Fading Light

The world might have been a beautiful paradise once. But, ever since the world entered the Age of Ruin nearly 150 years ago, It has become a hellish wasteland, marked by death, disease, and decay. Powerful spellcasters used Dark Rituals to annihilate the land, sea, and air, while powerful warlords, tyrants, kings and dictators led mighty armies against each other. The wars and rituals have long ended, but the damage is done.   Now most people live in the ruins of their old kingdoms, still clinging to what remains of their histories and cultures. The older races, such as elves and dwarves, were hit particularly hard by the disasters as, among other atrocities, a curse was placed on all humanoids, limiting their lifespans to about 100 years. This, combined with their infamously low birthrates has reduced their populations more than, say, humans and their bloodlines. Not all live in the husks of former glory. There is an ever growing number of those who have become disillusioned with life, the world, and the gods. They reject morality, becoming raiders, indulging in whatever it is that pleases them, such as murder, drugs, and other atrocities. Others still have formed societies based around their cruel ideals, in their misguided attempts to rebuild the world in their image. Some are even succeeding.   With the destruction of the world as it once was, so too has faith been destroyed, and without faith, the gods of the world have died with the old world. Now, clerics, paladins, and other divine casters learn stories and miracles, and use the power of their beliefs and ideals to fuel their magic, much like how wizards study the finer nuances and mathematics of arcane magic.   Speaking of, all kinds of spellcasters (and indeed, all classes in general) are rare, and none have ever gone beyond 10th level. Most of the worlds magical knowledge was lost, withering away with the end. But, they aren’t lost forever. They were found once before, surely they can be found again?   There are few true adventurers, called heroes and champions, in this world, for they often die just as quickly as they rise. Those that are still alive are often just as old and decayed as the rest of the world, though they all still command significant power and respect. They often spend their days guiding and mentoring younger adventurers, hoping that the new generations will be able to succeed them in this new world.