Faraedir

Stricken by war, poverty and plague, the varying cultures of Faraedir rely on their gods and communities to get through these hard times. An ancient rite that has remained sacred for a thousand years now runs rampant, infecting those who can't handle its power. Creatures of myth and legend wage war on seemingly all of humanity. All the while, the Gongsun Empire, a power far more technologically advanced than the rest of the world, surges onto the world's stage, overthrowing the legacy of older empires.   The Northmen, once hearty and unstoppable warriors of the frozen tundra, have been reduced to a refugee population by Jotunns, creatures to can match them in combat unlike any before. The disparate woodland and highland dwelling tribes of Salzta are under siege by the Gongsun, their forests a perfect place to stage an invasion of the west. The petty kingdoms of Pykrea squabble amongst each other, blissfully ignorant of the strife lands to the east go through. The Southern Sultanate of Gelhrian is caught in a three-way war between the late Sultan's sons. The once great Acydonian Empire, a bastion of civilized society, wanes from its former glory, despite still being the only power capable of opposing the Gongsun. Byzaria, once a free and open plain for the nomadic tribes of the steppe, now faces oppressive Gongsun occupation, only a brave few willing to defy their imperial masters. The Islands of Au Petera face constant attacks from the Kopuwai, mysterious dog-like demons that once only lived within their poems. The once peaceful and faithful land of Koraong, hidden in the jungle, reveals itself to be disastrously unprepared for the first war they've faced in decades. Meanwhile, monsoons and rains grow worse every year, threatening to flood the kingdom. And the Gongsun, while seemingly thriving, is nothing more than a thrall of a power beyond the ability of men. Yet this knowledge is confined only to the Emperor himself.   All that remains to give the world hope are those willing to fight. Those who rise above their station and slap the fate of the world in the face. No god promises a savior. No prophecy promises relief. The only thing with a snowflake's chance in hell of bringing about a better age is man and how he chooses to use the meager magics and courage left to him.