The Realms

Before the Convergence , Mindosza was a place of great culture and both magical and technological progress. These times are of course a long gone, and what is left are often unorganized groups, looking to restart life, following their own ideals. After the first Haven opened its doors, the realization that even friends and family often disagreed on how to continue on, quickly led to several factions that spread out over the land. The first haven opened a mere 10 years ago, so there are no kingdoms to speak of, no countries worth their name, but the realms are the grassroots to these developments.


As the adventurers explore the land, they may encounter one or more of these realms and their decisions could very well influence, what happens to them. Who will flourish, who will grow strong and who may be left at the wayside? In the following picture, you can see a very broad impression of what lands have been settled by which faction, despite there being no borders yet. This will give a general idea of where you are from, depending on your realm or the haven that you came from.

What follows is a broad strokes explanation of the individual realms and their views on life, where they came from and what they aspire towards. For a quick overview of which ancestries (races) belong to what Realm, see here .

Shona

The Shona people are a people of opposites in many ways. Their enlightened society had them realize early that the Convergence was about to happen and their powerful mages protected their cities (such as Nkonkoni) with magical barriers, safekeeping most of their knowledge, technology and other achievements. However, this came at an unforeseen price. As the convergence came upon and Horrors broke through the Astral Plane, they were seen as an easy prey. And even though their mages were able to, with help of Nkare, the Arcane Mistress, reinforce the barriers and keep everyone from physical harm, the mental toll of having to experience the convergence with their own eyes made them detached and cold.

Fensalir

The Fensalir are a hardy people, living in northern Mindosza. Having had little warning of the imminent Convergence, they turned to the mountains. Digging deep tunnels, they created vast underground networks and were able to focus their defenses to the entryways. However, being as rushed as they were to get to safety, they came to realize quickly, that if they were to live their lifes under the mountain, they had to be inventive. Creations such as light crystals enabled them to grow crops without sun and inventions like powered dams had them harvest energy of rivers deep down in their mines. However, all of this only ever made them “survive”. Having to fend of Horrors trying to reach them at all times left little room to flourish and so most Fensalir came to worship Lorm, the Marauder, looking to take what was denied them for hundreds of years. With the Havens opening up, their most inquisitive minds were able to salvage old technology taking them to the skies: Airships.

Thespia

When the Thespians left their massive Haven city of Thespaeia, they did so as a changed people. In the past, they were a civilization deeply divided by their cast system separating the nobles and clergy from the common folk and their slaves. During the centuries of Convergence, living on close space and no longer able to segregate the lower casts away, these tensions built up and finally broke down the system. With Korellias help, this revolution happened almost without bloodshed, as the nobles were simply pushed to the wayside, robbed of their only power: The Idea of Power. The Thespians that finally emerged from the gates were an equal people, looking to build a cultural sanctuary for anyone like-minded.

V'strimon

The V'strimon are a diverse people united by their desire to survive. As the Convergence drew near, the flamboyant and illustrious V’strimon had no way to look for shelter under the mountains. Instead they chose to look for protection in the deep Waters. Using their prodigious woodworking skills, they build a wall of natural elements, deep down in Lake Ban and other locations. Once they moved into their shelters, they came to quickly realize that the Horrors cared little for fortifications of wood, tearing through them like paper. At this point, they studied the Magic of time, looking to protect their fortifications from the tooth of time, as well as reinforcing these walls. Xho'akkora, the timeless Serpent came to aid them and thus, their havens remained unbroken. After the convergence, the V’strimon have build a network of trade, rivalled by few. Their mercantile minds and perfectionist attitude helped them build trade routes across Mindosza, even spanning the Mesaia.

Tuatha de Dánann

Being a vain people, the Tuatha Dé Danann never heeded the warnings of their scholars of the looming Convergence. Too busy sitting at court, playing the game of thrones, they fell from grace quite quickly, once the gravity of the situation dawned on them. Having run out of time and no longer able to device sound protective measures, they turned towards dark and atrocious blood magic. In petrifying their own forest and defiling the flora and fauna, they twisted the land so deeply, that even the vilest of Horrors were overwhelmed by the pain and suffering radiating from the now called Blood Wood. Despite these measures working in keeping them safe, the Tuatha dé Danann had to live for centuries in the midst of these desecrated lands. Some are even said to have mutated themselves, from the influence of this self-wrought corruption. Ainmire, the Verdant Bulwark is their desire to do good by their mistakes, given birth as a stalwart protector of the woods, looking to thwart corruption, by horrors or otherwise, wherever he encounters it.

Namegivers

This refers to a little-known civilization from before the Convergence. The Namegivers are said to have been the first ancestry to walk on Mindosza and to have given Name to the World and its people. Forgotten temples and ruins may tell the story of this long-lost civilization.


The following graphic attempts to place each of the Realms on the Wheel of Elements, to give a general impression of their ideals. While this is not a black/white distinction, it should serve well for a first impression. The "???" refers to where the Namegives might be placed, based on what little is known about this vanished culture.