Celador Woe befalls us. For the inevitable fate feared by kings, children, beasts and sage alike, was set in stone tonight: The next winter shall be our last, as the schism between human nations and elven tribes will culminate in calamity.

The two realms of the world Celador are heading towards a dramatic cataclysm. Humans amass in industrial cities powered by steampunk and alchemical engineering, their civilisation strictly follows the laws of the Olympian Gods. Elves are humanity's enemy - magical, chaotic beings who worship nature and the world's soul that inhabits and shapes all living things. After 499 years of a cold race war, the steam-powered human civilizations of Law and the druidic elves with powerful magic and monsters are about to clash.   Peace is the greatest trick Hades ever played against the wise. Peace is a ruse, instrumental for his patient revenge against his brothers and all their followers on the world. Alas, the pursuit of peace has killed, ruined empires and civilisations innumerable on the world of Celador. The allure of peace even thwarted almighty Zeus, as his pursuit almost brought an end to his own creation, and sent countless souls to his nemesis Hades. In the art of subjugation and misdirection, none surpass the human royalty and nobility. Their 42 kingdoms stand united, as the royal families have avoided conflict for hundreds of years. This illusion of peace stems from three pillars of Human civilisation on Celador: Economy, Faith and War against Magic.

Economy

  The centrepiece of human economy is "Gold", a precious metal with immeasurable powers, which human kings acquired 499 years ago from a mysterious source. With a single exception, all creatures who lay eyes on gold are enchanted by it, bound to acquire as much as they can. Armed with the secret source of gold, humans were able to create vast civilisations built on the backs of Dwarves, an industrious race of duty-bound labourers who through their ancestral mountains hold a monopoly on metal, as well as the secret trade of smithing and metallurgy. Humans use the metal acquired from Dwarves to manipulate Gnomes. They have unparalleled intellects and innate powers to bestow magic unto which grants them the skills of magical engineering and craftsmanship. All gnomes share the traits of being amicable and unambitious, and are thus the only race immune to the allure of gold. Gnomes are singularly driven to engineer and create complex machines. As humans provide them with projects and resources, the gnomes are content as indentured servitude to create the steam-powered magitech that fuels human civilisation.  

Faith

Devotion to the Gods are an essential facet of human civilisation. Humanity are the main believers in the Olympians, beings of nigh omnipotence and omniscience who according to humans created the world of Celador singlehandedly. Each of Celador's 7 continents are named after the seven most prominent Olympian Gods, and the human countries structure their societies, cultures and laws based on the tenets and personality of the continent's patron god. For example the nations on the Heradora continent hold Marriage as a holy law, and thus outlaw the unmarried and punish adultery with public execution. Hermesanda holds personal gain and trickery to be virtuous, their society is based on egoism, thieving and trickery.  An universal moral principle in human countries are to avoid or repent for the seven sins Hades brought to all living creatures: Pride, Envy, Greed, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath and Sloth. Another universal law of humans is to outlaw Magic, and punish non-divine spellcasting by death. Ever since humans discovered gold 499 years ago, they outlawed wizardry, druidism and all other practices of magic. Propaganda and education changed, to the point where all non-divine magic is considered a detestable corruption of divine power, the greatest sin against the gods and the greatest threat to mankind. Most humans are strongly in favour of persecuting any practicioner of non-divine magic. Divine magic requires a proof of worthiness, and is strictly limited: 
Clerics: humans who devote their lives to serve an Olympian god. They gain this power from worshipping, studying and understanding their gods in dedicated ancient temples. Paladins: human knights who exemplify the spirit of an Olympian god, or a particular area of the law and justice in a human kingdom. It is the duty of the ruling King or Queen to bestow magical power unto paladins, and hold them to the sworn oaths.    

War vs the Elven Wilds

The human reliance on economy and faith has both necessitated and facilitated a third pillar of unity amongst human civilisations: The holy war against Elves and all magical beings.  Elves are the eternal enemy of humanity, as they denounce the Olympian Gods and instead pray to Anima Mundi, "the world soul". Humans believe Anima Mundi is a cover for the worship of Hades, the Olympian who lost to the forces of good. Most human Temples preach that elves are descended from devils and demons, as they are infamously powerful unholy mages who twist and control beasts, monsters and environments on all the continents of Celador. The elves control at least half of all land on each Celadorian continent, these are known as the Elven Wilds -  chaotic and lawless stretches of untamed nature. Creatures who reside there are monstrously corrupted and enchanted, and beyond salvation.   The cold war against elves began 499 years ago, on the day of Rapture, when humans blessed Celador with Gold. The elves swore to never approach gold or the human race who wield it, as they deemed it an evil force that absorbs the Anima Mundi and would destroy the planet. Elves soon banned all metals from their domains, and have ever since ruthlessly exiled and persecuted all who associate with the industrialised world.    Today elves are the common enemy all 42 human nations unite against, which allowed the diverse and xenophobic humans to cherish their historically weak bonds of racial kinship. Man, woman, white, black, yellow, rich, poor and slave alike - they all turn their blame, bloodlust and hatred towards the elves instead of each other. Until now, the war against elves has been a cultural and spiritual one, with no major battles ever taking place, for the fear of mutual destruction.    But popular opinion on war evolved 40 years ago, when gnomes invented gunpowder. Many humans consider this the pinnacle of industrial achievement, and are eager to utilise it against the elves while their magic is still powerless against it. In the last couple of years, human kingdoms have claimed increasingly high tax rates, under the guise of winning the arms race against elven magic.