Aud

We have always been people of the water. We live and die by the rivers and the seas, and we work the land with the blessing of the Church of the Deep. For thousands of years, we have thanked the Lord for the rain, and praised Him for allowing us to traverse his waves.   But the waters have grown unruly.   The world of Aud is home to the kingdom of Exodesia, a nation comprised of several islands of varying sizes, loosely unified by a common religion and semi-feudal society that is headed by a king. The people are mainly fishers and farmers, and only a few islands are large enough to sustain substantial urban settlements. The largest island is the capital, the home of the king and the Church leadership. Families stay on the same islands for generations. The degree to which people follow the letter of Church law tends to depend on their island's proximity to the capital. For example, the Church law forbids the signing of contracts between men, as it is unholy to swear any oath to anyone but the Lord. As a result, to skirt around the law, many islanders simply arrange it so that women negotiate and sign all contracts, as they are not expressly forbidden from doing so.   In the present day, Exodesia is at the precipice of two great upheavals. The first is a changing relationship with the "mainlanders" from the other continents. Traditionally, contact with the mainland is limited to occasional trade, as Exodesia is too remote to be worth conquering. Recent advances in technology and shipbuilding have put increased pressure on Exodesia as more and more mainlanders have come, and not all with friendly intent.   The second great upheaval is that the Church is facing a split between the largely permissive ruling body, and a more orthodox Reform movement which started in the capital, but has gained increasing influence over the general population. The Reformers, having observed changes in the sea, increasing storms, more flooding, and bizarre wildlife behavior, believe that the Lord of the Ocean has been angered and a stricter obedience to traditional values is necessary to save the land.   This world is primarily intended as a setting for the multi-generational story of one family, the Viners, who are separated by chance, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.