Peace is a magical word, one that holds no permeable spell on Venastia. Such is the way of many realms when more than one man wears a crown on his head, and four men fancied themselves as such. The men of their lineage before them had been at each others throats since the origin, and their successors never broke tradition. Each had sought any means to rid the other for territory, conquering and reclaiming until the end of their days. Each one believed that Gnoll had guided them to providence. That they were chosen to be Venastia's one true ruler.
Yet as wars raged onward in an endless dervish of clashing swords and shields, a collective of Sages from each Kingdom formed a secret alliance. This joining would later be called The Arcane Coalition, but for now, they were great minds with powerful auras that sought to advance Venastia by various means. Innovative technology. Controversial philosophy. Forbidden science. They began by enlisting Machinoid engineers to develop various tools which would then be fueled by the magical components vested in those who dabbled in the Arcane arts. A joining of two worlds, Magic and the Machine Creature. Thus, The Gear Spell Age began.
Soon...mana-powered aerial dragons transported Venastians across hemispheres. Healing machines, fused with rare worm crystals, enabled clerical healers to aid the wounded without exerting their own energies. Thunder, tamed by great Sages and channeled by Machinoid engineers, created power generators, enabling a multitude of technological advancements across Venastia. It was a revolutionary time, one that beckoned the Crowns to still their bloodlust and offer truce in light of the Coalition's efforts. The seize fire among Kingdoms made the Arcane Coalition revered as peacekeepers... but not to those who profited on the war.
The Halodraugh Order, a radically powerful institution derived from the Gnollian religion, condemned the Coalition as blasphemers; Claiming their machinations 'be devilry concocted from Xol-Fas himself.'
Crowns like Golathia and Deign, whom were heavily rooted in Gnollian belief, could not sway from tradition, lest they face anarchy and turmoil within their kingdoms. Pressured by the Order, Golathia and Deign eventually seized all ties with the Coalition. They advocated the Halodraugh way by banning anything remotely TAC manufactured or Tac influenced, purging PRO-TAC believers from their lands. On the other hand, the two other kingdoms, Imygden and Kadesa, sided with the Arcane Coalition. They believed in all that the TAC stood for, and in return, they forged an unbreakable alliance. The next several years became an arms race. Each side quickly amassed fleets and armies, awaiting for the theatre of war to begin so that their prejudices be resolved.
Yes, yes... history repeats itself as it always should. It is for a good reason, yes? The cogs must continually be well-oiled to spin this never ending cycle. It is the will --- but who's will precisely? Such a tantalizing riddle. One that you will surely unlock. But when that door of truth opens and you see what lurks behind it, will you ever see the world the same again? Our story begins at the cusp of this Venastian drama, documented in the history books as the prequel to the Age of the Burning Chariot....
Where a group of traveling hearts and minds of the Arcane Coalition birth the peg that breaks the cog.
20,000 E. - First record of civilization was recorded on this date.
1,027 - The Halodraugh Order was founded.
1,114 - 930 The Battling Eras (BE) - Historical wars of the four kingdoms that would outlive generations of kings and successors.
952 - 872 - The Gear Spell Age (GA)
952 GA. - The Arcane Coalition became an official organization
871 - Current - The Silent War (SW) - The declaration of PRO-HALO and PRO-TAC kingdoms; beginning of the arms race.
802 SW. - Our story begins...
Since the Battling Eras, the Halodraugh Order was formed by the original kings that first united each territory. For several years since its inception, there had been reports of unearthed ancient machines deep within Venastia. An old religion of Gnoll, the Golden Ruler, believed that these devices were of Godly design, used when warring immortals struck deep into the dark legions of Xol-Fas. As a show of their treaty, each King sent their most devoted acolytes on campaigns across Venastia to discover more of these relics. A variety of constructs were uncovered, all with different mechanisms that would eventually be adopted into modern day society. Machines that could hover across lands, fly high up into the clouds and even submerge deep into the water - all of which were steam powered. The original discoverers committed themselves to implementing and advancing this technology, under the name of: The Halodraugh Order. Under the protection from the ambassadors of the Gnollian religion, they gained popular notoriety from the people as they managed to weave a tale between these machines and the Gnoll, God of All. It was a perfect blend of science and religion that worked for centuries until the kingdoms broke treaty and new kings waged war against each other. Though their views may seem archaic, they are still backed by two major kingdoms. Members of this order are called Guardians, while the high council are titled as the Oracles. Their academy temples are scattered throughout the world, even in Kadesa and Imygden, though their main base of operations is on one of the major islands, southeast within Deign.
Birthed during The Gear Spell age, the Coalition advanced technology in ways the Halodraugh order could not: Combine magical properties with beasts and machines. Such revolutionary advancements were adopted immediately due to their economical and ecological benefits. The Halodraugh Order saw this as heresy, believing that Gnoll's creations were not meant to be manipulated by man. This would eventually draw a line in the sand between the four kingdoms. Backed by the weaker Kadesa and Imygden, their mission statement changed from exploration, and invention to vanguards and peacekeepers. Their academies train the very best in mystic arts and warfare, accepting anyone who is applicable. The Arcane Coalition are often called in by Kadesa or Imygden to investigate all sorts of situations. TAC has just as many academies as the Halodraugh have temples. Their base of operations is deep within Kadesa territory, run by Chancellor Ikov whose cabinet consists of Kadesian and Imygden delegates.The Arcane Coalition is lead by The Eight. They are powerful delegates whose lineage dates back to the Crown Sages, the founding fathers of the Arcane Coalition.
The Coalition is a rapidly expanding group that is constantly mixing and matching its operatives into various units for specific situations. At the height of the Silent War era, criminal activity has increased tenfold, and the call for their services has stretched operatives thin. Criminal activity patterns are evolving. Threats are becoming much more dangerous. The rise of something fierce has cautioned The Eight delegates of the Coalition to take precautionary steps. The second coming of the Battling Eras is an inevitability, but there is something else more sinister brewing. The 4th Sage of The Eight, Maritori Kujan, has tasked Sir Dmitry Kovalev personally to put together a unit with the best of the coalition officers to investigate the matter. Their first mission will be announced soon...
Venastia's technological advancements have grown exponentially throughout the decades. Discovery of the ancient relics by The Halodraugh Order ushered in an era of powered steam engines, bringing forth new forms of transportation. Because the Halodraugh scientist had their hands tied by their Gnollian beliefs, the implementation of magic and machine would not come forth until The Arcane Coalition was formed. It was this group that truly ushered in The Gear Spell age, where magic and machine intermingled with the unconventional use of taming Venastia's wildlife. These three elements combined, brought forth a variety of advancements that are currently being used to this date. The Halodraugh Order condemn the Gear Spell Age, claiming it as the Era of Xol-Fas. For them, combining the magic or 'life force' as they called it with machines was blasphemous, but to factor in beasts into the equation was unforgivable. This disagreement in truth was what split the four kingdoms into two warring factions.
A revolver on caliber with a .45 it is capable of firing magical lightning rounds of which she only has six and keeps for only the most dangerous of circumstances, otherwise she uses standard ammunition.