Akratia

An ancient continent, ancestral home of Men, Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings. In a time long past, these Founding Races came together and built a magnificent Empire - the Akran Imperium. Together, the four races colonized the continent, inflicting peace, prosperity, and 'progress' on the wild lands.If only the Founding Races were content with mastery over the material world...   In an age, now long past, at the very height of the Imperium, arcane magisters, holy archons, and alchemic geniuses came together to pierce the very veil of fate, committing a carnal sin against reality itself. The backlash spread darkness and evil across the Imperium, and inflicted great and terrible potential - the Spark - upon certain individuals. These figures tore the world asunder with their power - those few that could fled to the west, to the Sovereign Isles.   There, the Founding Races were safe from the predations of the Spark, so long as any who were found with that potential were... disposed of, and since the fall of Akran, so long ago, knowledge of Akratia was lost, the continent itself faded into legend and its location relegated to only the most enigmatic legendariums.   However, it is a time of change in the Sovereign Isles. Sparks have become more common in the aging state and summary execution seems to have done more to increase their emergence, leaving the Pentarchy struggling to find and dispose of them before they begin to gather followings. Amidst this chaos, a single Halfling commissioned an illegal expedition to rediscover the cursed land and chart a new course for civilization.   He succeeded. Akratia, the Mythic Homeland, the Lost Continent was found, though thoroughly reduced to a wild state. Now, those found with the Spark are given a choice - summary execution or exile to Akratia's Edge (known by its residents simply as the Edge) to wield their potential where they cannot threaten sovereign society.

Akratia is a West Marches style Hexcrawl, in which each person plays one or more characters, known as Sparks. In a session, a group of Sparks band together to venture forth from the Edge into the wilderness of Akratia to delve dungeons, hunt monsters, and loot incredible treasure.   The end of each adventure will see the Sparks returning to a safe haven, where they will rest and prepare for their next outing. Over time, a Spark will become powerful and able to change the very face of Akratia... should they survive that long. Adventuring in Akratia poses risks to limb, body, mind and sanity as even the most powerful Spark walks the knife's edge of life and death.   But Sparks are not alone in their exile. Those normal folk wishing to leave the Sovereign Isles for good, or exiled for crimes unworthy of execution reside in Akratia's Edge with you. Along with managing the businesses and services of the Edge, they can also be recruited as followers to aid in your expeditions.