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Academy of Light
-The Academy is a proselytizing religion. It emphasizes unswerving adherence
to the Book of Order, which sets out in its numerous precepts the rules
for a good, sin-free life that will result in a place in the Afterlife.
Those who do not accept the Book of Order are doomed to hell; the Academy
of Light is the only route to salvation.
Membership involves maintaining a personal code of honor, combating evil (spiritually or physically), and obeying the law. Straying from the path entails confession, punishment, and penance. The Academy of Light is a highly ritualized religion, with specific rites and blessings for all manner of circumstances. These are encoded in the Book of Order, essential for every cleric. The principal symbol of the faith is a lantern with eight rays of light; clerics, also known as the Shepherds of Light, wear white and purple liturgical vestments, and have a strict hierarchy within the church. Clear crystals, sources of light, and incense are important religious paraphernalia. Worship consists of hymns of praise and readings from the Book of Order. Only Shepherds perform the service; the congregation listens but does not participate. |
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Addakhan Strold - The fortress guarding the Daystar Bridge, ran by Lord Randell Brightstar & family, with a garrison of Atlaas troops station there. The troops monitor arrival and egress through the Boneyard Canyon. It is a way point station, with only two inns that service the merchant carrivans, intrepid travelers, and adventurous explorers. The Strold isn't even considered a hamlet, as it is only there to guard the bridge to Kêl’torï, and to collect excise on merchant exports and imports.
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Al'faë (or elf, for derogatory
slang) - The al'fae are known for their skill in agriculture and animal
husbandry, their knowledge of nature's secrets, their beautiful works
of art, and their natural talent for magic. The al'faë are rumored
to not be of this world, that they arrived here through a dimensional
rift opened during the 2nd Cycle (also known as the Age of Inauspicious
Blood). Along with the al'faë, it is said, came several of
their cousins, members of the faerie realms, and their darkest rivals
- members of the goblyns tribes. |
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Ao - The great celestial turtle, which carries the world of the Arcane Compass upon its back, who swims through the currents of the Astral Sea and the howling Etherium. Enduring the Winds of the Etherium and the violent Astral storms, it journeys through the Astral Sea towards some unknown goal or place. There is very little known of Ao. It is unknown if he is the only one of his kind, or if there might be others navigating the cosmos as well. One thing that is known, however, is that Ao appears to be the guardian of the world that he carries. Historians have discovered some vague references in ancient writings that refer to Ao protecting the inhabitants of the Compass from some extraterrestrial interference. However, the specifics have been lost to time and erosion - lost to the sands of time as it were - and nothing else is known about this fabled action. |
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Atlaas - Also
known as the Country of Freedom, Atlaas is the youngest nation of the
Arcane Compass. Founded by Sir Zephyr Steele in the year 855, LM, IV (
the LM mean last millennium, and the IV means Fourth Cycle) - it was the
first bastion of hope in the newly discoverd archipelago named Arcanna
after it had been invaded by settlers from the countries of Llanowar. Since the island's liberation in 944 LM, IV, the government has remained a hereditary monarchy, under the steady rule of the Steele family. Atlaas has also been the first country since the Mana Wars to promote responsible magic use in its society. While this is still met with supersticious hesitancy, since it is regulated by the government, it is slowly being accepted as the norm. |
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Bacardi - Bacardi is a
djergr of clan Fenrir, a breed of dwarfs from the nordic region known
as Vanaheim, located in the Frost Lands. He is the son of Gymir, the deceased
village chief. Bacardi's village was all but destroyed by a ladon (nordic
name for a sea dragon) during his younger years. After the destruction
of his village, the young djergr set out on the open seas, where he soon
became a privateer aboard the Scarlet Belle. Not long after this is, the privateer ship was captured by a group of slavers. During his imprisonment, Bacardi met & befriended a strange looking al'fae named Faust. The two freeded themselves, along with the other slaves, leading a revolt against the slavers. After winning their freedom, the two have adventured together ever since. Bacardi has an intense interest in magical items and a passing interest in all things mechanical. This is an odd trait, considering his people naturally avoid all types of magic, except for the divine blessings of their priests. The other odd thing about the djergr is that he is quite often given to fits of listlessness, where all he will do is lounge around, drinking whatever alcoholic beverage is available and playing cards. |
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Bhân - A mysterious figure from the distant past, revived in the modern age of the Arcane Compass, but what is his purpose? Why is maneuvering behind the scenes? What is he up to? And why is his daughter helping him? |
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Blackfox - The stranger that assisted
our heros in rescuing not only their own imperiled selves, but two helpless
damsels. After quick introductions, the new quartet made it back to Bonemarsh
with the young lasses and collected a nice little reward. Not much is known about the ranger's past, as he hasn't spoken much of it to his new friends. While he has mentioned that he was part of a teamster's merchant caravan, Blackfox hasn't discussed his family. In this, he is similar to Faust - not wishing to dwell upon the past. Or at least not yet willing to share whatever past events that has tempered him into the person he is today. Blackfox's favorite weapon in the bow; he is an accomplished archer, as well as an aspiring tracker. |
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Boneyard Canyon - The Boneyard Canyon cuts through the Dragon Spine Sierras, following the Major Djab river to the plains of Atlass. The canyon is called the Boneyard because the walls of the canyon resemble the inside of a broken rib cage. There is also a high probablity of finding random bones, anything from humanoid to mythical creatures, most anywhere during a trek throught the canyon. |
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Calendar - The yearly calendar on Ao is much like that of Earth's, with a few slight additions. Years are denoted in grouping of one thousands, ranging from 0 to 999. After the year, will come a notation of which millennia of the Cycle it is in -
Which will be followed by a Roman numeral to denote which Cycle, ie
- I, II, III, or IV. NOTE: Clicking on the calendar wheel to the left will take you to a readable sized calendar entry. |
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The Cerulean Sigil
- The Cerulean Sigil is an ancient rune of power, created
untold eons ago by a race or deity long since vanished. This ancient race
or deity clearly opposed the rise of the aberrant races, yet its efforts
were ultimately a failure. The aberration races prosper, while their ancient
adversary is forgotten. All that remains is the Cerulean Sigil and its
still-potent power against creatures from outside the realm of sanity.
The power of the Cerulean Sigil draws a small group of loyal keepers. These people work to keep the knowledge of the Cerulean Sigil alive, for without it, the ancient aberrations cannot be opposed. But a keeper does far more than protect the Cerulean Sigil. She takes the fight to the aberrations, and specifically to those they have seduced. She seeks out aberration cults and crushes them, ensuring that the foul taint from beyond can never supplant what is pure in the world. |
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Daystar Bridge - An ancient and wonderous construction, built in the 2nd Cycle. The Day Star bridge spans the miles to connect the Keltori Highlands to the Dragon Spine Sierras of Atlaas. It is believed that the Titans constructed the bridge, using materials and magic, the secrets of which are lost in time. |
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Dwarf - Dwarves are known
for their skill in warfare, their ability to withstand physical and magical
punishment, their knowledge of the earth's secrets, their hard work, and
their capacity for drinking alcoholic beverages. The dwarves of the Arcane
Compass are divided into two distinct ethnic groups - the Nordic Djergar,
and the subterranean Dvergar. The fierce Djergar (Djergr - singular) live along the coasts of the Frost Lands, in the region known as Vanaheim. They are the dwarven race that lives upon the surface, usually near an ocean, as they are mostly a sea-faring race. They dwell in villages of stone huts and buildings, and construct their own ocean craft. They are a viking-like race, that loves to fight and do battle. They are organized into battle clans, and make raids on the surrounding settlements of their homeland. The subterranean Dvergar (Dvergr - singular) live under the Frost Lands, in the Underworld region known as Nidavellar. Of the different cultures in the Frost Lands, the Dvergar are the only ones that have an organized government. They are highly adept at stone work, the forging of metals, and engineering in their underground caverns. Their's is a society with high morals and valor. However, there is said to be a third group - the Daergar (Daergr - singular), the keepers of the Dead. The Daergar are rumored to live on the dreaded isle known as Niflheim - the Land of the Dead. It is here that all dwarfs bring their dead for burial. Little is known of the Daergar, and their dwarven cousins never speak of them in mixed company. |
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Elemental Mythos
- The Mystical Elements are the raw materials that construct the multiverse
and everything in it. These in turn are put into motion by the four universal
Resonances – Genesis, Entropy, Æther and Time. All this in
turn is refined by the Para and Quasi elementals. Because they are the building blocks of all of creation, these Elements are worshiped by many, in many different ways. |
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Faust - An enigmatic refugee,
hailing from the isles of the Wai Shotou Empire. Faust claims to be of
a mysterious breed of al'fae, whose existance is all but forgotten to
the world at large. Faust met the djergr known as Bacardi on a slaver's ship. The two freed themselves, and the other slaves, leading a revolt against their captors. Since then, the al'fae and the djergr have been steadfast adventuring friends. Faust seems to favor stealth and guile over force. He is also an aspiring locksmith and sleight of hand performer, with the proverbial devil's silver tongue. |
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The Frost Lands - The Frostlands
are collectively comprised of four different kingdoms - Jotunheim, Vanaheim,
and the Free Hold area, plus the subterranean realm of Nidavellir. There
are, collectively, some basic cultural threads that all kingdoms of the
Frostlands share. All but the Nidavellar are tribal societies, led by
a tribal chieftain. Vanaheim is the central area of the Frostlands, along the tundra and fjords, that is claimed by the Djergar. It is among these fjords that the majority of their villages lay. Here they have an extended winter, a short spring and autumn, and an extremely brief summer season. The Free Hold domain is the closest to the Kêl’torï Highlands, and is as the name implies, free to be settled by any brave and hardy enough to endure the severe weather. This area is the permafrost tundra that is settled by other races, who for one reason or the other, have migrated to these lands. The seasons are much the same as in Vanaheim, but with a little warmer temperatures. |
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The Holy Trinity - The Holy Trinity is
made up of Soldat, the Father Heaven, Gaia, the Earth
Mother and Rhûl, the Lord of the Dead. The religion first
appeared in history books near the end of the Mana Wars. Fervent followers
began their conquest to save society from the evil magics of the Elemental
Monarchs. During the religions infancy, followers of the Holy Trinity
were persecuted with extreme prejudice for their beliefs. To help his
faithful, Soldat sent his only mortal son, Arthur, to
help vanquish the destructive magocracy from the Arcane Compass.
Arthur’s divine weapon is often depicted as a golden sword. With this blessed weapon, Arthur dispatched the last of the diabolical Monarchs and their minions. It was also with this golden sword that Arthur would heal the wounded, cure the ill, and even bring the worthy fallen back to life. After his defeat of the last Elemental Monarch, Arthur went on quests to help re-organize a shattered world. Arthur led a life of giving to those in need, and saving those who were lost. While he was Soldat’s son, Arthur was also mortal, born of human woman. Not long after Arthur’s passing, his Apostles began to disagree over what their religion should try to achieve. Over a few faint years, this turned into egregious arguments, which in turn caused the unified Church of the Holy Trinity to split into two separate, but closely related, religions – the Orthodox and the Unorthodox. Because of this schism between the Apostles , the church split into the two different factions. It was a sundering that split the theology right down the middle – with half professing their faith to Soldat, and the other half dedicating their belief to Gaia. This rupture of the Church caused flaring tensions between the two most powerful kingdoms of Llanowar – Skara Brae and Vasria. |
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Human - The most plentiful sentient
race on the Arcane Compass. They can be found in most any traveled lands
- from the Old Realms of Llanowar, to the diverse archipelago of the New
Realms - humanity can be found everywhere. They are the dominant race in several kindgoms, each with their own culture and style. From the Akrabbim Emirates, to the Amazon ruled island-nation of Themiscrya, to the antebellum United Shires of Dixon, to the tribal banking kingdoms of Zannstad, to the Divine theocracy of Vasaria - humanity is indeed very diverse. |
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Kêl’torï Highlands - The Kêl’torï lands are divided into four different domains, each named for one of the annual seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, & Winter). Each of these domains is administered by a chosen noble, with the serfs swearing fealty to this regent warlord. This binds all inhabitants in a domain into a unifying sept. Each of the four noble regents receive a colored rose to represent their assigned (or inherited) season, their domain, and their sept. In turn, each of the regents and their vassals proudly wear these colored roses on their torcs and clothing. |
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Lady Delphae - The Voice of Romola,
the oracle of Themiscyra and seer of the past, present and future. She
is the current oracle for the amazon country of Themiscyra, the latest
in a long line that runs centuries into the past. She has retained his
position for nearly a 127 years. It is rumored that by being the Voice
of Romola, one ages much slower than is normal for the amazons. Lady Delphae is blind, but she wasn't always that way. In her youth, as a handmaiden, it is stated that she was very beautiful, with eyes like emeralds. To be the Voice of Romola the chosen handmaiden is asked to pay a price. Like all of her predecesssors, Delphae sacrificed her sight for the power to see into the sands of time. The Lady is always found at the Temple of Romanova, located in the heart of Themiscrya. It is here that she communes with the Elemental Wyrds that whisper the secrets of the universe into her ears. |
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The League of Nod - The League of Nod was began centuries ago by their own prophet, known simply as “Kain.” This religion is a nihilistic belief centered upon the Entropy Resonance. They embrace the Chaos that comes with Death. |
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Lunar Triad - This ancient religion worships the triple moons, depicting them as goddesses, that work in unison. There is a different aspect associated with each of the moons, and each of these goddesses has a slightly different bailiwick for their divine portfolios. These goddesses, in turn, receive tribute from their faithful followers, granting their truly devout access to divine abilities and mana. Their clerics, known as the Lunar Adepts, in turn, guide and watch over their laymen followers. The Lunar Triad are avatars of the Time Sphere. This relgion is mostly practice in the Keltori Highlands. -Sidhe (cyan moon) – the virgin, the symbol of birth, enchantment and youth; spinner of the threads of life; the future -Phoebe (silver moon) – the mother, symbol of fertility, life and sexuality; spinner of the threads of life; the present -Hel (red moon) – the Crone, symbol of wisdom, repose and death; cutter of life's thread; the past |
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Mana Wars - This is what
the 3rd Cycle is known as, for this all consuming war changed the surface
of the Arcane Compass forever. Lands were destroyed, whole races slaughtered,
and horrable magics were unleashed upon reality. The wars eventually spread all over the Arcane Compass, pitting archmagi against archmagi, lover against lover - consuming every nation of the Magocracy in a cataclysmic strife for supremecy between the magic users of the time. There was no land untouched by the vicious arcane mana that was released during this time. Even Yggdrasil was negatively affected by the momentous competition. The all consuming destruction engulf all, destroying a multitude of societies and cultures. So much was lost during this period, that the world was returned to a dark age. |
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Messenger's Guild - The Messemger's Guild spans most of the known world. Their mission is to deliver missives from one location to another, be that in the same town or to a differing country. The guild has a Relay station in most cities, along with some remote outposts. The guild's Message Runners are denoted by their specific orange colored tabard. It is their guarantee that your message will be delivered, no matter what. |
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Military Races - The origins of these
various races are as numerious as the backgrounds of their creators. During
the peak of the Magocracy's reign, a small handful of the Elemental Monarchs
started creating their own race of servants. The reasons for these biomancy
constructs can be summarized by the label that was given to the species
- military functions. The creation of these military breeds go hand in hand with the Mana Wars. The majority of these species were created for this specific reason - to be the best soldiers, easy to maintain and easy to procreate unaided. All of these magically constructed species are anthropomorphic, some more so than others. From these species began the tales of legendary figures, prolific heros, and diabolical villans. In the modern ages, a small handful of these species still exist. Most exist in secret, away from other societies, usually in small groups or even solitary. |
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Naga - This is arguably
the first species to be labeled as a military race, as they were the first
biomancy species created with the ability to propigate themselves. The
naga were born at the hands of Whisper, the Queen of Silence. This Elemental
Monarch constructed the Nagas to fill many roles - as soldiers, guards,
servants and entertainment. Their bodies have the upper half of a modified
humanoid torso, depicting their gender, and the lower half of a giant
snake. After the Mana Wars, the Naga were very few in numbers. Today, they are thought of as extinct, the fables of a time long ago. However, recent archaeology discoveries has unearthed evidence that would seem to prove otherwise. |
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Ordo Aurum Crucis
(Order of the Golden Cross) - The Order of the Golden
Cross is an paramilitary alliance of differing religious sects and individuals
that all believe in compassion and mercy to their fellow sentient beings. The Order has a monastic organization, with hospices in several out of the way locations, along with formal monasteries in larger cities. A traveler may seek succor at these locations, as well as healing, and time to research and recover from an adventurous endeavor. |
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The Order of High Magic
- The magi of the Order are divided into different Houses, each of which
studies a different type of arcane science. An arcane science is a specific
field of study, in application of certain spheres, to achieve untold magical
wonders. Of all the orders of the Arcane Compass, none are as feared or
as respected as the Order of High Magic.
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Ralock - A human from the Frost Lands, |
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Society of Explorers, Antiquarians
and Research Historians (S.E.A.R.C.H.)
This organization is an unusual one in that its members are all respected within society as scholars and loremasters. Their areas of specialty include all facets of the past, including history and archaeology. Where these individuals differ from other scholars is that they prefer to take an active role in investigating the past.
Rather than sitting at a desk reading musty tomes, the Society’s members organize expeditions into ancient ruins to loot them of their contents. Of course, the Society dismisses such a characterization (as well as those who derisively call them “tomb raiders”), saying that what they are doing is preserving the past from the ravages of time. By going into tombs and sepulchers, they ensure that the treasures that exist there will be seen by all and will not suffer because foul monsters have chosen to take up residence in the same locale. Thus, the Royal Society has a well-deserved reputation for being made up of eccentric men and women who combine their scholarship with remarkable athletic and fighting skills—a rare combination indeed. |
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Tyrsis, a.k.a. Tyrsis Geowalker
- Tyrsis is the eldest child of the Geowalker family, who owns
one of the biggest plantations in the province of Deadwood, in the country
of Atlaas. Tyrsis befriended his two adventuring friends, who he discovered
washed ashore early one night, the same night his plantation was attacked
and his father was killed. Leaving the plantation's future in the hands of his younger brother, he has since traveled with an al'fae called Faust and a djergr named Bacardi. |
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Wayfarer's Star - The Wayfarer's Star remains stationary at 0°, 0° above the center of the Glacial Circle, both day and night. During the day, it is but a faint point of light in the sun lit sky. But at night, it is the brightest star in the heavens. It has been used for centuries, as a point of reference, in maritime and land navigation. |
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Wilhelm Rosco Triggerbolt - A gnome from the Frost Lands, |
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Yig Sith - A perversion
of an already existing military race, the Yig Sith are a truly insidious
species that relys on ingesting the life of other creatures in order to
reproduce. They were based on another military race (see Naga) and modified
by the Elemental Monarch known as Setara sitt Draxa. Setara did this in
retaliation for a perceived slight by another of the Monarchs, her lover
- Whisper, the Queen of Silence. This species is a true military force
to be reckoned with. The only draw back they experience is their dependance
upon other life forms in order to replicate themselves. The queen of the species lays eggs, which need to be near a living being in order to hatch. Once a hatchling has a host to reside in, their gestation period is a little over three days. By that time, they have consumed all of the host's internal organs. Once freed of the now useless host body, they are ready for combat training and mature within a month's time. |
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