Crossroads of Astas
Things seem to be at peace in the world of Astas. The three moons watch over the nights as they have since the birth of the world and light up the night sky for the lands. It’s nearing autumn and the vibrant green of the forests and grass start to slowly shift colors and the summer wind is turning cool. The markets are now bustling as people prepare to stock their pantry with food over the window and no more so than in the great Crossroad city of Vekia. The famed trade city is overflowing with trade from nearly all the corners of Astas from the dwarven city if Crimson Keep in Alderia to the deserts of Ryyz and the leather that the sandy wasteland procures. But the great center of Astas doesn't just see wares from every corner from the world but so does it see every sort of person from the world. Warriors, Mercenaries, Mages and other people seeking to find their place and fortune in the world. Vekia is the perfect place to meet colorful personalities from places that some hasn’t even heard from before.
Things aren't as peaceful as they seem though. Rumors of assassins that move like shadows, killing noblemen and minor royalty in gruesome manners in Alderia, monsters that snatch innocents from their homes and streets in Dairon, never to be heard from again. No one knows exactly what to make of these incidents despite their best efforts. Nothing has hit the islands in the great sea between the west and the east and the Vekian ruling houses are on the lookout for anything similar to what has been reported in the other nations.
Other than that, the Vekian trade center bustles with activity. Who knows, maybe unlikely friendships will form this autumn.
_____________________________________ Races:
(I am not beyond accepting requests and suggestions. Just get in contact and discuss it with me. Vampire, werewolf or dragon in human form person, whatever it is just discuss it with me)
Humans are widely spread over the world of Astas. They are arguably the most diverse and colorful of races in the grand scheme of things. They are the ones that fight with each other the most and also seem to make conflict the most. Some members of other races, such as some prejudice elves, say that the humans are inherently mad and seek only to destroy everything and each other. Some dwarf theory says that they are just stupid, like lemmings, Pre-Disaster Hakedians said that they are like children and need to be educated and Rath'Kar say that are not enlightened enough. Though these are just words from a few out of many.
Various sorts of elves live in the world of Astas. One of which are the Forest Elves of the Alderia are known for their grace and beauty. They are very long lived and some are known for their mastery of magic. They are famed for their herbal medicine, one of which has been adapted by nearly every society in Astas, an herbal mixture designed to be chewed on to mend and whiten teeth. Some families around the world grow these herbs as they are easy to maintain and mix. Although not tasty, it's worth it in the long run.
Another trait of the elves is the ability to mold ironoak, a special sort of wood that the elves revere for its properties. When molded by a master craftsman, it can be as reliable as steel. The elves of the Dairon Woods use the ironoak to craft a weapon that is a mixture of both bow and a double bladed sword.
As stated before, there are variations of elves, three significant ones. The elves of Trendire Forest, Bellion Forest and the jungles of Kazul.
The most prominent clan of dwarves come from Crimson Keep. The dwarves are stout and stocky with masculine built. The males grow body hair at an early age and it‘s not uncommon for dwarven males to grow beards religiously. It‘s a common misconception however that all females dwarves grow beards as well. Although it does happen, it does not go for every single woman. Some are found attractive even by elven standards.
Majority of dwarven wares come in the form of jewelry, weapons and armor, minerals and ores for the other corners of Astas. Although not the only ones that mine or capable of masterful craftsmanship, they are mostly known for it.
Rath'kar are a race of very tall humanoids known for their colorful appearance and physical strength. They were once known nomadic merceneries until they settled by dwarven holds. They worked with the short folk with added protection from the wildlife and farming. The Rath‘kar people even formed an order of their most skilled hunters which they called Skaras, named after a rare breed of Wyverns.
During one slight between the dwarves and the elves, the Rath‘kar aided their host by being the vanguard of their army and scouts. The war was bloody and ruthless and the Rath‘kar suffered the heaviest in the battle between the elves and the dwarves. Although that war has been over for over five centuries, some Rath‘kar still distrust the fair folk.
The Rath‘kar are known for their very colorful hair that comes in various colors with streaks of other colors. Their eyes are equally colorful and those who are gifted with magic are known to have an extra color in their eyes that lines the irises. They aren‘t known for having facial hair though.
Clothing often consists of comfortable cloth that‘s often lined with intergate patterns of beasts or flowers and carry exotic weaponry such as whips or curved blades. Most prominent in Rath‘kar culture is hair decoration and a mask that they often wear in public. Each mask is different compared to each Rath‘kar as they carve their own masks when they come of age. They are also long lived, reaching full maturity at the age of 25 and live up to 400 years.
Hakedians were once a society of humans and half-elves and much esteemed spellcasters. Centuries ago their most prominent leaders decided they should rule over every corner of Astas and consulted magic for their answer. They performed a very powerful ritual to tame the Aether Wraiths but it went horribly wrong. A very large blast of magical power enveloped the city of Hakedia. Those who survived the blast were horribly mutated and those who did not commit suicide or were killed by superstitious hands later had offsprings that adapted better to the mutation.
Hakedians are known to have odd colored skin ranging from variation of blue to variation of red. Their eyes glow faintly and come in various colors. Their most common hair colors are black and other very dark colors with lighter being very rare, if not unheard of. Tails and pointed ears are very common as well.
Some group of hakedians have more animalistic features such as canine ears or cat like tail, a byproduct of the unpredictable mutation so long ago.
The eternal travelers, the Kuri caravans are not a strange sight on roads or in the wilds. It's hard not to notice a Kuri, given their four arms and the extra eyes, four small ones at each corner of the primary eyes. The females are even more noticeable, given that they're usually seven feet tall! Many of them are gracious hosts for weary travelers, though it is advised to not earn their hostility. All Kuri are possessed of an acidic bite the ability to spit silk that, while not stick, is hard to break and easy to weave in their hands. Indeed, the Kuri are known for their weaving, being able to weave their silk into a variety of items, including armor that is quite effective at resisting slashes.
The largest "settlement" of Kuri is the massive Grand Caravan, which travels the dunes of the Ryyzian desert constantly.
Other:
There are several different ways to become a werewolf. The main way is to be bitten by it. Other ways are such as being cursed by a powerful spellcaster or a very rare and complex alchemy potion. When cursed, the individual is forced to become a monstrous beast at every full moon and it doesn’t matter which moon it is. When in the form of a beast, the person is unable to tell friend from foe unless under the thrall of a power spellcaster. The beast has immense strength and speed with the senses of an animal.
After prolonged time of exposure, the person may gain some of said strength when in the form of a man as well as the other attributes. Parts of the bestial instincts are also there, the urge to tear apart ones enemies and hunt them down like prey. Silver burns them greatly and is especially deadly.
Lately there have been ways to lift the curse but not entirely. The person will no longer become the beast at a full moon yet still the attributes and instincts are there as if they still possessed the curse. However, the person will also be reformed in appearance such as wilder hair like a mane, bestial eyes, animalistic features, actual fur growing on places such as the ears, forearms, legs and face. Face and chest are especially if the person is male. People marked by such appearances are often looked upon with scorn as its common knowledge that they most likely killed and devoured people. Silver, although not deadly as before, still irritates the skin of such people and the bestial instincts are enhanced during full moon but controllable.
Dwarves are the only ones that can be completely cured of the curse but the attributes are lost as well.
Old Werewolves, in their non-wolf form capable of a magical ability known as lubamancy.
Lubamancy is a form of magical school that involves the control and domination of wolf and canine beasts. Werewolves possessing of this ability do not take as much risk as much as a regular lupamancer not cursed with lycanthropy though this ability is very rare to obtain by werewolves.
True vampirism has become nothing more than myth to the common folk. Becoming a monster of the night, enemy of light and a scourge of the world. The last true, pureblood vampire, was last seen generations ago much to the relief of villagers and travelers. However, the last known pureblood vampire was captured by a rouge faction within the venerable Desol Family, during a time when they were not one of the major houses in Vekia. They used their mental magic to subdue the pureblood and hold it in thrall through teamwork. They wished for immortality but the curse of vampirism was too much a cost for that was involved with true vampirism. They rest of the rogue Desol spellcasters and the allies that they managed to scrounge up that had magical talents went ahead to use the vampire to try and get all of the benefits yet none of the flaws in vampirism.
They didn't quite succeed but they managed to create something different. They used subjects in their experiments to see if it would work. Elves, Humans, Rath'Kar and other sorts of creatures to make sure that they were getting close. They created monsters of unimaginable horrors before the subjects were killed for the next experiment.
It all ended when the rest of the Desol family with their allies tracked down their rogue kin to put a stop to their sick experiments. The only result were what, for lack of a better term, seemed to be a watered down form of vampirism.
Much like the pureblooded vampires, what the Desol rogues managed to create a form of vampirism that was a bit more resistant to sunlight and the other flaws that the pureblooded vampires suffered but also the benefits were weaker than that of the template. The attributes of these vampires were greater than that of a regular human when in the night or sheltered from the sun or specific magical light but they weaken exponentially in the sunlight. The vampires that survived the attack all those generations ago often wear protective clothing as to minimize the rate of their weakness. Although it won't take so much time to kill a vampire in sunlight, they could die if exposed to special form of magical light for a long period of a time. Also an excellent form of torture for them.
These vampires often need regular subsistence as to keep regular bodily functions working but they are not vital for their survival due to their immortality against aging but it will cause them to turn an unhealthy pale color and make them look like a corpse by a month's time. What they do need is blood. The blood lust stayed with these vampires and no different from purebloods. If deprived of blood for a long period of time, a vampire's lust for it will cloud it's judgement and make them irrational. IF longer time passes without feeding, they will go into a frenzy. Although weak in that state, they make up for it in ferocity.
_____________________________________Lands of AstasAstas hold many interesting lands that any adventure would be willing to explore if he or she has the courage.
Crossroad Land, or Vekia as it is correctly named, is a large island located almost perfectly between Dairon and Alderia. It is home to Vekia City which is the largest trade city in Astas. It's rich with iron and has a recently discovered gem mine which only has enhanced its profits. Almost every ship passes Vekia when going from Alderia to Dairon or the other way around.
Vekia city is filled with canals that the locals also use to travel within the city via boats. It´s ruled by three noble houses instead of a king. Those houses are House Desol whose emblem is a Golden Sword stabbed through the mouth of a black snake on a lavender field, House Vintair whose emblem is gauntlet holding a bright red star on a blue field and House Skath whose emblem is a white spear through a dragon's head on a red field. Each of these houses have power over Vekia and handle diplomatic relations between the other lands. Vekia is however neutral so it does not get involved if Dairon and Alderia are in dispute. Each house has their own militia and section of the Vekian navy.
Alderia, or the Western Kingdoms, is a continent west of the Crossroad Land. It´s divided into multiple kingdoms that are allied ever since a great war between Alderia and the Daigotsu Empire of Dairon many ages ago. The more notable kingdom is that of King Vulkan Stormwing whose kingdom lies in the east coast of Alderia. He and the other Kings and Queens of Adleria annually hold a feast in honor of their friendship and alliance that was formed by the Stormwing family, the king of Crimson Keep and representatives of the elves from the Trandire forest. Though some say that the alliance has outgrown its usefulness and careless whispers say that it is not long until the kingdoms of Alderia will be at war with each other like the days of old since the feast as become little more than a formality through the years.
The Thalassocracy of Avignon consists of an archipelago of around 300 islands, the largest of which holds the Avignon's capital, Vesuvius City. Vesuvius City stands in the center of the archipelago, characterized by an impressive palace that once stood at the center of a world-spanning empire. The naming of the Thalassocracy is a little strange; as the nation refers to itself as 'The Holy See and Dominion', while others that reject its religious authority just call it 'The Thalassocracy of Avignon.
Avignon is a theocracy ruled by bishops. Every Major Island, or group of minor islands, is ruled by a bishop appointed by the Archbishop of Avignon (Each bishop rules over a 'bishopric'). The Archbishop of Avignon is elected by a College of Cardinals, One cardinal represents every bishopric. The Archbishop himself appoints cardinals from each bishopric.
Though outwardly a theocracy, Avignon considers trade the most important thing it has. It usually ends up in conflict with Vekia over issues such as trade, prices of goods and stuff.
The current Archbishop of Avignon is Archbishop Alexander III who has ruled for the past 10 years. A 50 year old man who served as a business administrator and naval commander in the Holy See, Alexander III's rule has been strangely lax. In fact, they haven't had a war with Vekia for a LONG time.
South of Dairon is the desert nation of Ryyz. It’s mostly inhabited by humans and Rath’Kar nomads. It’s very rare to see a dwarf in Ryyz due to the climate though elves seem to agree with it. Hakedians have a couple of settlements there but the official ruler of Ryyz is human. The trade from Ryyz comes from exotic meat of lizards and their hide. Almost everything from desert wyrms are valued for alchemy and armor as desert wyrm hide is extremely tough compared to regular leather with added flexibility.
The one that rules over most human settlements in Ryyz is a sultan known as Uh’Ali Bawa who has almost zero tolerance for thieves in his cities. While most other lands have worst case scenario be removal of a hand, Uh’Ali declared that thieves have both hands cut off as a best case scenario. More commonly, thieves are castrated and taken to slave camps to be disciplined as slavery is a very lucrative trade in the Ryyz deserts where in Alderia and Vekia it’s outlawed. Dairon doesn’t openly engage in slave trade but accept the ownership of slaves.
South of the Alderia is Kazul, a land of a vast jungle and swamps. It’s also home to the more dangerous breeds of beasts that are not all the size of a barn. The natives are mostly tribal elves who are very distant from their Alderian and Dairon cousins. They are the least see of the elven folk in other parts of Astas.
Small settlements are in the eastern coast of Kazul, Alderian settlements that are focused on harvesting the herbs that are found in the jungles. Nowhere else can these herbs be found and they have become invaluable in complex alchemical experiments. It’s also where the best ironoak can be found.
Dairon is east of the Crossroad Land and is mostly ruled by a single empire and is divided into various clans. The head of the clan is an emperor and he oversees the other clans even though each head of a clan governs his own section of Dairon. The Daigotsu empire is also in a truce with their elven neighbors of the Bellion forest.
North of the Imperial capital, the ruins of old Hakedia lies. Only the desperate and hopeless reside there after what is known as the Aether Storm which sent the once powerful empire spiraling down into mutated horror. Still the magic from that terrible time lingers and those who have explored it have recounted hearing distant screams with not a source to be seen or a clear direction to follow, as well as shadowy figures jumping from dark corners of their peripheral vision. Those who seem to have squatted there for months have had their sanity slip away.
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Since time in memorial, three dragons of the aether kept the realms of existence in harmony. The Golden Dragon, Dar'nu watched over the material realms and the passages that connected each realm. His scales were brighter than any gold in any realm with eyes like the clearest sapphire. His brother, Mu'ardu, however kept watch on the Nexus and it's denizens. His scales were like a star filled night sky and his eyes were that of rubies. As the centuries past, the energies of the Nexus began to influence the great dragon of aether, twisting his sanity. His scales went from a beautiful star filled night sky to the blackest void, his eyes burning with wild madness.
He waged war on his golden scaled brother, twisting the Nexus into a mad maelstrom and placing the rest of the realms in grave danger. With the help of the third brother, Mu'ardu was finally cast into the center of the maelstrom and the passages between the realms closed so that the Mad Dragon may never seek a foothold upon the material world. Creatures of the Nexus further twist the Aether Dragon's mind while they themselves try to seek an opening to the other realms.
-/ From the Tome of Aether /-
The mortals of Astas later were gifted with magic from the Maelstrom. Certain individuals are capable of tearing a rift within themselves to the Maelstrom and manipulate it's magic to their will but put themselves at a great risk. Aether Wraiths constantly seek a way to enter the world and Rifts are the perfect way to do so. Experienced spellcasters have learned to tear smaller Rifts yet let more magic flow through for them without increasing the risk of detection from the Aether Wraiths.
When a mortal has gained the attention of the Aether Wraiths, they are invaded with hundreds upon hundreds of Wraiths who proceed to tear the mortal's very spiritual being as they try to possess him or her. The mortal is likely to go insane or die from the ordeal. [
Anyone that has caught the attention of the wraiths will feel when they have. Some have described the feeling as a massive wave about to crash over them, others say cold and biting hands are grasping their very being. When these feelings appear, it is very wise to stop casting spells and close the rift as soon as possible./Hider]
[hider=Enchantments:]
Enchanting items is extremely difficult for any spellcaster as trapping magic within the material world takes great will and energy. Very often a while team of master spellcasters are gathered to enchant a single object of interest. It takes time and effort to enchant an item without it corroding almost instantly. Amateur enchanter might be capable of enchanting an item for only a certain amount of time before the magic runs out.
Demons come from a realm said to have been the first realm to have been created in the Nexus. The beings that inhabit this world were the most magically capable of all the other realms and traveled between them easily as if sailing through boats. However, when the Aether Wraiths became a real threat, they were capable of actually entering the demonic realm and twisting it similarly how they twisted the mind of Muardu. By the time Dar'nu imprisoned his sibling and closed the pathways to the other realms, the realm of demons was twisted to what it was now. Some demons however were trapped within the other worlds such as Astas where they were left to their own devices. Although capable of living for a really long time, they do not possess true immortality when it comes to their physical forms. They can be slain through physical attacks but they are very hard to kill.
Demons are a curious bunch to the world of Astas. They come in many shapes and sizes and capable of living within the world on their own if not handled properly. Although very magical without the risk of catching the attention of Aether Wraiths, they are also receptive to summoning and enthrallment to powerful spellcasters. Their magic is also very limited as they seem to require it to be able to survive. No one really knows why despite their efforts otherwise.
Through rituals and extensive magic, demons can be trapped within items and summoned from their realm and into Astas. The reason for spellcasters being able to summon demons is somewhat unknown but old mages have a theory that the pathway between the demon realm and the realm of Astas wasn't completely destroyed or at least is partially restored after fall of the Nexus and the chaos of the Maelstrom. When a spellcaster summons a Demon, the mage tears a quick but large rift to the maelstrom and pulling the Demon out of their realm and into Astas. The mage then requires great willpower and additional magic to subjugate the demon. The greater the demon is, the greater magic and will is required to keep the demon in check. Usually if the mage fails in keep the demon in line, the demon will kill the mage before being automatically sent back. However, lesser demons, imps and the like, have been reported to have ways to stay in the realm. Reason of which has been described as "they are able to slip through the grip"
The demons that still survive to this day are most likely intelligent to elude the notice of the common folk or are trapped within objects of power by powerful spellcasters.
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Religions are very important to some people in Astas as people have based their life on their religious texts and commandments. There have been wars fought over whose text is the real truth though not as tragic as one might think. In this modern day, it's accepted that, to an extent, religions of different people are the truth in their own way. Although not every single individual agrees, there are enough as not to cause war any time soon. What has been accepted is that the ones responsible for the realms and magic are the three Aether Dragons which are mentioned in the Tome of Aether, the highest magical text known. With only fragments left of the great tome, many different translations have been.
The humans of Alderia believe in several different deities with different virtues while the humans of Dairon have very similar but different variation.
The elves believe in three goddesses and a god, the three goddesses being the three moons that orbit Astas and the God being the sun who birthed children who represent the seasons. The Elves of the Bellion forest believe in the same thing but their traditions and culture are still different from their western kin.
The dwarves believe in only a single god and their religions are more of rebirth than others. They believe that an aspect of their ancestors live within them and when they die, their souls will be go and spread to the next generation to help guide their descendants. Their god is the once that watches over the souls and makes sure that they are not lead astray as a lost soul will curse their own family.
Rath'Kar religion is not deity based but spirit based. They don't believe in other than the Aether Dragon and the spirits of the world. An aspect of their belief is that all the animals and nearly everything in the world share a single spirit and their ritual of gaining true individuality is to carve a mask as they come of age as the Rath'Kar doctrine say that at this age, an individual as set himself apart from everyone else. When the mask has been carved from a material of the person's choice, they have made their own spirit, they are their own person. It's when they have found themselves and know who they are. Children who die before they have made a mask are mourned as it is a true sadness when someone passes on to the next life without finding themselves.
_____________________________________Kingdoms and Orders To Be Expanded. Will include religious orders, mercenary groups, Kingdoms etc that are not stated in previous Hiders
Vekia is ruled by three noble houses instead of a king or an emperor. Each house has their own section of the city to call their own and portion of the militia and the navy. They hold regular councils among the head of each house to discuss trade and the relations of the other nations. They are not openly hostile as some members of each house think that their house should be the sole ruler of the crossroad land.
House Desol is an endearing house whose ancestors were revered spellcasters in a long past time. The members of house Desol are known to wear dark attire such as black, dark lavender, dark blue and other colors so dark that they are black in a certain light. The house symbol is a golden sword swallowed by a black snake on a lavender field. The members of House Desol are often secretive and accused to be up to no good by the louder members of the other houses. The current head of House Desol is Vallen Desol with his son, Haklo, next in line when Vallen’s time has come.
House Vintair is the house with the bulk of the Vekian navy. When seafaring traders are in need of protection from pirates, House Vintair is the most called upon for aid. The Vintair ancestors were sea raiders before turning more civilized and productive traders and then a major ruling house in Vekia. The head of House Vintair is Salam Vintair, a tall and broad man who is famed for dying his bushy beard in various colors every other week. Although seemingly pudgy, he is incredibly strong. The symbol of House Vintair is a golden gauntlet clutching a red star on a blue field.
House Skath is the house the bulk of the militia and known for their resolve to protect Vekia from enemies. Their leaders come from a long line of knights from Alderian kingdoms. The Skath section of Crossroad City is the most heavily guarded one of the three. Always three man patrols and all properly armed to handle roughians, drunkards, thieves and other unsavory individual with truncheon or sword.
The head of the Skath House is Zachery Skath, a human man in his 50’s with long white hair and knight like mustache. He is known for being a blunt and supposedly honest, strong for his old age and quick too.
Originating in Alderia, Skara Hunter was a title given to an exceptional hunters of the Rath'Kar people. As they became more and more connected with other societies, the term "Skara" is now referred to a order of Hunters who make a living of hunting dangerous game. Lately however they are more or less mercenaries but they make it a point of never hunting other people for sport or the such but they will kill in self-defense or to save others. They expanded the order to include humans, dwarves and even hakedians but it's rare to see an elf as a Skara due to the bad blood between the Rath'Kar people and the Elves.
Skaras do not have a base of operation and often work alone. Every year they are to gather near Crimson Keep if they are able. There they feast and tell their stories to their fellow hunters.
To become a Skara, one must show skill and talent to hunt. Magic users are often prohibited from using magic as a way to test their abilities but there are definitely magic users among the Skaras. Healers are valued and alchemy skills are never scoffed at as many of the beasts that the Skaras hunt have venomous bites or stingers.
A signature weapon among the Rath'Kar hunters is something called a Thorn Whip. It's a leather whip and a special steel thorn chain within. A thin cable just out from the top of the grip and when pulled, thin steel blades jut out from the whip like a thorn branch. The cable can be hooked to the pommel as to keep the steel thorns jutting and then pushed back in.
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To be expanded as I think about more materials and/or anyone decides to give more ideas
Kuri Spider Silk: A web made by the Kuri people. When woven it has the texture and feel of silk yet is more durable than the toughest leather outside of desert wyrm hide.
Copper:
Cheap metal that can be used to craft very cheap armor.
Bronze:
More reliable than simple copper but less so when compared to iron and steel. However, bronze is oddly enough very receptive to enchantments and used for magical ritual objects and items.
Iron:
An affordable and very common metal in the world of Astas. Although not that special it is reliable
Steel:
There are different variations of steel depending what culture is working with the material. Smiths of Darion are known to craft weaponry and armor and other tools with steel characterized to have water pattern and be more reliable than regular plain steel. Dwarves are also known to craft one of the finest steel implements around whose characteristic is a vibrant blue sheen.
Ironoak:
Wood crafted from special oak trees that are found in the elven lands. Color may vary on how the tree was cultivated. Regular artisans of the craft may mold bows, staves or even swords as reliable as iron while masters may enhance their properties to be as durable as steel. The most common of coloration of ironoak is a forest green.
Crimsonite:
A special and very rare metal in the world of Astas is called Crimsonite or Rose Steel by most because of its coloration. Its richest mines are found in the dwarven hold of Crimson Keep in the northern parts of the Western Kingdoms. The metal is harder than steel and far more durable than diamonds, prized by warriors for their swords and armor.
Not many forge masters are capable of working this fine metal as it requires a great amount of heat to melt and form. It is also highly prized by spellcasters as the metal is very receptive to magical energies and there for great for enchanted items. Weapons made from this metal are often worn by high royalty and nobility.
A very clever and very skilled master smith might be able to use Rose Steel as an alloy for other metals but crimsonite is very hard to work with such a method.
These are not the only notable creatures in the world, just a few of interest. Will definitely look at suggestions for more and expand. Dragons: Dragons are are a very rare sight in the world of Astas, so rare that they seem to populate tales and song more than the actual realm. They have various legends a surrounding them as well. Some say that they are monstrous beasts with a hoard of treasure in their lair while other legends tell of them as graceful beings of knowledge and loremasters. Either way, full dragons have not been seen for ages and are considered be religious symbols and stories of a gone by era. The only known remnants of these great beasts are their bones and three species of scaled creatures.
Drakes: One of the descendants of dragons are drakes, most commonly a horselike quadrupeds beast that are found in various parts of the realm. Some breeds of drakes are actually much smaller than others and are tamed to be guard beasts like canines. Some orders of warriors have rituals that involve hunting down drakes of their regions and capturing it to train and eventually ride into battle. Due to the amount of training that is required, drakes are uncommon steeds so horses are much more preferable.
Wyrms: Another descendant species of dragons, wyrm is a snake like beast whose breeds are often found in swamps, jungles, lakes, seas and a rare breed that burrows into the deserts. These snake dragons are most commonly very large, reaching up to 5 to 7 meters in length though sightings of sea wyrms that reach over 30 meters in length and attack small ships from the deep.
Most Wyrms have some sort of venom glands though various breeds administer it differently. Some breeds from the jungle are known to spit their venom and decay the flesh at a rapid rate.
Wyverns: The most famous of the dragon descendants, wyverns are winged beasts often sighted in the mountains. Some breeds borrow their lair into hills though they most commonly dwell in caves, some of which are carved by larger wyverns. These beasts are very hard to train and most say that the effort is not worth the reward.
Smallest wyvern is about the size of a small horse but the largest ever recorded is said to have been nearly the size of a barn. Be that true, rarely would that be seen as most breeds of wyerns grow to be slightly larger than a horse.
Wyverns have hard scales, two legs that sport razor sharp talons and wings that also serve as forelegs when on the ground. From head to tail they are about 8-11 meters when fully mature and wingspan that reach about 15 meters.
Night Lurkers: Large insectoid creatures that are common within the mountains of Vekia. They are similar to caterpillars with two great big white eyes on each side of their heads where a gaping maw filled with serrated teeth is set. They have dozens of small legs capable of climbing up wall surfaces and ceilings. They reach up to 10 meters in length and come out of their tunnel systems only at night as their eyes are extremely sensitive to light. They are the largest pest that Vekia has to suffer.Their carapace is tough to get through and they are capable of dragging a horse easily to their nest. Their eye fluids are valued by alchemists so Night Lurkers are often hunted down in Vekia to get a hefty reward for their bounty though few have the courage to actually go to their nests.
Dire BeastsDire beasts are considered the most formidable of a certain form of beast, such as wolf, bear, eagle and the such. Not every species have themselves a dire though. Dire beasts are often twice as large as a fully mature regular beast and far more ferocious.[/B]
Ryyzian WolfThe Ryyzian wof is a distant cousin to the Dire Wolf, and features several unique distinctions between it and other Lupine species. It has larger canine teeth, that protrude with a great length, and it has very thin fur except for the large trail down the spine. It also has naturally redish-grey pupils that glow in the faintest of light for a canine equivalent of night vision. There is a lot unknown about the Ryyzian Wolves, save for many bestiary authors believe that the Ryyzian wolves sleep during the day in caves or underground tunnels, and hunt their depths, before surfacing at night when it is coolest. The Ryyzian Wolf is, on average, twice the size of the average wolf, and three times as likely to want to eat you the moment it sees you.
Ritual Wolves or Ol'Hake Lupes Ritual Wolves are very rarely seen, and even speculated to not exist, mostly due to the number of people who see them, who see them, and where they are claimed to be seen. Ritual wolves are said to be spotted on rare occasions at the ruin sites of Old Hakedia, which is why many speculate they are little more then myth. Most often those who claim to have seen them have stayed in the ruins long enough to have the lasting effects of the catastrophe messing with their sanity. No one has claimed to see one, and come back without being under the effects of insanity or a like-minded illness. Ritual Wolves are a magical creature, and often come in varying saturated colors along with black,(I.e. Blue and Black, like from the photo, as well as: Red & Black, Green & Black, Etc.) Ritual Wolves are actually a bit smaller then normal wolves, but have been said to have horns(in the picture) and the ability to cast some cantrip-like magic.
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• Name:
• Gender:
• Age:
• Race:
• Appearance: (Hider if pic too big or just link or detailed description)
• Gear & Possessions:
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• History:
• Name: Tha’Alen “Thalen” the Spiritcaller
• Gender: Male
• Age: 37
• Race: Rath’Kar
• Appearance:
Tha’Alen (Not hair color) Weight: 200lbs Height: 7'1". Eye Color: Deep indigo with a silver rim.
• Gear & Possessions:
Outfit+Mask+Haircolor, tigerclaw dagger (Karambit), Thorn Whip. Thalen also possesses a ritual curved sword known as a Spiritblade among the Rath’kar. There are very few of them around but they are masterfully crafted by Rath’kar or Dwaren smiths. Thalen’s sword was forged by a Rath’Kar smith as the sword doesn’t possess the characteristics of a dwarven craftsmanship. The blade is 4’5” in length and ends in spiked crossguard. The grip is made of wood wrapped in tough yet soft leather to cushion the hold on the weapon. The pommel is a carving of a wyvern’s head noticeable as a Skara breed. The blade is enchanted to combat spirits such as ghost or beings that are possessed by spirits.
• Skills & Abilities: Thalen is an excellent rider and fighter but he is also known as a Spirit Caller among the Rath’Kar. He is a rift born and was trained in ways of magic. He has talent with spiritual magic, communicating with animals and inhabiting spirits and basically exorcise through a long ritual. His greatest ability however would be spiritual healing, mending the essence of a person if attacked by a spiritual attack.
Alderian Mountain Unicorn known as Moonstrider• Personality: Thalen is an excitable and brave but isn't exactly subtle when it comes to more diplomatic discussions.
• History: Thalen was born near the northern mountains of Alderia, very close to the dwaren kingdom of Crimson Keep. There he was raised to be a Spirit Caller when the added color was discovered in his eyes. His mother was very honored and when he no longer needed her caring to survive, he was sent to other and older Spirit Callers for training.
His training was extensive and harsh at times but he was allowed to keep his relationship with friends and family though as he got older, the more time consuming his training became. As he became of age, the time for his mask to be crafted was at hand. He chose Ironoak for his mask, a very unusual choice for a Rath'Kar mask due to it's origins and the difficulty of molding it as desired. Thalen went minimalist on the mask however so that he didn't need to worry about much details except for some carvings and eye holes. It went surprisingly well and he had made a whitened ironoak mask with the durability of iron yet much lighter which is what Thalen was going for.
A few years after his mask was created he caught the attention of a venerable Skara hunter. Thalen was talented but needed more experience. His training as a Spirit Caller had reached it's peak and would need to be continued through his own devices. He was taken in by the Skara which only showed even more honor with being a Spirit Caller so his mother and father had no problem with letting him go. The Skara was a Dwarf too, tall for a dwarf and strong named Thorkell Stonehand. He took him on hunts and tested him, pitting him against dangerous beasts and watching how he did. He managed to impress the dwarf and travelled with him throughout Alderia, being Thorkell's protege as they went on hunts and took work in helping villagers with big pest problems. During one of these hunts, at the northern mountains of Alderia, they rescued a mountain breed unicorn from two small but wild wyverns. Unicorns, known for their intelligence and grace, took an almost immediate liking to the young spirit caller and accepted him as a rider. Thalen named the beautiful steed Moonstrider since the unicorn's mane reminded him of night but the eyes reminded him of the brightest moonlight.
Thalen met other Skara Hunters during the time with Thorkell, most of which were Rath'kar and some human. He didn't meet any elf Skara though but was told that the few who were went to places like Dairon and Kazul, one of which to the deserts of Ryyz to hunt Desert Wyrms. Some of the humans were alchemists as well as Skaras and taught him how to make antidote for various kind of venom that might just save his life. He wasn't quite good with the whole mixing so what he remember the most are simple recipes.
After almost six years of staying with the old dwarf, Thalen's time with him was finally over, gifted with not only a thorn whip which many of the Rath'kar Skaras wielded but also a Rath'Kar Spiritblade which was nearly too much of an honor for the young spirit caller. He accepted the blade though as he feared that declining the honor would offend the senior hunters. He went on his own from then on with Moonstrider as his companion and steed.
• Name:
Haklo Harken Desol• Gender: Male
• Age: 24
• Race: Vekian Human
• Appearance: Height: 6'2 Weight: 185lbs
• Gear & Possessions: Haklo often wears fine adorned clothing but he does have a
ceremonial armor of darkened blue steel. His sword is the length of a standard longsword as well as three fingers in width. The blade is straight and double edged with serpentine runes lining upwards. The crossguard is black as well and is crescent shaped with an amethyst, drop shaped, gem at the base which is used to help trap the demon. It shines a vibrant glow and when focused on, shape of a coiling snake can be seen. The gem seems to be within the mouth of a snake with the fangs keeping it in its socket. The hilt is of ironoak wrapped in white shagreen tempered to hot climates. Its length is a hand and a half-length. The pommel ends with smooth, elongated smooth knob.
The sheath is just as richly crafted. It's fitted with clamp so that the blade won't slide out by accident; a simple flick of a finger releases the blade. The sheath is made of black ironoak lined with integrate silver. The pattern is that of a snake which reaches from end to end. The end where the blade slides in is of an open snake head, giving the impression of a snake swallowing the blade. The eyes are socket-ed with vibrant rubies. The sword is often worn with a long dagger that is nearly 2 feet in length and of very same design though made of almost black blue steel and the hilt is of whitened ironoak. The sheath is much less adorned than that of the sword.
• Skills & Abilities: Haklo Desol was trained by his father’s top honorguard in ways of the sword and shield. He is also knowledgable in ways of seafaring but no actual experience. He is updated on current matters in the noble court, especially in Vekia and can blend himself perfectly in such crowds.
Haklo Desol is also capable of tearing rifts and within his family he was trained in mental magics. Through touch and concentration he is capable of delving into a person’s mind and telepathically root around and even cause major harm to the psyche.
• Personality: Haklo Desol often may seem to have a very high opinion of himself, looking down on those who he sees as lesser beings. He is not one to waste resources or takes unnecessary risks. He will not hesitate to remove any obstacle that is in his way if he is able.
• History: Haklo the son of Vallen Desol, the head of the Desol house and next in line. He was taught from birth to be the next in line of the Desol family and take over the responsibilities that follow to govern one-third of the Crossroad Land. He was also raised to take on the secret Desol family responsibility, to carry the sword “Malus”, the prison of a great snake demon that had been kept at bay by Desol ancestors. The Demon had been trapped within the world when the Nexus was devoured by the Maelstrom. The Desol family had a blade forged by the finest craftsmen working with the finest Desol spellcaster using the finest Rose Steel. They trapped the demon within the blade but there would need to be a jailor or the blade would falter in shatter.
From then on, the Desol family became renowned magic users of the mental persuasion and they have stood by their duty ever since. Mental magic is one of the more preferable magical arts to keep the demon at bay within the blade. The duty has also been kept a closely held secret.
When Haklo reached his adulthood he was bestowed the responsibility to carry the blade from his father, relieving him of this duty to further the goal of increasing Desol’s hold of Vekia.
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