Canim

The land of Canim is an extreme and unforgiving place. Surrounding the Canim sea are the settlements of a multitude of cultures and people constantly beset by severe weather and terrible monsters. As Canim is a coastal region with many mountains, storms and earthquakes are common, and the sea is often whipped into violent fits. Monster attacks are an almost weekly occurrence, even in the largest settlements. However, the land is lush and plentiful, with resources aplenty. Due to all this, the people of Canim are constantly building and repairing their cities, which are able to grow into small associations, but never quite into nations.   Magic is rare in the cities of Canim, but is very common in the environment. Very few have magical gifts, and magical studies are limited. Most consider magic to be a force of nature, similar to the winds or the tides. It can be harnessed, but it is especially dangerous to do so, and is best left to the gods and the spirits. This is further exasperated by the fact that most Canimites come in contact with magic under duress, usually during a monster attack, or by accidentally invoking a curse. Technology, on the other hand, is far more advanced in Canim. Advances in irrigation and selective breeding of crops have allowed farming to become incredibly efficient, which enabled a large portion of farmers to move to cities to further the development of industry and science. Many settlements in Canim have developed steam power and advanced clockwork.   The wilderness of Canim is starry with the ruins of of ancient civilizations and their treasures both valuable and magical. These ruins are of great importance to the people of Canim, as the tools, knowledge, and technology extracted from those past civilizations have helped the cities of Canim prosper in the face of its natural adversities. Such is their importance that an entire industry of exploring and scavenging ruins for treasure and ancient secrets exists in Canim. These sacred places, however, lie in the primeval forests and wastes, and are home to hordes of ferocious monsters. Alongside wilderness exploration and ruin delving, monster hunting is one of the most important occupations of Canim society. Heroic monster slayers not only keep settlements safe from rampaging beasts, but will also help protect explorers from these threats when venturing into the most dangerous and untamed parts of the wild.   Player characters in Canim will typically be explorers or monster slayers. Many of these types work for profit, power, fame, and influence, while others have a more personal reason for taking on the dangers of Canim, be it seeking out hidden knowledge, a desire to keep their hometown safe, or simply for just the joy of discovery. It is up to the player to choose their level of engagement with the world and its story.