![[PARTIAL_focus_old_world.webp]] <a href="https://publish-01.obsidian.md/access/79ff8f9580b1551f2e9f0e63145483b3/Lore/Images/Maps/PARTIAL_focus_old_world.webp" target="_blank"> Full size image ⎘ </a> # 1 Age of Turmoil It is the year 1000 of the Lammisarean calendar. Roughly fifty years ago, strange ships carrying strange people arrived on the island of Lennai. The foreigners came from a land south beyond south which they call the empire of Luya and they brought guns and gunpowder with them. Shortly after the early visits from Luya and still before the Three Empire War, a terrible plague swept across the lands. The enormous loss of life caused great turmoil; priests and nobles died unexpectedly, causing fights for succession. So many peasants died that there were not enough left to till the fields and dig the graves. The survivors of the plague seeked new answers to the big questions and new preachers were quick to provide them. Many different cults started to emerge and the church of Wiktar was shaken in its foundation. As the clergy recovered from the plague, the newly crowned pontiff proclaimed an inquisition to root out all heresy and many followed the call. The cults were attacked and some disbanded, while others started to meet in secret. However, the most influential heretical preacher Zor-Heleukim had already gathered support from nobles to reform the church under their dominion. Meanwhile, both the empires of Dal-Niram and Baltara competed to strike a trade deal with the foreigners. Ultimately, this led to the Three Empire War, where Luya and Baltara went to war with Dal-Niram. After a decade of fighting, an uneasy peace was accepted by all parties. The terms dictated that the island of Lennai was to become a protectorate of Luya and Baltara would gain preferential treatment in the gun trade. # 2 Religion ## 2.1 Wiktarism ![[Wiktar.png]] Wiktar is the supreme ruler over heaven and earth. He commands the eleven archangels and the heavenly host. The antagonist of Wiktar is an evil and powerful demon named Saiffelbrandt who tempts the mortals and leads them into madness and despair with his foul bargains. Worshippers of Wiktar who have distinguished themselves by great pious deeds in their lifetime enter the divine realm and stand by his side. There are many of these saints and they are often prayed to for specific blessings. The main deity of the related Kosmionic religion, the ascended Epyreion, is also considered a saint in Wiktarism. During the time of the great empire of Niram, the capitol Nirammur was threatened by an invading horde from the steppes. In a vision, the emperor Lammisar IX. was promised celestial aid if he accepted Wiktar as his one and true god. Lammisar proclaimed his conversion the next day and ordered the soldiers to paint the sign of Wiktar on their shields. When the battle began, angels descended from the heavens and struck fear into the hearts of the tribesmen who fled the field and abandoned their raid. This event marked the year 1 of the Lammisarean calendar. ### 2.1.1 The Archangels - Apyrim, oracle of paradise - Auraion, keeper of the word - Beluon, exalted general - Istar, protector of the pious - Kamural, guardian of the gate - Leghtar, architect of heaven - Maratar, heaven's sentinel - Rasalion, harbinger of divinity - Serate, healer of the host - Tumarel, persecutor of evil - Tsehat, keeper of the garden ### 2.1.2 The Eternal Enemy Saiffelbrandt is known as the old man, the prince of madness and the deceiver. He is the great adversary, the enemy of the righteous and pious. Wiktarism teaches that Saiffelbrandt is the original demon, the first or his kind to walk the earth. It was him who taught demonology to the mortals. As punishment for this evil deed, he was imprisoned by Wiktar himself. Since then, the black mountain Saiffur - also known as the source of madness - is Saiffelbrandt's home. From there he looks for weakness in the hearts of mortals. Those who listen to his deceptions lose their sleep and their sanity; they journey to the mountain, never to be seen again. Only demons and mad folk associate with the old man. Some of the Korrgai warbands carry his banners, murdering and pillaging in his name. More than a few cults of Saiffelbrandt have been purged by the inquisition's zealous warriors, but they take root again and again. They seem to spread with the plague itself. ### 2.1.3 Heleukism: Wiktarism Reformed During the great plague, the prophet Tsor Heleukim arrived in Nirammur and travelled further into the heartland of Wiktarism. He claimed that he had found the truth in the desert; he claimed that Wiktar is not a god, but an archangel, and that there is yet another higher power by the name of Im-Rhun, loving and wise, who once determined the fate of all. However, this true god is absent from this world and can only be returned when all the archangels work together. This also includes the fallen archangel Farael - also known as Saiffelbrandt - and another unknown archangel who is missing from paradise, making it a total of thirteen. This heresy was not only joined by many among the discontent peasantry, but also some of the nobles. They were either convinced by the prophet or used his message as an excuse to seize power. Now the Heleukists strive to establish a new church for themselves. ### 2.1.4 S'taura-Wiktarism When the horselords finally conquered Nirammur and founded the empire of Daiko-Niram, more and more parts of their religion were gradually accepted by the populace, resulting in S'taura-Wiktarism. The followers of this religion believe that Wiktar and Kara rule the heavens together as order and chaos. Their marriage preserves the balance of the world. ### 2.1.5 Wiktar Forryge When the missionaries of Wiktar arrived on the island Forryge, their teachings were incorporated by the local druids. They still perform their many mystic rituals, but they have accepted Wiktar as the prime deity because of his strength. They believe that all immortals are in a continuous struggle for power where the mighty must rule the weak. The mortals are wise to worship those who can protect them from the others. ## 2.2 Faraism ![[Saiffelbrandt.png]] Not many believe in Faraism, the religion of Saiffelbrandt. He is a god as old as his eternal adversary Wiktar. His followers believe that he will rise from his prison - the black mountain Saiffur - and once again take his rightful place in the heavens. Saiffelbrandt often visits the desperate and downtrodden in their dreams and offers them guidance in their time of need. Those who have been abandoned and deceived by Wiktar find solace and truth in Saiffelbrandt's embrace. The pilgrimmage to the black mountain is the greatest honor for true believers. It is a dangerous journey, but the transcendent wisdom to be gained there is well worth it. In Faraism, the greatest virtues are curiosity, ambition and courage. The derogatory name Saiffelbrandt was popularized by his enemies. He introduces himself by his true name **Farael** and often appears as a winged being of blinding beauty with a pale blue halo. ### 2.2.1 Divine Servants Farael has made allies with other powerful entities that have been persecuted and exiled from their homelands. They have joined him as divine servants and patrons of the faith. - Alifaer, weaver of fortunes - Ester, mender of minds - Kapprigh, keeper of the goat paths - Trendelreght, promise keeper - Tsibutai, the thunderbird ## 2.3 Ghedhun ![[Ghedhun Giant.png]] In this religion, it is believed that somewhere at the roots of the earth lies a place called Ghedhun - the halls of creation - where the master craftsman Asgund works day and night to create and maintain life. The worshippers pray to the servants of Asgund for visits and blessings. ### 2.3.1 Of Giants and Dwarves Once there were many giants like Asgund roaming through the ancestral forests. The world was peaceful and resources were abundant; the world was in perfect balance. But within the giant Tollesh grew the seed of ambition. He thought better of himself than his peers and left Ghedhun to make himself master of beast and man. This first act of selfishness disturbed the balance of the world and the other giants worked even harder to restore it. One by one, however, all of the giants left the halls until only Asgund was left. To help him with his monumental task, he created the dwarves as helpers and protectors of the sacred halls. The dwarves helped Asgund, but still the duty of maintaining balance was too great. So the dwarves themselves crafted many more divine beings and sought to ally with the spirits of nature. The servants of Asgund were sent out into all corners of the world to protect and maintain the balance of nature. ### 2.3.2 The World in Balance The believers in the Ghedhun try to keep balance in all that they do. It is their sacred duty to help Asgund in preserving life and the balance of the world. Every disease or misfortune has its source in a disturbed balance either in the natural or the spirit world. ## 2.4 Auremmun ![[Auremmun.png]] The believers of this religion pray to the Auremmun, a variety of deities that rule from atop the holy mountain Arennan. Each god is part of divinity as a whole, representing only an aspect of it. The sacred trees act as beacons of light and hope to a world threatened by evil. Over time, deities from other religions found their way into the prayers of the Auremmunian worshippers as new aspects of divinity. However, with the decay of the Aremmafurian kingdoms, many deities have also been forgotten. ### 2.4.1 Most Important Deities - Awandra, gardener of Arennan - Bal-Hammur, keeper of the sacred fire - Druskaia, lost in dreams and waiting to be freed - Kroma, the force of life and light - Sarudros, lord of the dead and protector of Sarrunka - Urasanna, keeper of secrets ### 2.4.2 Mitaurea Even before the ancient times, the wise prophet Imaia led the Remma - the first men - to the Arennan where she planted the seeds of the sacred trees around the holy mountain. They came from the fabled frozen lands of Mitaurea. There all things were once abundant thanks to the light of the trees. However, when the encroaching darkness swallowed even this light, the Remma were forced to flee and seek refuge elsewhere. The Auremmunians have the divine mission to discover a way back to their ancestral homeland and plant the sacred trees once more to bring back the light to a dying world. However, the scholars are divided in their belief. While some say that Mitaurea is a literal place far to the north, others say it is a state of consciousness to be unlocked through prayer at the Arennan and the trees will guide the devout through the perils of the spirit world. ## 2.5 Undimante ![[Porrosaira.png]] The Undimante religion is an ancient one that knows many deities and divine servants. The main deity is Porrosaira who controls the ebbe and flow of oceans and rivers. She lives in her fabled underwater palace Subranita, surrounded by her loyal knights. Somewhere in the vast Aerin ocean stand the Lillings, mythical rock formations in the shape of mushrooms that rise above the water from the reefs. This is the place where the humans once originated before the white whale Arreio brought them to the Baltaraic islands. Many captains have tried to find the lillings, but none have succeeded. ## 2.6 S'taura ![[Kara.png]] The goddess Kara rides her white steed Walai through the skies. She is the shepherd of the steppes, the people and the animals. Her servants are the birds and the clouds, the horses and the grass. When the thunderbird Tsibutai challenged her rule, she took away his powers and banished him to the mountains of madness. Since then, lightning and thunder are hers to command. ## 2.7 Thjertu ![[Thjertu shorestones.png]] Respect must be paid to the merfolk who dwell in the oceans and rivers. They bring the tales of the mortals to the ears of Nib, the king under the sea and main deity of this religion. Heroes and rulers carve their legendary deeds into the standing stones along the shores to garner the favor of Nib. They hope to be led to the ocean forest where they will feast and train for the day when they fight alongside Nib in his battle against the witch and the serpent. # 3 Politics ## 3.1 Church of Wiktar ![[High priest Taremmu IX.png]] The church of Wiktar is arguably the most powerful organization on the continent. It possesses land and property all throughout its domain. Its priests offer spiritual guidance to the people in the grandest cities and the most humble hamlets. ### 3.1.1 Supreme Pontiff Within the church, the highest authority on earth is the supreme pontiff who is chosen by the council of pontiffs in a secret ceremony. Below the council in rank are the bishops who oversee all religious matters in larger towns and cities. For each bishop, there are many priests and laymen working for the church and collecting the religious tax from the peasants. During the plague, multiple supreme pontiffs died in succession. When the current pontiff Taremmu IX. ascended the holy throne, he was able to stabilize the church and called for an inquisition to combat heretical preachers and the rising of cults. ### 3.1.2 The Inquisition Many devoted believers followed the call of the inquisition. They attacked heretics and cult meetings. Many cults disbanded, while others have gone into hiding, practicing in secret. Now, some inquisitors are seeing heretics in every corner. ### 3.1.3 Knightly Orders The knights of the holy orders are often called paladins. They are meant to enact Wiktar's will on earth. The reward for their dedication is the promise of entry to paradise after life. Such a knight must vow not to marry and abandon all claims to land and fief. The church and the orders do not always see eye to eye on worldly matters, however. Some even say the church fears the growing political influence of the paladins and tries to keep them in check. #### 3.1.3.1 The Sacred Swords of Marago ![[Saint Marago.png]] Saint Marago founded the Holy Order of the Sacred Swords as part of his crusades against the demons that plagued the lands of Kredh. These paladins have their seat in the city Gigrim in Ekrudh and are dedicated to eradicating all demonic activity. Many of the knights have also chosen to participate in the inquisition. ## 3.2 Korrgai Tribes ![[Korrgai Warrior.png]] Once more, the Korrgai have descended from the mountains to raid and pillage. Apparently, they were unaffected by the plague; they have grown in number while the humans suffered great loss of life. They are seen more frequently and they venture ever deeper into the heartland. ### 3.2.1 Warriors of the Red Hand It seems that a few of the Korrgai warbands have joined together under one banner - the red hand of Saiffelbrandt. ### 3.2.2 Uldugai A new kind of demon has appeared in the lands of man, often accompanying Korrgai warbands; it is larger, stronger, faster and more aggressive than the regular Korrgai, but shares the same pig-like attributes. The knights of the Sacred Swords are investigating the matter, but it is not yet clear what dark sorcery is responsible for that. The knights call these beasts Uldugai. ### 3.2.3 Bred for a Long Forgotten War To understand the Korrgai, one must understand their history. They have lived in these lands for many centuries, longer than any human or Korrgai remembers. However, the records kept by the church and the universities show that there is much more to them than just a lust for blood. These demons are the only ones that are known to be able to sire offspring. According to scripture, they were created by Ennef, the most powerful mystic and demonologist in all of history. Much of his energy and expertise went into the creation of the Korrgai (he called them Nushtuk). They were specifically created to serve as the army of Tepesh and wage the wars of conquest in the name of the god king Nekhotep, Ennef's brother. Although they look like a mix of man and pig, presumably many other animal traits were introduced into these demons. They are somewhat smaller than the average man, but they have more endurance and need less food. They are loyal and often fight without regard for their own safety. Also they breed and grow much faster than humans and only one out of four Korrgai is born female. It has been observed that the Korrgai women are highly valued and well protected in their societies. The drive behind the roaming warbands might be the quest for fame and riches to be considered worthy of a wife. ## 3.3 Crown of Kredh ![[Queen Kaetora of Kredh.png]] Queen Kaetora ascended the throne when her husband and children succumbed to the plague. Her successor is her nephew Kelemeo who is also next in line for the throne of Werden. ## 3.4 The Crown of Werden ![[King Mardaik of Werden.png]] The crown of Werden sits atop the head of the boy king Mardaik. His father Bramag III. accepted the teachings of the prophet Zor-Heleukim and raised the boy as a reformist. Now the young king has to trust his advisors to guide him through governing the troubled realm. ### 3.4.1 Royalists Most of the nobles are loyal to the crown and became reformists together with the old king Bramag. Their main goals are to firmly establish their new church and to restore order by rooting out cults and rebellious forces. ### 3.4.2 Roland's Rebellion ![[Mercenary Leader Roland.png]] The mercenary leader Roland has great ambitions to become king of Werden and is in open rebellion against the crown. He has seen many battles, participated in the inquisition and believes firmly in the restoration of the church of Wiktar in Werden. Many traditionalists who are loyal to the church of Wiktar have pledged to aid Roland's cause. ## 3.5 Brago-Brunda League ![[Brago-Brunda guild masters.png]] The guild masters of the towns along the Brago-Brunda sea formed a league to increase their political leverage. These cities are located in the lands of different kings and emperors and seek to gain more autonomy, mainly to reduce the tax burden. Although the league has managed to close ranks, they have not been able to get rid of the occasional feud between cities or families. These quarrels can sometime escalate to bloody combat. ## 3.6 Crown of Dal-Niram The empire of Dal-Niram was shaken in its foundation first by the plague and then by the war against Luya and Baltara. By the terms of the peace treaty, Emperor Kadammasar VI. had to agree to surrender the holding of Lennai to the Luyans and to pay a large tribute to the Baltaraic empire. ### 3.6.1 The Alchemist Guild Since gunpowder first appeared in Dal-Niram, the Alchemist Guild worked feverishly to produce their own, but the Luyans are keeping the production a secret. If the guild would be able to make and sell gunpowder, their coffers would be filled to the brim. They have also experimented with the mixing of gunpowder and godstone to produce more powerful explosions. However, some of the more traditional alchemists have spoken out against the usage of gunpowder and urged the guild to stay true to its traditions in mysticism. ## 3.7 Luya-Lennai In the Three Empire War, the Luyans took the island of Lennai from the empire of Dal-Niram. Now the city Fargos has become their stronghold in the region where the governor Ilo-Lyas resides. It has become the most important trade hub since. The Luyan emperor Hialighelai has never visited the island and has almost become a legend amongst the local people. They say that he is either a tree or grown into a tree or that he is actually a prisoner in his own palace. The Luyans have apparently no interest in dispelling the rumors. Luyan society makes use of demonology and considers it a great honor to become a demon. Successful generals and administrators are eligible to receive this honor and the governor Ilo-Lyas is indeed a demon the Luyans call Liyir. To the church of Wiktar, this has become a point of great contention.