Sirnetsk

Welcome to the Word of Sirnesk.   At first glance, it seems like your typical fantasy world...and you might be right. But this isn’t just any world. It’s your world. Not only does it exist for your character to live in, but your characters will also shape the world around them. What kind of people will they be? How will they handle what the world throws at them? The choice is yours, so think carefully.   The World of Sirnsesk is split into two major continents: Cyntherium and Vaaleskar. They’re connected by a land bridge in the south, and separated and surrounded by the Oplean Sea. The world holds a variety of landscapes and climates, and is inhabited by a wide variety of peoples and races. Cyntherium is split into three kingdoms: Therium, Eska, and Drovhin. Similarly, Vaaleskar is also split into three kingdoms: Glua Scax, Uspana, and Vaaler’nia.   Long ago, the world was in chaos. The land that would later be known as Vaaleskar was wilderness. There was no organized civilization, just tribes and groups of people scattered across the land. In comparison, the land that would later be known as Cyntherium was dominated by two races: the Elves, and the Dwarves. Elves were the pinnacle of magical ability, while the Dwarves’ physical prowess was unmatched. Humans were mediocre in both, and thus were seen as lesser. In both kingdoms, they were often enslaved or otherwise used for cheap labor. They held no power and had no home in either kingdom - they either lived in their owner’s estates,or otherwise in makeshift labor camps and settlements on the outskirts of each of the kingdoms.   Eventually, however, the humans decided they would take it no longer. They banded together to fight for their freedom. And fought they did; many elves, dwarves, and humans were killed in the conflict, but eventually they were able to attain their freedom. They carved out their own kingdom, taking parts of both the kingdoms of the elves and dwarves. Over time, the human accumulated more power, eventually becoming equal to that of the elves and the dwarves. A steady peace was eventually reached, but there was one thing that they continued to disagree on:   Who was Cyn?   Who this person was - who would eventually come to be the namesake of the continent - was a heated point of contention for all of the people of Cyntherium.   The Elves believe that Cyn was one of the first elves on this plane, a chosen of Angharradh. She was endowed with immense healing powers, and thought to have lived for millennia. A fair and gentle leader, she was the progenitor of all of the modern elvish races. In fact, elves often refer to themselves as the Hinien’Cyn, or the Children of Cyn. She’s depicted as a beautiful elvish woman, with pure white skin, shimmering silver hair, and deep blue and golden eyes.   The Dwarves believe that Cyn was the princess of one of the strongest city states in ancient times. She was believed to be a direct descendant of Gorm Gulthyn himself. Fiery and feisty, she was a warrior with unmatched talent. After falling in love with the prince of a neighboring city state, she personally lead the charge to not conquer that city state, but to unite the two. Eventually, Cyn became queen. But even as queen, she sought to personally defend her people from monstrosities invading from the land that would later be known as Vaaleskar. She’s depicted as a beautiful dwarvish woman with hair as red as fire, tanned skin, and donning golden armor.   The Humans believe that Cyn was originally a personal servant and escort to the ancient elvish king. Though she lived a lavish life due to her master, she not only refused to live life as an object, but also hated to see her fellow humans being treated as such. She became involved with the human rebellion, eventually becoming a symbol and leader for the movement. Eventually, she was stricken down by the spell of a high elf, dying a martyr. She was thought to be an avatar of Illmater due to her love of her people and her desire to end their suffering - even if it meant she took that suffering onto herself. She’s depicted as a beautiful human woman with raven black hair, clear fair skin, and emerald eyes.   While Cyn is revered among the people of Cyntherium in one way or another, her brother Vaaler’n - the namesake of the western continent - is widely detested by them. To the Elves, he was a jealous brother for not being chosen like his sister. He was known to be a master of dark magic - including necromancy - who was ousted when his sister was chosen as the leader of their people. To the Dwarves, he also was a jealous brother, believing himself to be a much more talented warrior. In a jealous rage, he killed his sister’s lover, the king, before escaping the city state in shame. To the Humans, however, he assisted the human rebellion against the Dwarves and the Elves. However, he is believed to have betrayed his sister, giving up her location and ultimately leading to her death. He’s thought to have received a dark gift and shelter from the elves in return.