Apeiron

The people of Apeiron are divided into nine world nations: Delightful, Pleasant, Nice, Gratitude, Awe, Amusement, Keisi, Kendi, and Gaye. Magic is rare in this world as helicopters are in the modern world. Most people know what a helicopter is, but only a rare few actually know how to fly a helicopter (aka: do magic). And even fewer have had magic casted on them. Most of the population lives an unassuming life of farming, trading, or making a living through artisanal means. The average person probably has never seen a gold piece in their life at all; however, this does not mean that they live in poverty. In Apeiron, international travel and immigration is strictly regulated (only a few individuals with the right paperwork are able to travel this was the result of the Apeiron treaty of 1756. The Apeiron treaty was the result of a long war fought through spies and infiltrators (known as the Occult War from 1700 through 1755). The treaty prohibited immigration to other nations except for a select few trusted scholars. These scholars are called: Cartographers. A cartographer’s role was to produce maps for important people, facilitate all rade in their designated trade route, and function as a barrier against illegal immigration and infiltrators. Most often, the trade route itself is named by the Cartographer’s name. A Cartographer must surrender all loyalty to any national power to become a trusted Cartographer. All countries in the mainland (Awe, Gratitude, Pleasant, Nice, and Amusement) refuse to let any people immigrate to their nation due to lack of trust and the difference in governance. Magic is incredibly rare in this world. Magic in this world is synonymous with helicopters. Most people know about helicopters, but only a few rare individuals have ever been in one, and even fewer know how to ride a helicopter. People who use or have access to magic fall under the umbrella term: Magician. In the beginning of this universe, there was once an Eldritch Entity named: Azimoath. Azimoath began its deep slumber and crawled into a singularity the size of a star. Azimoath’s energy radiates powerfully throughout the multiverse and gives birth to many other Eldritch Gods: Wsuthijuk, Sqaulotgr, Flsoaqqe, Apeiron, Ksawqqop, Aergofs, and Jksoel. The daughter gods hate each other’s existence and fought long and arduous wars among each other. After millennia of fighting, Azimoath was disturbed from its slumber and let out a massive shockwave that put the daughters to sleep. Now, the daughters float around Azimoath in peaceful slumber as makeshift planets. For almost a billion years in slumber, everything was quiet. Until life emerged on the surface of Apeiron. When the first sentient life evolved on Apeiron, it came in the form of human. After generations of natural selection, the human race diverged into other races such as: Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes, and Orcs. These races are touched by the magical essence of the universe that emanates from Azimoath’s dreams. However, the dreams of the daughters are powerful enough to manifest unspeakable horrors. The sentient life in Apeiron fought for generations against the horrors (they were named: NightMares) and managed to seal the bridge between the physical realm and the dreams of Apeiron using powerful crystals called: Salt. Generations passed and cosmic disasters wreaked havoc on Apeiron that managed to eliminate most of life from the surface. Luckily, a few survivors emerged from the extinction events and managed to restart civilization. Unfortunately, these new civilizations knew nothing of the horrors that are trapped underneath them... The Denizens of Delightful Delightful is a city-state that is independent from all other nations. Arguably the most progressive city, in terms of technology and magic, Delightful prides itself in its wealth. Historically, Delightful was not always the shining city of the bay. A centuries-long war in the mainland (called the Delightful War from 1775 through 1936) of Argent-Apurva plagued Delightful due to its strategic positioning in both economic and military operations. A city that rests in a long stretch of thin land that forms the connecting bridge between the two halves of Argent-Apurva, almost all international trade and commerce routes find themselves passing by Delightful. Due to the canal that enables egress between the Northern and Southern halves of Apeiron, the Delightful Canal is the most important piece of architecture and the most important place in the world. Around 80% of all international trade must pass through the Delightful Canal. For this very reason, the geographical position that Delightful is in is very sought out for. The nations of Awe, Pleasant, and Nice all vied for control over Delightful; however, an uneasy truce managed to settle the centuries long war. The result turned Delightful into an independent city-state that is self-governing and self-sufficient. The treaty was called: The Delightful Treaty of 1937. The Delightful treaty did three things: established the independence of Delightful, surrendered complete control of the lands East and West of Delightful (now called: No Man’s Land), and forbid any military personnel from setting foot on No Man’s Land and the city of Delightful. For the past half-century, peace has been struck in the mainland, and the people of Delightful (formally called: Denizens) have found great economic prosperity from the various trade-routes that flow through the Delightful Canal. The riches of Delightful have been so successful and renown that the world currency has officially stamped every gold piece with the sigil of Delightful. The Denizens of Delightful are diverse as they are prosperous. Elves, humans, dwarves, Orcs, Halflings, and Gnomes all reside in Delightful in peace and cooperation. Magic roams wild and free in Delightful for any lucky person who is able to conduct in the magical arts. The Denizens aren’t rich, but they do live a wealthier lifestyle than the other nations. Delightful itself does not have a military. Instead, the treaty, and the fact that no other nation would dare attempt to take Delightful in fear of retaliation from the other nations, is what keeps Delightful free from foreign aggression. Technology and magic reign supreme in Delightful. So much so that other people from the other nations often hear rumors that Delightful is the utopia for everyone to retire in. The rumors say that a person can walk in Delightful and immediately be granted magical abilities once they step foot on their streets of gold. However, this golden city on the hill is not as perfect as it puts itself to be. Beneath the technological progress in Delightful, Universities and Scientific organizations vie for control and power over the city using intrigue, magic, and science. Style of Governance: Technocracy Attitudes towards magic: UNTAMED. Magic should be wild, free, and easily accessible to everyone. Magic holds a specific purpose of bettering the lives of the common folk while also upholding the natural order of society. The People of Pleasantry Pleasantry (also known as Pleasant) is a nation that rests West of Delightful. A nation with a strong military presence, Pleasant had just lost a decade of civil war (The Pleasantry-Grateful Civil War) against its own citizens and signed a peace treaty (called the Gratitude Formation of 2000) claiming Gratitude as its own independent nation. Pleasant’s main trading resources are the salts, minerals, and precious metals found in the Pleasantry Lake. The lake is a direct byproduct of the River of Delightful that runs from the Northern sea of Delightful and across Pleasant and to the lake. Although gems and metals are found in the lake, the main resource harvested from the lake is salt (NaCl). There is an unusually large abundance of salt in the lake, so much that nothing can live in the lake itself because it is far too salty. For as long as the first people founded the nation of Pleasant, the lake has been a seemingly endless source of salt that is coveted by all nations. Pleasant played a major role in fighting for control of Delightful in the Delightful War. The people of Pleasant are mostly inhabited by war-loving dwarves who train all male dwarves in the military at age 20, there are some humans and orcs that also reside in Pleasant. Most male dwarves are part of the Pleasant Military in some form or another. The people of Pleasant regard magic as a means to power and conquest, and all mages (albeit few in number) are forced into a life of military servitude. The weapons from Pleasant are made with great craftsmanship and pride. They are sturdy in battle and can go multiple generations without breaking. The people who aren’t involved in the military are those who are involved in the business of salt and precious metals. These people are mostly humans that live in the city of Pompous. Pompous prides itself as the trading and resource capitol of Pleasant. The salt harvesters (formally known as Salitions) gather salt and other precious metals from the lake, purify them, and then package the goods for trade and other uses within Pleasant. Recently, the salt in the Pleasantry Lake has been visibly diminishing from overharvesting. Moreover, unusual happenings have begun to arise. From Salitions knocked unconscious and dreaming of a demonic entity or creature watching over them, to the inhabitants of Pompous seeing dark shadows lurking in the night, these unnatural and strange phenomena have become more abundant ever since 2015. Style of governance: Plutocracy Attitudes towards Magic: CONTROL. Magic should be a way for the strong to control the weak. Magic is a militaristic tool that should be used to spread influence across the world. The Citizens of Nice The People of Nice, formally known as Citizens, rests East of Delightful. Nice is a nation built on nobility and aristocracy. The five main cities of Nice are named after the five noble houses: River, Bewilder, Empress, Good, and Kind. The system of governance is an oligarchic society where the nation is governed by the five heads of each noble house. Together, the five heads (known as the Crowns) make all the decisions and laws of Nice. Even though Nice is a unified nation, each city has its own self-governing state rules set forth by the Crown. The Citizens of Nice must follow the federal laws as well as the Crown laws set by the nobility. Unless you are a noble, most citizens are lowly farmers indebted to a landowner of some form or another. Historically, the nation of Nice was once five separate kingdoms that was ruled by their own noble house; however, through marriage deals and occult meetings, the five kingdoms were eventually united into the nation of Nice in 1680 (formally known as the Global Merger). Nice played a major role in the fight to control Delightful in the Delightful War. Most people in Nice are farmers or artisans working to pay the debts that they owe to the Nation. Nice specifically used the talents of an incredibly strong Warlock (Dr. Katherine Joan) to lead the Dragon Hunters of Order to hunt down dragons and fey wild to near extinction. The Warlock now holds massive dominion over Kendi on behalf of Nice’s Royal. The entire country of Nice is surrounded by a dark spectral mist, and the clothing is more baroque and gothic themed than anything else. However, the commoners still wear normal tattered or farming clothes. Style of Governance: Aristocracy Attitude Towards Magic: USE & ABUSE. Nice views magic is dangerous because it is a means of the lower class peasants to gain access to power. If the noble houses do find a magician, they often scour the lands to expunge the magician’s existence. If the magician is of interest to the nobility, then the magician is offered to work for the noble house under intense supervision (often with little or no respect for humanity). The Folks of Gratitude The people of Gratitude (formally known as Folks or Folksmen) is a newly developed nation built on bloodshed and civil war. Once part of Pleasant, the inhabitants of Gratitude fought a long civil war on their right to keep the livestock and agriculture that Pleasant was taking away. Geographically, Gratitude rests in a valley where the land is fertile and rich. Arguably the most fertile place in the mainland, Gratitude boasts the highest production of animal products in the world of Apeiron. The geographical position is so celebrated for being rich and fertile that its nickname is: the Fertile Valley. The inhabitants in Gratitude now enjoy a life of agriculture and enrichment after the civil war. However, they still keep soldiers in the Gratitude-Pleasant border to prevent any military conquests in the land. Gratitude still kept the military policy of forcing all males to enter into the military by age 20. For this reason, the duties of heavy farmwork, artisanship, and medicine fall in the hands of the women. The Capitol of Gratitude (Grateful) boasts the largest city in the world. Even though the population is small, the land itself is large. A diverse array of farm animals are found here (honey bees, silkworms, cows, sheep, pigs, ducks, and chickens are there to name a few). Style of governance: Republic Attitudes Towards Magic: EQUALIZE. Magic is a way to balance the power between those who cannot defend themselves and those who wish to do harm. The CommonWealth of Awe The people of Awe were once three separate nations, now called companies: Miracle, Impress, and Awesome. The three nations were unified by the fact that the three nations were once weak alone either due to the countries being surrounded by No Man’s Sky or poor geographical positioning making it impossible to participate in direct international trade. The formation of the commonwealth of Awe took place in 1700 through the CommonWealth Treaty. Awe is the mainland nation that is most lenient on immigration. Together, they govern a large part of the coasts and offer up bounties of the sea as trade for other goods from other nations. Most of the inhabitants of the CommonWealth are fishermen by trade, and they rarely traverse past their coastal town. A few rare and lucky people were born into a life of wealth and trade. These people belong to families called: Trading Clans. These clans facilitate trade between the coastal towns of Awe and also govern trade outside of Awe. All trade goods reach either the city of Amaze, Awesome, or Impress. However, the city of Miracle offers an underground black market for contraband across international buyers. Style of Governance: Federation Attitudes Towards Magic: PROFIT. Magic is used to profit off of those who wish to use or wield it. To us, magic is another form of currency. Kendi’s People The people of Kendi were once a peaceful continental nation that boasts an unusually high ratio of magicians. Around 1 in 10 people can wield some form of magic or another. The land of Kendi is known for its connection with fey creatures and the fey-wild. Fairies and dragons are known to roam these lands in great quantity. Specifically, the Capitol (Terminus) is known to be rich in wild magic and magical creatures. Unfortunately, Kendi was invaded by Nice in 1865 in the (Order Invasion). Nice utilized powerful magicians and great militaristic force to overpower the inhabitants and take control over the Capitol of Kendi (Terminus). Ever since the Nice takeover, the land of Kendi has been slowly harvested of its natural and magical resources for militaristic use. What was once a land filled with fey, dragons, and wild magic, is now a wasteland filled with the remnants of what was once magical wildlife. Nice specifically used the talents of an incredibly strong Warlock (Dr. Katherine Joan) to lead the Dragon Hunters of Order to hunt down dragons and fey wild to near extinction. The Warlock now holds massive dominion over Kendi on behalf of Nice’s Royal Families. Past Style of Governance: Traditional Authority Current Style of Governance: Totalitarian under the rule of Dr. Katherine Joan Attitude Towards Magic: Revere. Gaye’s Inhabitants The people of Gaye value tradition and strength above all else. This nation was once a prosperous and peaceful nation that specializes in philosophy, arts, and scientific progress. It has a renaissance feel to it. The Capital of Gaye is Euphidious, and it once held the largest library in the world. However, this was changed when Nice attempted an invasion against Gaye in 1890 known as the (Kind Invasion). Unlike Kendi, Gaye managed to protect their homeland and fight back against Nice; however, this was at the cost of tradition. In order to adapt to the new invaders, Gaye miraculously turned into a nation of strong-willed fighters. Hephaestion was the birthplace of the Battle Dancers that were used to defend against Nice. The Battle Dancers was formed as a response to the invasion. They turned the traditional dance of Gaye (known as: The Dance of the Dragonfly) into a fighting style that emphasizes quick movements that reserve energy for long drawn-out fights. Now, the Battle Dancers are a respected group of warriors which exemplifies the virtues of strength, tradition, and grace under fire. Being a Battle Dancer in Gaye would instantly grant a person wide respect and privileges that no other person can receive. Style of Governance: Democracy Attitude Towards Magic: Magic brings mostly harm and destruction. Discipline, steel, and skill is what surpasses all magic. The Kindred of Keisi The environment in Keisi is a harsh frozen wasteland. For a few months in the year, the ice freezes over solid into one solid land mass. The people of Keisi value family and closeness with kindred above all else. Those who do not have a family or community to support them often die in the harsh frozen wastelands. The lands of Keisi are not desirable for conquest, so foreign powers have no interest in conquering the land at all. Keisi for the most part does not participate in international trade. Everything that they need to survive is right there in their land. Style of Governance: Patriarchy Attitudes Towards Magic: Command & Abuse The People of Amusement Amusement is a small nation that borders the East side of Nice. It is currently upholding a strong military border with Nice. For the past hundred or so years, Nice has tried to overtake Amusement, but against all odds, they failed. Even for a small nation, Amusement has a strong military and boasts one of the best soldiers in Aperion. The land of Amusement has rich soil that can grow crops and sustain massive amounts of livestock. This made Amusement a hotly contended land for Nice to overtake. However, the abjurers in Amusement are one of the best in Apeiron, and have since managed to keep Nice off of the border for now. Style of Governance: Monarchy Attitude Towards Magic: Magic is a means to protect against invading forces. Overall, magic can be used to tip the scales of battle, or guarantee victory against all odds.