The Shards of Genesis

Also referred to as the Shards of Genesis, Genesis is a collection of 'shards' that were created using parts of the Old World as it appeared at the time of the Shattering. It's not entirely known whether the shards are entirely new creations, or whether they actually pulled away portions of the Old World that were then recreated using the blueprint of the Worldshadow. The shards of Genesis are not contiguous, and each one is encircled by magical boundaries with entrances to and from the Old World. It's impossible to travel directly between the shards. For those who live in its boundaries, Genesis is the gift of the gods and a haven that eliminated much of the strife and conflict of the pre-Shattering world. Its inhabitants are grateful to live there; those in the magical communities of the Old World tend to have a strong curiosity about the shards, but most recognize it would be too great a difference from the world they know to ever cross over.

History

Genesis was created in the year 1213 CE, when the Reaper Wynn Khajib channeled the power of the gods along pre-laid magical foundations in an event known as the Shattering. It was done in response to the War of Dark Flames, a conflict between Wynn herself and the Seraph family which spread until it pushed tensions between the magical and non-magical worlds to the breaking point; realizing the inevitability of a much larger war, Wynn saw Genesis as an alternate path to prevent the devastation that would result from a struggle on that sort of scale. The Shattering cost Wynn much of her remaining lifeforce as Reaper, but was successful in creating what she'd dreamed of: a world of disparate, magical territories that could exist in peace alongside a world increasingly overrun by humanity. It had the added effect of profoundly affecting the world it left behind, erasing all trace of the Old World's once-magical history and leaving most of the Old World's humans with nothing more than a fading memory of the beings who'd once walked at their side.

Physical Qualities

Genesis is, as its more formal name implies, a secondary material plane consisting of many 'shards' that were created from the Old World and the Worldshadow that served as templates. It's fairly well-saturated with magic as a result of having stripped much of the inherent magic from the Old World at the time of its creation, which helps it sustain life in a variety of closed environments. Each shard is unique; they correspond with the area of the Old World that they overlay, and vary wildly in size, environment, and level of development. As a general rule, though, they're fairly hospitable and generally have fertile land, readily available resources, and other natural features that can support an above-average population. The areas chosen for shards were carefully chosen, and as a result they tended to be the areas of the world that those who inhabited them wanted to preserve. The exact manner in which the shards manage resources like water, soil erosion, weather, and migrant animal populations isn't known; most theories suggest that the shards are somehow intrinsically connected through the Worldshadow, and that inanimate/nonsentient beings can traverse the vast 'missing' portions of the world freely without regard for the magical borders. Whatever the case, the same can't be said for mortals from the thinking races. From within, the borders of each shard are clearly defined as walls of distortion and light, suggesting the world beyond their boundaries but impassable to those who try to cross over. The only way to travel in and out of a shard is via entry points that were specified at the times of the shards' creation, which correspond with the same location in the Old World.

Access

Access back and forth between Genesis and the Old World is relatively simple and can happen at any of the multiple points of entry to a shard. While the specifics of using a particular entryway vary wildly, depending on the specifics defined during the shard's creation, most are relatively straightforward. They often include factors like a specific time of day, a ritual phrase, or an offering of blood belonging to a particular race. These access conditions were intended to safeguard the passage between Genesis and the Old World, making it more difficult for those who didn't know about the shards to accidentally stumble upon them. They're not foolproof, however, and there have been isolated instances where a human will unknowingly meet the right criteria and stumble straight into what to them seems like an otherworld. There have also been instances where individuals have seemingly managed to bypass the entryways of a shard entirely; theories as to how this happens vary wildly, but the more sentimental suggest that Genesis recognizes its own and welcomes those in need of refuge. Though many shards are largely self-sufficient, few want to exist entirely in a bubble; trade between the shards necessitates a certain amount of movement in order to exchange resources that can only be found in certain places. Travelling in and out of the shards is considered by many to be an unpleasant process due to the difficulties of traversing the foreign Old World beyond, and those willing to do it are able to make a good living in exchange for their services. For most, it's a rare thing to travel beyond their home shard more than a handful of times in their lifetime.

Rulers and Inhabitants

Genesis was created in large part to remove the need for conflict between the magical races and the ever-increasing scope of humanity, and as a result it's largely populated by races such as elves and shapeshifters. However, it also supports a large human population who chose to become a part of the new world rather than give up their magical birthright. For the most part the races live in peaceful coexistence, mingling in some shards and living apart in others. Each shard is distinct, with its own trends in population and racial breakdown. Similarly, all shards have their own form of governance which can range from federated city-states to monarchies. Very few have overarching government that extends beyond a shard's borders, with the notable exception being the elven kingdoms who allied millenia before the creation of Genesis; however, it's not uncommon for the different shards to have loose affiliations with one another as a result of histories they've built through trade, racial ties, or other commonalities of their backgrounds. A benefit of the relatively isolated nature of Genesis's disparate pieces is that there's little conquest or conflict, due to the difficulties of waging war across the vast separating distances of the Old World between. Those with the ambition to rule are limited to the shard they find themselves in.