Erothe

Erothe (Erōþe) is a high fantasy world with more than a passing resemblance to Earth. It is a diverse biosphere; from Erothe's frozen tundra at the poles to its verdant jungles and arid deserts at the equator, the planet is teaming with all sorts of life (some of which we would find familiar, and some which would be fascinatingly alien to us). Much of the flora and fauna of Erothe is dangerous; venomous fauna and poisonous flora are abundant.

There are nine principle species of sentient beings on Erothe - humans, elves, orcs, the Nithavell, properly written as Niðavell (the various dwarven clans and their sub-species the gnomes), merfolk, shifters, djinn, lunarani, and fae (the author would like to note that the word "fae" actually refers to a GENUS of related beings who represent a wide and diverse variety of species and whose morphology is often wildly different from each other). Within each species are various races, each of which is distinct in culture and appearance. Demons (having no physical form and the lesser of whom have no more sentience than the average pig, as well as not being a species native to the mortal plane) are not considered a principal species---the greater among them, however, represent a real and worrying threat to the existence of life on Erothe.

Magic on Erothe is a fundamental force, like gravity or electromagnetism. While it is usable by those with the knowledge and capabilities, it is very dangerous and prone to backlashing on the one wielding it. Mages study for years or even decades to be able to harness a single aspect of power and many more die in the attempt. The magic infusing the world also leads to cataclysmic weather events; magic-infused dust storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, thunderstorms, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions have dramatic effects on the terrain and the people of Erothe.

Most of the problems in Erothe derive from two issues: the demons breaking through the barriers between the realms, and the magical imbalances and disruptions that said demons cause. Although most demons are fairly harmless (more spirits of chaos than manifestations of evil), some are powerful mages capable of harnessing large quantities of magic. These large amounts of magic congregating around a central point (the demon) can cause devastating weather issues, violent backlashes, and strange events (such as the time an entire town of people were randomly turned into chickens; mages were later unable to turn them back). People all over Erothe are trying to find solutions for these problems, but no one has been successful thus far.