Caution Spoilers Ahead.
Ladies and gentlemen, pull up a chair. Get comfortable. Maybe grab a drink. We are about to walk you through an entire world and we strongly suggest you pay attention because there will be consequences for those who do not.
Ready? Good. Let us begin.
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World Name: Aethoria
**Central Continent: Valdris
The main stage. The biggest landmass. The place where most of the chaos is currently scheduled to occur.
Human Nation
Nation Name: The Aldric Empire
Ruling Power: Monarchy
Ruler Title: Emperor
Capital: Valdenmoor
A thousand years old and still running. One Emperor rules all. Noble houses govern the territories beneath him. The further from Valdenmoor, the more those nobles start making their own rules. The Emperor is aware. He has chosen his battles.
Beastkin Nation
Nation Name: Grafen Hold
Ruling Power: Single unified ruler
Ruler Title: Warchief
Small territory. Officially recognised. The Empire leaves it alone entirely, which has everything to do with the Warchief and nothing to do with goodwill. Beastkin outside these borders hold no such protection.
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Eastern Continent: Elyranor
Older than human civilisation. Quieter than human civilisation.
Elven Kingdom
Nation Name: Sylvaris
Ruling Power: Council of Elders led by a High Elder
Capital: Aelundra
The finest mana users in the world. Closed off from Valdris for over a century.
Dwarven Kingdom
Nation Name: Khorum
Ruling Power: Monarchy
Ruler Title: High Forge King
Capital: Stoneheart
Built into the mountain ranges of Elyranor. They make the best weapons and armour alive. They respect skill above titles. Your family name means nothing here. What you can do means everything.
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Southern Continent: Ashveil
The dark continent. Largely unmapped.
Demon Empire
Nation Name: The Raek Empire
Ruling Power: The Demon Lord
Capital: Ashvarath
Ancient. Vast. Intelligent. Demons have their own culture, hierarchy, and internal politics. Their mana resonates naturally with destruction and corruption. Their campaign against the other continents is the largest threat the world has ever faced.
The Power System#
Alright. Pay attention. This part is important.
Everything in this world runs on mana.
Every human is born with a mana core. Think of it as a small engine inside the body that stores and moves mana.
There are two ways to use it.
Mages#
They gather mana from their core and the environment around them, shape it, and release it outward as magic. Fireballs. Ice spears. Wind blades. Lightning storms. The usual.
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Warriors and Knights#
Instead of sending mana outward, warriors refine it into Aura and push it through the body itself. Stronger muscles. Harder bones. Faster movement. A blade coated in aura cuts through armour, stone, and occasionally someone's very bad life decisions.
The Awakening Ceremony#
When a child turns fourteen they go through the Awakening Ceremony.
A crystal measures two things.
Mana Core Grade
Mana Affinity
The result shows up as a colour.
White means slow growth. You will work twice as hard for half the early results.
Green is average. Respectable. Most people land here.
Blue is talented. People start paying attention.
Purple is rare.
Gold super rare.
A low grade does not mean useless. It just means the road is longer. Effort catches up eventually.
Usually.
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Affinity
Affinity is how your mana naturally behaves.
Fire. Wind. Earth. Lightning. Water. Each one changes how a person fights.
For mages it determines which spells come naturally.
There are also rare affinities. Light. Shadow. Space.
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Magical Beasts#
Humans are not the only ones absorbing mana.
Animals do it too.
Most stay normal.
Some do not.
When enough mana builds up inside an animal it changes. Grows stronger. Smarter. More dangerous. It becomes a magical beast.
Magical beasts develop mana cores as they grow. Hunters venture into dangerous territory to defeat them and collect those cores.
The cores are used for weapons, armour, magic tools, potions, and occasionally jewelry.
Beast Ranks.
Beasts are ranked by danger level.
Weak ones can be handled by soldiers.
Stronger ones require elite knights.
The highest ranks control particular zones.