### Foreword
This volume serves as a compendium of knowledge about the world of the novel. The information contained herein is gradually revealed within the main story and is duplicated here for ease of access.
*"Knowledge is power. But reading the compendium before finishing the story is cheating."*
— Professor Whiskerbottom (probably)
---
## Table of Contents
1. [The Seven Kingdoms of Eldoria](#the-seven-kingdoms)
2. [Power System — Aether & Core](#power-system)
3. [Knight Ranking System — Way of the Blade](#knight-ranking-system)
4. [Mage Ranking System — Way of Mana](#mage-ranking-system)
5. [Balance of Power](#balance-of-power)
6. [Major Academies](#major-academies)
7. [Glossary of Terms](#glossary)
8. [Calendar and Timeline](#calendar)
---
## The Seven Kingdoms of Eldoria
---
### 1. Mana Empire
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Reinhart |
| **Capital** | Aethelburg (The City of Spires) |
| **Population** | 35 million |
| **Primary Path** | Aether (Mage) |
| **Specialty** | Raw spellcasting, elemental manipulation, arcane theory |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Starfall Spire |
| **National Dish** | Thunder Stew |
| **Colors** | Royal Blue and Silver |
| **Motto** | *"Knowledge is power. Power is control."* |
**Culture:**
The Mana Empire values intellect above all else. Social status is determined by magical aptitude and scholarly achievement. Noble families compete to produce the strongest mages, and political marriages are common tools for securing powerful bloodlines. The Reinhart family has ruled for 400 years, their gravity affinity appearing in each generation.
**Military:**
- Standing army: 50,000 soldiers
- Battlemage corps: 10,000 (Rank 4+)
- Special forces: Imperial Griffon Knights (aerial unit)
**Key Locations:**
- **Starfall Spire** — The imperial academy, a tower that pierces the clouds
- **The Obsidian Court** — Imperial throne room, carved from solidified shadow
- **Archive of Whispers** — The largest magical library in the world
- **Gravity Gardens** — Public park with artificially altered gravity
---
### 2. Chakra Kingdom
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Kazehaya |
| **Capital** | Kamigoroshi (City of Gods) |
| **Population** | 20 million |
| **Primary Path** | Core (Knight) |
| **Specialty** | Inner energy cultivation, wind and shadow techniques |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Shadow Leaf Dojo |
| **National Dish** | Wind-Grilled Fish |
| **Colors** | Black and Crimson |
| **Motto** | *"Flow like wind. Strike like shadow. Be uncaught."* |
**Culture:**
The Chakra Kingdom values harmony, discipline, and the flow of natural energy. Samurai traditions dominate, and even commoners practice basic chakra control. The Kazehaya clan has ruled for 800 years, their wind affinity appearing in every generation. Ancestor worship is common, and family honor is paramount.
**Military:**
- Standing army: 30,000 samurai
- Shadow warriors: 20,000 (special forces, ninja traditions)
- No mage corps — knights only
**Key Locations:**
- **Shadow Leaf Dojo** — Training ground hidden in misty mountains
- **Whispering Woods** — Entrance exam location, haunted by ancestor spirits
- **Wind's Rest Palace** — Kazehaya family seat, built on a mountain peak
- **Tea House of a Thousand Dimensions** — Famous tea house where portals occasionally open
---
### 3. Qi Empire
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Qi |
| **Capital** | Yanhuang (The Phoenix Throne) |
| **Population** | 40 million |
| **Primary Path** | Balanced (Hybrid Theory) |
| **Specialty** | Energy flow manipulation, precision casting, alchemy, phoenix arts |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Solaring Moon Academy |
| **National Dish** | Phoenix Noodles |
| **Colors** | Gold and Crimson |
| **Motto** | *"Burn. Fall. Rise. Repeat."* |
**Culture:**
The Qi Empire is the largest and most populous kingdom, a melting pot of cultures and traditions. They value balance — between mage and knight, between fire and water, between tradition and innovation. The royal family's phoenix bloodline allows them to resurrect from death, though the cost is severe.
**Four Great Houses:**
1. **Qiuyue** — Phoenix flame specialists
2. **Hitsugi** — Hellflame mages
3. **Jin** — Earth and metal affinity
4. **Zhao** — Water and healing arts
**Military:**
- Standing army: 80,000 soldiers
- Hybrid corps: 20,000 (mage-knight hybrids)
- Phoenix Guard: 500 (elite royal guard, all Rank 7+)
**Key Locations:**
- **Tianlan Royal Magic Academy** — Oldest and most prestigious academy
- **The Phoenix Throne** — Imperial palace, blessed by the Celestial Flame
- **Alchemist's Quarter** — District where experimental magic happens
- **Garden of a Thousand Spirits** — Cemetery where phoenix-blooded nobles are interred
---
### 4. Glaciar Kingdom
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Frostweaver |
| **Capital** | Iskald (The Frozen Throne) |
| **Population** | 12 million |
| **Primary Path** | Core (Knight) |
| **Specialty** | Cryomancy, ice sculpting magic, aurora weaving |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Frosthold Collegium |
| **National Dish** | Frozen Heart Stew |
| **Colors** | Ice Blue and White |
| **Motto** | *"Cold endures. Stillness wins. We outlast."* |
**Culture:**
The Glaciar Kingdom exists in the northern wastes, where survival itself is a test of strength. They value endurance, patience, and stillness. The Frostweaver bloodline can manipulate ice at a fundamental level, and their knights are known for outlasting enemies through sheer refusal to die.
**Military:**
- Standing army: 20,000 (all Rank 3+)
- Winter Guard: 1,000 (elite, Rank 6+)
- No navy (ice makes it unnecessary)
**Key Locations:**
- **Frosthold Collegium** — Academy built inside a glacier
- **The Aurora Spire** — Tower where aurora weaving is studied
- **Everwinter Market** — Underground trade hub, warm despite the cold
- **Tomb of the First Frostweaver** — Sacred site, temperature never rises above freezing
---
### 5. Pyre Desert Tribes
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Emberkhān Council (tribal) |
| **Capital** | Mobile (moves with ruling tribe) |
| **Population** | 15 million (nomadic) |
| **Primary Path** | Aether (Mage) |
| **Specialty** | Fire magic, earth shifting, desert survival |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Sunspire Oasis (mobile) |
| **National Dish** | Sun-Bread |
| **Colors** | Orange and Gold |
| **Motto** | *"Blaze brighter than death. Become the fire."* |
**Culture:**
The Pyre Tribes are nomadic, moving through the southern deserts with the seasons. They worship the sun as the source of all magic, and their fire mages are considered the most passionate in the world. Tribal leadership is determined by annual competitions of magic, combat, and survival.
**Seven Major Tribes:**
1. **Emberkhān** — The ruling tribe
2. **Sunwalker** — Scouts and pathfinders
3. **Sandheart** — Earth mages and builders
4. **Flametongue** — Fire mage specialists
5. **Dawnbringer** — Healers and priests
6. **Dustrider** — Camel breeders and trainers
7. **Oasiskeeper** — Guardians of watering holes
**Military:**
- No standing army — every adult is a warrior
- Tribal champions: 1 per tribe, Rank 8+
- Sun Khan's personal guard: 100 elite warriors
**Key Locations:**
- **Sunspire Oasis** — Mobile academy, location changes daily
- **The Burning Heart** — Desert's center, where the sun touched the world
- **Trading Caravans** — Mobile markets that travel between tribes
- **Sandworm Graveyard** — Dangerous, valuable for reagents
---
### 6. Nocturnia (Underground Cities)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Crimson Court (Vampire Lords) |
| **Capital** | Nethros (The City That Never Sleeps) |
| **Population** | 8 million |
| **Primary Path** | Aether (Mage) |
| **Specialty** | Blood magic, shadow weaving, nocturnal arts |
| **Currency** | Exer (Standardized magical currency) |
| **Academy** | Umbral University |
| **National Dish** | Crimson Wine |
| **Colors** | Crimson and Black |
| **Motto** | *"Light fades. We remain. Shadows remember."* |
**Species Breakdown:**
- **Vampires:** 500,000 (aristocracy)
- **Day-walkers:** 5 million (humans adapted to underground life)
- **Drow:** 2 million (dark elf equivalent, magical affinity)
- **Other:** 500,000 (various underground species)
**Culture:**
Nocturnia exists beneath the surface, a vast network of caverns and cities lit by bioluminescent fungi and magical crystals. The ruling vampires are ancient, patient, and politically sophisticated. Day-walkers make up the majority of the population. Vampires are the aristocracy, and bloodline determines social status.
**Military:**
- Shadow Legion: 15,000 vampire knights and shadow mages
- Day-walker Guard: 30,000 (surface-capable soldiers)
- Crimson Assassins: Unknown number
**Key Locations:**
- **Umbral University** — Classes held only at night (surface) or always (underground)
- **The Crimson Court** — Vampire lords' meeting place, deep underground
- **Fungal Forests** — Bioluminescent farms that feed the population
- **The Sun Gate** — Only entrance to the surface, heavily guarded
---
### 7. Umbra Region (The Forbidden Zone)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Ruling Dynasty** | Obsidian Throne (identity unknown) |
| **Capital** | Unknown (believed mobile) |
| **Population** | Unknown (estimated 2-5 million) |
| **Primary Path** | Forbidden — both paths at terrible cost |
| **Specialty** | Necromancy, soul manipulation, forbidden arts |
| **Currency** | Exer (Black market only — currency itself is not the issue, but the source) |
| **Academy** | Black Tower Academy (location unknown) |
| **National Dish** | Unknown |
| **Colors** | Black and Void |
| **Motto** | *"We died. We continued. Ask nothing else."* |
**Known Facts:**
- Located on the far side of the continent, isolated by magical storms
- Necromancy and soul magic are openly practiced
- Graduates of Black Tower Academy are scattered across the world
- Border regions have standing orders to report any Umbra activity
- Most kingdoms have execution-level laws against Umbra magic
**Official Policy (All Kingdoms):**
Do not engage. Do not approach. Do not acknowledge. Report immediately.
---
## Power System — Aether & Core
---
### Fundamental Principle
All beings possess a **Soul Core** — the concentrated essence of their existence. How this core expresses power determines one's path.
| Type | Users | Power Source | Philosophy |
|------|-------|--------------|------------|
| **Aether (Mana)** | Mages | Mind + Calculation | Understand reality |
| **Core (Aura)** | Knights | Body + Will | Impose yourself on reality |
Both originate from the same thing: **Existence Pressure** — the soul forcing reality to obey.
---
### Aether (Mage) System — The Calculation Path
*"Reality obeys those who understand it."*
Mages do not "cast spells." They **rewrite rules** using formulas engraved in their mind.
**Fundamental Concept:**
- Every spell = **Equation**
- Power = **Imagination × Control × Stability**
- The smarter the mage → the stronger the magic
---
### Core (Knight) System — The Manifestation Path
*"The world bends to those who impose themselves upon it."*
Knights don't learn techniques. They **force reality to acknowledge them.**
Aura is not energy. It is **the soul leaking into the body.**
**Fundamental Concept:**
- Every technique = **Conviction made manifest**
- Power = **Will × Experience × Resolve**
- The stronger the spirit → the stronger the aura
---
## Knight Ranking System — Way of the Blade
| Rank | Title | Description |
|:----:|-------|-------------|
| **1** | Blade Trainee | Basic stances and disciplined footwork |
| **2** | Armed Fighter | Clean strikes and controlled breathing |
| **3** | True Swordsman | Stable sword aura manifestation |
| **4** | Aura Swordsman-Aura Knight | Aura coating on blade, sharper cutting power |
| **5** | Sword Expert | Precise aura shaping and mid-range slash waves |
| **6** | Sword Master | Intent-infused strikes and battlefield awareness |
| **7** | Sword Saint | Domain-like pressure formed from pure sword intent |
| **8** | Sword King | Reality-slicing edge within personal range |
| **9** | Sword Sovereign | Peak mortal blade; a single swing rewrites the flow of battle |
*Note: No living knight has achieved Rank 9 in over 500 years. Rank 8 is considered the peak of the current era.*
---
## Mage Ranking System — Way of Mana
| Rank | Title | Description |
|:----:|-------|-------------|
| **1** | Mana Initiate | Can sense and circulate mana |
| **2** | Apprentice Mage | Basic spell casting and simple control |
| **3** | Adept Mage | Stable spell construction and combat usage |
| **4** | Advanced Mage-Scholar mage | Multi-layered spells and mana reinforcement |
| **5** | High Mage | Large-scale battlefield influence |
| **6** | Master Mage | Territory-level control and spell fusion |
| **7** | Archmage | City-scale devastation and mana domain creation |
| **8** | Saint Mage | Country-level authority, near-limitless mana refinement |
| **9** | Grand Sovereign | Peak mortal mage, reality-bending influence within domain |
*Note: No living mage has achieved Rank 9 in over 500 years. Rank 8 is considered the peak of the current era.*
---
## Balance of Power
| Knight Rank | ≈ | Mage Rank |
|:-----------:|:--:|:---------:|
| 1-3 | = | 1-3 |
| 4-6 | = | 4-6 |
| 7 (Sword Saint) | = | 7 (Archmage) |
| 8 (Sword King) | = | 8 (Saint Mage) |
| 9 (Sword Sovereign) | = | 9 (Grand Sovereign) |
**Neither side is stronger — only different fighting styles.**
**Note on Rank 9:** These are legendary levels, unattained in the current era. The last recorded Sword Sovereign died 523 years ago. The last Grand Sovereign vanished 500 years ago under mysterious circumstances.
---
## Major Academies
---
### Solaring Moon Academy (Qi Empire)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Yanhuang, Qi Empire |
| **Founded** | 873 years ago |
| **Enrollment** | 4,000 students |
| **Specialty** | Balanced curriculum, hybrid theory |
| **Known For** | Oldest and most prestigious academy |
| **S-Class** | Elite student track (not to be confused with Rank 7+ classification) |
---
### Starfall Spire (Mana Empire)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Aethelburg, Mana Empire |
| **Founded** | 652 years ago |
| **Enrollment** | 3,000 students |
| **Specialty** | Aether calculation, battle magic |
| **Known For** | Strongest mages in the world |
---
### Shadow Leaf Dojo (Chakra Kingdom)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Kamigoroshi, Chakra Kingdom |
| **Founded** | 800+ years ago |
| **Enrollment** | 500 students |
| **Specialty** | Core manifestation, sword arts |
| **Known For** | Rigorous entrance exam |
---
### Frosthold Collegium (Glaciar Kingdom)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Inside a glacier, Glaciar Kingdom |
| **Founded** | 521 years ago |
| **Enrollment** | 800 students |
| **Specialty** | Cryomancy, survival arts |
| **Known For** | Building is literally frozen |
---
### Sunspire Oasis (Pyre Tribes)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Mobile (changes daily) |
| **Founded** | Unknown |
| **Enrollment** | 1,200 students |
| **Specialty** | Fire magic, desert survival |
| **Known For** | Finding it is the entrance exam |
---
### Umbral University (Nocturnia)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Nethros, Nocturnia |
| **Founded** | 700+ years ago |
| **Enrollment** | Classified |
| **Specialty** | Shadow magic, blood arts |
| **Known For** | Classes at night only |
---
### Black Tower Academy (Umbra Region)
| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Location** | Unknown |
| **Founded** | Unknown |
| **Enrollment** | Classified |
| **Specialty** | Forbidden arts |
| **Known For** | Graduates find *you* |
---
## Glossary of Terms
---
### General Terms
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Aether** | Another word for mana; magical energy |
| **Aura** | Soul energy manifested by knights |
| **Chakra** | Inner energy, specific to Chakra Kingdom |
| **Core** | The soul's physical manifestation |
| **Exer** | Standardized magical currency used across all kingdoms |
| **Existence Pressure** | The soul's ability to impose on reality |
| **Mana** | Magical energy used by mages |
| **Mana Circuits** | Neural pathways for spellcasting |
| **Soul Core** | The essence of a being's existence |
---
### Combat Terms
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Domain Expansion** | Knight technique (Rank 7+), impose personal reality |
| **Dual Casting** | Casting two spells simultaneously |
| **Mana Domain** | Mage technique (Rank 7+), area where caster's magic is absolute |
| **Phantom Step** | Ryo's movement technique |
| **Slash Wave** | Mid-range attack (Rank 5+ knights) |
| **Will Strike** | Knight attack that damages the soul |
---
### Ranks and Titles
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **S-Class (Academy)** | Elite student track at Tianlan |
| **S-Class (Combat)** | Rank 7 and above — peak mortal power |
| **Sword Saint** | Rank 7 knight |
| **Archmage** | Rank 7 mage |
| **Sword King** | Rank 8 knight |
| **Saint Mage** | Rank 8 mage |
| **Sword Sovereign** | Rank 9 knight (legendary) |
| **Grand Sovereign** | Rank 9 mage (legendary) |
---
### Species
| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Day-walker** | Human adapted to Nocturnia |
| **Drow** | Dark elf equivalent, underground species |
| **Vampire** | Nocturnia aristocracy, sunlight sensitive |
---
## Calendar and Timeline
---
### Time Measurement
| Unit | Duration |
|------|----------|
| **Day** | 24 hours |
| **Week** | 7 days |
| **Month** | 30 days |
| **Year** | 360 days |
---
### Current Era
**Year 1473 of the Third Age (Post-Unification)**
The Third Age began after the Great Unification War, when the seven kingdoms established formal borders and diplomatic relations.