Balfadore

Balfadore is a world built on ruins built atop even more ancient ruins. Its three massive continents form a sort of triad separated by vast oceans. This world has seen more than a dozen so-called apocalypses yet is still turning. The world-ending events range from celestial collisions to magickal rifts opened by arrogant wizards. Once, there was even a famine caused by a strange breed of giant salamanders. With each destructive event, whole civilizations are disrupted, lost, or annihilated. Yet there is always enough life left in the world to rebuild again. The cycle of growth, destruction, and rebirth is deeply-ingrained in every culture. So much so, that in every language there exists a version of the phrase, “until the world ends again.” Over thousands of years, certain species have become more adept at avoiding decimation than others. Elves, Dwarves, and for a long time Dragonkind had long been the keepers of history while other cultures imploded over and over. Their scribes and archeological practices have led to the establishment of great libraries to keep the records of the world. However, their territories and cultures have spread throughout the world and the resulting melting pot of cultures. Since the most recent near-apocalypse was very narrowly avoided due to the Treaty of Three Kingdoms-established more than fifty years ago-society is once again thriving. Settlements and cities are springing up in newly-explored and recently-liberated territories. However, with rapid expansion there are growing pains and there are many new conflicts arising in every region of the realm.   Uscaria, former Realm of Dragons, current Kingdom of Humankind   There was a time when Uscaria, the Draconic kingdom, was almost completely overrun by evil forces swearing allegiance to a mysterious entity known only as Soulkeep. Once the temperate and lush land of Dragonkind to the East, Soulkeep's vile army of monstrosities and horrors poured through the Underdark Gate of Kuresh at the South end of the continent, and crippled the Dragonborn Armies. The dark essence which compelled them began to corrupt the landscape, transforming it into a twisted abomination of the once beautiful bastion of Draconic culture.   Many ancient Dragons were slain during the siege, changing the magic of the world forever. To this day Uscaria is mostly deserted as uninhabitable badlands. Usurping Humans who joined the siege late in the war have now asserted themselves as the entitled kings of the retaken lands and forced what Dragonkin remain to the Western Dovak coast while they rebuild the North-Eastern territory as their own kingdom. The surviving Dragon clans struggle to unite due to infighting and uncertainty as to which clan should lead a new unified Dragon nation.     Oktoga, The Pirate Island of Dragon’s Breath   A ways off the Northeastern coast of Uscaria is an island now called Oktoga. It had a much harder to pronounce name in Draconic which meant “Breath of the Dragon” long ago. Covered in rich, volcanic soil, a sprawling jungle grows over ancient ruins and monuments lost to time. Rumors fill in the blanks of its history with superstition and legends of ancient dragon’s exploits. However, in the modern age it is known as a pirate city-state and is generally off limits to the authoritarian powers of the human kingdom and their zealots of Xiros, the Man-made God.   The unofficial Capital of the anarchist collective is Pilae. Despite the nature of its politics, the city has long been a battleground for gangs seeking to control the flow of loot and tithings to the city koffers. However, Pilae rests in a comfortable state of relative stability under the iron fist of Masina, the Monkey Queen. She and her army of loyal cutthroats act as judge, jury, and executioner of everything between the volcano and the coastline. Pilae is a fair and balanced whirlpool of chaos.       Balfadore is a world grown from the very will of the Old Gods and is slowly being destroyed by the creatures they cultivated to worship them. The new world is rebuilt atop the ruins of ancient civilizations and the bones of behemoths that once dominated the land and sea. The cultures and terrain of Balfadore are rapidly evolving as arcane relics of the old world are used to construct contemporary civilization; Raising towers with the tap of a wand or sprouting a jungle from a single seed are feats not unheard of in this place. For thousands of years conquerors and monstrosities ravaged the realm in their endless quarrels for control, leaving razed cities and desecrated temples to slowly decay into ruin in their paths. Many wise and powerful dynasties have crumbled before the grinding wheel of time, and those left to collect the pieces slowly reconstruct with what remains. Esoteric tomes and arcane artifacts which are not lost to time become central to documented history. Legends weave a bold tapestry of magic and mystery as New Gods compete with the old for dominion and relevance.   The Reign of Three Kingdoms   In the documented history of the realm, each eon is named for the reigning creature, country, or dynasty for as long as they are in power. However, when recalling a past epoch, it is most commonly known for the event or folly which caused its end. The current epoch is The Reign of Three Kingdoms, which ended a chaotic period now known as the Age of Havoc. The three great kingdoms of Elves, Dwarves, and Humankind set aside their feuds and united to drive back the forces of Soulkeep from Uscaria. A treaty of open trade, open borders, and shared resources has led to an unprecedented mingling of cultures on the continents of Yoserin, Gladerune, and Uscaria. Now, fifty years after Soulkeep retreated back to the Underdark and the Chained Gate of Kuresh was sealed, the wartime treaty is beginning to cause strain. There are many who believe it is time for a new law of the land, especially the more xenophobic Elves of Yoserin’s wise council, the posessive mining Dwarves of Gladerune, and the greedy Human Kings claiming Uscaria as their rightful land to plunder and rule. War is once again on the horizon and no one knows who will spark the fuel to fire first.   Gladerune, Kingdom of Dwarves   Far West, across the Stone Sea, lies the continent of Gladerune. The Kingdom of Dwarves, Gladerune is rich, rocky, and full of resources. Since the Great Wars it has become a melting pot of cultures. The unified war effort against Soulkeep brought many outsiders, and with them came new political and economic challenges. This land was once ruled by Giants, but Dwarves are the ruling clan after so many Giantkin were made casualties of Soukeep during their siege. Scattered across the mountains and valleys are many abandoned strongholds, ancient tombs, and skeletons of gargantuan creatures that went extinct thousands of years ago. Despite the size of the continent, many bountiful areas are still unsettled. As many Dragon clans emigrate to Gladerune from the badlands of Uscaria-hungry to carve out their own piece of home in the lush riverlands-some have disturbed dark entities lurking in the desolate territories. These creatures have begun encroaching upon society's newly-expanded boundaries as the settlements, roads, and new cities arise. Many creatures have begun to fight back against these interlopers in the wilderness and adventuring companies are in high demand as security forces and monster slayers.   Yoserin, the Great Wilds protected by the Kingdom of Elves   To the North, the realm of Yoserin remains largely unsettled as the once-isolated land of Elves. Their kingdom encompasses the greatest body of land in all of Balfadore, yet is the least populous and most pristine. The Great Wildlands of the North remains a vast, unspoiled wilderness, closely guarded by Elven sentries called Bronzecloaks. Only a small handful of clans reside on the icy northern coast of Yoserin, their less advanced culture seen as harmless to the wisdom of Elves. In recent years, the untouched Wildlands have drawn new clans and travelers seeking refuge from the politics and war of their former homes, staking claims there with the hopes that ancient tales of riches and exotic treasures will be proven true. This has caused a great upset within the Elven Kingdom and the Wise Council has become polarized; Many want to stop the ancient lands from being overrun by outsiders, while others believe the time for guarding the Wildlands is at an end and that the progress of the world should not be resisted. Many aspects of Elven culture remain closely guarded and the majority of the continent is considered off-limits to outsiders. However, Elven magic has already permeated most corners of the world as secret arcanum spread via merchants, travelers, and adventurers.   Ajhla, the lost island of humankind   Once a thriving tribality of peaceful islands populated by humankin, this ancient series of islands has become a mythical shadow of it once was in history. Most scholarly Keepers of record believe Ajhla to be fictional, built from a series of poems and stories, and fabricated to justify a sense of belonging in the world.