Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Umbra Bibliothecam
1046
Welcome to Umbra Bibliothecam, the archive for the story of the continent of Tiunith, where the past and the present collide to shape a new future, unfolded by your actions.
In an event more recent than it pains to admit, the gates of the multiverse were opened, unleashing a cataclysm that ravaged the northern realms and their mountainous lands. The Abyssal Wars lasted eight long years and resulted in the death of all the gods, the end of an old order, and the loss of millions of lives. A beacon of hope shone through the darkness: A powerful elven cleric who took the name of Lux rose to the challenge and, with her newly acquired god-like powers, saved the northern lands from total obliteration.
In return for protection, Lux asked for faith and loyalty, establishing the templar society of Llerath. A collectivist society guided by faith, where everyone is expected to contribute for the land's prosperity. Uncontrolled magic was banned, seen as a source of chaos and a path to evil.
Lux broke with tradition by placing women at the forefront of government. Where men had proven to be susceptible to negative emotions that led to disaster, Lux saw them better equipped to control their emotions and guide society in a positive direction: As motherly protectors, immune to the corrupting influence of power.
Children born in the temple in Llerath are raised and trained to find their place in society among their peers, free from the bounds of families and their fruitless obligations.
Under the Goddess’s blessing, the land was fruitful, crops flourished, and all were healthy. With this growth and prosperity, Lux and Llerath had a clear goal - to expand their territory and protect the world from magical anomalies and evil forces.
However, not everyone agreed with the Llerathian ideology. Many saw their personal freedom threatened by the strict order of Llerath, and their identity as spellcasters challenged by the belief that magic was unstable. They believed that individuals should be free to do and roam as they wish and that magic is a tool of evolution for most species. This clash of ideologies ultimately led to the formation of the Nations United for Liberty (NUL), a coalition of 16 southern city-states who opposed Llerath. Their motto, "Who needs gods when you have magic?" reflected their stance.
These cities, each renowned for their magical mastery and traditions, had unique historical offerings: Osterrend was the home of master artificers, while Almarrosa was known for its advanced abjuration spells used in finance, to name a few notable examples.
Only one of the original members of the treaty that formed the NUL maintained their independence. The Kingdom of Criosia, ruled by queens from the necromantic bloodline of the Rothtoppers, and the ability to bind willing subjects to serve in the afterlife.
The conflicts between Llerath and NUL resulted in devastating consequences for some regions, particularly Tevara. The Battle of Fayhollow marked the end of the struggles between the two sides, and resulted in the complete devastation of Tevaran king Aquilino's army, turning the southern border of the region into a desert.
In the middle of the continent, those caught in between the two forces formed an oath to preserve neutrality and sanity, and founded the Four Paths. These organisations aimed to help those caught in the middle and secured non-involvement treaties with some countries, or tried to aid refugees and survivors.
Llerath had enemies outside of the NUL. The Old Elves of Eldengroth, who had distanced themselves from Llerath and its followers of Lux, were going mad as they received no response from the gods. With their traditions disrupted, they were overcome with existential dread and began attacking other races and cultures. The underworld saw its inhabitants, Root Elves and descendants of devils, exterminated in the name of order, leaving the few survivors scarred with a thirst for revenge.
While others carefully navigated the treacherous waters between magic and religion, reverence for tradition, some chose to remain aloof from these conflicts.
The enigmatic orcs of Votar Tok are rarely seen outside their mist-shrouded forests, except when they emerge as fearsome mercenaries. The dwarves of Nern Lodur, meanwhile, cling to their mountain strongholds, only sending out their youthful pilgrims or enterprising merchants on rare occasions. And dragons, it is whispered, were hunted to extinction during wars that have been lost to the sands of time, fought untold millennia ago.
Umbra Bibliothecam seeks to understand the balance between order and chaos, means and ends, and the importance of individual freedoms versus the wellbeing of society. It also questions traditional roles and the identity of a people.
Conflicts and challenges come and go, but a question still stands unanswered: can the smothering danger that threatens the world be defeated if its very existence is forgotten?
Umbra Bibliothecam has 6 Followers
Campaigns
Benin's barrels
Dungeons & Dragons 5e
The Cheese Company ltd has to deliver a shipment of gunpowder to an unknown location within Tevara.