TheMerlin

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

Thanks for the show of interest, everyone. I'll start working on setting things up.

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

THE CROOKED LANDS

Greetings, Seeker.

I trust you've heard the tales, have you not? Of stone spires that rise and fall like the winter wheat, making an ever changing maze out of the place; or of spirits and demons that haunt every nook and cranny, looking for some poor sod to prey upon?

And of course there's the Wishmaker, dead at the centre of it all. Come down from the sky one day and BANG! Makes everything the way it is today... and if you're lucky enough to reach it, grants you powers above mortal men. The kind that'll make legends out of you. No shortage of those these days.

Or maybe you been there, done that and now you want more. Well whatever it is, I do hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Seen plenty of folk go in and never come back. Hard enough getting here, even harder getting out, y'know? Got to mind who you trust too. Place just takes and takes, so some folk do the same.

Anyway, welcome to the Crooked Lands. Hope you find what you're looking for and watch your step. It's mighty dangerous out there.

---

Just testing the waters for now, but the gist of it is a meteor fell from the sky one day and reformed the land around it into the Crooked Lands, a vast hellscape of towering stone spires that jut out from the earth in every which way. It doesn't end there however as
at the end of each day, new spires sprout from the ground like weeds while old ones come tumbling down seemingly at random, making it almost impossible to navigate.

The meteor itself, known as the Wishmaker, grants powers to any Seeker skilled or lucky enough to reach it, but between it and the Seeker camps at the edge of the Crooked Lands are the spirits of every living creature killed in the initial impact that now seek to possess any living body they can find. Those who do get possessed are transformed into demons, twisted into bestial half-human forms that lose their sanity as well as their humanity, making them dangerous and unpredictable.

With a strong enough will, it's possible to survive this process with one's mind and faculties intact. Such individuals are rare however and of the few that exist, most tend to form their own communities within the Crooked Lands as many Seekers tend not to make the distinction between those who haven't lost their humanity and those who have, which is always a possibility regardless of one's initial willpower. Still, as some small benefit, demons are no longer bothered by other spirits and are still able to receive powers from the Wishmaker.

The spirits themselves are intangible and capable of passing through solid objects, but they're also quite fragile and vulnerable against cold iron or steel. All one would have to do is to break their form with the swing of a sword. However, if a spirit is able to pass through a living body then they're likely to become possessed and transformed into a demon. The only known way to counter this, asides from the individual's own will, is a sudden pain response (often in the form of a slap) to startle the spirit and jolt them out of their target's body. A tell-tale sign of a spirit's presence is a sudden drop in temperature whenever they approach.

Some of the powers granted to Seekers who manage to reach the Wishmaker include enhanced strength, healing, resilience and even immortality. No doubt there are many more, but no matter the ability it is always temporary and there is no telling how long they may last. It could be only for a few days or years, but without exception, the power eventually expires and former Seekers must return to the Crooked Lands if they wish to regain it.

It is not possible to have more than one power at a time, so choose wisely when (or rather if) the time comes.

Setting is medieval fantasy.

There's a few more things I could mention about history and factions, but that's all the important bits for now. Anyways, lemme know if you're interested and if you are, I'll see about tossing up a thread.

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

I suppose it couldn't hurt to try.

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

Think I'll shelve this idea for now.

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

THE CROOKED LANDS

Greetings, Seeker.

I trust you've heard the tales, have you not? Of stone spires that rise and fall like the winter wheat, making an ever changing maze out of the place; or of spirits and demons that haunt every nook and cranny, looking for some poor sod to prey upon?

And of course there's the Wishmaker, dead at the centre of it all. Come down from the sky one day and BANG! Makes everything the way it is here... and if you're lucky enough to reach it, grants you powers above mortal men. The kind that'll make legends out of you. No shortage of those these days.

Or maybe you been there, done that and now you want more. Well whatever it is, I do hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Seen plenty of folk go in and never come back. Hard enough getting here, even harder getting out, y'know? Got to mind who you trust too. Place just takes and takes, so some folk do the same.

Anyway, welcome to the Crooked Lands. Hope you find what you're looking for and watch your step. It's mighty dangerous out there.

---

Just testing the waters for now, but the gist of it is a meteor fell from the sky one day and reformed the land around it into the Crooked Lands, a vast hellscape of towering stone spires that jut out from the earth in every which way. It doesn't end there however as
at the end of each day, new spires sprout from the ground like weeds while old ones come tumbling down seemingly at random, making it almost impossible to navigate.

The meteor itself, known as the Wishmaker, grants powers to any Seeker skilled or lucky enough to reach it, but between it and the Seeker camps at the edge of the Crooked Lands are the spirits of every living creature killed in the initial impact that now seek to possess any living body they can find. Those who do get possessed are transformed into demons, twisted into bestial half-human forms that lose their sanity as well as their humanity, making them dangerous and unpredictable.

With a strong enough will, it's possible to survive this process with one's mind and faculties intact. Such individuals are rare however and of the few that exist, most tend to form their own communities within the Crooked Lands as many Seekers tend not to make the distinction between those who haven't lost their humanity and those who have, which is always a possibility regardless of one's initial willpower. Still, as some small benefit, demons are no longer bothered by other spirits and are still able to receive powers from the Wishmaker.

The spirits themselves are intangible and capable of passing through solid objects, but they're also quite fragile and vulnerable against cold iron or steel. All one would have to do is to break their form with the swing of a sword. However, if a spirit is able to pass through a living body then they're likely to become possessed and transformed into a demon. The only known way to counter this, asides from the individual's own will, is a sudden pain response (often in the form of a slap) to startle the spirit and jolt them out of their target's body. A tell-tale sign of a spirit's presence is a sudden drop in temperature whenever they approach.

Some of the powers granted to Seekers who manage to reach the Wishmaker include enhanced strength, healing, resilience and even immortality. No doubt there are many more, but no matter the ability it is always temporary and there is no telling how long they may last. It could be only for a few days or years, but without exception, the power eventually expires and former Seekers must return to the Crooked Lands if they wish to regain it.

It is not possible to have more than one power at a time, so choose wisely when (or rather if) the time comes.

Setting is medieval fantasy.

There's a few more things I could mention about history and factions, but that's all the important bits for now. Anyways, lemme know if you're interested and if you are, I'll see about tossing up a thread.

TheMerlin's Workshop

The Crooked Lands (Interest Check)

THE CROOKED LANDS

Greetings, Seeker.

I trust you've heard the tales, have you not? Of stone spires that rise and fall like the winter wheat, making an ever changing maze out of the place, or of spirits and demons that like to lurk about, looking for some poor sod to prey upon?

And of course there's the Wishmaker, dead at the centre of it all. Come done from the sky one day and bang, makes everything the way it is here... and if you're lucky enough to reach it, grants you powers above mortal men. The kind that'll make legends out of you. No shortage of those these days.

Or maybe you been there, done that and now you want more. Well whatever it is, I do hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Seen plenty of folk go in and never come back. Hard enough getting here, even harder getting out, y'know? Got to mind who you trust too. Place just takes and takes, so some folk do the same.

Anyway, welcome to the Crooked Lands. Hope you find what you're looking for and watch your step. It's mighty dangerous out there.

---

Just testing the waters for now, but the gist of it is a meteor fell from the sky one day and reformed the land around it into the Crooked Lands, a vast hellscape of towering stone spires that jut out from the earth in every which way, constantly rising and falling at the end of each day, making it almost impossible to navigate.

The meteor itself, known as the Wishmaker, grants powers to any Seeker skilled or lucky enough to reach it, but between it and the Seeker camps at the edge of the Crooked Lands are the spirits of every living creature killed in the initial impact that now seek to possess any living body they can find. Those who do get possessed are transformed into demons, twisted into bestial half-human forms that lose their sanity as well as their humanity, making them dangerous and unpredictable.

With a strong enough will, it's possible to survive this process with one's mind and faculties intact. Such individuals are rare however and of the few that exist, most tend to form their own communities within the Crooked Lands as many Seekers tend not to make the distinction between those who haven't lost their humanity and those who have, which is always a possibility regardless of one's initial willpower. Still, as some small benefit, demons are no longer bothered by other spirits and are still able to receive powers from the Wishmaker. They have only other demons, Seekers and their own mind to contend with.

The spirits themselves are intangible and capable of passing through solid objects, but they're also quite fragile and vulnerable against cold iron or steel. All one would have to do is to break their form with the swing of a sword. However, if a spirit is able to pass through a living body then they're likely to become possessed and transformed into a demon. The only known way to counter this, asides from the individual's own will, is a sudden pain response (often in the form of a slap) to startle the spirit and jolt them out of their target's body. A tell-tale sign of a spirit's presence is a sudden drop in temperature whenever they approach.

Some of the powers granted to Seekers who manage to reach the Wishmaker include enhanced strength, healing, resilience and even immortality. No doubt there are many more, but no matter the ability it is always temporary and there is no telling how long they may last. It could be only for a few days or years, but without exception, the power eventually expires and former Seekers must return to the Crooked Lands if they wish to regain it.

It is not possible to have more than one power at a time, so choose wisely when (or rather if) the time comes.

Setting is medieval fantasy.

There's a few more things I could mention about history and factions, but that's all the important bits for now. Anyways, lemme know if you're interested and if you are, I'll see about tossing up a thread.

Lore

Setting

So you wanna know about the Crooked Lands, eh? Well sure, I can tell you all about it. Get comfortable though, it's a long story and if you know what's good for you, you'll listen up and listen good. Might be you'll learn a thing or two to save your neck out there.

Now it all started about twenty years ago when this whole place used to belong to the steppe tribes. Them tribesfolk will say that it still does, but of course with all the knights and adventurers from this kingdom or that kingdom all gathered here, it's a bit up for debate innit?

Anyway, this falling star - what we know as the Wishmaker today - comes crashing down and wipes out everything around it. Scorches the land dry

TheMerlin's Workshop

Dragonier

DRAGONIER

Once an order of dragon slayers,

Sworn to defend allkind against the flame and fury of the mightiest beasts.

Now we ride them into battle against each other.

Against ourselves...



West of the Stormwall Mountains,

The Kovosian Empire has conquered half the land of Tirn.

Now they march east bearing the fires of war,

Like the dragons of old...



They would see allkind bow before their might,

But the Sunpeak Alliance stands to meet them and so we take to the skies,

With weapons in hand.

To fight...



We are the Dragonier.

If there must be war amidst earth and sky,

Then on dragon wings,

We fly!

---

Setting

So as you might have gathered by now, the main premise of the roleplay is about a group of dragon riders known as the Dragonier who will be fighting on the side of the Sunpeak Alliance against the forces of the Kovosian Empire, the antagonists of the story. Fairly standard stuff plot-wise, I know, but wait! There's more.

It'll be a medieval fantasy setting with different kinds of races such as humans, elves, orcs, dwarves and beastfolk as well as two types of magic called mana and prana (more on that later), and of course many different types of dragons. Two or four legs, horns or no horns, scales or fur, ice or fire, red, green, black or blue, you name it, you can have it. There's only one requirement: they have to fly.

To be clear, the world of the roleplay is called Ith and the land of Tirn is simply one of several continents, but it's the one where the setting of the roleplay will take place. Including the human Empire of Kovosia, there are or rather there were six different nations throughout the land of Tirn. In the west is Avalan, once home of the elves, now a province of the Empire. Those who were not killed or enslaved have fled to the east as refugees past the Stormwall Mountains, which serves as a natural border to the nation of Norsinia.

Once a mere coalition of different human clans and chiefdoms, the hardy Norsinians now stand united as a bulwark against the Empire, but they cannot do so alone. Thus they have called upon the orc Shokhanate of Yolta in the east and the beastfolk tribes of Fera in the south to form the Sunpeak Alliance.

The dwarves of the Deep Kingdoms have refused the call, choosing instead to seal themselves away from the rest of the world in their subterranean realm, so they cannot be relied upon as a nation though certain individuals may take it upon themselves to leave their tunnels and stand with the Alliance.

Regardless, the battle lines have been drawn and all that's left to do now is to prepare for the war to come. It will be victory or death and the first battle will occur over the skies of the Stormwall Mountains. As a dragon rider of the Sunpeak Alliance, as Dragonier, you will be first into the fray and your enemies will be legion, but with steel and flame, might and magic, and winged steed, you may yet survive this war but it will take everything that you have.

---

Magic

Power within and power without, perhaps the simplest way to describe prana and mana respectively. Only those capable of wielding either forms of magic are permitted within the ranks of the Dragonier, for the dragons themselves will not suffer any being weaker than themselves to ride upon their backs. Though there are two forms of magic, it is only possible to wield one or the other as the differences between them are vast, and they are as follows...

Prana

All living creatures possess prana, the power of the individual soul, but very few are able to tap into it and truly unlock its potential. Those who have are known to be Awakened and many spend entire lifetimes trying to achieve such a state, only to never do so while others may attain it spontaneously through either some extremely traumatic event or a perfect moment of clarity.

Whether through intense discipline and training or a matter of circumstance, one who is Awakened is now able to control the power of their soul as one controls their body and it becomes possible to transcend all physical limitations through the use of prana to perform feats far beyond the extraordinary.

Whether it's crumbling a boulder into dust, leaping up high enough to touch the clouds, stepping between raindrops or withstanding the bite of a sharpened steel blade, those who are Awakened and have mastered the use of their abilities become one of the most powerful beings in the world. It is for this reason that prana is referred to as the 'warrior's magic' and each Awakened individual is an army in their own right, making them highly valuable to any nation in the world.

Asides from enhancing physical strength, one may also imbue weapons and armour with prana to increase their durability, or quicken stamina recovery and healing of wounds for themselves or another living being. It is even possible to bring another back from the brink of death, though always at a heavy cost. Perhaps one's very life. Think carefully if you ever decide to attempt this feat.

All in all, no matter how powerful a prana user may become, the same rule applies as it would to any ordinary individual: don't bite off more than you can chew.

You may just end up regretting it.

Mana

Just as all living creatures possess their own souls, so too does the world itself and this is known as mana. The power of mana is expressed through the elements such as fire, earth, wind and water, which are known as the basic elements that allkind make use of everyday. However, it is only in the event of a natural disaster that the true power of the world spirit is known and also when a mage is born.

Whether it be fire or flood, hurricane winds or violent earthquakes, or even the sheer destructive force of a volcanic eruption, those born during such an event are said to be touched by the energies of the world spirit and will either be consumed by it, doomed to stillbirth or living short and painful lives, or blessed by its power should they withstand and overcome, gaining the power of mana and longevity through their connection with the world spirit.

The only exception to this rule are elves who are all born as mages and do not require a natural disaster to gain their powers. Instead, it is prana users that are rare among elves as mages are to the other races, most usually as a result of interbreeding, though it's also possible for pure blooded elves to be born without mana and the most widely accepted reason is that they are simply cursed. Spurned by the world spirit for some reason or another.

In any case, not all those who are born during a natural disaster will be mages, but all mages have been born during such an event and as a result, they are forever attuned to the most prevalent element at the time of its ultimate expression. This is known as one's elemental affinity and though it's possible for a mage to control other elements, they will always have an easier time mastering the one they have an affinity to.

Though mages are able to potentially live forever due to their connection to the world spirit, they can only do so when living in close proximity with other mages in high enough numbers or certain mana bearing plants and animals such as the colossal World Tree (which stands in Avalan) and Elder Dragons (which have all been wiped out). The same is true for elves, so most are incredibly reluctant to leave their communities unless out of utmost need or want.

Unlike prana users who must unlock their powers through harsh training or a singularly life altering experience, mages are born with power through their connection to the world spirit. It is also due to this connection however that they are forever closed from tapping into the power of their own souls, preventing them from ever transcending their physical limits.

A mage will never be able to run like the wind, fight with the intensity of a blazing fire, have a body as hard as stone or deliver blows with the crushing force of a tidal wave. Yet with mana it is possible to master the elements as the Awakened master their own bodies, and produce the same effects.

Similar to how the Awakened are able to imbue objects with prana to increase their strength and durability, mages are able to enchant items through infusing them with mana by placing a condition and effect upon them. This comes at a cost of the mage's own reserves of power, weakening them for the day or week (depending on how extensive the enchantment is), but the result is an object bearing a connection with the world spirit that is able to produce the power of a mage, independent of the mage who created it. This means that for as long as the object has mana, it can be used by anyone. The only disadvantage is that enchanted objects cannot be imbued with prana and are thus as prone to damage or destruction as any other.

Prana or no prana however, one thing is for certain.

It's a special thing to be a mage.

---

Races

Throughout the land of Tirn, there are 5 major races: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs and beastfolk. Each race possess their own unique attributes and they are as follows...

Humans

Racial Ability: Aptitude

Physically the weakest of all the races with the shortest lifespans, the average human is decidedly unremarkable when compared to others. Referred to as 'quickbloods' by the elves of Avalan, the only advantage the typical human seem to have is how quickly they can grow to maturity, reaching adulthood in only 18 years and their physical prime at 30. From there however is only a steady decline in both mind and body as age takes its toll to the end of their days at around 60 to 70 years of age, the average life expectancy of a human.

With all these factors in mind, it'd be a wonder how humans ever rose to prominence were it not for the rare few among them capable of wielding magic and such individuals have all been, without exception, frighteningly talented. In spite of their short lifespans - or perhaps because of it - when a human is born a mage or becomes Awakened, they are able to develop their powers at a rate only matched by the speed of their physical growth. Even the least exceptional among them could rival a centuries old elven mage or orc prana master in only a few years with the right teacher.

Every once in an age, a human is born with such potential that if they are allowed to grow, the world shakes and for the brief amount of time they are present, everything is changed forever. The first Dragonier to slay an Elder Dragon was one such individual and, unfortunately for the current age, so too is the Warrior King of the Kovosian Empire. These particular humans are generally known as Paragons, the exemplars of humanity, but only the people of Kovosia will acknowledge their current Emperor as such. To others, he is simply a tyrant. A conqueror...

Agamemnar the Warrior King.

Elves

Racial Ability: Empathy

Distinguishable by their pointed ears, fair features and tall heights, elves are unlike any other race on Tirn as most of them are born with mana and are therefore mages by default. As mana bearing beings, they share a connection with the world spirit and are granted eternal life for as long as they live with others like themselves in sufficient numbers. The only exception to this rule are the rare few who are born with their own individual souls, which potentially allows them to wield prana magic but also renders them mortal.

For an elf to be born without mana is considered an ill omen as it is usually interpreted as being forsaken by the world spirit, though the actual reason is unknown. Regardless, this often leads to such elves being ostracized as pariahs, no better than the 'younger' races that elven society tends to look down upon. Asides from that, being born without mana is no guarantee that one will become Awakened either, so to be an elven prana user would mean being a minority among a minority.

Without the power of mana and the longevity it brings, an elf will live up to 160 years at most and will physically age at half the rate of a human. The same could be said for an elven mage who chooses to live in isolation, but such cases are few and far between. Elves also have the dubious honour of being able to procreate with any other race, though such offspring do not retain their elven parent's immortality unless born as a mage; the chances of which are lessened due to the mixed parentage.

At the very least, regardless of whether one is born with mana or prana, all elves are capable of conveying their thoughts and emotions with one another through touch. This can also be done with other races, though it'd be a one-sided affair as only those with elven ancestry would be able to reciprocate. Without it, one becomes an open book and only pure blooded elves are able to go as far as controlling another's mind if they so desired to, making them dangerous and untrustworthy in the eyes of many.

Among their own kind however, elves hide no secrets as all can be read with a single touch and it is due to this ability that their word is truly their bond. Perhaps more than any other race, elves are communal beings and with the fall of Avalan, their homeland, they'll need to rely on each other to survive...

Now more than ever.

Orcs

Racial Ability: Bloodrage

Big in strength and size, orcs are perhaps the most physically powerful race on Tirn, rivalled only by the dwarves and certain tribes of beastfolk. Like the elves, orcs possess pointed ears and grow to similar heights with the average orc being a head an a half taller than the average human. Unlike elves however, orcs are distinguishable by their prominent tusks, robust physiques and unique skin tones ranging from green to reddish brown which serve as a measure of camouflage in the jungle continent of Vaim that they originate from.

Like humans, orcs mature rather quickly reaching adulthood at 21 years of age, however unlike any other race, they also have the longest natural lifespan being able to live up to 300 years or more with the eldest having lived during the time of the Elder Dragons. Few ever reach such an age however due to a condition known as 'bloodrage', which all orcs are susceptible to.

Triggered by moments of extreme emotional stress (very much like a prana user's Awakening), an orc in a state of bloodrage will lose all self-control as they hurl themselves at the cause of their fury in an effort to destroy it as violently as possible. Even afterwards however, the orc's eyes will have become so completely red from the blood and adrenaline rushing to them that it makes them blind to any distinguishable features, yet at the same time greatly enhancing their sensitivity to movement, the slightest of which will be interpreted as a hostile action whether it be from friend or fleeing foe. Pain no longer registers to the point that even mortal wounds do little to slow down movement and nothing short of complete blood loss or decapitation is enough to stop the orc altogether. The condition continues until succumbing to death or exhaustion.

All orcs struggle with this condition throughout their lives and manage it in their own ways. Some choose to temper their rage and channel it through other means such that it may never overcome them, as is done in the far eastern nation of Yolta. Others may choose to weaponize their condition and deliberately induce it in the midst of battle or near the end of a hunt as the orc berserkers of Norsinia are known for. A rare few are able to enter the bloodrage state with their minds and rationality fully intact, but the mental fortitude required for such a feat only comes from centuries of harsh effort and self discipline.

Whatever the case may be, orcs are respected and feared in equal measure for their tremendous physicality, and it is perhaps for this reason that they are seemingly the most naturally predisposed to Awakening. Most notably, they are also the only race to have never been fully enslaved by the Elder Dragons in ages past and with any luck, the Kovosian Empire will fare no better. It is little surprise then that the orcs are a fiercely proud people...

And they have reason to be.

Dwarves

Racial Ability: Stonesense

Though short in stature, dwarves possess strength nearly equal to that of the orcs with powerful limbs twice the width of a human's and bodies as solid as stone, quite literally. Out of the all the races on Tirn, dwarves are among the most durable beings on the continent with their bones and muscles being so dense, a knife could break upon their skull and a blow from an iron rod would leave little more than bruise. Even a dwarf's skin is as tough as leather, rendering it all but immune to tears and blisters after a hard day's labour.

This resilience is not without its downfalls however as dwarves are unable to swim, sinking like boulders if they tried, and every other race could easily outrun them on foot. Those aside however, dwarves also possess the remarkable ability to sense their surroundings through vibrations felt in the ground, which they often use to navigate the subterranean realm of the Deep Kingdoms they hail from. This ability, known as 'stonesense', is less useful on the surface where vibrations are more difficult to detect than in tunnels, but can still serve in a pinch where light is scarce or unavailable.

With an average lifespan of 200 years, dwarves can live a few decades longer than an elf deprived of mana, though they also mature the slowest with those among them not being considered an adult until their 40th year when their beards have fully grown in. A point of pride for the dwarves of the Deep Kingdoms, both male and female, is the display of wealth and status through their beards using intricate braids, designs and accessories. Only those who have faced serious dishonour or were born on the surface are seen to be beardless, though there are a few who actively choose to be shaven as an act of rebellion for some cause or another.

Beard or no beard however, a dwarf is a dwarf and is as tough as they come. Though the lords of the Deep Kingdoms have chosen to abstain from the impending war on the surface, there will inevitably be those who disagree and strike off on their own to join the fight against the Kovosian Empire, seeing the threat they pose to allkind. There will be no great dwarven armies on the side of the Alliance, but for those who do stand with the cause...

They will be as bedrock.

Beastfolk

Racial Ability: Transformation

Created thousands of years ago by the Elder Dragons, the beastfolk are the result of many hybridization experiments refined throughout the ages in pursuit of the perfect slave race. Due to the elves' compatibility with other races, they were used as the base for most of these projects and so it can be said that all beastfolk are descended from the elves, though by the current age their elven ancestry would be so diluted that they share almost nothing in common.

Depending on the type of animal they were hybridized with, the average lifespan of the beastfolk can vary wildly from less than that of humans to more than that of their elven ancestors. In fact, there are so many different types of beastfolk that each one can be considered an entirely separate race, but due to their shared origins they are all grouped together under the same moniker of beastfolk or 'feran', as most beastfolk are indeed from the southern nation of Fera, a conglomeration of many different states separated by tribal territory and united by the ruling Council of Elders.

Although there are hundreds of separate tribes, all beastfolk have one thing in common and that's the ability to transform into their animal forms. This unique skill allows them to enhance their size, speed and strength at a moment's notice, though only for short periods at a time as it is incredibly taxing on the body. When used in conjunction with magic, they become all the more fearsome such as a rabbit tribe mage who can transform to move as quickly as a prana master to dodge attacks, or an Awakened dragon (yes, dragon) tribe warrior who has the ability to breathe fire and even grow wings to fly.

Whatever the type, whatever the tribe, the beastfolk are by far the most diverse race on Tirn and their greatest strength lies in their versatility. In any situation or environment, there is at least one among the beastfolk who will be perfectly adapted to it and it is perhaps for this reason why they were created by the Elder Dragons long ago. As the reign of the dragons came to an end, so too did the slavery of the beastfolk and ever since then they have sworn a solemn vow...

Never again.

---

Nations

Divided in half by the Stormwall Mountains, the land of Tirn is comprised of 6 different nations: Avalan and the Kovosian Empire in the west; Norsinia, Yolta and Fera to the east, and the Deep Kingdoms lie within the mountains themselves. Each nation has its own unique history, culture, religion and system of government, and they are as follows...

Avalan

Verdant fields, lush forests, rivers and rolling hills, Avalan is as idyllic as it is fertile with hot summers and a temperate climate all year round. Before being conquered by the Kovosian Empire, the territory of Avalan lay south from its border and west of the Stormwall Mountains. Much of the land is dedicated to agriculture while its elven population is almost entirely concentrated around the roots of the colossal World Tree, forming the capital city of Liotra.

The World Tree stands so tall that it pierces the clouds and can be seen from hundreds of miles away. Asides from serving as a prominent land feature however, it is also the greatest source of mana on the entire continent and it is said that so long as any elf or mage remains within sight of it, they can live for centuries without aging a single day even in remote isolation. For some odd reason however, this effect does not extend to dragons despite them being mana bearing creatures as well. Perhaps the Elder Dragons fulfilled this role for the rest of their kind, but since they are no longer around and the number of dragons is far too low for sustaining immortality, it is common for elven dragon riders to outlive their mounts.

The elves of Avalan themselves, being an entire race of mana bearers, worship and personify the world spirit as a goddess named Gaia, also referred to as the 'Allmother', and the World Tree is seen as a direct conduit to her. It is for this reason that the World Tree is also known as the 'Holy Tree', which forms the centrepiece of elven belief and is tended to daily by an order of priestesses who lead and perform the ceremonial rituals of their religion.

It is said that the Holy Tree is able to grant visions of the future to those it deems worthy, but the last known individual to have received such visions, referred to simply as 'the Oracle', lived thousands of years ago when the Elder Dragons first came from the skies and is believed to have perished after foretelling their eventual doom. No others have received any visions since, but many elves from all corners of Tirn go on pilgrimage towards the Holy Tree every year in hopes of being granted a vision and becoming the next Oracle.

According to elven belief, the land is the body of Gaia, the sky her breath, the sun and the moon her brother and sister respectively, and the stars are other spirits of other worlds. All that live throughout the world of Ith, from elves to each blade of grass, are the children of Gaia and upon their deaths, they return to her with all the accumulated experiences of their lives, telling her their stories around one great hearth where the stories serve as kindling. When there are no more stories to tell, the hearth dies and Gaia falls into a dreamless sleep, thus beginning the end of the world until the Allmother awakens once more.

Under the rule of the Kovosian Empire, worship of Gaia has been banned and all elves are to serve as slaves, using their mana arts for construction projects and working the fields under forced labour. Physically touching humans is also forbidden under pain of death, lest the elves use their empathic abilities to manipulate subjects of the Empire. Those with military potential are allowed to serve as battlemages, but only when shackled and under the watchful eye of a handler. Any attempts to flee is met with summary execution.

Those who managed to escape during or after the fall of Avalan will remember their High Queen, Sifa, fighting alongside all the noble houses to repel the Kovosian invaders, only to be defeated at the hands of the Warrior King Kasimir himself. It's not known whether she's alive or dead. This has left the elven refugees unsure of whether to name a new queen or wait for word of their current one's ultimate fate. One thing's for certain though...

There must be vengeance.

Norsinia

Wintry, rugged and vast, much of Norsinia is a frozen landscape as it lies in the shadow of the Stormwall Mountains, its highest peaks forming a solid barrier to the west where the neighbouring Empire of Kovosia sits on the other side. Further towards the south however, temperatures become milder and warmer as mountains give way to open plains, and forests can be found in abundance. When discussing the people of Norsinia, there are two distinct images that come to mind. The hardy and fur clad 'wildermen' of the north, who many either see as rustic or barbarous; and the cosmopolitan city folk (or 'sitters' as northerners like to call them) of the south, ruled by silk robed nobles and de by knights in shining armour.

Life in the north is as harsh as the mountains themselves as the cold makes growing crops a challenge, so learning how to fish and hunt remains an essential skill for all who live there. A tradition that has remained unchanged for thousands of years. For the so called wildermen of the north, who would prefer to be known as 'highlanders', most of the year is spent preparing for winter where simply surviving it is a rite of passage.

In some areas, newborns are not named until they've lived through their first winter, after which they are taught how to survive as soon as they are able to hold a spear or bow. Not all make it to adulthood, but for those who do, they become the most important protectors and providers of their communities, and it is perhaps due to such living conditions that they are often selected for as soldiers of Norsinia. It is certainly no accident that most of the nation's mages and Awakened hail from the north.

Despite much of the land being covered in ice and snow however, it is in the warmer and more temperate south where the 'City Lords' hold the power, being more affluent as a result of trading across the Iron Sea with the eastern nation of Yolta and southern Fera. Before the fall of Avalan, trade was further bolstered by travelling caravans from the west, which were highly valued for their export of crops and enchanted items, but the mountain passes that were once frequented by elven merchants have now been heavily fortified in preparation for the coming war.

Despite these differences between north and south however, it is commonly recognized that both are required for the nation to prosper. While the southern cities rake in the coin and goods, the north provides hardy warriors and powerful mages, and sitting between the two is the capital city of Crosk where King Athis rules from, who has allowed the refugees of Avalan sanctuary upon the land and petitioned the other nations to form the Sunpeak Alliance.

In terms of religion, most Norsinians worship a deity known as the High Father who is the supreme ruler over all things, but others in the north still worship the Old Gods, a pantheon consisting of the Four Winds (otherwise known as the Four Daughters), the brothers Thaw and Frost (representing life and death respectively), the Sky Father and the Earth Mother, all of whom reside in the Great Hall where each chamber is a different afterlife.

Whether one believes in the High Father or the Old Gods however, all Norsinians are united in the belief that neither must be lost to the Empire of Kovosia. Not their own gods or that of anyone else's, including the elves whose worship of Gaia has been banned within their own homeland. For the sake of Tirn, for the sake of allkind...

The Empire must be stopped.

Yolta

With the snows of Norsinia falling from the northwest and the desert winds of Fera blowing from the south, the nation of Yolta is a diverse region as snowy tundra and grassy steppe lands meet at the edges of the Iron Sea. Further towards the east however, the land becomes much more rich and fertile as humid rainforests, river valleys and misty lakes dominate the region up to the coast where the orc Shokhanate rules from the capital city of Kambuluk.

Like Norsinia, Yolta is a nation of two distinct people, though more in terms of actual race than culture. There are the native humans known as the Anjin - distinguishable by their narrow eyes and yellowish skin tones - and the orcs descended from the first settlers to arrive from the eastern continent of Vaim, nearly a millennia ago. Despite arriving as conquerors, the orcs of that time ended up becoming liberators as they joined forces with the native Anjin and the Dragonier to fight against the Elder Dragons, and so the nation of Yolta came to be.

Forged in the fires of dragon flame, the bond between the humans and orcs of Yolta has remained ironclad for hundreds of years with each having the same rights as the other. However, the nation's leadership is clearly biased towards orcs with the ruler, Oguma Khan, being an orc and a direct descendant of the first Shokhan at that. A lineage that has not been broken since the founding of the nation. A fact that has chafed at many of the Anjin in the past, though that does not stop them from rising to the highest levels of the Shokhanate and influencing its rule.

Regardless, in terms of religion, the people of Yolta practice a form of sun worship originating from Vaim where they give praise at dawn's first light for each day they are still alive. This meshes well with the native Anjin belief which holds that all things (living and non-living) possesses its own spirit, including the sun which is considered to be chief among all. It is therefore common for elements of both religions to be mixed together, such as the Anjin practice of offering a portion of their meal to the spirits and the Vaimese practice of bowing in gratitude within the light of the rising sun.

In fact, the current Shokhanate has adopted so much of Anjin culture into its own that it is virtually unrecognizable from when it was first established by the first orc settlers to arrive from Vaim. Those who still follow the old ways either inhabit the remote borderlands or venture beyond throughout the rest of Tirn, eking out a living as wandering nomads. As brutal and austere (some may call savage) as their Vaimese ancestors, they are often a nuisance to the local authorities whose lands they roam upon, but so long as they mostly keep to themselves their presence and practices are usually tolerated.

On the matter of Vaim, several more fleets have been sent from the eastern continent since the founding of Yolta with the most recent being as early as 30 years ago. Time and time again, they've attempted to establish their rule over the nation of Yolta, and time and time again, they were turned away by the elite warriors of the Shokhanate, the Keshirai. Despite their numerous defeats however, the Vaimese will eventually return to reclaim their wayward colony and it is for this reason that the people of Yolta are a martial society, ever prepared for warfare.

It is also for this reason that the Shokhanate can only spare a portion of its forces for the Sunpeak Alliance while the rest remain in Yolta, lest it be undefended from another Vaimese attack. Rest assured however, if the blades of the Shokhanate can break the Elder Dragons and fend off the fleets of Vaim then the Empire of Kovosia will be no different from the rest. Against all foes, the Keshirai stand...

Ready for war.

Fera

With vast deserts and savannahs in the north and dense jungles to the south, the region of Fera bears a dry climate with little rainfall and hot temperatures all year round. Such conditions are generally inhospitable to all but the various beastfolk tribes inhabiting the region, with each one perfectly adapted to the surrounding environment by design of the Elder Dragons who created them.

Even after the extermination of the Elder Dragons and the subsequent liberation of the beastfolk tribes, many remained in the areas they originally inhabited, marking the borders of their territories and leading to the current formation of Fera with its many different states. Any conflicts that arise tend to be kept within the tribe and territory they occur in, but for those that extend further, the Council of Elders step in as mediators and sometimes adjudicators with the Honour Guard serving as its military arm, a combined force of volunteers from every tribe in the nation.

It is these members of the Honour Guard who will be sent as Fera's contribution to the Sunpeak Alliance and though they all come from different tribes, they are dedicated to preserving the freedom and sovereignty of their people. They also share a spirit of competition with each tribe seeking to outdo the other, so they often hold joint training drills and tournaments. Each year, the winner of these tournaments is declared as the champion of the Honour Guard and receives a great sum of gold, crops and the equipment of their choice.

While every tribe's contribution is valuable, there are four who stand out from the rest as having contributed the most: the tribe of the lion, the bear, the wolf and the dragon. As it so happens, the current champion of the Honour Guard is a member of the lion tribe by the name of Shisom who will serve as the field marshal and act with the Council's authority in the war to come.

In terms of religion, the beastfolk mostly adopt the elven worship of Gaia and infusing it with a form of totemism where each tribe's totem usually reflects the animal they were hybridized from and serves as a conduit to the Allmother. In this way, they acknowledge the nature of their creation but credit it to Gaia, without whom the Elder Dragons could not have done without.

There are however disturbing reports of dragon cultists who worship the Elder Dragons as gods and engage in attempts to revive them from the dead, but so far none have been successful and such cultists are seen as a strange but minor fringe group. Best to be ignored or outright avoided.

In any case, with the Empire of Kovosia presenting a clear threat to allkind, the Honour Guard of Fera are eager to prove themselves in battle. To free the land from yet another tyrannical force and stand tall as liberators...

Like their ancestors before them.

The Deep Kingdoms

Vast caverns, labyrinthian tunnels and great cities hewn from the stone itself, these are the things that define the Deep Kingdoms lying far beneath the surface of Tirn. Though untouched by sunlight, the dwarven cities are ever lit by rivers of lava and phosphorescent lanterns, and water is drawn from nearby aquifers where fish, moss and mushrooms can be farmed for food.

Despite being referred to collectively as the Deep Kingdoms, each city is its own state with its own ways and laws, but in terms of culture they are generally alike with their love of wealth and status displayed through the way they dress, speak and act. Throughout the ages, the greatest source of conflict for the dwarves has been among themselves as they vie for dominance over resources, rulership or reputation. If there was anything that ever united them, it was a common enemy in the Elder Dragons who coveted the dwarves as slaves of labour. Without them however, the dwarves of the deep have once again fallen into quarrelling with each other for every reason imaginable.

In terms of religion, the dwarves of the deep mostly worship their ancestors and the stone itself, which they believe will hold firm as the surface world eventually sinks beneath the waves at the end of all time, leaving the dwarves as the sole survivors. In times of need, they invoke the name of a particular ancestor to draw upon their wisdom and expertise relevant to the situation at hand. If no such ancestor exists then praying to the stone will suffice, though it'd be less effective. For those who have disgraced themselves or brought disrepute upon their family, they are cast out as exiles on the surface and stricken from the records, their names and deeds to be forgotten by the stone.

With tunnels spanning the entirety of Tirn, there are many ancient gateways to the dwarven cities scattered throughout the land, but most of them have been blocked or destroyed over the course of time - especially during the war against the Elder Dragons - leaving only one common entry point in the heart of the Stormwall Mountains: the Frostgate. Now closed with war looming on the surface.

Before sealing themselves away from the outside world, the dwarves of the Deep Kingdoms traded mostly with the Kovosian Empire which they've held close relations with since the fall of the Elder Dragons, so it is of little surprise then why they chose to abstain from fighting. Even so however, with dwarven society as stifling as the tunnels they come from, there are bound to be a rebellious few who disagree as well as those born on the surface who stand to lose everything should the Empire prevail.

Stubborn, quarrelsome and uncompromising, the worst traits of the dwarves also happens to be their best. Though the lords of the Deep Kingdoms have refused the call to arms, there are those who remember the dwarves serving honourably as stalwart allies in the war against the Elder Dragons. Perhaps the few that have joined the Sunpeak Alliance will be enough to turn the tide or at the very least hold the line. Even so however, the Frostgate remains closed and as long as there is war on the surface...

None shall pass.

Kovosia

Like Norsinia, much of Kovosia is a wintry landscape that becomes more temperate towards the south as frozen ice shelves and glaciers give way to sprawling taiga forests and steppe lands. Unlike Norsinia however, Kovosia is home to the Black Mountain, an active volcano that dominates the west much like the World Tree does in Avalan.

Though it is surrounded by forests and much greenery now, the region around the Black Mountain was once a land of ash and fire and it is for this reason that the people of Kovosia were known as 'ashlanders', a name that has stuck since its founding a thousand years ago by the first Dragonier and dragon slayer, the Paragon Alaric.

Just as the land of Kovosia saw the first death of an Elder Dragon, so too did it see the death of the last and with it thousands of years of tyranny and oppression. Because of this, the people of Kovosia do not worship any deities but the hero-god Alaric, the human who gave hope to allkind and proved that the Elder Dragons - long thought to be immortal and invincible - could die after all.

Ever since they were wiped out entirely over 200 years ago, an age of peace and freedom followed with all the races of Tirn being able to choose their own paths for the first time in history. The Kovosians however, much like the dwarves of the Deep Kingdoms, quickly fell to infighting and the nation became divided into many petty kingdoms, each vying for dominance over resources and territories.

It was only recently that all these kingdoms became united under a single banner by the Warrior King Kasimir, who had returned from serving as a Dragonier in defence of Yolta against the Vaimese invaders, 30 years ago. It was there that he became aware of his power and responsibility as a Paragon, and those who knew him among the Dragonier would agree that he was a changed man ever since.

Where once his duty was to protect the age of peace throughout the land of Tirn, Kasimir now leads the armies of Kovosia in terrible conquest, armed with dwarven steel and a single promise to his people: 'the age of dragons is over. Now begins the age of humanity.' And so an empire is born...

The Empire of Kovosia.

---

History

Thousands of years ago when the World Tree was young and allkind roamed the land of Tirn freely, the Elder Dragons came from the skies and burned the world to cinders. Like a swarm of locusts, they descended upon the land and devoured all life on Ith, eating hungrily, greedily, mercilessly and then just as suddenly as they appeared, they vanished. Returning to the stars once again... but not all of them.

For the few who remained, they deigned to rule what was left of the world as gods. At first benevolently, uplifting those who survived their wrath and teaching them the ways of agriculture so that all that was consumed before might be replenished. Afterwards, none knew hunger ever again and with the world as their garden, the Elder Dragons were loved for a time, worshipped as living deities by the very people they once fed upon. Yet there were those who remembered the destruction they had wrought and demanded justice, and so the age of resistance began.

Time after time, the people of Tirn rose up in defiance and time after time, they were crushed. With each act of disobedience, the Elder Dragons became more cruel and oppressive in their ways, which only begat even more insurrections. Many times did the ancient tyrants purge their subjects to the brink of extinction, hoping to crush all hope among them, and many times did they fail for no matter how long it would take, whether a year or a hundred years, more would rise up to avenge the fallen.

For the longest time, it seemed an impossible battle. The Elder Dragons were powerful beyond reckoning and even after many centuries, not a single one could be slain, but all the lives lost against them paid for the knowledge that they could be hurt. They could bleed and that was more than enough to keep the hope of victory alive. In time, those who fought against the dragons became more organized. More refined in their tactics and strategies.

They used adamantium weapons, forged by the dwarves to pierce the scales and hide of their enemies. They used the power of magic, most potent among the humans, to enhance their martial prowess and combat techniques. They even used the dragons' own spawn against them, riding them into battle with the assistance of the elves and their empathic abilities.

Throughout the ages, these revolutionaries came to be known by many names. Slayers, defenders, reclaimers, dragoons, each generation scoring another wound upon the enemy before giving way to the next until finally, a hero emerged. The human Alaric, Paragon of his kind and the first being in all of Ith to slay an Elder Dragon. So the Dragonier came to be and with them a turning of the tide.

With this mighty deed, Alaric founded the nation of Kovosia upon the corpse of his kill and led the Dragonier to further victories across the land of Tirn, striking the fear of mortality into the hearts of the immortal dragons. After a lifetime of fighting, half the Elder Dragons on the continent were eventually slain and for all their efforts, it was not battle that eventually claimed the Paragon's life, but simply old age.

With the Paragon's passing and his life's purpose admirably fulfilled, the Elder Dragons no longer fought to dominate, but to survive. Their numbers being drastically reduced, they sought shelter in the furthest reaches of the world with some fleeing to the eastern continent of Vaim, only to be slain there by the orcs who had already cast down their draconic overlords. The rest hid among the highest peaks of the Stormwall Mountains, or the deserts of Fera or even the frozen north, surrounding themselves with those who yet remained loyal for protection.

Many times they sought to regroup and retake everything they had lost, and on few occasions they even came close, but each time the Dragonier would defeat them and though it would take another thousand years after the death of their founder, they would eventually succeed in hunting down the Elder Dragons to the last. However, it would be the people of Kovosia to finish the task.

High above the clouds where the air was cold and thin, it was among the Stormwall Mountains where the last stand of the Elder Dragons took place. By then, only 3 of them remained. The first was slain by the elven archmage, Sifa; an original member of the Dragonier who fought alongside Alaric and would later become High Queen of Avalan. The second was slain by the orc Temuro Khan; a scion of the Yoltan Shokhanate who would later go on to serve as Grandmaster of the Dragonier and continue to do so to the present day.

The third and last Elder Dragon fled wounded to the west, where it fell in Kovosia and drowned there in a sea of spears and swords. Slain not by the mighty Dragonier, the most powerful champions of Tirn, but mere men. Soldiers armed with steel and zealous wrath, who celebrated their victory by devouring the flesh of the dragon and drinking its blood before rendering its remains into trophies.

With the death of the last Elder Dragon, a new age of peace dawned upon the land of Tirn and its people, and allkind were finally free to live without fear of fire and fang. With their purpose fulfilled, the Dragonier transitioned from an order of dragon slayers to a force of peacekeepers, its members culled from all levels of each nation's society to foster relations and mutual respect.

Yet now, a mere 2 centuries after its beginning, fractures have begun to show throughout the age of peace. Vaimese warships frequently assault the shores of Yolta. Dragon cultists have begun espousing their beliefs to all who would listen among the beastfolk of Fera. The dwarves of the Deep Kingdoms have fallen into infighting and the men of Kovosia suffered the same with numerous pretenders and false Paragons vying for ownership of the nation before the genuine article appeared in Kasimir.

Named Warrior King for slaying or subduing all who challenged him, Kasimir abandoned his charge as Dragonier in favour of uniting his people and leading them in conquest against the elven nation of Avalan. It took only a month to fall despite being under the protection of High Queen Sifa, whose current fate and whereabouts remains unknown.

Now with the armies of Kovosia marching upon the Stormwall Mountains, the Dragonier have sided with the eastern nations' Sunpeak Alliance to stop the advance of the Empire and further deterioration of the age of peace.

---

The Dragonier

Founded more than a thousand years ago by the human Paragon Alaric, the Dragonier was formed with the express purpose of fighting against the Elder Dragons. Their headquarters have moved around many times throughout the centuries, often as a result of being destroyed and rebuilt, but now with their ancient foes defeated, the Dragonier have set their roots upon the eastern slopes of the Stormwall Mountains where they are currently based in 'Cloudfall Keep', a fortress overlooking 'Wyvern Valley' where the last dragon nest cultivated by the Elder Dragons remains.

200 years after their reformation under the 'Last Dragonslayer' Temuro Khan, current Grandmaster of the order, the Dragonier have transitioned from an order of dragon slayers to a peacekeeping force with their most notable action being the defence of Yolta against the Vaimese invaders, 30 years ago. For the most part however, before the current circumstances, their duties mainly consisted of patrolling the skies throughout the land of Tirn and responding to calls for aid, whether it be due to bandits or the control of dangerous beasts (particularly wild dragons).

Asides from their peacekeeping activities, the Dragonier raise and train their own mounts in Wyvern Valley, which is generally considered to be the only place in Tirn where one can acquire a dragon since those found in the wild are exceedingly rare. To this end, care of the valley is entrusted to a 'Dragon Keeper' who is traditionally a human as it often takes a human lifespan for a dragon to mature from hatchling to a full adult. As juveniles, the dragons perceive their caretaker as a parental figure who teaches them to obey commands until reaching adulthood when they become fiercely independent, but still remember the lessons of their caretaker who by then will have passed their duty on to another.

It is these adult dragons that the Dragonier ride upon and for 200 years, the cost of entry into the order has remained the same. One must walk into Wyvern Valley and somehow tame a dragon on their own. A dangerous feat that has seen many would-be riders walk away in shame, bearing the scars of their failure, or sometimes not walking away at all, meeting their fates right there and then.

It is for this reason that only mages or those who have Awakened are permitted entry into the valley as such individuals possessing the power of magic are not so likely to die. Still, merely possessing power is not enough to tame a dragon for such creatures are wilfully defiant and will not tolerate any to ride upon their backs. Not unless they prove themselves worthy masters by being able to ride at all.

For those already possessing a dragon, such a trial is not necessary for joining the Dragonier. Instead, a different trial is set where the aspirant must prove themselves in other ways. Often in the old ways dating back since the founding of the order when the Paragon Alaric tested those who would follow him in a sparring match where they were required to hold nothing back. It is a trial that Grandmaster Temuro has sometimes administered himself as the most powerful prana user among the Dragonier, but on occasions during his absence, another rider may set their own trial and serve as proctor.

Returning members need not undergo any trial at all, but will need personal approval by the Grandmaster to join. Depending on the nature of their original departure, some have been allowed to keep their dragons whereas others
were made to return them. Those who were required to return their mounts often did so in disgrace, perhaps as a result of some grievous mistake or misdeed, and will need to capture a new one (or recapture their old one) if allowed to return. With the advent of war, desperate times call for desperate measures and the Dragonier will need all the help they can get.

For those who left the order and were allowed to keep their dragons, they often return to their nations to serve as dragon knights or instructors. Most former members from Kovosia have thrown in with the Warrior King Kasimir and founded their own order, the Sky Legion, but a few may yet remain loyal to the Dragonier and their ethos of equality among allkind. Either way, the battle in the skies is sure to be the fiercest and it's with this in mind that most former Dragonier seek to return from retirement.

Some current and former members, particularly veterans from the defence of Yolta, would have known Kasimir personally when he still served among the Dragonier 30 years ago. Back then he was known to be an idealistic and noble young man who was easy to befriend, but also took his duties and training seriously. After the defence of Yolta however, he was never the same and whatever he experienced during the battle had led to his second Awakening, the mark of a true Paragon. By the time he left he was the polar opposite of how he used to be, becoming more cold and withdrawn. All anyone heard about him afterwards is how he eventually united all of Kovosia and forged it into an empire.

It's not known what led to Kasimir's decision to invade Avalan while calling for human supremacy, but at Cloudfall Keep all members are treated equally with senior riders functioning more as mentors than officers. Riders may operate in teams or independently and those who are not out in the field ('on the wing' as it is called), are only required to train or instruct newer riders.

More to be written...

Ashen Skies

Corvo gasped as the blades zipped by his ear and bit into the surface of the door. Out of pure reflex, he immediately spun around and dropped into a combat stance, expecting the next blade to strike for his heart. What followed however were only the spymaster's words, yet spoken harshly as they were, they struck more truly than any weapon could and Corvo found himself unable to meet Gerhardt's eyes as the man exploded in fury and frustration.

At first the prince's own anger had evaporated into shame and guilt, subsumed by the greater storm before him and he quietly endured it. Admittedly, he had forgotten that Gerhardt had suffered just as much as he had, if not more. He wanted to say so himself, but the dam had broken and now all the weight of everything they had both endured from Belisio to here was spilling out in this room. All the words unsaid, the thoughts unshared, they were coming out now only when they had a chance to stop and the more Gerhardt spoke in honest anger, the more unfair it seemed to Corvo to not do likewise.

"You don't think I know that?" he said, quietly at first as Gerhardt made his predictions. Then the spymaster whipped his cup at the prince's head and whether it would have struck or not, Corvo deflected it anyway with the back of his fist as he shouted, "YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT?"

The cup bounced violently off the other side of the room as the prince continued, "I was there! You don't have to remind me, beacuse i was right there! I am still there, every single fucking night and it's all I can think about! You don't think I know the consequences of failure? I just fucking lived it! We both did! How is it any different over here when we're just as surrounded by enemies? At least over there, I could... I could..."

Corvo wanted to say more, but found himself struggling to articulate his thoughts into words and in a sudden desire to breathe some fresh air, he hurried to open the door and step outside. He only meant to take pause to gather himself, but the spymaster was not done with him yet.

"Go ahead! Go and run! You'd best hurry 'your majesty'," Gerhardt snarked before adding.
"Grow a spine boy. Save your regrets and anger for when you're actually in a position to use them. But if I wasted and risked my life for an impetuous ingrate, by all means leave and save me the trouble of actually caring." He picked up the chair and made a dismissive wave to Corvo. "Either you put some faith in us or you fuck off and do whatever you think is best."

In response, Corvo slammed the door shut so hard that it rattled on its hinges, knocking the three blades loose and sending them clattering to the floor. It was no use. He had no stomach for bickering anymore and further argument would only lead to more hurt. Words were simply not enough anymore. All he could do was look up at the bright blue sky, glimpsing it briefly before closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. Then for the second time in his life, he let out a shout so fierce that it seemed to make the world shake.

Without thought or intention, Corvo had channelled all the energies of his soul into that shout and like thunder it rumbled through the air, causing the very walls of the house to vibrate. Imbued with so much ki, it would have carried enough destructive force to break through stone or tear a person asunder. Aimed towards the sky however, it harmed only the peace of the neighbourhood as well as the eardrums of whoever happened to be nearby.

Corvo however did not realize how loud it had been nor that his eyes had been closed until he opened them, seeing the old man named Castille who was still seated against the wall of the building. In that moment, Corvo had been blind, deaf and dumb to his own power, and thinking nothing of it, he pointed towards the door with a sheepish expression on his face as he said to the old man, "Sorry, I don't suppose you heard all that?"

Ashen Skies

Owen's vague response only made Corvo more curious as to what an 'Ender' was and he was about to press the matter until Gerhardt spoke up, "Leongarde chose to let Belisio fall, because the relationship between the two countries has been strained for quite some time. In their eyes Belisio had become nothing more than a bully, regardless of how we might feel about such matters."

You dare, the prince thought as he tried to formulate a response, sharing Owen's look of incredulity. A bully? My nation burns and you dare to say it is nothing more than a bully? No... Leongarde. It is from their perspective, but why? What have we done to offend them?

Corvo received his answer soon enough as Gerhardt spoke on of mist harvesters, border disputes and the lives of mages within the Priestdom, which only served to further the prince's ire. So because they decide to shoot themselves in the foot with their own intolerance of magic, they let some minor incident dictate our fates? he wanted to scream, brooding in contempt as the brothers quibbled over mercenary business. Do they not realize that by allowing us to fall, they only stand to be next and all over a few harvesters?

The prince did not make a single sound or movement, nor even a change in expression until he caught the tail end of Owen's words, "... so I suggest you both eat and rest, cause if you’re set on this, I’ll take you with me tonight."

"No," Corvo said, standing up swiftly as he addressed the master of the house. "No, we've wasted enough time here."

Then with a scornful look towards Gerhardt, he continued, "If what you say is true then we will find no aid here no matter what. More aside, I will not bow and scrape for some blinkered theocrat when we could be back home rallying what remains of our forces, of our people, so that we might mount a resistance while we still can. For Gaia's sake, what are we even doing here in the first place?"

His spirit inflamed, Corvo turned hotly towards the door whilst declaring his convictions aloud, "We fled when we should have fought!"

Ashen Skies

Corvo offered no protest as Gerhardt guided him through the marketplace, but he cast a final glance towards the direction where the Courtesan went and found himself hoping that they might cross paths again. Focus, he chided himself as he shook his head and snapped his eyes forward. You're here for a purpose, not to play around. Try as he might however, the image of the fiery haired Courtesan still lingered in his mind's eye and no amount of shaking could banish her from sight. Her beauty seemed ill fit for a city of Leongarde, but then again there was already much Corvo had seen that was seemingly at odds with the Priestdom's reputation.

After arriving at an area known as Hill Point, Corvo once again felt as though he had arrived in some other far flung part of the world, away from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace and into a relatively quiet neighbourhood. Where the market had been vast and grandiose, this part of the city was full of narrow streets and labyrinthine passageways. Without Gerhardt leading the way, Corvo was quite certain that he'd become lost.

After a few meandering twists and turns, they had seemingly arrived at their destination when the spymaster stopped before a tall stone building standing behind a wooden wall, though it lacked an entrance... Or so it appeared anyway. As it turned out, the wall itself was the entrance and when Gerhardt found the hidden latch that allowed him to open it, Corvo couldn't help wondering what would necessitate such a deception and whether he should expect to see anything else of a similar nature. Who was this Zathre character exactly?

Stepping through into a small courtyard, Corvo looked around as he tried to guess which of the people gathered there was the one they were here to see. Surely not the old woman hanging up laundry on a clothesline or the little boy apparently learning how to read, which left the elderly man who seemed to be teaching him, sitting in the sun the with the appearance of a wise sage, staff and all. Corvo was on the verge of introducing himself before the spymaster asked, "Is the master home?"

So not the old man then. Still, Corvo was shocked to see Gerhardt suddenly fall as the old man swept his feet out from under him with his staff. Even more shocking however was seeing the spymaster completely unbothered by such a way of greeting and going on to speak with the old man with such warmth and familiarity that it made Corvo wonder whether they were related. He had never seen this side of Gerhardt before, ever the calculating man of focus serving at his father's side. As he conversed with the old man, apparently named Castille, it occurred to Corvo that he never really knew the spymaster that well at all despite seeing him for many years.

When the man they were here to meet finally appeared, it surprised Corvo even further to learn that this Owen Zathre was Gerhardt's own brother and even more roguish in appearance than the spymaster himself. As Owen invited them inside the house and Corvo sat upon the chair offered to him, he began to wonder if Gerhardt was ever truly Belisian in the first place or a native of Leongarde and if so, how did he come to serve the kingdom?

With an eye of suspicion, Corvo listened as Gerhardt finally came to their point of business while conversing with Zathre, "So we came to you, we need a seal of approval so we can stay in the city and attempt to offer the young prince some time to grow, in both skill and in allies."

Owen sighed a heavy sigh rubbing his brow at that.

"Much of what was is gone, dear brother. Time are difficult. The merest inkling of a rebellion of any kind is crushed. If you’re going to do this, you’ll need to go up top to get their approval first before you can start recruiting and who is to say how long that will take? By the time you’re done Belisio will have ended under Vaim’s complete control, there will be nothing left for the Prince to rally. If I were the both of you I’d forget about this whole notion and start a new life. I’ll help you regardless of what you choose, but for the sake of your own skins, don’t raise your head up too high above the cornfield so to speak. You’ll be noticed by the Enders."

"What are Enders?" Corvo asked, speaking for the first time since he arrived. "And why did Leongarde not come to our aid when we needed it most?"