Learn to Live in the Shadows of Dead Gods

A primer to the dark and broken world of Cathedris.

What in He'an's name -- you really don't know anything? The God-husks, the countries, the Catalurgists? Where in the world were they keeping you, some sort of high security research center? Take a seat... you've got a bit to learn.

— Alindah Patsic, Intelligence operative of the Russin Army

What is Cathedris?

The world of Cathedris is dark, it's scary, and it's hopeful. Its people, the humans of Cathedris, live within the shadows of collossal dead gods -- the God-husks. These broken monsters, the size of mountains, tower over the landscape, mindlessly completing loops that are echoes of their former lives. Bits of decaying pieces of flesh, or blood, from these god-husks coagulate and mix with the local wildlife, forming Rendlings -- terrifying monsters that hunt anything, humans included.
The planet is seeing new technology and industrial processes created at an unprecedented pace. Roughly 80 years ago, the people of Cathedris discovered how to create and utilize electricity. That discovery started off a chain of more breakthroughs, propelling civilization forward into its first massive industrial boom. Conflict rose with the level of technology, as countries fought over land containing limited resources. The fighting began to settle withing the last two decades, with the advent of Catalurgists -- though a new, scarier war is brewing in the background because of them.

by Simon Berger, edited by Stormbril

Themes present in Cathedris

Dark, foreboding, scary, realistic, with a dash of whimsy. Cathedris draws much from the themes of "Dark Fantasy", "Diesel/Steampunk", and various "Industrial" sources. There is a tug of war between the feeling of oppression and uprising throughout the entire planet. Oppression from the danger of the ever-present God-husks and bullying from the militaristic superpower nations, and uprising from the strength of the common people, and the hope that new technology brings.
The level of technology in Cathedris has reached a point where they've begun to create mechanically powered vehicles, they've started experimenting with electricity, and they've started to learn about the biologic building blocks of their world.

In the Shadows of Dead Gods

We've had those God-husks around for thousands of years. We as humanity, I mean. I believe history says that their godly civil war, The Seven Day War, happened roughly 3000 years ago. One of the 14 of them killed He'an -- and quickly discovered the husk left behind didn't fully die. So they blasted He'an to space -- that's how we got the moon -- but it was too late. The war had begun, and it didn't end till all of em were husks. We as humans have had to grow in their shadows.

— Alindah Patsic

Mos' of the God-husks have had countries form around them. Built off of the morals the god used to stand for, 'fore it died. Some of em, like us Russins, even make a living off the God-husk. The wake Sharenskus leaves is rife with fish, which is our main export.

— Alindah Patsic

On the other hand, you've got terrifying God-husks like Miyu and Avartarian -- far too dangerous to get near. They're known to periodically go berserk, destroying anything nearby. Instead of industry, each country's military draws from the ferocity that their patron God-husks exhibit.

— Alindah Patsic

by Marcus Woodbridge, edited by Stormbril

Whispers heard in Dark Places

Things... aye, things are weird these days. More'n more Catalurgists are out and about, and the Ichor trade has nearly doubled. Rendlings are thankfully being held at bay by the Legion. However... there's something off about the Legion. Rumours of twisted experiments going on behind thrice locked doors. The world is growing, and it's becoming scarier.

— Alindah Patsic

The Legion, long looked to as a bastion of strength and hope across all of Cathedris, has started to sour in public opinion as of late. Strange stories and mysterious rumours have begun to circulate, with origins for these tales unknown. There's is a growing distrust among the general populace of the world for the Legion, which is helped along by the increasing tensions between countries.
One of the newest rumours has caught the attention of the people, and has quickly found a solid place in the minds of those who hear it. Citizens of all countries whisper that somewhere, in some secret laboratory, with some mysterious new tech, the Legion are sponsoring blasphemous experiments on unprecedented levels. Some have even began to profess that there's a 15th god -- or, that the Legion might be trying to make a 15th god all on their own.

The modern world is pushed forward in large part due to three distinct nations, known together as the superpowers of Cathedris. Two countries are known as military superpowers of the world -- Hansun and Artazia. Both have used their might to push borders, and to take control of strategic resources, with Hansun taking over an entire country.
The other superpower of Cathedris is Russin -- one of the wealthiest, and most culturally important nations in the entire world.

by Tân Phạm, edited by stormbril