Alvalon

This world, in addition to hosting MANY pop culture references to be used in game, is based primarily on a Sword and Sorcery model. There are good people here for sure, but just as many evil, and most in between would rather stay out of any conflict that comes their way. Life is cheap in too many places, with war and slavery sweeping over most of the world's empires. Alvalon is also meant to house considerable secrets; the gods moved their mortal followers, from whom they were created, into this world after catastrophic battle threatened their original homes. What the gods intend or what they wish to say to their followers now can be extremely hard to discern.   Because the gods come from mortals, the burden of divinity weighs too heavily on their minds, and on a semi-regular basis gods must step down or be taken down. Several come from elaborate traditions with holidays to oversee this transfer, others must be fought and conquered. This gives most mortals a curious relationship with their deities, as all mortals are certain that deities guard them from whatever waits beyond their purview, yet most deities are aloof when it comes to mortal affairs, and many of the followers who train the hardest are training to kill their own patron. While a confusing mix to be sure, the biggest issue this creates is a lack of permanence in thought or reality. Gone are the claims from some rulers that they are children of gods to legitimize their throne, as these same gods may go mad within the year. Empires and churches alike have great difficulty flourishing, though a few have managed.   Given the nature of deities, ancestors are extremely important to nearly everyone, and every single person can tell you the nearest ancestor of theirs who became a god. Elves carry a curious link to deities and ancestors alike, and though they rarely share this with humans, most believe that they're reincarnated deities or souls who are ready to become deities. Other races all have tales describing their place in this grand dance, though the elves are closest to the truth.   Powerful magic is a part of this world, made possible largely through elven effort and ingenuity. Flying ships soar over streets lit at night with softly glowing lamps, while elite human knights battle the twisted horrors bleeding into parts of the world with knightly raiment bearing a great similarity to powered armor. Magical technology is big here for cities and empires built near the equator, where ambient magic is strongest. Wild lands aren't easy for empires to enter, which suits their inhabitants just fine; so continues the struggle between order and anarchy that defines this world.