The realm in which the vast majority of the Prae population resides, not to mention their plane of origin, Priscus can be described as a plane suffused with a tremendous amount of ambient energies, lush with life of all kinds some humans might even call it a paradise. However, as with all things, Priscus is not quite as innocuous as it first appears. Under the surface of the alleged paradise that the Prae present to visitors is a place so rich with Vis that one might say that the realm itself is almost aware.

While its landmasses are constant over a shorter period of time, their orientation and location shift much more rapidly than the continents of Medius. Furthermore, while many creatures of Priscus have little to no need to hunt other beings due to the energy rich atmosphere, it cannot be said that they will not overzealously defend themselves from outside threats. Perhaps most frightening about the flora and fauna of Priscus is the fact that most of it is either capable of magic or magical in some way, shape, or form.

The Prae are very protective of their realm, allowing only trusted friends, or those whom the God-Queen or the Exeo approve of to enter. This in part because of their fierce instinct to defend their nigh-defenseless God-Queen, and also because should the unworthy discover the true bounty of their realm and come to covet it, it would put their kind at great risk. Yet, despite their efforts, rumors of a secret treasure have slipped into Medius. So it is that many begin to wonder what the Prae are hording to themselves. So are born the greatest adversaries that they may ever face: Greed and curiosity.


A realm of slow and steady development in regards to its make-up, Medius is possessed of more vis than Torqueo, but far less than Priscus. Inhabited by all three races, though Humans are the one who truly call it home, Medius is sometimes thought of as the melting pot realm, wherein all manner of things mix. Its development, once slow, was rather suddenly sent into overdrive with the introduction to the more magically adept Licentia, and the technologically adept, Prae. As a result of their introduction, Human society first went through a period of intense conflict wherein they expanded over the surface of the world, before the introduction of greater magical and technological knowledge was truly accepted and began to rapidly speed up the development of society at large. So it is that the world reaches its current state, where rather than smog and oil spills, vis eruptions and quantum instabilities can occur, affecting large regions before they are cleaned up--if such is possible.

Humans, while they have not colonized other planets, have managed to expand into Torqueo some, with several small populations of humans having been allowed to take up permanent residence in Priscus, them and their descendants slated to never return. While humans are by and large the most plentiful race inhabiting Medius, this is not to say that there are a small amount of Licentia or Prae, the former of which account for at least 20% of the sentient population, with the latter being about 5% of the total population.
A resource rich realm inhabited by all manner of strange, and often dangerous, beings--not the least of which are the Licentia themselves. Known as the harsh homerealm of the Licentia, this realm despite some humans having come to call it home, yet remains the domain of the the latter race. While not overly tumultuous in its geography, the weather and social climate could certainly be described as such. With many of the Licentia's rulers, the Eximius, dwelling herein, it is no wonder that the place would be filled to the brim with conflict of a varied sort.

Most intriguing is the environment of Torqueo, which rather than have its atmosphere be suffused with vis, finds that the soil, flora, and fauna themselves have absorbed much of it. So it is that in some places vast deserts or craggy plains form, while in others flora and fauna alike pull the precious energy from the ground, twisting it to their own ends. In this way, the Licentia are no different, with much of their infrastructure relying on the energy of the land itself to function properly. Like Medius, Torqueo is home to a vast assortment of cultures, despite being largely populated by the same race.

With the continued mixing of races within Medius, some Eximius have begun to turn their eyes to the realm, while others turn their attention to the realms of their kind's absent leaders. Going forwards, conflict is sure to break out in one realm or another. The question is; which will be first?
Pylae is widely thought to be the source of all energy, and so far both scientific and magical research has made clear a correlation between vis and this strange realm between realms. The leading theory is that energy is constantly exchanged between Pylae and the three realms, likely entering via quantum methods not yet understood by scientists or mages of any race. Yet, there are those who have found ways, if dangerous, to harness its power in fits and bursts.

Perhaps the most studied correlation are the points from which an individual may travel between realms. These locations are typically surrounded by unexplainable phenomena, be they magical or otherwise. Due to it being thought, despite there being no evidence of such, to be a realm torn between realities, Pylae is often called 'the Rift.' While rare, every so often, the gateways between realms, colloquially known as 'Bridges,' shift location in a seemingly random fashion for no apparent reason.

Additionally, there are the known, but exceedingly rare occurrence, known as 'rift storms,' which may take place around these 'Bridges,' making them impassable and spawning a temporary field wherein any manner of dangerous and unpredictable phenomena take place. These storms typically involve fluctuating fields of ambient vis as well as warped space-time within their confines. Luckily, these storms do not travel far from their sources, nor do they typically last any longer than a few hours, if that. Nonetheless, they are a dangerous occurrence, if one which allows great opportunity for those few who would dare study something so dangerous and unpredictable as the Rift. However, with the efforts of these brave souls, perhaps one day the world will have no reason to fear Pylae and its mysterious nature. Perhaps one day it will not be a mystery at all.

Perhaps.

Appearing as lithe humanoids with markings adorning them, this proud race hails from the realm of Priscus. When in their normal guise these lithe beings are graceful, light, and acrobatic, typically giving off an aura of purity and calm, though they can control this. While incapable of any truly impressive magic whilst in this state, Prae are capable of healing minor wounds, energizing others or themselves, moving smaller objects through the manipulation of their Vis. However, perhaps their most distinguishing features in comparison to Humans or even the Licentia, are the small crystals located somewhere on their foreheads in addition to their ability to condense their internal energy and exude it into the form of wings, or otherwise formations of energy, which manifest from the markings on their back and/or arms. The crystals located on a Prae's forehead are effectively invulnerable to all physical damage and a great deal of magical damage as well. A Prae pulls in energy through these crystals, using it as sustenance, this process only works if there is energy within the surrounding area. However, almost any form of energy works, as long as it is not held within a living thing.

In addition to these crystals, as mentioned, is a Prae's ability to manifest constructs of pure energy, which are a direct extension of their being—typically in the form of wings. When manifested a Prae's magical ability is greatly amplified, making them capable of greater telekinetic feats, either to manipulate their own person, those around them, or objects, depending on the specialty of the individual. However, while the abilities of a given Prae can vary somewhat, all of them stem from their inherent power, which has come to be known as “Imbuing.” This ability must be activated by contact between the Prae and that which they wish to manipulate.

Perhaps the most notable and intriguing use of a Prae's imbuing, is that which is performed upon their death. Essentially, when a Prae is near death they will, either consciously or subconsciously choose an individual who they have made contact with in the past—typically another Prae—and upon their death the entirety of their energy will be imparted to the chosen subject or subjects. The Prae may choose as to whether their consciousness is merged with that of the subject or not. When this is done the receiving individual's Anima is permanently empowered, allowing them a greater pool of energy to draw from. This is the only natural circumstance in which a Prae's Anima may significantly grow.

The Prae are ruled by several Queens, some of which are known as the Exeo. The Exeo have been imparted with sufficient power so as to facilitate the birth of true Prae. This is notable due to the fact that the children of Prae are born without the pure Anima of their kind—though they possess their crystals and markings. As such, by imparting Prae children with a small portion of pure Anima, the Exeo, or their greater counterpart, the God-Queen, allows the child to develop into a fully mature Prae later in life, rather than simply allow the equivalent of a half-breed, which would do nothing to further increase their numbers.

As mentioned, all Exeo are dwarfed by the God-Queen, who chooses them so that they may be imparted with the necessary energy to perform their function. This reveals the importance of the God-Queen, exposing her as the most essential member of Prae society, being the only Prae capable of nigh infinitely absorbing ambient energy. This God-Queen comes to be when several hundred or a thousand Prae choose a member of their own whom they consider worthy of leading them. Once chosen, the Prae who have chosen her all simultaneously sacrifice their Anima, imparting their chosen Queen with such a tremendous amount of magical energy that her body's limits are exceeded, effectively rendering her incapable of any magic aside from giving her energy to others. The minds of the thousand Prae reach a state of cohesion with that of the God-Queen's allowing her a tremendous understanding of her kind and what is likely to be best for their continued wellbeing.

Due to her tremendous magical power and importance to their culture and social structure, not to mention her safety, the God-Queen remains in Priscus so that her tremendous soul and the vis that extends around it does not crush her subjects, and so that she remains far away from potential threats to her health.

Beings of diverse physical appearance and magical ability, the Licentia are considered 'shapeshifters,' borne of Torqueo. However, the truth to their sometimes shifting forms is somewhat different in most cases. Rather than all Licentia being true shapeshifters, they instead remain in an impressionable state for a portion of their lengthy lives, during which they decide on their form and abilities going forwards. While a Licentia's growth period has a great amount of influence on what their abilities and appearance will be, it is their lineage that decides the pool of magical abilities they have to choose from. In this growth period a Licentia's Vis is rather small so long as their form is in flux, allowing them to manipulate their physical form to a great degree, though weakening any other magical abilities they might later develop. When a Licenti is not within a growth period, their true magical abilities manifest, and they are typically as impressive as they are diverse. Yet, while Licentia are indeed very individualistic in both culture and physical appearance, they share several notable traits, both magical and physical. The most notable of these are their 'solid souls,' in addition to their expansive Vis, and largely predatory and/or parasitic nature. Licentia reproduce parasitically, by in some form splitting their Anima once it has reached a certain density and placing it within another being—though the method can vary between subspecies.

While Licentia do technically regenerate their energy, the process is so slow that the energy generated would always be far less than that used in any notable physical activity, let alone magic. The energy is essentially only enough so as to give them just enough to survive should their Anima be depleted for whatever reason. Licentia, should they feed often enough, do not age, instead continually alternating between their growth and trial stages till they reach a certain level of self-awareness and understanding. Largely due to their longevity and parasitic reproduction, the Licentia are often demonized because of their nature, leading to many of their young being killed off, thus ensuring that their population never explodes.

While an exceptionally rare occurrence, Licentia can attain a third stage and even fourth stage of development, though the fourth's nature has long been considered a myth by both their kind and others. Nonetheless the third, and allegedly final, stage of Licentia development is characterized by the further stabilization of a Licenti's individual form and magical abilities. Only Licentia who have attained a sufficient level of personal understanding can attain this stage, which—should they reach it—affords them the title of Eximius. Aside from their form stabilizing in a more permanent manner—with few exceptions—an Eximius Licentia gains enhanced magical power as well as an effectively limitless lifespan so long as they keep themselves well fed.

Intriguingly enough, the rarity of Eximius licenti has led to the vast majority of their kind raising them to a deific status. As a result many consider Eximius to be more powerful than they truly are, resulting in them being feared and respected by both their own kind and others—if grudgingly at times. While Licentia tend not to choose defining leaders, but rather form small communities due to their individualistic nature, if there were any that they would consider their leaders, it would be those few Eximius.Possessing the greatest population density of the three races, but the shortest average lifespans, humans tend to find themselves in positions of diplomacy with other races and situations of conflict among their own. They are not physically very impressive, though they tend to be hardier than the lithe Prae as well as naturally stronger. While the average human is of little consequence, all humans have within them inherent potential, which is far reaching in its scope. This on its own has allowed them to make incredible technological discoveries, as well as to learn to wield magic and of course to have expanded over the vast majority of their home realm, Medius.

While the Vis of Prae is limited to the surface of their form, and that of most Licenti is expansive in size, the human Vis is typically only a meter or two in radius, making it relatively small. However, true to their potential, this Vis can be expanded with practice and as an individual's Anima grows as, unlike Prae, humans can naturally increase their capacity magic over time and with due diligence. More interestingly, humans are capable of harnessing the energy of the world around them almost regardless of its nature. This is achieved by way of their uniquely impressionable Anima, which can easily meld with foreign energies. This ability is however a double edged sword as while it allows them to bend the world to their will, it also makes them more vulnerable to outside influence to a much greater degree than the Prae or Licentia. It is this and their short lifespans, which tend to be no longer than 100 or so years on average that act as their greatest limitations. However, with the advent of more advanced technology, and the continued development of magic, perhaps this too will fade into obscurity.