Alchemy: Alchemy is an arcane study of the Nature of matter and spirit and is considered one of the most important developements of arcana due to the widespread application in other arcane disciplines. Alchemists study materials and objects and how they react to spiritual and otherworldly forces, the reasons for the study are many, some attempted to live for ever...some wished to transform themselves into better people. As greater understanding of alchemy emerged the goals became more mundane for most. The exact limitations of alchemy are hotly debated by arcanists as is what all forms of magic are considered alchemy. some of the most notable uses of alchemy is the creation of magical catalysts which are very useful for other forms of magic and the creation of magical materials with a variety of uses. The term alchemy used to apply to many other things as well, but many of those disciplines branched off of alchemy and became different schools.

Among the few species to live in the Pallid Plane, Stalwart bands can be found throughout the world, their hardiness allowing them to survive almost any environment. The Stalwart are very thin, tall humanoids. They have grey skin and hairless bodies, with one solitary eye on their foreheads. They have disturbingly long arms and fingers. Stalwart hide is among the hardest substances known to mankind, with thick black plating over their dorsal side, though the skin on their ventral side is not exactly thin either. Despite their incredibly thin frames, Stalwarts have surprising strength, able to dig through solid stone without the aid of tools. Even with their strong defense and physical strength, Stalwarts are not fighters, their gait is too clumsy and their arms too long, usually they rely on their defense when attacked, falling to the ground with their back upwards and then crawling away with surprising speed.

The Stalwart are gender-less, and how they reproduce is still a mystery. Then have no mouths, and seem to subsist on magic. The Stalwart bands live under a sort of despotic monarchy, with the leader being decided based on familial descent and age, with elders preferred over youths. If there are none left with familial ties to the last leader, then the band disintegrates and the members join other bands. A band is founded when a skilled mage gains enough followers to claim territory. The Stalwart, despite their lack of spoken language, are more than able to ally themselves with other races through the use of interpreters, and seem to favor diplomacy over warfare. There are many cultural divisions between Stalwart bands, and very often they speak (Well, speak is the wrong word, for they use sign language) entirely different languages based on their location. The Stalwart of the Pallid Plane are known for their skill in construction, while other bands have more magical talent.

Giants: Giants are large bipedal creatures that tower above most other races, they tend to prefer a mostly vegetable diet, traditionally the leaves of trees, given a larger gut size they are able to better digest things humans cannot. they tend to move slowly and when they perform tasks they do so in a very methodical manner, they tend to sleep when no food is available and can stay in this state for nearly one-hundred years if need be, halting aging. Giant lifespans seem to vary from giant to giant, with some living as short as 100 years while others making it to 500. Giants are usually non-confrontational but when hungry or with sufficient provocation they can make a dangerous enemy. Like humans, Giants are a tool using species though some scholars question whether the structures and tools built by giants can be compared to that of the smaller races. While giants are often seen as being non-magical, occasionally they become wizards if they live in a culture that nurtures magical talent. Giants also have a traditional discipline of magic that is practiced by many members of the species, this discipline allows its users to integrate materials into their bodies without irritation or damage. The kinds of materials the giants integrate into themselves varies between different groups of giants but can include plants and minerals, for decoration, food, identification, camoflage and at times defense or weaponry.

Located to the north of the Isle of The Giants, the Sundown Sea is a large salt-water sea well known for its beauty. The sea starts at the Isle of the Giants and continues to the west, at the center are the Ryukara Islands. Filled with a massive population of sea-life, the sea is incredibly calm and causes nearby land-masses to be temperate, if windy. The sea does however seem to cause volcanic activity and earthquakes, both of which are common in the Ryukara Islands and other bordering landmasses. The Ryukara Islands themselves are believed to be the ancestral home of all humanity. The island chain is a line of six very small islands, with four being a part of the larger Ryukara Kingdom. The islands vary immensely in climate, with the bottom two islands being entirely desert, and the northmost island having harsh winters. This North Island is the only one not permanently inhabited by humans. The south-most island, also the only independent one, is actually believed to be the corpse of the largest Elder Arthropod ever seen, this is due to the populations of Children of Rom who live upon it, the only significant population outside the Mists themselves.

The Age of Chaos: Knowledge about the age of chaos is scarce and different scholars give different dates to when this era ended, when it began is even more of a mystery. The sources for information of this time period and any theoretical period before it is based on information found within the most ancient of places, from the minds of the elder arthropods and other ancient beings. only a few ruins have been found that are believed to date back this far. During the age of chaos The world was ruled by beings compared to demons or spirits or gods they were at constant war with eachother. most of the weapons were spiritual rather than physical and are believed to have hindered the developement of new civilizations and crumbled the existing ones. the elder arthropods somehow avoided most of these wars, they had some way to protect the spirit. The Age of chaos is believed to have been ended by the spiritual weapons, they turned on eachother. Whether there was a time proceeding the age of chaos was unknown, scholars debate this.

Sunlit City

Sitting in between two large rushing rivers in the Sunlit Vale sits the high, brick walls of the old, populous town of Sunlit City. Here, the people enjoy the city’s safe walls, the fruits of a vibrant economy, and the privilege of ignorance of what dangers lie in places elsewhere. Due to it’s location, there is little to fear of war or famine, and thanks to the city’s alchemists and traders, not much to be feared of diseases either.

Throughout many lands, Sunlit City is known as a place of great opportunity, and that is not far from the truth as the many businesses are thriving, and many artists are successful. The ornate architecture, exotic gardens, and publicly displayed artwork does an excellent job of veiling the dark truth of the city.

The people, rich and poor, are at the mercy of several crime families, who truly run the city. Any success here can only be achieved through them. Anyone opposed to or ignorant of the crime in this city are reduced to nothing and then forgotten. There is a law, but no justice, for the law is in the hands of criminals. Anyone raised here, or dwelling here for a long period of time, becomes selfish, dishonorable, and immoral, for one must be to survive in such a place.

Phane, located to the East of the Sundown Sea, is the largest continent in the known world, containing Nuneland, the Gemstone Mountains, the Sunlit Vale, the Pallid Plain, and The Mists of Rom. Phane is said to be shaped like a bean, with a crick in the middle where the Sundown Sea rests. Containing many seas, mountains, and volcanoes, Phane is known as Dreng Iru ^{Dreng: Land, Iru: Plenty. Thus; "Land of Plenty"} in the tongue of the Dun Gramor. Home to many of the world's most powerful empires, Phane is also among the most magically charged land masses in the world, with magic common and easy to harvest. Situated near the planet's equator and extending far both north and south, Phane has many climates, of varying intensity and temperature. Phane is/was worshiped as a god by the humans, the Children of Rom, and the Dun Gramor.

The Spirit Weapons

It is unknown how many spirit weapons exist, if they are truly weapons and tools of raw creation and destruction, or if they are beings of unfathomable power. Wielded (or spawned) during the mythic Age of Chaos, the Spirit Weapons were the the catalyst for the eras that came after.

While the nascent Elder Arthropods were spared the power of the spirit weapons, the earliest and brightest civilizations that came before were not. The scars and terrible blight of the Age of Chaos is evident on this world even to this day, the lingering shadow of the Pallid Plain is supposed to have been the homeland of a civilization that eclipsed the technological advancement of even the greatest Empires of Phane. It has been suggested that the Ryukara Islands may have once been a continent rivaling even great Phane, but was sunk in the conflagration of the Age of Chaos at the hand of one such Spirit Weapon. While the power of the weapons is not doubted, their true nature and function is not known.

What little knowledge is known of the Spirit Weapons is collected in the archives and libraries of the greatest Empires of Phane, sparse words on ancient tablets and scrolls that fuel the imaginations of explorers and adventurers. Stanzas and verses in the many-thousand tongues of the world collaborate the destructive nature of the weapons, but only hint at the location or source of power.

The eldest and most intelligent of the Elder Arthropods, Garaxxun is one of the most benevolent and kind beings to ever come into existence. Among the smallest of the Arthropods, Garaxxun's physical form is hidden behind a thick aura of magic that covers their body. From what is known of them, they have four wings, six legs and two shorter "arms", used to aid in feeding.

They are able to speak the language of the Children of Rom, and they are the only being able to halt a Children War-Host without a force of arms. Garaxxun spends their time hidden in the Pallid Plane, only emerging rarely to feed and then return to hiding. Garaxxun has been known to guide lost travelers home when they awake them. They have progeny living amongst menfolk and giants, using magic to hide their true forms as per their parent's guidance. Garaxxun is also believed to be the birther of some of the other Elder Arthropods. Garaxxun is believed by some to be the source of all magic on the world, though most consider that ridiculous. Though vehemently opposed to the concept of godhood, Garaxxun will attempt to impart wisdom if approached, though he does not speak most of the great race's languages.

Porfyric

The mineral Porfyric is a cornerstone of alchemical magic, part of the limited group of elements and minerals alchemists call Crux Anima, or Foundational minerals. Porfyric stone is associated with the element of fire, and the arcana of change and destruction.

Once found in great quantities on the continent of Phane, especially beneath the volcanic ranges in ancient quarries, that supply has dwindled to a mere trickle of the once great abundance.

Porfyric stone is black, with veins of translucent red. It is quite hot to the touch, and must be handled with extreme care once harvested. While the stone remains inert until it is mined, once harvested, it becomes volatile and unstable. Alchemists have learned that the stones can be held safely within vessels of water for transport, storage or experimentation. Alchemical properties include: combustion, disintegration, fire or flame, transformation & destruction.

Porfyric stone can be combined with elements of the lesser Anima or other Crux Anima for varying effects.

Vitalis the arcane discipline of Vitalis has been around in some form or another since time immemorable, with some scholars theorizing the elder arthropods had knowledge of this art. most ancient cultures had less understanding of the actual mechanism of vitalistic magic but had discovered methods of harnessing it in a limited form, from the magic of giants to the ancient healers of the sunlit isles. Without true understanding of the principles of Vitalis the powers were more limited. Now greater understanding of the nature of life it is considered by some a branch of alchemy Vitalis focuses on living things. Early vitalis magic often used herbs and minerals to effect change on an organism and later the use of bound spirits was used. It wasnt until applications of Morveks theories that Vitalis magic reached a higher potential, it allowed more control of Vital spirits, spiritual tools that can dwell in living things, these vital spirits, formerly mindless, could be used in a variety of effects such as healing and biological metamorphosis, it could even be used to create new species of animals...and people...it could even raise the dead though unless the person had died recently they usually came back without much humanity left and while the bones of the ancient dead could be animated, they possessed no mind.

The Study of vitalism scared many people for a long time, the potential for abuse (and sometimes it was abused) The fear of the monsters men could create. Eventually many nations became more accepting of the practice.

The Great Web:
For ages our ancestors saught meaning to the cosmos, a divine plan, a purpose. We still search but through our pursuits we have changed the world. We have unlocked The Great web...what is the great web you ask? even mystics and sages disagree on some of the details. The Cosmos is a giant web of sorts, the patterns on these webs are like blueprints for reality, there is sound, when the web vibrates things happen. The sound also causes other strings to vibrate bringing rise to all kinds of phenomenon such as matter. with our magic we learned methods of manipulating the strings...though we didnt know how it worked at the time. within this web is the foundation of worlds...yes...worlds, you see children worlds are like a specific structure in the web, there are all kinds of structures that react to sound differently producing many different worlds. I use the term sound of course loosely, it isnt sound as we know it but its the best comparison.

You asked for meaning, well the sound had to come from somewhere right? the first sound? that vibrates throughout the cosmos, some say the web wasnt always here, something created it...No...not Rom, Rom came much later. They say the web is an instrument by which God creates the universe, they say all this was planned.

Many still search for god, travelling between worlds on the web, trying to find a center.

Minbenthac:

Minbenthac is a city in the vast desert of the dracon lands. whose name is derived from the Draconic words for "Item Land"; the city is named as such because of its gigantic marketplace and the fact that many exotic goods can be found here.

The city itself is divided into many districts and neighborhoods, many of which have their own distinct character and function. While many have names which are designated as "district", many others are known by a different kind of name.

Gold District

Named for its trade in gold and jewelry, this part of the city is a marketplace for precious metals and rare gems. Activities in this sector are not limited to making finery, but banks, pawnshops, and moneychangers are also present. The city's mint is not located here, however, as the city makes its coins in a more secure location. As the district became more developed, activities have shifted more towards banking and insurance, and offices which deal with the management of money now outnumber jewelry workshops and similar stores.

The largest private bank in the city is known as the Golden House. While it is owned by a group of investors, the one with the most ownership runs the company. Currently, the largest stake in the bank is split between Talon, the second-richest dracon in Minbenthac (barely second to the king, who is only ahead of him because of taxes paid to him by Talon), and a second company formed by a group of other rich investors which only exists to own shares in the bank so as to prevent Talon from controlling it entirely. A large minority share is held by the king as well. The balance of control of the Aurixquellar bank is precarious, with an uneasy agreement between Talon and the major shareholders.

The agreement is such that the bank's major operations are split into three parts. First is the chancellor of the bank being the nominal head of the company. The chancellor is appointed by the king, and has some power of appointments and must sign off on the decisions made by others, but otherwise has little power. The chancellor's decisions can be vetoed by the shareholders of the bank, provided their stake is equal to at least 50% of the total amount of shares. Second is the chief of operations, who makes decisions involving the financial products and services offered by the bank, and can set interest rates on loans, determine who is eligible for a loan, and can decide how and when each of the branches of the bank operate. Third is the somewhat confusingly titled bank manager, who doesn't manage the bank so much as he negotiates major deals with big customers, and is primarily responsible for personally overseeing and signing big investments, such as loaning money to the government, or financing a major private construction project.

Iron District

This section of Minbenthac is the primary location for various metalworks, especially those which forge items of iron and steel. Many weaponsmiths are located here as well, along with foundries and smelters for various ores and metals. Ingots of common metals are sold in this part of the city as well.

Also present in the iron district is the headquarters of the smithing guild, which attempts to influence the prices and quality of goods made of their metal. Legally, the government of Minbenthac can use price controls, and has done so in the past, but most of the time, the prices of these goods is allowed to rise and fall on the market. Unlike many other guilds in Minbenthac, the smithing guild has maintained some independence from the influence of the king and nobles, although their head has to be approved of by the crown, and any attempt to halt production of metal goods would see the government come down on and destroy the independence of the guild for sure.

City Catacombs

Many Dracon cities have catacombs to bury their dead, and Minbenthac is no exception. With entrances at several points throughout the city, the catacombs are not so much a district as they are a series of tunnels with tombs built into the walls. The dead are interred in catacombs and similar tombs because graveyards consume much-needed surface space in a city, and cremation often requires large amounts of wood or other fuel, which are scarce in the dracon lands.

Buried far below the city is said to be a crypt from ancient times, before the dracons were even created. The tomb buried this deep has been come to be known as "The Crypt Underneath", and is said to be a fantastic store of precious metals, gems, and magic items. Supposedly, the Crypt Underneath was the tomb of an ancient dragon king who died centuries if not millenia before the dracons were created, and that tunnels linking the catacombs and the crypt were built by one of the first kings of Minbenthac, but were forgotten when the city was almost destroyed in a major war over a thousand years ago.

Arena District

Unsurprisingly, this part of the city is named after the city's arena. Like all dracon cities of any size, the arena is a place where combatants fight for the entertainment of the citizens. In addition to the circular arena, this district also has support buildings for the arena, such as barracks for the fighters and granaries for the food that is sold to the spectators.

Magic District

This part of the city is the location of the city's magic college and several towers belonging to various magic orders, as well as shops which sell goods used by those of a magical persuasion. The college like about half of all such institutions in the dracons lands, is not an independent institution. This means that it is subject to the direct authority of the king and his laws, and has no privileges or exemptions in order to provide for a more free learning environment.

Among the many landmarks of this district is the Azure tower, a single building carved out of an unusual stone and teleported into the city many centuries ago, before there were magical wards to keep such a thing from happening. The origins of the Azure tower are still a mystery, but today the tower serves as the meeting place for various mid-level magic groups and as a place for mages from foreign lands to stay while visiting the city if they are on a tight budget.

Another sight in the magic district is crystal garden, where crystals grow in the shape of otherwise mundane flowers and plants. One can go to the garden and pick a ruby in the shape of a rose, or an emerald shaped like a blade of grass. The garden was created about two centuries ago by an archmage who wanted to leave behind an inheritance for his large family, and the garden continues to grow on his family's estate in the heart of the district. Visitors wishing to see the garden can do so if they ask politely, but any gems from the garden must be paid for, if the family is willing to sell them.

City Granaries

Most casual readers are surprised to find that something as simple as the storage of grain and other foodstuffs could occupy an entire city district, but this is the case. The granaries alone take up several city blocks, and consists of storage spaces for food in times of famine, siege, and food intended for the city's poor when the crown sees fit to distribute it, often during games or as a show of generosity.

The granaries take up the whole of the district; the bakeries and other places for food preparation are located elsewhere, scattered over the city, or in the case of the government's bakeries, located in areas specifically set aside for that purpose. Thieves trying to steal from the granaries are common, and guards have to patrol the area all day and every day.

Temple District

While Minbenthac has many temples in virtually all of its districts, there is only one Great Temple. The Great Temple dominates the Temple district, which simply refers to the area in and around the temple's extensive grounds. The Great Temple of Minbenthac is, like all such temples of its size, a miniature city within itself. This means that the temple provides for spiritual services on a massive scale, provides magical and clerical services, often for a fee, breeds and raises its own young, and sells magical and spiritual items.

Minbenthac's great temple has many features of note, but two of them have some importance to a visitor. The first would be the sanctum of the dragon who lives in the temple. The tradition of maintaining a dragon in a Great Temple is a dated one, going back to a time in which dragons used to rule over many Dracon cities from large temples. While few dragons rule over parts of the dracon lands in this day and age, the practice of keeping a dragon in a temple has nevertheless been kept alive.

The other major feature of the Great Temple is the eternal flame, kept in a secure location. It is said that as long as the flame burns, the city of Minbenthac cannot fall. While this has proven to be untrue in other cities, this current flame has never seen a successful invasion of the city. Whether or not this is coincidence, the fact remains that the flame is a fantastic source of magical energy.

Palace District

Besides obviously being the location of the palace of the king of Minbenthac, this part of the city also houses many of the city's government offices, its treasury, and a scribal school useful for providing the government with clerks, accountants, and other workers.

The Palace itself has a series of catacombs dug beneath it, to act as the final resting place for members of the royal family. When a dynasty is overthrown, the old sections of the royal catacombs are sealed off and a new set of tunnels is dug. This has led to several tunnel systems beneath the city of Minbenthac, of very different ages and sizes.

The Well of White Water

About half a century ago, diggers searching for a new well for Minbenthac hit a strange, magically altered aquifer, and discovered magically rich white water inside of it. Magic water isn't particularly uncommon in the dracon lands, but this was an unusually rich example of it, with the water so saturated with magic that it changed the very color of the liquid. The water, while drinkable, tastes rather like soap and in any event, is rather too valuable to waste on drinking in most cases in any event, due to its magical nature. The well of white water is found in a building that was specifically constructed to protect the well, and it is owned by the city, which charges wizards, alchemists and other mages if they wish to take some of the water.

The Rom Wars

Angered by the occasional attacks of the Children of Rom, and their occupation of part of the Ryukara Islands, the Ryukara Kingdom allied with other kingdoms throughout the nearby continent of Phane to drive the Children of Rom out, planning to invade and destroy them in the mists of Rom afterwards. Warriors from all across Pham, mainly mercenaries, answered the call. The massive response of the mercenaries multiplied the original number of warriors ten fold.

The Ryukara Kingdom and its allies attacked by land and sea, with a diversity of weapons and tactics, to combat the numerous and unpredictable Children of Rom. The result was a massacre, and today a graveyard of ships lingers in the ocean near the southernmost island to serve as a reminder of the kingdom's failure.

There are still generals, strategists, and even politicians in the Ryukara Kingdom and elsewhere preparing for a second campaign against the Children of Rom.

The Visogul

The enormous eagle-like Visogul are known for their fierce hierarchical societies, their adherence to a strict martial discipline and respect for elders in their tribes. In earliest times, they were great prophets, gifted with the magical ability of Farsight, and spoke prophecies for kings and emperors. Although visogul have long been allies of mankind, in modern eras they have grown insular and fearful of the outside world.

Although the Visogul are hatched with bright, iridescent plumage, as they age and grow their appearance becomes dull and grey. The oldest Visogul, nearing 500 years in age are a snowy white. Feathers of the younglings are prized possessions of other races, as they have some minor alchemical applications, and are some of the most beautiful naturally occurring colors in nature. These feathers are hard-won, as a young Visogul is fiercely protected by the community.

Visogul have the head of a raptor-most commonly associated with eagles or hawks. The torso is wide, and the shoulders strong to accommodate the massive wingspan, (nearly 15 feet when fully extended). At the ends of each wing are smaller vestigial claws that may be a relic of an abandoned evolutionary path. The dominant arms extending from just below the shoulder joint are also human like, ending in three fingered hands capable of working independently from the wing structure. A typical full-grown visogul can weigh up to 1000 pounds, the largest no more than 1500. The chest and abdomen are strikingly human as well, with pectoral and abdominal muscles completely devoid of plumage. The legs are where the birdlike features resume, ending in very strong, scaly claws tucked neatly beneath a thick feathery down.

Visogul most commonly build settlements along isolated cliffs, or in the highest valleys of mountain ranges. Some ancient ruins of visogul settlements have been discovered in the deepest forests of the world, with scattered dwellings on both the forest floor and within the oldest tallest trees.

The Visogul have the gift of Farsight, which in contemporary times has been abandoned as a savage practice as it requires the sacrifice of a regal egg, the unhatched offspring of the kingly lineage. Only in great times of danger will a visogul offer their brood for divination. The egg is ceremoniously shattered and the contents inspected by a cleric of the community. The cleric then consumes the egg, and for several days and nights is sent visions from either past or present that may influence the community in the seasons to come. Direct questions cannot be posed to the cleric-this is not the nature of that magic. Instead, the cleric is supposed to interpret the divination for the protection of the community.

Following the end of the Age of Chaos and the use of the Spirit Weapons, the first kingdoms of mortal races emerged on the scarred planet, forging empires and bringing vast tracts of lands under their control. These first kingdoms included the human empire of the Sundown Sea, the Dun Gramor mountain kingdoms, and the Arachnid hordes of the Children of Rom. These empires eventually came into conflict, leading to a series of massive wars that lead to dissent in the people of these empires (except for the Children of Rom, they did just fine), causing massive civil wars that lead to the end of the era.

A main point of this era was the use of magic, pretty much all of the races made use of some form of magic, and alchemical studies were at an all-time high. This overuse of magic lead to a drought of alchemical supplies that continues to this day, and since this era, magic has only gotten weaker and weaker.

Of the beings involved in this era, the Elder Arthropods were the largest among them, despite many of them dying at the end of the Age of Chaos, there was still a large amount. Despite this, some of the kingdoms began assaulting the massive and powerful beings, actually finding success.

The City of Corvasquer, _{Upon the River Luz}

On the eastern banks of the Sundown Sea, amidst the fens and black silt marshes of Graz, is the Twilight City of Corvasquer. Two black towers spanned by a single bridge, stand on either side of the River Luz, and guard the entrance to the Phanish mainland. The salt marshes and narrow channels that surround the city are misleading havens for many a foreign merchant vessel or tempted pirate has run aground or been accosted by any number of beast that inhabits those dangerous marshes.

Vessels wishing to make port at Corvasquer are ushered through the channels by any number of competing 'mooring guilds', rowing ships crewed by cut-throat 'guildies' hoping to reach the hull of the arriving vessel first. More than a few merchant ships have run aground while competing guilds have cut each other to ribbons for the job of guiding the vessel safely to port.

The city proper requires no walls, as the marsh-swamp is defense enough. In effect, the city is an island ringed by thousands upon thousands of muddy banks, salt grass knolls and waterways. The mainland is some ten miles away; a single highway, a black stone slab marked with indecipherable runes and fortified with several stone gatehouses (constructed much later), is the only land route to the city. It is unknown who lay the first brick of the black causeway, but that it refuses to sink into the swampy marsh. Wax yellow banners and flags adorn the causeway, arched with the open palm containing a single golden coin and a closed fist. This is the banner of the Suzerain, ruler of the city and chief among merchants.

One does not trade mundane goods in Corvasquer; it is a city of dark arts, banishment, treason and treachery. Here is where men hide in shadows from mercenary assassins, or trade fortunes for a mere glimpse of the famous consort, the Painted Lady. Here is where one seeks a poison, or rare antidote, rumors and conspiracies. Corvasquer is the ire of many a more...noble sovereigns reign, and many foolhardy campaigns have been fought against the city, only to end in disaster, defeat or execution.

The Suzerain is whoever is strong enough to seize control, and make his or her home in the twin tower fortress. Records of the names of former Suzerains have been abandoned as it is common to see four or five new rulers within a single year, the predecessor dumped in the salt marsh, only to be joined by the new Suzerain within a few months.

It is a brutal city, but beautiful. Built upon ruins of dozens of cities, Corvasquer has become an amalgamate of a few different architectural styles, and cultural influences. The twin towered fortress and the black causeway appear to share some similarities, and it has been suggested this may have been the bridge and tower of a sorcerers keep in the dim history of the Age of Chaos...

The Knights of Vishnaar

In one of the old Visogul forest village, the Knights of Vishnaar have taken up residence. While these knights are not mercenaries, they don't kneel to any lord or lady, following only their own code, the Vishnaar Creed. They have no true hierarchy either, and order is kept among them by respect and honor. Older and more accomplished members are more respected, but have no true control over the other knights. It is not a total anarchy, however, as anyone who goes against the Vishnaar Creed are ostracized and ignored.

As the Knights of Vishnaar don't follow any lord, lady, and usually no king or queen either, they will not involve themselves in any conflicts they deem petty, and only fight against enemies of the common man, or threats against the safety and order of Phane. Their numbers have been cut down significantly, as many died in the First War of Rom.

Their creed comes from their founder long ago, an old Visogul warrior named Ulric Vishnaar. When they started, their ranks consisted mainly of Visogul, and in the words of many who were saved in a desperate hour to be "Winged warriors of justice descending upon the wicked." Today, as Visogul have begun to shut themselves off from the rest of the world, the ranks of knights consists of men and a few Dun Gramor, and only a single Visogul knight remains.

The Age of Apotheosis: Some believe it was inevitable, after the discovery of the web, the end of the resource crisis, knowledge built upon generation over generation lead to this. For hundreds of years now arcanists had used the web and mastery of the building blocks of reality lead to increasingly profound vistas of knowledge. At this point the rulers of civilization acted almost as gods, unseen hands guiding nature, Mortal beings, once considered the pinnacle of intelligence, the former rulers of the world through the previous ages...where now little more than ants. Living spires built upon living magical cities. The people, who only vaguely resembled the races of old after generations of vitalistic alteration no longer viewed the universe as something to be understood, they called upon the new gods and gazed in wonder...and sometimes horror. The Web was alive, it was intelligent, Was it always intelligent? who knows.

Death, life, all these things that had once been certain in some distant age. Death could be reversed, echoes, ghosts, they existed in the web, even time had lost meaning. Many joined the spire, absorbed by it.

Transformation is a part of life, we start out as simple beings, spirits in the womb, we grow into living things and through our life our experiences change us. Those that commune with the spire are changed, It is not death, The spire is apotheosis, they become one with the web.

The Age of Apotheosis marks the end of the age of mortals.

Born to a pair of Nunelander humans, Morvek was born within the borders of the human Sundown Sea Empire, of descent from multiple noble houses. Nuneland, though situated deep within the Rockmen's territory, had declared itself a part of the human empire, it was tensions over this area that lead to one of the major wars of the time. As a young man, Morvek joined an alchemist's guild after deserting from the army, he later stated that his superior officer was taking advantage of his position and giving commands that made little sense to the nigh-genius Morvek, and his desertion was by no means out of cowardice, as he had earlier served in the First Rom War.

There is no documented proof that Morvek ever served in this war, and it was quite probable that he wasn't even of age by the time the war ended. No matter the true situation, Morvek was dishonorably discharged and barely avoided execution, only his father's intervention saving him. Becoming an alchemist, Morvek began study of Vitalis magic. Though unable to manipulate it himself, he was able to note a few key characteristics of the form, creating five laws based on his findings.

1. Vitalis can only be manipulated by those who do not wish to cause harm through its use. (This was later proven to be false)
2. Vitalis can not be used in a period of strong emotional distress, and at its strongest when the user is completely indifferent to all external influences.
3. Vitalis is deeply linked to the user's soul, and if the user lacks a soul, it will not work.
4. Vitalis can be strengthened through the use of other magics continuously both prior to and during its use.
5. Vitalis is smothered by armor or other garment, and at it's strongest when used in combination with tattoos made using an ink derived from blood.

These laws, when published, lead to mass hysteria amongst the people of the Empire, and not three years after he wrote the laws, Morvek was imprisoned by the Empire.