Yeven

73 years ago, the worlds were broken. In an event now known as the Shiver, the planes of existence were shaken, opening portals between realms that were previously disconnected. Now, the realms of angels, elementals, devils, demons, and unthinkable horrors are at times only a single step away.   Now, the known world -- Yeven -- is still coping with the effects of these events. Some areas, such as Old Sarkyvia, are thought to have been completely lost to ruin during the Shiver and are thus blotted out from the map. Some areas were fortunate enough to prosper following the Shiver, with massive capitals like Highbreeze in the southwest experiencing a technological renaissance thanks to a rift to Mechanus, the Plane of Machines.   Otherworldly beings aside, areas like Khuthur saw a political revolution following the Shiver. Once the catastrophic event eradicated the already-dwindling support for the kingdom, a massive coup left nothing but a crumbled monarchy at the capital of Long Kite in the north. Now, the country is without a unified government entirely. For some areas (mostly larger settlements), this freedom has sparked a cultural, artistic, and arcane awakening. For others (mostly smaller settlements), a lack of resources, leadership, and protection from Shiver horrors has meant poverty, struggle, and -- in some cases -- certain death.   In some ways, the Shiver has even benefited the material world. For example, the post-Shiver ceasefire between Khuthur and Sarkyvia has been a blessing to many. The Canal -- the former site of war straddling the hundreds-foot-deep canal between the countries -- is now a bustling center of commerce, trade, and culture largely untouched by the Shiver. Collaboration between Yevenites across country lines then became possible, resulting in the release of annual maps detailing known dangers and rifts. However, those in-the-know and in power have found multiple ways to alter these maps to their advantage. Some speculate that the maps are untrustworthy, but it's impossible to know how and too dangerous to assume otherwise -- and so they are heeded by most as irrefutable truth.   On the whole, no one is sure what the Shiver truly was or how its affects the realms as a whole. Whether deities had a hand in the disaster or it affected them just the same is a mystery. However, what some people are starting to discover is that evil incursions are again on the rise. Perhaps some force from within Yeven or beyond could be plotting devastation on a scale even larger than the Shiver itself...