The Cradlelands

The Cradlelands is one of two continents, and its geology and biomes are reminiscent of what can be found in our own world; sweltering deserts, snow capped mountains, lush forests, frozen tundras, and other habitats diversify the mainland. Nations of humans and other races have built their communities from the ground up, a handful of them on the brink of industrial revolution; long past the days of fighting with swords and bows, most take up arms with rifles and sabers. Despite possessing the technology to colonize all of the Cradlelands, almost three quarters of the entire continent is untouched wilderness, for they share this world with other sentient beings: wolves, lions, and other quadruped predators capable of speech and reasoning have roamed the wild long before the races of mankind first landed on their shores centuries ago. These animals are born with the power to mentally tap into a mysterious energy source they call Stream, allowing them to use magic that manipulates either the physical world with elemental fury, or the minds of others with illusions.   Regardless of their differences, both natives and foreigners -collectively called Sentients- share a mutual respect, even finding it in their best interest to cooperate and live among each other as equals. Here, it would be to nobody’s surprise if they saw a wolf studying at a public library, a ranger living among the ranks of a pride of lions, or a wolf pack lending land to a farmer in exchange for his livestock.   This is only the civilized world, however; adventure and danger lies deeper into the uncharted mainland. Nomadic animal clans raid and prowl under the cover of night, outlaws and criminals run their operations in the seclusion of the wilderness, and ancient spirits - some of which are sinister - command their fanatic followers in sacred wars with one another. The inhabitants of the Cradlelands might soon come to find that beneath the abundance of natural beauty and whimsical magic, this land has a dark history to be told...