodiac sign can be levied by fatemakers that portent destiny in others.

• The first sign, the Pale Steed, is an omen of early blooming; its presence signifies promise and prodigy at an early age, but foretells tragedy and forestall later in life.
  
  
• Duel, the second sign, is tied to pairs and dualism. Twins born under this sign are predicted to be either inseparable or rivals; perhaps even both.
  
  
• Lantern, thirdly, is the sign of revelation. Truesight, fresh perspective and intuition are seen as inherent to those born beneath the Lantern's light.
  
  
• Magpie, fourth, is a sign of fortune gained or lost. Wealth is not limited to monetary value, but rather a heavy sum of anything that may be treasured.
  
  
• Knighting, fifth, is the sign of loyalty and honour. The constellation itself is oft sworn upon by knights; "by the stars above".
  
  
• The sixth sign, Griffon, is representative of nobility, but remarked as a mosaic as well—disparate emblems coincide within a powerful being, representative of a diverse world.
  
  
• Paramours, seventh, reach forever for one another, but their hands never meet. To be born under this sign is indicative of charisma, but can be the curse that desire is never achieved with charisma alone.
  
  
• The sign of the Beast varies in interpretation, ranging from a bear to a wolf to a lion—it is nonetheless used as representation of potent instinct and dominance.
  
  
• The ninth sign, Masque, tells of insight; seeing the intent of others or hiding one's own. Introspection upon the self is considered a tell of the Masque, whether it be the guise put on or what lies beneath it.
  
  
• The tenth sign, Siren, symbolizes draw. Unlike the Paramours, the Siren sign is indicative of a particular talent that attracts others.
  
  
• Hart or Stag, the creature of high regard that stands either proud in nature or mounted upon a wall. The beauty of a single life can be snuffed just for the display of vanity for another. Innocence or innocence sullied.
  
  
• The twelfth sign, Dark Horse, the counterpart to Pale Steed, stands inverse; it is suspected that those born under this sign are like to come into their prime late in life, should they will live long enough to see it. They are the hidden trump card revealed in the last hand, rather than right at first deal.
  
  
• The final sign is Ouroboros; serpents eating their own tails are coiled around one another, and unable to disentangle. They are representative of cyclical habits, and notably mark the end and new beginning of the cycle.

Portents & Fate

"The stars tell a tale that no mortal alone could fabricate. They have seen all that has been, and all that there will be."

- E. Erynor’s Life Amongst the Cosmos

Parsing and reading the fates is where astronomy delves into astrology; the thirteen zodiac signs are utilized alongside unassigned or otherwise minor constellations and stars through resonance with the superstitious star-seers to help foresee the future and tap into the eyes of the past.

• Archway: A quintet of stars aligned in an arc, often taken as an omen of change.

• Hydra: Aligned stars that seem to reflect multiple heads and necks conjoined at a single body; meant to represent being of multiple opinions or emotions — called “ambivalence” to some instead.

• Lock/Keyhole: Missing pieces hidden away are tied to the stars aligning like a lockbox, with a key to accessing them being any amount of things.

• Murder: Adjacent to the “Magpie” Zodiac are similar, more stunted clusters seen as a group of crows by creative minds. Stripping something bare to the bones, scavenging anything left to salvage.

• Coronet: A pointed regal crown or jagged teeth, made to show authority withheld or upset.

• Harp/Lyre: The sound of the stars. What appears like four sets of parallel stars in lines is considered representative of occult communion with beyond.

The Sun and Moons both play an important role in the life and spirituality of the inhabitants of the realm. While being almost alive as part of the Fable of the Phoenix and Equinox, others simply mark them as bringers of fate, a signifying of the ever-lasting march onwards of time, or the domain of some greater being above.

The Light & Dark Moons

The light of the moon basks in contrast to that of the sun, which paints the sky in lumination — conversely, moonlight is less potent or perhaps just given less generously; moonbeams sooner draw attention to the sky than they would light the world below.

The phase of the Light Moon is dictated by the passage of the Dark Moon, both encapsulated in elaborate dance with one another night after night. The Dark’s eclipse of the Light permits the sight of crescent and gibbous phases, with no notable absence if Light should eclipse Dark.

In daylight, neither moon is visible, each outshined by the splendor of the sun unless they should eclipse it.

The Sun & Eclipses

A celestial body stronger than moons or stars, the sun arcs from horizon to horizon each day unfailingly — the gold-white light remarks daytime, and rests as night comes. Warm and kind or blistering and cruel, defined by circumstances far beneath it; in its own way, the sun is stronger than any magic or divine. Beyond the reach of mortal hands, touched only by the moons.

If eclipsed by the Light Moon, the Sun serves as a radiant golden corona around a silver beacon skyward — if laid behind the Dark Moon, the sky is painted a vibrant indigo, with creeping light encircling the stigma moon like petals of incandescent violet. To behold an eclipse in the rare event it occurs, is blinding — but the blinded have spoken of light that breaks through the moons. Cracks, seen only for moments. The last thing to ever be witnessed by such a beholder.

Contribution by Dee

For some, death is not the end of their tale. This is embodied most literally due to the intervention of an enigmatic figure known as The Storyteller. Seemingly a spiritual force from an ancient era, this benevolent bard of tales seeks to weave a thrilling epoch, and for that he requires actors, both hero and villain — but then, these titles are just a matter of perspective, aren’t they?

For those deemed important for the tale to go on, the Storyteller intervenes after death, whisking the soul of the fallen to a spiritual campsite, of sorts. Given an opportunity to reflect on decisions made and goals outstanding, the Storyteller grants a brief respite from life’s worries before using some of the fallen's soul to piece them back together, bringing them back to life. While they are not entirely who they once were, being alive at all seems better than death.

Revival

If a character so desires once whisked to the campsite, they can request to be returned to life and revived. This comes with a cost, however, both mechanically and spiritually: your character will have to sacrifice some amount of XP (including refunding feats / skills where necessary) and face a consequence that will linger on them, randomly selected from a list.

XP Cost

The cost of revival increases with each death, as it takes more energy to weave the fragmented soul back into the story of life.

• 1st Revive: 10 XP
• 2nd Revive: 20 XP
• 3rd Revive: 30 XP
• 4th Revive: 60 XP
• 5th Revive: 100 XP
• 6th Revive: 160 XP
• 7th Revive: 200 XP

Character Consequence

The effect on your character is determined by random selection from the following list:

• Your character obtains an almost paranoid sense of deja-vu, frequently seeming to relive events.
• Your character witnesses hallucinations when tired, seeing spectres in the corner of their vision or just ducking behind a tree. Nothing is really there, of course.
• Your character’s skin is marred with small patches of inky-black that are sore to the touch.
• Your character can only see in black and white; the world thus seems devoid of vigour, of life.
• Your character is marred by an invisible wind that always rustles their hair and clothes, making it difficult to feel truly comfortable. No-one around them can feel this.
• Your character hears occasional whispers from flowers: some inspiring, some despairing. An easy route to madness if not kept aware.
• Your character remembers past events differently; a memory might have a key person changed, or a key event went a different way than it actually did. Even when corrected, they vividly remember it differently.
• Your character becomes unrecognisable, with their facial features changing dramatically along with hair texture, colour, skin texture, and so forth. Their general size, race and gender remain constant.
• Your character develops a paralysing fear of a certain animal. They are physically unable to do anything but run when confronted with it.
• Your character seemingly suffers no ill effect at all. How odd.