An Introduction to Etrea

A world primer

It is the 28th day of Terminus in the year 5346 of the Enervant Age. Around the world, a new year is about to be welcomed as dawn breaks on the final day.
The Enervant Age began with a catastrophic event known as the Renewal. The memories of its sapient inhabitants were wiped away, leaving them only with snatches of memory and dreams of what came before. The world itself was stripped bare and create anew, though some remnants of before can still be found scattered across Etrea. There are no clues as to how these ruins survived the purge. No one knows what caused this event - or if it could one day happen again.
The wheel of industry turns, as Etrea learns to balance new and growing technology with the innate magic that ripples across the planet. The power of steam and the rise of factories and new methods of transportation fill some with fear for the future - of another Renewal. Whilst many embrace these new technologies, others vehemently oppose them.
Etrea is a planet in the Celestial Spiral, a solar system of ten distinct planets. It is understood to be the fourth planet from the sun, and is the only known celestial body to contain and support life. Although travel to the stars is still a long way in the future, people around Etrea look up at the night sky and wonder.

An Overview of Sapient Beings

We all think, and love, and feel pain.

— A somewhat rare view

It is generally accepted by scholars that the sapient beings in Etrea descended from a single, ancient species, known by scholars as the allkin. Hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, however, have separated these beings into four distinct species.

Whilst the following is a rather simplistic overview - in practice, each species can be split further - these four categories are broadly utilised in both scientific and academic circles.

Humans

Humans are the most prolific and widespread of the sapient species in Etrea. They tend to see themselves as the default, which allows members of other species to blend in seamlessly amongst them.

They are a diverse people, with myriad cultures and values. Some live in large cities made of stone, some in smaller towns or villages, whereas others travel as part of nomadic tribes or spend their whole lives at sea.
Humans are social creatures who do poorly when isolated. In the majority of cultures, exile is seen as a worse punishment than death.

Humans have very little magic compared to their numbers. It is estimated that less than one percent of the population has some kind of magical talent.

Shapeshifters

Shapeshifters are humanoids that have the ability to transform into a second form. Whilst being able to shift into another mammal is the most common transformation, there are also a variety of avian shifters. They cannot reproduce in their second form, as pregnancy inhibits the ability to shift. This, of course, has not stopped tales of egg-laying shapeshifters spreading amongst the human population.

Shifters tend to group together in tribes. These are most often comprised of those who shift into the same animal, though some are formed of multiple animal types.
Most avian shifters have gathered together in one large tribe, famously distrusting of outsiders. They have built a large city in the mountains, in a place where no one without wings can reach them.

Dragons

Like shapeshifters, dragons are humanoids that can transform their bodies into a second form.
There are a variety of dragon species, each with their own unique features, but in general their second form is reptilian and about eight to ten feet in length. Like with shifters, their transformation powers are suppressed during pregnancy.

Some schools of thought see the dragons as merely a subset of shapeshifters, though in recent years this way of thinking has become less popular due to key differences in their humanoid anatomy.
Dragons tend to stick to their own kind and, in some places, have completely cut themselves off from others. Elsewhere, some dragon clans have integrated with humans and are a visible presence in their society.
Dragons are the most magical of the sapient species of Etrea, with almost a hundred percent of their population displaying some kind of magical talent. They believe, however, that they are much diminished compared to the ancient dragons they teach once walked Etrea.

Merfolk

Merfolk are humanoids that spend all of - or the majority of - their lives in the water. This is a broad category, and both merfolk and scholars separate themselves further into different species.

Many merfolk have a mixture of both humanoid and ichthyoid features. Commonly, what would be legs are replaced by a long, powerful tail that aids with underwater propulsion. Most merfolk also have a second pair of transluscent eyelids to protect their eyes from water and debris whilst swimming. The diversity of merfolk species, however, makes it difficult to describe what a "typical" merfolk would look like.

Merfolk generally keep to their own kind, though this is often due to the logistics of living in or under the water than any isolationist tendencies. To complicate matters, some merfolk have adapted to saltwater whereas others can survive only in fresh.
Like in humans, magical talent is relatively low in the merfolk population. Whilst some subspecies have a higher prevalence of magic than others, conservative estimates generally place possession of magical ability at between ten to fifteen percent of all merfolk. Some scholars believe this number could be more like thirty percent.

The Continents

'There is nothing more comforting to a man than thoughts of home.'
In general, I have found this old adage to be true. However, some evenings when I'm sitting out on the cliffs and watching the sun set over the ocean, I miss travelling something fierce. I don't think I've ever found greater comfort than calm nights out on the open sea, my hammock rocking in time with the waves, dreaming of the lands I had yet to see.

— An Explorer's Guide to Etrea
by Darwin Ambrose

Etrea

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Aenica

Stretching from the ice of the north to far south of the equator, Aenica is the largest continent on Etrea. As such, it boasts vast diversity in its inhabitants and biomes. It is in the period known as the long peace, as no war has been fought on its soil for the last two centuries - at least, not officially.
In the north, the Black Sea remains frozen for much of the year, serving as the home of several nomadic clans of humans. The mountains of the Great Northern Spine bisect the upper part of the continent, hosting the proud cities of avian shapeshifters, and large networks of caves where human hill tribes dwell.
To the south of the Spine, the dryest desert in Etrea stretches out like the mountains' shadow. The sands of the desert glitter in the unforgiving sun, forever shifting and obscuring long lost secrets.
To the far south, Aenica is characterised thick jungles and swamps with hot, sticky air. Scholars believe that the jungles of Aenica contain forty percent of all animal and plant species on Etrea, with up to a million left to be discovered.
As well as unique flora and fauna, the dense foliage hides a history soaked in blood, and the scattered ruins amongst the trees contain the remnants of fallen civilisations. The murky swamps dance with mysterious lights and rumours of monstrous creatures deter all but the most curious adventurers.

Caia

Also known as the Fractured Lands, Caia is made up of several distinct landmasses. The climate of Caia varies wildly between the extreme north, where the land is frozen almost year round, and the extreme south, which is hot and dry where it crosses the equator. A large mountain range snakes across the continent, though one section is shattered by what some scholars theorise could have been a catastrophic meteor impact. The remains of this part of the range are known as the Broken Isles, the shards of rock piercing the waves of the Grey Waters giving rise to a large variety of both isolated and seafaring cultures. The mountains to the south are called the Teeth; to the north, the mountains are known as Ikeota.

To the north, the native Koushan Mai have been pushed to the fringes of their former homeland, avoiding those who would kill them for their beliefs. On the island of Daren, people live behind thick stone walls with no contact with the world beyond. The Ilwyrikan Sea, frozen for over half the year, creates a bridge between Ilwyrika and Achia, allowing travel and trade - though it has also been the site of several of the bloodiest battles in Caian history.
To the south, the vast plains of Akerra stretch out from horizon to horizon. Kaien, the self-styled cultural and academic capital of the world, strives for progress in the fields of medicine, magic, and astronomy, whilst their universities fight over the best students from all over Etrea. The rainforest that covers most of Zenra is threatened by increased logging and the spread of large-scale agriculture.

Oyekos

Once a rich tapestry of countries and cultures, the continent of Oyekos is hostile and war-torn. Over the past two centuries, the land to the north has been mostly swallowed up by the ceaseless maw of the Hutsai Empire. The continent's island nations nervously watch their shores. Whilst some do their best to hang onto the traditions of the past, less and less people can recall a time when their country was independent.
Oyekos is split in two by an impassable mountain range, which has so far protected the land to the south from the encroaching war. The north is characterised by scorching deserts, endless plains, and rocky hills. To the south, the cooler land boasts temperate forests and rolling moors.

Sarsand

Sarsand is a rain-soaked land of rocky hills, wind-blasted moors, and ancient forests. A volcanic mountain range dominates the skyline to the north, whereas, to the south, the land is flat and unforgiving. Standing stones from milennia past remain scattered across the landscape, monuments to forgotten gods.
Over fifty years ago, the power of steam was discovered in the country of Dryst. This has given rise to rapid industrial expansion, with advances in mass production, machinery, and locomotion. Many strive to make the next great discovery, especially as the fever of industry has spread quickly around the world. The rest of Sarsand has been slow to take up the new technology, as the chaotic social and economic changes in Dryst have caused most to cling tighter to the old ways.
Six months ago, the volcano known as Mount Vatra violently erupted. The capital city of Moragul, Vos Aren, was completely destroyed. Thousands of lives were lost, and thousands more people were displaced. With the destruction of the city came the breakdown of leadership, plunging the country into a brutal civil war.

The Jasperic Isles

The Jasperic Isles are an archipelago to the west of Aenica. Though some would consider the Isles a part of Aenica itself, scholars generally categorise them indepently due to the large, unfathomably deep underwater trench separating them from the mainland. The waters surrounding the islands are uncommonly shallow, with the deepest recorded spots measuring at around ten metres. There are about one hundred recognised islands in the archipelago; though some are little more than sandy atolls, some support a large population.
About thirty percent of the cultures that live in the Isles are nomadic seafarers, travelling between islands. Some settle for a time before moving on, giving the resources on each island time to regenerate. Others rarely step foot on land, and do so only out of necessity.

In the centre of the archipelago lies a floating trade city, cobbled together from old ships, rope, and wooden platforms. The city remains staunchly independent, with its own strict rules and laws. The most important of these laws is a pact of non-aggression; violence is prohibited within the city, and even those at war must remain civil if they wish to trade.

Viretia

Viretia is a land of vast grasslands and thick forests. Most of its coastlines are hostile to ships, with high cliffs, rough seas, and jagged reefs. Safe harbours are rare, with the majority located in the Sea of Gold to the west. This has led to Viretia being generally isolated from the rest of Etrea for much of its history. As a consequence, goods and resources from the continent are seen as a luxury across most of the world. Wine from Fluvansii is particularly sought after.
The wide grasslands that form much of Roshan and Senairi are prone to frequent and violent tornadoes. As a result, some settlements in these countries have been built almost entirely underground, whilst others are built strong in defiance of nature. The royal palace in Senairi, for example, has suffered significant damage six times in the past two hundred years, and each time is built taller and more elaborately than before. In Roshan, however the palace, is built entirely below ground and has suffered damage only to its immaculately-maintained gardens.

The Frozen North

The majority of the Frozen North consists of a gigantic chunk of floating ice known as the Expanse. Thick columns of ice, some miles wide, reach down to the sea floor, rooting it in place. The columns and underside of the Expanse are coated with bioluminescent algae, giving off an eerie blue glow. On the surface, there's nothing but the whistling, roaring wind, snow, and the slow, ominous cracking of ice.
Beneath the Expanse is the large merfolk city of Qasceile. They maintain large holes in the ice above to allow light to filter through from the surface. The population of merfolk that live in the city includes several different species, including a small clan that are the size of whales.
As well as the Expanse, the Frozen North includes several islands. The first, the isle of Skae, is a rocky, harsh place, but is home to a small tribe of shifters. West of Skae exists a volcanic island chain, where molten rock seethes under the ice. Geothermal vents create pockets of warmth where agriculture thrives in the ashy soil.

The Barren

The Barren is a cold land of rock and ice. Contrary to its name, there is life here if one knows where to look. There are no permanent settlements here, but several countries have set up research stations along its coast to observe the continent's unique and elusive wildlife.

We know that we are not alone in the universe. Beyond our sky, we have observed other planets, faint points of light against the inky blackness of space.
Sometimes when I'm looking up at the stars, I wonder if there's anyone out there looking back.

— An Explorer's Guide to Etrea
by Darwin Ambrose