Important Terminology In Thorisa
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A Diver is any individual who decides to leave the safety of his/her village, town, city, etc. to explore no-man's-land. Divers are usually seen as treasure hunters, but they often have their own reason for leaving their homes. Most Divers are capable of using magic, but some possess natural skills sufficient enough to defend themselves and survive in the wilds. Divers have a very bad reputation in most nations, but they are still capable of obtaining informal contracts from just about anyone.
Arcane nodes are natural conductors of the arcane energy found in the air, and within the earth. These conductors are capable of releasing a constant flow of raw energy powerful enough to fuel powerful mechanisms, or persistent magical effects. These nodes are rare, and often act as a base to establish a new nation. Without a node, sustaining a stable civilization is practically impossible.
The Model-3 Force Field Generator is a mechanism that most scientific communities use to protect their nations from dangers that exist in no-man's-land. These machines create an extremely powerful force-field that only allows specific life signatures through it, namely those who are citizen to any given nation. They require an insane amount of arcane energy to sustain them, which means that without an arcane node to power them, they are impossible to use efficiently.
Project Scattered Shades is a combination of efforts put into the creation and implementation of an Arcane node outside of any current national borders. Through the combined efforts of popular Arch mages and arcane scientists, production of the very first synthetic node has begun. Machinists from Teknoh are creating a transport vehicle to contribute in this project. Additionally, a new law known as the 'survey initiative' allows the CMAS to hire Divers to survey no-man's-land for suitable expansion locations. This project has increased tensions in no-man's-land between Divers, along with raising concerns among civilians in Arcadia.
An Arcanite Battery is the most common way to store Arcane energy in Thorisa. These smooth, durable storage devices vary in size and shape, from inch-wide cubes, to spheres with several feet of diameter. A/B's are a conductive matrix of solid Arcanite encased in stone, metal, wood, or any other sturdy materiel. Arcanite itself it not a natural resource, but it can easily be created by solidifying a small amount of arcane energy. Arcanite is often very erratic in design when created, and very fragile, which is why many choose to encase it in another material, for safety and security. A small A/B that can fit in a person's hand contains more arcane energy than most humans do in their bodies, and is capable of powering many small weapons or mechanisms that are fitted to accept them as a power source. Most people cannot absorb the energy directly into their bodies, despite being able to fill the batteries manually using magic. These batteries often sell for a sizable sum if they are filled, making them very attractive to Divers.
The Arcane Detector is a very crude device for quantifying arcane energy. It emits an arcane-infused humming noise when activated. The pitch heightens when the sound-waves are interrupted by residual arcane energy of in the immediate area, assuming it is of a high enough volume. These are very rare, difficult to create, tend to malfunction, and are impractical for anything other than finding arcane nodes in no-man's-land.
Arcane ammo is the primary source of firepower used in all sorts of projectile like weapons. There are several types of A/A that fit into different weapon models, but the principal is the same regardless. An arcane element is infused into the tip of a special arcanite casing, and once triggered by a secondary A/B, it detonates and travels up the reinforced barrel, producing a different effecting depending on both the ammo type, and the weapon design.
Staves are long, arcanite-infused objects that extend the length of a person's arcane network by matching their affinity. This is accomplished by loosening the physical bond of the arcanite, and coating it in wood, steel, or another stable material. These staves can be topped off with conductive elements, but it isn't necessary despite sometimes improving or changing the effect of a person's arcane magic altogether. Staves allows humans to use dangerous magic much easier, as they circumvent the need to practice safe casting, especially with elemental spells like Fire and electric conjurings.
This is the massive expanse of unclaimed land between the nations in Thorisa. No-Man's-Land is lush with latent arcane energy, and wilderness of all shapes and forms, ranging from forests, to deserts. The wildlife is unpredictable, vicious, and completely uncatalogued, making the creatures in the wild very dangerous, even to the protected nations. Additionally, food can be sparse, fresh water is infrequently found, and each type of landscape is full of unique dangers, from excessive heat, to crippling cold. If you were to compare the amount of land between nations, No-man's-Land would cover over 95% of Thorisa. The possibilities are endless out there.
The Quadra Powers are the four nations under Arcadia's rule. There is the capitol of Arcadia, Teknoh City, Illon Republic, and the castle town of Hyznia. These four nations are the biggest, and most powerful in Thorisa. They are also the only union of nations known across the continent, making them somewhat of a ruling government, despite the fact that they don't meddle in the affairs of other civilizations. They do express distaste for war, and are not subtle in their intention to snuff out conflict before it grows with their overwhelming influence.
CMAS, or the Council of Magic and Arcane Science, is Arcadia's authority on everything Arcane. Compared to the government, the CMAS hold just about the same amount of influence, considering that they control the military, manage everything magical, and have full reign of the capitol's M-3 FFG, among other things. All mages and Arcane Scientists who reside in any of the Quadra-Powers are inherently part of the CMAS, but not all who are classified as members hold very much sway at all. The CMAS is in place to regulate and control the use of magic and arcane study within Arcadian borders. Anyone registered under the CMAS are disallowed to leave Nation borders unless they are permitted by the figureheads of the council. Any who leave while registered as a Mage or Scientist are considered criminal to the nation of Arcadia. The CMAS are very selective about who they allow into their upper ranks, but aren't very secretive about what they study, or what they practice.
The highest ranked mages registered within CMAS. Arch mages, unlike any scientists, are considered extremely dangerous, and are often capable of using exceedingly powerful magic. Arch mages are also responsible for most unique magic in Arcadia's history. Some mages with extensive magical capabilities claim the title of Arch-mage outside of Arcadia, but they are not acknowledged as such, especially considering their lack of affiliation with the government, or CMAS.
A mythical community of Divers rumored to exist in No-Man's-Land. Nobody knows much about it, and most consider it a true myth.
These are Divers who have subscribed to the Arcadian Survey initiative. They have a very bad reputation with other Divers, alongside the negative aspects that Divers already carry. Junkers are paid very well.
Thorisa is a super-massive continent that covers nearly 1/3rd of the planet's surface. The rest of the world is covered in an endless ocean that has never been explored by man successfully. Its dangers are absolutely unknown, and nobody dares enter its waters. No-Man's-Land is nothing when compared to the sea.
Imps are low-class demons that cannot do much in our world. They are small, stupid, and worthless, for the most part.
Warlocks are mages who study forbidden, or ancient magic that cannot be reliably studied within the parameters of arcane science. These mages are inferred to be capable of using void energy with the help of arcane rituals that thin the veil between reality and the void. Demonlogy, Void Templar rites, and Warping are a few studies considered to use 'warlock magic' effectively.
Machinists are those who practice Arcane construction. They are capable of building all sorts of things using arcane energy from A/B and their trusty tools. Many arcane scientists are also Machinists if they aren't capable of using magic themselves. Mages can become machinists as well, but it's well known that people with an active arcane network usually make very sloppy machinists.
A very rare individual who is capable of warping humans and objects across insanely long distances. This type of magic is very unstable, and without very precise control, warping can either be ineffective, or outright kill the subject of the warp. The study of warping is forbidden in Arcadia, and it is very hard to find texts on the subject anywhere in Thorisa.
A very group of individuals who are capable of negating all forms of magic through an unknown means. Void Templar claim that they use the void, which they worship as 'that which judges the flow of time and power' to cancel out whatever they claim to be a 'blatant misuse of arcane energy'. Their weapons and armor seem to be the source of their powers, but it's been reported that a few Templar can cancel magic without them. The Void Templar are very prominent in the southern regions of Thorisa, but do not show any signs of spreading across the continent.
~More to be added as the story progressed, or upon request~
The Three Philosophies of Energy
The Philosophy of Arcane
Arcane energy is clearly abundant in Thorisa, and it's theorized to exist at every corner of the universe as the glue that binds the very fabric of existence together. Although different elemental compounds produce arcane energy at different rates and with different affinities, arcane energy is constantly produced by the core of every atom in the universe. Furthermore, all forms of energy are simply a by-product of Arcane dispersal through elemental reactions, tying the study of magic into the practical sciences that can be observed with relative ease. Arcane energy naturally crystallizes to form new atoms as well, and can be forced to do so with diminishing returns of different significance, making it possible to replicate every element known to mankind with varying degrees of difficulty. Taking this into account, many have inferred that the creation and destruction of the universe is a constant cycle, with arcane energy being the core element that exacerbates this progress. Furthermore, it can be assumed that since Arcane energy is produced by all atoms throughout their entire lifetime that the universe will continue to expand for eternity.
This much we can assume to be fact, but arcane energy also plays a part sustaining human life. All humans have an arcane network that allows them to interact with the energy around them by applying their own energy to their environment. Alternatively, since living beings harness and produce arcane energy at such an alarming rate, as if they were minuscule nodes, they can spend a considerable amount of their own reserves to produce hundreds of thousands of different effects. There are no foreseeable limits to this ability, but some are more gifted than others, and some are completely incapable of doing this at all. However, the arcane network acts like a muscle, and can sustain a larger stream of power if it is used often enough. Some of the most powerful mages have a reserve nearly 100x that of a normal human being and this can be extended even further, scientists say. Since the Arcane network interacts directly with the human brain, and our central nervous system, it is possible to directly perform medical procedures using magic, as one would expect. However, some have dedicated their lives to manipulating the brain's arcane stability to control other humans, or erase their memories. Such techniques are difficult, since the brain is protected by the thickest part of the body's arcane network, but finesse and power can be used to pierce this shell with ease. Regardless, mind control is not considered an ethical type of magic, and is frowned upon as a criminal act in Arcadia, punishable by silence, wherein a person's network is permanently sealed against their will. However, despite the intricate understanding of the body's arcane network that has been established, it is still the least understood of all arcane aspects, and there are many things that cannot be explained.
Lastly, arcane energy can be used to power a myriad of technological machines. Once might assume that mechanics use arcane energy to produce electricity, but the energy loss in this conversion is far too substantial, so scientists have developed a way to directly harness the arcane with a complex Arcanite interface. This makes technology in Thorisa very energy-efficient, but there is still quite a demand for usable arcane energy, since the arcane node of each city has a limited output that is not used to consistently power the M-3 FFG's that protect the nations across the world. The most obvious use for this technological breakthrough is for housing amenities, transport vehicles, Projectile/Melee Weapons, and all sorts of interesting contraptions. Computers, phones, and other electronic devices like them do not exist in Thorisa, and nobody has come close to creating anything resembling them yet. Communication through magic is far more common than through the use of letters or animals.
The limits of arcane energy are endless, and there are mages discovering new ways to apply their talents every day. Likewise, there are scientists learning more about how the magic functions, while inventing doo-dads left and right, powered by arcane energy. What can you do with this endless array of options?
Ki is a tricky subject, and although many subscribe to the belief that it exists within all living things, there has not been enough study, or evidence to support these beliefs. The basic principal of Ki is simple, though. Within all living things, regardless of size or shape, there exists an innate source of infinite energy that dies with the host. This energy is what makes a person who they are, regardless of what their brain might imply. Without it, life is not life. Humans would be zombies, animals would lose all instinct, and plants would never evolve. Ki is the single most important energy in the universe, and it is hundreds of times more powerful than that of Arcane. However, it is implied that Ki cannot leave its hosts body, or it will simply cease to be, and fade into the void for eternity. This does not stop humans from harnessing their ki however. In doing so, they can harmlessly exceed their body's natural limitations, increasing their strength and speed to insane levels, improving their perception of reality to the point of being able to perceive the very essence of all energy, or even communicating with the dead. It is told, that with proper mediation, one can even fire ki from their bodies at excelled rates, allowing it to persist for a small amount of time outside of their bodies. This materialized Ki is theorized to be powerful enough to pierce the strongest forced fields, or crush the most powerful magical influences. That is Ki, and with Ki, life remains untouched by the void.
A bunch of mumbo-jumbo religious garbage, or so the CMAS would have you believe. There have never been any confirmed documentations of Ki-usage since it is apparently impossible to detect and measure. Although there have been recorded situations where humans with abnormal strength and speed have demonstrated their capabilities first hand, scientists refuse to believe that Ki is responsible, despite the fact that there is no other viable explanation for these capabilities. You might believe in Ki, or you might not. Regardless, one thing is certain.
There are many things that the arcane alone can't explain.
The void is an enigma, and even less evident than Ki. Put simply though, Void is the lack of space, time, or energy. Void is the impossibility that exists when nothing exists. Technically speaking, it is the counter thesis to both Ki, and arcane energy.
In theory, if Void was literal, it would devour all it could until it expends itself. Of course, this could bring about the end of the universe, but only if there was a steady flow of void into our otherwise stable dimension of space and time. It could eat away at the arcane like tissue paper, and would be attracted to the most powerful concentrations of energy, namely Ki, like a moth to a flame.
In a word, Void is Armageddon. If it is real, let all humanity hope it never leaks into any world that harbors life.
Arcadia is the largest and most powerful Nation in Thorisa, covering a massive expanse of land and having access to the largest Arcane node known to mankind. Their population easily reaches a rough estimate of 23'000 people, and their kingdom covers about 6 square kilometers. The borders of Arcadia are not only protected by the M-3 FFG, but also a massive Arcanite-infused steel wall, 20 yards thick, and 100 yards tall. The town itself is littered with skyscrapers and large research buildings, with the capitol government building standing high in the city's center, easily visible from a kilometer away. From afar, Arcadia looks like a giant walled off fortress, more than it looks like a nation. The CMAS headquarters is near the main government building, and it is where project S-S is taking place.
The people of Arcadia are willfully ignorant of most goings-on within the CMAS, despite how adamant the government is about stressing news about their progress. People work mundane jobs, and those who can't are granted significant pension regardless of their service prior. Arcadia's massive Arcane deposit makes up for their high population density, but distribution has become more of an issue lately. You'll rarely find homeless vagrants in Arcadia, as most of her citizens are well taken care of by the government.
Teknoh is the second largest Nation in Thorisa, and sits only 2 kilometers away from Arcadia, close than any other nation by a wide margin. Because of this, there's a well established route between the two cities used for trading and support. Unlike Arcadia, Teknoh's borders are not covered in large walls, but rather a trench where they dump raw material for decomposition using their arcane node at a catalyst. This is only passable through flight, or by using the draw bridges that surround the city. Teknoh city is only 4 square kilometers in size, with a population of roughly 17'000 people, making it the densest city in Thorisa to Arcadia's knowledge. They have the most technological advancements, thanks to the branch of CMAS within the city supporting the local Machinists with production. Although they are more efficient than Arcadia, their population density forces the Teknoh Government to refuse new citizens.
Teknoh's civilians are often in tune with technology, and living standards are far more advanced than in most other cities. The skyscrapers in Teknoh are also far larger than anywhere else, and are by-in-large created from a unique mineral known as 'living steel' by most. The Teknoh Government building is underground, as are a great deal of their important facilities.
Illon is the black sheep within the Quadra-Powers, being the most aggressive Nation in Thorisa prior to the introduction of Arcadia's rule. Illon is known for its corrupt politics, blatant disregard for mutual agreements between nations, and barbaric traditions. Somehow they've been able to keep under the radar in light of more important matters, but most would agree that Illon is not a nice place to live. The republic is only 3 square kilometers in size, and has a population of about 6000 people, though that number continues to dwindle each passing year as people either leave, or are killed by unfortunately circumstances. The homeless count in Illon is outrageously high, but they keep this hidden from their allies surprisingly well. As far as appearances go, Illon is not very well guarded. Aside from the M-3 FFG, there are no defenses surrounding the city. They also don't incorporate very many large buildings to house their citizens, which is part of the reason as to why the homeless rate is so significant.
Citizens in Illon are disgruntled, but very loyal to their government. Although CMAS still keeps track of all mages within the city, Illon isn't fond of magic, and actively discourages it with their government, preferring physical science as the best alternative. This makes the republic far more akin to chemistry, and alchemy, which originates from their nation, despite how private they are about their studies.
Being one of the least developed nations linked to Arcadia, Hyznia gets a bad rep, especially since its government isn't fond of the arcane sciences. Hyznia is a mage's paradise, harboring some of the most powerful Arch-Mages in the CMAS and acting as their most important reference for all things magic. The CMAS Hyznia Sect members are incredible at Arcane manipulation, and encourage all to become attuned to the magic within themselves. Hyznia has a rough population of 3'000 people and exists as a castle-city, constantly guarded by vigilant mages around the clock. Unlike the other three Quadra-powers, a part of the local CMAS is dedicated to maintaining a natural barrier using the power of the local arcane node, rather than using a M-3 FFG, which makes maintaining the barrier a chore, and requires constant vigilance.
Within the castle city, citizens are free to roam as they please, as long as they don't enter the CMAS HQ uninvited. People in Hyznia tend to speak with a strange accent, since they do not ever accept outsiders as permanent residents. If anything, Hyznia is the most medieval nation in Thorisa, to the knowledge of most.
Saiga is a small rural province less than a square kilometer in size, with a scarce population of around 500 people. It is home of many traditionalists who forsake the ideals of technological advancement and prefer to learn from the teachings of Kho, their hero-god and prophet. The province is an Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune-- a self-sufficient government without the need of government, nor economy. The people are often farmers or monks, contributing to society with the peaceful application of martial arts and philosophy.
The Teachings of Kho are one of the more popular Philosophies on Ki in Thorisa. Kho was once a guru and prophet to the people of Saiga back when it was a much larger nation. In ancient legends, it is said that he was the pioneer of Saiga's modern martial arts, and one of the first humans to discover, and quantify the concept of Ki. He had used his immense power to turn the tides of war, training many others to use his secret knowledge to their advantage. When the wars that ravaged Saiga ended, he had opened a school and taught martial arts to the youth and developed the true purpose of Ki: Enlightenment. These teachings are passed down even to this day by his successors.
Sinon is a very small Nation, south of Teknoh with little political impact or popularity. It is however, home to the founders of Jujitsu, and Judo, two martial arts that can be found all over Thorisa. It is still taught by living martial artists in Sinon, though there is no formal Dojo or platform in which the arts are taught. Rather, it is passed on from master to student, surviving through the ages as the arts have weaved their way into the very life-force of Thorisa.
Mortuum is the Nation of Void Templar, and happens to have a strong distaste for most arcane studies, including what machinists and alchemists create. They deem only a few arcane revolutions as necessary or allowed in their nation, and adamantly enforce this belief to any who they come across. Mortuum has a decent population of about 2'500 people, and covers about 1 square kilometer of ground. The nation is not walled off, nor do they use a M-3 FFG to protect themselves. Creatures around their land are oddly dissuaded from attacking them, but the reason for this is completely unknown.
Unique Magical Studies
Demonology
According to the CMAS, there are no such things as Demons. As far as they're concerned, Demons are silly myths thought up by desperate scholars who have no real understanding of how arcane science actually works. Because of this, no school will actually teach Demonology openly, and you will rarely find mention of it within the curriculum of most classes. But where there's a will, there's a way, and any who are dedicated to the study of demonology stress the very real possibilities that it can present. Although there is no real evidence supporting the field of study, the CMAS keep a sharp eye on anyone who proclaims to be a Demonologist. As much as most Arch mages like to deny the possibility that demons exist, they can't deny that demon rituals rouse a curious amount of arcane activity, and that the core theory of demonology is sound enough to warrant their attention. Namely, this theory infers that demons exist in a realm separate from ours, and Demonologists infer that this realm is indeed the anti-thesis to reality as humans know it, or more simply put, the void. With this in mind, the CMAS keep a cautious thumb on demonology study, as to prevent any dangerous outcomes from sprouting forth.
There are two types of Demons according to Demonology. The first type are considered Class A Demons. These demons can cross into the world from the void without aid of a summoner, although there has never been a thoroughly documented cased of this occurring. It's theorized that there are "weak" spots between our universe, and the void, which these class A demons can phase through. It's thought that these weak spots are caused by misuse of magic, or evil acts in general, giving a very vague idea of how to prevent demons from entering our world. Class A Demons are often very large, standing as tall as a person, or several times taller. They are often characterized by having more than four limbs.
The second type is the Class B Demon, or as they are more commonly referred to, 'Imps'. These demons cannot cross into our world without the aid of a summoner. They are usually considered useless, but they're capable of being utilized as surveyors, making them efficient spies, or watch dogs. They are most often described as being small in stature, about the size of a big cat or small dog. The actual description of Imps varies wildly, which sometimes leads people to the conclusion that they are fake since nobody can agree on an apt description.
The act of summoning a demon is long a laborious. If done incorrectly it will result in death. Only the most fool hearty actually attempt to summon demons.
Although not practiced very often outside of the Illon republic, there exists a very intricate magical study known as alchemy, wherein one uses refined arcane liquids to create potions that interact with the human body in ways that most arcane scientists have a hard time understanding. It's a simple process where ingesting these potions, the body's arcane network undergoes a temporary, or permanent, mutation that can affect many aspects of the host's physical form, or magical affinity. Alchemy is considered dangerous and unpredictable by most, and it is shunned as a crime in Arcadia's capitol.
Some arcane scientists are just outright incapable of harnessing their arcane network, but they absolutely cannot give up the opportunity to contribute in a significant way to the world of magic! This is where Arcane construction comes in. Arcane constructors, or 'Machinists' as they are commonly referred to, are individuals who use unique tools to harness their own arcane networks, which allows them to create all manners of machines that can use arcane energy in different ways.
Some of the most common creations of machinists are A/B and of course, the well known and widely used M-3 FFG. Machinists are also very well known for their body mods, which act just like normal body parts, which even includes organs! Although they vary in specialization very widely, Machinists will usually agree that innovation is the way forward, and creativity is the fuel of their craft.
If the possibilities for magic are limits, why can't they be limitless for magical machines as well?
