Arcainia

Midgard is a mostly human empire ruled by an emperor. Various kings/queens, small democratic councils, and/or militias run the individual cities and villages. The capital of Midgard is Agon, named after the hero Agonir. Lords and ladies are large property owners.

Vaelithar (“Hallowed Woods”) is an elven kingdom ruled by a High Queen, who was born into royalty, and her small council of chosen advisors. The Elyndaril (“Isles of the Dying Sun”) are also a popular place of residence/vacation for the richest elves, though the wood elves of Esmerach believe the islands should be theirs due to their proximity to their territory. The capital of Vaelithar is Aelinthalor (“Throne of Starlight”), home of the High Fae Court and the inactive Yawning Portal, where the elves first arrived when they left the realm of Fey.

Baragorn is a dwarven kingdom ruled mostly by the richest families, though there is also the King Under the Mountain of the entire region, who may overrule their decisions. He is the eldest male of the unbroken chain of the Durrin family, believed to be descended from the dwarf god, Durrin, himself. The capital of Baragorn is Khazrûn. At its northernmost mountain peak lies the lair of an ancient silver dragon (Karaz’Thrymhal), known for sharing its wisdom with those willing to endure the dangerous wintery terrain in search of it.

Northgard is mostly tundra, and what little civilization may exist runs mostly on tribal laws.

Esmerach (also known as the “Green Jewel”) and the Greenhorn Marshes are jungle/marshy regions and have very little in terms of political complexity, apart from a few socialist or barbaric tribes of wood elves and lizardfolk. The unofficial capital of Esmerach is Zaramir (“Emerald Jewel”), the largest wood elf settlement, though it is still very small compared to other nations’ cities, and they rarely engage in trade or politics with other regions.

The Crimson Sands is a desert region with a few small human cities. The largest orc stronghold, Orgrim, is ruled by a small war council (members are chosen by skill in battle, and the leader position can be challenged for with single combat at any time). There are also a few semi-permanent catfolk settlements, though most native catfolk are nomadic, as the orcs may raid and destroy permanent structures. The naga rarely stray far from their temples except for food.

Helfas was once a bountiful forest, but became corrupted by the powers of the Hells and Field of Nightmares leaking from various portals, including Hellgate, the original source of the First Blight. Some small societies of devilkin exist under varying social systems. Devil’s Peak is the tallest known mountain in the world. The Black Gate is the most well-known pass through the Black Mountains to get between Helfas and Midgard. 

Sithus Island, named after the god of Trickery and Madness, is a mysterious tropical region with flora similar to the Underdark, the Hells, Fey. Little is known about any civilization that may or may not exist there, as it is a very dangerous environment, explored only by the “brave, foolish, or mad”. Rumor has it that somewhere in the heart of the island lies a secret goblinoid city, as well as a residence for Sithus himself, but anyone who claims to have seen these structures is often riddled with madness.

In terms of the various gods worshiped in these regions, see the gods page.

Technology is limited to being mostly similar to the Earth's Iron Age or Renaissance, with added magic. Some rare, very basic firearms may exist in later periods, as well as very expensive, magic-powered airships.

Each region and race may use different languages or dialects (for example, most elves speak Elvish, but may have different dialects between the wood elves of Esmerach or the drow of the Underdark), but many Folk, at least within the Alliance, learn Common for ease of communication between several races.

Our universe is a collection of many realms, some accessible through magic and dreams, while others are made up of physical elements. Of these realms, there are the Waking and the Sleeping.

The Waking Realms are those that are tangible to most mortal bodies. This includes Arcainia and the elemental planes (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air). Objects in these realms are physical and can be affected without magical means.

The Sleeping Realms are vast and chaotic. When we dream, our spirits drift into the Realm of Dreaming. In this state, we can see into the Sleeping Realms, but other spirits do not physically manipulate us.

Practitioners of the arcane arts can draw a force called mana from the Sleeping Reams and use it to manipulate the physical world. During a mage’s training, they use potions to induce a heavy sleep. This allows them to enter the Sleeping Realms both spiritually and physically, drawing mana from the realm itself to cast more powerful spells. The danger in this is that creatures of the Sleeping Realms, such as demons, are also able to harm them or possess their bodies. Eventually, the use of potions is no longer necessary, and the mage can enter this state on their own through meditation. 

Portals can be opened between various realms. This caused elves to enter Arcainia after leaving their homeland (Fey) via Thalavoren (the “Gate of the Before-Time”) in Vaelithar, as well as the Demon Blights (Hellgate and the Cataclysm).

 The Sleeping Realms are home to a large variety of creatures and realms. Some of these realms include Fey, the Field of Nightmares, and the Underworld.

 The kingdom of Fey, the original homeland of the elves, is a massive enchanted forest filled with fairies, crystal dragons, and other strange creatures. In Fey, elves and other fae creatures can live much longer due to the abundance of mana around them.

 Demons and Devils have been at war for centuries, fighting over souls and which territories are technically hells or the Field of Nightmares.

 Demons are created in the Field of Nightmares, a realm adjacent to and sometimes overlapping with the hells, by the goddess Lilith, who observes the dreams of mortals and creates what they fear most. They are highly magical beings who can vary greatly in appearance and power, though their lack of a physical body prevents them from affecting the physical world without possessing a mortal body or going through portals.

 For most people, the Angel of Death, Revan, appears to the dying as the most beautiful person they have ever seen (they have forms of every gender) to escort their souls to the Underworld. Once in the Underworld, their soul is weighed on a scale by the Fates, and if it is heavier than a feather, they are sent to personal pocket dimensions called hells where devils torture them based on their sins. If their soul is light enough, they may choose to stay in the Underworld with the other spirits, including their passed loved ones, or be reincarnated. 

Gods are beings who rarely permanently die. It is unknown what exactly happens to their souls if they die, or if they even have souls. There are various ways for a mortal to become a god, including incredibly complicated rituals involving Black Soul Gems.

 To devils, souls are like currency. The more that they collect, the more powerful they become. The most powerful devils, Pit Fiends, have massive hells where they can torture thousands of souls at a time. Souls can be stored in soul gems or powerful devils’ bodies.

 Sometimes, the other entities (such as gods) intervene by stealing the souls of the dying and taking them to their realms and/or reviving them (example: a demon may offer to make a Pact with a dying person to bring them back once, turning them into a warlock, but at the price that if they die again, the demon gets permission to possess their body).

 There are still many other realms, such as the many Realms of the Gods, which vary greatly depending on the god who controls them. These realms exist in small pockets of space between the Waking and Sleeping.

 When undead are created, the spirits of the dead are locked within a body or to a physical object, such as a lich’s phylactery. They are unable to move on to the Underworld; thus, they either avoid their punishment for their sins or are unable to achieve eternal peace. One could say that these spirits are stuck in the Waking Realms. Depending on how the undead person was made, their soul may return to the Underworld when they are released from their bonds, or they may be destroyed entirely.

 Without regular sleep or trance, the mind deteriorates. It is unclear why, but no living mortal can survive without access to the Sleeping Realms for more than 7 days. This does not include constructs, who do not sleep or dream, and may only have access to magic because of their arcane components.