Introduction to Tairos

Tairos is a place of faded glory and forgotten wonders. Magic is dead,the gods have vanished and the dangers of the old world are crawling back into the light. The only hope that remains in this dying land is the kingdom of Ghal Pelor and a new generation of heroes looking to pull Tairos back from the edge and give it a second chance at a future.

What Should I Know About Tairos

Below are the absolute basics a reader should be armed with before exploring this setting

Fantasy

Tairos is born from the tropes and foundations of a great many fantasy settings and role playing systems. This was done intentionally so that even though this setting may be new to a reader it will have familiar elements that allow fans of the genre to step in with some functional understanding. Orcs are brutish, Dwarves live in mountains and Humanity is numerous. If you are a reader of fantasy you'll have enough knowledge going into my world to easily see what's recognizable and what I've rebuilt differently

Magic Is Dead

There are a few things even the most isolated and backward community will know about magic. First, it used to be plentiful. Second, a terrible event known as The Queen's Rebuke severed magic's connection to Tairos. Next, Manacite is a form of condensed and pure magical energy trapped in a beautiful green crystal-like form and that is all that's left of magic's original power. And finally, trying to use magic without Manacite or some other source of energy results in a deadly backlash of toxic mana that often kills the user and corrupts the spell.

The Gods are Silent

The event known as the Queen's Rebuke also cut off the gods' ability to grant miracles and speak with their followers. The Leylines that carried mana to Tairos also acted as the conduit by which the gods could interact with mortals. Today, temples are empty, true believers are few and the idea of all-powerful gods is fading away with each generation

Things Can Change

Magic is dead however rumors speak of individuals that are able to cast spells like the sorcerers of old. The gods are silent but a rare few have started hearing their voice and channeling their miracles again. The great nations of Tairos are on the verge of collapse but a new nation is rising and hope is on the horizon. Many believe these are the final days of a world that cheated death centuries ago but for others, it is something else entirely. Its a time of heroes and a promise that things can change.

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Major Kingdoms

Ghal Pelor - Formerly a trading colony belonging to the dwarves. It has grown into a multicultural metropolis and to many... a last hope for a future.


Ghal Ankhar- Ancestral home to the dwarves. Its reliance on tradition and heritage have doomed it to a slow death by stagnation.


Melanthris- Isolationist and decadent beyond compare. This is the home of the Elves and their high born rulers whom have turned their back on Tairos.


Baradrad- Kingdom of noble born and deeply philosophical necromancers. Their lawful beliefs and desire to see Tairos survive has made them a reliable ally in these dark days. But, their methods are questionable to many and their history is one steeped in betrayal.

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Ruins of Tairos

Purpose

My name's Christopher and I've been a world builder, gamer and story teller for about 22 years now. I've always enjoyed building a setting from the ground up and making it as tangible and real as possible. Making it feel like a place and less like an idea. Tairos is one of those ideas that i'm trying to turn into a place. Right now it serves as the setting for a tabletop RPG that I host several times a month for my friends here in Chicago. It's also an outlet for me to do something constructive with my time, an escape from work and a distraction for when my General Anxiety Disorder flares up.

My hope is that it entertains, that it's engaging enough to get comments and conversations started and that my players enjoy living in it for a few evening hours a week.

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Genre

Tairos is absolutely a Low Fantasy setting. But, history remembers a time of High Fantasy. The setting is one built on disasters born from recklessness and arrogance. Those disasters robbed the world of much of its magic; leaving the survivors in a world very different from the one history speaks of.

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Themes

Isolation- The few remaining kingdoms are separated by vast distances and the small settlements in between are forced to fend for themselves or fall to the dangers beyond the purvey of civilization.
Collapse- Of the kingdoms that remain, only Ghal Pelor has a chance for a future. Every other civilization is trapped in the cycles of the past and facing threats that cannot be overcome alone.
Rediscovery- The heroes of the setting are forced to turn to the ruins of dead kingdoms and extinct people for answers. In doing so they are getting a chance to experience a more fantastic version of Tairos and bring forth some of the forgotten boons of that distant age. Though not everything from the past should see the light of day again. Many dangers wait in the dark for their opportunity finish off this dying land and rule over its corpse.