History & Lore#

The magical system and history of the world of Urd.

Weaves of Magic#

There are those within the world of Urd who have the ability to see the weaves of magic and even fewer of those who are able to understand or manipulate them. The majority of those who see and control these waves of magic are called mages. All things are made of weaves of magic or energy and likewise can be controlled. Because these weaves all rely on each other, changing one thing can have dire consequences.

Elements and Sub-Elements#

Weaves themselves are made of smaller strings of elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. Even those strings of elements have strands that interconnect more intricately known as sub-elements or inner-elements: Khai, Han, Cho, Omn, and Nu. The Outer Elements are the traditional which are taught to mages using their innate Controlling Force, the sub-elements are taught by Clerics and require the Inner Force to manipulate their energies.

Spirit Magic#

The mage spire or Maginaerum Arcanum as it’s formally referred to has outlawed the use or manipulation of the string element Spirit. Spirit can immediately control or damage the spirit of beings that live or those that are dead. The spire has a huge distaste for those who manipulate the string element Spirit and consider them ‘unlawful’ necromancers. Because it isn’t a law yet, necromancers are still allowed to remain in the cities but their occupation is still highly frowned upon and most still keep to themselves. Necromancers are generally obsessed with death and delve into poison, spirits, or death itself, and use the element spirit as often as they can. It’s said that the element, Spirit unlike the others, may be slightly tainted and acts like a drug to the host of those who directly control or access it.

The Arcane Core#

The interconnectors, or sub-elements, react with the major weave types and communicate with what’s commonly referred to as the Arcane Core. Therefor all of existence is a synergy of this Core. Psions are able to directly control all magic, not by the individual weaves, but instead by expanding or contracting the Core. The Arcane Core is described as being quick and extremely heavy, sometimes prohibiting novice Psions from aptly manipulating it efficiently. It requires a mastery of the Controlling Force and Inner Force by way of meditation and direction through one’s own body. Mages have barely been known to touch this Arcane Core but the few who have been known to do so have been the most powerful mages in existence.

Sub-Element Theory#

There are those who focus more on the tiny and quick interconnectors, yet direct it using the Controlling Force with dangerous accuracy. These are called Draconians. The theory of controlling these sub-elements is sometimes disputed, but has been rumored to grant incredible power as sub-elements have a tendency to change the weaves element entirely. This theory of magic has been said to be a remnant of the ancients, the first children of the gods. Monks sometimes touch magic but control it unnaturally from a strange perspective: between the elements they control their balance and flow. This gives them odd abilities and powers. The elements and sub-elements have been represented in a diagram called the wheel of constants. This wheel is usually just depicted with merely the astronomical symbols of the constellations that are representative of their own perspective elements or sub-elements.

The Wheel of Constants#

For each base element there are two opposite complimentary sub-elements. Each element dominates the element counter-clockwise and is submissive to the element clockwise of it, just like the stages of life are submissive to each consecutive stage. These stages are most often preached from Psion to Psion and rarely discussed in detail outside of their own kind. The idea of rebirth and transcendence would compete against the common belief of three gods controlling these aspects, Ettephemone in Rebirth and Life, Dekkashraen the god of Transcendence and Death, and Lythantos who controls the spinning of the wheel of constants and therefor magic and the land in general.

Class Perspectives on Magic#

Many of the classes can’t actually see the weaves, and so interpret their control and interaction with them differently. Woodsmen use earth, water, and air and feel magic as a calming heartbeat and pull of nature. Gravediggers use Spirit, Nu, and Omn and feel magic as a pulse of lines connecting to things. Elementalists use all prime elements and innately use magic with the presence of fierce emotions and will of self-preservation. Monks don’t see magic, but conjure sub-elemental weaves with the will of mantra. Minstrels touch all prime and sub-elements with the harmonizing of their celestial tunes, an ancient art recently revived in the Age of Man.

The Timeline#

The history of Urd is divided into distinct ages and eras, marked by significant events that shaped the world.

• 31801BB Creation of Urd
• 31801-1BB Age of Peace
  • ~30000BB: Creation of celestials, infernals & ancients
  • ~27000BB: Appearance of other magical creatures
  • ~26000BB: Creation of elves, sprites & pixies
  • ~21000BB: Creation of dwarves & orcs
  • ~1000BB: Creation of the under-races (Goblin, Troll, Kobold & Gnome)
• 0-2144TB The Breaking
  • 0TB: Creation of man & Disappearance of Ettephemone
  • 0-100TB: Development of the half races
  • 0-2144TB: Disappearance of the gods, celestials, infernals and ancients
• 2145-2207TB The War of Souls
• 2207-2550TB The Reformation
• 2550-2620TB The 70 Year Plague
• 2620-3180TB Age of Magic
• 3180TB(0AWS)-1512AWS Age of Man
• 1512AWS-Present Day Age of Commerce

Up To Now#

It began with Lythantos whose personality split with the spark of life into Dekkashraen and Ettephemone. These gods each created subjects in their own image. Ettephemone created the Celestials, Dekkashraen created the Infernals, and Lythantos created 13 Ancients – who were imbued with the perfect blend of both powers, including the secrets of all magic. Before the end of the Age of Peace, Lythantos and Ettephemone made love and bore the mortality of mankind through their son Roahn. Roahn was to unite the races by redoubling the gift of love his parents had bequeathed unto him. Mankind reproduced far faster than the other races due to their short life-spans and soon overtook the land with their uncanny ability to adapt to any environment cohesively. It is said that like the seeming disappearance of the divine races and ancients, the magical races will soon die out or merge with the spurning of man. Shortly after the creation of man, however, Lythantos could not find his Love Ettephemone for she was not to be found anywhere. Lythantos spoke with Urd in this time and asked why his love was no longer with him. The Urd spoke of Lythantos’ brother and his delusional jealousy of his attentions to her. Lythantos could not understand Urd and asked where she might be, and Urd wailed with mourning of its mother. Lythantos asked Urd who killed his love, and Urd said Dekkashraen. There was anger inside the Father and he led his people to war against his brother.

The Reformation#

The Reformation followed the War of Souls, where the 9 pieces of the Everspark were carried to what is now known as the 9 provinces and 9 great cities of Sedia. The Reformation built cities and developed the cast system of hierarchy found today. During the Reformation, following the war, magic was outlawed due to the destruction it caused. All of the most powerful magic and artifacts, even those made by the gods, were destroyed where possible and buried or hidden when not. This marked the end of the war. Trade slowly began between the main cities, which might have been a good thing if it wasn’t for the spreading of the plague. The 70 year plague released the law of magic, and the clerical spire was created near the end, around 2605. 15 years or so later, the mage spire was created and thrust the continent into the Age of magic and mystery with the immediate suppression of the plague. Magic was discovered for the first time without the aid of gods. Devices, spells and scrolls were now very conservative and weak comparatively. The Maginaerum Arcanum instilled safety with great ferver with the rules forbidding the use of Spirit magic. Furthermore, around the turn of 3000 as the reputation of magic regrew, the mage spire became a college instead of just a spire for magic.

The Age of Man#

Racial dispersion was a slow thing, but it wasn’t until the numerous inventions of man that the old races noticed the power of mankind. The Age of Man for some is merely an extension of the Age of Magic, but for others it was a tipping point of racial power where mankind took the upper hand in scale and importance. They were no longer the young race that knew nothing, but a race that pushed technology, politics, and society as a whole forward. It is at this time that the majority of the power players became human, heralding numerous changes that brought about the Age of Commerce.

Current Time#

Urd, or the world, weaves a figure 8 around two suns pulling equally in force. It is currently 1512 After the War of Souls (AWS. Respectively.) The war tore the continent from the beautiful garden it once was, destroying the perfection of Ettephemone creation and putting the Urd into absolute disarray. The continent is governed by eleven months, each labeled by significant events that happened before the war which caused the fall of the great city Menes. Almost all of the events happened near Menes for it was the cradle of civilization, an area where Ettephemone, her lover Lythantos, and his ‘brother’ Dekkashraen had once peacefully lived. It is commonly believed that there have been many times before this in which the Urd has been the home to the people of Sedia. In the theories it is stated that with each new age it begins and ends with three powerful beings united to seal existence and bring about a new age. Many followers of Ettephemone believe she will once again rise and take the hands of the two who brought chaos to Urd.

The Months#

The first month is the return of a new year, the time where the legendary Ritkus had betrayed mankind because of their failure to maintain the balance, and sided with Dekkashraen so he could win the War of Souls. King Ritkus of Menes betrayed his Father Lythantos and because of this brought an end to the beautiful city of Menes. The second month of the year is usually ridden with great winds as the winds from beyond the shelf of the Northern Reach crash upon the plains and sweep south to engulf the deserts with sandstorms, perhaps even reaching the summit of Mt. Kyros at the end of the continent. The Shaded Aveo is the last month where Urds first sun Aveo has reign upon it. The Burning Oeva is the exchange between the two suns Aveo and Oeva and is the hottest and quite easily the most dangerous month within the desert. The fifth month, the Dying Flower represents the dying of Urd for the first time after the death of Ettephemone. Dekkashraen is said to reign without confrontation during this time. Roahn was the first man to have a child, after the fall of Ettephemone. Lythantos is said to have given the power to make children to his 13 ancients so that mankind can always maintain a balance that the three were never able to. Mankind then flourished quickly among Urd and the Celestial and Infernal beings eventually disappeared in fear of the new age. Falling Leaf is the beginning of a cold hibernation for some creatures of the wild and enters the eighth month of Winterblight where the continent is covered with snow and winds, followed then by the melting or the Changing Tide where the rivers flow fast and hard, bringing evidence of life back to Urd. Mahro’s Blessing is the rebirth of life and the time where creatures, side-by-side, are peacefully renewed with vigor. Mahro was the first being ever created by Ettephemone and had always ruled over the other Celestials with the kindness of her mother, and breached trust and peace with the infernals. Mahro is said to maintain rebirth peacefully within Urd until her mother returns. Some ‘sightings’ of Ettephemone are disputed to really be Mahro. The final month is Ettephemone Return which marks the center of rebirth and end of the year before the breaking return of the traitor Ritkus. There is a celebration throughout Sedia called the Breaking Return for which the citizens wear brown and green masks that represent the colors of the ancient city of Menes flags.

The Breaking Return Festival#

In the larger cities the city herald, accompanied by an honored guard rides down the main thoroughfare with a golden mask and cheered at by the people for he represents the kings before Ritkus. At the end of the ride to the main courthouse he puts the mask on the first of the prisoners the city will hang, who represents Ritkus and all other traitors. After all the criminals are hanged the city celebrates.

The Months#

Important Names of Present Day#

For important names in history used primarily as reference, refer to the previous section: The Greater Provinces.

Anowyn#

Famous Adventurer.

Archmagi Dorso VI#

Head of the Emissary Counsel. The mage spire is in Tharsis.

Barkeep Telenadus#

Lives in Crecia and is often referred to as a Quest master. He has numerous social connections throughout Sedia. He owns the Shatteredkeep Inn.

Baron Penifus#

Power player, strong in the Tharsinian politics regarding Mandaks war, controls Dupree.

Brandin#

Dead miner who hailed from Dupree who allegedly found a shard of the Everspark, Lythantos’ crystal staff that was destroyed and spread about the continent when he cast the portal to leave the world of Urd.

Bredrick Elswin#

Former Lord, Husband of Lela Davenport. He gave up his lordship to take care of his wife and study his art of war. He’s a famous adventurer classified as a monk whose actual rank is still unknown.

Dekkashraen#

Avatar of Death, brother of Lythantos, and harbinger of war. He destroyed Ettephemone in jealousy of his brother’s love and devotion causing the War of Souls in his brother’s absence, eventually leaving himself in shame. He is still missing.

Dente#

Famous Adventurer.

Donovan Xorcos#

Dead son of Xorcos. Or rather, supposedly dead son of Xorcos.

Duke Xorcos#

Leads armies against Mandak, he is mostly stationed in Narsis.

Ettephemone#

Avatar of Life, lover of Lythantos, and creator of most all the races. She was hurt, sometimes it’s said she was killed, by Dekkashraen causing the War of Souls. Without her presence Lythantos has no will to keep Urd from its own destruction. When and if this avatar ever returns there will be peace unending. She is still missing.

Evelyn Elswin#

Sister of Quillilia and Lord Elswin or Bredrick, has a small hand in politics and simultaneously the Maginaerum Arcanum’s spire politics as well. Because she’s a mage she has great influence over others carrying the weight of her office. Unfortunately she left the spire out of terms that caused a slight disorder, sending Lady Leeza to retrieve Evelyn. It’s said she’s still being pursued by the Emissary. She is a famous adventurer.

Grandin#

Brandin’s brother who accompanied Brandin mining in the caves south of Dupree. He is missing as well as the shard.

Gregory Mandak#

Commander of The Legion under Julius Mandak. Took Julius’ last name as an indication of loyalty under his lordship. He stays with the legion which is mostly stationed in Tharsis, building force.

Jonathan#

Gnomish priest who controls the temple of Goad South of Tharsis.

Julius Mandak#

Legendary Hero and adventurer, leads The Legion across the continent to gain support in the war he’s raging against Xorcos and his supposed corruption of the natural order within Crecia, Tharsis, and other partnering cities. It’s often rumored of his large height and grand form in battle, it is important to note he doesn’t reach but 3’ 2" as a Halfling and rides into battle on a pony. His form of battle however was no lie.

Kevin#

Power player, strong in the Tharsinian politics regarding Mandaks war, controls Carthage.

Lady Leeza#

Maginaerum Emissary sent to retrieve Evelyn Elswin and bring her back to the spire. The mage spire is in Tharsis.

Lela Davenport#

Legendary Hero and adventurer, partner with Julius Mandak in his war. There are many stories that carry her name across the continent.

Lord Dreknolt#

Crecian Archlord, power player in the war against Xorcos with Mandaks Legion.

Lyssa#

Famous Adventurer.

Lythantos#

Avatar of Magic, one of the three prominent names worshiped throughout Sedia. Said to be brother of Dekkashraen and lover of Ettephemone. Said to have created the Ancients in his own image. Exuvae seeks to uncover all histories entangled with this deity. It’s sometimes argued that he was the most powerful of the three and his magic holds the entire universe from being thrown into complete disarray. He is still missing to this day.

Manager Sherii#

Resides in Tharsis, mischievous bar owner who has ties to the clan Schzo’ersch.

Master Mattik#

Minister of political affairs at the Maginaerum Arcanum in Tharsis. He sometimes leaves the spire to recruit promising mages.

Matt#

A famous questmaster who owns Matts Grill in Tharsis. It’s rumored he was once a famous thief.

Mishnal Stonecleaver#

Former King of Tharsis. Some believe Quillilia Stonecleaver poisoned him to gain control of Tharsis. Others say that Quillilias husband has died and she’s covered up his death to remain in control of the kingdom without any form of disorder. Others still say that he’s sick and should come back to his office soon.

Mykil Ironfist#

Master Blacksmith in Tharsis, well known for his grand works. Also rumored to be the son of Mishnal Stonecleaver.

Penn#

Famous Adventurer.

Qattja#

Dark Queen of Narsis controls Schzo’ersch and has her mischievous fingers hidden in politics throughout most of Sedia. All who have sat in her presence fear her and know her power is real. She’s said to support Xorcos’ war against Julius Mandak and The Legion.

Quillilia Stonecleaver#

Queen of Tharsis, acting reagent of the kingdom of Tharsis, or province respectively. She’s the sister of Evelyn Elswin and gave her maiden name up to marry Mishnal Stonecleaver.

Rodan#

Blind Crecian Halfling said to have been of some importance in influencing Julius Mandaks decision to wage war upon Xorcos. People have since searched for the mysterious halfling named Rodan to avail.

Shipcaptain Lockard#

Doonan, he rides the ship Forager.

Shiphand Elayus#

Doonan, he rides the ship Forager.

Shiphand Grilton#

Doonan, he rides the ship Forager.

Shipmaster Thomas#

Doonan, he controls the ships going in and out of Doonans ports, friend of Shipcaptain Lockard.

Taz Colespri#

Familiar of Donovan Xorcos. He’s said to have died twice already. A famous thief. Originally from Narsis.

Volo#

Legendary Assassin sent to kill Julius Mandak on numerous occasions. He is said to hail from New Saellem.

Zacharie Mandak#

Mandaks 1st Guard of The Legion. Took Julius’ last name as an indication of loyalty under his lordship. He mostly stays in Tharsis with his lord, Julius.