Magic and Myth

Magic is real but very rare in Carrisor. It is a traditional Medieval-style fantasy world with details as noted elsewhere. Mages, witches, seers, etc. make up a tiny fraction of the culture and the population. A few cultures, like Fris, are known for their magical abilities, but even in these places, true magic is rare and strange.
Each place has its own kind of ancient magic, mostly unknown in modern times. The strongest is the witchcraft of the north isles of Fris, modeled on Celtic traditions. Other pockets of witchcraft and wizardry can be found throughout the world, in high and low cultures alike.
Dragons exist. They are tropical beasts with a hibernation cycle of hundreds of years. In antiquity, the people of the southern isles were able to strike a fragile truce with the Dragons, and became their masters. Dragons are huge fire-breathing monsters who live in volcanic caves in the Asian-inspired lands of Siné and Bok. Their tiny domesticated kin are kept and trained throughout the Durain Isle.
Most cultures have their own version of the Greek and Roman pantheon, a mix of gods with familiar characteristics but different names. For example, the people of Sierin have a god of war called Demitrios, whom the people of Tiris call Aris. They agree that they are talking about the same god.
Belief in these gods ranges from “they are but metaphors for the foibles of men” to “these are real beings and they watch over us and must be appeased.” This variation occurs from place to place and from person to person. Other old gods have become a part of local pantheons, adopted into the new ways by people with old traditions.