Quick Guide
Visitor's Guide to Embris
Please be warned this is a general synopsis of information that would be most relevant to starting a character, much has been cut out for it and links can be found throughout this page to the full material. It will also reference many other works and ideas to help the reader get a better feel for some of the ideas for these places, these are not all entirely accurate, just displaying similar themes.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is ordered into two categories of gods, Supreme gods and Major gods. The Supreme gods are not active whatsoever in the world of Embris (though they popped up recently to do a thing before vanishing) while the Major gods involve themselves occasionally with mortal happenings, they do provide powers to clerics and paladins and influence the world when they so choose. There are also minor gods and demigods that work underneath the Major gods and are often a bit more involved in the world's affairs, though nowhere near as powerful.
The Major gods are based upon the seasons and each has a month within the season attributed to them. The following is a rough description of the Major gods' title and domains, with links to their individual pages.
Spring:
Vaikas, the Child; god of New Life, Beginnings, Rebirth, Growth, and the Birth of Nature.
Cosantoir, the Protector; god of Protection, Justice, and Truth.
Airdruuma, the Cyclical; god of the Tides, Patterns, and Music/Rhythm.
Summer:
Sifyri, the Blacksmith; god of Creativity, Invention, Inspiration, Passion, and Art.
Leontari, the Warrior; god of Combat, Vengeance, Pride, Valor, and Mercy.
Kolpati, the Playful; goddess of Tricks, Fun, Love, and Deception.
Fall:
Sonea-Paix, the Provider; goddess of the Harvest, Change, Plenty, and Growth in Nature.
Fidelée, the Unbreakable; goddess of Loyalty, Bonds, Family, and Marriage.
Paphyr, the Bargainer; god of Diligence, sacrifice, labor, Perseverance, Trade
Winter:
Valewind, the Explorer; god of Exploration, Travel, Navigation, and Storms.
Vindera, the Philosopher; god of Magic, Learning, and Academics,
Iktovar, the Unknown; god of Secrets, Darkness, Depths, and Hidden Things.
The Continents
Please view the Map here, as it will be referenced heavily.
Volandra
The majority of the green area within Volandra is controlled by the Cinder Confederation. The Cinder Confederation is the union of many different countries that spanned across Volandra that agreed to work together underneath one central government for the betterment of all the countries. It all started with two major empires, Hubranch and Bolandy (with the following histories on their pages). Hubranch is the average medieval kingdom where nobles rule over peasants, and it had Howe, a large New York City-esc place where ambassadors from other lands previously came over and the Confederation flexed its engineering/architectural might. That changed of course when the city got sacked and taken by Yarmehtoo but we'll get to that later. Bolandy is a republican society still cooling off their French Revolution-esc revolt to overthrow their old average medieval kingdom, they are much more industrial-based than the farming Hubranch. Bolandy also has the city of Croit, a city of engineering marvels all powered by the river running through that creates energy through water wheels, which also recently became the capital of the Confederation.
Also within the Cinder Confederation are the Blythemack Heights, Defa'er Grove, and Dartleheim Forest. Each sporting their own minor province. The Blythemack Heights is most notable for the invasion of Duergar known as the War of the Surface that helped forge the Cinder Confederation, and the fallout after that war. The Defa'er Grove is known as a dangerous forest filled with horrors and ominous monsters and creatures. It is a forest not delved deeply into by many. The Dartleheim Forest on the other hand is the home to many firbolgs that take care of the forest and keep the harvesters from Bolandy in check. It is also known for the three beasts that were said to have terrorized workers when they attempted to harvest too much of the forest.
Current issue within the Confederation is Yarmehtoo, a group that declared war on them and took the former capital of Howe. Hubranch is upset it lost its main city, Bolandy's happy Croit's capital now, and everythings a mess as the threat of Hubranch's secession looms after Felaria, another major province focused on the arcane and knowledge, started taking the spotlight with its magical city of Goraj.
The islands settled by shark people known as Megaladonians. Having originally been an independent territory before being annexed by the Cinder Confederation. After a few centuries they broke away and formed their own independent tropical island nation reminiscent of Earth's Hawaii island chain in geography and setting. The island is run by a Tribunal that works to better the islands in any way it can. One of the major exports of the isles is coral from the Reef that stretches beneath it, which can be used as ingredients to help created magical effects for nautical items. Also the pirates cannot be forgotten, though neigboring civilizations would really like to, as piracy has become a large part of the Kuokoa Isles and raids happen regularly of places all around them.
The Tu'va Wastes was long ago a flourishing land that rivaled those South of the Blythemack Heights in beauty. This all changed with the coming of the Dark Calamity, which tainted the very land and nature of the lands. Civilization was ravaged and fell except for two city-states, the fishing town of Horeaus Morne, and Pahlthryus. Pahlthyrus is the Everlasting Pearl, the last of the most major city-states to survive thanks to the help of its self-pronounced God King Deimos, the Everlasting. It is a harsh city that focuses on mining and uses what few green lands remain north of the Heights to farm and feed their population which is made up of the descendants of refugees from those who fled the Calamity. Recently people have begun to question the status quo however as rumors have begun to spread as to how the God King ascended, and people are wondering if its possible to do the same, or find his weaknesses. Though most of these people end up dead or supressed.
The Withered Frontiers are those areas that managed to successfully resist the annexation forces of the Confederation through guerilla tactics and sheer determination. The Confederation forces eventually withdrew but the land was left ravaged by the war. Recently the tribes of the Frontiers rallied behind a new leader named Yariel who has brought together a formidable force and is reaping revenge on the Confederation for the sins of their forefathers.
Xuc'tor
In the large jungle on the northern end of Xuc'tor, within the Yctlan Jungle all the plants and beasts have grown to enormous proportions. The city of Genursh'k stands strong the Flower of the Wilds, thriving amongst the many dangers of the hostile jungles. The folks of Genursh'k are folks of great strength, unbreakable resolution, and exquisite beauty. The exotic fruits and herbs that have been cultivated provide Genursh’k its primary source of commerce as they export rare medicine, unique culinary, dyes, perfumes, and wines. The people of this land worked hard to tame the land, but great dangers and mysteries still lurk in the western savages.
A land covered in sand, and whispers. No one really knows what the whispers are but while moving throughout the sands travelers can often hear whispers and wails from the desert around them. Many have come up with their own beliefs as to what these are. The desert is also populated by three nomadic tribes, one that focuses on hunting, one that focuses on gathering and nature, and one that focuses on adapting and improvisation. They have a shared township called Ithru Athra where their elderly, mothers, children, and the sick reside when they are unable to live the nomad life. Some choose to stay at this township forever, but most people go back off with the tribes to continue exploring and wandering the Sands.
Recently with the Primordial Coalescence the sands have been spreading further North, no one knows why, but they really don't like it.
Ocean's edge is a bunch of villages and fishing settlements on the coast, trading things with the people of Xuc'tor and then shipping the unique materials out to Volandra and other areas. Recently a few of those villages have grown up and become city states akin to our world's ancient Greece, operating in a small coalition against outsiders as they continue to try and expand, despite constant pirate attacks.
The swamplands of Kearmack are filled with dangerous monsters, many mysteries, and strange spirits. There are villages that dot the mire, made up of warriors who specialize in guerilla and camouflaged warfare. Most of these villages in the region are more primitive when compared to the cities and other civilizations of the world. This differs in the case of Kearloch, a walled city that has made a name for itself as a xenophobic (outside of adventurers) nation, that will do whatever it takes to get ahead.
Aeora
Noirtisser is a large tree within the dangerous Sanctum Vitae forest. It has an outpost to the South of it named the Southern Outpost where all teleportation and travel to the tree stops at before going down the long Ventes de Rhu, a road filled with shops, houses, and other buildings people use. The tree is a town with many wooden buildings and an incredible divide based on class, with the wealthy living near the heart of the tree where there are many lanterns and magical lights. The poor on the other hand live most often in the shady and dark areas of the tree, with various gangs and factions like the Convergence lurking around.
Recently the tree became corrupted and needed healed by an ancient dragon, who promptly joined the government. Since then the city has continued to prosper as the tree bloomed for the first time in thousands of years.
A ruined wasteland where magic barely functions, there are many mysteries to this land as it is populated with ruins and huge swathes of land are scarred. There are also some dragons and dragon carcasses here.
A large snowcapped mountain range that is inhabited by Dragons. A massive dragon society that hates human-kind, though some are softening up as of late.
Gravitas is a floating island with a mysterious history. The explorers who discovered it have no idea what happened to the previous population living there but they do know that they all disappeared yet the buildings left behind had no bodies or traces of those inhabitants left behind. Now Gravitas is an island where many refugees and others go to to feel safer than in their home countries, because it floats. But with a population made up of people from many different backgrounds and cultures, cliques inevitably formed and some gangs have also begun to rise in prominence. There is also the network of tunnels left behind by the ancient civilization underneath the city proper that many have attempted to explore to completion.
Recently paranormal activities have begun to pop up within the streets, with spectres and phantoms floating (mostly peacefully) throughout the island.
A city of those who have been "Damned" through deals with devils. These deals usually involve the allowing of a fiend to take control of them for a certain amount of time in exchange for power, wealth, or the usual things one sells their soul for. Much of the city is under the influence of one devil or another and often one has a higher status within the society based upon the strength of the devil who takes over their flesh. Recently its begun to dig deeper into the earth and making deals with the people of the Underdark, including one that helped make a zoo.
A city built into the side of a mountain. The city is built upon an ancient fortress discovered by gnomes that goes deep within the mountain, which has been reinforced and expanded upon by those gnomes and dwarves that came to help after leaving the Cinder Confederation because of the War of the Surface. From there they have built up a society that uses giant eagles as mounts, and focuses on innovation, utility, and craftsmanship. The city is one of the more technologically and magically advanced city within Embris, and also a hub of archaeological discovery through the Marquez Foundation.
Other Locations
A fighting dojo on a volcano, where the populace is very dedicated to Leontari, holding a global tournament once a year to find the strongest warrior in Embris. They also have many rare herbs and plants on the island.
A series of universities throughout the world that seek to advance magic. Each school is dedicated to a particular version of magic (natural, arcane, paranormal, etc.) and they are dotted throughout the world. The central school is in a separated demiplane that students are given access to.
We use our own unique system of the planes on Embris, with most of them revolving around the four elemental plains which each bleed over into the Material Plane once a year in the form of Rifts. Within the deeper sections of each elemental plane the domains of the gods resides dependant on the season they are associated with, alongside the resting place of the respective Supreme God.
Elemental Plane of Air - Floating islands, associated with Spring.
Elemental Plane of Fire - Hot as heck, associated with Summer.
Elemental Plane of Earth - The land is folded over itself, associated with Fall/Autumn.
Elemental Plane of Water - Endless ocean, associated with Winter.
A few other planes exist, though most are incredibly difficult to touch by the average person.
The Embris calendar is very similar to the calendar of Earth, with direct conversions of months to Embris months. The major difference is the placement of the beginning of the year, with the Embris year beginning in March [Mollain] (the first month of the Spring season in Embris) instead of January.
Factions are groups or organizations you can join or become favored by and get rewards for doing so, or be hated by and get into trouble for doing so. Faction quests are run and renown given by DMs should they so choose so, the same is true for city renown.