Ippocis
Failing bloodlines and decaying empires. That is the best that can be said of the Realm of Ippocis. The once prosperous continent was once composed of several sprawling empires, dozens of bustling cities, and a tamed countryside dotted with villages. This golden era however is now long since passed.
The sprawling empires are falling to ruin. Their military-might is held close to their seats of power. Their decline is unique to each empire but nonetheless is predictable. High taxes imposed too long. The focus on military might over that of prosperity for all their lands. Centuries of intermixed bloodlines leading to incompetent rule. Ruin caused by invasion of monsters, beasts, and other-worldly spawn. Falling out of favor with the gods. And of course, war.
The bustling cities are a hodge-podge of their former selves. Many of them have lost their population due to death, migration to the countryside for relative safety, or in some rare cases fleeing to other cities as bastions of hope. The once glorious cities that are not entirely abandoned are underpopulated with many empty homes and shops. They are dangerous places where imperial rule drains the inhabitants of their taxes and the organized crime elements drain them further for “protection”. Yet, there are some who still hold hope – hope in revitalization through a leader, through divine intervention, or though yet other means. The cities while sparse are certainly textured with pessimists, realists, optimists, and all in-between.
The countryside has born the brunt of the trauma of a retraction of civilization. Many villages have been overcome by those wild, beastly, and monstrous creatures. The villages that survive have survived a hard existence and know the ways of the world. Their agrarian lifestyle is not as happy as that of their ancestors and they long for better days while resenting their urban counterparts for their seemingly prosperous lives.
And this is the land of Ippocis today. A land which is perhaps past its prime, or perhaps only now about ready to launch past even the vain dreams of their ancestors.
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You are henceforth invited to the exciting land of Ippocis. There is much to learn, there is much to explore, there are secrets to be uncovered, there is gold to be earned, there are hearts to be broken, and there are fascinating characters to meet…. The real adventure is the internal exploration of yourself and your relations with the other members of the party. The world is merely a tool to assist in this exploration. So, you are invited. Come and build a party, build memories, and build up yourself as well as we build a story together.